Category: TV Locations

  • The Trails Café from “The Catch”

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9849

    Today’s locale required a ridiculous amount of stalking – of myself.  A few months back, while scanning through a television show making screen captures for a post, I spotted what I thought was the side of The Trails Café, one of my favorite L.A. eateries.  A quick look at Google Street View’s imagery of the restaurant confirmed my hunch.  Distracted by the piece I was writing, I failed to jot down the information, though, and promptly forgot about it.  Flash forward to last weekend when the Grim Cheaper and I found ourselves hungry during a stalking trip to Griffith Park.  I suggested we pop by The Trails and, while enjoying our scrumptious egg salad sandwich, was reminded of the place’s onscreen appearance.  The only trouble was I could not for the life of me recall what show I had seen it in.  Figuring it would come to me eventually, I snapped photos of The Trails and added it to my To-Blog List.  Days later, though, I was still at a loss.  The only remedy I could think of was a deep dive through my browser history.  That dive turned out to be far deeper than I had envisioned.  With the GC as my guide, I pulled up my search history, inputted “Trails Café” and quickly discerned that I made the discovery of the restaurant’s cameo on January 9th.  As I backtracked through all of the other queries I performed on that date, I felt like I was entering A Beautiful Mind territory.  I don’t normally consider myself as having ADD tendencies, but my online habits are evidence to the contrary.  At no time that day did I have less than ten windows open – often on multiple browsers.  Using the disjointed information to pinpoint what show The Trails had appeared in proved extremely time consuming (and a bit unnerving), but I eventually hit pay dirt – the eatery was featured in the pilot episode of The Catch, which I had discovered while making screen captures for my post on Emerson College Los Angeles.  Phew!

    [ad]

    The Trails Café was founded by Grammy-winning music producer Mickey Petralia and television executive Frank Lentz in June 2005.  The venture might seem an unusual one for two people with backgrounds so widely removed from the culinary world, but as Petralia told L.A. Weekly in a 2010 interview, “When I first started putting this place together, I code-named it ‘Operation Exit Strategy.’  The record industry had started to change, and I was pretty certain it was never going to get back to where it was.  It’s hard to sustain a house and two kids on music alone now.”

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9843

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9841

    Situated just steps from the idyllic Ferndell Nature Center, another one of my favorite L.A. spots, the structure that now houses The Trails was originally a city-owned concession stand that served mediocre burgers.  By the time that Petralia and Lentz got their hands on the place, it had long been sitting vacant and boarded up and had grown run-down.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9847

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9839

    The duo spent about nine months cleaning up the property and transforming it into a charmingly rustic eatery, all of which was done during off time from their day jobs.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9865

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9860

    While the menu was originally helmed by musician Aaron Sperske, at some point pastry chef Jenny Park came on board as a co-owner and the mastermind behind The Trails’ delectable offerings including pastries, sandwiches and salads, all of which are made from scratch each day on the premises.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9861

    The tiny café (it measures less than 400 square feet!) quickly became an area staple, with hungry patrons flocking there like bees to honey.  Most days you’ll find the colorful picnic tables packed and throngs of people waiting at the order window.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9857

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9837

    It is not hard to see why The Trails is so beloved.  Not only is the fare amazing, but the setting is absolutely idyllic.  Sitting there, you half expect woodland fairies to come flying by, sprinkling pixie dust in their wake.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9836

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9835

    The restaurant is also something of a celebrity hot spot.  Such stars as Amanda Seyfried, Flea, Minka Kelly, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jayma Mays, Drew Barrymore, Alia Shawkat, and Paul Adelstein have all popped by for a bite to eat.  Mandy Moore even did a photo shoot at The Trails for How You Glow.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9863

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9859

    Considering its celebrity clientele and gorgeous aesthetic, it is no surprise that the eatery wound up onscreen.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9862

    In the pilot episode of The Catch, private investigator Alice Vaughan (Mireille Enos) discovers that her fiancé, Christopher Hall (Peter Krause), is a fraud who has made off with her entire life savings.  Her team decides to try to ensnare him, but, as her employee Danny Yoon (Jay Hayden) laments, “This guy was good – like really good.  His entire web presence is gone.  No archived search items, no photos.  I don’t even know how to start investigating.”  Alice assures him that she has photographs of Christopher, but when she heads to her computer to bring them up she realizes that his face is obscured or turned away from the camera in every single one.  Two of the pictures she scans through in the scene were taken at The Trails Café.  The restaurant’s appearance is fleeting at best in the segment, which is perhaps why I had such a hard time recalling it.

    Screenshot-008494

    Screenshot-008495

    Alice and Christopher are sitting on the café’s southern side in the images, in the area pictured below.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9838

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9833

    The Trails Café was also featured in the Season 14 episode of Visiting . . . with Huell Howser titled “Ferndell,” which aired in 2006.

    Screenshot-008498

    Screenshot-008500

    In the episode, which you can watch here, we are given a glimpse of what the eatery looked like when Petralia and Lentz first took it over in 2004.  The industrial shack is quite a stark contrast to the whimsical café that exists now.

    Screenshot-008501

    Thanks to fellow stalker Justin, I learned that The Trails also appears as The Tummy Pleaser concession stand in the Season 1 episode of Salute Your Shorts titled “Cheeseburgers in Paradise,” which aired in 1991.

    Quite an extensive scene was shot there affording us a fabulous look at the property in its original state.

    I cannot say enough good things about The Trails Café.  There’s a reason I included the place in My Guide to L.A. – Coffee post.  It is definitely one of the best spots in the city to grab a latte and enjoy a shaded respite.

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9858

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

    The Trails Cafe from The Catch-9845

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: The Trails Café, from the pilot episode of The Catch, is located at 2333 Fern Dell Drive in Griffith Park.  The entrance to Ferndell Nature Center, my favorite L.A. walking trail, can be found just south of the restaurant at the intersection of Fern Dell and Black Oak Drives.

  • The Griffin from “NCIS”

    The Griffin from NCIS-9932

    Today’s location comes with a caveat.  Last Saturday evening while in L.A. for a brief visit, I headed to The Griffin, an Atwater Village bar I had been dying to stalk ever since seeing it in an episode of NCIS almost three years ago.  The place did not disappoint and I started writing this post pretty much immediately upon returning home.  Unfortunately, later that night the watering hole came under fire due to an unfortunate set of circumstances that began when an extremist hate group held an impromptu gathering on the premises.  When word of the meet-up got out, some neighborhood activists popped by to protest.  A fight ensued, police were called and both parties were forced to leave.  Thankfully, no one was hurt during the melee.  The Griffin’s reputation was, though.  The establishment, which did not endorse or host the meet-up, bore the brunt of the blame from locals, concerned citizens and many media outlets for even allowing the group to enter in the first place.  Now I wasn’t there, but from everything I’ve read, it seems the tavern was unexpectedly ambushed and the staff was guilty of little other than being completely ill-equipped to handle the situation.  The Griffin’s owners have since issued an apology and even hosted a neighborhood fundraising event a few days later, but many are still angry.  While I considered holding off on publishing this post due to the backlash, I thought better of it.  In no way do I believe that the bar owners or staff condone any sort of hatred or support those who do.  My experience there had the opposite feeling.  The employees that I spoke with could not have been more kind or accommodating, even though I was annoyingly running around snapping copious photographs and asking countless questions about the place’s filming history.  Of the watering hole, LA Weekly says, “The Griffin, dimly lit and always welcoming, is magical any night of the week.”  I couldn’t agree more – so I’m hitting ‘publish.’

