Monday, November 2, 2009

My Town Monday: Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

And here we are again--another My Town Monday post!

We're back in Hollywood. Fair warning--I crammed so much into my recent weekend away in LA/Hollywood/Beverly Hills that I could write SEVERAL My Town Monday posts on this area!

Today, we're at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (circa 1927) where I dragged Famous Author and Newbery Winner Susan Patron and Mary Hayward, Employee Extraordinaire of the Yellow Book Road (the children's indie bookstore near me in San Diego).

Susan and Mary were uber helpful and patient as we poked around the hotel, doing research for Sherry's fourth adventure, I So Don't Do Famous. I can be quite embarrassing and relentless with my camera (after all, I'll need all sorts of details for the book and have a memory like a sieve), but they were good-natured and helpful about it. We had A LOT of fun.

me, Mary Hayward, Susan Patron (The Higher Power of Lucky, Lucky Breaks and other wonderful books)

In this photo, we're lunching at 25 Degrees (a 24/7 restaurant at the Roosevelt). Here's the description from the hotel website: "....whose name refers to the temperature difference between a medium rare and well-done burger, has a playful 'Bordello meets Burger Bar attitude..."

Is the Roosevelt haunted?

Apparently so. Marilyn Monroe's spirit lives in a mirror there, and she occasionally dances in the ballroom. Montgomery Clift plays his bugle on the 8th floor. Also, there are a couple of room with ghosts.

Guess what the staff at the front desk did?

THEY DIMMED THE LOBBY LIGHTS AND TOLD US HOTEL GHOST STORIES! It was wild!

Will the Hollywood Roosevelt be featured in I So Don't Do Famous?

Oh, I think so.

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts. (Thanks Clair for hosting) Also, if you're even mariginally thinking about writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Fair warning, though, it's addictive! Write your post, then leave a comment here and we'll link to you.

Please check back Wednesday when I'll be hosting The Book Review Club. We have some great reads lined up!

Sources:
http://www.hollywoodroosevelt.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_Hotel_(Hollywood)


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18 comments:

  1. How apropos that you stayed at that hotel at such a spooky time of year!

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  2. That sounds like so much fun! What a great way to do research!

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  3. Sounds like you had fun! How come I never see any ghosts?

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  4. Living in the mirror. Hum, that sounds rather horrific.

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  5. Beth, we didn't actually stay at that hotel. We just went there for lunch and some snooping/research! Altho I wouldn't mind staying there one day because they have a great pool area!

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  6. Teresa, I don't seem to ever bump into any ghosts either.

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  7. Charles, you know what's even creepier bout the mirror thing? The mirror is now kept in storage because the hotel admin is afraid it'll get broken.

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  8. Allie, I love the internet for research, but nothing beats real life. ;)

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  9. How exciting, a visit to the new setting. Good luck with the new book.

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  10. So exciting!! Have fun with your new book. :)

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  11. Sounds wonderful - can't wait to read it! Just my kinda theme.

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  12. Darn, I wish I lived in California. For so many reasons.

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  13. That sounds like an awesome spot to include in I So Don't Do Famous! How fun!

    And the books are beautiful!

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  14. Sounds like so much fun! Great idea for a novel. It's fun to see it evolve on your blog.

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  15. How fun. I often see Marilyn Monroe in my mirror too - but only when I'm having a really good hair day and the mirror is still fogged over.

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  16. Most hotels have some interesting tidbit about them, and many have ghosts, too. It is a great idea for a novel.

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  17. Fun, fun.

    I bet that Sherry would LOVE to meet Marilyn.

    (Your face in that picture has the most precious girl detective look on it!)

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  18. Bee--Comments about my "precious girl detective face" are only one of the many reasons that I love you!

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Comments are always welcome!