The Former Site of the Roxbury

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In honor of my girl Shannen Doherty’s new reality series, Shannen Says, which premieres next Tuesday (can’t wait!), I thought I would blog today about one of the actress’ famed hangouts from her Beverly Hills, 90210 days – the Roxbury in West Hollywood.  Back when I was a teenager and knee-deep in my 90210 obsession (ah, who am I kidding, I am still knee-deep in it!), I clamored for any and all magazines featuring the show’s stars.  I would practically drool while reading of their various comings and goings, especially Shannen’s, and as her name became more and more synonymous with the Roxbury, the legendary Sunset Strip club became seared into my memory.  I, sadly, never had the opportunity to stalk the place, though, as it closed its doors in 1997, long before I moved to Los Angeles.  But back in 2002, after an acting class, one of my friends invited me to grab some drinks at a hot spot named Miyagi’s.  Not being a nightclub kinda girl myself, I turned down the offer, to which my friend said, “Are you sure?  Miyagi’s used to be the Roxbury, where your girl Shannen Doherty hung out.”  Well, believe you me, once I heard those words, I was in!  In true Hollywood fashion, not even Miyagi’s stood the test of time, though, and, as you can see above, today the location houses a newly-opened Pink Taco.  But I figured since the site was hallowed ground for any 90210 fan, it was definitely blog-worthy.

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The building that stands at the corner of Roxbury Road and West Sunset Boulevard has long been the darling of the Sunset Strip.  The spot’s first incarnation was a celebrity supper club named The Players, or The Players Club, that was founded in 1940 by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Preston Sturges.  During its Players days, such luminaries as Humphrey Bogart, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker, Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Rudy Vallee, William Faulkner, George S. Kaufman, Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles and Howard Hughes all hung out there.  Despite its popularity, the club started to falter by the early 1950s, though, most likely due to the fact that Preston often closed the three-story, 12,000-square-foot venue, which included a barber shop, a hydraulic stage, a burger stand, and three different restaurants, in order to host private parties for his famous friends.  In 1953, his creditors sold the place to new owners who opened a Japanese restaurant named Imperial Gardens on the site.  That eatery also proved to be quite popular with the Hollywood set and catered to such stars as John Savage, James Woods, John Travolta, and Olivia Newton-John.

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In 1989, after an amazing 36-year run, Imperial Gardens closed and partners Brad Johnson and Elie Samaha purchased the establishment and transformed it into the Roxbury. Virtually overnight, the club became the place to see and be seen in Hollywood.  The stars of 90210 flocked there like moths to a flame and were spotted partying on the premises virtually every night.  Oh, what I wouldn’t have given to have been 21 and living in Hollywood at that time.  Winking smile Besides Tori Spelling, Brian Austin Green, Shannen Doherty and Mark Wahlberg (pictured at the club in a November 1992 People Magazine article), other celebrities that spent time at the Roxbury during its almost decade-long reign on the Sunset Strip include Cher, John Travolta, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Prince, Sylvester Stallone, River Phoenix, Christina Applegate, Eddie Murphy, and, of all people, Geraldo Rivera.  The club was so popular that it even inspired the movie A Night at the Roxbury, although no actual filming took place on site.  And Eric Huerta, the Roxbury’s longtime bouncer, became so well-known himself that a Los Angeles Times article was written about him in November of 1993.  As usually happens with hotspots in Los Angeles, though, the Roxbury’s star began to fade and eventually closed in 1997.  Shortly thereafter, Miyagi’s, a Japanese-inspired club/restaurant, opened in its place.  I do not remember much of what Miyagi’s was like from my one visit there back in 2002, aside from the fact that the place was huge, the food was good, and, as I danced, all I could think about was that Shannen Doherty herself had one danced in the very same spot.  I was practically pinching myself all night.

