“The Big Bang Theory” Rooftop – Where Howard and Bernadette Got Married

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This past Monday evening, the Grim Cheaper and I sat down to catch up on a slew of television episodes that we had backlogged over the past week, one of which was The Big Bang Theory’s “The Countdown Reflection”.   In the episode, which has to be one of the cutest of the entire series, Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and longtime girlfriend, Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch), finally tie the knot on the rooftop of the building where Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) live.  Well, as you can imagine, as soon as I finished watching the wedding scene, I became just a wee-bit obsessed with tracking down that rooftop.  I was fairly certain that it was located somewhere in Pasadena as the Big Bang gang supposedly lives in the City of Roses and area locations appear regularly on the show.  Heck, even my building was filmed once for the background of a driving scene back in 2010, although I was never able to spot it in an episode.  And while Leonard and Sheldon’s address has been referred to a few times as 2311 North Los Robles Avenue, in actuality that location does not exist as Los Robles ends at the 2200 block.  So thinking I would need some help with this one, I immediately texted fellow stalker Owen, from the When Write is Wrong blog, to ask for his assistance.  And imagine my surprise when, at 7:30 yesterday morning, I received a text back from him with an address!  Yay!  When I asked how he had found the rooftop so fast, he replied, “Sheldon isn’t the only smart guy around.”  Winking smile

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As it turns out, one quick Google search had led Owen to the YouTube video posted below, which pinpointed the rooftop’s exact location.  So, as soon as I received Owen’s text, I headed right on over there to stalk the place, after first hitting up a Starbucks, of course.

“The Big Bang Theory” Rooftop from “The Countdown Reflection” Episode
In “The Countdown Reflection”, Bernadette decides she wants to marry Howard before he takes off on his venture into space, so the two go down to the local courthouse and attempt to have a quickie ceremony.  When those plans fall through, Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) suggests that they hold their wedding on Leonard and Sheldon’s rooftop that upcoming Sunday, when the Google Earth satellite will be overhead.  All five of Howard and Bernadette’s closest friends – Raj, Leonard, Sheldon, Penny (Kaley Cuoco), and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) – quickly ordain themselves as ministers and, in a tear-inducing moment, perform the ceremony together.
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After Howard and Bernadette seal their union with a kiss, the camera pulls away from the group and we see that Raj, who in the episode said, “If I wasn’t an astrophysicist, I would have been a party planner!”, has decorated the rooftop with a heart and arrow made out of silk.  SO DARN CUTE!  I literally got goose bumps when I saw it!

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As the camera pulls farther away, we are given an aerial view of Leonard and Sheldon’s building and the surrounding area.  And while The Big Bang rooftop and the structure located directly below it do not match up to what appeared onscreen (thanks to some CGI magic), the rest of the surrounding buildings do, as you can see below.  And while Owen suggested that I rent a plane to get some actual photographs of the rooftop, until I have the means to do so, Google aerial images will have to do.  Winking smile

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I did manage to snap some actual photographs of the front of the building, though.  Interestingly enough, while doing research for today’s post, I happened to come across a Big Bang Theory forum in which member “jcc551f9n” states that he or she is fairly certain that the interior of Leonard and Sheldon’s building was based on the Brookmore Apartments located at 189 North Marengo Avenue in Pasadena.  Jcc551f9n says, “I lived in the building for two years and the inside looks like the exact replica of The Big Bang Theory apartments.  Exposed brick, stairwell looping around the elevator, very similar front doors as the show.  And the Brookmore Apartments elevator was always broken.  Even the laundry room looks the same.  A number of Caltech and JPL physicists live there as well as more than one aspiring actress.”  Another commenter named “ottonomy” replied to jcc551f9n’s post stating that he or she also thought the Brookmore was the inspiration for the Big Bang apartment set.   He or she says, “Hmm… The Brookmore Apartments were one of the first places I considered, when trying to guess where the apartment might be.  You’re spot on about the stairs and elevator.  I remember delivering pizzas there in the eighties.  It was run down, and the halls were lined with addicts, prostitutes, and their dealers and pimps.  The renaissance of Old Pasadena had changed it by the late nineties, when I started working as a locksmith and made frequent appearances there to open locked doors for people who were better at rocket science than at keeping track of their keys.  It’s amazing how much the place has improved, though the elevator was indeed not working when last I was there.”  So interesting!  I stopped by the Brookmore yesterday to try to sneak a peak at the elevator area through the front door, but unfortunately it was not visible.  What I wouldn’t give to see the inside of that building, though!

