#340 - Hollywood Roosevelt

Celebrating at the Roosevelt

Don and I don't usually need excuses or reasons for celebrating. 

But our 45th anniversary was in October. We were going to be on the road in California, anyway... 

Why not celebrate our anniversary in an epic hotel, that has hosted movie stars for nearly a century?

Hollywood Roosevelt Since 1927

​I was giddy as we approached the 12-story hotel, from North Orange Drive. Somewhere up near the bold sign, Clark Gable & Carol Lombard had their own private penthouse. 

In 1927, the Hollywood Roosevelt opened its doors, right on Hollywood Boulevard. It wasn't just named for the street. The hotel was built by prominent Hollywood film industry professionals. (Fairbanks, Pickford, Grauman and Mayer!) 

Academy Awards in Blossom Room
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The iconic hotel has endless connections to the film world. Just two years after opening, the Roosevelt hosted the first ever Academy Awards.

This vintage photo shows the Blossom Room, where the awards took place. It was evidently packed and the awards only lasted 20 minutes. 

Academy Room & Oscar Room

We weren't able to get inside the Blossom Room, but it's still used for star-packed events today. Most recently, the 96th Academy Awards Viewing Gala was held in the Blossom Room.  

We did find other event spaces though. The Academy Room was formerly the office of the Motion Picture Academy. Rats. The door was locked of course. 

Monday Arrival
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It was sunny and 70 degrees when we arrived, mid October. ​​We parked in a nearby garage, for half the valet price and headed for the entrance on Hollywood Boulevard.

I paused to look up and wondered about all the stars who have been guests over the years. From Charlie Chaplin and Bette Davis, to Leo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. It's hard to believe this beautiful building was in danger of being torn down in the 1980s.

Walk of Fame

The Roosevelt is one of the few historic buildings that sit right on the touristy sidewalk. Today there are over 2,700 brass & terrazzo stars, embedded into Hollywood's Walk of Fame. 

The Walk of Fame project started with just 5 stars, in 1958. Burt Lancaster was one of those original stars. (the only name I recognize)

Check In

We checked in for our room in a newer lobby, in the lowest level. I was a tiny bit disappointed that the modern space gave no hints of the Golden Era of Hollywood.

But the staff was very knowledgeable and welcoming. We were given a room upgrade right away. Maybe it was the giddy comments I made during booking. I was downright silly over the phone, with my "We're going to Hollywood!" kind of enthusiasm.

Famous Stairs?

Just steps from the lobby desk, was a striking set of stairs over an illuminated pool.

The stairs were stunning, leading up to the original lobby above. 

We were headed with our bags for the elevator, but I had to take a quick peek at the gorgeous tile stairs from the front.

Many famous folks have walked up these stairs, but it was a different set of stairs that I was most excited to see. More on that later.
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​Mystery Library

On the was to the elevators. I paused to look at these velvet curtains and the bookcase.

Was this some kind of Speakeasy entrance?

Cinegrill Today
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I learned from a staff member, that a section of the bookcase opens up and serves as the entrance to a small theatre.

Sadly I couldn't get a peek inside, but found this photo online. I also found a schedule of shows and movies. We were just a week off from being able to see Hitchcock's classic, Psycho in that glitzy theatre! 

The Old Cinegrill

We didn't see the theatre, but we saw the Cinegrill sign, as we approached from the parking garage. I assumed the modern-sounding Cinegrill, was a new addition to the hotel. But Cinegrill actually opened in 1936. It was a film-themed restaurant and cabaret nightclub, that featured top entertainers.

Originally it was located near the north entrance, but was moved to an interior space. 

Back in Time
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​I wish I could have watched Mary Martin (the original Peter Pan!) when she got her singing career started at Cinegrill. Her infant, (Larry Hagman!) would often sleep in her dressing room.

It was a disappointment that the theatre was closed on a Monday night. But more than anything, I wish I could have slipped back in time to see the Cinegrill Lounge, back when a glass of wine was 25 cents. I wish I could have seen Humphrey Bogart or Clark Gabel at the bar. Or Marilyn, tucked back into a corner. Her preference.

But there were also celebrities who weren't screen stars, who frequented the lounge. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Hemingway and director Elia Kazan, to name a few.

