The Tale of Gelato Paradiso, The Crystal Ballroom, and Beverly Hills...

April 5, 2011

I woke up in my own bed- and with time to spare! (Which I admit is unusual for a travel day.) I began to get organized and finished packing as I got showered and dressed for the day ahead. By 1pm, right on cue, my taxi pulled up outside my house. I hopped in and was on my way to the Branson Airport. After the rather quick drive, I got checked in at the Frontier desk, and then went on through security.

Branson is such a small and quaint airport, a very stress-free place to fly in and out of! My flight was not until 2:30pm, so I had some time to kill, which sadly there isn’t much to do in that airport- it really is quite small. But I managed to keep myself somewhat entertained as I pondered theories in my head.

The flight was on time, and I got on the plane just as planned. I was actually in the mock first class section. (Because on Frontier you can sometimes upgrade to the extra leg room for a reasonable price when you buy the ticket- plus the more expensive ticket also pays for 2 checked bags, which makes the extra money the ticket costs more than worth it for me!) I got comfortable in my very nice and roomy seat- which also had a big armrest between me and the gentleman next to me. I was quite pleased!

Soon we were in the air and on our way to Denver. I sat writing most of the flight, trying to catch up on the things I needed to get done. The flight was smooth and peaceful! Just some turbulence at take off and landing, but aside from that- smooth sailing! I was on the ground in Denver around 3:30pm, and noticed my next flight was on time, but I did have a little over a two-hour layover... So as I walked toward my next gate I decided to stop at the Denver Chop House- which truly is always a good choice! I have had many a great meal there!

After my salad and a couple chicken tenders, I was on my way to my new gate. But as I arrived there, I found out that my flight was already delayed about twenty minutes. I went back towards the shops and spent some time in the bookstore, but soon I had exhausted my shopping options and went back to my gate to wait. I still had over an hour and a half. So I got out my computer and started to get some work done.

Finally at the same time my flight was supposed to take off, the plane had just landed and the passengers were happily exiting. At least I knew we were going to be on our way soon! And I was right; within fifteen minutes they started boarding. I got into my window seat, and found that the middle seat next to me was empty. To my amazement and joy, it was still empty when they closed the heavy airplane doors at 6:45pm. It is always such an added bonus to have a seat next to you empty. It just makes it easier to work! I spent the whole flight reading, and I finished the thing I needed to right as we were starting out descent. However, I did take a break from my reading to enjoy the warm cookie you get on every afternoon Frontier flight, and also a cranberry juice. (And no, that is not a cranberry and vodka, it’s just plain cranberry… I’m not that rock’n’roll people!)

As we were coming into Orange County, it was amazing. The sky was afire. It was sunset, and from the height of our plane it was truly awe-inspiring. I attempted to take pictures, but I assure you- none of the pictures did the beauty justice! It was almost a shame to go below the bright pink and orange clouds to land, but we did.

Trust me, this picture does not do the view justice... But you have to
admit it look quite heavenly!

I went down to baggage claim and eagerly awaited my two pieces of shiny black luggage. I stood there making small talk with one of the other passengers, when finally my bags appeared. I bid him adieu, and was on my way. I walked out to the curb and awaited my dad. I was waiting for a bit longer than I expected! But after fifteen minutes, I saw his car coming toward me. He happily got out of the car to help me with my bags, and I jumped in the passenger seat.

We drove the oh so familiar path to my parents house. I can’t tell you how many times I have made that drive over the years. First when I was just taking my dad there so he could leave to go on tour, or eagerly picking him up and taking him home; then when I was old enough that I was going on tour with him as well. I am pretty sure I could do that drive in my sleep- however, I don’t plan on it, but if I ever change my mind and decide to attempt a blind drive to John Wayne Airport, I’ll be sure to alert all my friends in the area to beware!

Dad insisted on stopping at the small market we drove by to get some apples. Apparently there was only one apple left and mom wouldn’t let him have it because she knows I like apples… We fixed that problem with the bag of Fuji apples we purchased- now there were enough to go around! Soon I was home and sitting in my chair- the one I always sit in when my parents are both home. Weird how you just have your usual places isn’t it? I also had a little snack that my mom had prepared for me before we had gotten there.

We all sat around chatting and watching a little TV for a bit, then I retired to my room and started a new book- which I loved, and that led to me staying up for hours reading, but I just couldn’t help it! Eventually, the day began to wear on me though, and even though I wanted to continue further into the book that was sitting at my lap, my eyes refused.

