DreamCity

Part 6

May 15

Shawn and me hung out tonight at Trip.  It's supposed to be one of the super-trendy, extremely hard-to-get-into places unless you're somebody.  It's owned by the husband of a supermodel.  You have to go through all of this craziness to be put on the list, except you can't just simply call and be put on the list...noooo, you have to know someone or someone has to know you.  So Hollywood. 

I spoke to the hotel operator and he told me if we got there before 7 p.m., there's no list.  It's located in a hotel on Sunset Blvd. so Shawn and I hightailed it over there and waltzed in a little after 7 p.m.  The hotel was renovated and it really looks nice.  It has that modern/minimalist look about it.  I've never stayed there, but it's the hot spot for people in the music industry.

Trip was so dry.  There were a few locals there, probably pulling the same stunt we were.  We met this one guy from Newport Beach who I swear, he must have been on drugs or drunk.  He talked our ears off and then he started throwing fruit at the second floor windows. He was cute in a trust-fund-baby type of way.  He had on khakis, a t-shirt...you know, the whole The Gap casual look.  He had a yummy, tight body and looked a little like Ben Affleck.  He was tripping though, in addition to the fruit episode. 

He asked Shawn if we were waiting for some big, black, handsome men to come up and hit on us.  We weren't sure where he was going with that, or if it was just a conversation opener, so we ignored him.  He treated us like we were novelties.

 For all of the hype, the actual bar itself is just a deck with a pool and a bar area.  They have a ton of pillows strewn around and rows of beds set up.  It's a weird effect, but it works.  Although you're on the ground floor of the hotel, the building is on an incline so it's like you're on the top floor of a high rise.  The sky reaches down and envelops the bar so you have the sensation of being nestled in a cloud.  And when it gets dark, the city lights act as a surrogate sun so that sky is never pitch black.  Instead, it stays a light, hazy gray color. 

For some reason, all of the Hollywood elite gave it their stamp of approval and turned out in droves.  Except for tonight.  It was more hip-hop night than anything else.  Some rapper was there with a crew about six deep. 

The usual groupies were out in full force.  This one girl had on these silver, low-slung hip huggers, with some type of halter top and a silver cowboy hat.  She walked around like she owned the hotel.  Much attitude.   I was waiting in line for the bathroom, and the line was long because there were only two stalls.  So anyway, this futuristic cowboy chick traipsed past everyone in line and walked into the stall that someone was just coming out of and said  she "really had to go."  Like the rest of us were waiting in line for pedicures? She's exactly the type that will make it out here, too.

We didn't meet anyone interesting.  I try not to tell too many people I'm an actress 'cause they think if they just dangle the word producer in front of me, I'm going to strip naked or something.  I've learned the hard way that this town is about 90% full of people who just talk and can't do anything for you.  The other 10% are the movers and shakers, and they don't have time to hang out with the little people 'cause they're too busy making things happen. 

Watching these freaks in action tonight just made me long for something real.  Aside from money, how empty are these people's lives that they're running to seek the comfort and approval of strangers?   I can't believe I really want to be a part of this whole scene.  I keep telling myself, when I make it, I'm not going to change. I'm not going to become plastic.  Yeah right, I'll be the first one to go crazy, spending money and getting a huge head.  Next thing you know, I'll be on a reality show trying to make money to pay for rehab.