    [ad]

    While watching the Season 13 episode of NCIS titled “Sister City (Part 1)” back in January 2016, I became transfixed with Tusovat’sya, the 4-star Russian restaurant supposedly located on the 700 block of K Street in Washington, D.C. where Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) tracked down Russian Counselor Anton Pavlenko (Lev Gorn).  The cavernous space’s brick arched ceilings practically had me drooling.

    Screenshot-008479

    Screenshot-008483

    While set in D.C., NCIS is shot in L.A., so I knew the eatery had to be somewhere close by.  Thankfully, the hunt to find it was easier than Gibbs and DiNozzo’s hunt for Pavlenko.  Feeling lucky, I inputted “Los Angeles,” “restaurant,” “cavernous,” and “brick” into Google and one of the first results kicked back was this Thrillist blurb about The Griffin which states, “Decked with arched brick ceilings, Gothic-style chandeliers, and red vinyl booths, The Griffin is like a medieval dungeon in Atwater Village.  The cavernous lair is anchored by a stone platform with two fireplaces and a large bar.”  The description alone had me convinced me it was the spot I was looking for and once I pulled up images, there was no denying The Griffin had portrayed Tusovat’sya.

    Screenshot-008474

    Screenshot-008476

    I was shocked at the discovery because not only had I long been aware of The Griffin thanks to its use in establishing shots of the bar where Nick Miller (Jake Johnson) works on New Girl, but I had stalked and blogged about the place for Los Angeles magazine back in 2014.  Since only the outside of the lounge appeared on the Fox series, I had never ventured inside, though, so I was completely unaware of its unique aesthetic (captured so beautifully on NCIS) . . .

    Screenshot-008477

    Screenshot-008478

    . . . none of which is belied by its pretty, but rather non-descript exterior.

    The Griffin from NCIS-1050749

    The Griffin from NCIS-1050755

    I promptly added The Griffin to my Re-Stalk List, but was not able to make it back out there until this past weekend.  Let me tell you, though, it was worth the wait!

    The Griffin from NCIS-1050759

    The Griffin from NCIS-1050758

    The Griffin was originally established in September 2007 at the site of the former La Strada Mexican eatery.  While I had assumed that the vaulted, sepulchral space was a historic relic of some sort, possibly an erstwhile bank or wine cellar, our friendly bartender informed us that the extraordinary chamber was actually a build-out commissioned by owners Aaron Chepenik and Jonathan Hensleigh after La Strada vacated the premises.

    The Griffin from NCIS-9913

    The Griffin from NCIS-9917

    The duo’s creation is nothing short of majestic.

    The Griffin from NCIS-9918

    The Griffin from NCIS-9907

    While researching this post, I was shocked to learn that the design is an almost exact replica of Chepenik and Hensleigh’s inaugural bar venture, also named The Griffin, at 511 Fremont Street in Las Vegas, which opened in January 2007.  You can check out some images of it here.

    The Griffin from NCIS-9919

    Considering the cinematic feel of both places, it should come as no surprise that Hensleigh’s background is in the movie industry – the successful screenwriter has penned everything from Jumanji to Armageddon to Die Hard with a Vengeance).

    The Griffin from NCIS-9935

    The Griffin from NCIS-9915

    With its circular fireplaces, arched ceilings, faux stonework, hanging lanterns, and diamond muntin windows, The Griffin looks like something straight out of a movie – or perhaps a ride at Disneyland.

    The Griffin from NCIS-9921

    In a 2008 Los Angeles Times article, Travis Woods lyrically describes the bar as such, “Stepping inside is like drifting into a 16th-century Spanish cathedral — arched stone supports crisscross along the cavernous vaulted ceiling, while two fireplaces hold court at opposite ends of the main lounge, each surrounded by the twin parentheses of semicircular red leather couches and the ellipses of several matching knee-high stools.”

    The Griffin from NCIS-9928

    The Griffin from NCIS-9947

    He also states, “A clever, surprisingly cozy environment, it could have easily slipped from ambience to Ambien; instead, it’s classy dungeon-chic without the torture of ridiculous lines, list-wielding bouncers and too-cool L.A. detachment,” which is exactly what we experienced.  The Griffin lacks that ultra-hip, holier-than-thou, pretentious vibe that plagues so many area bars.  The place may look high-maintenance, but it’s about as laid-back as can be.

    The Griffin from NCIS-9906

    The Griffin from NCIS-9910

    The Griffin’s dramatic design has landed it a couple of other onscreen appearances in addition to NCIS.

    The Griffin from NCIS-9916

    The Griffin from NCIS-9936

    As I mentioned earlier, the outside of the bar popped up regularly during Seasons 2-7 of New Girl in establishing shots of the watering hole where the gang hung out.  (In Season 1, a different exterior was utilized.)

    Screenshot-008486

    The Griffin from NCIS-1050751

    As I also mentioned earlier, only the outside of The Griffin appeared on New Girl.  Interior filming took place elsewhere – first at The Prince restaurant located at 3198 West 7th Street in Koreatown and then on a set re-creation of The Prince built on a soundstage at 20th Century Fox Studios in Culver City.

    Screenshot-008484

    The Griffin from NCIS-1050750

    The Griffin also pops up in the Season 2 episode of Love titled “Friends Night Out,” which aired in 2017, as the spot where Gus Cruikshank (Paul Rust) and his buddies hang out and discuss the television series Friends.

    Screenshot-008490

    Screenshot-008492

    The exterior of The Griffin also appears briefly in the episode.

    Screenshot-008493

    Screenshot-008488

    And it is at The Griffin that Henrietta Wilson (Aisha Hinds) and Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) grab drinks in the Season 1 episode of 9-1-1 titled “Point of Origin,” which aired in 2018.

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

    The Griffin from NCIS-1050747

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: The Griffin, from the “Sister City (Part 1)” episode of NCIS, is located at 3000 Los Feliz Boulevard in Atwater VillageThe Tam O’Shanter, from the “Dream On” episode of Glee, can be found right next door at 2980 Los Feliz Boulevard.

