I was lucky enough to visit LA in 2008 when my short film Broken screened at the LA Harbour International Film Festival and I had my first introduction to the amazing city of Los Angeles.
I saw my gorgeous university friends who now live there, ate a decadent meal at the famous Chateau Marmont, stayed at the uber cool Standard Hotel and even bumped into the Entourage boys on set during our time there (there may have been some flirting but I’m saying nothing).
As well as having my film screen at a super film festival, (picking up a commendation) I also had meetings with some of Hollywood’s most prolific producers including Gilbert Adler (producer of Superman Returns and Valkyrie) and had the privilege to meet renowned director Sir Ken Annakin and legendary actor James MacArthur (sadly now, both deceased) . It was truly a whirlwind of an experience.
I loved the positivity of the American people (the American dream has a very real effect on folk out there) and its infectious nature…as of course the productivity of the industry…well it is Hollywood darling. Thanks to the festival organiser and my friends, my brother (who came along with me) and I, were able to experience a very glam side to Los Angeles.
Yes it’s strange that nobody walks over there, people do hike though and we enjoyed a power walk up Runyon Canyon which I loved (the views from the top of the whole of the city are breathtaking) but getting from A-B means you need a car. We did try getting on a bus once but were weirded out when it resembled a prison bus (do those even exist?) and quickly headed for a taxi rank.
I adored LA, the sunshine, the ease of getting film meetings and the excitement of it all…highlights included shopping on Rodeo Drive and sipping cocktails by the pool in West Hollywood. It was a perfect work/holiday!
My husband actually wanted us to move to LA when Oliver was 5 months old but it didn’t feel quite right. I would love to work out there for a few months at a time one day but it really wasn’t where I needed to be with a baby, far from home with little help from family.
So we chose Leeds (not quite California) but near the folks, very pretty and I have no regrets…OK maybe when it’s wet and windy for the millionth time, I dream of a beach house in Santa Monica but mostly, we made the right decision. I currently take so much Vitamin D daily, my body actually thinks I live in LA anyway…and who knows maybe one day I will!
All photographs ©Vicki-Psarias-Broadbent.
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Really? I wasn’t very enamoured with LA, the fact it cost us $100 to get from Hollywood Boulevard to Malibu Beach did not go down well, damn taxis! We were also told to get home pretty damn quickly once the sun went down. The Getty Centre was beautiful though.
@TheBoyandMe I saw such a fun and fabulous side to LA…would definitely consider living there in the future!
Sounds like it was an amazing trip – I’ve never been to LA but would love to go, am a big NYC fan though and lived there for 3 months a few moons ago when I was a single gal, it was brilliant! X
@Richmondmummy it really was…wow I bet NY was ab fab sweetie!
Look at you, Ms Thang! What a fab time you had out there. I love LA to visit, I have fam in Santa Monica so spent a lovely summer there years back. Haven’t been to LA in just over a decade, I do enjoy the glam, upbeat element – and it’s also funny how literally everybody is somehow connected to the ‘industry’.
Not sure I could live there though. There’s just this lack of… substance (sorry Cali). I definitely preferred NYC! x
@Babesabouttown thank you girlfriend. LA rocks. I’ve never been to NY but so have to x
Lovely post as ever! I love looking at these pics – you are just so glam! You fit right in with the LA crowd 😉 x
@SamHadadi thanks girl, do love LA! x
Bahaha! In my dreams x
True, they chase u down Rodeo Drive for an autograph and i stop them like a good pitbull publicist 🙂
For sure, we would have such a blast and of course do some obligatory celeb hunting 😉 x
We don’t hunt them, they find us 😉 x
Lovely post and what a fab time you had there, LA really is larger than life with superb weather thrown in. I was there once a long time ago in 2004 for work and stayed at the St Regis, my first time in a five star hotel I think, wow amazing. How cool would it be if you could out there every year direct feature films- i’m sure it will happen. x
@sharcasm remember you telling me aboout your tales in LA, we need to go there together! x