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As good luck would have it on this day, even though lost, I managed to drive right by the Safari Inn, which happens to be the motel where they filmed some scenes from one of my all-time-favorite films!
I thought I’d make the best out of this lost scenario, turn around, nerd-out and take some photos!

Enjoy The Reality in pictures…Then below that take a look at the video where I edited together all the motel scenes from “True Romance.” <3

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If you’d like to see it for yourself, without getting lost first, the address is: 1911 Olive Boulevard, Burbank, CA.
From what I’ve read they also used The Safari Inn for “Apollo 13″ but it’s been practically a millennium since I’ve seen that film so I can’t confirm that factoid for now.

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It’s on Netflix Streaming right now.

Don’t miss it!!!

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Crazy...

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www.crazy-themovie.com

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The Last Exorcism...

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Tom Durant, Demonologist, was on stage surrounded by white candles, & speaking of all things paranormal when I walked into the theatre.
I didn’t hear the majority of what he was saying as the entire crowd seemed to be speaking loud and incessant.
You can find out for yourself what he has to say on www.alteredstatespararadio.com as well as www.youtube.com/user/Rizdeekid.

The film was actually really good up until the end, and when I say end I literally mean the last 5 -10 minutes, end.
If they re-shot that they’d have a great little flick on their hands.
Instead, when the film ended there was a scattering of confused, obligated applause combined with lots of ehhhh’s & uhhh’s???
I simply sat there dumbstruck thinking “could they have accidentally spliced the wrong reels together? That didn’t even make sense.”

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Prior to the screening I had to run to Pasadena to drop off some Hi8 tapes to be transferred to dvd.
They include the entire private tour I got of “Mansfield Reformatory” as well as the little party we had after filming “Mostly True Story”.
I haven’t seen any of that footage in many years so I’m extremely excited to see what’s there.

I’d only been to Pasadena once, very briefly, prior to this occasion.
It was on the way back from Coachella and I believe I was rather intoxicated for 99% of the visit so I can’t say I recall much.

As I was driving around looking for the office, I happened to spy with my little eye, Pasadena City Hall and was awestruck.
Even though I was short on time as I had to get to the screening early, I made a mental note to stop, investigate the breathtaking architecture & immortalize it in photos after taking care of the business at hand.

Here are the photos…

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I was being chased by male lions and black panthers.

I managed to get into a claustrophobic cave like area when suddenly tarantula-sized spiders began attacking me.
One that was as large as my head jumped on my face & everything went black as it began wrapping me in its webbing.

I felt someone grab my arm & attempt to pull me out…
Then I woke up.

I’m intensely arachnophobic so you can imagine the sheer terror and panic I felt.
And it felt so real.

In addition I’ve looked into a male lion’s eyes close up while working at The Wildlife Waystation, so I’ve felt the instinctual fear first-hand of what it’s like to be that near something so powerful and completely devoid of human empathy.

So happy to be awake!

The synopsis…

Fashionistas finally get a glimpse of the mastermind behind the lion’s share of the American fashion industry, Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue, in the dishy documentary The September Issue. The title refers to the fattest monthly edition of the fashion bible, and the sheer creative and financial efforts it takes to stage and publish it–not unlike a full feature film pressed inside glossy printed pages.Wintour, often thought to be the inspiration for the Meryl Streep character in The Devil Wears Prada, is revealed by director R.J. Cutler (producer of The War Room) to be both more open and human than her carefully cultivated persona, but still guarded and tough to read. There’s less focus on any possible megalomania on the part of Wintour–perhaps that’s implied–and more on just what an endeavor it is to produce that issue of Vogue, its impact on the fashion world, and what kind of critter could work on such a narrow playing field, yet have her impact realized on such a vast scale.

The September Issue shows the battle of wills that goes on behind the scenes of every aspect of fashion publishing–and sometimes it’s not pretty. The ruthless Wintour, at Vogue for two decades, has an equally strong-minded inner circle, including most notably Vogue’s creative director, Grace Coddington, a former model (like Wintour herself) who clashes often, and colorfully, with her frenemy and longtime colleague Wintour. The political maneuvering can seem exhausting to the viewer, but the dishy reality is just too delicious. “Fashion is not about looking back,” says Wintour. “It’s about looking forward.” And as with the best documentaries about fashion, including Unzipped and Lagerfeld Confidential, The September Issue leaves the viewer with a renewed appreciation for the beauty, creativity and energy behind fashion–even if one is watching, happily, in jeans and a T-shirt. –A.T. Hurley

Here’s the trailer…

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And here’s the trailer for “The Devil Wears Prada” which was “inspired” by Anna Wintour.

