Day 2.3: Hollywood Boulevard

One of the things I love about Hollywood Blvd. is the historical sights. One of the things that frustrates me about Hollywood Blvd. is the historical sights. Granted, the situation is better than it was on my first trip fifteen years ago, but Hollywood Blvd. could definitely take a lesson from Times Square and make things more tourist-friendly.

The one section that is tourist-friendly is the block between Orange and Highland. That's where you'll find Madame Tussaud's (in a brand new location), the Chinese, the Dolby Theater (formerly the Kodak), Hollywood & Highland shopping center (which is awesome), Disney's Ghirardelli Soda Fountain, Disney's El Capitan Theater, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. That's a lot of stuff in one block.

Our first stop after lunch was the Dolby Theater, which is the first permanent home of the Academy Awards. I like that it's just down the street from the Roosevelt Hotel, which was where the very first Oscars were held. When you enter from the street, the risers are sparkling red so that it looks like a red carpet. The columns on each side list he Best Picture winners for each year, which always makes for a fun read. In addition to the obvious winners, there's a number of "what were they thinking?" and "never heard of that." When Madison and I were here last, they had nearly filled all the columns going up. Now The Artist and Argo (barely visible on the left) are the lone entries on the reverse sides going back down.

Right next door is the Hollywood & Highland shopping complex, which is awesome in all kinds of ways. In addition to all the shops, it connects to the Dolby Theater, Grauman's Chinese, and the Loews's hotel (where Madison and I stayed last time).

It's designed after D.W. Griffith's massive Babylon set for Intolerance (1916, still one of the largest sets ever built.

The catwalks in the back offer an excellent view of the Hollywood Sign. Plus, there's a fun feature built into the ground-level sidewalks called "The Road to Hollywood." It's a sidewalk mosaic filled with "quotes" from lots of different people about how they they "made it." Some are easy to figure out (like Lana Turner), while others are more obscure on purpose (such as a stunt man or cinematographer), which shows that you don't have to be a big name star to succeed.

The funniest thing we saw there (credit John for spotting it) was a vending machine that dispenses caviar. Seriously! The prices ranged from $200-$1500. It said "cash only" but still had a credit card reader. I can't imagine someone spending $1500 on caviar from a vending machine, then walking over to a bench to eat it. Only in L.A.!

Right across the street is the newly refurbished Disney Gharardelli Soda Fountain, which connects up to the Disney-owned El Capitan Theater. I was really interested in seeing what kind of changes had been made. It used to be the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store, but just a few months ago Disney announced that it would now be run by Ghirardelli, but still retain the Disney touch.

The changes were a lot more than I expected, considering that they were only closed for a month or two. Gone are the filmstrip murals that used to adorn the walls, with a "frame" from nearly every Disney animated feature (Madison almost named them all). The layout has been reorganized so that there's less seating and less Disney merchandise. It definitely looks like a cross between the old version and the Ghirardelli shop at Downtown Disney.

The last major spots we saw were the Pig n' Whistle restaurant, which opened in 1927, and Grauman's Egyptian Theater, which sits right next door and predates the Chinese by five years (1922). As someone who loves historic restaurants and Hollywood history, I've wanted to eat at the Pig n' Whistle for some time, but have yet to do so. It was high on my list for lunch, but the Snow White Cafe won out just by virtue of proximity.

Back in the early days, movie theaters didn't have concessions, so the Pig n' Whistle was built right next door to Grauman's Egyptian, so movie goers would have a convent place to eat before or after the movie. It even has a door that opens right into the Egyptian's courtyard.

The Egyptian itself is not as spectacular as the Chinese, and therefore little known. It has a much deeper courtyard, however, with a row of shops to one side and the entrance in the back. It currently houses the American Cinemateque, which offers tours and a nice program on the history of Hollywood. I'd seen the program ten years ago and was interested in doing it again, but it didn't fit into our short schedule.

On our way back up the other side, we were accosted by an overly-aggressive tour salesman who practically chased us down the block. Our attempts to ignore him just encouraged him even more. Thankfully, he didn't try the "Don't be afraid of the Negro" sales pitch that I'd heard in Central Park. He did impress me, however, with his knowledge of Hollywood  history, which was certainly helped by his British accent.

We also passed by Musso & Frank, another top contender for lunch. Built in 1919, it's the oldest restaurant in Hollywood and a true classic. If you want the real Golden Age of Hollywood experience, this is the place to go. I had lunch there on my very first trip 15 years ago and have always wanted to go back. However, I've since been thwarted every time by the fact that they're closed on Mondays.