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On a The Big Bang Theory side-note – I am just a wee-bit obsessed with series star Kaley Cuoco’s recent in-flight photo shoot for CBS Watch Magazine (which is like the best magazine, ever, by the way – if you do not already have a subscription, I highly recommend getting one).  The shoot, which took place during an actual flight, intrigued me for two reasons – one because I am absolutely petrified of flying and am astounded that the crew was able to pull off an entire photo shoot while aboard a 777 jet en route from New York to London.

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And two, because I absolutely fell in love with Kaley’s Louis Vuitton clutch, which I am fairly certain is vintage, being that I cannot find it anywhere on the LV website.  Love it, love it, love it!  Why this stalker’s eye is immediately drawn to anything in that classic, brown LV pattern, I will never know, but it is – like a magnet!  Oh, Grim Cheaper, are you listening?  My birthday is coming up! Winking smile

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Be sure to “Like” IAMNOTASTALKER on Facebook here and “Friend” me on my personal page here.  You can also check out the IAMNOTASTALKER About Me page here.  And you can follow me on Twitter at @IAMNOTASTALKER.

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Big THANK YOU to fellow stalker Owen, from the When Write Is Wrong blog, for finding this location!  Smile

Stalk It: Leonard and Sheldon’s rooftop from The Big Bang Theory is located at 215 South Madison Avenue in Pasadena.

The “Perfect Strangers” Apartment Building

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A few weeks ago, while perusing fave book Marilyn Monroe Dyed Here: More Locations of America’s Pop Culture Landmarks by Chris Epting (which was gifted to me by fellow stalker Lavonna – thanks, Lavonna! Smile), I came across a blurb about the supposed Chicago, Illinois-area apartment building where Balki Bartokomous (Bronson Pinchot) and “Cousin Larry” Appleton (Mark Linn-Baker) lived in the 1986 television series Perfect Strangers.  As it turns out, the apartment building is not located in the Windy City at all, but right here in Downtown Los Angeles.  I immediately became intrigued with the place, not because it is in L.A., nor because I was a huge fan of the series as a child, but because in the blurb Epting had stated that while the top three floors of the property had since been torn down, the bottom level remained intact and still looked much as it did on the show, which absolutely flabbergasted me!  While a building being demolished in Los Angeles is, sadly, an all-too-common occurrence, only certain floors being demolished was something completely foreign to this stalker.  I did some further research on the subject, though, and discovered that it is apparently a semi-common practice in L.A. when repairing buildings that suffer from earthquake damage.  So incredibly odd!  Deciding I just had to see the place for myself, I immediately added it to my To-Stalk list and dragged the Grim Cheaper right on out there a few days later.

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In real life, the Perfect Strangers building was known as the Santa Rita Hotel and it consisted of four stories, as you can see below.  Thankfully, despite the fact that the top three floors are now missing, the bottom level does still have some semi-recognizable elements from what appeared onscreen.  The shape and layout of the fictional Ritz Discount store, where the cousins worked on the show, remains largely as it was during the filming, as do the protruding lip and grey line that run the length of the building.

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Standing there, looking at the structure, I was absolutely perplexed that it used to stand at four stories tall.  I still cannot fathom how in the heck the top levels were knocked down without damaging the bottom floor in the process.  But that is why I am a stalker and not an architect.  Winking smile Amazingly enough, even though it appeared to be quite beautiful, I could not find any information whatsoever online about the building, its history, or its partial demolition.  If I had to guess, though, I would say that the edifice was damaged during the Northridge Earthquake in 1994 and was demolished at some point shortly thereafter.  But, again, that is just a guess.  You can check out a 1939’s-era photograph of the Santa Rita Hotel on the USC Libraries website here.  And you can check out a great write-up on the location by a Perfect Strangers aficionado named John Corbett here.

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Thanks to another of John’s write-ups, I learned that the Santa Rita Hotel was only used as Larry and Balki’s apartment building during Seasons 1 and 2.  For Seasons 3 through 6 a different, but similar-looking structure, located at 326-34 West Dickens Avenue/2100-10 North Clark Street in Lincoln Park, Chicago, was used.  A screen capture of that building is pictured below.

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As John also pointed out in his post, oddly enough, in the nighttime establishing shots of the building a sign reading “Caldwell Hotel” is visible.  I am fairly certain, though, that that sign was just a prop, as was the case with the “Ritz Discount” sign.

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Because Perfect Strangers was a sit-com that was shot in front of a live studio audience, only the exterior of the Santa Rita Hotel was used in the filming.  The interior of Larry and Balki’s apartment was just a set that existed inside of a soundstage at Lorimar (now Sony) Studios.

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Be sure to “Like” IAMNOTASTALKER on Facebook here and “Friend” me on my personal page here.  You can also check out the IAMNOTASTALKER About Me page here.  And you can follow me on Twitter at @IAMNOTASTALKER.

