Rudd On The Road By Steve Rudd Part Thirteen: The Green Side of Hollywood

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20

Keen to see a side of LA that the majority of visitors to the city never get to appreciate, I couldn't have been more pleased when my friend Dave Kebo, a movie-maker who was raised in LA and knows much of it like the back of his hand, offered to show me around. It was St. Patrick's Day, and our first port of call was a cafe in the Silver Lake district, east of Hollywood. Neither of us had so far indulged in breakfast, so we ordered up and sat back, sitting out on the busy sidewalk in order to increase our chances of spotting a celeb. To be fair, we were only sitting outside for my benefit. Dave, naturally, had seen it all before; no longer did he get star-struck if he bumped into stars.

Having worked as Lawrence Kasdan's assistant before beginning to write, produce and direct movies, documentaries and music videos of his own, he knew all too well that 'even A-list stars are people too.'

I knew I should have ordered something light as soon as our food arrived. It seems that there is no such thing as a small portion of anything in the US. Fortunately, I was pretty hungry, having just endured an hour-long bus ride over to Koreatown from the beach at Santa Monica, an exhilarating trip that had stalked the major thoroughfare of Wilshire Boulevard all the way, cruising past the world-famous La Brea Tar Pits on Miracle Mile in due course.

Once breakfast was done and dusted, Dave suggested a trip up to The Getty Center. 'Sure,' I eagerly acquiesced. 'Shall we walk?' Dave's bruising look of consternation said it all. 'I don't think so,' he grinned. 'Not unless you'd like to trek into the hills along the side of the freeway, that is, and risk both your life and sanity.' As suspected, The Getty Center cannot be reached on foot, for it is perched high in the hills overlooking LA. Thus, we jumped into Dave's all-terrain vehicle and hit the freeway, trading our mode of transport for a purpose-built tram upon arrival at The Getty Center's parking facilities.

The tram proceeded to take us the rest of the way, effortlessly taking the strain the final few hundred yards to the main entrance of the center. One of the most-popular visitor attractions in LA after Universal Studios, The Getty Center, somewhat incredibly, costs nothing to visit, save for the $10 parking charge per vehicle.

Such a fee cannot be begrudged in light of the genuinely breathtaking views from out front of the center, with the highly stylised architecture of the center itself being equally as attention-demanding. Inside the center, priceless antiquities, paintings and tapestries aplenty are on display, yet I preferred to be outside: it was a beautiful day, and the exquisite gardens were calling my name. Next stop was Runyon Canyon: something of a secret to folk not on intimate terms with LA, but perhaps one of the best places to mix with those involved in the entertainment industry should you be aware of how to gain access to the canyon - and be prepared to stretch your muscles. Discreetly extending into the hills north of Hollywood, the canyon provides ample hiking opportunities.

Dave and I entered the canyon at little after two p.m., and hiking and jogging enthusiasts were swarming along the dusty track ahead as far as the eye could see. At the entrance to the canyon, a cool-box of food and drink tempted all those about to enter to grab a bottle of water or pick up a snack. A whole host of dog treats were also on offer, testament to the fact that most people who exercise in the canyon do so with their canine pals. At first, it was almost impossible to believe that access to a canyon of Runyon's tranquil variety was literally at the top of a dead-end road - Vista Street - that coolly creeps straight out of Hollywood.

Easing by a yoga teacher ready and waiting for a bunch of willing pupils to teach (for free), within minutes we were forging a course between swathes of vegetation, anticipating the first switchback on the trail that soon led us to a superb vantage point. From there it was an unforgiving climb to Inspiration Point, the steep dust track evidently getting the better of just as many dogs as people.

We were lucky. Had we attempted to reach Inspiration Point the following day we would have failed miserably: a production company was due to shoot reel on and around the viewpoint. Elated to have reached the point, Dave pointed out a succession of LA landmarks as my eyes slowly made tracks across the extraordinary, albeit smoggy, horizon. As far as views of urban landscapes went, it was a beauty in every respect. It was so beautiful, in fact, that I contemplated staying up there long into the evening in order to see the mad sprawl of Los Angeles really come to light - and to life - after dark. For more information about Steve's travels, and to view photos from his trips past and present, he can be contacted via 'Facebook' by typing 'Steve Rudd' into the Search box in the top right-hand corner of the homepage. To Be Continued....

Copyright \ufffd Steve Rudd 2009

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