Burbank

My two cousins and I arrived in Arizona late in the evening only to rise early and fly to Burbank the next morning. In Burbank, we rented a car and headed to NBC studios to identify its location. Smart phones have since saved me from getting lost a lot! The excitement continued to brew in my veins when we stood in front of the NBC Studios building. If I were alone, I would probably have hung out there for a while, but we had such a short time and so much to do. People who travel with me know I love to see as much as I can, even if I only have a few hours. For places I’ve never been to, the opportunity to explore is fun, and as far as familiar places, I revisit favorite spots repeatedly. In both instances, it adds zest to my soul.

Taking my cousins on a sightseeing binge was exciting to me. I wanted to share the beauty I’ve seen in the past. I drove to Kodak Theater and Rodeo Drive, and then we took a long drive down Sunset Boulevard, stopping in various home areas in Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, and all the way to Santa Monica Beach. Those homes are exquisite, and I get easily dazzled with the landscapes, the foliage, and the colorful flowers, I wished I lived there year-round. The trick is finding a place that looks like Beverly Hills but is affordable and has a helicopter to beat the traffic.

As we stopped to check out shops and take pictures, my phone was ringing off the hook. Why in the world was everyone calling me that day of all days? Didn’t they know how important my mission was strolling around in perfect weather and stepping all over stars’ names? A recruiter was one of the callers, and he asked me to schedule an interview with the Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler? Really? How incredible! Yet, I was in Hollywood, and no job or other location seemed relevant while I was there. Where was he when I was sitting at home pointlessly e-mailing my resume? I told him I was going to be back in Michigan in one week. I think that was too long to wait because I did not hear back from him after that.

After checking into our hotel by the Santa Monica Pier and gulping down the huge, green complimentary drinks that made us tipsy, we headed down for a stroll to the Third Street promenade. The three of us staggered arm in arm to prop up each other so we wouldn’t fall.