  • Via Quadronno from “Sex and the City”

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-2869

    Nothing makes me miss New York more than photographs of croissants.  That’s a weird sentiment, I know – especially considering I don’t even really like croissants.  But during one of my first trips to the Big Apple, I dragged my family to Upper East Side café Via Quadronno for breakfast after coming across a brief mention of the place and its fabulous cappuccinos in Real City: New York City (Real City Guides).  Though I opted for a liquid meal consisting of a creamy iced latte (which was absolute perfection) that morning, my mom ordered a croissant and, upon biting in and proclaiming it was one of the best she’d ever had, implored me to taste it.  I indulged her and was shocked at the outcome – the flaky pastry was one of the most delectable treats I’d ever sampled.  I promptly ordered one for myself and then proceeded to head right back to Via Quadronno the following morning and every morning the rest of our trip – and every subsequent trip, as well, including my 2016 visit to the Big Apple with the Grim Cheaper.  I cannot get enough of the place!  So even though I briefly blogged about the charming eatery way back in 2008, I figured it was most-definitely worthy of a redux.

    [ad]

    Via Quadronno was originally founded by Italian native Paolo Della Puppa in 1999.  A music publisher by trade, Puppa relocated to NYC in 1983, but continued to run his Italian-based company, Anyway Music, from afar.  After about a decade abroad, he found himself falling victim to poor conversion rates and in need of a new vocation.  So he turned to fellow Italian expat Hans Pauli, owner of the popular Sant Ambroeus café chain and former proprietor of the popular Milan paninoteca Bar Quadronno, which, thanks to chef/baker Giuseppe Tusi, became known for revolutionizing the panini.

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-1150300

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-1150302

    Paolo trained under Hans at Sant Ambroeus for several years before the two eventually partnered up to establish Via Quadronno, which opened its doors on September 9th, 1999.  Giuseppe was, of course, on hand to teach the staff his magical version of panini-making.

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-1506

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-1507

    It did not take long for the cozy, intimate spot (the seating capacity is only 40!) to become a neighborhood icon with locals, tourists and celebrities alike all popping in for freshly baked goods, steaming cappuccinos, and those famous paninis.  Just a few of the stars known to frequent the eatery include Katie Holmes (along with Suri Cruise), Aviva Drescher, Christine Baranski, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Martha Stewart, Dylan Lauren, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Rutherford, Jerry Seinfeld, Sean Connery, Madonna, Robin Williams, Scarlett Johansson, Alex Rodriguez, Tom Hanks, and Matt Dillon.

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-1508

    It is not very hard to see why Via Quadronno has become such a local favorite.  Not only is the dining room one of the most adorable in New York with tiny wooden tables and chairs, cheerful murals, and Italian posters dotting the walls, but the restaurant’s offerings are out of this world!  It is no surprise that the place has won countless “best of” awards over the years.  Heck, Martha Stewart even headed there when she wanted to learn how to make the perfect cappuccino.

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-2866

    Via Quadronno is also a filming location – from two of my favorite shows, no less!

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-2867

    In the Season 1 episode of Sex and the City titled “Models and Mortals,” Skipper Johnston (Ben Weber) forces Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) to call Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon) while standing outside of the restaurant to find out if he still has a chance with her.

    Screenshot-008454

    Screenshot-008455

    At the time the episode was shot in 1998, the Via Quadronno space housed a sweets shop named La Maison Du Chocolat, which opened on the premises in 1990.  Despite the change in tenancy, the site is still recognizable from its onscreen stint.  I find it incredible that Reinstein|Ross Goldsmiths, the fine jewelry store situated next door to the café whose signage was visible in Sex and the City, is still alive and well and operating in the same location twenty years after the fact!

    Screenshot-008456

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-1150298

    Via Quadronno also popped up on Gossip Girl.  In the Season 2 episode titled “Remains of the J,” which aired in 2009, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) heads to the café to pick up breakfast for Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford), whom she has just secretly started dating again, and narrowly misses running into Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively).

    Screenshot-008450

    Screenshot-008451

    The Season 10 episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee titled “Kate McKinnon: A Brain in a Jar,” which hit Netflix earlier this month, was filmed at Via Quadronno’s other location at 1228 Madison Avenue in NYC’s Carnegie Hill neighborhood (which Yelpers are reporting is now closed).

    Screenshot-008468

    Screenshot-008470

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

    Via Quadronna from Sex and the City-1150301

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: Via Quadronno, from the “Models and Mortals” episode of Sex and the City, is located at 25 East 73rd Street on New York’s Upper East Side.  You can visit the eatery’s official website here.  The Via Quadronno outpost from the “Kate McKinnon: A Brain in a Jar” episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee can be found at 1228 Madison Avenue in NYC’s Carnegie Hill neighborhood, though per Yelp that location is now closed.

  • TomTom from “Vanderpump Rules”

    TomTom Bar from Vanderpump Rules-8410

    The Instagram world was set on fire (well, my Instagram world, at least) Wednesday night when the cast of Vanderpump Rules, along with other Bravolebrities and reality TV stars, began posting photos of the DailyMail.com & DailyMailTV Summer Party which took place at TomTom, the highly anticipated new bar venture by husband and wife restauranteurs Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd and their protégés/employees/junior partners Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz.  The soirée served as a soft opening for the West Hollywood watering hole (per several sources the official opening won’t take place for three weeks) and I could not have been more excited to see the completed space, which VP fans witnessed the progress of throughout the show’s most recent season.  I actually popped by TomTom in mid-May with my friends Kim and Katie, who were in town visiting from Kentucky.  Though the site was just a construction zone at the time, it was an absolute thrill to see in person – especially because we wound up running into the entire Vanderpump/Todd family while there and were given a sneak peak at the place’s interior!

    [ad]

    The opening of TomTom has been a project years in the making.  Ken first leased the WeHo space that now houses the bar way back in 2015 – without Lisa’s knowledge or consent.  At the time, the site was home to an adult boutique named Chi Chi LaRue’s.  The couple subsequently rented the place out short term to Showtime Clothing while deciding what they ultimately wanted to do with it.  Per various building reports, it seems an eatery named Pinky’s Restaurant was originally going to be established there, but that plan was scrapped in 2016 as the idea for TomTom began to take shape.

    TomTom Bar from Vanderpump Rules-8405

    There seems to be some confusion regarding the square footage of the TomTom space floating around online.  In 2013, a comparable summary report noted the 1935 structure as consisting of 3,360 square feet, but a leasing brochure from 2017 listed it at 1,508.  Either way, the property’s useable space has grown considerably since Lisa and Ken acquired it thanks to the addition of an upstairs kitchen area, as well as a large elevated back patio that overlooks West Hollywood Park.

    TomTom Bar from Vanderpump Rules-8409

    When Vanderpump and Todd took over the site, it was incredibly non-descript – basically just four walls and a ceiling, as you can see here.  What it has been transformed into is nothing short of spectacular.  I cannot wait to head out there to experience the finished product in person.  I was elated to see it all boarded up with black plywood back in May, though, being that it popped up countless times throughout Vanderpump Rules’ sixth season in the same state.

    TomTom Bar from Vanderpump Rules-8407

    Audiences were actually given their first glimpse of the TomTom space on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, not Vanderpump Rules.  In the Season 6 episode titled “Busted BBQ,” which aired in 2016, Ken brings Lisa to tour the site, which he has just leased out.  The unique wares and décor of then occupant Chi Chi LaRue’s make transforming the space into a restaurant a bit hard for Lisa to envision.  As she approaches the front doors, she says, “I don’t think I want to go in there.  There are things in the window that make my eyes water.  I’ve got my dark glasses on to protect myself.”

