When you hear the word Hollywood, your mind might conjure images of glitz and glamor. It’s the land of TV and movie stars. I discovered the reality is a bit different. When I arrived yesterday, my first impression of Hollywood was marred by dense traffic, garbage, and homeless people living under a freeway overpass. 

I stayed in a hotel in the famed Beverly Hills, which is definitely a nice area. I guess you’ve made it when the gas station at the corner near your home has a full-service option, which adds almost $1/gallon to the fill-up. I drove by the Warner Brothers TV/movie lot. I saw the houses hanging off the sides of the Hollywood Hills. I saw Hollywood Blvd at night, which seemed like a mini-Vegas. In short, no celebrity sightings unless you count the main reason for my trip.

When I go to California, I always forget it takes so much longer to get everywhere. This is especially true when so many people converge in one venue at the same time. The Hollywood Bowl seats 17,500, and I was among the masses in attendance for the sold-out show. It’s an outdoor venue, and thankfully the weather was perfect.