The Marina del Rey Marriott from “90210”

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (2 of 18)

One location that has been on my To-Stalk List for ages now is the Marina del Rey Marriott, which appeared in the Season 1 episode of fave show 90210 titled “That Which We Destroy” – in two different scenes featuring my girl Shannen Doherty, no less!  And while I had planned on stalking the locale last July when Mike, from MovieShotsLA, and I were in the area for a full-day stalking adventure, as so often happens when the two of us get together, we had far too many locations and far too little time.  Thankfully though, my and the Grim Cheaper’s new L.A. home-base is in Santa Monica, just a few miles north of the hotel, so, while we were in town last weekend, I made it a point to finally visit the place.

[ad]

The Marina del Rey Marriott, which is within walking distance of both Venice Beach and Mother Beach, features an outdoor pool, a fitness center, views of Marina del Rey’s gorgeous waterways (and, ironically enough, the parking lot where Jack McKay was killed on Beverly Hills, 90210, which I blogged about here), 24 different meeting rooms comprising a total of 18,000 square feet of space, and a ginormous rooftop ballroom named the Bayview Ballroom, which boasts 360-views of Los Angeles, a huge outdoor patio area and a helipad!

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (3 of 18)

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (5 of 18)

The Marina del Rey Marriott has won several accolades over the years, including being named an LA’s the Place Top Pick in 2010Playboy Magazine also recognized the hotel’s outdoor bar, Glow Ultra Lounge, as one of the top ten lounges in Los Angeles.

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (13 of 18)

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (14 of 18)

With its dark red pillars, shining marble floors and glowing accent candles, the Marina del Rey Marriott gives off a very hip and trendy vibe and it is not at all hard to see how it ended up onscreen on 90210.

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (15 of 18)

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (16 of 18)

The Marriot actually popped up three times in the “That Which We Destroy” episode of 90210.  First, one of the hotel’s hallways masqueraded as the hallway of the theatre where Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty) starred in a local performance of Hamlet.

ScreenShot7131

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (7 of 18)

It is thanks to the carpet in that hallway that I was able to figure out this particular location.  For a while I was stumped as to where filming of the theatre scene had taken place, but after watching the episode for the umpteenth time, I noticed that the carpeting looked very much like hotel carpeting  – Marriott carpeting in particular.  (My dad has been a Marriott Rewards Member for years, so I am extremely familiar with the chain’s carpeting, which seems to be the same at every single property.)  So I started looking through photographs of the various Marriotts in the L.A. area, starting with the ones nearest to Manhattan Beach Studios where the series is lensed and working my way outward, and it was not long before I came across the right one.

ScreenShot7132

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (9 of 18)

Once I figured out the “theatre” location, I realized that two other scenes from the “That Which We Destroy” episode had also been shot at the Marriott.  The hotel’s Stones restaurant was used as the spot where Debbie Wilson (Lori Loughlin), Harry Wilson (Rob Estes), Tracy Clark (Christina Moore), and Sean Cavanaugh (Josh Henderson) went for a getting-to-know-each-other dinner.

ScreenShot7136

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (11 of 18)

Again, the carpet was a dead giveaway that the dinner scene had taken place at a hotel.

ScreenShot7137

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (10 of 18)

And finally the lobby bar was where, in my favorite scene from the episode, Brenda told Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) that she could no longer be friends with her because “I don’t want to fight over Dylan or Ryan or whoever.  You know, I’m over all of that drama.”   You tell her, Brenda!  Tables were brought in for the filming of the scene in order to make the lobby bar look like a sit-down restaurant.  In reality, there are couches situated in that area, as you can see below.  Ironically enough, it looks like 90210 was filming at the Marina del Rey Marriot once again this very week.

ScreenShot7138

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (12 of 18)

90210 was hardly the first production to film at the hotel.  In 1989’s Lethal Weapon 2, the exterior of the Marina del Rey Marriott was used as the establishing shot of the hotel where Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) first met Leo Getz (Joe Pesci).

ScreenShot7118

The Marriot was only used for the brief establishing shot, though.  All actual filming took place about ten miles away at the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City hotel, which was at the time a JW Marriott, the same JW Marriott that was featured in the 1990 thriller Pacific Heights.

