Monday, April 02, 2012

Hollywood

Ahhh! How am I still talking about our vacation when so much has happened since then. I must catch up!  At least I can say this is the last vacation post.

Our last day of vacation we decided to cram in a little fun before we flew home.  Ollie fell asleep in the car on the way up to Hollywood so Ollie and Larry napped in the car while I showed Creed a few of the sites.  We walked to Mann's Chinese Theater and Creed was in tears when we found everything blocked off for a premiere.  A security guard took pity on the disappointed little guy and led us through the shop next door to small courtyard with a few handprints and footprints to check out.

Try explaining who Jackie Cooper is because I couldn't, but he was still pretty thrilled.
And he go to pose with an Oscar on our way back to the street.
It was pretty funny seeing Hollywood through a four-year-old's eyes.  He had no idea what and Oscar was and he kept asking me to read the names on all the handprints and stars, but it was difficult to find even a handful that meant anything to him, "Whoopi Goldberg is one of the voices of the hyenas on The Lion King and that mark is where she imprinted one of her dreads in the cement."
We did run into a few characters he sort of knew though and he thought the whole things was pretty cool. Plus we stopped at Zara and I bought him the miniature man-bag he begged for so he left a happy man.
We also made it up to the J. Paul Getty Museum, which I haven't visited since Larry and I were engaged so that was fun to share with the boys (and Creed posed us for this awkward picture that I promised him I would post). It's still crazy to me that this is so close to the city, but seems a world away.
There are always so many amazing things to see there and we only had one hour

We roamed, taking as much in as we could, let the kids play in the family exhibit area, and then rushed the kids to see a few of the most famous pieces in the museum (while still trying to stop for a least a bit at anything they seemed particularly interested in).  I felt weird doing that because I don't want them to think the only things worth seeing are the most famous or that if something is famous that makes it the best or most worthwhile, BUT later in life when they see this art in books or in classrooms (or on Little Einsteins) I want them to have a personal connection, and I hope that they get that this is real art hanging somewhere for people to enjoy, and that it's so much more amazing in real life.
I always take a picture of them with it so even if they don't remember someday, we can pull out the pictures and we can talk about it (and who wouldn't love to have their mom drag out these super awkward pictures of themselves later in life?)
And thus we conclude our trip to LA.  I will spare you the pictures of the Tito's burrito that exploded all over Creed on the way to the airport and I will refrain from regaling you with the tale of Creed's horrible bout with airsickness on the plane filled with stars headed to the Sundance Film Festival like Chris Catan, Cillian Murphy, and James Marsden. I'm still trying to forget the details.

2 comments:

amyh said...

Oh, Steph. I want the details :)

I think you guys need to come visit us. Creed and Ollie need to learn about South Indian culture.

Eva / Sycamore Street Press said...

I love this. The part about you and Creed in Hollywood cracks me up. He'd be such a fun kid to travel with. p.s. We miss you guys! We need to hang out!