Monk Set Visit II: Kim and Teresa go to Hollywood

At the end of my lengthy, but very informative phone interview with Monk writer/director David Breckman this

past September, David said they'd be delighted if I dropped by the Monk set the next time I was in the L.A. area. It was a casual invitation, because apparently when you work on a television show almost every day for a few years the glitter starts to wear off. It might not occur to you that the invitee, namely me, would consider it an unparalleled pleasure.

It took me all of four milliseconds to decide that I'd take David up on the offer, casual or not, and arrange that my "next time in L.A." coincided with the Monk shooting schedule. I didn't want to drool on the phone or seem too "fangirl" and jump all over the offer there and then, so I waited a few days before dropping him an email to test the waters. He hadn't forgotten the offer.

It was at about this point that I brought fellow Bay Area chick/message board poster Kim (Fan4sure) Densberger in on the deal. I felt slightly remorseful that Kim had waited around Washington Square Park all day on a tip from me that Monk would be shooting there back in November 2005. It seems they shot "Mr. Monk and the Big Reward" everywhere in the neighborhood except the park and she saw no filming at all. It was a scary trip over the bay bridge for nothing. (On the other hand, it was a beautiful day and Kim got to meet some um... interesting people.)

Skip right to the Set Visit part

She also wasn't small enough to fit in my pocket for the first set visit in June. So I figured she was past due for some Monk magic and I was happy to provide a little. "You really are my Monk Fairy Godmother!" she declared. (Flattering, but I know I'm not qualified for the Godmother title and I'm not so sure about the fairy part either.)

After coordinating with Kim, I emailed David again and proposed the first couple of weeks in November with as much fake nonchalance as I could muster and he responded with enthusiasm:

Teresa, Monk Fairy ~~Godmother~~ Princess

David Breckman (Dramatic Recreation)

"As it happens, I am slated to be directing a Monk episode (my first!) in only a few weeks time. MR. MONK AND THE THREE JULIES will be the last show to be filmed this year (not the last to be broadcast , mind you, but the last to be filmed), and I will be doing it the first couple weeks in November! In other words, the timing with your planned visit to Los Angeles just couldn't be better, and if you can still manage it, we'd be thrilled to have you stop by the set and hang out when you're in town."

It took us a little while, but eventually we settled on a specific date, Friday November 9th. We counted down the hours to our departure, while dithering about travel arrangements and what to wear. Kim and I PMed furiously during the last week before the visit. The messages were vaioursly entitled:

"Yes, I'm Excited!!"

"Now I'm REALLY Excited!!"

"Four More Days" (How cool to have a picture of us sitting at Natalie’s kitchen table or on Monk’s couch. I wonder if he would make us cover it with plastic first?— Kim's prophetic remark a few days before we left. )

"Three More Days"

"Are you Ready?"

"I am So Not Ready"

"So what are you going to wear?" (This was a question to which Kim eventually did find an answer: "My daughter is my wardrobe consultant and is picking out my clothes for me since I can't seem to do it. If I am dressed like a 10 year old when you see me, you'll know why.")

Kim, Monk Fashion Maven

And so forth... until the big day (November 9th) arrived... make that the day before the big day (November 8th). So here's the story. (Kim's comments are in blue.)

"Now remember, don't quote me on that goofy statement I made on the set or any other goofy statements I made. Actually, most of my statements were goofy that day. I was under the influence of... of... well, of the power of Monk. Almost like an out of body experience.

"Here's the long and the short of it... actually, mostly the long...."

For the record I don't remember any goofy statements on Kim's part, but that may just mean we don't have the same definition of goofy. Still, I don't know how it can get much goofier than me bringing along my Monk Bobblehead and taking pictures of him where ever we went. Goofy, but fun. That's my motto.

Monk Bobblehead at Borders SF

"We left bright and early on November 8th. Actually, it wasn’t bright at all. It was dark. 5:00 a.m. dark. Teresa flew out of San Francisco and I flew out of Oakland. "We arrived in Los Angeles within 5 minutes of one another and had three full days in Hollywood."

Kim and Teresa at LAX

Thursday, November 8th 2007

I'm always nervous before a trip and I was up until after one o'clock that morning, cleaning, packing and printing out maps. I got a couple hours sleep before the 4:00am alarm and then the 5:00am airport shuttle. The airport was dark and almost deserted. Too dark to take any real Bobblehead pictures, but here's what it might have looked like:

Even though I wasn't certain if the plane had been disinfected, I slept all the way to LAX. For all I know Monk Bobblehead counted the clouds, spilled wine and solved a murder. And I'm pretty sure he got my peanuts.

We picked up a rental car at the airport and made an amazing discovery: they now have Bobblehead car seats installed in all the vehicles.... I hear they can also be used as cup holders.