ScreenShot7121

ScreenShot7122

In 2006’s Drake and Josh Go Hollywood, the Marina del Rey Marriott stood in for The Chambrulay, where Drake Parker (Drake Bell), Josh Nichols (Josh Peck) and Audrey Parker-Nichols (Nancy Sullivan) stayed while (accidentally) visiting L.A.

ScreenShot7147

ScreenShot7149

The Marina del Rey Marriott also stood in for the Grand Saville Hotel where almost all of the Season 1 episode of Chuck titled “Chuck Versus the Undercover Lover” took place.

ScreenShot7145

ScreenShot7146

Glow Ultra Lounge also appeared briefly in one of Chuck’s mind flashes in the episode.

ScreenShot7141

Only the interior of the Marriott was used in “Chuck Versus the Undercover Lover.”  The establishing shot was of the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, which is currently in the process of being torn down in order to make way for what will be the tallest building west of the Mississippi.

ScreenShot7142

In the Season 3 episode of fave show Dexter titled “I Had a Dream”, the Marriott stood in for Hotel Belvedere, the supposed Miami, Florida motel where Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) stalked his former partner-in-crime, Asst. District Atty. Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits).  Both the exterior . . .

ScreenShot7151

ScreenShot7152

. . . and the interior of the property were used in the episode.

ScreenShot7153

ScreenShot7154

One of the Marriott’s actual rooms was also utilized in the filming.

ScreenShot7156

ScreenShot7158

As you can see below, though, some CGI trickery was used to cut off the top floors of the hotel in the episode, making it virtually unrecognizable.  In fact, had it not been for fellow stalker Gary, from the Seeing Stars website, I never would have realized Hotel Belvedere was the Marina del Rey Marriott.

ScreenShot7150

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (2 of 18)

The Season 9 episode of American Idol titled “Los Angeles, CA Auditions” was also filmed at the Marina del Rey Marriot.  The actual auditions took place in the hotel’s Bayview Ballroom.

ScreenShot7126

ScreenShot7128

Some scenes from the episode were also lensed in front of the hotel;

ScreenShot7124

ScreenShot7127

and in the lobby.  And while the judges apparently arrived via helicopter and landed on the Marriott’s roof in the episode, I could not footage of that anywhere online.

ScreenShot7123

ScreenShot7125

In the 2010 movie Valentine’s Day, football player Sean Jackson (Eric Dane) made a speech on the rooftop of the Marina del Rey Marriott.  Check out those views!!

ScreenShot7117

ScreenShot7115

You can find me on Facebook here and on Twitter at @IAMNOTASTALKER.  And be sure to check out my other blog, The Well-Heeled Diabetic.

Marina del Rey Marriott 90210 (4 of 18)

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: The Marina del Rey Marriot, from the “That Which We Destroy” episode of 90210, is located at 4100 Admiralty Way in Marina del Rey.  You can visit the hotel’s official website here.

The Figueroa Hotel from “90210”

P1060608

A couple of years ago, while perusing through an issue of AAA’s Westways Magazine, I spotted an article about Southern California’s nicest most reasonably –priced hotels and, because I was dating the Grim Cheaper at the time, I figured I’d best read through it.  Of the ten properties featured in the column, the Moroccan-themed Figueroa Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles immediately caught my eye and I dragged the GC right on over there to grab a cocktail just a few nights later.  The two of us pretty much fell in love with the place’s unique architecture and exotic décor on sight and have returned there a couple of times over the years to grab a drink or just hang out.  So imagine my surprise when the Fig, as it is commonly referred to, popped up on fave show 90210 as the Cabo San Lucas resort where Liam Court (aka cutie Matt Lanter – sigh!), Annie Wilson (aka Shenae Grimes), and the rest of the West Beverly gang spent their Spring Break in the recently-aired Season 3 episode titled “The Enchanted Donkey”.  Because I had not taken many pictures of the hotel during our past visits, I immediately added the place to my Re-Stalk list and dragged the GC right on back over there this past weekend.

P1060667 P1060684

P1060614 P1060616

P1060621 P1060625

The Figueroa Hotel, which was designed by Stanton, Reed, & Hibbard at a cost of $1.25 million, was originally built in 1925 by the YWCA as a hotel/residence for businesswomen and their families.  Shortly following the Great Depression, the 12-story, 409-room structure was turned into a public hotel and it later served a brief stint as housing for troops during World War II.  The property fell into disrepair in the years following, until the late 1990s when it was purchased by Uno Thimansson, who immediately set about renovating the place, giving it a Moroccan theme.  And, let me tell you, he did an incredible job.  Walking through the hotel’s front doors, one is quickly transported from the busy streets of Downtown L.A. into a Casablanca-esque oasis.  Every time I am there, I half expect to see Sam tickling the ivories while Bogie puffs away on a cigarette somewhere nearby.  True to Westways Magazine’s word, despite the hotel’s fabulous ambiance and location directly across the street from Staples Center and L.A. Live, it still boasts extremely reasonable room rates.  And while the reviews on Trip Advisor and Yelp are quite mixed, in this stalker’s never-to-be-humble opinion, the Figueroa looks like an extremely cool place to vacation.  Not to mention that the poolside bar is something of a celebrity hotspot, with everyone from Keanu Reeves to members of Depeche Mode dropping by for a cocktail throughout the years.

[ad]

ScreenShot203 P1060620

The Figueroa Hotel was used quite extensively in “The Enchanted Donkey” episode of 90210 in which it masqueraded as the “Hotel Burro Encantado” (aka the Enchanted Donkey Resort) in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  Areas of the hotel which appeared in the episode include the main entrance;

ScreenShot212 P1060627

the poolside bar, where Teddy Montgomery (aka Trevor Donovan) met up for drinks with former schoolmate Tripp Wallison (aka Alan Ritchson);

ScreenShot211 ScreenShot214

P1060636 P1060628

and the pool area . . .

ScreenShot210 P1060631

. . . behind which producers had an image of the Cabo San Lucas skyline superimposed.  In reality, the Figueroa Hotel pool boasts views of several massive Downtown L.A. skyscrapers.  I was literally cracking up taking the above photograph while envisioning  the way the pool appeared on 90210Winking smile

ScreenShot204 ScreenShot205

P1060647 P1060648

And while I had assumed that one of the hotel’s real life hallways had been used in the episode, the GC and I ventured upstairs to take a look at one and, as you can see above, it does not at all match up to what appeared onscreen.  It seems that producers built a fake hallway set for the filming.

ScreenShot207 ScreenShot209

I had also assumed that some of the Figueroa’s actual rooms had been used in the episode, as well, but as you can see on the hotel’s website, that does not seem to be the case.

ScreenShot216 ScreenShot217

P1060619 P1060650

The super-nice front desk clerk also informed us that the Figueroa’s lobby restaurant, the Fig Street Café, stood in for a supposed Cuba-area eatery in the Season 7 episode of fave show CSI: Miami titled “The Deluca Motel”.

ScreenShot229 ScreenShot230

ScreenShot232 ScreenShot233

The hotel was also featured in the Season 4 episode of Chuck titled “Church Versus the Seduction Impossible” as the Marrakesh, Morocco-area hotel where Chuck Bartowski (aka Zachary Levi), Colonel John Casey (aka Adam Baldwin), and Sarah Walker (aka Yvonne Strahovski) were sent to rescue Roan Montgomery (aka John Larroquette).

ScreenShot237 ScreenShot238

ScreenShot239 ScreenShot241

In the Season 2 episode of Make It or Break It titled “Worlds Apart”, the Fig stood in for the Rio de Janeiro-area hotel where Kaylie Cruz (aka Josie Loren) and the rest of her teammates stayed during the World Gymnastics Championships.

ScreenShot222 ScreenShot224

ScreenShot225 ScreenShot228

In the Season 2 episode of NCIS: Los Angeles titled “Harm’s Way”, the Figueroa stood in for the Blue Oasis Hotel in Sana’a, Yemen, where Sam Hanna (aka LL Cool J) and G. Callen (aka Chris O’Donnell) stayed while trying to capture the leader of a terrorist group.

ScreenShot227 P1060653

One of the hotel’s real life rooms – one that the GC, randomly enough, just so happened to snap a photograph of – also appeared in the episode.

ScreenShot220 ScreenShot221

I find it highly ironic that NCIS: Los Angeles filmed at the Figueroa as I have always thought that the hotel’s lobby bears a striking resemblance to the NCIS headquarters on the series.

P1060682

Some filming of the yet-to-be-released James Cameron flick Battleship, which stars Liam Neeson, Alexander Skarsgard, and Brooklyn Decker, also took place at the Figueroa Hotel this past February.

P1060724 P1060723

And on a Matt Lanter side-note – a couple of weeks ago the cutie actor tweeted that he was going to be featured on the cover of the June 2011 issue of Metro Magazine.  Well, I took one look at that tweet and ran right over to Vroman’s Bookstore to purchase a copy.  Sadly though, Allen, the man who runs the Vroman’s newsstand (and yes, I know his name because I shop there FAR too often) told me that not only did the store not carry Metro Magazine, but it was apparently not even available from their distributors.  So I marched on home and started searching for the publication online, but came up completely empty-handed.  I could not find it anywhere and I am a pretty good Googler!  Over the past few weeks I have also visited several newsstands and bookstores in search of the mag, but no one, it seemed, had ever even heard of it.  Flash forward to last night when the GC came home from work with the above pictured laminated photograph in his hands.  My birthday is today and he has been gifting me with little presents every night this week.  Last night’s present, as it so happens, was a copy of Matt Lanter’s issue of Metro Magazine.  As it turns out, Metro is published in the Philippines and not only was the GC able to figure that out, but he somehow managed to track down a man in the Philippines via eBay whom he had go purchase a copy for him!  It is currently being shipped to me and I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on it!  When the man heard why the GC had gone to such trouble to purchase the magazine, he said that he had inspired him to be a better husband.  How cute is that????  Best.present.ever!  Thank you, GC!

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: The Figueroa Hotel, from “The Enchanted Donkey” episode of 90210, is located at 939 South Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles.  You can visit the Figueroa’s official website here.

The Hyatt Huntington Beach from “90210”

IMG_4675

One location that I have been absolutely DYING to stalk for over a year and a half now is the Hyatt Huntington Beach Hotel, the spot which stands in for the Beverly Hills Beach Club, the regular hangout of Liam Court (aka cutie Matt Lanter – sigh!), Annie Wilson (aka Shenae Grimes), Naomi Clark (aka AnnaLynne McCord) and the rest of the West Bev gang, each week on fave show 90210.  So when the Grim Cheaper and I were discussing where to spend his upcoming birthday weekend a couple of weeks back, I casually mentioned the Hyatt as a possible destination and, amazingly enough, despite the hotel’s hefty nightly room cost, he readily agreed!  Yay!  So the two of us, along with my parents, headed down there bright and early this past Saturday morning.  And, let me tell you, I could NOT have been more excited!  I was literally bouncing out of my seat the entire drive from Pasadena down to the South Bay.

Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(23-of-42) Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(26-of-42)

Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(21-of-42) Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(25-of-42)

Thankfully the hotel did not disappoint!  The Hyatt Huntington Beach is absolutely HUGE – I honestly don’t think I have ever in my life seen a hotel even remotely that big! – and features a retail plaza complete with a grocery store and coffee bar, spa grottos with 3 tucked away spa pools, 6 different on-site restaurants, a water playground for kids, over 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space;

IMG_4651 IMG_4642

IMG_4652 IMG_4640

517 guest rooms (ours is pictured above);

Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(9-of-42) Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(12-of-42)

Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(13-of-42) Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(18-of-42)

a large lagoon-style swimming pool;

IMG_4653

lush grounds with meandering koi ponds;

Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(27-of-42) Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(29-of-42)

several sparkling fountains;

P1050353

and a 20,000 square foot spa.

Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(6-of-42) Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(7-of-42)

For all of its grandiosity, though, there were a lot of small touches, as well, that gave the hotel an intimate feel; my personal favorite being the mini-outdoor living room that was tucked away in an alcove near our room.

IMG_4692

And on Sunday morning when it rained, the hotel put out umbrellas for guests to use.  Love it!

ScreenCap1048 ScreenCap1103 

 IMG_4681 IMG_4682 

The area of the hotel that I was most excited about seeing was the front entrance, which is used in establishing shots of the Beach Club each week.

ScreenCap1085 IMG_4696

Pictured above is what the entry-way columns look like when not sporting the “Beverly Hills Beach Club” signs that are shown on the series. 

[ad]

ScreenCap1084 ScreenCap1097

ScreenCap1098 ScreenCap1099

Besides appearing weekly in establishing shots, filming has also taken place on location at the hotel on two different occasions.  The Hyatt was first used in the Season 2 episode of 90210  titled “New Beginnings”.  In that episode, filming took place at the front entrance of the hotel;

ScreenCap1088 ScreenCap1090

ScreenCap1140 ScreenCap1141

in the main fountain area;

 ScreenCap1092 ScreenCap1094

ScreenCap1096ScreenCap1100

and by the pool.

ScreenCap1057 ScreenCap1058

ScreenCap1059 ScreenCap1060

And in the Season 3 episode titled ”Mother Dearest” filming took place once again at the hotel’s front entrance; 

ScreenCap1069 ScreenCap1070

ScreenCap1071 ScreenCap1073

by the pool;

ScreenCap1062 ScreenCap1063

ScreenCap1066 ScreenCap1067

outside of the spa;

ScreenCap1074 ScreenCap1075

ScreenCap1076 ScreenCap1078

in one of the exterior courtyards;

ScreenCap1082 ScreenCap1080

ScreenCap1081 ScreenCap1083

on the bridge that connects the hotel to the beach;

ScreenCap1049 ScreenCap1053

ScreenCap1054 ScreenCap1055

and in the beach parking lot located directly across the street from the hotel.

ScreenCap1104 ScreenCap1105

ScreenCap1106 ScreenCap1107

None of the interior filming of the Beverly Hills Beach Club takes place at the hotel, though.  Sadly, the interior of the Club is just a set that exists only on a soundstage at Manhattan Beach Studios where the series is lensed.

ScreenCap1086 ScreenCap1101

IMG_4671 IMG_4672

But I was very excited to see some similarities between the interior of the Hyatt hotel and the Beach Club set.  As you can see in the above screen captures and photographs, the Hyatt has a set of three surfboards hanging on the wall behind the concierge desk, much like is the case with the check-in desk at the Beach Club!  I cannot tell you how excited I was to spot those surfboards!

ScreenCap1139 ScreenCap1102

Beverly-Hill-Beach-Club-90210-(19-of-42) IMG_4668

There is also an outdoor fire pit located in the patio area of Mankota’s Grill, the hotel’s poolside restaurant, that looks very similar to the Beach Club’s outdoor fire pit.

ScreenCap1113 ScreenCap1120

ScreenCap1116 ScreenCap1122

A SUPER nice concierge that we spoke with while checking out also let us know that in the Season 3 episode of Chuck titled “Chuck Versus the Beard” the Hyatt stood in for the Malibu Vista Hotel where Devon Woodcomb (aka Ryan McPartlin) and Ellie Bartowski (aka Sarah Lancaster) vacationed . . .

ScreenCap1117 ScreenCap1118

 ScreenCap1121 ScreenCap1124

. . . and where Sarah Walker (aka Yvonne Strahovski) and Daniel Shaw (aka Brandon Roth) were sent to track down a spy.

ScreenCap1125 ScreenCap1128

ScreenCap1131 ScreenCap1132

The Hyatt Huntington Beach also stood in for the Turks & Caicos hotel where married CIA agents Steven and Samantha Bloom (aka Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw respectively) conducted a sting operation in the Season 1 episode of Undercovers titled “Instructions”. 

ScreenCap1126 ScreenCap1127

According to a column on the Surf City News website, a large green screen was set up at the north end of the pool during the filming of Undercovers so that it could be made to look as if the hotel was located on the beach.  In reality, the Hyatt is located across the street from the beach.

ScreenCap1133 ScreenCap1135

IMG_4689 IMG_4687

The hotel’s Red Chair Lounge also stood in for a Caracas bar in the “Instructions” episode.

ScreenCap1136 ScreenCap1137

And one of its exterior hallways and courtyards were also used.

ScreenCap1108 ScreenCap1109

ScreenCap1110 ScreenCap1111

The Hyatt was also featured in an Orbitz commercial in which the Orbitz hovercraft is shown landing in a hotel pool.

Orbitz Commercial filmed at the Hyatt Huntington Hotel

You can watch that commercial by clicking above.

IMG_4654 

The concierge also told us that the Hyatt was featured in the Season 3 episode of My Fair Wedding titled “Monopoly Bride” in which wedding planner David Tutera coordinates a Monopoly-themed wedding for a board-game obsessed bride and groom.  And she informed us that a production with Hills star Audrina Patridge was filmed by the hotel’s pool, but she was not sure exactly what production it was.  And finally she told us that the hotel will be featured as a venue in an upcoming episode of Tori & Dean: sTORIbook Weddings, which is set to premiere on the Oxygen Channel on April 6th.

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: The Hyatt Huntington Beach, aka the Beverly Hills Beach Club from 90210, is located at 21500 Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach.  You can visit the hotel’s official website here.

Donna and David’s Wedding

 img_0716-800

A few months ago Mike, from MovieShotsLA, called to tell me that he had located the church where Donna married David on the very last episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.    He mentioned something about the church being located in Sunland, a small town on the outskirts of Burbank, and for the first time ever I thought Mike, God of stalking, had actually gotten a filming location wrong.  You see, I could say with absolute certainty that Donna and David did not get married in a church anywhere near Sunland.  How could I be so sure about the location of their wedding?  Because I was there!    🙂

90210

wedding2

Back in the Spring of 2000, just a few weeks after I had first moved to Los Angeles, I was given the once in a lifetime opportunity of being an extra on the very last episode of Beverly Hills, 90210,entitled “Ode to Joy”.  I had just registered with Central Casting, Los Angeles’ premiere extras casting agency, and was calling the hotline to see what jobs were available for the week when I heard words which I will never forget: “Be a part of television history – press one to be a guest at Donna and David’s wedding on the very final episode of 90210.”  Well, let me tell I just about died!  I believe I stood with the phone in my hand screaming for a good two minutes.   LOL  I swear if you had told me back in high school that one day I would be attending the wedding of Donna Martin and David Silver I probably would have had a heart attack right then and there.  LOL  You can see me in the above screen captures dancing at Donna and David’s reception.  🙂

img_0719-800

Anyway, it turns out that Mike was not actually wrong about Donna and David’s wedding location.  I should have known – he’s never wrong!  🙂  For whatever reason, producers chose to film the set-up shots of Donna and David’s wedding church at the First Baptist Church of Sunland.  But all of the actual filming took place about twenty miles away from there in a small chapel right off the 101 Freeway in Hollywood.   So, last weekend I decided I just had to revisit the site of one of my very first acting jobs and I dragged my boyfriend out to stalk the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. 

img_0721-800

90210_3

90210_4

Donna and David’s wedding was not actually held in the First Presbyterian Church’s main building, but in a smaller venue named Wylie Chapel, which is also located on the church premises.   The wedding ceremony took one full day to shoot, as did the reception scene, which took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.  And, if I remember correctly, we shot the reception scene first.  Both days lasted well over 14 hours – and, let me tell you, I loved every single minute of them!!!  I have to say that being on the final episode of 90210  was an absolutely magical experience for me.  Especially since it was one of my very first encounters with Hollywood.  I swear I spent the entire two days with stars in my eyes.  🙂  The cast and crew were incredibly  nice – especially Luke Perry and Ian Ziering.  I met Ian during one of our lunch breaks and I told him that in high school I had slept on 90210  sheets.  Well, he was absolutely shocked that there was such a thing as 90210  sheets and next thing I know he’s screaming “Luke! Luke!  You’ve gotta come hear this!”  Well, I just about keeled over as Luke Perry, love of my high school life, walked right up to us and Ian told him about my sheets.  Luke started laughing and said “Well, then I guess you can say we’ve slept together.”  LOL  Luke was even cuter in person that I ever imagined he could be and when I told him he was my first Hollywood crush he shook my hand and introduced himself.  Sigh!  I’m telling you, inside I was absolutely dying!  I’m amazed I was actually able to get any words out of my mouth while talking to him.  LOL  And if you’re wondering – Jennie Garth was the least friendliest of the bunch, which really surprised me.  

img_0739-800

The First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood is actually used quite often for filming.  Besides 90210, it was also featured in the 2007 movie Welcome to Paradise. And while we were stalking the place, filming crews for the television series Chuck  pulled up.  🙂 

img_0740-800

The church was founded in 1903 and once boasted the largest Presbyterian congregation in the world!  The main building, which is still used for church services today, was erected in 1923.  The church property takes up an entire city block and has a huge courtyard and garden area which is where the extras hung out while 90210  was filming.   I can still remember Brian Austin Green playing chess in the courtyard with the extras during his breaks.  There is also a theatre on the church gounds.  🙂  First Hollywood Presbyterian also has amazing views of the Hollywood sign, but ironically enough, the church was there long before there ever was a Hollywood sign to view.  🙂 

 Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Donna and David’s wedding was held in the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood’s Wylie Chapel, which is  located at 1763 North Gower Street in Hollywood.  Their wedding reception was filmed in the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s former Coconut Club, which is now the Beverly Hills Ballroom

The “‘Til There Was You” Apartment Building

img_0208-800

screenshot510

Another day, another elusive location found thanks to Mike – God of Stalking – over at MovieShotsLA.  🙂  I have been challenged several times over the past few months to find the beautiful courtyard apartment building featured in the 1997 movie ‘Til There Was You. Unfortunately I had never seen the movie before and my local Blockbuster did not carry the title.  And according to Amazon.com, the DVD had been discontinued by the manufacturer.  So I thought I was really out of luck on this one, as without seeing the movie firsthand I had no idea what I was looking for.  Then, a couple of weeks ago, I just happened to mention my quandry to Mike and he set out to find the location.  Within about fifteen minutes Mike called me back with an address.  Amazing!  He had found the location by doing a simple Google search.  And all this time I had been trying to find the DVD.  But who needs a video or screen captures when you’ve got mad stalking skills like Mike?  LOL  🙂

img_0213-800

screenshot507

Once Mike had found the location – and once I found out that BOTH my girl Jen Aniston and SJP starred in the movie – I decided to make one last ditch effort to purchase the DVD.  And sure enough, I found it on Ebay!  The only problem?  For sale was a Region 2 DVD, which meant it would only work on European DVD players.  LOL  Thank God my boyfriend is good with computers, because somehow he was able to rig my laptop so that I could watch the movie.   So, finally – after about a six month long wait – I got to see ‘Til There Was You.  I must say that the movie was pretty cute.  I wouldn’t recommend going through what I did to watch it, but if you happen to see it in a video store, it’s worth a rental.  🙂

screenshot511

The entire premise of ‘Til There Was You centers around the proposed demolition of a Spanish style courtyard apartment building named La Fortuna.  In the movie the building has a very romantic quality to it and everyone who sets foot inside of its picturesque courtyard immediately falls in love with it.  In real life that apartment building is named El Cabrillo and it is no stranger to the film industry.  El Cabrillo was constructed in 1928 by none other than Cecil B. DeMille who needed a place to house his out of town actors.  The building was designed by noted architects Arthur and Nina Zwebell, who built numerous Los Angeles courtyard style apartment buildings in the 1920’s, many of which are now on the National Register of Historic Places. Notables who have lived in the building at one time or another include transvetite actress Divine, actress Ann Harding, director Lowell Sherman, makeup artist Perc Westmore, and playwright John Willard.

screenshot517

screenshot519

Besides being featured in ‘Til There Was You, legend has it that El Cabrillo was also used in a Rudolph Valentino movie many moons ago.  It is also currently being used as the home of the main character on the television series Chuck. Interestingly enough, Chuck’s pilot episode was actually filmed on location at El Cabrillo.  The courtyard area and three different apartments were used for that episode.  But once the show got picked up by NBC a replica of the apartments and the courtyard were rebuilt on a soundstage at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank.

img_0209-800

Sadly, El Cabrillo’s gates were closed while I was stalking it, so I did not get to see the interior courtyard area.  From the outside El Cabrillo is amazingly non-descript and completely covered in foliage.  You could easily drive right past the building without realizing the beauty that lies just on the other side of its gates.

screenshot523

screenshot522

screenshot520

But for those of you who would like an up-close-and-personal look at the building, I have some good news!   A few of the units are currently available as vacation rentals. And it appears from the rental website photographs that El Cabrillo’s interiors are absolutely beautiful!!  They actually remind me a lot of the interior of Amanda Peet’s apartment in fave movie A Lot Like Love.  In fact the interiors are so similar, that I can’t help but wonder if the A Lot Like Love set was modeled after the interior of a real El Cabrillo apartment (both are pictured above).

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  🙂

Stalk It:  The ‘Til There Was You apartment building, aka El Cabrillo, is located at 1832-1850 North Grace Avenue in Hollywood.