    Screenshot-008418

    Screenshot-008416

    While Ken thinks the site is the perfect prospect for their next culinary venture, Lisa is more interested in some mini whips she finds on the shelves that she wants to bring home to her pet ponies.

    Screenshot-008421

    Screenshot-008422

    The TomTom space does not appear on Vanderpump Rules until the December 2017 Season 6 premiere titled “Masquerade,” in which Sandoval and Schwartz tour the now vacant and gutted site with Lisa and Ken.

    Screenshot-008423

    Screenshot-008428

    Sandoval really dresses the part for the occasion, but, come on, like anyone believes that tape measure is actually going to be used!  Nice try, Sandoval.

    Screenshot-008426

    During their tour, Sandoval gets quite the tongue lashing from Lisa over his negativity, arrogance, and unwanted advice on the venture.  As she sarcastically pans, “What were we thinking?  Doing 33 restaurants without Tom Sandoval.  How the f*ck did we do it?”

    Screenshot-008424

    Screenshot-008427

    The TomTom space is featured in numerous additional episodes throughout the season, including “It’s Not About the Pasta” in which the two Toms attempt to invest some sweat equity in the restaurant.   (If only they can figure out how to put on their dust masks!)

    Screenshot-008436

    Screenshot-008438

    It also appears in “Karma’s a Bitch,” in which Sandoval calls Lisa from Vegas to discuss hosting a “progress party” at the site for all of his friends . . .

    Screenshot-008429

    Screenshot-008431

    . . . and “Reiki Breaky Heart,” in which Tom and Tom discuss the upcoming progress party . . .

    Screenshot-008449

    Screenshot-0084232

    . . . and Sandoval gets down on one knee, presents Schwartz with a rose gold and diamond “TT” lapel pin, and officially asks him to be his partner in the restaurant, which elicits this speech from Schwartz, “Katie’s my wife in life, but in business Tom is my wife and I’m ready to make that commitment and I hope we have beautiful business babies together.”  Those two are so ridiculous, I swear.

    Screenshot-008447

    Screenshot-008448

    The bar site gets its most screen time in the Season 6 finale titled “Welcome to TomTom,” in which the highly anticipated “progress party” takes place.

    Screenshot-008439

    Screenshot-008442

    The space was still very much a work-in-progress at the time.  It is truly amazing how far it has come.

    Screenshot-008445

    Screenshot-008441

    As I mentioned above, while we were stalking TomTom, we had the pleasure of running into Ken.  He could not have been more gracious and kind and not only posed for a photo with us, but opened up the front door so that we could take a peek inside the bar.  Though it was still under construction, its beauty was apparent.  As we were glimpsing the interior, a car pulled up out front and Ken informed us that Lisa was inside, but that she was not in the best of spirits as her brother had passed away just days before.  We had not been aware of that fact prior to Ken telling us, otherwise we most certainly would not have approached him, let alone ask for a picture.  When Lisa walked up, with Pandora in tow, we offered our condolences and she could not have been nicer and even talked with us for a bit before heading inside TomTom.  As we ventured away from the bar, excitedly chatting about our good fortune of getting to see the inside of the space and meeting Ken and Lisa, who should walk by but their son, Max!  Talk about crazy timing.  (And no, we did not approach him, considering the circumstances.)

    TomTom Bar from Vanderpump Rules-8418

    In another only-in-L.A. moment, minutes after this all took place, our group headed over to the Starbucks across the street (natch) and were floored to run into Jared Haibon from The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise!  It was definitely a stellar day for celebrity sightings!

    TomTom Bar from Vanderpump Rules-8465

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

    TomTom Bar from Vanderpump Rules-8408-2

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: TomTom, from Vanderpump Rules, is located at 8932 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.  The bar is not open to the public yet, but per several sources is set to open in about three weeks.

  • Jesse and Becky’s Honeymoon Send-Off Location from “Full House”

    Jesse and Becky Wedding Send-Off Location from Full House-8346

    I have grown used to productions playing fast and loose with location continuity, but was still flummoxed when I came across a thread back in January 2016 on a now defunct website in which a commenter asked if anyone knew which residence was used as the Tanner family home in the Season 4 episode of Full House titled “The Wedding: Part 2.”  At the time, I was completely unaware that a pad other than the one at 1709 Broderick Street in San Francisco (which I blogged about here and here) had ever been utilized as the Tanners’ on the series.  I immediately emailed my friend/guest poster extraordinaire/resident Full House expert Michael (you can read his many IAMNOTSTALKER articles here) to see if he had any intel on the locale and was not at all surprised when he wrote back telling me that he did.  As he informed me, in “The Wedding: Part 2,” Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) and his new wife, Becky (Lori Loughlin), are sent off on their honeymoon from outside of 1320 Carroll Avenue in Echo Park.

    [ad]

    For those who don’t remember the circumstances of “The Wedding: Part 2,” all 8 seasons of Full House are currently available for streaming on Hulu.  I’ll also provide a little refresher here, though.  Thanks to a series of hapless events, Jesse winds up arrested and jailed in “Tomato Country” on his wedding day and has to be bailed out by his bride-to-be moments before the ceremony.  The nuptials finally go off without any additional hitches and by the end of the episode, the couple are sharing their first dance (to “Jailhouse Rock,” no less) in the Tanner family living room.  (And wow, can I just say that is quite the headdress on Becky!)

    Screenshot-008236

    Screenshot-008235

    Not that D.J.’s (Candace Cameron Bure) is much better.  But I digress.

    Screenshot-008237

    After Becky and Jesse cut the cake and toss the requisite bouquet and garter, the scene cuts to a night shot on what is supposedly the Tanners’ San Francisco street, where Danny (Bob Saget), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), D.J., and the rest of the clan wave good-bye to the departing newlyweds as they venture off via motorcycle on their honeymoon.  The residence barely visible in the background of the scene is known as the Heim House in real life.  Other than a similar style of architecture, it does not bear much resemblance to 1709 Broderick – though, truth be told, it is never really specified that the pad is supposed to be the Tanners’ in the episode.  In all fairness, maybe producers intended it to be a neighboring property or perhaps one across the street.  Regardless, being that Full House was lensed in Los Angeles, it makes sense that cast and crew did not travel all the way to San Francisco to shoot the brief honeymoon send-off segment and instead found a suitable replacement location closer to home.

    Screenshot-008220

    Jesse and Becky Wedding Send-Off Location from Full House-8356

    What perplexed both Michael and me is why the production did not make use of the Midwest Residential Street homes on the Warner Bros. Studio backlot where we both thought the show had been lensed.  As Michael emailed me, “The scene is so quick and dark that the WB houses could have been used to similar effect.”  As he came to find out, though, Full House was not shot at Warner Bros. during its entire eight-year run.  Stage 28 at Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City was actually home to the series for its first 6 seasons.  (To confuse matters further, Sony was known as Lorimar-Telepictures when Full House initially began shooting in 1987.  The Sony changeover took place in 1989.)  It was not until the start of Season 7 in 1993 that the production was moved to the WB in Burbank.  Because Sony does not have a backlot to speak of, producers had to head to a real street to shoot “The Wedding: Part 2” in 1991 – and what better place to go to than the 1300 block of Carroll Avenue, which is comprised of the largest concentration of Victorian-style homes in Los Angeles.