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Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: The Perfect Strangers apartment building is located at 1100 South Main Street in Downtown Los Angeles.

Poquito Mas on the Sunset Strip

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Last month, fellow stalker Ashley, from The Drewseum website, wrote a comment on my Pinches Tacos post which stated that her girl, Miss Drew Barrymore, was often spotted at another West Hollywood-area taqueria, this one named Poquito Mas.  So, because I am always on the lookout for celeb hangouts, and good Mexican food, I immediately added the eatery to my To-Stalk list and dragged the Grim Cheaper right on over there for lunch a few weekends ago.

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Poquito Mas, which has the look and feel of a Baja Fresh, but with better food, actually boasts ten locations in the Southern California area – including one on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, which Wil Wheaton was apparently thrilled to no end about.  (And I would be remiss if I did not mention here that the WB lot also has a Starbucks onsite.  Um, yes please!  Count me in!  But I digress Winking smile). Drew Barrymore’s favorite branch, though, is the one located right on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.

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I have to say that Ashley’s recommendation was spot on, because Poquito Mas serves up some FABULOUS food!  I ordered a World Famous Chicken Tostada, which I absolutely loved (and, as I have mentioned before, I am very picky about my chicken), while the GC opted for a Classic Chicken Taco and a Classic Steak Taco, both of which he devoured.  While we were dining, we sat on the eatery’s patio area, which is situated facing the Sunset Strip, and had an absolute blast counting the numerous Hollywood tour buses that drove by.

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Besides Drew Barrymore, just a few of the stars who have dined at the West Hollywood Poquito Mas include Bonnie Hunt, Kelly Brook, Jonah Hill, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Nicky Hilton, Britney Spears, Keanu Reeves, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Rebecca Gayheart, and Eric Dane.  And Ashley has spotted Fred Durst, Dyan Cannon, Kelly Osbourne, and Art Alexakis from Everclear during her various visits.  The chain is such a celebrity hotspot, in fact, that the outposts in Thousand Oaks and Westwood post signs that read, “Please no autographs.  No photographs.  Cameras, videotaping, filming & recording devices of any kind are prohibited from use on these premises.”  WOW!  “No shirts, no shoes, no service” is one thing, but no autographs?  Puh-leeze!  The place is a fast food taco stand, not The Ivy!  Winking smile I did not spot any such “no photography” signs at the Sunset Strip branch, though, so I happily snapped away while I was there.

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We did spot the sign pictured below, though, which I cannot even being to understand.  10:05?  Really?  Why not 10:07 or 10:09?  Winking smile

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Be sure to “Like” IAMNOTASTALKER on Facebook here and “Friend” me on my personal page here.  You can also check out the IAMNOTASTALKER About Me page here.  And you can follow me on Twitter at @IAMNOTASTALKER.

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Big THANK YOU to Ashley, from The Drewseum website, for telling me about this location.  Smile

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: Poquito Mas is located at 8555 West Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.  You can visit the restaurant’s official website here.

#Fail!

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A couple of weeks ago, I found out, thanks to my friend Marie, that the love of my life, Mr. Michael Buble, would be in town on May 10th to sing at a benefit concert at the Hollywood Palladium.  So yesterday morning I headed out to Sunset Boulevard bright and early, armed with the above sign, in the hopes of catching the cutie crooner on his way into the soundcheck.  Unfortunately though, he never showed up to the soundcheck and when he arrived for the actual event, he entered through the front door while I waited (breath bated) in the back.  As my girl, Miss Pinky Lovejoy, of the Thinking Pink blog, would say, “Fail!”  Such a bummer!  All I have to show for my efforts (which lasted NINE hours) yesterday is a really bad sunburn.  Sad smile If I don’t manage to get a pic with him the next time he is in town, I just might cry!

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I did manage to snap the above photograph with the “Buble Band” bus, though, so at least there’s that.  Winking smile Anyway, because I was standing outside of the Hollywood Palladium for the entire day yesterday, I did not have time to write a post for today.  But I do promise to be back on Monday with a whole new location.  I hope all of my fellow stalkers have a fabulous weekend and a fabulous Mother’s Day!

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

The “Clueless” Party House

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One location that I have been wanting to stalk for what seems like ages now is the party house from fave movie Clueless.  Because the property is located in Granada Hills, though, and because I rarely travel that far deep into the San Fernando Valley, it was quite a long while before I finally made it out there.  But make it out there, I did, one dark and dreary afternoon (as you can see above) back in March.  And I can honestly say that this is one location that was absolutely worth the wait!  I could NOT have been more excited to be stalking the house and was literally pinching myself the whole time!  Not even the intermittent rain could dampen this stalker’s spirits on that particular day!

