I don't have anything earth shaking or profound to blog about (Will I or do I ever??) so I thought I would share a little about what it's like to live in an "Industry" town. What Industry you ask? That was my response when I moved here 15 years ago from Florida. The "Industry" that Los Angelenos refer to is "Show Business".
You know you are not in Kansas anymore when you see actors' headshots (A headshot is a black/white portrait of an actor used in casting and auditions) hung up in dry cleaners and delicatessens all over the city. I live in the The Thirty Mile Zone (TMZ) in Los Angeles County and we have alot of filming take place locally. (CSI, NCIS, Weeds, Big Love, Little Miss Sunshine.) You can always spot Film crews with their trailers, catering/craft service trucks, and deluxe RVs for the "Talent". Within the TMZ, production companies do not have to pay per diem cost for crews' meals and mileage thus saving them Big Bucks.
It's going to be a tough summer here for alot of families if the actors go out on strike. The industry hasn't been the same since the Writer's Strike this winter. Alot of our friends and neighbors (the set painters, prop masters, and make up artists) were out of work for months.
I still get star struck having not grown up here, unlike the natives that try to act all cool and nonchalant when encountering a "celebrity".
So here are some of my celebrity sightings:
Our family went to Kauai, Hawaii this spring and we were with the stars of HBO's Ent.ourage on our return flight from Honolulu to LAX. Needless to say, Kevin Dillion, Jeremy Priven, et al were in First Class, while we sat in the cattle car aka Coach.
Last month, our neighbors' house was redone for HG.TV's show De$igned to $ell and I got to meet the hosts, Clive Pierce and Lisa LaPorta. They are super nice and animal lovers to boot. The show featuring The Dowlers of Santa Clarita will air next spring.
Another neighbor, Tyler Mane has been in some really big movies- Xmen, Troy, and Halloween, and yet you wouldn't recognize him at the grocery store. He jokes that he usually plays the bad guy and gets killed off quickly. I said "Who Cares? You get to work with HUGH JACKMAN and BRAD PITT!!!" He and his family are really nice, genuine, and volunteer for our community swim team.
So, I guess the Business of making movies and TV shows is really no different than any other industry whether it's healthcare or aerospace, where folks work hard to take care of their families.
Well, no other recent sightings or "dish", but will let you know if Brad and Angelina pop over for a playdate with the kids.
Thanks as always for clicking over and wishing you a Great rest of your day!
P.S.The picture above is Vasquez Rocks about 10 miles from my house which is a frequently used film locale and you might recognize it from Star Trek, Little Miss Sunshine, Austin Powers or many other films.
3 comments:
You seriously live in the coolest area! That post was really fun to read - and the des.igned to sell so close by had to be really fun. Thank you so much for your kind words and for being so supportive when I can really use it. What you said about the basalmic vinegar made me smile because I totally trust people in L & D! I've never heard that before, and guess what stupid me ate on my salad for dinner last night? You guess it...basalmic vinegar dressing (which happens to be one of my favs)! I was laughing about this with my mom this morning (a retired nurse herself) and she goes - yup Sara haven't you heard that before? I must live under a rock because you were the first person to clue me in! So thank you..it's ranch or italian from here on out :-)
Do you like L & D? It seems like it would be really interesting. Hope you're having a great day!
You are so lucky! So Gwen Stefani is back from England. Have you ever got a sight of her in the area? I love her so much. Totally nutty fan, I must say I am. My DD and I went to her concert the other year and we were in awe! She actually walked by our seats during the middle of the concert to come out and sing a song in front of the lawn section. My DD's jaw dropped big time! I've only ever seen local TV personalities in the Philly area, but I do have a friend who's a distant cousin to Blythe Danner and also then Gwyenth Paltrow. I never met either though.
I grew up in the very western end of LA and my mother was in the industry. I grew up with movie stars all over the place in our very fancy schmancy gated community. What cracks me up is that nobody ever heard of where we lived because it was horsey and so far from LA. But now? Movie star heaven. The houses changed from long low ranches and a few 2 story houses like ours to huge mansions.
I learned how to drive on Old Topanga Canyon. My best friend was the daughter of a very famous actress staring in her own TV show. You know what? It was still just people. Yes, the industry is all encompassing, but if you live far enough away from it, it's kinda normal in a weird way!
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