Supposedly it was at Cinegrill where Marilyn Monroe was introduced to Arthur Miller for the first time. He had come to Hollywood to discuss movie possibilities with Kazan... who happened to be seeing Marilyn at the time.

Stars in Photos

The only stars we saw at the Roosevelt, were in framed photos like these.

Their images greeted us, when the elevator door opened to the 8th floor. 

Long Hall

We headed down the hall in search of #805. We were just below the floor where Montgomery Cliff stayed during the filming of, From Here to Eternity. 

Some claim they have seen his ghost, in the hall. It's been said that Montgomery spent a lot of time pacing the halls, while memorizing lines.

Nothing Scary

There was nothing eerie about our room on the 8th floor. There was a ton of space and lots of windows.

We couldn't have been more thrilled, with a comfy couch and chair and a large desk. 

We were sort of amused (and somewhat confused) by the artwork on both sides of the sliding barn door, that led to a huge closet.

Odd Art
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Was the red artwork backwards? If you're good at reading the mirror image, it says West Coast. It looked like a frame held together with masking tape, hooked on the wall, backwards. Maybe I'm too old to understand this art?

I felt like my humor was being tested when I saw the tiny frame above the pillow on Don's side of the bed. Yep. I gave him the artsy side of the bed. I need to get with it in 2024, because I'm not up with these decorating trends!
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Ahhh!

I didn't make use of the huge desk/table. But the cushioned bench came in handy.

Nice size TV! Although we spent so little time in the room, we hardly needed it.

There were some very expensive goodies in the bar. Even some Roosevelt flip-flops for sale. The cute metal water bottles were complimentary!

​Views

The biggest treat was the view of Hollywood Boulevard and Grauman's Theatre!

Best of all, behind the Dolby Theatre, high on the hill, was the famous sign!

Bathing & Lounging

​The bathroom was narrow, but quite lovely.

I was totally delighted with the hypnotic tile floor design!

And cheers for a cozy robe! I accidentally covered my robe's HR logo, that matched with the water bottle.
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The Promenade

In 1950 the Roosevelt opened a new wing, named The Promenade. We found a retro stairway to the mid-century tropical paradise. Pool, gardens, bar, cafe and 60  bungalows suites.

I paused in the garden area, just outside the pool. I needed to have a moment with one of my all time favorites. Charlie Chaplin attended the very first Academy Awards, held at the Roosevelt in 1929.

Tropicana Pool & Bar

On a Monday afternoon in October, we were surprised to see so many guests. There wasn't a poolside chair available.

No worries. We were only peeking around anyway. 

The bartender at the Tropicana Bar told us Marilyn Monroe lived in a suite right above the bar. I read she was there for 2 years in the 1940s, when she was just modeling. Confused, since I read the pool opened in '50!

Palms!

As a kid living in Iowa, I had romantic ideas of what Hollywood was. Besides movie stars like Paul Newman and Liz Taylor, this is what I pictured when someone said Hollywood. 

Palm trees have always pleased me. Hollywood palms are the best!
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From the walkway above, I could get a good view of the palms and the space above Tropicana Bar sign. Was that really where Marilyn stayed so many years ago?

Only a few people were actually in the pool. I wonder if any of them knew the pool trivia I'd read. For the grand opening in 1950, a few stewardesses were given the task of pouring small bottles of water into the pool... water gathered from all the oceans around the world. Love it! 

Stars at the Pool

I'm guessing most of the guests sitting around the pool all knew about Marilyn's connection to the Tropicana Pool. But did they know that an I Love Lucy episode was filmed at the pool? Did they know that the pool became a wild LA party scene for young celebrities like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan in the early 2000s? 

There is no diving board today, but Marilyn posed on the board for a suntan lotion ad, back in the day. The dates confuse me, but all seem to agree she lived in one of the bungalows when she was just starting out. 

Artist in the Pool

​And then there's a celebrity artist, who painted the pool in 1988! British painter, David Hockney used a broom stick with a brush attached, to paint curvy dashes on the bottom and sides of the pool.

It was fun to see the underwater art moving, when the water rippled.

It must have been a pretty tricky job a few years ago, when they had to drain the pool and restore Hockney's art.

The Lobby!

I loved the lit palms in this hall, leading to the original lobby. 

The shiny tile floors and arched entrance...
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And more arches, surrounding the 2-story lobby space.

What a grand slice of old Hollywood! 

The Spanish Colonial Revival style, with its trickling fountain, felt like a fabulous old hacienda.

Sea Foam Green?
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As I stood on the tile floor, my eyes were drawn upward, to the gorgeous painted ceilings and the wrought iron chandelier.

Oddly, that chandelier was removed years ago. In the 1950s, the hotel went into decline and odd renovations took place. The chandelier was taken down and the dramatic arches were removed. The gorgeous colorful beams were painted over. The entire interior was covered in sea foam green paint!  Ugh!

I've searched the internet for photos of the hotel during that ugly period. No luck.  

Luckily in 2005, the hotel underwent a 30-million-dollar renovation and brought the interior back its original classy style. The gorgeous chandelier was discovered in the basement!

Exploring Above

It was fun going up to the mezzanine level to peer down into the lobby.

It also allowed for a close up view of some amazing designs. 

I can't even imagine how this was covered up with paint!

Don and I did find some time to enjoy the Lobby Bar eventually. What a comfy and charming area to relax with a glass of wine.

More Exploring

​Besides the lobby, there was lots more to explore. But we met up with locked doors.

I really wanted to check out the Ladies Room on the mezzanine. But the door was locked. The Mens Room had a great sign!

Floors

I was intrigued by the tile everywhere! I loved all the designs, even the chips and flaws that spotlighted the age.

At one point, we thought we found the secret stairs we'd read about. But the doors were locked. We never found the secret passages either. Supposedly the passages connected to Grauman's Theatre. Oh those sneaky theatre people!

Shirley Stairs & Spooky Mirror!

I believe these are the stairs where Shirley Temple and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, practiced their tap-dance routine. (Famous scene in The Little Colonel).

Halfway up the stairs, we spotted Marilyn's Mirror. There's a little spooky history to that mirror, which was used by Marilyn Monroe, when it was located in her poolside cabana. Over the years many have claimed to have seen her image in the mirror. Maybe I should have paused longer. Maybe I could have spotted a double image, of Shirley AND Marilyn, together! Odd to think Marilyn was born 2 years before Shirley.

Dining at The Roosevelt
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We did some searching for dinner options. Located on the lobby level, facing Hollywood Boulevard, we found a burger joint named 25 Degrees. 

It actually looked pretty cute, with mahogany leather booths and retro counter dining. A bit like some of the old photos of Cinegrill. But we wanted more than a burger meal on our anniversary.

The friendly guy behind the counter was chatty, but he had no idea about the history. I wondered if the burger place had once been a coffee shop or part of Cinegrill? He didn't know, but he told me about a customer who recognized the tile floors, from when he worked at the hotel in the 1940s! Cool!

From the Walk of Fame, I could see the 2-story arched windows that I'd seen from inside the burger place. The set of red doors that opened to 25 Degrees, looked very retro. Cute place. We'll try another time.


Shirley Brasserie

Sadly, the hotel's grandest dining room, was closed on Monday. It made me sulk like a 6-year-old, that I couldn't dine in the restaurant named for Shirley Temple.

I became a fan of Shirley Temple when I was 6 and watched her play Heidi. But I wasn't as big a fan as my mom. When she was little, she saw Shirley's movies at the Picture Show. Oh how I wish I could have dined in Shirley Brasserie, with my mom. I would love to hear her stories once again, of coming to Hollywood when she was 6. I kind of think I recall her saying they stayed at the Roosevelt! 

Mom in Hollywood

This is Mom at age 6 on her California trip, with her mom. Shirley was Mom's idol, since they were the same age. Mom so hoped she would see the child star on their visit. Surely... there was no chance of seeing Shirley!

But Mom lucked out and happened to be in a shoe store, when Shirley's limo pulled up. My starry eyed mom gasped and watched the tiny movie star try on a pair of white, hightop shoes. She was gone in a flash, but Mom talked her mother into buying the same pair. My grandmother tried to reason. "I know you're the same age, but those are baby shoes. Only Shirley Temple wears shoes like that." And here's a photo of Mom with the shoes that she begged to own. Her expression looks like she's having second thoughts about those shoes.

​Another Shirley Fan

While on this crazy tangent, I must admit I was missing another special Shirley fan.

My 3-year-old granddaughter begs to watch this very scene from The Little Colonel, every time Don and I babysit. I can no longer hope to dine at Shirley Brasserie with Mom, but someday, maybe Charlie and I will do just that!
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A Dash to Yamashiro

So we couldn't do the anniversary thing at Shirley's, but I talked Don into a quick adventure to the iconic Yamashiro Mountain Palace. Just a half mile from Roosevelt, but a steep climb. We Ubered.

Japanese martinis with a gorgeous sunset over Hollywood. I mention this, because the Roosevelt's location is one of its many perks! There's so much nearby!

Nighttime at The Roosevelt
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After sunset, Don and I hiked back down the hill. No Uber needed. 

It was a treat to return to Hollywood Boulevard and spot the hotel with its glowing signs... and fewer tourists!

Tropicana

It was only about 9:00 when we wandered back. We headed over to check on the vibe near Tropicana Bar.

The palms near the Charlie Chaplin bench were glowing.

The pool was closed, so we could enjoy the blue designs beneath the still water.

Of course I posed.

The temps were dropping, but there was a fireplace with seating near the bar.

We opted for seats at the bar, where we shared a glass of wine and a plate of sliders. That's right we shared bar food on our anniversary, All good! There wasn't time for a big sit down meal on our 1 night! 

Our very chatty bartender Adam, took our photo. He handed me an extra glass to pose with.

Spare Room

By 10:00, the Prohibition-style cocktail lounge was finally open. Some man in dark clothes let us in the unmarked door. Sort of a speakeasy? 

A few people were bowling on the 2 vintage lanes.

We sat in a the lounge area to the left of the bowling alley.

I heard the Spare Room is a popular spot for celebrities. But we didn't see Jay-Z or Leonardo DiCaprio or LeBron James, with their bowling balls. That's because they usually rent the whole place out. 

We sat in one of the cozy booths and enjoyed some great people watching. I decided to go for one of their fancy Mocktails. I mentioned to our server that I was tempted to get a Shirley Temple, but decided against the famous coke & cherry kiddie cocktail. I once heard an NPR interview with the adult Shirley Temple Black. She never cared for the drink that was invented in the 1930s and carried her name without permission.  More trivia for you!

Morning!
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Before 8, Don and I were dressed and ready for some al fresco dining, at Rosy Cafe.

The interior of the little cafe, was charming, but the weather outside was too perfect!

We spotted a table tucked behind palms and beneath a bright umbrella! We couldn't resist!

Don's breakfast burrito was a hefty, tasty thing. My croissant was just right with coffee.

9 am Swim Time

The pool looked heavenly after breakfast. Tidy rolled towels were placed on perfectly lined lounge chairs.

I came prepared, with my suit beneath my clothes. I stripped down and added a pink bathing cap and cat eye sunglasses to help me enjoy the mid-century vibe. 

60 years ago, I detested those plastic caps that girls were required to wear! (Even if you had a pixie cut, shorter than your brother's hair!) I still hate caps, but I enjoyed playing dress up, in the pool where Marilyn most likely wore a cap herself!

After a little pool time, we headed back to enjoy the room before checking out.

After 12, we carried our bags back to the car, parked in the garage.

We gave ourselves a  little more time to take in the area before moving on.

Around Hollywood Boulevard

The area around the hotel is hard to explain. It's touristy and a little annoying. But it's all part of the fun package that comes with staying at the Roosevelt. 

I wish I'd gotten more photos of the vendors and tourists. Honestly they are as entertaining as studying the handprints and stars on the walks! 

What's Notable?

The Hollywood Roosevelt felt like an enormous, oasis in the noisy, oddball bustling area of Hollywood. 

For less than $300. we booked a lovely room with a view of all the activity on the famous street. Within the hotel we could travel from place to place having mini adventures, in different kinds of spaces. If all the dining/bar options had been open, we would have needed 2 nights.

Our stay was full of fun surprises that made our visit even more memorable than expected. Not sure when we'll ever get back to Hollywood, but in the meantime, I need to see a few movies that were filmed here.
“A Star is Born” and “Catch Me if You Can" and many more!

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