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In Clueless, Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), Dionne (Stacey Dash), Murray (Donald Faison), and Tai (Brittany Murphy) venture outside of Beverly Hills for the evening in order to attend a high school party being held at a house located in the dreaded “Valley”.  As you can see below, the party house still looks very much the same today as it did back in 1995 when Clueless was filmed, minus the Christmas decorations, of course.  Even the exterior metal stairway railing leading up to the front porch is still there!  Love it, love it, love it!  And, as fate would have it, I had a little Clueless moment of my very own right as we pulled up to the residence and I heard the thump-thump-thump of a nearby helicopter.  If you’ll recall, a helicopter happened to be flying overhead during the Clueless party scene when Cher was on the phone with her father, causing him to ask if she was in Kuwait, to which she replied, “Is that in the Valley?”  LOL LOL LOL  Man, I love that movie!

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While we were snapping pics of the house, the owners happened to come outside and were nice enough to chat with us for a bit.  They informed us that the filming of the party scene took a whopping two weeks to complete and that the real life interior of the property, including the kitchen where Elton (whom I just realized was played by actor Jeremy Sisto!) revived Tai and the bathroom where Murray shaved his head, was used in the shoot.

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The actual backyard and pool area also appeared in the movie.  I was so hoping the owners would invite me inside for a little tour, but, unfortunately, that did not happen.  Winking smile

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An aerial view of the backyard, courtesy of Bing, is pictured below.  As you can see, the green fence that once surrounded the pool is now, sadly, gone.

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In real life, the Clueless party house, which was originally built in 1963, boasts 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2,716 square feet of living space, and 0.54 acres of land.  The owners informed us that producers ended up choosing their home for the filming because they thought that it looked like the archetypal “Valley” residence.  And I have to say that I agree with them.  The Clueless party house is extremely reminiscent of another famous Valley dwelling – the home where Jan, Cindy, Marcia and the rest of the Brady clan lived on fave show The Brady Bunch.

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Be sure to “Like” IAMNOTASTALKER on Facebook here and “Friend” me on my personal page here.  You can also check out the IAMNOTASTALKER About Me page here.  And you can follow me on Twitter at @IAMNOTASTALKER.

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Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: The Clueless party house is located at 16401 Knollwood Drive in Granada Hills.

Another Day of Cleaning . . .

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I swear, I feel like all I do is clean lately!  I have not mentioned this before, but the Grim Cheaper and I have a vacation rental that I clean almost weekly.  The GC is also starting a new company with his boss, so I have been doing all of the cooking over the past few months (he loves to cook, but unfortunately does not have the time for it as of late).  So, add to that taking care of the apartment where we live and I, unfortunately, do not seem to have much time for stalking and blogging.  Sad smile Ah, how I wish I could clone myself.  Anyway, I spent all day cleaning our rental yesterday, so I did not have time to write a new post.  But I thought I would give y’all a preview of one of the photographs I took while at the Walsh house this past weekend.  Smile

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

My Los Angeles Must-Stalk List

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If I had a nickel for every time a fellow stalker wrote to me asking for my top ten favorite locations in all of Los Angeles, I would have a whole lot more Louis Vuitton in my closet than I do right now. Winking smile Over the years, in response to that repeated question, I compiled a list of sorts of my fave Southern California locales. Because this stalker loves the City of Angels pretty much more than life itself, though, I was never able to narrow it down to just ten spots, and the more I discover L.A., the more locations I add. As of right now, my list hovers at 23 places, but I am sure that by next month, that number will have grown.  Anyway, after sending out my list yet again just last week, I figured that I might as well write a blog post on it. So, without further ado, I present my Los Angeles Must-Stalk List.

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1. Disneyland – While not necessarily a stalking location, per se, The Happiest Place on Earth is one of my favorite spots in the entire world, let alone Southern California. It is DEFINITELY a Must-Stalk for anyone visiting the area, especially for the first time. If you have only one day to spend in L.A., I would spend it here. You can read my post on Club 33, the theme park’s legendary restaurant, here. Disneyland is located at 1313 Disneyland Drive in Anaheim.

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2. Casa Walsh from Beverly Hills, 90210 – If you know anything about me at all, then this location pretty much goes without saying. Winking smile You can read about my experience of going inside the Walsh house (which I just got to do again and will be blogging about soon) here. Casa Walsh is located at 1675 East Altadena Drive in Altadena. Dylan McKay’s house is located a block away at 1605 East Altadena Drive.

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3. The Father of the Bride House – One of the most iconic (and picturesque) movie houses in cinematic history. You can read my post on the property here. The Father of the Bride house is located at 843 South El Molino Avenue in Pasadena. Don Draper’s house from Mad Men is located right across the street at 675 Arden Road. Afterwards, be sure to hit up The Slaw Dogs (720 North Lake Avenue) for lunch – they have the best hot dogs EVER; Lula Mae (100 North Fair Oaks Avenue) for shopping – it is my very favorite gift store; and the Blo Out Lounge (62 North Raymond Avenue) – my fave salon – for a fabulous blo out!  Big THANK YOU to Mike, from MovieShotsLA, for the photograph below.

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4. The Bradbury Building – The interior of this architectural landmark in Downtown Los Angeles is nothing short of stunning – like jaw-droppingly stunning! One of the most unique properties that I have ever laid eyes on. You can read my post on the Bradbury Building here. The structure is located at 304 South Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. The building’s first floor and lobby area are open to the public daily. Big THANK YOU to Mike, from MovieShotsLA, for the picture below.

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5. The John Ferraro Building – One of my favorite buildings in all of L.A. The huge water fountains that surround the property are overwhelmingly gorgeous and, when coupled with the stellar views of the Los Angeles skyline in the background, one’s breath can easily be taken away. You can read my post on the structure here. The John Ferraro Building is located at 111 North Hope Street in Downtown Los Angeles.

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6. Scranton Business Park from The Office – This location is particularly cool because not only is it used in establishing shots of Scranton Business Park, where the Dunder Mifflin gang reports to work each day, but it is actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Center Studios, where The Office is filmed. You can read my post on the location here. Chandler Valley Center Studios is located at 13927 Saticoy Street in Van Nuys.

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7. Torrance High School from Beverly Hills, 90210 – Another no-brainer for those who know anything about this stalker. Winking smile Torrance High School is located at 2200 West Carson Street in Torrance. You can read my post on the location here.

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8. Yamashiro Hollywood – I have three things to say about this restaurant – views, views and views. While the food is most-definitely spectacular (especially the Butter Lettuce Wraps and Crispy Chicken), the place serves up some of the best views in all of Southern California. Little known fact – the spire on top of the Capital Records Building, which is visible from Yamashiro, intermittently spells out Hollywood in old Morse Code each night. Be sure to head to the eatery right around sunset so that you can catch glimpses of both the daytime and nighttime views. You can read my post on the restaurant here. Yamashiro Hollywood is located at 1999 Sycamore Avenue in Hollywood.

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9. The Huntington Library – Hands down one of my favorite spots in Southern California. Aside from being an oft-filmed-at locale, the place is just spectacularly beautiful. One could easily spend an entire day just walking the grounds. Along with Disneyland, if I only had one day to spend in L.A., I would spend it here. I would skip the Library area, though, and head straight to the spectacular and extensive gardens. You can read my post on the location here. The Huntington Library is located at 1151 Oxford Road in San Marino.

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10. The Studios at Paramount – I love this place so much, the GC and I almost got married here! Hands down the best studio tour in Los Angeles (and I should know – I’ve been on it seven times!). You can read about one of my many Paramount experiences here. After your tour, grab lunch at the fabulous Lucy’s El Adobe Café, which is located right across the street. Paramount Studios is located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Reservations are highly recommended as tours tend to sell out quickly and far in advance. Big THANK YOU to Mike, from MovieShotsLA, for the photograph pictured below.

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11. The Rooftop Bar at The Standard, Downtown L.A. – A fabulous restaurant/bar that offers unparalleled, 360-degree views of Downtown Los Angeles. The menu is spectacular, as well. The Standard Hotel is located at 550 South Flower Street in Downtown Los Angeles. You can read my post on The Rooftop Bar here.

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12. The Terrace at the Sunset Tower Hotel – Another café/bar that offers spectacular views, these of Century City, Downtown L.A. and West L.A. Can you tell that this stalker is into views? Winking smile The Sunset Tower Hotel is located at 8358 West Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. You can read my post on the Sunset Tower Hotel here.

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13. The Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles – One of L.A.’s most spectacular, beautiful and historic properties. Rates are extremely reasonable and I would recommend spending a night at the iconic location. If it is not possible to do so, then set aside at least a few hours to explore the 85-year-old hotel and be sure to try to sneak a peek at the spectacular art deco indoor pool, which was used in Cruel Intentions. When you are done, grab a drink at the beautiful Gallery Bar. The Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles is located at 506 South Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. You can read my post on the hotel here.  Big THANK YOU to Mike, from MovieShotsLA, for the pictures below.

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14. The View of the Hollywood Sign from Canyon Lake Drive – Ironically enough, the best place to view the legendary Hollywood Sign is not in Hollywood at all, but on Canyon Lake Drive in the hills above Burbank. You can get so close to the iconic sign at this location that it almost feels as if you can reach out and touch it. You can also catch a spectacular glimpse of the Hollywood Reservoir from this spot. For the best views of the Hollywood Sign, head to where Canyon Lake Drive meets Mulholland Highway in Los Angeles. You can read my post on this location here.

