Month: May 2008

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"I am a Spring Princess!"

One of my favorite lines of all time from Beverly Hills, 90210 was said during the Spring Dance episode from the show’s first season. In the episode, Kelly gets nominated for Spring Queen making her a “Spring Princess” in the interim until the awards are announced. When Kelly arrives at the Walsh’s house on the night of the dance, she finds that she and Brenda are wearing the exact same dress. A fight ensues and Brenda tells Kelly to go change her dress to which Kelly responds “Brenda, I am a Spring Princess!” Love it! Now whenever my boyfriend asks me to do something I don’t want to do, like clean the dishes, I always say “I am a Spring Princess!” LOL

Anyway, the store where Kelly and Brenda first find their matching dress is located in a small section of Rodeo Drive called Rodeo Collection. The Rodeo Collection is a specialized outdoor mall of sorts, although it doesn’t much look like any of the malls I frequent. Rodeo Collection is a five story, 66,000 square foot conglomerate of high end stores and it is set up in the style of a European Piazza. There are meandering walkways, gardens, and terraces mixed in with some very ritzy boutiques. Rodeo Collection was actually only used for the exterior of Brenda and Kelly’s prom dress shop; the interior looks like it was most likely just a set built on a studio sound stage. Rodeo Collection was also featured each week during the opening credits of 90210. It was also used quite a bit in the movie Body Double.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Rodeo Collection is located at 421 North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. If you get a chance, after stalking the Rodeo Collection, go visit Crumbs bakery at 9465 Santa Monica Boulevard for some yummy cupcakes! 🙂

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Andrea Zuckerman’s “Valley” House

I must be on a 90210 kick this week or something, because here I am again blogging about my fave 90’s show. 🙂 My buddy Mike over at MovieShotsLA just gave me the address of Andrea Zuckerman’s house from 90210, so I had to run right out and stalk it! On the first season of 90210, Andrea Zuckerman lived out of district, in the “Valley” and used her grandmother’s Beverly Hills address so that she could attend West Beverly High. In reality, Andrea’s house is actually a lot closer to Beverly Hills than the Walsh home is. Ah, the magic of TV.

Andrea’s house looks almost exactly the same as it did in the 90210 days. The house is a really cute Craftsman style home and I am actually really surprised the producers didn’t choose a more dumpy house to use as they always seemed to emphasize the fact that Andrea was poor and how she lived in the “highly undesirable” Valley. The neighborhood is actually not that great, though, and I wouldn’t recommend stalking this location at night. You can see this house in the 90210 pilot episode when Brandon follows Andrea home after getting into a fight with her at school.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Andrea Zuckerman’s house is located at 540 North Gramercy Place in Hollywood.

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The Peach Pit

Got a comment Tuesday night from Kevin who asked if I had a picture of the Peach Pit location from 90210. I briefly blogged about the Peach Pit on my first 90210 post a few months ago, but at the time I didn’t have a picture of the filming site. In reality, there were actually three different locations used as the Peach Pit during 90210’s ten year run. During the first season, two different storefronts were used. For the very first few episodes the exterior of an Apple Pan restaurant was shown as the Peach Pit. I found this location thanks to fellow stalker Mike over at MovieShotsLA. After only a few episodes, though, producers moved to a new exterior to film the Peach Pit. Unfortunately I have yet to find that location. 🙁

During the second season and throughout the rest of 90210 ‘s run, a Ruby’s Diner in Pasadena was used as the Peach Pit. Ruby’s is a 50’s style restaurant chain that can be found all over the Los Angeles area. The one in Pasadena was a favorite of mine when I first moved to LA. It wasn’t until my third or fourth time eating there that one of the waitresses told me it was the location of the Peach Pit. I about died! There I was eating at Brenda and Dylan’s favorite hang out and I didn’t even know it! 🙂

Sadly, Ruby’s closed its doors back in 2005 when it lost its lease. An Italian Restaurant took over after Ruby’s closed and painted the exterior of the building yellow. That restaurant also shut down and the space is currently vacant. The location is not very recognizable anymore as the 90210 gang’s hangout. The only thing that remains from the 90210 days are the Peach Pit’s exterior double doors.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The Apple Pan Restaurant which was used as the Peach Pit in Season 1 is located at 10801 West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles. The Peach Pit from Seasons 2 through 10 can be found at 45 South Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena.

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Crossroads School

Last night my boyfriend gave me an article entitled “The Speidi Chronicles” that he had saved for me from Sunday’s LA Times and it was all about Spencer and Heidi. I swear I really need to marry this guy! 🙂 Anyway, Spencer and Heidi sat down at Don Antonio’s for the interview and over some quesadillas and fajitas they opened up about life on The Hills. Ever notice how every time Spencer and Heidi sit down for an interview, it’s always at Don Antonio’s?!? Anyway, besides revealing juicy little tidbits like the fact that Heidi didn’t get paid a dime for being a part of the first season and that while she had to pay rent for their Park La Brea Apartment Lauren did not, the article also dilvulged that Spencer attended Crossroads School in Santa Monica. Since I happened to be in Santa Monica today, I just had to go stalk it!

