Hey everyone! It's been a while since my last post. Things have been crazy busy for me lately. I decided to come back with a true story about my time in Hollywood, CA about three years ago.
I was living in Florida with my mom when we decided to see what the west coast had to offer. She had dreams of Arizona, and I had dreams of California. I was only sixteen when we decided to drive across the country. Talk about a road trip! It was a week of being crammed in a blue Ford F-150. Just me, my mom, and my adorable cream-colored chihuahua, Harley. But the adventures we experienced, the lessons we learned, and the places we saw; that trip was worth it. It was hands-down the most memorable experience I have had. (so far!) I have collected a few of the most memorable memories from that trip, and decided to share them with you.
The Cooler Incident
We decided to bring a cooler to save money on food and drinks. Sounds like a great idea, right? Wrong. While it would have been fantastic if we had the space for it, but that truck was packed so full, that there was no space. It was sitting kind of behind me (in the passenger seat) and kind of on top of everything. It was painful every time we took a turn or had to stop. That cooler would not stay put! Also, every time it hit me in the head, some mixture of melted water and ice splashed on me. No, it wasn't pleasant. So somewhere between Alabama and Texas, my mom pulled over to the first exit she saw. Then, she pulled over on the side of the road. That is where we left that cooler. We left it there and never turned back. Somethings just aren't worth the hassle (or being bopped in the head).
On the Road Again
The Desert
Having never been further west than San Antonio, TX, I had no idea what to expect. I knew there were deserts and the West consists more deserts than anything. But after crossing through west Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and South-Eastern California, deserts is all I saw. Without the help of the welcome signs, I wouldn't have even known that we crossed state lines. It all looks the same! It was discouraging at times because the road seemed to go on forever.
One night my mom and I had stopped at a rest stop (helps save money on motel costs if you use highway resources) to get some rest. Since it was pretty hot and we didn't want to leave the truck running, we had the windows rolled down about an inch. Right in the middle of falling asleep, I hear a weird noise. I look over and see my mom freaking out about something. Apparently a big, hairy, spider or some creepy-crawly insect, had tried to crawl in the window. And there went sleep for that night.
Now I mentioned my mom had dreams of Arizona. Probably the only reason we didn't end up there is because the desert and my mom are not a good combination. The whole time we were traveling through the desert, my mom couldn't stop sneezing. It was as if she had allergies. Turns out, my mom is allergic to the desert. So there went Arizona.
Making it to Hollywood
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| Photo Taken by Jessie Kinsey © 2014 All Rights Reserved |
After about a week of being crammed up in the truck, we finally made it to Hollywood. The first time we drove down Hollywood Boulevard, I was ecstatic. It was all I imagined and more! I saw the palm trees lining the road, the famous Hollywood sign, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame! I found it very beautiful. I love mountains and beaches, and there you get the best of both worlds.
But it's not all glamour and fun though. It's insanely expensive to live there. Jobs are extremely hard to come by and driving is a nightmare! (I saw a speed limit sign for 80 mph and people were speeding) I know, you're probably thinking that I should've expected the high cost of living. I did. I just had no idea it would cost that much.
My mom and I had gone apartment hunting for a few days. We just couldn't find something affordable. One apartment we had called to inquire about, didn't look too fancy or expensive. But oh, were we wrong on thinking that or what? The conversation went similar to the following:
Ring ring ring
Apartment: "Hello (insert Apartment Name here). How may we help you?
Mom: Hi, yes, I would like to know how much your cheapest studio is going for on a monthly basis.
Apartment: Of course, it's $2,000 a month. Would you like to schedule an appointment to view it?
Mom: (laughing) You're joking, right?
Apartment: No. It's really nice, though.
(Note: This is an approximate amount and the conversation is not word for word. It's generally what was said as memory serves)
That was where my mom said no thanks, and hung up the phone. I mean, really? $2,000 for a studio apartment? That was the average price for most of the places too. One apartment complex even asked if we'd like a bathroom included or not. I'm not sure about you, but I thought a bathroom was a standard feature in any living space.
We gave up on finding an apartment. After searching through monthly rates on motels, we finally ended up at the Mark Twain Hotel.
The Mark Twain Hotel
The name sounds nice, right? Well I wouldn't describe it as nice, but it wasn't that bad on the inside. Not saying that it was ideal, but it could've been much worse. At $900/month it was the cheapest place we could find in Hollywood. Before we could let my dog inside, my mom had to pick up all the needles on the ground and under the bed. After tidying up a little bit, we noticed it wasn't that bed. It had one double bed, a very small TV (one of those box TVs, not the flat-screens) and a full bathroom. Although the bathroom window didn't shut, it could've been much worse.
Some did think it was much worse though. People passing by actually thought it was out of business. On my way out the door one day, I had a very interesting, but short, conversation with a stranger passing by.
Stranger: "Hey, is this place condemned?"
Me: (processing the very thought that never occurred to me) Nope, I live there.
Stranger: Oh, well it looks condemned.
I had never taken a good hard look at the hotel before. But after that conversation, I did. It did actually look condemned. You have to wonder how a place is still in business when the majority who pass by, immediately think it's condemned or out of business. But that's the way it looked. Taking a walk through the place won't help change your opinion on that either. You'll see needles on the ground and just know that they were for shooting up drugs. The sock on the door with the loud, obvious, noises let you know that this could be a place for prostitutes as well. Or just people that couldn't care less. But, that's the Mark Twain Hotel.
It's the very hotel my mom and I stayed in during the time we lived in Hollywood. It was in a great location right between Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd. I could walk to Hollywood High School with no problem, and the stores were close as well. My experience with the Mark Twain Hotel will never be forgotten.
However, for what it is, it's expensive to live there. It's expensive to live in Hollywood, just like any city (but especially Hollywood), and it wasn't going to work for us. So about a month later, we decided that we needed to get out while we still could. As my mom put it "We need to leave before we die in California." It's not the place for those with little money. Between the cost of that room and food, we were barely making it. And what I mean by barely making it is living off of PB&J sandwiches and desperately looking for the jobs that weren't there.
So off we went back across the country to Maryland. But that's a story for another time.
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| My dog Harley and Me |
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| Harley, Long Haired Chihuahua, on the road trip |
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| My Mom (right) and I (left) |
