Basketball Game
Trip Start
Nov 11, 2008
1
7
22
Trip End
Jan 06, 2009
Downey,
California,
United States
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday 20th November
Compensating for the short entry last time, it's essay time!!
I'm going to sound so British here talking about the weather, but it is still lovely here! It's been in the high 20s and even when it cools down when the heatwave ends, it'll still be in the low 20s which will be nice (sometimes it's been getting a bit TOO hot)
Yesterday, I travelled through some slightly rough-looking areas of LA (don't worry I didn't stop in any!) to see a celebrity basketball game in a high school gym. I'd never been to a basketball game before, or an American highschool, but I'd seen it on TV so many times before it really was just like being in High School Musical... the cliched cheerleaders, loud music throughout the game, whooping crowd and banners around the gym proclaiming how awesome their teachers are.
The Hollywood Knights, a team made up of mainly C list celebrities, were playing the Warren High School Faculty (ie the staff) I'd not heard of many of the celebrity players, only Nick & Aaron Carter who were by far the most famous players on the team (and the best, but maybe I'm biased hehe) apparently there was a guy from Desperate Housewives there who got a big reaction, as did a Kiss FM DJ and several other small screen actors... the girls I was with pointed out who was who but I was still none the wiser.
The game was really exciting - the Hollywood Knights were winning right until the last few seconds when Warren High School tied and extra time was announced. Again it was close but the high school won in the dying moments. We had a great view, bagging the front benches right behind the Hollywood Knight's player bench, although my camera wasn't working well with the lighting so I didn't take many photos. We had a half time performance from some dance students at the school as well as the school's marching band and a former American Idol contestant (at last someone I had heard of!)
Today I did a spot of shopping in Hollywood, buying two outfits for my upcoming weekend as I couldn't decide between the two, as well as a new handbag and some cute purple shoes. As I walked through the metro station at Hollywood & Highland I spotted two people dressed as Peter Pan and Hook, I assume on their way to Graumann's Chinese Theatre to pose with tourists alongside other 'celebrities' as well one of those funny silver men you see in touristy places, this time on the esculator of the station, blending in easily with the crowds. Only in Hollywood.
I'm now having a chilled evening as I have three nights out in LA coming up so I'm going to be knackered by next week. Tomorrow I'm going to a restaurant in Beverley Hills with Paul, Amanda and some friends - apparently they specialise in garlic so I'd better stock up on mints afterwards!
LA takes some getting used to, it's nothing like back home. Everything is so BIG and all spread out. Plus the road signs are SO confusing - you don't get signs at juntions telling you X is left and Y is right, just road names to show where you are now. But I guess most people have sat nav on their iPhones to help them. But I'm starting to learn the area now and get my bearings, and can't wait to explore more areas. Orange County again is very big and spread out, but less hectic than LA and generally more chilled out and safe... in fact where I'm staying in Lake Forest the crime rate is the 10th lowest in the whole country... and the next town along is number one of the same list. LA is a lot different to the previous parts of the US I have visited (New York, Miami and the Keys) but just as nice in a different way. But I couldn't live here - it's a driving city and you can't get very far without a car... I'm the world's worst driver and I'd end up getting lost and having accidents... so I think I'll stick to London where we have thousands of tubes and buses everywhere!
Over a week in to my adventure, I'm loving it... but I have to admit I miss certain aspects of the UK - mainly X Factor (I'll catch up on YouTube when I get time!) and my traditional xmas lights tour with the gang in Heather's car... it's just NOT Christmassy here at all because it's been so baking hot!
