CHAPTER 1 VACATION It’s like a whole different world Isabella Rodriguez realized She watched the endless line of shops they passed on Hollywood Boulevard from the backseat of her aunt’s car She spotted the salmon-colored granite stars lining the sidewalk with gold borders around them and the gold names of famous people stamped in the middle She smiled at the palm trees planted along the sidewalks sidewalks People were stopping along the crowded sidewalks in front of landmarks along the way to take photos and selfies She lost count of how many tattoo parlors she saw It was the first time she and her older sister Marta had visited Aunt Violeta at her home on the West Coast Just from the sunshine alone Isa could see why the Golden State was California’s nickname Everything seemed busy and crowded and hectic in Los Angeles even more so in Hollywood which Aunt
Violeta was quick to point out isn’t actually a city but a neighborhood in LA Isa held up her camera rolled down the window and took a picture of a man dressed as a superhero leaning against a streetlight He’d pulled up his webbed red mask a bit to expose his mouth so he could eat a donut You just don’t see that kind of thing in Des Moines Isa thought She was definitely going to post that one online Don’t worry super guy Your identity is safe with me Are you girls hungry for lunch Aunt Violeta asked from the driver’s seat Yeah I could eat my arm Marta said Oh don’t do that Aunt Violeta replied sounding a bit worried There are plenty of restaurants out here Isa laughed The way her aunt responded made it seem like she thought Marta was seriously considering turning her arm into a meal She must not have picked up on Marta’s sarcasm or maybe she just didn’t find it funny I’m a little hungry too Isa replied They hadn’t eaten much at the theme park for fear of getting sick on the rides But after driving more than an hour back from Anaheim she was ready to eat too Probably not her arm though HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA
There’s a good place up ahead Aunt Violeta said It’s been around forever It’ll be a good first dinner for you in Hollyweird Hollyweird Isa thought She looked out the window and saw a woman with spiky purple hair black makeup around her eyes and at least fifty piercings in her nose A live parrot was sitting on her shoulder Isa knew what her aunt meant When Isa stepped into Frank Marty’s Grill it felt like she’d used a time machine to rocket sixty years into the past The neon signs out front had announced it was the oldest restaurant in Hollywood having opened its doors in 1919 She could see why The inside of the restaurant was mostly dark with light sconces on the walls above the booths There were white linen tablecloths on the tables and fancy dim light fixtures were suspended from the ornate ceiling Whoa Marta said This place is old And fancy Isa added She raised her camera and took a quick picture There was a man with a mustache and a smile A STARLET’S SHADOW
