Year: 2019
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My Guide to Palm Springs – Cocktails
‘ Palm Springs has long been a playground of the show business elite, largely because back in the days of Old Hollywood, the studios required their stars to always be within a two-hour drive from Los Angeles. The desert – picturesque, secluded and a scant 100 miles from Lalaland – therefore became the obvious go-to…
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Lorraine’s House from “Back to the Future”
‘ Back to the Future fans are undoubtedly looking at the photo above thinking, ‘That’s not Lorraine Baines’ (Lea Thompson) house!’ But the Craftsman I am standing in front of, located at 1705 Bushnell Avenue in South Pasadena, did actually serve as her 1955 pad in the movie. Before the die hards get all up…
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Monrovia High School from “A Cinderella Story”
‘ My taste in movies is about as mature and refined as my palate, which favors chicken strips and ranch dressing above all else. Case in point – I am obsessed with the 2004 tween romance A Cinderella Story. Chad Michael Murray? Hilary Duff on roller skates? A high school love story? A pink ‘50s…
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City Supper Club from “He’s Just Not That Into You”
‘ Back in February, I wrote a Scene it Before column for L.A. magazine covering a few locales from He’s Just Not That Into You in honor of the romcom’s 20th anniversary. While researching, I was thrilled to come across a mention on production designer Gae Buckley’s website that the supposed Baltimore-area City Supper Club,…
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The Tire House from “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday”
‘ Today’s locale is becoming quite the prolific film star! I’ve blogged about the residence at 800 Adelaine Avenue in South Pasadena previously – twice, in fact. It first came on my radar thanks to its appearance in the 2008 comedy Bedtime Stories, as I chronicled here. Then, in 2015, I noticed it pop up…
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Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace from “Ingrid Goes West”
‘ Ingrid Goes West is perhaps the most topically poignant movie I’ve ever seen! Centering around Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza), a fragile young woman who picks up and moves from Pennsylvania to L.A. in the hopes of ingratiating herself into the life of influencer Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen), the 2017 black comedy highlights the pitfalls…
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The Urban Outfitters from “National Treasure”
‘ Today’s stalking venture is not only six years in the making, but a cross-country endeavor! Way back in January 2013, as the Grim Cheaper and I were preparing to move from Pasadena to Palm Springs, I caught National Treasure on TV and immediately recognized the exterior of the Urban Outfitters in the flick as…
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A “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Halloween
‘ I usually start planning my and the Grim Cheaper’s Halloween costumes on November 1st each year. Out with the old, in with the new, as they say. This year I was a bit late to the game because by the time mid-summer came around, I still found myself with no ideas. And then, on…
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The “Young Sheldon” House
‘ I don’t think I’ve ever hated a television character more than Samantha Ruland on Scandal (though Beverly Hills, 90210’s Kelly Taylor ranks a close second). Played by Zoe Perry, Samantha represented pure evil – there was literally not a single redeeming thing about her. It got to the point that even hearing her voice…
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Olympic Coffee Shop from “Sharp Objects”
‘ I’m not sure what it is about old school diners, but I sure have an affinity for them. My inclination maybe stems from memories of childhood road trips or weekend mornings spent at greasy spoons with my parents during my early years or my nostalgic nature in general. Whatever the cause, if I see…