City of Angels

Christmas Day in La La Land

La La Land, such a wonderful movie. Didn't you love the dance scene that takes place in the  Griffith Observatory? They are waltzing among the stars in the planetarium...it was just so romantic. 

So what do you do in LA on Christmas Day? I guess you could go to a movie, or go to a place where movies have been filmed. 

​We decided on the latter and took a hike to the Griffith Observatory. There were throngs of Angelinos, from kids to grandparents and busloads of tourists all enjoying the day and the view. 

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Griffith Observatory is almost as iconic as the Hollywood sign. It plays an big part in the movies, and is almost a character itself. 
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Take Rebel Without a Cause , James Dean's character tries to impress his friends in the Planetarium, and then ends up in a knife fight in the parking lot. Shortly before his death, Dean had commissioned a bronze bust of himself, which now sits near the front lawn of the observatory.

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On our hike up the hill, we encountered many runners. It seemed to be a regular thing for them to run up and down the hill.
It reminded me of Jim Carrey's movie Yes Man.
In the movie he meets Zooey Deschanel, who plays a woman who organizes jogging group and invites Jim Carrey's character to join in. The scene shows them jogging down some of the many trails that surround the observatory. 

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We thoroughly enjoyed our day in LA, feeling a bit like a tourist and a bit like a local.