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15. The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Temple – One of the most peaceful and unique spots in all of SoCal. Hard to believe it is situated right on Sunset Boulevard. The Lake Shrine Temple is located at 17190 Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades. You can read my post on the site here.

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16. The Prince – Hands down, one of the coolest restaurants I have ever been to!  The eatery first opened in 1949 and has not been altered since.  Thanks to its historic aesthetic, dark red walls and wood-paneled booths, the place has been the site of countless filmings over the years.  It currently serves as Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and the gang’s main hangout on fave show New Girl.  You can read my post on the location here.  The Prince is located at 3198 1/2 West 7th Street in Koreatown.  You can visit the restaurant’s official website here.

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17. Olvera Street (aka The Birthplace of L.A.) – A bustling, open-air Mexican marketplace located on the site of the very spot where Los Angeles was originally founded on September 4th, 1781. The center features some of the oldest structures in L.A., tiny shops selling handmade goods, and fabulous restaurants at every turn. I challenge you to find better taquitos anywhere else in the world, including Mexico! The official address for the entrance to Olvera Street is 845 North Alameda Street in Downtown Los Angeles. You can read my two posts on the location here and here. The Pico House, which serves as CBI Headquarters on The Mentalist is located right around the corner from Olvera Street at 430 North Main Street. You can read my post on that site here.

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18. The Old Place Cornell – A fabulously rugged old eatery that serves up some stellar gourmet comfort food. The restaurant, which was originally founded in 1969, seems so far removed from civilization, you will find it hard to believe you are actually in Los Angeles, just steps from the 101 Freeway. The Old Place is located at 29983 Mulholland Highway in Cornell. You can read my post on the eatery here.

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19. The Hotel Bel-Air – One of the most beautiful and serene hotels in all of Los Angeles. The quiet, intimate space, which is located right off of Sunset Boulevard, boasts a huge swan-filled pond, meandering pathways and countless tucked-away terraces. Not only was my girl Miss Marilyn Monroe known to frequent the location, but one of her very last photo shoots also took place there. And while I much preferred the look of the place prior to its recent remodel, Hotel Bel-Air is still one of the most picturesque spots in all of Southern California. Warning – the hotel is most-definitely NOT a good place for kids. The Hotel Bel-Air is located at 701 Stone Canyon Road in Bel Air. You can read my post on the location here.

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20. Paradise Cove – A beautiful, private beach located right in the heart of Malibu. This spot features a picturesque pier (where Britney Spears once danced), a fabulous restaurant (Bob Morris’ Paradise Cove Beach Café), and an outside bar area where you can dip your toes in the sand while sipping cocktails and watching the sun set. Don’t let the $25 parking fee scare you off – the Beach Café validates. Paradise Cove is located at 28128 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. You can read my post on the site here.

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21. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – Yes, the place is a tourist trap, but it is also a Hollywood landmark and I am of the firm belief that everyone should see it at least once. And besides, it is FUN to walk around and look at all the hand and footprints of your favorite celebs. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is located at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. You can read my post on Grauman’s here.

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22. The Pawnee Pit from Parks and Recreation – While some may say that this place is simply a vacant plot of land, I say it is one of the coolest stalking sites that I have ever been to – most likely because not only was the Sullivan Street Pit practically a character on the series, but it was also once an actual hole in an actual neighborhood and not a manufactured set piece.  You can read my post on Lot 48 here.  The Parks and Recreation pit is located at the southeast corner of Hazeltine Avenue and Collins Street in Van Nuys.  Ann Perkins’ house from the series is located directly behind the Pit at 5655 Murietta Avenue in Van Nuys.  You can read my post on that location here.

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23. A Free View of Universal Studios’ War of the Worlds Set – Quite possibly my favorite “only in L.A.” spot, one can catch a fabulous and free glimpse of the plane crash set from the 2005 flick War of the Worlds from a residential street just south of Burbank.  To check out the massive set, head to the 3400 block of Blair Drive, just off of Barham Boulevard, in Los Angeles

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I had so much fun blogging about my Los Angeles Must-Stalk List that I am going to do a similar post on New York locations in the very near future.

