January 2008 – IAMNOTASTALKER

January 31, 2008February 17, 2009

“Tower, This is Ghostrider Requesting A Fly-by”

When I was in high school, back before he totally went off his rocker and started jumping on couches, I was head over heels in love with Tom Cruise! I thought he was the dreamiest! And I didn’t think there could ever be a better movie than Top Gun! Still love Top Gun, but I’ve pretty much lost that loving feeling for Tom.

During my college years, when I was just an amateur stalker, one of my friends happened to know the location of Kelly McGillis’ house from Top Gun, so, of course, I had to stalk it! Since I had yet to meet my boyfriend at that time, I had to drag my parents to this filming location. The house is located in Oceanside, near San Diego, and is an adorable little beach house. The citizens of Oceanside have been fighting for years to stop a hotel development company from tearing the house down – so if you are a Top Gun fan, you better stalk it while you still can!

Paying homage to their San Diego filming location, Maverick’s helmet, dog tags and a few other Top Gun memorabilia items are enshrined in a case at the Hard Rock Cafe, located just a few miles away in La Jolla.

The restaurant from Top Gun is also located in San Diego, but I will save that location for a future post. 🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The Top Gun house is located in Oceanside, about 30 miles north of San Diego, at 102 Pacific Drive, overlooking the beach. The Hard Rock Cafe – La Jolla can be found at 909 Prospect Avenue, #100, at the corner of Prospect and Fay.

January 30, 2008February 16, 2009

My So-Called Weekend, Part II

This weekend, thanks to a few tips from my new stalking buddy Andrew (who posted a comment on my first MSCL post), I set out to do some more My So-Called Life stalking. The first location I stalked was the Burlington Arcade, a covered shopping colonnade located just off Lake Avenue in Pasadena. I knew from IMDB that MSCL had filmed on the Arcade, but I was unsure which scene was filmed there.

Andrew pointed me to this YouTube video – and sure enough there it was in the very first scene of the pilot episode in which Angela and Rayanne ask random strangers for change in front of a red phone booth. The phone booth is there in real life and the Arcade looks much the same as it did in the pilot episode. The street the girls run down at the end of the scene is Lake Avenue.

From the Burlington Arcade, I headed to the west side of LA – Santa Monica to be exact – to Claire Danes’ former condo. This is the condo she lived in before permanently relocating to Wooster Street in Manhattan.

My final MSCL location (at least for this post!) is Claire’s parents’ Santa Monica home. When Claire first landed MSCL, her parents moved from New York to Santa Monica. The home they lived in at the time is located on Marine Street in a very funky, hip, bohemian part of town. It’s easy to imagine Claire living in this neighborhood! Her house is extremely tiny. But don’t go thinking you can pick it up for a bargain – according to Zillow, this 758 square foot home is worth $968,000!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The Burlington Arcade is located at 380 South Lake Avenue in Pasadena, in between Del Mar Blvd. and California Blvd. Lake Avenue is a local favorite – a great place to shop and eat! Claire’s Santa Monica condo is located at 1011 Euclid Avenue, in between Washington and California Avenues. Claire’s childhood home can be found at 601 Marine Street, also in Santa Monica.

January 29, 2008February 13, 2009

Win A Date With Tad Hamilton!

Being that I am completely obsessed with Josh Duhamel, one of my favorite movies of all time is (don’t laugh!) Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! In all honesty, the only thing I don’t like about Win A Date is the ending – Kate Bosworth so should have chosen Josh over Topher! 🙂 Otherwise it is a classic!

Sadly, most of Win A Date was filmed out of stalking range in Frazier’s Bottom, West Virginia, but I was absolutely floored to learn from IMDB that one scene was filmed right here in L.A.- at a little restaurant called Rae’s. Not ten minutes after finding out, I dragged my ever-patient boyfriend to Rae’s for a little stalking. We even sat in the same booth used in the movie!

Rae’s was used as the diner where Tad takes Rosalie to lunch when he first shows up in Frazier’s Bottom.