We only got a little lost leaving the airport. I think I was somewhat disoriented by the lack of L.A. sunshine. It was like I'd never left San Francisco. We made it to our hotel, The Ramada Hollywood Hotel, by 10:00am. Check in time wasn't until three, but they liked us enough to let us check in early. I was expecting something just a cut above the Econolodge Spinner and I stayed at a few blocks from Paramount on our set visit in June. Except for the eggs (more on these later) the Ramada far exceeded my expectations.

Monk Bobblehead arrives ar The Ramada

Monk Bobblehead waits to check in.

Once we'd settled in the first thing I did was call our soon-to-be host, David Breckman. We firmed up the time for the next day: 11:00am. 24 more hours to go. We dropped in at a local diner for a bite to eat after passing up a really confusing Chinese restaurant. (I live in San Francisco's Chinatown, but this place had me flummoxed: no menus, no prices, no service.) I already had the day's adventure planned, but first we had to make a drugstore stop.

"Shortly after arriving, I noticed my eye had exploded – or at least that’s what it looked like to me. Although I didn’t take a “red eye” flight, I had one. I think the altitude from the flight may have burst a blood vessel. Oh, lovely. I looked something like Mr. Monk did in "Can’t See A Thing". But at least I could... see a thing, that is. I tried to not let it spoil my trip.

"Two bottles of Visine later, I still had a red eye. And to make matters worse, I really couldn’t wear my sunglasses because there was NO sun. LA was foggier than San Francisco. The only solution was to style my hair a bit like 'Cousin It' from The Addam’s Family, masking my eye somewhat. Sounds cute, right?"

The hair was cute. Kim did, briefly, consider an eye patch, but we hadn't brought pirate themed clothing or our pirate dictionary or any rum so that option was dropped. (Thanks, Kim. This story needed a little drama.)

Along with the Visine we picked up a map and some caffeine and headed out to beautiful Pasadena, home of the Rosebowl, the Rose Parade, hot-rodding little old ladies and Supreme Drive-In-Dairies.

"Other than the set visit, we spent our time eating, shopping, and sight-seeing at the usual tourist spots . . . and some just a little off the beaten path. In other words, Monk filming locations.

One of my official jobs on the trip was “navigator.” I got off to a bumpy start when I got us lost in the heart of downtown LA.

"It’s amazing what missing one little turn-off can do! But then again, we wouldn’t have driven through the little known, often overlooked, “Historic Filipinotown" if I hadn’t messed up. Actually, I think we drove through it twice. My bad."

Kim's just being kind: I'm the one who missed the turn off. In fact I think I missed quite a few of them. I was also pretty confused by Historic Filipinotown. I've been lost in L.A. lots of time (maybe that's something I should have told Kim before the trip) and I'd never run into it. Seems that although it's "historic" it wasn't officially established until 2002.

I always say there's no better way to learn a city than by getting lost.

"Finally back on course, we visited the mini market known as “Vinton Street Market” which was featured in Buried Treasure. The proprietors surely thought we were crazy as we pulled out the Monk Bobblehead to take his picture in front of the market. We explained that a TV show was filmed there and we were fans of the show. I told them we had flown hundreds of miles just to visit the location. I hope they realized I was joking.

"We assured them we would buy something as a gesture of gratitude for accommodating us. I’m sure we were the topic of conversation during their evening meal."

Besides the actual set visit, by far the best part of the trip was the look on the faces of the store owners as they stuggled to understand the purpose of our visit... without success.

The name of the store isn't "Vinton Street Market" of course. San Francisco doesn't have a Vinton Street (no matter how many times they work it into a Monk script.) I don't think Pasadena does either. The store is actually called the Supreme Drive-In-Dairies. Not that there was any sign to indicate that fact. I had to look it up. I got the address from this blog which has some pretty nifty pictures of the scene from "Buried Treasure" in which the store was featured. If you're in Pasadena and you want to drop by, the address is 1750 E Washington Blvd. Tell them Kim and I sent you. That will really confuse them. Don't forget to bring your Bobblehead.

Vinton Street Market scene from "Buried Treasure"

Long shot of the "Vinton Street Market"

Another Vinton Street Market scene from "Buried Treasure"

We made our way back to our Hollywood hotel and managed not to get lost... mostly.

After resting and freshening up a bit from our first adventure we headed into the heart of Hollywood to dine at the now traditional Monk hot spot Miceli's, the restaurant featured in "Mr. Monk and the Godfather." On the way there we made a fortuitous discovery.

"While cruising down Sunset Blvd., we passed a grocery store and I excitedly exclaimed, “Hey, I think that’s the market they used in Mr. Monk Makes a Friend... Maybe.” We took pictures with the bobblehead just in case. Upon returning home, I watched the episode and I was right. That clinches it... I do watch the episodes waaaay too many times."

There's no such thing as too much Monk.

Actually it was a already a little too dark for bobblehead pictures at that point, so we went back on Saturday morning to get them. It was too dark at Miceli's as well, but we took a few pictures nonetheless.

"Our first evening, we dined at Miceli’s where the Godfather episode was filmed. It was a charming and delicious experience. Then we went for a walk down Hollywood Blvd. I have to say it was a little scary. Hollywood has some real characters, both on the silver screen and roaming the streets. I had my English Policeman’s whistle close at hand just in case. I bet you didn’t know that, did you, Teresa?"

I didn't have a clue, Kim. There were a few rowdy people on the boulevard, right in front of McDonald's mostly, but I wasn't worried. I've been walking around in big scary cities for a long time now. If there had been any trouble I could have handled it. Nobody runs and hides as well as I do. I'd advise you not to blow the whistle, Kim. It just makes you easier to find.

We picked up a little gift for David Breckman on Hollywood Boulevard. I was looking for one of those cheesy little "Best Director" fake Oscar statuettes, but turns out there's some sort of rule against selling them. Instead we picked up a lovely director's megaphone. I figured since it was his first time directing he probably didn't have one yet and it filled the cheesy bill pretty well.

We made it safely back to the car and our hotel and our beds for a good night's sleep.

Friday, November 9th 2007

"Our hotel had a nice continental breakfast which was included with our stay. We both had the same reaction when we served ourselves the “square eggs” from the buffet. Mr. Monk would surely approve. We took a picture of the eggs with the bobblehead. Unfortunately, Mr. Monk would not have approved of their taste. They looked like little square sponges and tasted like them, too.

"I think we got some strange looks from the other diners as we photographed the eggs, but what the heck; we were from out of town and would never see them again."

The. Worst. Eggs. Ever. I'm not a picky eater. I've always felt when I put something on my plate, and even more so in my mouth, that I've made a clear-cut commitment. The buffet eggs were so deceptively enticing, so beautifully... square. In reality they were tasteless, spongy (not in a good way) and ice cold. I had to break that commitment. I managed to swallow the first bite, but the rest was unceremoniously dumped. Nevertheless, we brought Monk Bobblehead in for a photo session the next morning.

Kim, who wisely decided against eggs on Day 2

Normally, of course, I'd feel bad about taking food I knew we weren't going to eat just so Monk Bobblehead could get his picture taken, but in this case I figured we were doing the other diners a big favor.

On a positive note the sausage was delicious.

"All of our excursions served as a nice distraction until it was time for “the main event” . . . the set visit . . . which was scheduled for November 9th at 11 a.m. That morning, we received a call from our host, David Breckman, informing us that they had worked until midnight the day before, and therefore, would not be filming until 1 p.m.

"We had to wait another 2 hours before we could go. The wait was excruciating. Among other things, we watched the weather channel to see where the sun was shining since it wasn’t shining in LA.

It seems they have this rule, and I think it's a good one, that the cast and crew must have at least a 12 hour break from one day to the next. So if they knocked off at midnight they wouldn't have to be in until noon the next day. For us, however it was a tough lesson in the "hurry up and wait" culture of Hollywood.

"Finally, it was time to head to the studio, and as if I didn’t have PLENTY of time to get ready that morning, I made us 5 minutes late! As we drove to the studio, which was only a few minutes from our hotel, I thought about how exciting it was to think our names would be on “the list” at the guard gate. The first time Teresa visited, her name was not on “the list” when she arrived, but she did eventually make it through the entrance gates.

That I did and, as thrilling as it was thinking I might be kicked out at any moment, I liked being on the list much better.

Also on our way to the studio we passed a Sears on Santa Monica. Naturally we thought of this quote from "Mr. Monk and the Astronaut": Why don't we sit here and name really tall things. I'll go first. The Sears Tower. Oh wait wait wait. Mmm no. That's too tall. Just a regular Sears maybe. A regular Sears... department store. — Monk

So we had Monk Bobblehead hop up on the dashboard for a picture. Of course we had no time to stop and confront any phobias.

"Moments before arriving at Paramount Studios, we passed Raleigh Studios which has a glistening and modern facade. Then Paramount came into view on the opposite side of the street. Paramount is a monument to the golden age of Hollywood. Its architecture is California Spanish/Mission style and has a historic and stately appearance. Merely driving up to the impressive gates was exciting. They seem to allude to the grandeur on the other side which we would be visiting. And it was grand!"

Raleigh Studios

Paramount Studios

I have to confess I was just a little disappointed we didn't see any writers out front striking, even though we were warned they might be there. Maybe they were on a lunck break. I'd planned on taking a picture of Monk Bobblehead on the picket line, but no such luck.

Here are the writers at a different gate on a different day (Dec. 13th).