April 6, 2011

I won’t go into much detail here… It was a free day for me in Newport Beach! You would think I would have been running to the beach or catching up with friends, but instead I was off to the hairdresser and some other errands that I needed to get done. Going back to California, there are always things I need to get done- whether it is my hair (which I have to get done by Todd, I have yet to find anyone who compares to him- and I have had my hair done pretty disastrously in Branson before! I’m sure there are talented hairdressers there, but I have not found them.), or going to see some doctors that I haven’t replaced with a Branson physician yet. There are always things on my list I have to get done, and I prefer to get them out of the way in the first couple days I am in town. That way I can enjoy the rest of my time by the beach!

I will add that my mom and I did go to dinner at Bandera’s- a place we hadn’t gone to in years, and it was delicious! Gabe had reminded us of the artichokes there not long ago, and so we had to go see if they were still the same, as he had said. And Gabe was definitely right! If you need an artichoke and don’t want to cook one, there are some good places to go, but Bandera’s is probably one of the best I know!

Oh, and for those who know me rather well… I did get my gelato fix! I rarely come to California without getting some. I can only remember one time I didn’t actually- I was here with someone from Missouri, and to this day I regret not introducing him to my wonderful addiction of Gelato Paradiso! (And for those who are in the Corona del Mar area a lot and know what I’m talking about, I did skip the Sprinkles store that is one door down. I do love me a Sprinkles red velvet cupcake too, but I figured one vice at a time!)

April 7, 2011

I lazily woke up and got showered and ready. I didn’t have to leave the house until about 1pm, but then I was on my way to Beverly Hills. (However, I did do a quick stop over at a Barnes and Noble store- I am obsessed with reading lately! Plus they also have great journals, and I think we all know how much I love to write as well.) But after that, I was back on the 405 and headed North.

I made it almost all the way to Sunset without any traffic. But as luck would have it, the freeway came to a halt right before Santa Monica Blvd.- which is only two exits before Sunset. So I quickly got to the right lane and exited the freeway/parking lot. I found a backstreet that took me over to Sunset. Then I made a right and drove down that famous street until I came to a historically famous place- The Beverly Hills Hotel. I happily turned into the driveway, which appeared to be a sanctuary from the madness of the street I was just on. I pulled up to the Valet, and handed over the keys as I got my bags out.

I walked into the lobby and asked a hotel employee where I would find the Crystal Ballroom. After being pointed in the right direction, I continued on my journey. But I hadn’t made it more than a few steps when a lady sitting on the phone in the lobby asked if I was there for the photo shoot. I said no. At first I was feeling pretty good about myself, thinking that this lady actually mistook me for a model. However, once I thought about it, I’m pretty sure she thought I was the makeup artist for the shoot, (as I was rolling around a bag that looked like one a makeup artist would have) and I have always looked more the part of the makeup department than model! Especially in Hollywood! I am not a size negative two! Or even a zero for that matter- by any means! (And for the record, I don’t plan to be; I love having some feminine curves!)

Past the distraught photo shoot lady, I found an elevator to take me down to the Crystal Ballroom. As the elevator opened and I walked into the beautiful room outside the ballroom I was literally stopped by the beauty. Then I continued to walk inside the ballroom, and I was in awe. What an incredible place! Vintage to a T! I was in love! I found the band and dad all sitting in the middle of the room chatting. I joined them for a bit. Then it was time for sound check.

Sound check proved to be pretty simple. This was a private event, a benefit for the Jewish National Fund. We only needed to do a twenty-thirty minute show. For my dad, that is pretty much just the hits! So that was easy enough to get ready for. By 4pm, we were done. Dad walked me up to the hotel room we had. (He had stayed there the night before since he had some meetings in L.A.) The room was beautiful. True Beverly Hills style. I set my stuff down, and then dad and I decided to go down to the incredible and hugely famous Polo Lounge for some food.

In the Crystal Ballroom.

Anyone who is anyone- or at least anyone who is anyone in Hollywood, has been to the Polo Lounge. Many contracts have been signed there, and surely the birth of many of the biggest projects in Hollywood have happened while at a meeting there. Dad and I sat down and began to chat. I got a salad that was incredible! I admit, I had been to the Polo Lounge before for a meeting, but I had never eaten there, and the food- or at least my salad was perfection! By the time we were done with our snack, dad went back up to the room to rest for a bit while I walked around for a while.

Stage in the Crystal Ballroom.

I did see one celebrity while I was walking around, and my dad had seen one earlier. But not too many celebrity sightings this time. But it is pretty hard to be at that hotel and not see someone you recognize from the entertainment industry! I eventually found myself a comfy cozy couch in the lobby to sit at and read. I sat there for a little more than an hour, and I actually watched many of the people arriving for the benefit we were working. What was interesting was that there were actually two major Jewish events going on at the hotel that night. I watched and heard so many people come up to the hotel staff saying they are there for the Jewish event, and asking where to go. The hotel staff would ask which event, and the people would have an embarrassed look of “I don’t know!” on their faces. Most people eventually figured out the right place to go though!

Gabe and Bob on stage.

Tim and Larry on stage.

By 6:15pm, I ran up to the room to get changed into my stage clothes, then I went down to where the band was. The band had a room to hang out in that was in the lobby of the Crystal Ballroom. It was actually a bridal room. (A lot of weddings are held at the Crystal Ballroom- including my Uncle Bobby Hatfield’s first wedding in the 60’s! Pretty cool to think the reception for that wedding was right there were I was standing. I had seen some video from that night, and I admit it was awesome to see the actual place first hand!) The band was definitely entertained by the fact that they were in a bridal room!

In the Crystal Ballroom.

We sat there for a while- chatting and waiting for the event doors to open. Once they did, we walked into the ballroom and found our table. As a side note, as Gabe walked into the ballroom, he opened up his arms and grandly said, “My people!” Gabe is the only one of us who is even half Jewish. So he was feeling right at home. The people running the event graciously gave us a table so we could enjoy the food and the rest of the happenings. We all sat down- luckily our table was in the back corner, because we were a little unsure about some of the traditions going on.

On stage in the Crystal Ballroom.

They got us to stand up for the National Anthem. When it had finished, we all began to sit down; but without hesitation the person singing continued into another song- and this one was in Hebrew. Everyone in the crowd was singing along. I felt bad that I did not come prepared and know the song too. We all sat and enjoyed our salads. They also brought around some bread that the leader of the party had broken, they set a big piece of the bread down on our table between Larry and Tim. We all looked at Gabe with questions of what are we supposed to do? What is the proper thing to do in such situations? Gabe did not have answers for us. So Larry dug in and pulled off a piece and then passed it to Tim, and he did the same. It kept moving around the table as someone in our group said, “Wait, I think you passed it the wrong way!” And Gabe just bent his head down- most likely in shame for being seen with us. But we were innocently uneducated on the situation! The bread was wonderful, and actually the whole meal was delicious! The speakers had some great insight on a lot of the projects they are working on through the Jewish National Fund- most of the projects are over in Israel, which I found to be interesting because I had just a few weeks ago started to toy with the idea of going there. It seems the JNR is doing some great work over there. The host for the night was Tom Arnold, and he was hilarious! His jokes and his energy were wonderful!

Soon we needed to go get ready to do the gig, so we went back to the bridal room for a few minutes to grab the stuff we needed, and we also met up with my dad there too. Then they walked us over toward the stage as the introduction video was playing. Dad and I talked with Tom Arnold for a few minutes, then dad was called to the stage a little earlier than expected at 8:45 pm. I waited back there through a couple of songs, and then it was my turn to get to work. We did “Time of My Life”, and then dad realized that the people were loving to dance, so he said I should do “The Letter”- which I haven’t done in months! Luckily, it went over well, and there were no major problems with us remembering, just maybe a few tiny lapses in lyrics on my part! Then dad did “Loving Feeling”, which I help him out with; and then we were done!

Dad backstage ready to get to work!

We made our way back to the bridal room to all gather back together there. We sat chatting in the room for a bit- and I ate one of the incredible desserts from the event! So yummy! But then we all started to disperse, everyone beginning their treks home. Dad and I went back up to the hotel room so he could grab his bags and get on his way too. Soon, I was left alone in my beautiful vintage hotel room. I sat up for a few hours reading and then I finally gave in to the beautifully welcoming bed.

April 8, 2011

I woke up at 10am and got dressed. I hung out in my room for a while, just because why waste it? Checkout time wasn’t until noon. But finally I got my stuff together and walked down to the valet to get my car. I can tell you that the vintage Hollywood glamour of that place is truly magical. Even driving away, I felt a pull of being forced into reality and out of the heavenly dream that I had resided in for the past twenty four hours.  The hotel is steeped in a very rich Hollywood elite history. Just being there makes you feel like you have stepped into an enchanting past. The colors, the decor and the atmosphere are just truly magical- that is the only way to explain it.

The Beverly Hills Hotel.

But alas, I was set to leave, so I did. I got on the road and back toward Newport Beach. It took a bit over an hour, but I only got stuck in some slight traffic a couple of times; however, jamming on some country music made the time fly by! Soon I was home and relaxing as I looked out the back porch at the beautiful bay. A perfect ending to a perfect and wonderful gig.