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
waiting at the host booth for them He was dressed in a sharp black tuxedo and looked like he’d walked off the set from the kind of movies her grandma liked to watch Isa felt severely underdressed in her shorts and T-shirt Aunt Violeta Isa said You sure we belong here Aunt Violeta waved her niece away like she was being ridiculous Don’t be silly she replied They have to dress fancy We don’t The host took them through the restaurant to a small table in the back corner They passed waiters in bright-red suitcoats and people enjoying their meals and quiet conversation Isa could say hands down it was the fanciest place she’d ever been to They’re putting us in the back because we look like tourists Marta whispered That’s so we don’t make the place look bad Isa shrugged Okay The three of them took their seat at the table and smiled at one another Isa found she was almost afraid to touch anything for fear of messing it up Isn’t this great Aunt Violeta squealed and clapped A STARLET’S SHADOW