    Screenshot-008224

    Jesse and Becky Wedding Send-Off Location from Full House-8343

    The Heim House, originally built in 1887, boasts one of the block’s prettiest façades with a wraparound porch, carved wooden detailing, two towers, and zigzag trim.

    Jesse and Becky Wedding Send-Off Location from Full House-8356

    The Queen Anne-style pad is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #77.

    Jesse and Becky Wedding Send-Off Location from Full House-8345

    The picturesque property also briefly appeared in the Season 3 episode of Charmed titled “Primrose Empath” as one of the houses from which Prue (Shannen Doherty) could hear the voices and feel the pain of its inhabitants.

    Screenshot-008226

    Screenshot-008227

    The two dwellings located east of the Heim House, 1300 Carroll Avenue, which is known as the Phillips House in real life, and 1316 Carroll Avenue, aka the Russell House, are also visible in “The Wedding: Part 2,” though as you can see below, the former is now obscured by foliage and can no longer be seen from the angle from which the episode was shot.

    Screenshot-008222

    Jesse and Becky Wedding Send-Off Location from Full House-8357

    On a Tanner house side-note – when I went to input a map link for 1709 Broderick Street in the opening paragraph of this post, I noticed that a large group of fellow stalkers can be seen posing for photos in front of the Tanner home in the most recent Google Street View imagery of it from June 2017, which absolutely cracked me up.

    Screenshot-008230

    Screenshot-008231

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

    Big THANK YOU to my friend Michael for finding this location!  Smile  You can check out his many IAMNOTASTALKER guest posts here.

    Jesse and Becky Wedding Send-Off Location from Full House-1010138-3

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: In “The Wedding: Part 2” episode of Full House, Jesse and Becky are sent off on their honeymoon from outside of 1320 Carroll Avenue in Echo Park.

  • Bemelmans Bar from the “Sex and the City” Movie

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3017-2

    I must be in a very New York state of mind because here I am yet again blogging about a Big Apple locale – a city landmark, actually – the iconic Bemelmans Bar, which is situated inside of The Carlyle Hotel on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.  I first learned about the popular lounge thanks to its appearance in the 2008 Sex and the City movie and stalked it – as well as blogged about it – later that same year.  I hardly took any photographs of the watering hole on that visit, though, so the place went right back onto my To-Stalk List for my April 2016 NYC trip.  As fate would have it, the Grim Cheaper and I happened to pop in while the bar was closed one morning and the super nice employee we spoke with welcomed us inside to snap some pics.  Since then I’ve managed to dig up a few more of Bemelmans’ onscreen appearances, so I figured the site was most definitely worthy of a re-post.

    [ad#waldo]

    Bemelmans Bar came to be in the 1940s when famed author and illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans, creator of the beloved Madeline children’s book series, was commissioned by The Carlyle Hotel owner Robert Dowling to paint murals on the walls of a new lounge space.  In lieu of payment, Ludwig asked for free onsite lodging for himself and his family while he completed the work.  The installation, which he dubbed “Central Park,” was finished 18 months later and Bemelmans Bar opened its doors in 1947.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3009

    Bemelmans’ playful creation depicts animals such as elephants, rabbits, and dogs frolicking in Central Park during each of the four seasons.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3006

    It is the sole Bemelmans commission currently open to the public.  As Regan Hofmann stated in a 2014 Punch article, “Of the many murals Bemelmans completed over the years—including the Austrian restaurant Hapsburg House in New York City, a Parisian nightclub on the Île St. Louis and the playroom on Aristotle Onassis’s yacht—the bar at The Carlyle is his only work still intact and available for public viewing.”

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3018

    Truth be told, though, the murals are no longer entirely the work of Ludwig’s hand.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3003

    Not surprisingly considering their age, the pieces have required regular touch-ups and repairs over the years.  In fact, The Carlyle Hotel staffs seven full-time painters just to maintain the murals.  Their preservation weapon of choice?  Wonder Bread!  According to Edible Manhattan, during a 2001 restoration, it was found that the best way to remove nicotine stains from the prized paintings was a gentle application of wet slices of the classic white bread.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3012

    The bar’s understated décor was carefully chosen to accentuate Bemelmans’ work.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3011

    The Art Deco space is comprised of a black granite bar, sleek round glass tables, a 24-karat gold leaf ceiling, large leather banquettes, a grand piano on which live music is played nightly, and lamps with shades that mimic the murals.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3004

    The space is cozy, intimate and all-around wonderful.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3005

    Bemelmans Bar has long been the stomping ground of visiting elite and local luminaries alike.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3008

    Just a few of the public figures who have popped in for a libation or two include Harry Truman, Jackie Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Jean Reno, Al Pacino, Steve Martin, Frank Sinatra, Princess Diana, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, George Clooney, Robert Redford, David Bowie, Mariah Carey, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Lady Gaga, Liv Tyler, Drew Barrymore, Lorne Michaels, Kate Spade, Zac Posen, Cyndi Lauper, Nick Cannon, Angelica Huston, and Michael Kors.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3010

    It is not very hard to see how the site became such a bastion of old New York.

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3019

    The lighting is dim and hazy (but in the best way possible), the atmosphere fanciful, and the drinks stiff.  Some cocktails are even accompanied by a supplemental serving à la a classic diner milkshake.  As Richard Carleton Hacker explains in a Robb Report article, “Elegantly presented by red-jacketed waiters, the dry martinis and Manhattans come with an extra-portion ‘sidecar’ carafe kept chilled in ice on the side, so that guests can top up their drinks.”

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3013

    With its many quiet, tucked away spaces, warm ambiance, and array of film appearances, there is no better place in the city to enjoy an evening out!

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3015

    In the Sex and the City movie, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) takes Louise (Jennifer Hudson) to Bemelmans for cocktails and the two discuss their respective broken hearts.  At the end of the scene, Carrie gives Louise this sage advice on age – “Enjoy yourself – that’s what your 20s are for.  Your 30s are to learn the lessons.  Your 40s are to pay for the drinks!”

    Screenshot-008203

    Screenshot-008204

    In the book Sex and the City: The Movie, producer John Melfi says, “For the scene where Carrie and Louise go out for drinks, we shot in Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel.  No one had ever shot there before.”  He is actually incorrect, though.

    Screenshot-008213

    Screenshot-008214

    Back in 2002, six years before Sex and the City was filmed, Bemelmans was featured in Hollywood Ending as the spot where Val (Woody Allen) met up with his ex-wife, Ellie (Téa Leoni), to discuss working together on a new motion picture.

