Update of the Past Few Months Part 2

 If you've visited my A.E. Keener Facebook page recently, you may have seen a post about this picture.

This award was the reason for my second visit in April to California. I was invited to the Beverly Hills Film Festival because my screenplay, Patchwork, was selected as a finalist for BHFF's screenplay contest. The Film Festival lasts five days and is filled with features, shorts, animations, and documentaries. The week ends with a black tie gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel where the awards are presented to the winners.

The films were shown at the TCL Chinese Theaters which is the more modern version of the Grauman's Chinese Theater located nearby. 

The Marquis display for the Beverly Hills Film Festival.

Like the old movie theaters, the TCL Chinese theaters have red curtains over their screens. They rise before the movie is shown.

With the curtains up.

It was fun to see different features, documentaries, shorts, and animations from all over the world. Plus, watching these films in the heart of Hollywood made it even more special.

I stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel which is on Hollywood Blvd and right across from the Chinese Theater.

The Ceiling in the Roosevelt Hotel

One of the main areas.

During breaks between movies, I would explore the boulevard which was busy and filled with exciting things to do.

The El Capitan Theatre: Hollywood's First Home of Spoken Drama and Walt Disney Studio's Premiere Theatre.

The Egyptian Theatre: Home of the first movie premiere.

I love the Egyptian design.

A car decorated in tiny cars.

The Dolby Theatre

Disney Ghirardelli

A view of the Hollywood Sign.

And of course, the infamous Chinese Theatre.

I didn't have as much time to explore other areas of the city; but I did have a couple of hours one day for an excursion to the California Science Center.

My main reason for going was to see the Endeavour. I wrote in a previous blog about watching the spaceship's last flight. It now resides at the California Science Museum. Naturally, I had to see the spaceship up close and personal. 

The Endeavour.

A slightly closer shot.

A view of the famous tiles. 

Some Fun Facts about the Endeavour:

       ~During reentry, the nose and leading edge of the wings are hotter than any other part of the    shuttle.

       ~A single tile could cost as much as $2,000 to make. 

      ~ The black coating seen on the tiles under the orbiter helped the tiles shed heat. The white tiles and blankets on the orbiter's topside helped to reflect solar radiation when the shuttle was in orbit, which helped the Endeavour to keep cool. 

I still can't believe that the Endeavour has been in space. Being this close to a piece of history, I was filled with awe.

The California Science Center also has several other exhibits. I was limited on time so I was only able to visit one other exhibit, The Kelp Forest Restoration in the Ecosystems area. 

Kelp Forests are important ecosystems located off California's coast. They are home to a diverse wildlife. 

At the California Science Center, they are growing kelp forests to help educate on their importance.

Swimming through the Underwater Forest

Another Shot of fish swimming

In the Jellyfish tank, the movements were so beautiful that I had to take pictures.

Who knew jellyfish were so graceful?

Another fun excursion provided by the Beverly Hills Film Festival was a party at one of L.A.'s night clubs: the OHM Nightclub. If you know me,  I'm kind of grumpy if it's past 10 and I'm not within a few feet of my bed. However, OHM had several key factors that helped influence me to go:

There were books...

Typewriters...

And steampunk decor... Of course, I had to go.

Along with these excursions, I also was able to enjoy some wonderful food and drinks from several great restaurants. A couple of my favorites were:

Black Cod from The Public Kitchen and Bar

A cosmo inspired specialty drink made with market fresh ingredients from the Library Bar.

Halibut from Il Cielo.

And Il Cielo's Panna Cotta was just so pretty.

And of course, an old fashioned Coke Float from Disney Ghirardelli's. 

On my last night, I attended the Beverly Hill Film Festival's Award Ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel. In true Hollywood fashion, the ceremony was a black tie affair with red carpet and photo opportunities. 

After a full course dinner, the awards were presented; and I received 2nd Runner Up for Best Screenplay.  I still can't believe that it actually happened. 

Naturally, there was only one way to celebrate:

Cupcakes from the original Sprinkle's Cupcakes.