Rae’s serves really GREAT food at even more amazing prices. My boyfriend and I both ordered full meals and our check was less than $10.00! Rae’s certainly was a find and we have returned there time and time again!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Rae’s Restaurant is located at 2901 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica. They serve great comfort food at incredible prices! Make sure you bring cash, though, as Rae’s does not accept credit cards. Rae’s has been featured in many movies, including Bowfinger, Lords of Dogtown, Book of Love and True Romance.

January 28, 2008August 6, 2018

Britney Spears’ Former Santa Monica Condo

Got a comment from Kayli today, who challenged me to find Britney Spears’ house. Since Britney’s current home is located far from public view in a gated community, I thought I’d instead blog about a past residence of Ms. Spears. While Brit did not call this condo home during any of her recent mental breakdowns, it is the very spot where she lived when her romance with Kevin Federline blossomed.

Long before there was a Sean Preston or a Jayden James, Britney Spears lived in an ocean front condominium in Santa Monica, California. Before her marriage to KFed, the two spent a lot of quality time at the 1221 Ocean Condominiums – most of it outside on her balcony smoking cigarettes.

I found this location thanks to my boyfriend, who used to work in Santa Monica. Everyday he’d drive by this building and wonder why hundreds of men with cameras would be standing outside, until it finally dawned on him who lived there.

Britney Spears still owns this condo, and rumor has it that her brother Bryan Spears currently lives there.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Britney Spears’ Santa Monica condo is located at 1221 Ocean Avenue. Just down the street, at 202 Wilshire Blvd., is Houston’s Restaurant, where KFed’s bachelor party was held before he married BritBrit. After their respective bachelor/bachelorette parties, KFed and Britney spent the night at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel at 101 Wilshire Blvd. In the movie Fracture, the Fairmont Miramar served as the hotel where Anthony Hopkins’ wife had her affair.

January 27, 2008August 6, 2018

Rainy Day Stalking at Jennifer Aniston’s Former Beach House!

I am still reeling over the fact that I got to meet Kristin Cavallari last night! I am still pinching myself! Anyway, I digress . . .

In honor of today’s rain storm, I thought I’d blog about a rainy day stalking adventure I had a few years back – the day I found Jennifer Aniston’s Malibu beach house. Jen rented this beach house shortly after her separation from Brad Pitt. Sad to say, this location was a very hard one for me to find. I had been looking for it for quite some time, being that I am totally and completely obsessed with all things Jen, and I knew from several blogs that it was located on a stretch of beach known as Carbon Beach – but I still could not seem to locate it!

Then one VERY rainy day, US Magazine published a really good picture of Jen’s beach house and I knew that, using the picture as a resource, I would most likely find the house! So, as usual, I dragged my poor boyfriend to Malibu – in the pouring rain – to do some stalking. We spotted the house right away while we were driving along Pacific Coast Highway and then parked to get a beachfront look. Thankfully Jen’s house is fairly close to the public beach access for Carbon Beach, so we didn’t get completely drenched walking in the rain to her house.

Jen’s house was absolutely adorable!! One of the most darling houses I have ever seen! It is a fairly small, two story, brown shingled home, and it just looks so Jen! I loved it! Sadly, Jen no longer rents this house, which is owned by Oracle C.E.O. Larry Ellison. She has permanently moved to a new Hal Levitt designed home in Beverly Hills. But I’ll save that one for a future post!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Jen’s former Malibu beach house is located at 22164 Pacific Coast Highway. Just a few houses south of Jen, at 22126 Pacific Coast Highway, is the ginormous beach house of David Geffen. Don’t get too close to Geffen’s house, though, as he is not too keen on sharing his beach with the public. Remember, these houses are private residences, so don’t trespass or disturb the owners! After stalking Jen’s house, head to the Malibu Country Mart, located at the corner of Cross Creek Road and PCH, for some star studded shopping and dining. Nobu, one of Jen Aniston’s favorite restaurants, and Britney’s preferred Starbucks, are both located there.

January 26, 2008February 17, 2009

Go Team Kristen!

Ever since Laguna Beach: The Real O.C. first came on the air, I have been a HUGE fan of Kristin Cavallari. So LOVE her!!! And tonight I actually got to meet her!!! I am still pinching myself! My boyfriend and I headed to Hollywood today because I was completely intent on going to celeb hot spot the Tropicana Bar at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Pool for a drink. This is the very same bar and pool where all the stars go to get their drink on and their swim on. The episode of The Hills, when Brodi tells Lauren that Spencer “broke up” with him, was filmed at the pool, along with countless other productions.

Due to the rain the Tropicana Bar was pretty much empty, except for a group of three girls sitting in a corner. We ended up sitting fairly close to them and I almost fell out of my lounge chair when I realized one of them was Kristin Cavallari. She got up to leave right as we were ordering our drinks and I knew I just had to say something to her. I mean I own a “Team Kristin” shirt for God’s sake! I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by! So I went up to her and (dork that I am) blurted out “I love you!” LOL! Kristin could not have been sweeter! She shook my hand and told me that she “really appreciates” that I took the time to come up to her and “it means a lot” that I am such a fan. She was completely genuine and nice and I am an even bigger fan now than I was before! Sadly I did not get a picture as my boyfriend, who was absolutely convinced it wasn’t really her, stayed behind with the camera while I went to talk to her.

Stalk It: The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is located at 7000 Hollywood Blvd., at the corner of Hollywood and N. Orange Drive. The Tropicana Bar and hotel pool is located directly off the lobby. Even after it started pouring rain, and we had to move to the covered part of the bar, it was still a really nice place to sit and have a drink. But, while the Tropicana Bar has some great food, if you are hungry, I would actually recommend going to the restaurant Twenty-Five Degrees, also located in the hotel, for a bite to eat instead. They make amazing burgers and hot-dogs and don’t even get me started on the fries! While the restaurant is pricey, it is well worth it! And if you happen to see a celeb while you are out and about in Hollywood, go up and tell them what a fan you are! You only live once, and I have found that, way more often than not, they sincerely appreciate meeting their fans.

January 25, 2008July 25, 2012

Melrose (aka Greenwood) Place

The apartment building used as the exterior of the fictional apartment complex “Melrose Place” on the TV show of the same name cannot actually be found on, or anywhere near, the real Melrose Avenue. In real life, the complex is called the “El Pueblo Apartments” and is located on Greenwood Place in Los Feliz, a short distance from Hollywood.

This location I found in my fave stalking book “The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book“, which described the “El Pueblo” as “dumpy” in person. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I visited the apartments, because I found them to be adorable! I would love to live there! The “El Pueblo” looks very much as it did on Melrose Place and I swear I could almost envision Amanda and Billy conversing at the mailboxes at the entrance to the building.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The real “Melrose Place” is located at 4616 Greenwood Place in Los Feliz. While it looks pretty much the same as it did when it was depicted the show, don’t go looking for the interior courtyard pool. Sadly, that only existed on a soundstage. 🙁 If you would like to stalk Melrose Avenue – the neighborhood where the Melrose Placers supposedly lived – hit the stretch of Melrose between Fairfax and La Brea. There are many cute – and a few very odd – shops and restaurants located in that area. For more upscale stalking, head west of Fairfax, where you can find shopping mecca Fred Segal, Agent Provocateur and countless others.

January 24, 2008February 13, 2009

Bolthouse Productions – Where Heidi "Works"

On The Hills, Heidi supposedly works at the event planning company Bolthouse Productions. I say “supposedly” not because I doubt that she actually works there, but because I doubt that she actually does any work. It seems the only two things Heidi ever does while at “work” are gossip with various co-workers about her many problems with Spencer and gossip with various co-workers about her many problems with Lauren.