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Miyagi’s closed its doors sometime in 2008 and was purchased by Harry Morton, owner of the Pink Taco restaurant chain and son of Hard Rock Café founder Peter Morton.  The young restaurateur immediately set about gutting the interior of the place and wound up discovering some traces of the historic Players Club in the process – including the entrance to a former underground (now sealed) tunnel that once connected the hotspot to the Chateau Marmont and was used by celebrities who wanted to escape prying eyes.  And while Pink Taco did not officially open until yesterday, a private birthday bash was held there on March 23rd in honor of Jared Eng, the blogger behind the JustJared website.  Some of the stars who attended that soiree include Fergie, Rumer Willis, Kellan Lutz, Lance Bass, Natasha Bedingfield, Seth MacFarlane, Avril Lavigne, and a few of this generation’s 90210-ers including Shenae Grimes, Jessica Stroup, and my love Matt Lanter (sigh!).

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Thankfully, the exterior of the Sunset Boulevard hotspot hasn’t changed much over the years and despite the fact that it is now painted a bright pink (and yes, that is a whole lotta pink!), it still looks much the same as it did in the 1940s.  You can see what The Players used to look like here, Imperial Gardens here, the Roxbury here, and Miyagi’s here.  And you can check out some interior pictures of the new Pink Taco on fave website EaterLA here.

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: Pink Taco, aka the former site of the Roxbury, is located at 8225 West Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.  You can visit the restaurant chain’s official website here.

The Redbury Hotel from “Entourage”

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Last July, while doing some cyber-stalking, I came across an article on the USA TODAY Travel website about the numerous Southern California hotels and restaurants featured in the eighth and final season of the hit television series Entourage.  One of the spots mentioned in the blurb was Tinseltown’s newly-opened The Redbury Hotel, which appeared in the episode titled “The Big Bang”, and, thanks to its dark crimson walls, unique architecture and old Hollywood vibe, I immediately became enamored of the place.  I, of course, added the locale to my “To-Stalk” list right then and there, but, for whatever reason, did not make it out there to actually do so until three weekends ago.

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And I am very happy to report that the place did not disappoint!  To say that I am in love with The Redbury would be a gross understatement.  The 57-room boutique hotel, which first opened in November of 2010, was the brainchild of sbe Entertainment Group founder/CEO Sam Nazarian and photographer/music video director Matthew Rolston.  The 5-story structure was originally conceived as a high-end, $50 million condominium project by the Palisades Development company, but that venture was forced to be scrapped during the real estate downturn.  In February of 2010, at which time the building was about 80-percent complete, it was purchased by the CIM Group, who re-envisioned the locale as an upscale hotel and hired Nazarian and Rolston to manage and design it, respectively.

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The name Redbury comes from a combination of “red”, the hue that Palisades Development had already painted the building, and “bury”, in honor of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district.  According to an August 2010 Los Angeles Times article, the hotel’s eclectic style is a mix of “bohemian, 1960s flower power and old Hollywood”.  Apparently, Rolston wanted the locale to feel “’theatrical’, a little bit like actually being in one of my photographs or music videos”.  And, as you can see above, he succeeded with that vision – in spades!  The Redbury is honestly like nothing I have ever seen before and absolutely does feel like a movie set come to life.  I so loved it that I was even tempted to book a room while we were there for a spontaneous little stay-cation, but the Grim Cheaper was, of course, having none of that.

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The Redbury staff was BEYOND friendly and, even though none of the hotel’s restaurants were open while we were stalking the place, I was allowed to go inside to take a peek at each of them and told that I could snap “all of the photographs you want” – six little words that I absolutely LOVE to hear.  The areas of the hotel that we visited included the Library Bar – which honestly feels more like the ultra-cozy living room of a very stylish friend’s house than a public bar;

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The Glade courtyard lounge – a huge terrace garden complete with teak decking, Moorish-style lanterns and outdoor couches and daybeds;