Be sure to “Like” the IAMNOTASTALKER Facebook Page here and “Friend” me on my personal Facebook page here. You can also check out the IAMNOTASTALKER About Me page here. And if you are not already following me on Twitter, you can do so here.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! Smile

The “Some Kind of Wonderful” Party House

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While I was stalking Steff’s mansion from Pretty in Pink, which I blogged about last Thursday, fellow stalker Mike, from MovieShotsLA, texted me to let me know that the party house from another classic John Hughes-penned ‘80s movie, 1987’s Some Kind of Wonderful, was located literally just around the corner on Hudson Avenue.  So I, of course, dragged the Grim Cheaper right on over there to stalk the place.  I have to admit that I had actually not seen Some Kind of Wonderful in years, so as soon as the GC and I got home that evening, I popped in my DVD of the flick and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.  I had completely forgotten what a cute movie it is.  Smile

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In Some Kind of Wonderful, Keith Nelson (Eric Stoltz) takes his dream girl, Amanda Jones (Lea Thompson), on an uber-date all over the city of Los Angeles.  One of their stops is the mansion belonging to Amanda’s former boyfriend, mean-boy Hardy Jenns (Craig Sheffer), where a high school party is being held.

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I am fairly certain that the real life interior of the home was used in the filming of the party scene, as well, but I was unable to find any photographs of the place online with which to verify that hunch.

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In real life, the Some Kind of Wonderful party house, which was originally built in 1925, boasts seven bedrooms, six baths, 6,488 square feet, and almost half an acre of land.  As you can see below, the Tudor-style mansion is quite spectacular in person.  While the GC and I were outside snapping pics of the place, the owners happened to pull out of their driveway and, when they saw us, they waved with a look on their face which suggested that fans stalking their home was a regular occurrence.  Love it!  Smile

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As it turns out, Some Kind of Wonderful and Pretty in Pink share more in common than their writer, director (Howard Deutch), and Hancock Park filming locations.  According to IMDB’s Pretty in Pink trivia page, the original ending of the flick had Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald) and Duckie (Jon Cryer) winding up together.  After a poor reaction from test audiences, though, the studio forced John Hughes to write a new ending in which Andie would choose Blaine McDonnagh (Andrew McCarthy).  Hughes never apparently liked the way the flick turned out and, in response, wrote an almost identical story the following year, but with the ending he wanted.  That story turned out to be Some Kind of Wonderful.  While re-watching the flick, I was amazed at the many similarities it had to Pretty in Pink.  Excluding the ending, the two movies are virtually one and the same.  In another interesting twist, Hughes wanted Molly Ringwald to play Amanda Jones in Some Kind of Wonderful (a role that ultimately went to Lea Thompson), but, hoping to branch out from her teen princess roles, she turned down the part and Molly and Hughes did not speak for the next twenty years.

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My friend Owen let me know that the very same pad also portrayed the residence of Dr. Russell Oakes (Jason Robards) in the 1983 made-for-television movie The Day After.

On a stalking side-note – my good friend Nat set up an IAMNOTASTALKER Facebook page for me a few years back, but, for whatever reason, I never really did anything with it.  Well, all that is about to change!  I finally added a cover photo and will be regularly updating my News Feed.  So, if you get a chance, be sure to head on over there and gimme a “Like”.  Smile You can also “friend” me on Facebook page here.  I just created an IAMNOTASTALKER About Me page, as well, which you can check out here.  And if you are not already following me on Twitter, you can do so here.  Yes, my fellow stalkers, IAMNOTASTALKER is finally taking it to the next level!  Woot woot!  Winking smile

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And on another stalking side-note – while watching Extra being taped last Thursday afternoon at The Grove, I got picked to ask actor Colin Egglesfield an on-air question.  That is me with host Renee Bargh and Colin below.  Big THANK YOU to my girl, Miss  Pinky Lovejoy, of the Thinking Pink blog, for snapping the pics!  The episode should be airing sometime this week, so keep your eyes peeled!  I have been watching Extra over the past couple of days, though, and it does not seem as if the fan questions ever actually air, but fingers crossed that mine will!

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Big THANK YOU to Mike, from MovieShotsLA, for telling me about this location!  Smile

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Until next time, Happy Stalking!

Stalk It: The Some Kind of Wonderful party house is located at 516 South Hudson Avenue in Hancock ParkLiam Court’s (cutie Matt Lanter – sigh!) house from fave show 90210 is located just up the street at 401 South Hudson AvenueSteff’s mansion from Pretty in Pink is located right around the corner at 366 South June Street in Hancock Park.  The Erle M. Leaf House, aka the Residence of the Los Angeles British Consuls-General where Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, stayed in July 2011, is also located right around the corner at 450 South June Street.

