Secret Stairs

EARLY on Saturday morning, before it would get to the scorching 90 degrees, we, still trying to hike regularly in preparation for next month's trek, headed up to L.A. to venture on one of the "Secret Stairs" walks in the area that Kelvin discovered (they also exist in other places-- like the East Bay).  We convinced Danny and Tina to come with us at the crack of dawn on a weekend morning!

These (public) staircases link many streets of historic Los Angeles neighborhoods and include some fun architectural sites. We learned that the original and famous "HOLLYWOOD" sign actually said "HOLLYWOODLAND," named after this neighborhood, but the last four letters fell down!

We did the Beachwood Canyon hike, which led us past many chateau-type homes and houses of Debbie Reynolds and musician Moby (who K claimed he saw taking his trash cans back to his back porch)

Distance: 2.6 miles (with a side trip to Mulholland Drive and the reservoir); Steps: 861

 

There was even a doggie "Hollywood Walk"!

We passed a free lending library (tempting!)

 

The first staircase

Despite the hot weather, Pep, who flew down here with us, held her own!

not sure what Danny is doing here...

We had some nice views of the "Hollywood" sign!

... and we felt a bit offended reading these signs that discouraged tourists going through these neighborhoods...

(so that tourists couldn't go up to the canyon)

 

another chateau

more stairs...

View of downtown Los Angeles

Moby's Chateau

Hollywood Lake/reservoir

 We liked this sign!

(I think Danny imitated the pose better than did Tina)

Fun times on the now-not-so-Secret Stairs!

Love under the Fig Tree

We have been down in Southern CA this weekend, where it has been sunny and HOT!

We drove down to Sac (briefly seeing Kristin, Caesar and little Sofia) and then flew here on Friday AM to attend the wedding of Mai (K's HS friend) and Andrew (who we visited in July in Vancouver and Whistler) in Santa Monica last night.

Figuring in LA traffic, we arrive early and a bit of time to stroll around Santa Monica and near the Third St. Promenade.

Artist

Mai and Andrew got married at the Fairmont Hotel, under this Fig tree:

We hung out with Marc (who K knows from college and med school) and his fiance, Julie

Mai and Andrew met over five years ago when he was a rental car customer of hers (she gave him a ride home and he asked her out!).  She took a while to take him up on his offer of coffee, but the rest is history!

The groom enters, accompanied by his parents

Ringbearer

The bride!

("Their photographer keeps getting in the way of my shots," said an annoyed Kelvin :))

Newlyweds!

darn these sunspots/bubbles!

The reception

It wasn't a huge wedding and we got a few personal minutes with the couple!

It was also Andrew's birthday-- how's that for a happy day?! 

"I just got the best birthday gift ever-- my wife, Mai," he said!

The food was copious and delicious and, despite being totally exhausted by 9:30 after getting up at 3:30 am, we had a lot of fun at the reception!  We also spotted the actor Larry David in the Fairmont lobby while we were getting our car... which K loved. Gotta love LA!