The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa

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While stalking in Pasadena a few weeks ago I stopped into the Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa to snap some pics. The Langham has long been a Pasadena institution and it is an absolutely gorgeous place to spend an afternoon or grab an evening cocktail. It is also an oft-used Pasadena filming location and celeb hang out. 🙂

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The Langham Hotel was originally built in 1907 and was known as the Wentworth. Never gaining much popularity under its original ownership, the property was sold to Henry E. Huntington in 1911, who hired renowned L.A. area architect Myron Hunt to renovate, expand, and improve the hotel. Three years later, in 1914, the Wentworth was reopened under its new name – the Huntington Hotel. Architect Myron Hunt is also known for designing the Rose Bowl, Occidental College, the California Institute of Technology, and Henry Huntington’s private home, which later became the museum known as the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. After Myron’s renovations, the Huntington Hotel became an overnight success and it remained that way for more than seven decades. But in 1985, while under the ownership of the Sheraton Corporation, the Huntington had to be closed due to earthquake code violations. In 1987, the Ritz-Carlton Corporation purchased the property and, with a $100 million upgrade, brought it up to code. In 1990, the new Huntington Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Spa opened its doors to the public. Just this year, the hotel was sold yet again – this time to Great Eagle Holdings who renamed it the Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa. Even with all of the ownership changes, the Huntington remains the finest hotel in the Pasadena area. It also remains a favorite of both celebrities and location scouts alike.

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The interior of the Langham stood in for the Stratford Hotel in the 1998 Lindsay Lohan remake of The Parent Trap. The exterior of the Stratford, however, was a different location altogether. For that producers used the Administration Building on Treasure Island in Northern California, located a few hundred miles away from the Langham. The Langham also appeared in Beverly Hills Ninja where it stood in for the Beverly Hills Hotel. The hotel was also featured in Seabsicut , America’s Next Top Model, Charlie Wilson’s War, and Brothers and Sisters. And just a brief list of the hotel’s past celebrity guests: Teddy Roosevelt, Bill Clinton (shortly after winning the ’92 election), Albert Einstein, the Dalai Lama, Prince Philip of England, musician Pete Townsend, Salyma Hayek, Bachelorette Trista Rehn, and Judd Hirsch. Marcia Cross’ wedding reception was held there, as was the wedding for Taboo from The Black-Eyed Peas. Shannen Doherty is a reported frequent guest of the hotel, and especially loves their premiere restaurant, The Grill, and their piano bar. I actually saw Shannen once during one of my many visits the to the Langham. She was doing some press for her former reality show Breaking-Up With Shannen Doherty. Shannen was super tiny in person and seemed very sweet, although I did not go up to her.

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The Langham is an absolutely beautiful resort, with sprawling lawns, meandering pathways, koi ponds, a dark wood paneled bar, and excellent food. I had the pleasure of staying at the hotel a while back, when it was still owned by the Ritz-Carlton. The service at the time was impeccable. One night at the bar I ordered my fave soda, Dr. Pepper. The bartender told me that while Dr. Pepper isn’t served at the hotel, he thought there might be a vending machine in the employee break room that had some. Despite my protests, he ran downstairs to the breakroom and returned a few minutes later – Dr. Pepper in hand! I also attended the Ritz-Carlton employee Christmas party a few years ago with a friend who used to work for the hotel and it was one of the best parties I’ve ever been to!

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I highly recommend stalking the Ritz and grabbing a nightcap in their piano bar. Time and time again it is mentioned as one of the most romantic places in Pasadena.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The Langham is located at 1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue in Pasadena. You can visit their website here. Rooms start at $269 per night.

Dots Cupcakes!

Last week, on a whim, I ventured into Dots Cupcakes in Pasadena to buy some Halloween cupcakes for my boyfriend. While waiting in line I noticed a framed InStyle Magazine article sitting on a shelf in the tiny shop. The article detailed the June 2007 wedding of Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell, who rather than serving the traditional wedding cake at their nuptials, opted instead for country apple and red velvet mini-cupcakes from none other than the very bakery I was standing in! So of course I had to ask Dots owner and founder, Hyo Kwan, a few questions. 🙂

Kwan told me that she had no idea who the cupcakes were for until she arrived at the couple’s Calabasas ranch the day of the ceremony and met Rebecca Romijn. A few days later she had reporters from TMZ swarming her shop asking all sorts of questions about the celeb nuptials. She actually thought I worked for TMZ, too, with all the questions I was asking, and I had to convince her that I was actually just a stalker. 🙂 Since the InStyle spread, Kwan has been featured in several bridal and food magazines and I couldn’t help but think to myself how much I’d like to have her bake cupcakes for my wedding. 🙂 Dots will also be providing the desserts for Rebecca Romijn’s upcoming baby shower. Besides the O’Connells, other celebrity fans of the small shop include my fave Shannen Doherty, the Black-Eyed Peas, and Oscar De La Hoya- at least I think Kwan said Oscar De La Hoya frequents the shop. She mentioned some sports star with a multi-word last name, but once someone starts talking sports, I pretty much just tune out. LOL But celebs? Celebs I remember. 🙂 Kwan said that when Shannen Doherty stopped in, the shop was actually completely sold out of cupcakes! Shannen was very gracious, though, and did not throw any sort of hissy fit about not getting her cupcake fix. See, I knew she was nice!!! 🙂

Hyo, a former events manager for the L.A. Dodgers, was only 29 years old when she opened up Dots with virtually no baking experience whatsoever – just a love of cupcakes. An endeavor that began in her kitchen with a borrowed mixer has grown into a 5,000 cupcake-a-day business. And, after only a year and a half, Kwan is ready to branch out and will be opening up a second Dots location in Old Town Pasadena early next year. Kwan really could not have been nicer, entertaining me for a good 15 minutes with stories about her adventures baking for celebs. She even introduced me to a reporter for Pasadena Weekly Newspaper while I was there and told her about my blog. 🙂 You can read more of Hwan’s story here.

Dots cupcakes are FABULOUS and I HIGHLY recommend stalking the tiny shop! I have long been a fan of Magnolia Bakery in New York City – even though I am diabetic! LOL – so when the gourmet cupcake craze hit L.A. last year, I could not have been more excited. I swear I hit up every single cupcake shop in the greater L.A. area hoping to find a brand that could hold its own against my beloved Magnolia. Sadly, not a one of them was any good. Celeb favorite Sprinkles (pictured above), Yummy Cupcakes, Le Cupcake – they were all just mediocre. But on Thursday, as I bit into a Dots cupcake for the first time, I was floored! They are FABULOUSLY YUMMY and rank a very close second to Magnolia. I’ll definitely be satisfying my cupcake cravings there from now on when I can’t get to the East Coast. 🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Dots is located at 400 S. Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena. You can visit their website here. The bakery is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 7pm. They are closed on Sundays. Dots new store will be opening up in the next few months on Fair Oaks Avenue in Old Town Pasadena, right next door to J. Crew.