Searching my memory back in time through what I call "The Purple Haze of Hollywood" may stir up many emotions to those who were young and not so innocent. These are just some of the things I remember and there will be more to add with a little help from my friends. Linda and I met in a Social Studies class at school in 1964. She was a Freshman and I was a Sophomore. We became best friends and this is where the story begins. It all began in the summer of 1966 for two nieve girls from Monterey Park. With the British invasion and the Beatles coming to the U.S. we were determined to begin our future with rock stars and the music on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Our first experience was borrowing a car and cruising the strip starting at Barney's Beanery and ending at Gazzarri's. Tony, a friend of Linda's started taking us and introducing us to allot of his friends there. The first club he took us to was Bido Lito's to meet his friends from a band called "The Sons of Adam." We met the band and soon the club became another favorite hang out. We were hooked going to the clubs after that. Meeting all our new friends and what an experience it was. If we couldn't get a ride, there were a couple of times that we hitch hiked. We met a girl named Dottie who grew up in the same neighborhood. She started going with us and she would drive her cool 57 Chevy. She worked at an A & W Rootbeer Drive In. Her sister Carol was Johnny Mathis's private secretary and she used to house sit in the Hollywood Hills. Eventually, Carol moved to Hollywood into an apartment with her boyfriend. We started staying there on the week ends. A group of us went to the Hullabaloo to see Paul Revere and the Raiders and when it closed, as we were leaving, Gene Clark of the Byrds approached us in the parking lot and wanted us all to go to his place. He had a beautiful two story home. The next day he took Linda and I back to Carol's house in his tiny two seater MG. We would run into him at the clubs after that. We began going to the Whisky on a regular basis to see some of our favorite bands like "LOVE" who played there in January 67. You can see my matchbook on Faces 3. Iron Butterfly, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix played there July 2, 1967. The Buffalo Springfield played there in May and November of 1966. There were so many that I can't remember them all. Linda's friend Tony introduced us to a guy named Rodney Bingenheimer one night at the Whisky. He knew everyone and told me he was Davie Jones double. We started hanging out together and walked up and down the strip. The sidewalks were crammed with people. One night Rodney said there was talk of the Stones having a party at one of the hotels, so we jumped in the car and went to find it. All I remember is roaming the halls with red flocked wallpaper. We never did find the party, but there were many more to come and the parties were wild! Two girls named Chris and Char were also regulars at the Whisky. They befriended us and kept an eye on us trying to keep the wolves away. They had a place in the Canyon and we would go visit them often. Someone was always there . Once when went to visit they took us next door to meet some of the Doors. I can recall going to see the aftermath of a fire in Laurel Canyon where a house burnt down. Chris Hillman lived there, but all that remained was ashes. We looked around and I found a bed pillow and a picture that I carefully cleaned up and took home. I slept on that pillow for a couple of years. I guess that is as close as I thought I would ever get to him. The picture hung on my wall for a long time. We did eventually meet and he was a very nice man. I saw him around the clubs and at small gatherings. We would go to Canter's after the clubs closed on Friday's and Saturday's. It seemed like we stood in line forever, but everyone knew each other, so there was never a dull moment. The Strip was always packed between the Whisky and Gazzarri's. It was a ritual to walk up and down to see who was there. On any given night you could be hanging out with a well know rock star. No one thought anything of it. There would be Lee Michaels with his girlfriend that looked like Twiggy. We met Frank Zappa at Shaws. He lived in the Canyon at the time. Sonny and Cher was getting a bite to eat at Hamburger Hamlet, so we went up and introduced ourselves. One night we were walking across the street to go to Shaws and who stopped for us but Rick Nelson in a convertible. We never met him. One night Dave Clark and Davie Jones were chatting on the corner at the Whisky. That night Linda and I were wearing matching mini dresses, but in different colors and matching fishnet stockings. She had on green and I had on blue. They were both checking us out and Dave Clark made a comment "Nice legs!" It was an easy way for us to meet and begin talking to them. I finally got my first car, a salmon colored 54 Ford. I was so proud of it and kept it so clean. I put large daisy's on the rear side windows. Nothing could keep us away from Hollywood, our private world and it became our addiction. We had to be there! After a couple of years, it became fairly easy to get into the clubs each night for free. The Whisky, Galaxy and Gazzarri's were the main clubs. At Gazzarri's the first group I remember watching there was Eddie James and the Pacific Ocean. He poured his heart out. The Popcorn Blizzard, The Pride, The Knack, Churchill Downs, Yesterday (not sure) with Bob Love. Some of the same people were there like Spike Jones Jr., Terry Rae, Michelle, Cara, Dottie, and (2) Sheri's. Paul Cannella of The Yellow Balloon hanging out to see his brother Jerry play in the Popcorn Blizzard. I wished I could remember everyone. It was a week night and Jim Morrison walked in all in black with a leather jacket. What a gorgeous man! He sat at the bar and was checking things out. We pretended like it was no big deal, but we were very excited and walked up to meet him. If anyone remembers the video was always on and could be viewed on a side wall of the club. We could see ourselves dancing or playing pool. Wish I knew who had those now. Bill opened up a Gazzarri's on La Cienega. He would send a bunch of us over there and rotate the groups back and forth. The Doors played there January 31,1967 ~ February 2, 1967. There were also The Byrds, The Buffalo Springfield played in January 67. Bill decided to have an outdoor area with tables at the club on The Strip and open up early afternoon on Sunday's. He had a golf cart that the guys drove around, taking us back to our cars at day's end. We were all so spoiled. They had Monday night dance contests and The Artist and Models Ball was coming up and we wanted to go. We could win free tickets if we were in the dance contest. Of course I was the chosen one and remember being so scared. I was pretty confident that I would win because of course, I was a regular by that time! It turned out to be a tie and the other girl was Barbie Benton. So the moral of that story was we both won tickets! My memory is fading and it must have been nearing the end of our days in a place that left an imprint on many of us. I only wished I had taken more photo's and kept a journal of my experience. Now with Myspace available, I have been contacted by so many great friends from the past. My heart will forever be in Hollywood! Betty ~ January 2010