Joseph’s Café – Where Britney Spears Met Kevin Federline

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Circa 2000, I thought Britney Spears was everything!  Obviously, I don’t anymore (a person can only go into a gas station restroom barefoot so many times before I start to think they’re someone I shouldn’t be emulating), but ever since watching the Lifetime biopic Britney Ever After two weeks ago, I’ve had the pop star on my brain.  I blogged about an infamous location from her past on Friday –no, not one of the aforementioned gas station bathrooms, but former West Hollywood nightclub The Lounge, where she and ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake had their notorious dance-off in 2002.  Today, I thought I’d post about another infamous site from her past that I first stalked back in October 2012 via the Dearly Departed Tour, which I embarked upon with my friends Kim and Lavonna.  The tour was fabulous.  Not only is it one of the few in Hollywood that is actually accurate with its locales, but it even introduced me to a couple of places I hadn’t been aware of, including Joseph’s Café, the spot where Miss Spears met second husband Kevin Federline in 2004.

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Joseph’s Café was originally established by Leo Abrahamian and his wife, Ovsanna, on the corner of Ivar Avenue and Yucca Street in Hollywood in 1977.  While the Greek eatery has since been expanded and remodeled, it is, amazingly, still standing in the same exact spot today.

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In 2000, Leo and Ovsanna’s sons, Joseph and Robert, decided to give the restaurant a massive overhaul.  Along with a much needed facelift, the two also added nightly music, turning the place into a club during after-dinner hours.  Joseph’s became a draw for Tinseltown’s elite almost immediately and such notables as Janet Jackson, Cameron Diaz, Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg, Nick Lachey, Vanessa Minnillo, Wilmer Valderama, Adam Brody, Kim Kardashian, Lance Bass, Cris Judd, Drew Lachey, and Vince Vaughn were all spotted hanging out there.  The site was such a hotspot, in fact, that Citysearch deemed it the Number One Celebrity Club in Los Angeles in 2005.

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Spears partied there so frequently that in a 2003 write-up on popular Hollywood clubs, Variety magazine reported that on Monday nights, Joseph’s was “the most likely place to spot Britney and pals pop-locking on the dance floor.”  Justin Timberlake was a fan, too.  In fact, the two had a reconciliation of sorts there after the American Music Awards in January 2003.  The meet-up, which included kissing and hand-holding, sparked rumors that the couple might be rekindling their flame, though it doesn’t sound as if it was truly all that romantic being that Britney reportedly threw up in the middle of it.

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Thankfully, no throwing up took place on the fateful night in April 2004 that Britney met Kevin.  While sitting in her favorite booth at Joseph’s, she spied then backup dancer Federline and was immediately smitten.  I’ll let Spears tell the touching tale in her own words via a People magazine interview from later that year – “I always sit at the same table.  On the far right.  In the corner.  Where I can see everything.  And I saw him.  He was just standing there.  I was like, ‘Hi, just come with me.’”  Though Kevin was engaged at the time to actress Shar Jackson, who was six months pregnant with their second child, it did not stop him from pursuing a relationship with Spears and the two were engaged less than three months later.

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I would be remiss if I did not point out that, as KFed clarified in People, Britney and Kevin actually first met in 2000 during Spears’ (You Drive Me) Crazy Tour.  Britney was headlining and Kevin was backup dancing for her opening act, LFO.  There was no love connection at the time, though.  I’ll let the two break it down for you.  Britney: “We saw each other in passing but never really talked.  He thought I was cute.”  Kevin: “Yeah, I did think you were cute.  But it just wasn’t the right time.  I think everything happens at the right time.  That’s why we met at Joseph’s.”  You can check out the couple’s entire interview here.  Be forewarned – it’s cringe-worthy.  While reading it, Principal’s (James Downey) memorable speech from Billy Madison came to mind.  For those who have not seen the 1995 comedy, after Billy (Adam Sandler) compares the Industrial Revolution to the children’s book The Puppy Who Lost His Way during an oral exam, Principal says, “Mr. Madison, what you just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard.  At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought.  Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it.”  Yep, pretty much sums up Spears and Federline’s ramblings on their relationship.

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Though there are reports circulating online that Joseph’s is currently closed, when I re-stalked the place last week, it appeared to be hopping.

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I was thrilled to discover while researching this post that Joseph’s is also a filming location.  It was featured briefly in the 1997 movie Flipping as the spot where Tommy ‘Fat Man’ Barnett (Nick Dimitri) was killed.  The club looked quite a bit different at the time, though.

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For more stalking fun, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Los Angeles magazine and Discover Los Angeles.

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Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: Joseph’s Café, where Britney Spears met Kevin Federline, is located at 1775 Ivar Avenue in Hollywood.  You can visit the restaurant’s official website here.

The Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica

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I don’t know about you all, but for the past few Sunday nights I have been absolutely glued to my television set watching Season 2 of the Ryan Seacrest produced Denise Richards: It’s Complicated.   And while I admit that the girl is an absolute train wreck and that her laugh is like fingernails on a chalkboard, for some incredibly odd reason I just can’t stop watching!  LOL   So, since I was in the area recently, I just had to stalk the hotel Denise moved into at the beginning of this season. 

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Wanting a “fresh start” after the past “difficult year”, Denise decided to sell her Hidden Hills home and move closer to her daughters’ school and her “work” – whatever that means.  I didn’t realize Denise had a full time job.  LOL  Anyway, until her former home sells, the Richards Family, including Denise, her father Irv (no, that’s not a typo, that’s actually his name!), and daughters Lola and Sam, are calling the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica home.    The hotel shows up quite often on this season of Denise’s reality show, especially the bungalow area where her family lives . . .

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. . . and the hotel’s onsite fitness center, where she works out daily with her trainer/sometimes date Ray.

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The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows was originally the private home of John P. Jones, a former Nevada senator and one of the founders of the City of Santa Monica.  John built a mansion on the site in 1889 and dubbed his property “Miramar” which means “view of the sea” in Spanish.  In 1912, the Jones Family sold their home to King C. Gillette, founder of the razor company of the same name and the King Gillette Ranch where TV’s The Biggest Loser  is filmed.  Nine years later, in 1921, Gillette sold the property to hotel entreprenuer Gilbert Stevenson, who turned it into an upscale seaside resort.  In 1924, to make room for more guests, Stevenson added a large brick building to the property and also, sadly, had the original Jones’ mansion torn down just a few years later.  In 1959,  the hotel added yet another tower.  Forty years later, the current owner, investment group Maritz, Wolffe & Co. purchased the hotel, started a $16 million renovation process, and brought in the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts company to manage the property.  All these years later it is still a truly beautiful place and I highly recommend stalking it!  🙂

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Denise Richards is not the first celeb to check into the Miramar.  Over the years numermous stars have stayed there, including Cary Grant, Greta Garbo (who lived at the hotel for close to three years), Doris Day, JFK and Jackie O., Eleanor Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, my girl Marilyn Monroe, Rosa Parks, Denzel Washington, Quincy Jones, Hugh Hefner, Anthony Hopkins, Arnold Schwarznegger, Steven Spielburg, Shaquille O’Neal, and Hilary Swank, just to name a few.

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The hotel has been featured in countless movie and television productions over the years.  In the Season 5 episode of Entourage  entitled “First Class Jerk”, the Miramar stood in for a Hawaiian resort where Vinnie and the boys hung out.

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The large Moreton Bay Fig Tree which stands at the entrance to the Miramar and quite closely resembles a banyan tree gives the hotel somewhat of a tropical feel, so it’s no surprise that Entourage  producers chose to film there instead of shooting on location in Hawaii.  The fig tree was planted way back in 1879 – yes, 1879 – by Senator Jones, the original owner of the propety.  It measures a whopping 80 feet high and 120 feet wide!

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The hotel also showed up as the location where Anthony Hopkins’ wife carried out her affair in 2007’s Fracture.  

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It was also the hotel where Helen Mirren and her friends stayed during their L.A. visit in the Disney movie Calendar Girls.  Please excuse the horrific YouTube screen captures pictured above!    LOL In the 1962 Cary Grant and Doris Day comedy That Touch of Mink, the Miramar was used as a West Indies resort.  The hotel has also been featured in  Along Came Polly and the television series Simon & Simon. 

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And last, but definitely not least, the night before her surprise wedding to KFed, Britney Spears threw herself a Bachelorette party in one of the Miramar’s bungalows.  KFed partied with his boys, aka “The Pimps” right across the street at Houston’s Restaurant (pictured above).  Both, I’m sure, were classy affairs!  😉  At the time, Kevin was living with Britney in her nearby oceanside pad in the 1221 Ocean Avenue condomium complex.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows is located at 101 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica.  You can visit their website here.  Houston’s Restaurant, where KFed held his bachelor party, is located across the street at 202 Wilshire Boulevard.

The House Where Britney Spears and Kevin Federline Got Married

Happy, Happy, Happy Halloween, everybody! As I have mentioned many times before, Halloween is my favorite holiday, so today I thought I’d post some pics of one of my favorite Halloweens ever – the year my boyfriend and I dressed up like Britney Spears and Kevin Federline.

This was back in 2005, the same year that Britters wore the now famous “I Have the Golden Ticket” tank top over her pregnant belly to the Willy Wonka premiere. Of course, I became totally obsessed with that tank top and got to scouring Ebay, where I found an exact replica and also some urban loungewear (yes, it’s actually called that!) a la KFed’s wedding ensemble. And voila – a costume was born. 🙂 For my pregnancy “bump” I just stuck a semi-blown up beach ball under my shirt. And it was so realistic that a lady in the bar I was at on Halloween night actually yelled at me for drinking while pregnant. LOL!!!! 🙂

Today I decided to stalk the house where Miss Spears and Mr. Federline tied the knot back on September 18, 2004. I realize that tying this location in with my Haunted Hollywood theme is a bit of a stretch, but I can justify it by saying that the union of Britney Jean Spears and Kevin Earl Federline was downright scary. 🙂 After watching BritBrit and Kevin interact with each other on their Chaotic reality TV series, I absolutely could not believe that two such complete morons managed to find each other. It’s almost as if they were tailor-made for each other. I’m actually really surprised the marriage didn’t last!! Anyway, I decided I just HAD to stalk the home where their marriage took place.

On September 18, 2004 Britney and Kevin invited 25 of their closest friends and family members to an impromptu wedding ceremony at the Studio City home of their wedding planner, Alyson Fox. The couple had planned on getting married at Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara, but due to the media frenzy surrounding the event, they decided to celebrate their union at this modest home in Studio City a few weeks earlier than expected. Stalking this location proved to be a tough one, though, as the only info I had on the house was the owner’s name and the general location. But thanks to master stalker E.J. over at the Movieland Directory, who offered me his help, I was able to located the address of the house and yesterday I ran right out to stalk it. 🙂 Thanks, E.J.! (The above scan was taken from the 2004 issue of People Magazine that covered BritBrit and KFed’s union.)

The home where Brit and KFed got married is a super cute, very picturesque, but also very normal looking house. Not at all the type of place I’d envision the pop princess tying the knot. But I also could have never pictured her walking into a gas station bathroom sans shoes – so go figure! Anyway, after doing some cyber-stalking yesterday, I discovered that Brit’s wedding house is currently for sale! For a mere $1,999,950, you can have the priveledge of owning the home where this blessed ceremony took place. 🙂 You can see interior pics of the home here.

Until next time, Happy Stalking and Happy Halloween! 🙂

Stalk It: Britney and Kevin’s wedding house is located at 4053 Farmdale Avenue in Studio City.