    Screenshot-008201

    Screenshot-008202

    Bemelmans has also popped up in a few productions post-Sex and the City.  Arielle (Bérénice Marlohe) has a rather awkward first meeting with Brian Bloom’s (Anton Yelchin) parents, Arlene (Glenn Close) and Sam Bloom (Frank Langella), at the bar in 2014’s 5 to 7.

    Screenshot-008200

    Screenshot-008198

    Several vignettes from the 2015 Netflix Original Holiday Special A Very Murray Christmas were shot at Bemelmans, including Bill Murray’s duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Jenny Lewis.

    Screenshot-008191

    Screenshot-008192

    In the Season 3 episode of Younger titled “A Kiss Is Just a Kiss,” which aired in 2016, Charles Brooks (Peter Hermann) asks Liza Miller (Sutton Foster) to meet him at Bemelmans, but when she walks in and spots him chatting with her daughter’s friend’s parents, she runs away.

    Screenshot-008197

    Screenshot-008195

    Bemelmans is not to be confused with Café Carlyle, an adjacent lounge boasting similar murals, these by Marcel Vertes.  That site was featured in the 1986 dramady Hannah and Her Sisters as the spot where Mickey (Woody Allen) takes Holly (Dianne Wiest) to see a performance by Bobby Short, who played himself.

    Screenshot-008206

    Screenshot-008207

    The exterior of Bemelmans was featured at the end of that scene when Mickey is shown walking home after leaving Café Carlyle.

    Screenshot-008208

    Gabe (Josh Hutcherson) and Rosemary (Charlotte Ray Rosenburg) attend a concert at Café Carlyle in 2005’s Little Manhattan.

    Screenshot-008209

    Screenshot-008210

    Café Carlyle also popped up a couple of times in A Very Murray Christmas.

    Screenshot-008187

    Screenshot-008188

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

    Bemelmans Bar from Sex and the City-3007

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: Bemelmans Bar, from the Sex and the City movie, is located at 35 East 76th Street, inside The Carlyle Hotel, on New York’s Upper East Side.  You can visit the bar’s official website here.

  • The “Splitting Up Together” House

    The Splitting Up Together House-8893

    Being that four of my favorite shows were recently cancelled, I have been on the lookout for alternative series to watch.  So when a fellow stalker named Catherine contacted me last week to ask if I had any intel on the location of the house from ABC’s new comedy Splitting Up Together, I welcomed the opportunity to sit through a few episodes.  Not only did I end up really enjoying it – the sitcom is funny, warm, witty, and engaging – but I also managed to quickly track down the pad where the main characters – Lena (Jenna Fischer) and Martin (Oliver Hudson) and their children, Mae (Olivia Keville), Mason (Van Crosby) and Milo (Sander Thomas) – live.  As both Catherine and I had surmised, the residence is in the San Gabriel Valley.  I happened to be in the area just a few days after pinpointing it, so I, of course, ran right out to stalk the place.

    [ad]

    Based upon the Danish show Bedre skilt end aldrig (which translates to “better divorced than never”), Splitting Up Together centers around a divorcing couple – Lena and Martin – who, because they are upside-down on the mortgage of their large Craftsman-style dwelling, choose to remain living together, switching off parenting and household responsibilities week-to-week with the on-duty parent living in the main residence and the off-duty one shacking up in the detached garage.  And yes, without giving too much away, the storyline does heavily lean toward an eventual reconciliation between the two.

    Screenshot-008091

    The Splitting Up Together House-8886

    While watching the series’ pilot, I noticed that an address number of “1947” was visible on a beam above the front porch of Lena and Martin’s picturesque home.  Working on both my and Catherine’s hunch that the residence was located either in Altadena, Pasadena or South Pasadena, I began running Google searches for “1947” and “street” along with each of the three cities’ names.  I hit pay dirt during the South Pasadena leg of the hunt thanks to a realtor.com listing for a house at 1947 Oak Street, which was the first result kicked back.  A quick look at that address via Street View showed me it was the right spot.

    Screenshot-008097

    The Splitting Up Together House-8887

    Per Zillow, the 1916 pad boasts 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3,455 square feet of living space, hardwood flooring throughout, a 0.47-acre lot, a pool, a hot tub, a wet bar, a detached 2-car garage, and a 600-square-foot pool house with a full kitchen and a 3/4 bath.

    The Splitting Up Together House-8879

    The Splitting Up Together House-8888

    The 2-story dwelling, which was remodeled in 2014, is utilized regularly in establishing shots on Splitting Up Together.

    Screenshot-008094

    The Splitting Up Together House-8884

    The pad also pops up in the series’ opening credits.

    Screenshot-008087

    Not much on location filming takes place on the premises, though.  While the property’s actual interior was utilized in the pilot, once the show got picked up, a replica of that interior was built on a soundstage at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank for all subsequent episodes.

    SplittingUpTogetherHouseVsSet2

    You can see screen captures of the home’s real life interior from the pilot episode versus the set re-creation in the collages above and below.

    SplittingUpTogetherHouseVsSet

    The South Pasadena pad’s actual backyard also made an appearance in the Splitting Up Together pilot.

    Screenshot-008095

    Screenshot-008096

    As was the case with the residence’s interior, once the show was picked up, a set based upon the backyard was built on a soundstage.

    Screenshot-008124

    Screenshot-008116

    Same goes for the garage – though I believe that the South Pasadena home’s pool house was actually utilized for exterior shots of Lena and Martin’s garage in the pilot (pictured below).

    Screenshot-008099

    Screenshot-008093

    Whatever the case may be, once Splitting Up Together got picked up, a set re-creation of either the pool house or garage was constructed on a soundstage for all subsequent filming.  That re-creation is pictured below.

    Screenshot-008123

    Screenshot-008114

    A scene from the show’s Season One finale, titled “Heat Wave,” in which Lena and Martin send their kids off to summer camp, was also shot on location in front of the house.

    Screenshot-008121

    Screenshot-008119

    I believe that the home’s real life backyard was likely utilized in the “Pina Colada Party” scene from that same episode, as well.

    Screenshot-008130

    Screenshot-0081328

    Because the property is so picturesque, I figured it had to have been featured in other productions at some point – and I was right.

    The Splitting Up Together House-8880

    The Splitting Up Together House-8892

    Thanks to the Movie Locations and More website, I learned that Donna Keppel (Brittany Snow) lived in the very same house at the beginning of the 2008 horror flick Prom Night.  The exterior of the residence was only shown briefly, though, and at the time was painted a different color.

    Screenshot-008108

    The Splitting Up Together House-8882

    A Street View image from September 2011, showing the house with that darker hue, is pictured below.  It is amazing how much the lighter color changes the appearance of the place.

    Screenshot-008125

    The residence’s interior made a brief appearance in Prom Night, as well.

    Screenshot-008109

    Screenshot-008110

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

    Big THANK YOU to fellow stalker Catherine for asking me to find this location.  Smile

    The Splitting Up Together House-8881

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: Lena and Martin’s house from Splitting Up Together is located at 1947 Oak Street in South Pasadena.

  • Don Antonio’s from “The Hills” and “Life in Pieces”

    Don Antonio's from Life in Pieces-8495

    I am a creature of habit, so it should come as no surprise that Don Antonio’s – the subject of my very first blog post back in 2007 – has remained my favorite Mexican restaurant ever since I first set foot inside it over a decade ago.  I initially learned about the Sawtelle-area eatery thanks to its many appearances on MTV’s The Hills and it did not take long for the place to become a staple in my and the Grim Cheaper’s dinner repertoire.  We ate there so often, in fact, that I used to lament that I was developing a bit of a belly, which I dubbed “Little Baby Don Antonio.”  Though we no longer live in Los Angeles, we still make it a point to hit up D.A.’s whenever we are in town.  So I was floored when my friend Lavonna recently informed me that the place had appeared in an early episode of Life in Pieces, a show she had just started watching.  I happened to be in L.A. a few days later and figured a pit stop at Don Antonio’s was in order so that I could do a proper re-post on the restaurant.

    [ad]

    Don Antonio’s has been a Westside institution ever since it was established by Antonio and Amalia Hernandez way back in 1982.

    Don Antonio's from Life in Pieces-8481

    Very little of the place has been changed over the years.

    Don Antonio's from Life in Pieces-8494

    The low-lit interior is comprised of three main dining rooms, the most popular of which is known as the Cave Room, for obvious reasons.

    Don Antonio's from Life in Pieces-8484

    Marked by faux mud-caked walls and man-made stalactites, the cavernous space is where Spencer Pratt (aka the current Snapchatter of the Year – if you aren’t following him on Snap, you really need to!) and Heidi Montag typically sat while dining on The Hills.

    Don Antonio's from Life in Pieces-8485

    Don Antonio’s made its inaugural Hills appearance in the Season 2 premiere titled “Out with the Old . . . “  In the episode, Spencer takes Heidi to the eatery for their first real date.  Upon pulling up to the valet stand, Heidi says, “How’d you ever find this place?  It’s like in the middle of nowhere!”  To which Spencer replies, “This is my spot!  I’ve been eating here since I was like 14.”  In a 2017 InStyle magazine article (which opens with the line, “Spencer Pratt enters Don Antonio’s like he’s Donald Trump at the 21 Club.”), Spencer gives a bit of a different story.  Explaining how he discovered D.A.’s, he says, “When I was 16, there used to be a muffler place down the street where I used to drop off my car.  My older sister, Kristen, brought me here initially.  After that, I was hooked.  I brought all my homies and we made it the spot.  I used to take meetings in the back.  Then, for our first TV date on The Hills, [the producers] were like, “Where do you wanna take [Heidi]?” and I was like, “Obviously Don Antonio’s.”

    Screenshot-008078

    Screenshot-008076

    The restaurant went on to appear in numerous episodes of The Hills, including Season 2’s “Everybody Falls” in which Spencer and Heidi discuss moving in together over a steaming plate of fajitas . . .

    Screenshot-008080

    Screenshot-008081

    . . . and Season 3’s “What Happens in Vegas . . . “ in which the duo’s anniversary celebration is interrupted when Heidi gets called in to work.

    Screenshot-008082

    Screenshot-008083

    A myriad of the couple’s press interviews have also taken place at Don Antonio’s, including the InStyle one I linked to above, as well as one for the cover story of Rolling Stone’s May 11th, 2008 issue, which you can read here.

    Image result for rolling stone may 2008

    As Lavonna informed me, Don Antonio’s was featured in the Season 1 episode of Life in Pieces titled “Interruptus Date Breast Movin’.”

    Screenshot-008069

    Screenshot-008070

    In the episode, Matt (Thomas Sadoski) follows Spencer’s lead by taking his boss, Colleen (Angelique Cabral), to Don Antonio’s for their first date.

    Screenshot-008071

    Screenshot-008072

    The duo choose not to go the Spencer and Heidi route of eating in the Cave Room, though, and instead dine in Don Antonio’s main room, which boasts a colorful fish tank.

    Don Antonio's from Life in Pieces-8491

    No matter which room you opt to dine in, a meal at Don Antonio’s simply can’t be beat!  As Spencer told Heidi during their initial visit, the restaurant serves “the best Mexican food you’ve ever had in your entire life!”

    Don Antonio's from Life in Pieces-8479

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

    Big THANK YOU to Lavonna for telling me about Don Antonio’s Life in Pieces appearance. Smile

    P.S. Interested in more Life in Pieces locations?  Be sure to check out my friend Michael’s fabulous guest post on the three main houses used on the series here.

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: Don Antonio’s, from The Hills and Life in Pieces, is located at 11755 West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles’ Sawtelle neighborhood.  You can visit the eatery’s official website here.

  • Afeni Shakur’s House from “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac & the Notorious B.I.G.”

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8643

    I am unnaturally obsessed with pretty much all things southern – southern accents (what I wouldn’t give for a slow, lilting twang!), homemade fried chicken, and large plantation-style houses, among many others.  So I, of course, immediately fixated on the huge columned estate where Afeni Shakur (Sola Bamis) lived on Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac & the Notorious B.I.G. as soon as I saw it pop up on my screen.  The sweeping porch, the cascade of canopied trees, the wooden swing – there was no part of the picturesque property that I was not completely smitten with.  When my dad called me up after noticing the house on the show himself a couple of days later and asked if I had any intel on its location, I knew I had to track it down STAT!  Considering the home’s large lot, abundant foliage, and colonial style, my first inkling was that it was in Pasadena, though I couldn’t imagine such a stunning manse existing in my former town and not having any knowledge of it.  That thought almost made me dismiss looking in Crown City altogether, but thankfully I forged ahead.  I knew that if the residence was anywhere in the area, it would likely be in northeast Pasadena, so I set my sights there and, after quite a bit of searching, finally came across it at 3426 Barhite Street.

    [ad]

    The two-story estate was originally constructed in 1888 as part of a small development of homes known as the Vosburg Tract.

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8649

    One of the first structures to be built on the now bustling Sierra Madre Villa Avenue, at the time of its inception the residence was situated on a huge parcel of land that spanned almost an entire block.

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8642

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8650

    Portions of the original tract have since been sold off and the property no longer abuts Sierra Madre Villa Ave., but the parcel (roughly outlined in pink below) is still pretty darn substantial.

    Screenshot-008065

    The home itself is absolutely massive, as well – 4,772 square feet according to Zillow – and stretches along a huge portion of Barhite Street.

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8657

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8647

    The colossal dwelling boasts 6 bedrooms, 5 baths, hardwood flooring throughout, a fireplace, a covered wraparound porch, a wraparound balcony on the second floor, and vaulted ceilings.

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8653

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8652

    The 0.97-acre grounds, which feature a tennis court, a sports court, a large pool, gardens galore, and a sprawling lawn, are nothing short of stunning, as you can see below.

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8651

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8654

    The whole place just screams “antebellum south.”

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8656

    You can check out some additional photos of the home here.

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8640

    The estate only appeared in one episode of Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac & the Notorious B.I.G. – episode eight, titled “Tupac Amaru Shakur.”

    Screenshot-008059

    Screenshot-008060

    It first popped up in the opening scene in which Afeni learns that her son, Tupac (Marcc Rose), has just been shot in Las Vegas.

    Screenshot-008061

    Screenshot-008062

    It is then featured in a flashback scene in which Tupac surprises his mom by gifting her the house.  Though it is never said where the residence is supposed to be located on the show, per a 1997 People magazine article, in real life the rapper purchased a 6-bedroom property situated on a 2.2-acre lot in Stone Mountain, Georgia for his mother in 1995.  Of course, once I read those words, I set out to track that pad down and am 99.9% certain it can be found at 883 Rays Road.

    Screenshot-008063

    Screenshot-008064

    Though that home is not visible from the street, you can check out an aerial view of it below.

    Screenshot-008067

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

    Afeni Shakur's House from Unsolved-8641

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: Afeni Shakur’s house from Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac & the Notorious B.I.G. is located at 3426 Barhite Street in Pasadena.

  • Lux Nightclub from “Lucifer”

    Lux Nightclub from Lucifer-8393

    The recent network television cancellations left me reeling.  Four – yes, four – of my favorite shows – Lucifer, Scorpion, Timeless and Brooklyn Nine-Nine – were given the ax.  Though the latter was promptly rescued, I am still waiting for the #savescorpion, #savelucifer and #savetimeless cries to be heard.  If not, the Grim Cheaper and I will have practically nothing to watch next season!  Thank God Vanderpump Rules is still on the air, otherwise I’d be completely confounded!  To cheer myself up, I recently did some stalking of the three spots that mask as Lux nightclub on Lucifer and, in the hopes of possibly persuading some of my readers to become viewers (hint, hint), thought it was the perfect time to blog about them.

    [ad]

    Though I gave a brief synopsis of Lucifer in my January post about the SmokeHouse restaurant, I figured it best to recap it once again here.  The Fox series (or should I say “former Fox series”?) centers around Lucifer Morningstar (played to delightfully wicked perfection by Tom Ellis), aka the devil (yes, the actual devil) who has decided to leave Hell in order to lead a hedonistic existence in – where else? – Los Angeles.  Through a random turn of events, he winds up joining the LAPD as a consultant and, using his unique gifts and otherworldly talents, helps detectives catch the city’s bad guys – all while running his successful night club, Lux, which he lives above in a decadent penthouse.  Lux first appeared in Lucifer’s pilot and went on to become the show’s most prominent locale.  In the inaugural episode, as well as several subsequent episodes, the El Capitan Theatre and Office Building in Hollywood masqueraded as the exterior of the opulent lounge.

    Screenshot-008013

    Lux Nightclub from Lucifer-8390

    The six-story Spanish Baroque-style structure was designed by the Morgan, Walls & Clements architecture firm in 1926 and in real life is comprised of the El Capitan Theatre and Disney Studio Store/Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop on the bottom floor and office space on the upper floors.

    Lux Nightclub from Lucifer-8392

    Only a small portion of the building was ever shown on Lucifer, with a doorway situated down an adjacent alley on the eastern side of the property masking as Lux’s main entrance.  (I did not get a great shot of that door while I was stalking the place, so please pardon the Street View image below.)

    Screenshot-008010

    Screenshot-008029

    To help give the site a club-like appearance in establishing shots, signage reading “Lux,” a succession of velvet ropes, and a long line of patrons were positioned outside.

    Screenshot-008014

    Lux Nightclub from Lucifer-8385

    Starting with the series’ third episode, titled “The Would-Be Prince of Darkness,” West Hollywood’s Sunset Tower Hotel was used in wide-angle establishing shots of both Lux and Lucifer’s penthouse.  From that point on, imagery of the Sunset Tower was intermingled with imagery of the El Capitan on the show, though the former was utilized far more often than the latter.

    Screenshot-008040

    Screenshot-008047

    I have written about the Leland A. Bryant-designed Sunset Tower numerous times. The Art Deco masterpiece even made My L.A. Must-Stalk List and My Guide to L.A. Hotels.  The 1931 lodging is one of the prettiest spots in all of Southern California.  Considering its striking architecture, it is no surprise that producers chose to feature it as the home of Hell’s most famous former denizen on the series.

    Lux Nightclub from Lucifer-4580

    The exterior of the Sunset Tower was altered quite a bit with CGI for the show.  As you can see in the establishing shot as compared to the aerial view below, a floor was added to structure just below the penthouse level.  The penthouse was also covered over with a wide roofline and another floor and large spire were added to the top of the building.

    Screenshot-0080132

    Screenshot-008046

    While the Sunset Tower does boast a penthouse suite (you can take a peek at it here), it was not utilized on Lucifer.  The devil’s sleek penthouse is actually just a soundstage-built set.

    Screenshot-008036

    Screenshot-008038

    Though I recognized both the El Capitan Theatre and the Sunset Tower Hotel upon seeing them on Lucifer, the interior of Lux was not familiar to me at all and because the space was so grand, so opulent and so massive, I assumed it was the stuff of a set designer’s imagination and not a real place.  So I was shocked when I came across a forum on the Previously TV website in which a commenter named vampdetective mentioned that an actual Hollywood nightclub named The Emerson Theatre portrayed Lux in Lucifer’s pilot (images from that episode are pictured below) and that a set based upon it was constructed for all subsequent filming.

    Screenshot-008015

    Screenshot-008018

    The set re-creation, which was built on a 2/3 scale by production designer Stephen Geaghan, is pictured below.

    Screenshot-008045

    Screenshot-008026

    Though Hollywood clubbing is not at all my thing, I think I would have enjoyed spending time at The Emerson Theatre.  Sadly, the site, which opened in January 2103, was shuttered in April 2015 and remains closed today, so I only got to stalk the outside of it.

    Lux Nightclub from Lucifer-8394

    The brainchild of interior designer Mark Zeff and SBE hospitality company, The Emerson Theatre was built to resemble a 1920s burlesque club and featured a sunken dance floor, large banquette style booths, a grand double staircase, strung Edison lights, two bars, a photo booth, and a patio area.  More than just a nightclub, The Emerson Theatre also hosted live performances, hence the name.  During its scant two years in operation, such stars as Paris Hilton, Vin Diesel, Trey Songz, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, Wiz Khalifa, Khloe Kardashian, Lamar Odom, Ashley Tisdale, James Franco, Chris Brown, and Dallas Austin were all spotted hanging out there.

    Lux Nightclub from Lucifer-8398

    You can check out some photos of The Emerson Theatre from the time it was still open here and here.  Man, what I wouldn’t give to see the inside of that place!

    Lux Nightclub from Lucifer-8404

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

    Los-Angeles-Hotel-Recommendations-5-of-5

    Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

    Stalk It: Lux Nightclub from Lucifer is a mashup of three different Los Angeles locales.  The Sunset Tower Hotel, which is located at 8358 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, is used as the exterior of the club.  The entrance to Lux is the east side of the El Capitan Theatre and Office Building located at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood.  And the interior is based upon the now-closed The Emerson Theatre, formerly located just down the street at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard.