the Epic Sunset Blvd walk on Friday, August 9th

I read about some young 30-year-olds who walked the entire length of the famous Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles ending at the beach in one day. I was intrigued.  Their walk was 25 miles.  I also visited LACMA and saw the world renowned artist Ed Ruscha exhibit, Now Then, which included hundreds of photographs of the Sunset Strip back in the sixties. The seed was planted.  

If they could do it, and experience the Sunset Strip, so could I!  

I contacted my friend Kiki, who shares a similar mindset as me and she was on board with joining me for this long walk adventure.

We shortened our walk by about 5miles and didn't walk the entire Sunset Blvd. Instead we started in Hollywood, but it still was a long 20.6 mile walk.  Gerry drove us to our starting line, at the corner of Sunset Blvd and Bronson, about two miles from our house.

At the start, Sunset Bronson Studios in the background

Within a half-mile we are at the famous Palladium, which opened in 1940.

Here's Kiki!

 Then we pass by Hollywood High School, and the famous Southern California restaurant chain  In-N-Out Burger. Their first location opened in 1948. 

 Hollywood High, the high school of many famous actors

It's 8:00 am - maybe too early for a burger

There are so many landmarks on Sunset Blvd as we walk toward Beverly Hills. Many famous restaurants and night clubs, record stores, entertainment venues and more. Unfortunately, some of the original classics  no longer exist, but that happens with the passage of time, in L.A. and elsewhere.

We walk by the Laugh factory, a stand-up comedy club that Gerry and I visited for a show, probably 25 years ago. For decades, the Laugh Factory has hosted an annual Kids Comedy Camp that teaches and encourages kids from underprivileged families how to tell jokes and make us all laugh.  How can you argue with that?  A block later is  Greenblatt's deli, which sadly is no longer in business. I think it closed during Covid.

the Laugh factory

Greenblatt's - where I've never been....darn

By this point we're in what is called West Hollywood. There are a lot of outdoor cafes as well as some fancy stores. Fun to take it all in. We arrive at an intersection and the Chateau Marmont is on a narrow uphill street to the right. The Chateau Marmont is where the actor John Belushi died at the young age of 33 on March 5, 1982.  

secluded entrance to the Chateau Marmont

We love stopping along the way to take photos. We're in no hurry, whatsoever. We'll get to the beach when we get there, and meanwhile we are enjoying our walk and nonstop talking with each other.

Carney's Hotdogs and Hamburgers is another historic diner. It's been around for 40 years of so.  Kiki tells me that she and her mother would come here, and that her mom enjoyed the Chicago-style hot dog they served. 

We walk by the Comedy Store, a venue similar to the Laugh Factory which would get a huge attendance back in the day.

We're laughing a lot on this trek, without the Comedy Store, but nice to see

Years ago in 1987, shortly after we moved to L.A., I had an AccounTemps job in an office building across the street and down the block from the Pink Dot. I never went in there, but I remember the pink building. It brought back memories to walk by it 37 years hence.  And these days, they apparently deliver.  (There was not a blue VW bug back in the day, as far as I know.)

at the Pink Dot, which has been around for awhile

This blog seems to be very restaurant oriented, but that's the way the Sunset Blvd in this neighborhood was, and still is.  Mel's Diner is another winner that's survived the test of time. I think I've had brunch at a Mel's Diner, but not at this particular location. 

Will have to come here sometime and check it out

A few minutes later we're in what is called the Sunset Plaza.  It is a stretch of perhaps four blocks with many restaurants, boutique shops and it's fancy schmancy for sure. Gerry and I ate brunch at one of the restaurants in 1987, celebrating our first wedding anniversary. (I can't remember where.)

at Sunset Plaza with upscale restaurants and shops lining both sides of the street

We walked by a store and were intrigued by the front window display of Andy Warhol and his artwork.

Yep, Andy Warhol was iconic. It's appropriate we view this on iconic walk

It's now about 9:30 am and we have a few more photo ops before we hit the tree-lined streets of Beverly Hills and some much needed shade. Temperatures are warming up, and it's in the high 70s and quite sunny. 

Here's the Viper Room (founded by Johnny Depp) , the Whiskey a GoGo, and the Rainbow Room Bar and Grill.

As long as there has been a Los Angeles rock scene, there has been the Whisky A Go-Go. An anchor on the Sunset Strip since it’s opening in 1964, the Whisky A Go-Go has played host to rock ‘n’ roll’s most important bands, from the Doors, Janis Joplin, and Led Zeppelin to today’s up and coming new artists.

the Viper Room on the south side of Sunset

the Whiskey a Go Go on the north side

We knock on the door, but they won't let us in (just kidding)

And here's the Rainbow Room Bar & Grill.  This block was quite the happening place back in the day, and maybe it still is. I don't know.

The banner that lets you know you are at the entrance of the Rainbow Room

Okay. It's time for some snacks and some shaded walking. The next 45 minutes or so are in Beverly Hills. Not much traffic and a quiet environment. We walk by the historic Beverly Hills Hotel. The Beverly Hills Hotel was established in May 1912, before the city itself was incorporated. I remember going there once several years ago in the early 1990s when I worked for Marvin Davis. We didn't stay overnight, but I think there was a cocktail reception we attended. It was a pretty swank place, and probably still is.

a nice welcoming sign for us as is the shaded streets

Welcome sign on the left, the hotel is up the hill on the right

We walked a bit farther, and made a brief pivot from Sunset Blvd, because there was not longer a sidewalk and it wasn't safe. The goal of the walk is to finish it, and not get run over by a speeding vehicle. It was only about two miles  that we were off Sunset Blvd on our detour toward and on Wilshire Blvd, and then we returned back to Sunset. A pleasant detour and we were happy to literally smell the roses along the way, as we are on N. Whittier Dr approaching Wilshire. We passed by many beautiful gardens in the front of the homes.

Kiki sniffs first and beckons me to come closer

A few blocks later we are on Wilshire Blvd in the area known as Holmby Hills.  Tall condominiums line both sides of the boulevard.  The apartment units in these condominiums are very expensive, and there are so many of them. Building after building for many blocks.

Our Wilshire Blvd pivot

Forty minutes later we're back on Sunset Blvd and now making our way through UCLA campus. It's getting toasty so we stop and rest on one of the benches for a drink of water and a salty snack. I think we only sat maybe twice during this walking adventure.

It was fun to walk through the UCLA campus. It especially brought back memories for Kiki who ran many races here.

Time to sit for a few minutes and fuel up

Minutes later, backpacks on, and the walk resumes

Many banners showing support of the UCLA athletes throughout the campus. We're close to Drake Stadium.

Go Bruins! 

After we leave UCLA, we've walked close to 11 miles. We're more than half-way there. We're feeling confident!  

Some of the cars whiz by on Sunset Blvd way too fast. Even though we have a guard rail along the sidewalk (sometimes) it's still a bit nerve wracking. We keep as far away from the curb as possible, even if we have to brush against some branches and bushes.  I don't know what the speed limit is in this area, and I realize people have to get where they are going. I just hope they see us and don't run over the curb!

Thirty minutes later we walk on the sidewalk along the road, which is the overpass to the busy 405 freeway.  Once we cross the 405, it really feels like we are on "the west side".

crossing the 405

We walk through the west part of Brentwood headed toward Pacific Palisades. Back in the day, I did many runs on the trails of Mandeville Canyon.  We approach Mandeville Canyon Road. The trails are a few miles up this road on the right.

Mandeville Canyon Road

We know the end is near when we can see the hills of Will Rogers State Historic Park in the distance. Probably five miles left when we come to this next view point.

view of the Will Rogers hillsides

Next were in Pacific Palisades, the home stretch. Unfortunately, I've been taking a lot of pictures and burning down the battery on my phone by using my Cyclemeter App to record this trip, so I don't take too many pictures the last three miles.  Also, finishing the walk soon is now more of a priority than picture stops.

With two miles to go, we see views of the ocean

And then we arrive at Gladstones, the famous restaurant on the beach. We sit outside Gladstones and Gerry takes our finish line photo:

And the gold medal goes to Team Kiki Mary

It's time for us to finally sit down and have a late luncheon celebration.  We're exhausted but also very excited that we did this together!

Team Kiki Mary - let's order some food!

We owe tremendous thanks to Gerry and Tamara, our supportive partners who went along with this plan from the start. Very nice of them to drive across L.A. to meet us at Gladstones and then drive us back home. 

the route - Gerry tracked us!