So it turns out that Hollywood is a dirty, dirty, place. That's not a commentary on movies, just on Hollywood Boulevard, which is apparently the world's largest consumer of X-rated mannequins. We went to see the tourist sights of Hollywood, and hoped to see someone (anyone) famous. We saw the Hollywood sign, the walk of fame, and Mann's Chinese Theater. It's touristy. No celebrities; I'm sure they stay away from the tourist hot spots. We found a few of our favorite stars on the walk of fame.
A few weeks ago we drove up into the mountains to Big Bear Lake. It was nice to get out of the smog and into fresh air. We hiked up from the lake to a mountain ridge, where our trail connected with the Pacific Crest Trail. Along the way, we were assaulted by a vicious swarm of ladybugs. We saw lizards, a woodpecker, and some very interesting trees. Then I was mauled by a bear.
We've been to the beach a couple of times now. Venice Beach is very interesting; in addition to the usual sand, surf, and sun, Venice has a boardwalk with an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, political advocacy groups, schizophrenics, pot dealers, and a weightlifting area where Arnold Schwarzenegger was discovered. We found a great organic vegan restaurant just off the beach. The last time we went, we stopped off at the REI in Santa Monica to pick up Laura's new bicycle, then hit the coastal bike trail.
We'll be leaving Colton on July 15, and driving home to GR for a visit and some intense job hunting. (On that note, if anybody knows of a good job opening in the GR area, please let me know at mhall22@alumni.calvin.edu.) Where we go after that depends on whether or not the job search yields anything.
