On the eve of what I expect will be a pretty rocking memorial to Michael Jackson, Christine, Greta, Ryan, Laura and I climbed into the Vue to do a little MJ memorial tour of our own. First Laura, Greta and I drove to the Staples Center to see the crowds and sign the massive placards they had set up for fans.
But that line was crazy-long, it was hotter than hell, and, well, we did have a baby with us, so, we opted for pictures and a quick drive-by instead.
Later in the day, Christine and Ryan joined us for a jaunt past the ever-expanding crowds outside the main gates of Forest Lawn, where Jackson is to be buried. That was cool too and we got some nice action shots from the car, but the highlight of our MJ memorial tour was our trip to the Jackson family compound in nearby Encino. Located just a couple of blocks off of Ventura Blvd., this is the house where Michael and the rest of the kids were raised when the family moved to California from Indiana.
Michael mania being what it has been the past couple of days, we weren’t expecting to get very close to the house or the sea of flowers out front, but, just in case, we came bearing a card for the family and a baggie of “Last Call” Jalapeno Popper-flavored Doritos for the Man in the Mirror to enjoy in the afterlife.
Yes, I said Doritos. See, earlier in the day, Laura and I had seen a friend of Michael’s joking on TV about Jackson’s bizarre eating habits. She said something about him being a hard core vegetarian since he was younger, but joked that that didn’t stop him from loving junk food like Doritos, which he enjoyed regularly.
So, when we were mulling over what gift to bring the King of Pop, the half-eaten bag of “Last Call” Doritos seemed like the perfect fit. Christine, of course, was mortified by the idea, but Ryan and I stuck to our guns, labeled the plastic baggie with a message for the King of Pop and headed off to Encino.
But what came next took us all by surprise. I mean, sure, we thought it would be cool to see all the fans and the messages and artwork they created for Jackson, but I don’t think any of us realized how emotional it would be.
Seriously, amigos, it was like Graceland West. For the first time since all this insanity began, we actually realized the true depth of feeling that the world had for this dude. And I know it sounds corny, but there was a real sense of magic outside the family home.
I don’t know if it was the crowd — who were very quiet, friendly and respectful — or the fact that the setting sun cast a dreamy glow over the place, but the whole aura outside the Jackson family compound was really amazing.
I’m sure there will be many memorable moments from the official funeral and memorial service today, but for us, this was it…a truly moving send-off to the once and future King of Pop.
To see more of the scads of Michael Jackson-themed pics I took over the past couple of days, click here. And in the meantime, here’s hoping MJ digs the Doritos as much as we did…
make. see. eat. do. 
I so wish I didn’t live a year away, and weren’t crazy busy to boot. I would have totally gone along with you. Cool shots!
Oh my gosh, the Doritos are perfect. MJ certainly doesn’t need any more balloons. These pics are wonderful; they capture the spirit you described.
A friend of mine got a pair of those memorial lottery tickets! She shared her experience on my blog if you’re interested.
Thanks for letting me know about your blog post, Elyse! It was great to get an “inside” perspective of the memorial service.
Your friend made for a great interview too…I am so jealous she got to experience everything up close and personal like that…wow…
Thanks for reading it, Tomas. My friend was pretty emotional when we spoke and yes, her eloquence made for a great interview. I only had to ask a few questions and just let her talk.
My trip to Staples center to wade around in 750,000 Michael Jackson fans from around the world turned out pretty lame.
There was about a thousand people at Fig and Olympic– half fans, and the rest cops and street vendors. I ended up bailing at 10:30 and watched the rest on TV.
Oh man, that sucks…but you did manage to get some cool pics, so, I guess it wasn’t a total bust!
hello, i would love to leave some flowers at the compound, but i do not know where it is, would you please give me directions or an address so i may travel there when i am in cali next month? you can send them to me privately at my email
thank you so much.
cyndi
I TO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO GET TO THE COMPOUND TO PAY MY RESPECTS. BEEN ON THE COMPUTER TRYING TO FIND IT. COULD U PLZ HELP ME OUT. THE PICS U TOOK WERE AWESOME. THANKS FOR SHARING. HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM U SOON. DANA
Thanks for all your comments, guys! We found the address on my sister-in-law’s iPhone while we were driving there so I don’t remember the exact street number. We just Googled “Jackson family Compound Encino” and it came up pretty easily.
I do know the house is located on Havenhurst Ave. just a couple blocks north of Ventura on the west side of the street. You’ll see the crowds from blocks away, so, even if you just go there blind…you can’t miss the place! 🙂