Greetings from a place I heard described yesterday as “terrifying” – Hollywood and Highland!

This is my neighborhood.

The In n’ Out drive thru backs up onto my street. The cacophony of horns beeping & hangry people screaming at each other makes me want to shut my window. However, I LA LA LA LOVE seeing the Google Waymo Autonomous Cars patiently waiting (re: getting stuck) in the drive thru line as they’re trying to reroute themselves to Sunset. It gives me hope that the bots won’t actually take over.

Meanwhile on the boulevard of broken dreams, you’ve got a guy dressed like the Joker who is obsessed with my hair, janky Spideman , the dude yelling about God 24/7, the mall with both a cupcake vending machine and a fancy omakase at Japan House, UBE PALETAS 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜, beaucoup tourists and influencers trying to find just the right star, iconic movie theaters, statue parties, and a quick service restaurant owned by famous Boston people 📉 (Boston, how can I miss you if you never go away????).

This intersection is also the gateway to 3 of my favorite places on earth: the subway to Little Tokyo, the Hollywood Bowl for a concert & picnic, or to the Farmer’s Market.

Being in the middle of one of busiest crossings on earth is weirdly calming and comforting. Although there’s still a part of me that can’t quite believe I’m living in the eye of the movie fandom storm. A long time ago, someone had mentioned to me that there were places on earth where the energy just draws major amounts of humans – places like Hong Kong, New York City, Tokyo, etc.. Perhaps I am finally giving in and following everyone else now instead forging my own path? I guess I’ll find out…