This California Adventure was an exciting and "rewarding" experience. Being able to receive an award  in Tinseltown itself, was a dream come true. 

~A.E. Keener

Interested in my adventure? Click the links below to learn more:

Beverly Hills Film Festival:

http://www.beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com/

Thompson Roosevelt Hotel:

http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/hollywood-roosevelt

El Capitan:

http://elcapitantheatre.disney.com/

Grauman's Egyptian Theatre:

http://egyptiantheatre.com/egyptian/egypt.htm

Dolby Theatre:

http://www.dolbytheatre.com/

California Science Center:

http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/

OHM Nightclub:

http://ohmnightclubla.com/

Public Kitchen and Bar:

http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/hollywood-roosevelt/eat-and-drink/public-kitchen-and-bar

The Library Bar:

http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/hollywood-roosevelt/eat-and-drink/library-bar

Il Cielo Restaurant:

http://www.ilcielo.com/

Disney Ghirardelli:

http://www.ghirardelli.com/locations-events/ghirardelli-locations/hollywood-ca

Sprinkles Cupcakes:

http://www.sprinkles.com/

Road Trip

 
Before my graduation from grad school, my mother and I decided to go on a road trip from Irvine, Ca up to Carmel, Ca. It was a six hour drive but well worth the effort.

We spent two nights in L.A. at the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. The "Pink Palace" was the reason why Beverly Hills got its name. The service at the hotel is impeccable.

The hotel room where they leave fruit and cookies.

The outside patio of the famous Polo Lounge. Many of Old Hollywood dined here.

We went to the Grove where we got drinks at Mixology.  

A fountain at the Grove

Mixology is known for its variety of drinks.

I tried the Last Word. A drink from the early 1920's.

The day we planned to leave, we decided to make a stop at some of the famous places in L.A.

We visited the Walk of Fame and the famous the TCL "Grauman's" Chinese Theater.

We also went to Madame Tussauds. The wax figures are very life-like.

Hanging out with Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and Morgan Freeman to name a few. 

Having explored some of the famous parts of L.A., we decided to start our road trip. The route we took showed a part of California that isn't normally seen. It was fun driving through this area. There were surprises around every corner. We saw miles of oil rigs, farms, and mountains. We also saw the last stop of James Dean and the intersection where he crashed his car.

James Dean's Last Stop, Blackwell's Corner, offers a variety of homegrown nuts and fudge. It also has a mannequin of James Dean sitting at one of their stools. 

They have a giant James Dean sign as well.

We arrived at Carmel that night to a rustic hotel overlooking Big Sur. 

It had no air conditioning but the view was awesome.

The little town of Carmel is quaint and small. Boutique shops line the streets and the town is dog friendly. At a local bakery, we were able to buy some fun dog treats for my dog. We also toured the Carmel Mission nearby. It is one of the 21 missions that is connected by El Camino Real. 

The front of the Carmel Mission

We also drove 15 minutes down the road to Monterey where we saw Cannery Row. The old Cannery District is now a thriving shopping area. On the way back, we hit the 17 mile drive at Pebble Beach. The drive is scenic and allows you to see wildlife that lives nearby.

Pebble Beach is full of smooth rocks that look like pebbles.

See that speck in the ocean? That's a sea otter. 

The Lone Cypress Tree. It's the logo for Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The Famous Golf Course.

After two nights at Carmel, we headed back to Irvine. We stopped at a couple more missions along the way but we were tired by the time we arrived home. The drive was exhausting but was worth every minute. This road trip showed me a part of California I never would have seen. 

~A.E.  Keener

For more info on my trip:

The Beverly Hills Hotel: http://www.beverlyhillshotel.com/

Mixology: http://www.mixology101.com/

The Last Word Recipe: http://cocktails.about.com/od/ginrecipes/r/last_word.htm

Madame Tussauds: http://www.madametussauds.com/Hollywood/

Carmel Mission: http://www.carmelmission.org/

Pebble Beach 17 mile drive: http://www.pebblebeach.com/activities/explore-the-monterey-peninsula/17-mile-drive