The one weekend a year when my love of movies, history and travel converges together is Oscar Weekend. At first I considered sitting this year out. Last years happened in early February 2020, just as the COVID-19 Pandemic was about to strike. Little did I know the next fourteen months would be a daily struggle.

Around October and November of last year things were looking pretty grim. The Pandemic was raging. People weren’t really doing what needed to be done. Here in Utah a lot of people refused to follow the guidelines. We had a sitting president that offered less than zero leadership on the matter. As the year progressed towards it welcome end, I was very doubtful that the California trip would happen, even though the awards had been pushed back to the end of April.

Things changed in mid January on many levels and we finally had a plan for the vaccinations that were needed. The new Utah Governor stepped it up on a local level, and federally thins improved greatly. Still, I decided I would not make the trip if I was not fully vaccinated. Not because I worried so much about myself, but I certainly am not selfish enough to want to put other, more vulnerable people at risk of contacting the virus.

On February 28th I received my first Mederna shot. My second came on March 28th. Two weeks later I was ready to start getting my life back and do a little living.

I rented a car with my sister and brother and left Logan, Utah on Wednesday morning. First stop: the Belagio in Las Vegas. We stayed the night and then set off for Las Angeles, staying in our usual Sunset Plaza Hotel on Sunset Boulevard.

Immediately it was clear that this year was very different. California was still very much in lockdown from the virus. Restrictions were beginning to be lifted on restaurants and stores, but just barely. The hotel was much more quiet and offered very little in room service or housekeeping (though a tip envelope for the staff was still present in the room). Indoor eating was limited. I was happy, though that everyone was wearing their masks and making the effort to do what was right.

The usual Oscar attractions were also very different. The Dolby Theatre was closed up, except for the filming of some musical numbers. The awards instead would be broadcast from Union Station in downtown Las Angeles. The smaller venue would limit the number of attendees.

We chose a few outdoor activities this time around to aid in distancing. All of us love the 1960’s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show. The opening sequence of Andy and Opie at a lake for some fishing and a bit of pebbles skipping is a slice of classic pop culture. We decided to take the short drive and see if we could locate the exact spot from the starting.

We took Mulholland Drive to the Franklin Canyon Drive. The road winds its way down a deep canyon to Franklin Canyon reservoir. This was the place. The first thing we saw a lone, scared looking coyote walking along the road in front of us. We then parked and took a trail around the reservoir, finally locating the spot we believe was the actual spot. Such a peaceful location at the edge of a huge city. Not many tourists flock here, but I highly recommend it as place to enjoy nature and take a break…and maybe whistle a few notes.

Keeping the outside theme alive, we also visited Hollywood Boulevard and took a stroll from Santa Monica Beach down to Venice Beach. Though still teaming with some tourists, the vibe of these places was very different from previous years. The pandemic and its bruising of the California economy was evident. I have never seen so many homeless tents and sleeping bags. In recent years the city had made an effort to clean up both places. The efforts were quite noticeable. This year it was sadly different. Urine soaked sidewalks and homeless desperation littered the street and beach. The toll the virus had taken on everyone over the last year, truly saddened me. I truly pray that things will get better from here. Visiting the Hollywood Forever Cemetery was a much more beautiful and peaceful experience.

Since the Oscar broadcast was at a new location, we decided to visit Union Station and the adjacent Olvera Street. I had never visited this oldest street in the city before. It was so much fun shopping the traditional Hispanic shops and eateries. The Union Station was also an impressive building with its own fascinating history. Though scaled down, the area was still busy with cameras and red carpet being set up. It’s very exciting.

This year we ate at places we really enjoy. Nothing really new for us this time. Micheli’s, El Coyote, the Polo Lounge, the Rainbow Grill, Farmers Market. We frequented these places often. They were all good. That’s why we come back.

We watched the Oscar Telecast from the hotel room on Sunday night. All of my choices won except I was hoping for Ri Ahmed for Best Actor for The Sound of Metal and Carey Mulligan for Best Actress for Promising Young Woman. But the winners were deserving as well. The show itself was a bit rocky, especially when the big hope for an emotional award for Chadwick Boseman fell flat on its abrupt face.

Because of the theater closures, the notoriety of the films was lower. Not many people had seen them. The rating for the awards were down as well. I don’t care about any of that. It’s not a popularity contest. We had some wonderful films in 2020. Box office and rating are unimportant to me. None of that really matters. It’s quality over quantity.

The next day we dropped the car rental off at the Burbank Airport and flew home into the new airport in Salt Lake City. It was a unique trip with some challenges and some real pleasures. That said, I hope it is the only year where we to struggle with all the limitations. I hope and pray that we are back to normal 2022.