Which reminds me of another even more elusive experience: the Hollywood Heritage Museum just across from the Hollywood Bowl. It resides in the barn that producer Jesse Lasky and director Cecil B. DeMille ("I'm ready for my close-up"), two of the founders of Paramount Pictures, used to shoot the very first films in Hollywood. It was high on my list my very first trip, but I just wasn't able to squeeze it in. I've attempted to make it a priority every trip since, but have been foiled every time because they're not open on Mondays and Tuesdays. One day I'll make it, though. One day. It almost got to be a running joke this time, because we drove past it every single day we were there.

Day 2.2: The Snow White Cafe

After having walked by the Snow White Cafe many a time (which is very easy to do, thanks to its small storefront and all the hubbub nearby) on my previous visits, we finally stopped to eat here since it's so close to Hollywood and Highland. This was the first stop for our Disney-themed afternoon.

Built in 1946, the Snow White Cafe has two personalities: family-friendly cafe by day, and a bar at night. The food is as you'd expect for a bar: burgers and sandwiches with good-sized portions and good prices. Plus, it's a nice little respite and step back in time compared to all the craziness going on just half a block away.

But the thing that really sets the Snow White Cafe apart is the interior. Most of the walls are decorated with murals and framed portraits from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, obviously painted back in the 40s (though retouched a bit in the intervening years). 

For those of us who know Disney history (particularly the Michael Eisner era), it seems odd that the Mouse House would allow them to have the cafe identified so strongly with Disney's characters. This is the same company, after all, that made a day care center paint over the Disney characters on its fence. My only guess is that whatever their agreement, it was clearly grandfathered in.

The other questions are just how the murals got there, who painted them (they clearly look like they were done by Disney artists), and how the cafe got its name. According to the menu, the only one they state was definitely done by Disney artists is over the door, which reads, "We hope we have pleased you."

There doesn't seem to be any definitive explanation for the murals, however. Some sources say that the animators liked to go there after work, but it's a good distance from the studio. The most likely version is that Disney needed a place for a party after the Snow White premiere, a friend told Walt about a new bar he was opening up, and Walt sent some artists down to decorate beforehand. This sounds just like something Walt would do, except for the premiere part, since the bar didn't open until nearly ten years after Snow White was released.

As a lifelong Disney fan (as well as Hollywood history), this little mystery has me intrigued. I'm going to have to do some more digging.

Day 2.1: Grauman's Chinese Theatre

First stop of our first full day in Hollywood was Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The actual current name is the TCL Chinese Theatre, but I refuse to call it that. For most of it's history it was Grauman's (except for the few years it was Mann's before switching back again). It was built by showman extraordinaire Sid Grauman in 1927, and it's his name you see more than any other in all the footprints ("To Sid..."), so I think he deserves it.

The Hobbit Part 2 premiered here last week (which we may go see tomorrow night), so they have a cool display in the forecourt to promote the movie.

We did the VIP tour, which I last did ten years ago with my Dad (last milestone birthday), so I was anxious to see how it had changed. The tour was better in some ways, less in others. Tour tickets are treated like movie tickets now, so you can buy them from the kiosk right outside. You can also get them online in advance, but we didn't know what time we'd get there and there are many, many tours available throughout the day.

Last time, there wasn't a movie playing when we did the tour, which meant we could go in the auditorium just fine, so I wasn't sure how that was going to work out.

The tour started promptly on time, and our excellent guide took us all through the ornate lobby. He was really knowledgable and clearly enthusiastic, which always makes for a great guide. It was also great that we had a very small group, which made it much easier to hear while the movie was playing.

Much of the lobby is original, except for the carpet, which is a reproduction. It had to be replaced in 1977 after millions of people came to see Star Wars. There are Chinese murals hand painted on the upper walls and ceiling by actor Keye Luke, who had a long career ranging from the original Kato in the Green Hornet serial, to old Master Po is Kung Fu and the Old Man who sold Gizmo in Gremlins.

Since the theatre was built in the 20s, if you look behind the exit signs over the doors, you can still see the gas pipes that were used to illuminate them long ago.

They also had numerous display cases of costumes. The first few were from The Hobbit 2, of course, but the rest were gowns worn by classic Holkywood actresses like (North Catolina's own) Ava Gardner and Lauren Bacall. There were also display cases featuring programs from movie premieres dating back to the 20s, along with a poster for one of the most popular, The Wizard of Oz.

In addition to all the movies that have played there, he mentioned a couple that were recently shot there: Iron Man 3 (which I got to see shooting back in NC) and Saving Mr. Banks, which we were going to see later that night.

From there we went down a side hallway which featured two items from the theatre's origins. The first was a wooden chair that Grauman actually purchased in China, which inspired him to build the theatre. The second was one of a trio of wax figures that originally stood in the lobby. Last time, two of them and the chair were in an open-air gift shop in the very back at the end if the tour. Since they'd been moved inside, I correctly guessed that we wouldn't be going back there this time.

Next I got my answer about seeing, or not seeing, the auditorium. After a friendly explanation about safety, codes, and whatnot that forbade us from going in while the movie was playing, our guide let us know that he was going to give us a glimpse anyway. Since The Hobbit 2 is playing in IMAX (a recent addition thanks to a major renovation) 3D and HFR (High Frame Rate), he handed out 3D glasses for everyone and led us down the dark hallway to the doorway, where we could see the screen from the side. Since it was impossible to see much of the auditorium, I was more interested in the picture quality of HFR. Seeing it from a side-angle so close to the screen, it was difficult to make a complete judgment. It was definitely sharp and crystal clear, but it seemed to give me a headache. We may come back tomorrow night to see it, if we're up to it (Update: Yes, we were. See below).

Next we went downstairs to the Ladies' lounge, much of which is original (with hand-painted butterflies), except for the completely renovated and modern bathroom attached. This is where all the great actresses of Hollywood past came to relax and touch up before the big show. By comparison, the Men's lounge is non-existent.

Finally (for the interior at least, we saw more costumes on the other side of the lobby and went down the other hallway where they have a giant statue that looks like stone but is actually made of wood, which also dates back to the theatre's beginnings in 1927.

Our final stop was outside to the forecourt where our guide pointed out several sets of handprints, such as Jackie Chan, Sandra Bullock, Marilyn Monroe, and Sid Grauman himself. And that was it. Sadly, we didn't get to go up into the VIP lounge (it is billed as the VIP Tour, after all), which we did before. That was the part which I was most looking forward. 

UPDATE: Funny enough, despite wanting to for much of my life, I've never actually seen a movie at the Chinese Theatre. For one reason or another, I was unable to work it out on each previous trip. Well, mark another one off my bucket list.

Tonight we watched The Hobbit in IMAX 3D and HFR. The IMAX was awesome, as usual, but I've grown to really dislike 3D (except in certain theme park attractions), and I thought the HFR brought absolutely nothing except to give me a headache. Just IMAX alone would have been great, like Christopher Nolan does it.

Finally seeing a movie at the Chinese was incredibly awesome, but the icing on the cake was this: when it was time for the movie to start, the curtain began to open very, very slowly. Just when I commented on it, they started playing the theme from 2001, which was just perfect. Everyone applauded when it was over. That's an A+ for presentation. Not to mention exceeding my already high expectations.

Day 1: Whirlwind Trip to Hollywood

So for my upcoming major milestone birthday, John and I have embarked on a whirlwind trip to Hollywood to see Saving Mr. Banks at the Walt Disney Studios tomorrow. Long flight getting here today, but everything went well. Our pilot pushed the metal a bit and actually got us here early. Had a family medical emergency last night which resulted in little sleep and a tight schedule leaving for the airport, but all worked out well enough.

First stop was Pink's hotdogs, a Hollywood institution since 1939. Madison and I tried to go there several years ago on our last trip, but didn't make it due to some organic milk that didn't agree with her. It was fun to finally eat there. The hotdog was good and affordable, and we managed to beat the crowd that came in right behind us. I'd have to say I like Nathan's in Coney Island better, but the real reason you go to Pink's (yes, that's the founder's last name) is because of all the famous people who've been there. Naturally, we didn't see any, but we saw plenty of autographed photos.

Every inch of wall space, especially in the tiny dining area, is covered with framed autographs, many of which have been the for decades. A lot of the more prominent ones (plus "as seen on TV" blurbs) are of Food Network people, like Giada and Guy Fieri.

VMFA: Hollywood Costume Exhibit

A  few months ago, while on a business retreat, Marsha found out about a Classic Hollywood photo exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. We'd seen a similar exhibit earlier in the Spring at Reynolda House & Museum in Winston-Salem (the former estate of RJ Reynolds) and loved it, so we immediately made plans for this one.

Checking the website, we found that there was another exhibit, too, called Hollywood Costume, which featured costumes from many classic films. All the better. When we actually arrived, we realized that the costume exhibit was the main attraction and the photo exhibit tiny in comparison. It was even smaller compared to the Reynolda, where the photo prints were much larger and easier to see.

The costumes, however, were absolutely AMAZING! Sadly, we were not allowed to take pictures. There was a giant coffee table book they were selling that was full of photos. But the real treat was seeing them up close. Madison wondered which pair of ruby slippers they had from The Wizard of Oz, since we'd seen an episode of Hollywood Treasures last year which showed the various known pairs and unsuccessfully attempted to track down the ones stolen from the Judy Garland Museum. She got her answer (coming up). She also got spoiled on Fight Club, thanks to reading the only plaque that gave away a major plot detail.

The range of costumes was amazing, from the silent era (just a couple) all the way up to more recent films like Titanic, Harry Potter, and The Dark Knight. Naturally, there were more of those, but they still had plenty of classics, like John Wayne (The Searchers) and Marilyn Monroe's famous white dress. 

They had two Cleopatra costumes -- one from the 1930s with Claudette Colbert, and one from the 60s with Elizabeth Taylor -- for comparison, which was fascinating, as each looked very Egyptian, yet still reflected the decade in which the film was made. The 30s dress was very Art Deco (and green, to cast the appropriate gray tone in B/W), while the Taylor dress looked very 60s.

There was an entire collection of Elizabethan dresses (a very popular era in movies) ranging from Bette Davis in the 30s to Cate Blanchett in the 90s. Most were for Elizabeth herself and were very ornate. Unlike Cleopatra, these could have been used in the same movie.

There were some amazing displays for The Birds, Gangs of New York, and Sweeney Todd (with Madison's favorite director, Tim Burton) that featured tall video panels of the directors (with Tippi Hendren subbing for Hitchcock) and the designers that made it look like they were conversing. Madison recognized the legendary Edith Head right away, who inspired Edna Mode in The Incredibles. Below each were projected tables with constantly moving "pages" featuring photos, design drawings, and script pages. The Sweeney Todd table had bugs that would periodically crawl around. Loved the extra detail

There was a special display of Indiana Jones' full costume, with an ongoing video that broke down the various items from the hat to the shoes, explaining the design choices for each, and how many leather jackets they had to distress by hand to make them look old and worn.

A lot of the displays shared the various actors' thoughts on costuming. As expected, Robert De Niro and Daniel Day Lewis are both very involved in the process. John Wayne was only concerned with his hat and boots. Marlyn Monroe didn't care what she wore, as long as the outfit said a little something to her.

The final display was what they've been using to promote the exhibit: The Wizard of Oz. There was one of Dorothy's dresses and the Witch's hat. Both clearly showed a little wear with age. But the ruby slippers looked brand new. That's because they were some of the few reproductions in the exhibit. I found it odd that their signature piece, the one that they've been using to promote the show, was a reproduction. But you never know with Hollywood, where everything is an illusion. And it certainly didn't dampen our love of this exhibit.

Day 4: The Ride Home

Day 4: The ride home was fine and mostly uneventful, which was good, except for being long. We stopped in Hershey along the way for lunch and to stock up on chocolate, which is always a must. Had a bit of a traffic jam late in the trip in the VA mountains, which was my fault because I ignored the signs (and Marsha's repeated reminders) thinking it wouldn't be that bad, but it was. Luckily, I managed to work out a detour that kept us moving without losing too much time. Lesson learned: Always listen to your wife.

Day 3.2: John's of 12th Street Redux

I wasn't going to post again about John's of 12th Street, since I already covered it recently, but I just have to make a few comments. Again, the food was awesome and the service was great, up until the end when we had to wait a bit for the check.

This time, though, we got to sit right next to the candle! Last time, we didn't even go in the candle room. I'd forgotten all about it (even with a card on the table about "the candle") and thought it was a wedding cake. This time, we couldn't have gotten any closer.

We also tried their other specialty, the veal meatballs, which were delicious. Our John had their other specialty, the Tuscan Ragu, which I had last time. Marsha's favorite was again the tiramisu, which is more like a pudding.

Everything was just terrific. But the best part for me is always the location itself. Real-life mobsters like Joe "the Boss" Masseria actually ate there, which is why both The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire have filmed there. Boardwalk now twice. I just spotted it again in another recent episode. Can't miss that candle. I also love that they've embraced their heritage with the Mob and Prohibition.

I had to go to the bathroom this time to see if there was a gun hidden behind the toilet. There wasn't, but that didn't stop me from coming out with a finger gun anyway to take out Salozzo and Captain McClusky.