Besides being Spencer Pratt’s alma mater, the school has educated a slew of other famous celebs and their children, including Kate Hudson, Cash Warren, Baron Davis, Michael Bay, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, Jake Busey, Sean Astin, and (total coincidence) Whitney Port. I wonder if she knew Spencer in high school! Although Crossroads is a highly prestigious school, it has also attracted its fair share of scruitiny. A book written in 2004 called Hollywood Interrupted did not paint a very flattering picture of the school or its students and neither did a 2005Vanity Fair article.

The school is very modern looking and has some highly unique architecture. I definitely recommend doing a drive by if you get the chance.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Crossroads School is located at 1714 21st Street, just off Olympic Boulevard, in Santa Monica. The school is very close to the Epic Records office building where Audrina works.

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24

Today while driving in Pasadena, I happened to pass by one of those yellow filming signs I am so fond of seeing, and it turns out that the TV show 24 was filming at Saint Luke’s Hospital. So I immediately parked my car and ran onto the set in the hopes of seeing Keifer Sutherland or one of the show’s other stars. Unfortunately I didn’t see anyone famous, but I did get to hang out for a bit and watch some of the filming. The scene being filmed showed a large tank full of Army men pulling up to the side of the hospital and all of the army men running out of the tank.

Saint Luke’s is actually a former hospital and is not currently in use. It closed its doors in 2002 and is now used strictly as a filming location. The fireman and security guard that I hung out with on the set today gave me a lot of history of the filming at St. Luke’s. Kill Bill, In Her Shoes, Rush Hour 3, Las Vegas, and Something’s Gotta Give were all filmed at the hospital. 24 films there almost every week, as does Desperate Housewives, which used the hospital for the scenes when Mike was in a coma, when Carlos’ mom was in a coma, and when Carlos went blind. Geez, is anybody ever healthy on that show?! 🙂

The fireman on duty also told me that he also worked during the filming of Something’s Gotta Give starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, and Keanu Reeves. Apparently the movie was being filmed during the Laker playoffs and everyday at precisely 4:30pm, Jack Nicholson would leave the set to head to Staples Center to watch the game. Like clockwork, no matter what was going on or how mad the director would get, Jack was out of there at 4:30pm. LOL I guess no one comes between Jack and his Lakers.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Saint Luke’s Hospital is located at 2632 East Washington Boulevard in Pasadena. Chances are if you drive by the hospital on a weekday, you will see film crews set up there. Pasadena film crews are notoriously friendly and will most likely fill you in on what is being filmed and even let you hang out and watch. 🙂

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Now Wear This!

For those who haven’t yet heard the good news – Jennie Garth has officially signed on to star in a recurring role on the new Beverly Hills, 90210 spin-off that is going to air on the CW. Although Brenda was always my fave 90210 character I still have to say YAY! Jennie will be reprising her role as Kelly Taylor, who is now a guidance counselor at West Beverly High.

I thought I’d do a little 90210 blogging in honor of today’s big news! During the 7th Season of 90210, Donna and Kelly opened up a clothing boutique called “Now Wear This!” A few years ago, as I was driving on Melrose Avenue, I spotted the location of the shop and almost got into a car accident I was so excited! When I first saw the location, the site was just a vacant storefront and pretty run down, but a few years ago it became home to a restaurant called El Guapo Mexican Cantina – which, according to reviews, is a very happening spot and a supposed celeb hang out. I have yet to eat, there, though, as anytime I have a hankering for Mexican food I head over to the BEST Mexican food in LA, Don Antonio’s. But it looks like I am going to have to check out El Guapo’s someday soon!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Donna’s dress shop is located at 7250 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. It is just down the street from both The Groundlings Theatre – famous improv school and alma mater to countless celebs – and People’s Revolution – Lauren Conrad’s new workplace.

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Charlie’s Angels

Charlie\'s Angels I must admit that I absolutely loved the first Charlie’s Angels movie, so when I found the location of the headquarters of Charles Townsend Investigations in my stalking tome last weekend, I just had to stalk it. This same location was used in both the filming of the Charlie’s Angels television show back in 1976 and the more recent first Charlie’s Angels movie in 2000. In the movie, Townsend Investigations is actually blown up by the evil Eric Knox, but for the big blow up scene, producers built a replica of the headquarters building on a studio soundstage.

Townsend Investigations looks much the same today as it did in 1976, except that now a Miele store occupies the space. Miele is a high end German appliance store.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Townsend Enterprises is located at 189 Robertson Boulevard, on the corner of Clifton Way and Robertson Boulevard, in Beverly Hills. A few blocks South of the Miele store is the chic, celeb favorite shopping district of Robertson Boulevard which is home to Kitson, Lisa Kline, the Ivy restaurant, and the MAC Pro Store. Robertson is a shopping haven for celebs and paparazzi can often be seen milling around outside of the many high-end stores located there.

