One of the many perks of my new apartment is that I’m just a few blocks away from the Kodak Theatre, the famed venue where the Oscars have been staged for the past five or six years. In honor of my easy access to the festivities, I decided to take a jaunt down to Hollywood Boulevard to snap some oh-so-touristy photos. The results of my adventure after the jump…
Walking along Hollywood Boulevard, one can see the “media bridge,” as I believe it’s called. That’s where various outlets broadcast the red carpet action. Or something like that.
Pedestrians are afforded fairly close access to the red carpet, which has been tented in case of rain.
Lights, etc.
The entire complex has succumbed to Oscar mania.
Behold the Kodak Theatre (with an “re” thank you very much)
Through the bars, I think I can see someone famous…
Could it be the one and only…?
Why, it’s Robin Roberts! And she’s talking to, uh, Dev Patel…
And there’s Tim Gunn! Who’s he talking to??
Anne Hathaway! And what a radiant beauty she is.
Tim appears bereft with consternation.
“Honestly, I don’t understand all the Sturm und drang about this ceremony.”
Red carpet from another angle. I would have liked to have walked it, but I was afraid I’d come face to face with something akin to this:
“OH REALLY?”
Pretty buildings and whatnot.
There’s quite a good amount of security. And don’t I know it: there’ve been police helicopters lingering over my apartment building for the past two days.
A nice, big statue to prove that I am actually at the Oscars.
A glimpse down Hollywood Boulevard/Walk of Fame.
RAH!!!
In the Hollywood & Highland shopping complex, we could sort of see the red carpet. The view was not as spectacular as we had hoped..
We were able to walk inside the Kodak Theatre lobby. Here’s the grand staircase that all the stars and glitteratti shall be ascending.
A random Asian news channel records a segment.
As you can see, many spectators gathered.
BEHOLD! The grand staircase from a more powerfully grand angle.
It’s dizzying to think of all the A-listers who’ll be walking by this very statue…
…and, you know, this guy.
The Asian news crew begins their descent. I’m oddly transfixed.
Can’t… stop… taking… pictures…
Tourists. Psshhhh…
You’ll notice a lovely champagne bar of sorts lining the lobby of the theater  or should I say, theatre.
The entrance of the Kodak.
What’s this I see down there? Two workers hoisting something or another…
It’s one of the statues! You mean to tell me they’re not made of PURE GOLD???
And so ends my tour of the Oscars. Thirty minutes well spent!
We’re neighbors! I live over there too.
Get used to the helicopters. You will here them all day and all night, because the news helicopters go back to get new shoots for the 11:00 news. Oh joy.
Uh, that should have said HEAR, not HERE.
Also, that should have been SHOTS not SHOOTS.
This is why I shouldn’t be awake before 9:00 a.m. on a Sunday.
TimGunn.
Cindy McCain.
Whatnot.
All my favs.!
hb
What has happened to Anne Hathaway?? She looks so, um, OLD! And haggard!! Poor thing…