As the second stop on my book tour, I found myself in sunny LA, California. From this point forward on the tour, I’ve been partnering with the tourism associations of each city, in this case, Discover LA, who have helped me explore the best dog-friendly places the cities have to offer. So this will be a little like a doggy travel guide as well if you’d ever like to go on a “follow in Crusoe’s pawsteps” trip…
I was staying right downtown at the Residence Inn LA Live location.
Once again, I really felt like a celebrity when we stepped into our room to find a special welcome gift addressed specifically to me! That’s right, not for Mum or Dad.
But I had an important call to make. I picked up the receiver and dialed the front desk. “Yes, hello? This is Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund who just checked in – huh? Oh yes, the room will do quite well, thank you. I just wanted to ask, is it okay if I squeak my rubber chicken? It’s very loud so I just wanted to ask first. Yes? As loud as I can? Fantastic. Thank you.”
So I made sure to squeak the chicken loud enough and long enough to show Dad that, yes, it was worth the luggage space to bring it.
It was already evening by this time, so almost right away we were off to our LA book signing at the very unique, Last Bookstore (located in an old bank with vault doors and everything!)
Here’s a few pics from the event:
After an awesome sold-out event and meeting all our wonderful fans from the LA-area, we were headed downtown to the young & hip, Angel City Brewery where I enjoyed a refreshing cerveza.
It’s a pretty cool place where you can bring in food from the nearby food trucks, and very dog-friendly too, which I always love to see.
Dad and I both had a few too many, so Mum had to drive us back. Unfortunately for her we both thought it hilarious to obnoxiously squeak our duckies like a couple inebriated college kids in the back seat of a cab. That is, until we both conked out.
The next morning we were up nice and early to get a great start to the day, but after the night before, I needed a bit of time to soak up some sunshine in the hotel lobby…
Call it a dog’s hangover cure.
After which, we were off to our first adventure, which obviously had to be my “Mecca”.
And by that, I’m talking about the Hollywood sign! But it wasn’t just a walk in the park; it was quite the hike up a hot and barren mountain!
Now I am a remarkable hiker, having led expeditions up Swiss mountains, but I’m just not used to the California climate. However, I can’t be seen as a quitter no matter what, so I told Mum and Dad that despite the heat, I would continue with the expedition, even if it killed me.
They made me turn back of course, but at least it wasn’t me who decided to do so.
However, we did make it high enough for a great pic of me and the sign! It was a wonderful feeling.
Something about this place feels a lot like “home”…
And while in the area, we headed over to the Griffith Observatory to enjoy a nice view of Los Angeles.
“Oh my!” I exclaimed as I looked through the telescope. “What a wonderful babe-watching invention this is! Sexy ladies, as far as the eye can see! Oh, and the city is beautiful too” 😉
“Dad, I would like one of these things installed on my balcony back home, please.”
Then it was lunchtime. We headed over to a popular little cafe by the name of Alcove Cafe where I slipped Dad a few pieces of my salmon tacos under the table.
Mmm… salmon. And with our bellies full, it was time for an afternoon nap–
–NOT. Celebrities don’t have time for naps.
We were headed somewhere very cool – the Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park; a neat little place where you can learn about the history of LA and its roots in the railroad system, allowing you to see and read about some old locomotives, and of course, take a little miniature train ride around the premises!
They knew a celebrity was coming to visit… but what they didn’t know was that I was already a self-proclaimed train conductor!
And I have a keen eye for detail.
For one thing, I noticed that the railroad workers were digging in all the wrong places, so I hopped over the tracks to go show them how it’s done.
Without even asking, I joined in the work crew, setting a sharp example as to where we need be diggin’.
Can you believe these tracks are some hundred years old?! I’m digging up pieces of history!
They all stopped to watch me. I like to think that they were keenly observing my example, but I’m sure they were just staring dumbfoundedly at my muscles, glistening in my own sweat shiny fur.
When we got the tracks patched up, I was finally confident enough to commence my train ride with the guests. Allllll aboard! 🙂
Now as much as I wish my brother Oakley were here with me, it’s probably a good thing he isn’t here driving this train with me because… There’re lives at stake for goodness sake!
On the way back to the hotel, it was pretty clear that I’d had a long day 🙂
I pretty much snoozed right through dinner and into the next morning.
The next day I was feeling fresh and rejuvenated. So much so that I headed over to the hotel gym for a quick morning squeaky workout – you know, to pump those muscles before I hit the beach later in the day.
However, I encountered a unique predicament which you probably can’t relate to, unless you’re as good looking as me (also unlikely).
The more I worked out and the more my muscles tightened and swelled, the more I kept getting distracted by that sexy dog in the mirror!
By the end I had worked up quite an obsession with my reflection. In the below picture I just finished about 10,000 reps of a 0.002 lbs squeaker.
It was only once Dad stepped into the mirror behind me that I snapped out of it.
So for this day, we were scheduled to hit the Santa Monica beach, but we had a few stops to hit on the way.
The first was the cute and fashionable shopping district called The Grove, in West Hollywood, not far from Beverly Hills.
And with so many luxuries in sight, no wonder I had a sparkle in my eye!
I’m also sporting my trusty Buddy Belts harness which many of you have been asking about. It’s new, but so far has been working great! No more sports-bra look!
But as a celebrity walking around such a high-profile shopping center, I couldn’t be seen empty-handed! (Even if it meant carrying Mum’s make-up bag).
And of course, I needed that Hollywood diva strut to go with it.
Then, while still in West Hollywood, we popped by the D.O.G. Pet Boutique where I picked out something for myself – a nice preppy shirt.
Fits well, but I might get my tailor to make it more of a “slim fit”.
I didn’t keep the shirt on, because I didn’t want to get mustard on it when we hit our next stop, which was the iconic Pink’s Hot Dogs of LA; a longstanding local favorite.
And boy did they give me a warm welcome! They brought out triple dogs just for me, adorned with a welcoming message written in mustard!
“This is amazing guys… but I don’t know how I’m going to eat all these! They’re just about as long as I am! And three hot dogs of this size will totally counteract all the calories I burned this morning.”
But Dad told me I should at least have a few bits so as to not be rude.
So… since he “insisted”, why not?
Ketchup and mustard everywhere! Do you see why I didn’t wear my nice shirt? Never wear your nicest shirt to Pink’s!
They were pretty good though, I’ll admit. I did have to restrain myself a bit, because I knew if I let myself go, I wouldn’t be in beach-shape for that afternoon.
So before I knew it, there I was. On the beach next to the Santa Monica Pier. What a gorgeous sight!
I needed a moment to take it all in…
That is, until Mum interrupted my little meditation saying, “Crusoe, pull up those swim trunks! We aren’t in Europe anymore!”
“Oh no”, I said to her. “That’s on purpose – you know, babe magnet. You won’t understand my strategy like Dad does. In fact, Dad, why aren’t you with the program yet?”
However, that’s when Mum pulled one of her stunts where she walks away and pretends she doesn’t know us anymore. So I guess it was time to go.
“Hey Mum, wait up!”
It seems she does that a lot lately.
However, after spending some time on the beach, and digging several holes in the sand, I decided to hang out near the boardwalk where the beach gym and all the muscular, athletic people hang out.
Muscles? Check. Dodgers hat? Check. Lookin’ cooler than a popsicle? Check.
I couldn’t get more “LA” than this.
There was something perfect about this setting though. Cue the Snoop Dogg music!
I even invited the real Snoop Dogg to come out and join me for this little music video shoot, but unfortunately he said he was at ‘tha dogg pound’, to which I replied, “oh that’s great to hear you’re into rescue…”
Anyway, the next day we were to commence our California road trip up from L.A. to San Francisco, but I still had one more thing left to do while I was here in Los Angeles…
So I guess it’s official, I am the celebrity I always thought I was.
Thanks to both of my wonderful fans who each gifted me a Hollywood Walk of Fame star with my name on it.
Hope you enjoyed my #LAStory !
Keep walkin’ the walk,
~ Crusoe
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