The synopsis…

This clever, funny big-screen adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s best-seller takes some of the snarky bite out of the chick lit book, but smoothes out the characters’ boxy edges to make a more satisfying movie. There’s no doubt The Devil Wears Prada belongs to Meryl Streep, who turns in an Oscar-worthy (seriously!) strut as the monster editor-in-chief of Runway, an elite fashion magazine full of size-0, impossibly well-dressed plebes. This makes new second-assistant Andrea (Anne Hathaway), who’s smart but an unacceptable size 6, stick out like a sore thumb. Streep has a ball sending her new slave on any whimsical errand, whether it’s finding the seventh (unpublished) Harry Potter book or knowing what type she means when she wants “skirts.” Though Andrea thumbs her nose at the shallow world of fashion (she’s only doing the job to open doors to a position at The New Yorker someday), she finds herself dually disgusted yet seduced by the perks of the fast life. The film sends a basic message: Make work your priority, and you’ll be rich and powerful… and lonely. Any other actress would have turned Miranda into a scenery-chewing Cruella, but Streep’s underplayed, brilliant comic timing make her a fascinating, unapologetic character. Adding frills to the movie’s fun are Stanley Tucci as Streep’s second-in-command, Emily Blunt (My Summer of Love) as the overworked first assistant, Simon Baker as a sexy writer, and breathtaking couture designs any reader of Vogue would salivate over. — Ellen A. Kim

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I’m in the Ratt Video at the end.

Search for huge ratted out blonde hair & a black leather bustier.

I bend down & blow a kiss to the camera!

Hooray for the 80′s!

Double click the video for full screen…

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Ivy Blue by Googietoons...

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The original plan was to see “Splice” & grab a drink or two after.
That’s it.
What ended up happening was a magic-filled walk back in time to the days that Hollywood was golden…

When Bob arrived he asked if I was hungry.
I thought, sure, I could eat.
He said he’d never been to The Formosa Cafe so we headed over for dinner & drinks.

I love the Formosa Cafe.
It has oodles of ambiance and so much Hollywood History you could drown yourself in it.
Even if you’ve never heard the name there’s a good chance you’ve seen it in a film or photograph.

For example, “L.A. Confidential”…

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Our next destination was our original destination.
After stuffing, albeit politely, our faces with delicious delicacies, we were off to “Grauman’s Chinese Theatre” to see “Splice.”

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I had previously been to the Chinese 6 theatres, which are the new theatres at Grauman’s and I’d mistakenly assumed that’s where the film was playing.
I was absolutely delighted to discover that it was actually playing in the original theatre to which I’d never been!!!
We arrived early enough that we were able to look around and truly appreciate the breathtaking architecture & decor.

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I really enjoyed the film.
It touched on a lot of frightening real-life possibilities but was also successful on a pure entertainment level.
However, I could have went forever without seeing my pretend future husband, Adrien Brody, doing “that” with “that.”
Of course the fact that it actually bothered me is further testament to it being a wonderful film.
I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet so I won’t say anything further.

Just outside the doors of the theatre are the famous hand & footprints of the stars.
I’ve lived here nearly 5 years but have never really perused it so we decided to look around a bit.
It’s surprising how tiny most of the female stars were.
Even more astonishing is the fact that I did the typical tourist thing & actually put my hand in certain handprints.
It mortifies me to ponder what was on my hand as I lifted it from the sidewalk.
I feel that it was worth the risk to find that my hands are the exact same size as those of Bette Davis!

After our adventure in germ-warfare we were still having far too much fun to return to our respective homes so we decided to go to The Roosevelt Hotel for cocktails.

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We walked into a tiny dark bar to the side of the lobby and ordered drinks.
The first three I ordered the bartender couldn’t make because it was only fresh fruit drinks or beer so I told him to make me something fruity & sweet.
It was filled with fresh passion fruit & took him about 20 minutes to make but it was truly delicious.
When he handed it to me he said “It’s in ‘In Style’ Magazine!”
I couldn’t give a crap less that it’s in some fashionable magazine, as long as it tastes good but he seemed very happy about it.

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The Masterpiece...

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Cocktails in hand we walked about the hotel discussing matters like the mirror you’re supposed to be able to see Marilyn Monroe in, the ballroom with the supposed portal and all the haunted rooms.

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We finally settled outside on lounge chairs surrounding the pool.

We had arrived rather late in the evening so by the time we had gotten through our first drink the security guard came over and told us the bar and pool were closing.
I could have sat there all night surrounded by all of that Hollywood History and breathtaking beauty.

When you’re finished ogling the goods around these parts be sure to check out www.boblizarraga.com!!!

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