Hollywood!

After moving to California for about 4 months now, we finally decided to venture out into LA to see the Hollywood sign and also to visit the Griffith Observatory.  Did you know his name is Griffith J. Griffith?  Interesting to have the same first and last name!

This is why we don't drive into LA.  The traffic is always so bad and it seems to be worse during the weekend!  Although how would I know that? I don't drive into LA during the week.  HAHA!

Interesting sights along the way.  I think they are building a new soccer stadium? The Coliseum (sports arena) is just along here as well.

It's Felix the Cat!  Will have to introduce that to the boys.  They have been watching Woody the Woodpecker recently :-)

We are never going to get there!!!

Okay, getting closer.  Here is the Ritz-Carlton hotel.  Fancy advertising on the outside of the building:

Interesting people and restaurants along the way:

There is a flea market along the side of the road???!

We spot the Scientology building!  It's the tallest blue-colored one in the background:

And once we cross a certain road, everything changes - big old trees and BIG homes!!!  We looked up one of these homes online. It is worth about 8 million.  Sheesh!!!

We made it!  We found a quick park for the van and the boys went right to work - looking for sticks!

Okay... so it was either walk along the bending road up the hill or the short cut.  Didn't anyone watch the cartoon/movie "Inside Out"?  There was a signage that said "DANGER" and the one character read it as "Short Cut"!

Well, everyone survived this one, with a few tears (and it is only the start of our adventure!).  Graham kept slipping and I actually almost got worried at one point as he was getting close to an edge.  Anyhooo.... ta da!!!  Too bad it was such a hazy day:

We are halfway up the hill and Daddy suggests another short cut???  Seriously??!!  Graham is obviously pointing the other way but nope, we are going up this one too!

Thankfully this short cut is not as steep and when we get to the top, there it is!  The HOLLYWOOD sign.  It is a bit far away and looks like it's about a 4 mile hike away.  Hmm... we might not make it there in one day :-)

Charlie was excited to see his name on the signage.  There is also a tribute to Charlie Turner as the Honorary Mayor of Griffith Park:

I haven't quite figured out this "Keeper Emeritus of Dante's View" quote yet:

Photo op with the Hollywood sign! I told Charlie to stand with his brother but he was not very cooperative:

Well, moving on then!  I am excited to show off my very LOUD Valentine's Day leggings!  It was a gift from one of the mom's from school/Charlie's class.  She is a retailer for a company called LulaRoe.  I was a bit skeptical with the polyester but it was very comfortable and the boys actually really loved the print too!

We walk a little bit up the hill and we are already taking our first break.  This might take a while:

And... we are off... again!  Graham and Charlie were so slow lagging behind and both Bobby and I were wondering why.  Every time we looked back, the boys would be digging or more like tapping their sticks with another stick or rock into the side of the hill.  One of the random strangers walking past us were calling them "future archaeologist".  Ha ha!

Like I said, it would take us days at this rate to go along this trail to the Hollywood sign!

A look back at the Griffith Observatory.  You can see the outline of the city in the backdrop:

After about maybe 30 minutes of walking/hiking, we reached our check-point, so to speak:

I am glad the boys didn't see this sign at the beginning of our hike!

This is as close as we will get to the Hollywood sign.  Maybe closer next year???

Great photo of Bobby and the boys:

On the way back, we take another rest.  I was taking a selfie with Charlie and just had to laugh when I actually saw the photo after.  Cheeky Charlie!

We make it back to Griffith Observatory! Family we-fie!!! I love this photo :-)