Steff’s House from “Pretty in Pink”

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This past Saturday afternoon, a fellow stalker named “Pookie” posted a comment on my site in which she mentioned that the mansion where Steff (James Spader) lived in 1986’s Pretty in Pink was located just up the street from the the Residence of the Los Angeles British Consuls-General where Kate Middleton and Prince William stayed in July 2011, which I blogged about last month.  As it turns out, Pookie’s parents live right around the corner from the Pretty in Pink dwelling and she was lucky enough to have witnessed some of the filming of the iconic 80s flick when it took place back in 1985.  Well, as you can imagine, I was extremely excited about learning the location of Steff’s house, and, since we were only a few miles away at the time, asked the Grim Cheaper to take me right on over there to stalk the place.

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In real life, Steff’s house is absolutely stunning and looks like it belongs in a neighborhood somewhere on the East Coast and not in the heart of Los Angeles’ Hancock Park.  The French chateau-style property, which was originally designed in 1927 by the Webber, Staunton & Spaulding architecture firm, boasts seven bedrooms, a whopping eight baths, 7,140 square feet of living space, over half an acre of land, four fireplaces, original chandeliers and wall sconces, formal gardens, a reflecting pond, a three-car garage, a separate guest apartment, and (according to a comment left by Evan on The Houses of Hancock Park blog) a third floor that inexplicably houses a disco.  The mansion was recently sold, in May of last year, for a cool $5 million.  You can check out the real estate listing here.

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One odd thing I noticed about the house, though, was that one of its windows has been completely cemented over, as you can see below.  Even odder still is the fact that the cemented-over space still remains flanked by shutters.

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Most odd of all, though, is the fact that the window even appears to have been covered over way back in 1985 when Pretty in Pink was filmed.  Why in almost three decades worth of time did the homeowners not remove the shutters?  Or re-install the window?  Very, very strange.

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Steff’s mansion, which is supposedly located in Elgin, Illinois, shows up three times in Pretty in Pink.  It first pops up towards the beginning of the movie in the scene in which Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald) and Duckie (John Cryer) are shown driving through a ritzy neighborhood late at night.  As Andie stops to admire the residence, she announces that it is her favorite on the whole street and then poignantly says, “ You know what the really sad thing is, though?  I bet the people that live there don’t think it’s half as pretty as I do.“

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The mansion next shows up in the scene in which Blane McDonnagh (Andrew McCarthy) brings Andie to a party at his best friend Steff’s house.

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As you can see from the screen captures and photographs (which I got off of the property’s real estate listing) below, the home’s actual interior was used in that scene, as well.  It is amazing how little the residence has changed over the past 27 years.  Love it!

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It even appears that the very same headboard that was used in the movie is still there in real life!  So incredibly cool!

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Finally, the mansion’s library area popped up towards the end of Pretty in Pink in the scene in which Steff tells Blaine that he will stop being friends with him if he continues to date “trash” like Andie.  As you can see in the screen capture and photograph below, the very same curtains, chair, desk, and stool which appeared in the movie are still there in real life.  INCREDIBLE!

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Thanks to the Scarecrow and Mrs. King forum, I learned that Steff’s house also appeared extensively in the Season 1 episode titled “Waiting for Godorsky” as the supposed Washington, D.C.-area mansion of Princess Sophia Valosky (Hildegard Knef).

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As you can see, the window was even covered over way back in early 1984 when the episode was filmed.

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The interior of the mansion also appeared briefly in Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

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Back in June 2010, the Before the Trailer website mentioned that Dior was filming at the residence and, after doing some digging online, I discovered that the filming was actually for the Miss Dior fragrance campaign that starred actress Natalie Portman.  Ironically enough, while the spot was supposed to take place in Paris and the vast majority of it was, in fact, lensed in the City of Light, a small portion of it was shot at Steff’s mansion!  As you can see below, the awning and wading pool which appeared in the Dior commercial match up exactly to those which can be seen on the home’s real estate listing, although a fountain was added to the pool for the shoot.

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The statues affixed to the plant pots that can be seen in the background of the shoot also match up to the statues that appear in the listing.

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And finally, the large swan statue that is visible in the background of the ad matches the one that appears in the home’s listing.

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You can watch the Dior ad by clicking below.

Natalie Portman Dior Ad Filmed at Steff’s Mansion from “Pretty in Pink”

On a Pretty in Pink side-note – my girl Miss Pinky Lovejoy, of the Thinking Pink blog, and I were lucky enough to meet James Spader a couple of weeks ago after we randomly spotted the star leaving a movie theatre.  And while we had heard that he could be unfriendly, I am very happy to report that he was extremely nice and seemed quite amused at our excitement over seeing him.

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Until next time, Happy Stalking! Smile

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Stalk It: Steff’s mansion from Pretty in Pink is located at 366 South June Street in Hancock Park.  The Erle M. Leaf House, aka the Residence of the Los Angeles British Consuls-General where Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, stayed in July 2011, is located right down the street at 450 South June Street.