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Celeb’s Coffee of Choice

While we all know that Britney Spears can’t live without her daily Starbucks ration, it seems that most other celebs in the LA area much prefer a smaller coffeehouse chain called Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Because I am absolutely obsessed with coffee and Starbucks (if I had my way – and the money – I’d easily drink three or four iced lattes a day!) I recently started reading a great book about the chain called Starbucked by Taylor Clark. Starbucked chronicles the history of Starbucks and also tells much of the history of Coffee Bean, as well. So last weekend, after I learned of the location, I dragged my boyfriend to Brentwood to stalk the very first Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf store.

The first Coffee Bean was founded in 1963 by Herbert Hyman and immediately had a celebrity following. Ronald Reagan, Lee Marvin, Jason Robards, Johnny Carson and Jacques Cousteau all became regulars at the Brentwood store shortly after its opening. Today, celebs like Ashton Kutcher, Lindsay Lohan, David Beckham, and Benji Madden are Coffee Bean regulars and paparazzi can often be seen loitering outside the various LA locations of the chain. Several CB stores were also featured regularly on the series Entourage as a meeting place for Vince and his crew.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The very first Coffee Bean can be found at 11698 San Vicente Boulevard in Brentwood. I recommend ordering an ice blended – they are the best you’ll ever taste!

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Greystone Mansion

Greystone Mansion I While most mansions in Beverly Hills are well hidden from prying eyes thanks to tall gates and large trees, there is one that is open to the public on a regular basis and it’s called Greystone Mansion. The 46,000 square foot mansion was commissioned in 1928 by millionaire Edward L. Doheny as a gift to his son Edward “Ned” Doheny, Jr. Ned only lived in the home for four short months before he was found dead in his bedroom, along with his secretary Hugh Plunket, on February 16th, 1929.

There has been much speculation surrounding the deaths of Ned and Hugh – some believe it was a bizarre murder-suicide due to a lovers’ quarrel between the two, others believe Hugh asked Ned for a raise and became enraged when he was denied and subsequently shot Ned and then himself, and still others believe Hugh suffered from a psychological disorder and shot Edward during a mental breakdown. Whatever the case may be, after his death Edward’s widow continued to live in the mansion with their five children for the next 26 years until she sold it to a man named Henry Crown. Henry wanted to tear down the mansion, but the city of Beverly Hills stepped in and purchased Greystone from him in 1965, turning it into a public park several years later.

Greystone sits on over 16 acres and is an amazing piece of property. I highly recommend stalking it. Everyday from 10am to 5pm the public is given free reign to walk around the beautiful grounds and get an up close and personal view of the exterior of the mansion. On occasion, there are times when one can tour the inside of the mansion as well. Greystone has also been the filming location of hundreds upon hundreds of movie, TV, print, and commercial productions. Just to name a few – it was featured in Entourage as the location of Anna Faris’ photo shoot, it played Nicolas Cage’s home in National Treasure: Book of Secrets, it was the British Embassy and ball location in Jumpin’ Jack Flash with Whoopi Goldberg, it played a restaurant in The Holiday, and it was featured each week as Rory Gilmore’s school in Gilmore Girls. It also figures prominently in one of my favorite books The Prada Paradox by Julie Kenner.

While I was at Greystone this past weekend, a production crew was setting up for a film shoot (they wouldn’t say which film) and unfortunately much of the mansion was blocked off. But a very nice security guard happened to let me in to walk around and my boyfriend snapped a pic as I stalked behind the film crew’s signs. 🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking!

Stalk It: Greystone Mansion is located at 905 Loma Vista Drive in Beverly Hills. It is open everyday from 10am to 5pm. You can visit Greystone’s official website here.

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Hanging out at Vincent Chase’s!

Entourage House This weekend, while doing some cyber-stalking, I found the address of Vincent Chase’s house from the HBO show Entourage, which is quickly turning into me and my boyfriend’s new fave show. So, on Saturday, I dragged my boyfriend to Beverly Hills to stalk the house that was used in the first two seasons of the show. I didn’t think we would be able to see much of the house from the street, so I was completely floored to discover that the front of the home is almost completely visible from the front gate.

You will immediately recognize the large driveway, the fountain and the front door of the house from the many different scenes filmed there of the Entourage gang’s comings and goings. The house is absolutely huge – much bigger than it appeared on screen. According to Zillow it is over 10,000 square feet! The home is located at the very end of a street way up in the Hills of Beverly and it’s not too hard to see why filmmakers chose to use this house as it would be easy to block off the street for filming without disturbing any of the neighbors or having to close down public roads.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Vincent’s house is located at 1200 La Collina Drive in Beverly Hills. After stalking Vincent Chase, you can head on down to Rodeo Drive for some A-List shopping and dining.