Even so, I just had to stalk the location of Bolthouse Productions. The location was easy enough to find with a simple google search. After snapping a picture out in front of the building, I had to sneak around back to see the spot where Spencer told Heidi “Sweet! My answer is get out of my car!” 🙂

On a side note, thanks to a comment from E.J. and his stalking website, I found a link to a GREAT map with tons of Hills filming locations! You can view the map here. Looks like I have some more stalking to do!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It:Bolthouse Productions is located at 7966 Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, not too far from Speidi’s apartment complex. You’ll recognize the building right away by the “sbe” sign located near the roof. There is plenty of street parking, so you can get out and snap a quick picture. Be sure not to bother Heidi at work, though, as I am sure Brent Bolthouse is not too appreciative when Heidi gets distracted from her many daily event planning duties. 🙂

January 23, 2008January 3, 2011

Casbah Cafe – The Coffee Shop from “A Lot Like Love”

After finding Amanda Peet’s apartment from A Lot Like Love, I just had to stalk the other locations featured in the movie. Much of the movie was filmed in Sunset Junction, a small community in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles. When Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher first reconnect, on New Year’s Eve, they head out to Sunset Junction for dinner. While I am sad to say that I have yet to find the Chinese food restaurant where they eat their silent dinner (which, according to the director’s commentary on the DVD, is located somewhere in Pasadena), I did stalk most of the other locations.

Before dinner, Amanda Peet parks her stationwagon in the parking lot of a dry cleaners. You can see the words “Wash and Fold” painted on the brick wall in front of her car. This is also the spot where, after dinner, she changes into a party dress behind a dumpster.

Directly after dinner, Oscar and Emily walk to a cafe for some coffee. That spot is The Cashbah Cafe, located at the corner of Sunset and Hyperion. The Cashbah is a cute little bohemian coffee shop – and when I say little, I mean little! I am shocked they were able to film inside of it! They do make some good coffee, though!

The art gallery where Amanda Peet’s photographs are featured later in the movie, was in fact an empty store at the time of the filming. Today it is a really cool bartending shop called “The Barkeeper.” The laundermat, across from the art gallery, where Ashton waits for Amanda to show up is actually a laundermat in real life and is really located directly across the street from “The Barkeeper.”

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Sunset Junction is located in Silverlake, where Sunset Blvd. meets Santa Monica Blvd. Sunset Junction is a cute place to grab a cup of coffee and do some shopping on a Saturday afternoon. The Cashbah Cafe is located at 3900 W. Sunset Blvd., at the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Hyperion Street. Sunset Laundry is located at 3812 W. Sunset. Amanda Peet’s art gallery, aka “The Barkeeper”, can be found at 3910 W. Sunset, where it is now “The Barkeeper”. If you visit the store, be sure to ask for Joe, “the Barkeeper” and owner of the shop – he could not be a nicer guy! He filled me in on all the scoop on filming in Sunset Junction.

January 22, 2008December 6, 2013

Rest in Peace!

I was saddened and absolutely shocked today to learn of Heath Ledger’s untimely death. I still can’t quite believe it. My heart goes out to his family and his poor daughter.

In honor of his death, I thought I’d post about a Hollywood area cemetery where many of the stars are buried – The Pierce Brothers Westwood Memorial Park and Mortuary. It is fitting that this place of rest is called a “park” and not a “cemetery”, as it really doesn’t have a cemetery feel to it. It is a very peaceful, almost uplifting place, with tall trees and rose bushes and fountains everywhere. I can see why the stars would want to be buried there.

The Pierce Brothers Westwood Memorial Park is the final resting place of many stars, including Dean Martin, Jack Lemmon, Heather O’Rourke, Carroll O’Connor, Natalie Wood, Eva Gabor, Donna Reed, Billy Wilder, Truman Capote (although legend has it that his ashes were removed and brought to New York) and -perhaps most famous of all – Marilyn Monroe. Keep your eyes open for the lipstick marks on Marilyn’s crypt left by her many visitors. An interesting bit of trivia – Hugh Hefner purchased the crypt directly next to Marilyn’s for himself. He wants to be forever interred next to the woman who graced the cover of the very first Playboy Magazine.

Stalk It:The Pierce Brothers Westwood Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood. It is situated directly behind the Avco Center Cinemas located at 10840 Wilshire Blvd. Marilyn Monroe’s crypt can be found in the North -Eastern corner of the cemetery. Pierce Brothers Park is, surprisingly, a nice place to walk around during a sunny afternoon.