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and Cleo – an ultra-hip Middle-Eastern-style restaurant that is dominated by a large 1917 movie poster of actress Theda Bara dressed as Cleopatra.  The Library Bar, Glade and Cleo are all major celebrity hotspots.  Just a few of the stars who have been spotted at the one of the three watering holes include my girl Kristin Cavallari, my man Matt Lanter (sigh!), Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Foxx, Hilary Duff, Joe Jonas, Ashley Greene, Audrina Patridge, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Sam Trammell, the entire Kardashian/Jenner family, Courteney Cox, Josh Hopkins, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Adam Brody, Neve Campbell, Carla Gugino, Nia Vardalos, Jesse Williams, Lauren Conrad, Lo Bosworth, Whitney Port, Busy Phillips, Stacey Keibler, David Beckham, Kirstie Alley, Cheryl Burke, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jessica Lowndes, Gillian Zinser, Sarah Hyland, Salma Hayek, Mila Kunis, and Ali Fedotowsky.

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In “The Big Bang” episode of Entourage, Cleo restaurant was where Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) ambushed Vanity Fair reporter Sophia Lear (Alice Eve) and tried to convince her that he was not a womanizer.  And while the USA TODAY Travel article stated that the series had filmed scenes “throughout the hotel, including its Library lounge”, I did not spot any other areas of the property in “The Big Bang” or in other episodes from Season 8, so I believe that information is incorrect.

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The yet-to-be released movie Between Us, which stars Julia Stiles, Melissa George and Taye Diggs, also did some filming at The Redbury.

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: The Redbury Hotel, from “The Big Bang” episode of Entourage, is located at 1717 Vine Street in Hollywood.  You can visit the hotel’s official website here.

Café-Club Fais Do-Do from “Crossroads”

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One location that I blogged about way back in March of 2009 and had been dying to re-stalk ever since – in order to snap some interior pictures – was Café-Club Fais Do-Do, the supposed New-Orleans-area karaoke bar that appeared in the 2002 movie Crossroads.  (For those who did not catch my original post on the place, in the Spring of 2001 I was an extra in Crossroads and spent a full three days filming at the Fais Do-Do – a magical experience that I will never forget.)  Because the club is typically only open at night for concerts and events, though, and because the Grim Cheaper has a major aversion to paying any sort of a cover charge, since the filming I had never been able to get back inside.   Until last Wednesday afternoon, that is, when I tagged along with fellow stalker Mike, from MovieShotsLA, on a scouting expedition.  A couple of months back, Mike actually joined the Location Managers Guild of America under the title of Apprentice and, when I heard that he was in the process of building his portfolio, I immediately (and a bit selfishly) suggested that he visit Café-Club Fais Do-Do – with me accompanying him, of course.  Don’t get me wrong – the place is incredibly unique and visually stimulating and I knew that he would not only shoot some incredible photographs of it, but that it would also be a highly useful locale to have in his scouting arsenal.  But mostly, I just really wanted to stalk it myself.  Winking smile

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The Art Deco building which currently houses Café-Club Fais Do-Do was originally constructed in 1930 and is actually comprised of two separate sections – The Club (pictured above) and The Ballroom.  In its original incarnation, The Club was a branch of the First Citizens Savings Bank and Trust, which explains the structure’s uniquely rich and ornate interior.  Sometime in the 1960s, the bank was converted into a jazz bar/underground club, but thankfully most of its architecturally and historically significant detailing was kept intact.  During its years as a jazz club, such musicians as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, BB King, Pearl Bailey, John Coltrane, and Billy Preston were all said to have hung out there.

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The Ballroom (pictured above) was originally constructed as the single-screen Variety Movie Theatre and was where the filming of Crossroads took place.  I am unsure of when exactly the Variety ceased showing movies, but in 1990 the entire building was purchased by a new owner who, while still keeping the two distinct areas separate, decided to turn the venues into a nightclub and bar which collectively would be known as Café-Club Fais Do-Do – “Fais Do-Do” meaning “nighty-night” in French.  And while this post on the Lon’s Place blog states that The Club area was sold to a new owner in 2010, according the film liaison that we spoke with, the same person who bought the building back in 1990 still owns it to this day.

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While we were stalking the Fais Do-Do, I was extremely sad to discover that the huge two-story bar that used to be located in the center of The Ballroom and on which I had sat in Crossroads had since been removed.  To me, that bar, which had a dance floor on top of it, was the coolest, most unique aspect of the entire club and I cannot believe the owner did away with it!  So incredibly sad.

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In Crossroads, Café-Club Fais Do-Do’s Ballroom was used for the interior of Club Bayou, where Lucy Wagner (Britney Spears), Kit (Zoe Saldana) and Mimi (Taryn Manning) competed in a karaoke contest in order to win money to fix their car which had just broken down.

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That’s me in the blue pants standing next to Ben (Anson Mount) in the above screen capture.  Smile

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The Fais Do-Do dressing room, which you can see a photograph of here, was featured in the scene in which Kit, Mimi and Lucy get ready to go onstage.  Sadly, a film crew was using that area at the time that we were stalking the club so we were unable to take any pictures of it.

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The GC and I recently started watching fave show The O.C. again from the beginning and, let me tell you, I just about fell off my chair when I spotted Café-Club Fais Do-Do pop up in a Season 1 episode.  In “The Escape”, the Fais Do-Do’s Ballroom stood in for “Boom Boom”, the supposed-Tijuana-area club where Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) caught Luke Ward (Chris Carmack) cheating on her.

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And, while scanning through “The Escape” to make screen captures for this post, I was shocked to discover that the little bar where Marissa almost overdosed on pain pills later in the episode was none other than the Fais Do-Do’s Club!  The Club was remodeled in 2010 (as you can see in these photograph on the Lon’s Place blog) and looks a bit different now, but, amazingly enough, the actual bar where Marissa sat still looks exactly the same today as it did when the episode was filmed back in 2003!

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After reading my original post on the Fais Do-Do back in 2009, fellow stalker Owen, of the When Write Is Wrong blog, figured out that The Ballroom also stood in for Delloser Hall, the reggae club where Josie Geller (Drew Barrymore) got stoned after inadvertently eating a pot-laced cake, in fave movie Never Been Kissed.

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In the extremely odd 2006 film The Gymnast, the Fais Do-Do’s Ballroom was used extensively as the place where Jane Hawkins (Dreya Weber) and Serena (Addie Yungmee) learned aerial fabric acrobatics.

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In the flick, you can clearly see the club’s former bar . . .

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. . . as well as the dance floor above it.

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Café-Club Fais Do-Do’s dressing room also appeared in The Gymnast.

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And in one scene, a business card featuring the club’s actual address, fax number, and website was even shown.  So incredibly cool!

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Fellow stalker Geoff, from the 90210Locations website, also let me know that the Fais Do-Do had appeared in the Season 2 episode of Arrested Development titled “Queen for a Day”.  In the episode, the exterior . . .

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. . . as well as The Ballroom stood in for The Queen Mary, the bar that Tobias Funke (David Cross) purchased.

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The Club was also used in that episode as the restaurant where Byron “Buster” Bluth (Tony Hale) took his new girlfriend, Starla (Mo Collins), out for a milkshake.

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And the dressing room stood in for the Hot Cop stripper club, from which Lindsay Bluth Funke (Portia de Rossi) hired strippers to scare her husband into selling The Queen Mary.

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Back in February of 2011, while doing research for my post on The Little Door restaurant, I discovered that Café-Club Fais Do-Do’s Club room was used in the Season 2 episode of Entourage titled “The Abyss”, in the scene in which the boys – Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), Eric Murphy (Kevin Connolly), Johnny ‘Drama’ Chase (Kevin Dillon), and Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) –  gather together to watch Saigon perform.

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I was shocked to discover (thanks to the Ron’s Place blog) that in 1994’s Reality Bites, The Club stood in for the bar where “Hey, That’s My Bike!”, Troy Dyer’s (Ethan Hawke’s) band, regularly played.  The room was heavily dressed for the filming, though, and is almost unrecognizable in the movie.

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The Fais Do-Do Club was also featured in the Jane’s Addiction video for “Underground”.

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As was the dressing room area.

Jane’s Addiction “Underground” Music Video–Filmed at Café-Club Fais Do-Do in Los Angeles

You can watch the “Underground” video by clicking above.

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The Club also appeared in the Destiny’s Child “No, No No, Part 1” music video.

Destiny’s Child–”No, No, No Part 1” Music Video Filmed at Café-Club Fais Do-Do in Los Angeles

You can watch the “No, No, No, Part 1” video by clicking above.

This Is 40, the yet-to-be released sequel to 2007’s Knocked Up, also did some filming in Café-Club Fais Do-Do’s Ballroom in 2011.  And while the Ron’s Place blog stated that The Big Lebowski and American Gangster were also filmed at the Fais Do-Do, I scanned through both movies while doing research for this post and did not spot the place anywhere.

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: Café-Club Fais Do-Do, from Crossroads, is located at 5253 and 5257 West Adams Boulevard in Los Angeles.  You can visit the club’s official website here.

Disneyland’s Club 33

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I must preface today’s blog with an apology, as this is one post that is far too long overdue!  Well over six months ago – yes, I am talking about waaaaaaaaaay back in July of 2009 – my good friend and fellow stalker Kerry invited me to share in her birthday celebration at the Happiest Place on Earth, aka Disneyland.  But this wasn’t just any ordinary birthday celebration as Kerry had magically secured us a reservation at the park’s ultra-exclusive, members-only, virtually-impossible-to-get-into Club 33 restaurant.  For those non-Disney fanatics, unlike myself, Club 33 is the “secret”, private, fine-dining establishment that Walt Disney had built inside of New Orleans Square.  To eat there one must either be a member (and there are only 487 of them at the present time) or know a member who would be willing to make them a reservation.  Like I said, it’s virtually impossible to get in.  But, thankfully, Kerry doesn’t know the meaning of the word impossible.  So when she called me up in early 2009 to tell me that she had made it a goal to spend her July 29th birthday at Club 33, I had no doubt she’d make it happen.  And, sure enough, she did!  Through a big-wig at ESPN whom she has known for years, she was able to secure a lunch reservation for 6 – Kerry and her husband, Jim, their friends Ken and Anita, who flew in from Washington for the occasion, and me and my fiancé.  And, let me tell you, I could NOT have been more excited as I had been dying to eat at Club 33 for just about as long as I can remember.

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Walt Disney originally envisioned Club 33 as an elegant, but private sort of VIP lounge where he could entertain visiting dignitaries, movie stars, and Disneyland’s corporate sponsors.   He was inspired to build the club after seeing similar such establishments at the 1964-1965 World’s Fair.  Disney enlisted artist Dorothea Redmond to paint the original conceptual drawings of the club and then commissioned interior designer and former studio art director Emile Kuri to design and decorate the space.  Walt then traveled to New Orleans, along with his wife, Lillian, and designer Kuri, to purchase authentic Bayou-inspired decor and antiques to furnish his restaurant, which he dubbed Club 33.  There are varying reports as to how Walt came up with that name, the two most persistent being that the name was derived from the club’s address – 33 Royal Street – and also that it was christened in honor of Disneyland’s 33 original corporate sponsors.  No one has ever been able to say for sure, though, and the name remains one of the club’s greatest mysteries.  Club 33 finally opened its doors in May of 1967.  Sadly, though, Walt never got to enjoy it, as he passed away five months prior to its completion.  His brainchild enjoyed immediate success, though, and fairly soon memberships were being offered.   As of 2007, the club had 487 registered members, all of whom belong either individually or through a corporation.  But, let me tell you, the cost of belonging is steep!  An individual membership has an initiation fee of $9,500 and annual dues of $3,175, while corporate memberships cost $5,925 in annual dues with a $20,000 initiation fee.  The only way a new membership opens up is when a current member drops out of the club, which rarely ever happens.  Rumor has it that people on the waiting list can expect to wait over 14 years before a spot becomes available!  Not kidding!  And sadly, the waiting list is currently at full capacity and is not accepting any new applicants.  Also not kidding!  And while not a filming location, because of its excellent food and shroud of secrecy, the club has long been a celebrity magnet.  Just a few of the stars who have dined there over the years include Barbra Streisand, Robert Wagner, Mickey Rooney, Sammy Hagar, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Phoebe Cates, Fess Parker, Bernard Fox, Geena Davis, Mira Sorvino, Christopher Backus, Elton John, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tommy Smothers, Michael Eisner, John Lasseter, Mike Ness (from the band Social Distortion), Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Kline, and Buddy Ebsen.  Club 33’s most famous guest, though, has to be none other than the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, who was a frequent visitor.  🙂  The entrance to Club 33 (pictured above) consists of a non-descript grey door sandwiched between the Blue Bayou Restaurant and the Le Specialty Gourmet Shop.  One could easily walk right past it without knowing anything was there.  Save for a mirrored plate featuring the Club 33 logo and two tiny gold speaker boxes, the entrance is largely unmarked. 

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And, let me tell you, we were just about dying of excitement as we walked up to it!  🙂  To gain access to the club, one must press a button on the top gold speaker box located to the left of the front door and speak the name of the person who holds the reservation.  No sound will come back to greet you, but if your name is on the hostess’ list, the grey door will magically open.  The whole thing is very hush-hush and reminded me of what a speakeasy must have been like back in the day.  🙂  Apparently at one time, members would simply slip their membership cards through a little slot located in the speaker box to gain access to the club, but that is no longer the case.   Pictured above are both me and Kerry at the front door.

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Just beyond the entrance door lies a tiny lobby area lobby whereupon one checks in and is given the option to either use the wraparound staircase to access the club’s second floor . . .

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. . . or to take a ride in the famous antique glass elevator, which Walt had built in exact replication of one he had seen in a Parisian hotel.  Kerry and I, of course, opted to take the elevator.

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I just about died when we got up to the second floor as the place is absolutely beautiful inside.  Club 33 has a very old-Hollywood feel to it, with dark wood flooring, deep red walls, antique wall sconces, wooden chandeliers, and ornate detailing throughout.

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And there are arrangements of fresh flowers literally everywhere you look!

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Once we reached the second level landing, the hostess led us to our table.  The club is made up of two eating areas, the first of which is known as the Main Dining Room and it features carved wooden chandeliers . . .

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. . . and a private balcony area which overlooks New Orleans Square and the Rivers of America.

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The second dining area is Club 33’s legendary Trophy Room, which is where we got to eat.

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The Trophy Room is famous thanks to the fact that Walt originally envisioned it to have an array of animatronic creatures on display, all of whom would be able to hold conversations with his guests, thanks to the use of hidden microphones and an actor who would be voicing the animals from inside the confines of a hidden sound booth.  And while his plan never saw fruition, an animatronic vulture from Walt’s original design is still on display in the Trophy Room to this day, although it sadly does not talk to the Club 33 patrons.  😉 

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The Trophy Room is richly decorated with cypress wood walls,

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large and ornately carved display cases,

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original Disneyland concept drawings,

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and a few pieces from Walt’s wife Lillian’s butterfly collection.

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The 33 logo is present on pretty much everything at the club, from the menus,

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to the china,

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to the post-meal mints.  And, let me tell you, Kerry, Anita, and I pretty much wanted to take home anything and everything that featured that logo.  We even stuffed a few Club 33 cocktail napkins in our purses.  😉  Not kidding! 

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A meal at Club 33 costs about $100 per person when all is said and done, but along with a reservation comes free admission to both the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks, so the meal pretty much pays for itself.  🙂  From what I hear, Club 33’s lunch menus are changed seasonally, but usually consist of five different dining options, all of which cost the same amount.  I opted for the certified organic free range chicken with truffled mac & cheese.  And, let me tell you, it was A-MA-ZING!  Especially the mac & cheese!!!!!  

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But before our meals were served, we were instructed to graze at the club’s amazing buffet.  Pictured above is the hallway which leads to the buffet room . . .

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. . . which is where the famous harpsichord that was custom made for Lillian Disney is displayed.  The harpsichord, which is trimmed in real life gold leaf and features a Disney artisan hand-painted picture of New Orleans Harbor circa the Nineteenth Century, is in working order and may be played by guests of the club.  According to several of the staff members I spoke with, Elton John even played an impromptu performance on it once.  Love it!

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Also on display in the hallway is a table that appeared in the movie Mary Poppins, but unfortunately I didn’t get a great picture of it. 

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Club 33’s extensive buffet consists of a salad bar, a fresh fruit and imported cheese bar, a shellfish and oyster bar, and a freshly baked bread and cold cuts bar.  And I swear I could have dined on just the buffet items and been happy as a clam!

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Oh, and did I mention there’s also an all-you-can-eat dessert bar, as well?  Diners are even invited to partake in the desert bar before their meal is served, if they’re so inclined.  LOVE IT! 

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Club 33’s most famous desert is its S’mores martini, which is, unfortunately, only available on certain days of the week.  And even when it is available, only a select few are made and once they run out, they run out.  So, when we arrived at the club, Kerry, Anita, and I immediately headed over to the desert bar to snatch up a martini.  Sadly, though, once there we discovered that we were dining on a non-martini day.  But being that this was Disneyland –  purveyor of the finest customer service in the world – once our waitress heard how disappointed we were over the lack of S’more martinis, she ran directly to the kitchen and had a batch made up especially for our table!  How incredibly cool is that????  And I have to say that they also were pretty A-MA-ZING!  In fact there wasn’t a single item served at the club that wasn’t A-MA-ZING!  I literally could have gorged myself there all day!  In fact, being that our meal took over two and a half hours from start to finish, by the time I had finished my desert and had carefully documented the entire place in photographs, I could have easily sat back down to do it all over again.  LOL 

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Oh, and because it was her birthday, Kerry even got a special Mickey Mouse desert.  🙂  Love it!

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Club 33 also has a full bar and is, in fact, the ONLY place in Disneyland that serves alcohol.  So, I, of course, had to partake in a glass of champagne while there.  🙂 

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Just around the corner from the bar is the club’s foyer area,

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which features the famous Club 33 display case where various items featuring the Club 33 logo are for sale.  Said items can only be purchased at the club – or on eBay, of course – and because of that are pretty hot commodities.

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Also on display in the foyer is the antique glass phone booth which was used in the 1967 Disney movie The Happiest Millionaire.  The phone is in working order and is available for use by Club 33 guests. 

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And, of course, I just had to take a few pictures of the women’s restroom, as well.  😉

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And yes, I sent my fiancé into the men’s room with camera in hand, too!  🙂

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My experience at Club 33 was nothing short of magical and was a definite once-in-a-lifetime!  As the Disneyland Encyclopedia states, “There’s never been a mention of Club 33 in any of the park’s souvenir books, naturally, and while people may have heard of it and even more have unknowingly walked right by the entrance, only a very few will ever be able to say they’ve been inside.”  Thanks to my good friend Kerry, I am now one of those very few.  🙂  Can’t THANK YOU enough, Kerry!  🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  🙂

Stalk It: Club 33 is located at 33 Royal Street, in between the Blue Bayou Restaurant and Le Gourmet Specialty Shop, in the New Orleans Square area of Disneyland.  Sadly, the club is private and not open to the public.  For further Club 33 reading, be sure to check out the unofficial Club 33 website.