Happy Thanksgiving from the entertainment capital

Hello from Hollywood! Well, not technically Hollywood because I am spending Thanksgiving in Ojai (pronounced Oh-Hi) but I have been to Hollywood! I had three days in LA and with some fabulous help from Matt and Kristine I was able to set out a great itinerary. I visited the Getty Centre which had great paintings and a fantastic special photography exhibition. The next day was a walk around downtown. The architecture was really interesting and as a special treat the doorman at the Oviat building (a fabulous art deco building) let me go up to see the penthouse which has all the art deco furniture and is now used for functions or films. I only had one day left and as tempting as it was to visit Rodeo drive or Santa Monica, i couldn't go to the Hollywood capital and not visit Hollywood. Hollywood was actually not as exciting as I had hoped but I did see the sign on the hill, Mann's Chinese Theatre and the stars. If I had more time it would have been fun to do a tour but I wanted to visit Universal Studios. I did not think I was much of a ride person but I was so very wrong. The rides were so ace. The Simpson's ride was incredible closely followed by the Jurassic Park ride. I could have done so much more in LA but I felt like I got a good snapshot of the city. I didn't get discovered for a major Hollywood blockbuster and I also didn't get some facetime with a top director to discuss my movie ideas but I feel like I laid some good groundwork for my next visit...

I am now enjoying the relaxed environment of Ojai and it is nice to be spending Thanksgiving with friends. Thanksgiving is huge here. People make more of an effort to get home for Thanksgiving than even Christmas. They also have huge post Thanksgiving sales and the shops open at 5.00am on the following day. 

Anyway, the weather is beautiful today and we are about to go for a walk so Happy Thanksgiving everyone and see you soon!

Journey to the political centre of America

Washington DC is a place I have wanted to visit for many years. Unfortunately their law about citizenship requirements for presidency have cut short my political aspirations but this is also the law that stands between the Terminator and the White House so I won't complain. Instead I do the next best thing and stand outside with the other members of the public. DC is fabulous. It is a city that pulsates with the energy of being the political centre as well as having so many galleries and museums. I was there for three full days and despite having very tightly packed days I barely scratched the surface. Some of the political highlights are below: the White House, the Hill (I don't call it Capitol Hill because in the West Wing it is called the Hill), the Washington Monument and Lincoln's Memorial. Lincoln's Memorial was very moving and I found his speeches which were printed on the walls incredible and I found myself rereading the phrases because of the sheer poetry. 

The musuems here are amazing. The Museum of American History reopened on my last day so I saw the flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner, the Gettysburg Address, an amazing section about the American Presidents and R2D2! If this wasn't enough I also saw Seinfeld's puffy shirt, Dorothy's ruby slippers and Kermit. The Air and Space Museum was brilliant and basically so were all the museums. One of the museums that slipped off the list was the International Spy Museum. It was partly a time issue, partly a cost issue and really I already know all there is to know about the life of an international spy!

It was a lovely part of the holiday and it was also one of the coldest parts. DC is COLD and what I experienced was only November weather. I am not quite sure how they manage in winter even though their heating is very good. I am not saying I have decided against being a senior adviser to the President but the cold weather is something to consider.

I flew to LA on Saturday and that is the end of east coast part of my US holiday. LA is certainly milder and it is fun to go from the political centre (or center if I am being faithful to the country I am staying in!) to the entertainment center but more of that in the next blog...

Photos of Yosemite...

Hi all, Here are some photos from Yosemite in order of appearance...
On one of my walks I was very close to some deer, one of the waterfalls, my climb up to Nevada Falls, Mirror Lake and the historic climb to the top of Glacier Point!

And hello Yosemite!

WOW - Yosemite was amazing! I arrived Thursday afternoon and left Monday morning so I had three full days to explore and I could have done so much more. I was going to visit Yosemite later in my trip but at the last minute had to swap things around. The timing could not have been better. There had been quite a bit of rain so the colours were vibrant and the waterfalls going strong. I will definitely post photos soon so you can see what it was like. I was staying in the park in what is called a tent cabin. Which is like a canvas covered cabin. They gave me very strict instructions when I arrived about not having any food, liquid or scented toiletries (such as soap) in the cabin but instead to keep them in the allocated bear proof locker outside. I obediently followed their instructions and went to bed happy that I had done my duty. I woke up in the middle of the night (and I should warn you that what follows might upset some nieces...) to hear a distant roar of a bear. This turned to panic when I soon heard it snuffling outside my cabin! Rational Kim stayed asleep during the entire episode while irrational Kim decided that playing dead was the best option. So here I am playing dead in a tent cabin which afforded no obvious defence against a hungry bear. Well the moment (which felt like hours) passed and the next morning I discovered that someone had left some rubbish outside. I disposed of the rubbish and meticulously followed the anti-bear instructions from then on!!
The next day the new and braver Kim (after the bear encounter) ventured out on one of the harder walks to Nevada Falls. This was an 11.3 km walk climbing 570 metres. Thankfully I met some nice americans on the way up who became my walking companions for most of the ascent and descent. It was nice to chat as we walked. One of them visited Yosemite regularly and said that the weather was the best he had seen so that was nice to hear. The following day I took things a little easier. I went on a free photography walk in the morning where I found out what all the features on my camera actually do! I wish I had known about them at the start of the trip but I guess that at least I knew about them to take some good shots at Yosemite and especially before visiting Mirror Lake which I did that afternoon.
Sunday was my very exciting day. After church in the morning I headed off toward Glacier Point which is over 15 kms and a climb of 960 metres. It took me over three hours to get to the top and I was so proud of myself for making it. I did stop quite a bit because it seemed like every step was another photo opportunity but I got there just in time for my turnaround deadline. I had decided in advance that at 2.30 pm I would have to head back because once it gets dark here it really gets dark and I didn't want to meet another bear! Anyway, I made it to the top (photos to come) and after a short rest got down just as the light was fading. It was quite slippery coming down so I am pleased I didn't leave any later. I was so happy I did it. I was almost going to do something else but someone at breakfast said it was THE walk to do because of the fabulous views of Half DOme. Yosemite has probably been the most challenging part of the trip physically but also I have found it to be quite challenging because the place is so awe inspiring that I felt a little overwhelmed at times.
Yosemite is like the natural Manhatten but instead of being surrounded by buildings you are surrounded by these amazing cliff faces that change minute by minute as the light shifts. I will definitely post some photos but they don't really capture the magnificence of the place. It is like the ultimate outdoor cathedral!!
Again, the people here are very friendly so there is always someone to chat to. People think I am English when they meet me. I think my accent has dropped but also alot of Americans can't tell the difference between the accents. When I remember I say G'day instead of hello to avoid the confusion. I stayed overnight in San Francisco on the way to Yosemite and then on the way back on the way to Washington DC. On the way back I went on a free tour of San Francisco that was run by the hostel. It was run by a friendly but somewhat eccentric economics teacher who used the tours as a way to convert people to the Henry George approach to taxation. I guess everyone has their passions and this was obviously his but he meant well. At the start of the tour he said the tour would change our lives. I immediately was worried he would use it to try and convert us to some sort of Californian new age fern religion and started formulating an exit strategy but it turned out to be a fun way of seeing the city and a few of us went out for dinner afterwards. It is late here in Washington so I should go but I will post photos soon and tell you all about Washington DC when I see it in daylight!

Goodbye New York

Hi all,
I should start by saying that I decided not to take the job at NBC (see Sam and Jane's post below). It was awkward saying no to the apartment on the upper west side, the company car and the house in the Hamptons but I don't really think weather is my thing. I think I am more a late night talk show person and there weren't any positions available. It is probably a good thing because I already have my flight booked to go to Yosemite. Seriously though, the NBC tour was lots of fun. We saw a few of the studios and heard about what happens behind the scenes. It was also fun to do it with Sam and Jane as there is no way I would have put my hand up to be a volunteer if I didn't have them on either side of me nudging me forward.
Since my last blog I have visited galleries, more museums, had lots of fun with Sam and Jane and spending time with some new friends I have made here. Some of the highlights...the Metropolitan was incredible, Ellis Island was really interesting and visiting Radio City Hall for both the Christmas Spectacular and the tour was really fun. New York at Christmas would be amazing and I think I will come back for Christmas here one year. Christmas decorations are already up in the stores and they look really beautiful. One thing I have remembered about myself is that I don't enjoy shopping. I went out to Woodbury Common and felt a little like a fish out of water as I was one of the only ones without an empty suitcase to fill and didn't run off the bus. At least I saw some nice scenery on the bus trip! Later that day I went to the Guggenheim and really loved it even though I had to miss a significant chunk of one of the main exhibitions because it was a bit yuck. The building was amazing though and I enjoyed walking through it.
Another highlight has obviously been being here for the election. It was very exciting watching it play out and sending texts to people back in Australia as it happened (maybe that's why my phone bill has been so expensive this month??). The american political system certainly makes for better television as it is simply the first person to get 270 electoral votes and as each state closes their polls and the state is called then however many electoral votes that state has gets allocated. Obama didn't really win the popular vote by a huge margin but it was a landslide because of the states that voted for him. At the JFK museum it said that he one by a very small majority (something like 51%) and the result wasn't even known until the next day but in the next few months 63% of voters claimed to have voted for him. I wonder if this will happen for Obama. He seems very tired by the whole thing so I hope he is able to live up to the expectations. So many people think he is the answer to all their problems.
Enough about the election. What to do on my last day? This was the big question as there is so much I could still do but I didn't want to rush it. I chose to visit the Cloisters which is connected to the Met but is at the northern tip of Manhatten and is devoted to medieval art and sculpture. It was a really lovely thing to do as it was different to being in busy Manhatten and quite beautiful.
I have enjoyed the restaurants here. I went to a great Thai restaurant in Brooklyn with a girl who is staying with the people I am staying with (hi Trinity!!) and tonight I went to a great hamburger place with the people I am staying with (hi Glen and Carole!). I am really sad to leave New York. I have been here now for 12 days and it has been so much fun. Bye New York!!

What Kim Is Really Doing.....

HI Everyone, Firstly let us introduce ourselves! Our name's are Sam & Jane, we are from Melbourne as well and followed Kim to New York in an effort to dispel rumours we had heard from a number of sources that Kim had been seen entering and exiting the NBC studios in the Rockefeller Plaza in full disguise. It is our job to inform you that these reports were indeed true.

As her friends , we really thought that you as her friends back home, should check out the latest weather girl auditions for NBC which were held yesterday. We have made every effort to send you this news as soon as possible !!

A great catch up in New York Kim- lots of laughs, lots of fun!

See you back in Melbourne, love S & J xx

Stars and stripes fever

New York is my town. I know you might have heard people say it is their town well I have to say this is not true - it is my town. After seeing Kath in Boston and hearing of her disappointment in New York I tried desperately hard to manage my expectations. As I caught the train down from Boston this was very hard because even the train trip was sensational. This is the best time of the year to visit New England. New England in the fall is incredible. I arrived in New York to see from the train a stunning sunset behind the Manhatten skyline and then to come out of Penn station into Manhatten was fabulous. The energy of the city is fun and the people are friendly. Thanks to some great instructions I made it to the home of my new friends in Roosevelt Island all set for my first day in the Big Apple the following day.
New York is an art deco fun park and I certainly had fun. I spent the first day walking and walking. First I went to Central Park and after a breakfast of a bagel and coffee in the park (I got such a kick out of doing this!!) I wandered around and then made my way into midtown Manhatten. So far, apart from admiring the architecture, I have visited Ground Zero (I was completely unprepared for how upsetting this would be and ended up joining the many others in openly crying as we walked around the tribute area), Ellis Island, Times Square and many other places. They are expecting some light showers over the next few days so I have saved these for gallery days which will be such a treat. I am especially looking forward to visiting the Metropolitan.
I have already met some lovely people (aside from the fabulous people I am staying with) and even met a really nice girl who I am going to have lunch with tomorrow combined with a shopping adventure. The clothes here are cheap and good quality. I have already bought a few things that I have posted home.
Now I should comment on the election. There are tables all around New York with Obama badges and hats with the odd trinket displaying McCain's name. It is a very blue city and unashamedly so. I have found it interesting talking to people here about the election and I think we have had a very select view of the election in Australia. I know it is hard to believe that the media could be biased but there you have it. I think an Obama victory has been predicted but it is certainly lots of fun to be here and watch the coverage.
It is always nice to see friends from home and I am looking forward to seeing Sam and Jane later in the week. We are hoping to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Hall. I know it is a little early for Christmas things but I think New York will do it better than anywhere else so it will be worth it.
I know this blog has been way too long but I love this city and wanted to share it!
See you all soon!
Kim