Hollywood, California: Beyond the Image
The allure of Tinseltown often leads to a redefinition of reality once you arrive.
Author’s Note
This article was originally published on NewsBreak.com, and contains a substantial degree of biographical information. Attributions for quotes and excerpts include Wikipedia.org, History.com, NewRepublic.com, TCLChineseTheatres.com, and Deadline.com.
In 1989, I moved to Hollywood, California from my native Brooklyn, New York, where I had been working as a special education teacher. My first Hollywood apartment was as far from my Brooklyn roots as could be, a two-story building with palm trees in its courtyard surrounding a large pool, and parties held in that courtyard at all hours of the night with no interference from the authorities.
I finally arrived in Hollywood proper to pursue my dream career as a screenwriter. I had no complaints, but the culture would certainly take some getting used to.
The prior summer, I had taken a two-week trip to see what all the fuss was about. This is where I stayed:
