On The Boulevard: Madame Tussauds

Entrance along Hollywood Blvd.

Daniel Craig (James Bond)

This is one of a series of posts called "On the Boulevard" about attractions on Hollywood Boulevard.

One of the biggest amusement attractions on Hollywood Boulevard is another branch of Madame Tussauds. Compared to the original London location, all other locations pale in comparison and seem just as overpriced. If you can find a discount even for a few dollars, if you are unlikely to be near the London location then it's probably worth it to experience it once.

This location is unique with its emphasis on celebrities of the present and past from film, television, music and sports. The museum is on multi-levels accessed by both stairs and elevator.

Part of the fun of the experience is the lifelike features of the celebrities replicated in wax. It should be noted that some recent celebrities have not posed for their likeness. Obviously some likenesses are better than others but the museum has an unparalleled expertise in the detail of each figure especially of celebrities who are no longer alive. This is not a typical museum so visitors are encouraged to pose and touch the figures.

Simon Cowell (American Idol)

Other branches of Madame Tussauds are located in Amsterdam, Bangkok, Berlin, Blackpool, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Shanghai, Washington DC and Wien.

Audrey Hepburn (Breakfast at Tiffany's)

More info at madametussauds.com for a list of celebrity figures at this location. Hours are Mon-Thu 10am-6pm; Fri & Sun 10am-8pm; Sat 10am-10pm. Walk-Up Tickets: Adults $25; Child (4-12) $18. 20% savings for online Priority Access booking. Located next to Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Note: All photos in this post were taken shortly after the attraction opened in 2009.

CLICK "READ MORE" BELOW FOR MORE PHOTOS.

Movie stars of yesterday.

View of Hollywood Blvd from Madame Tussads.

On The Boulevard: Kodak Theatre

Cirque Du Soleil Iris will exclusively play the Kodak Thetre.

Grand Entrance along Hollywood Blvd

This is one of a series of posts called "On the Boulevard" about attractions on Hollywood Boulevard.

For true movie fans, a visit to the Kodak Theatre is a must and serves as the centerpiece of the Hollywood & Highland Center. The $94 million venue opened in 2001 and seats 3,332 to become the permanent home of the annual Academy Awards ceremony.

The venue also serves to host concerts and is a location for presidential debates. It has been a location for American Idol and will be the exclusive home to Cirque Du Soleil Iris billed as "a journey through the world of cinema."

Begin your visit at the grand entrance along Hollywood Boulevard. The glimmering two-story Awards Walk features backlit plaques of every Best Picture Winner on the columns on either side of a sweeping staircase that leads to the theatre.

Above and below: Awards Walk

Columns listing every Best Picture Winner.

Now there are guided tours offered but there has to be something said for a venue to call itself the 'Kodak Theatre' and not allow any photographs to be taken inside. It is spectacular to see the auditorium and stand on the theatre stage. Tour guides also give visitors an idea of the experience of guests attending the Oscars ceremony.

When visiting its obvious the theatre is surrounded by so much retail along Hollywood Boulevard and even on both sides on two levels of Awards Walk. During the Academy Awards, all these businesses close for the day. All the retailers along Awards Walk are hidden by curtains and the shops along Hollywood Boulevard obscured by bleachers and barricades. Even the marquee of the El Capitan Theatre across the street removes the name of the current feature film playing the movie house.

Rotunda fronting the theatre's doors.

More info at kodaktheatre.com. Tours take place Mon-Sun 10am-4pm and depart every half hour from level 2 and lasts about 30 minutes. Tickets available at the theatre box office located on the first level. Prices: Adults $25, Children $10. CityPass attraction. (note: photos from 2009 & 2010).

Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert Set for U.S. Release

It’s official: The domestic American release of the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert Live from the O2 is February 22, 2011.  U.S. audiences can purchase the title from amazon.com on DVD or Blu-ray. As of this post, the DVD version is priced at $19.99 (regular $29.98) and the Blu-ray version is priced at $27.99 (regular $39.98).

Billed as ‘The Musical Event of a Lifetime’, the 170 minute presentation is released by Universal (Dolby, Subtitles, Widescreen, NTSC).

Terminal Reality: LAX Terminal 4

The check-in area of the American Airlines Terminal 4 at LAX.
The walkway on the 2nd level leads to security and the gates.

Walkway leads to gates on either side.
Above is a window to Admirals Club

I've completely lost count of the number of times I've had a layover or arrived/departed from Los Angeles International Airport otherwise known as LAX. One thing I can recall is the awful 1960s feel the American Airlines terminal (Terminal 4) sported back in 1995. It shed the dated look by 2005 for a clean, crisp and modern look.

Despite being a major hub for American Airlines the terminal does feel cramp and has a few basic amusements (restaurants, shops) to keep waiting passengers occupied. The upstairs Admirals Club Lounge feels like a traffic jam around peak times. The Flagship Lounge is less crowded due to its exclusivity for entry.

Brioche Doree food concession

Still it is a terminal with which I've become familiar and the management has tried to keep up with the times with charging stations and recycling bins. If traveling on a long-haul flight with no meal service, the choices for picking up a meal are few. I've lately relied on Brioche Doree for sandwiches (such as pear & brie) and pastries for meals on flights to Honolulu with a bottle of water from the Hudson News shop.

More info about LAX at lawa.org. Click here for a map of Terminal 4.

Terminal 4 Gates

The doors that lead to the Admirals Club & Flagship Lounge.

LAX: Have No Car Will Travel On Shuttle

Dispatcher for Super Shuttle

The use of shared ride vans have been my mode of transportation to/from LAX. Using them is simple. When arriving at LAX, find the shared ride vans sign curbside and a dispatcher from either Super Shuttle or Prime Time Shuttle (the two authorized shuttle operators at LAX). They will ask where you are heading and call the van heading to that area.

Now don't be surprise to find after reaching the last terminal the driver does not leave the airport. It is customary for the driver to stop at each terminal twice. The idea is to try to fill the van. After this you're on your way. Keep in mind someone will be dropped off first and someone will be dropped of last. Prepare yourself if you're the latter and don't complain to the driver; that's one drawback about a shared ride. But you have the right to be comfortable and safe. Ask for the air conditioning to be turned on and feel free to use your seat belts. Most standard vans will seat up to nine passengers.

Be sure to keep an eye on your luggage and that the driver places your bags onto the van. Don't forget to tip your driver as the fare does not include any gratuity. Fares to/from the airport to a hotel start at $16 for Super Shuttle and $15 for Prime Time. Check online or with the dispatcher for fares to a business or home addresses.

For the return trip, the suggestion is to book at least a day prior to departure for a return ride to the airport. You will be given a pick-up time and you should be waiting in the lobby of your hotel by that time. It's really bad if you're the last pick up and eight passengers are kept waiting for you.

On this December visit to L.A., I used Prime Time after arriving because it had the only dispatcher at the American Airlines terminal. For the return I used Super Shuttle since I couldn't find the a telephone number that worked for Prime Time. I guess it would become mandatory to book online in the future.

Visit supershuttle.com or primetime.com for more information. If you prefer, private rides or rides for large groups can also be booked.

Planet Hawaii: Signs of the Islands on Earth

On the way to airport, I encountered another sign of Hawaii in the Universe. This time it was one of the Los Angeles locations of Ono Hawaiian BBQ. Unfortunately I was on a shuttle to the airport and had no opportunity to experience if the cuisine is authentic.

The eatery's website states Ono Hawaiian BBQ is dedicated to bringing you the best Hawaiian dining experience by serving a delicious selection of "plate lunch" which the site calls the de facto meal choice in Hawaii. Looking at their online menu, it does serve Spam Musubi which is the de facto protein of Hawaii.

More info about the menu and other locations at onohawaiianbbq.com. Click here for their menu.

On The Boulevard: Overview of Hollywood between Highland and North Orange Drive

View of Boulevard from 4th level of Hollywood & Highland Center.
Crews lay the red carpet and prepare for "The Fighter" premiere.

This is one of a series of posts called "On the Boulevard" about attractions on Hollywood Boulevard.

The block of Hollywood Boulevard between Highland Avenue and North Orange Drive has been revived since 2001 in the similar vein that 42nd Street in New York City has changed. This strip of the famous street has been, for lack of a better term, "disneyfied" to make it safe, attractive and family friendly for the visitors to Hollywood.

Corner of Hollywood & Highland facing west.

With that said, this block of the boulevard offers several attractions. The previous posts have described at great length the attraction of the Hollywood & Highland Center that dominates the block. In addition, visitors may want to consider:

• Kodak Theatre
• El Capitan Theatre
• Jimmy Kimmel Live
• Roosevelt Hotel
• Hollywood Walk of Fame
• Grauman's Chinese Theatre & Forecourt
• Madame Tussauds

Posts will be published later this week about these other attractions. In the meantime, enjoy these shots of the Boulevard. Visit the fourth level of the Hollywood & Highland Center for wide views of Hollywood Boulevard.

View of Boulevard from 4th level of Hollywood & Highland Center.

In addition further posts about the tour of the Los Angeles Music Center (Disney Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre) and visiting Universal Studios Hollywood City Walk will be forthcoming.

View of Boulevard at front of Kodak Theatre

On the Boulevard: Hollywood Sign View

Hollwood Sign viewed using the zoom feature on my Kodak M1093 camera.

This is one of a series of posts called "On the Boulevard" about attractions on Hollywood Boulevard.

The view of the Hollywood Sign was not lost on the designers of the Hollywood & Highland Center as an attraction. The multi-level bridge tower at the north end of the center's courtyard offers an unobstructed view of the sign.

From the bridges you will notice the view of the sign appears much farther away on your digital camera display especially if including your loved ones within the frame. If only photographing the sign just use the zoom feature on the camera which should offer a decent view of the sign and the surrounding hills.

Cropped version of the above photo for an extra close-up of sign.

The famous landmark was created as a temporary advertisement for a development in 1923 called Hollywoodland. But with the popularity of motion pictures during the era, the sign became a recognizable symbol of the movie industry and was left on the Hollywood hills portion of Mount Lee.

The H&H Center's has three bridges to view the sign.
(note: the fourth level bridge is often closed)

By the 1970s the sign reached its most severe state of deterioration with letters damaged and one 'O' completing missing. Eventually the original letters were replaced and now measure 45 feet (14m) in height and range from 31 to 39 feet (9.4 to 12m) wide.

The sign has been copied in other cities and featured or parodied in popular entertainment. More info at hollywoodsign.org.

Destroyed in the film "Day After Tomorrow" (image: 20th Century Fox)

Parodied in the "Shrek" films (image: DreamWorks)

On The Boulevard: "The Fighter" Premiere

Crews prepare Hollywood Blvd for "The Fighter" premiere

Movie posters and the red carpet line the boulevard

This is one of a series of posts called "On the Boulevard" about attractions on Hollywood Boulevard.

Movie premieres and Grauman's Chinese Theatre go hand in hand so it is no accident if visitors to Hollywood stumble upon one. "The Fighter" premieres at the famous movie house tonight and stars Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams who will likely be on hand for the opening. Since my flight leaves late this afternoon, the best I will experience of the event is the preparations.

The block of Hollywood Boulevard fronting Grauman's and the Hollywood & Highland Center is closed to traffic this morning as crews attempt to finish setting up for the premiere. The red carpet, movie posters and barricades will be soon be swamped by admiring crowds, the press and the invited movie audience tonight. Visitors wishing to view the footprints/handprints of the stars at Grauman's find the courtyard blocked off for the day with tours of the theatre also cancelled.

"The Fighter" opens on select screens on Dec 10th and opens wide on Dec 17th. More info about the film at thefightermovie.com.

Red carpets ready to unroll

By coincidence one of the magazines at the hotel
includes a cover story about Mark Wahlberg
and his new film.

On The Boulevard: Los Angeles Visitor Information

Selection of flyers from the information desk.

This is one of a series of posts called "On the Boulevard" about attractions on Hollywood Boulevard.

The friendly, helpful and knowledgeable associates at the Los Angeles Visitor Information Desk at the Hollywood & Highland Center is your answer to the where, when and how when visiting Hollywood and nearby districts.

The desk includes a wall and kiosk of flyers, magazines and brochures for many of the sights nearby and around Los Angeles. Best of all the associates will give you the correct directions and best way to a destination by foot, car, bus or subway.

Information desk at the Hollywood & Highland Center.

Look over the selection of your brochures. You may find attractions you never thought of visiting or knew was nearby. Since brochures play up the attractions, ask the desk or others if you are unsure something to do or see is worth your time or money. Also if patronizing the H&H Center, pick up an Elephant Card here for discounts at shops and restaurants.

The desk is located on the ground level of the H&H Center on Hollywood Boulevard at the entryway to the Kodak Theatre.

A Sign to Think About at the Renaissance

This is my third stay at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel and this sign, or is it artwork, has always caught my eye each time. Depending from where you view the sign it will read with one of two statements:

ENGLISH IS HALF REDUNDANT

or

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS ABOUT ONE-HALF REDUNDANT

Makes you think about those one-hundred word essays where you could only come up with fifty words. The hotel should sell copies of it.

Related Review Posts of the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel:

Promotional Hotel Video

Hotel Overview

Common Areas

Guest Room

Executive Guest Room

The View

Amenities

Do Not Disturb

Hollywood & Highland Center

Last Night Shot and a Goodbye to Los Angeles

Usually my vists to the U.S. mainland comes to an end in the evening since most flights to Honolulu leave early in the morning. But from Los Angeles, American Airlines does have afternoon flights, one of which will allow me to enjoy part of the next day in the city.

But as is tradition this is the shot on the last full day of this weekend trip. This time it is of the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel at night. Also obvious is the giant "24" projected on the Hollywood & Highland Center's bridge tower to advertise the DVD viewing contest taking place below.

I left the lights turned on at the hotel and you can clearly see my room's window below the 'L' of the hotel sign on the top floor. By the way the neon sign at bottom is for the defunct restaurant called uWink which was supposed to be a high-tech interactive experience whatever that is.

Green Earth Cafe at Hollywood & Highland Center

The Green Earth Cafe offers simple food to eat on the go. From a selection of sandwiches, salads, soups, coffee, juices and desserts you should find something to fill a quick meal need. It is early Sunday evening and the foot traffic at the center is sparse with some retailers and restaurants already closed. Since it is raining this evening and I lack an umbrella, I rely on the cafe to fill my dinner order to enjoy at one of the tables on the center's third level before returning to Renaissance Hollywood.

A BLT Sandwich on whole wheat ($6.75), ginger ale ($2.25) and cake ($5.00) is my dinner. The items are pricey for simple food but in the end the sandwich was actually good for a BLT but despite the fancy look of the dessert it was rather dry and composed of chocolate cake covered in chocolate.

If there is a line and since all sandwiches and salads are prepared when ordered there can be a wait. This evening the mall is uncrowded and the single cashier behind the counter quickly prepares my order. Cafe hours vary; inquire in person. Only cash is accepted.