Marilyn Monroe Locations – Page 6

March 18, 2008December 6, 2013

Vacation Homes of the Stars

Since the early 1930’s, Palm Springs has been a favorite desert oasis for the Hollywood elite. With its perfect winter and springtime weather, fabulous shopping, and beautiful desert ambiance, it’s not very hard to see why. While visiting the desert this weekend, I dragged my boyfriend on my very own little stalking tour of Downtown Palm Springs. Much to my boyfriend’s delight, the Palm Springs Visitors’ Center was kind enough to provide a free Map of the Stars’ Homes to act as our guide. 🙂

Our first stop was the home of Oscar winner, best-selling author, and Hollywood producer Sidney Sheldon. Sheldon was a top television and movie producer back in the 1960’s, creating such hits as I Dream of Jeannie, The Patty Duke Show and The Bachelor and The Bobby-Soxer. His home looks like it is straight out of the 60’s and is very reminiscent of the Brady Bunch home in Studio City. Unfortunately, the house appears to be in serious disrepair and needs a little TLC.

The next home we hit up was Kirk Douglas’ 1960’s style beauty just down the road from Sidney Sheldon’s house. Before selling this house in 1999, Kirk spent many a weekend here with his wife. My boyfriend absolutely fell in love with this house and all of its mid-century splendor. The house definitely has a Palm Springs/Old Hollywood feel to it and has been perfectly maintained. I am actually surprised the house hasn’t been used as a filming location, as it has a definite “Rat Pack” vibe to it.

Down the road from Kirk and Sidney, is the home Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn used to vacation at. I was shocked at the normalcy of this house – especially the lack of a gate or foliage to hide the property from stalkers and prying eyes. I am guessing they owned this home long before Kate Hudson became a household name and paparazzi favorite.

Just a few blocks away is Marilyn Monroe’s former desert home. I absolutely love this house! It looks as if it hasn’t been touched since Marilyn lived there in the 1950’s. The home, like most on the Palm Springs movie star tour, is very stalker-friendly, with no gate or wall hiding it from view.

Last, but not least, we stalked two former Elvis Presley homes. The first is the honeymoon home of Elvis and Priscilla – they lived here from May of 1967 to early 1968. It was while living in this house that the two fell in love with Palm Springs and decided to purchase another home located in the Little Tuscany section of Palm Springs. While I am not a huge fan of 1960’s architecture, I must admit that this house is definitely not short on charm. It is just so “Elvis”! 🙂 I think it is extremely cool that the owners have chosen not to remodel or change the exterior of the home and have left it looking almost exactly as it did in Elvis’ day.

The last home we stalked was the Little Tuscany abode Elvis and Priscilla purchased in the late 1960’s. At the time of his death, this home, along with Graceland, were the only two properties owned by The King. While Elvis’ honeymoon home is charmingly reminiscent of Old Palm Springs, this Little Tuscany house is absolutely hiddy and a total eyesore! The perimeter of the home is actually surrounded by large rocks painted white, resembling snow. It’s pretty atrocious!!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The city of Palm Springs is located 110 miles east of Los Angeles. You can stop by the Palm Springs Visitors’ Center, located at 2901 N. Palm Canyon Drive, for your very own free Map of the Stars’ Vacation Homes. Via Lola Street is chock full of stars’ homes, including the former homes of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell at 550 Via Lola, Kirk Douglas at 515, and Sidney Sheldon at 425. Marilyn Monroe’s former house is located just a few blocks away at 1326 Rose Avenue. Nat King Cole lived for a time at number 1258. 1350 Ladera Circle is the home Elvis and Priscilla Presley lived in when they first got married. 845 Chino Canyon is the Little Tuscany home Elvis owned at the time of his death.

February 25, 2008December 6, 2013

The Bel Air Hotel

In honor of the eagerly anticipated issue of New York Magazine that hits newsstands tomorrow, in which Lindsay Lohan recreates Marilyn Monroe’s very last photo shoot, I thought I’d blog about the Hotel Bel-Air. Photographer Bert Stern held both the 1962 Marilyn Monroe photo shoot and the recent Lindsay Lohan shoot at the Hotel Bel-Air. Although you don’t see the hotel in any of the pictures of the LLo or Marilyn shoot (not that you’d notice even if the hotel was pictured in the background!!) the Bel Air is absolutely gorgeous and is definitely a Los Angeles Must See!

One of the cool side benefits of being a stalker is all the cool places I discover while I am out and about stalking. My first visit to the Hotel Bel Air was for a stalking outing, but it has quickly become one of my favorite places to have a weekend drink. Hotel Bel Air has long been a haven for the rich and famous, and it’s not very hard to see why. The grounds are absolutely incredible – with huge swan-filled ponds, outdoor fireplaces, large sprawling lawns and tree covered terraces. I can’t think of a more relaxing retreat in Los Angeles – or a better place for stalking! 🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The Hotel Bel Air is located at 701 Stone Canyon Road in Bel Air. You can visit the hotel’s website, and reserve a room, here. The Champagne Bar inside the hotel is a fab spot for celeb stalking, and – with its overstuffed chairs, roaring fireplace and dark wood walls – it’s the perfect place to share a romantic evening. Disregard the sign on the door saying there is a dress-code – they did away with the jacket and tie rule years ago.

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.