Some restaurants can boast of celebrity chefs, but some of Hollywood’s eateries have something else — celebrity owners.

Quite a few of the bars and diners are owned by stars, and have become favorite celebrity hangouts. There’s the funky vibe of Dan Aykroyd’s House of Blues (found along the Sunset Strip). Or the classy Schazi, run by Schwarzenegger (no, the waiters don’t say, “Ah’ll be back!” after they take your order).

Steven Spielberg’s Dive! restaurant shows his quirky personality, being shaped like a yellow submarine. Peter Fonda chose to make his Thunder Roadhouse look like a biker joint (love those Harleys).

You can also try J. Lo’s restaurant, Madre’s, or Kevin Costner’s uber-exclusive Clubhouse. The 70’s Show cast also opened their own diner, thankfully free of any tacky upholstery — it serves traditional Italian, so there’s no lava lamp in sight.

Every Hollywood tourist brochure recommends a visit to the Wax Museum, but with an admission fee of $15 (and you can only stay an hour) is it really worth it?

Most visitors say that you go so you say you can go — and to have a lot of laughs. Think of it as a chance to get your pictures taken with celebrities, but don’t be too disappointed if the wax likenesses look like you’ve caught them at their worst. (David Hasselhoff looks like he has jaundice.)

Some of the scenes are pretty cool — like the segment from The Exorcist — others border on the creepy. But since the hours extend till 1 am, and the airconditioning’s fantastic, it’s a quiet, relaxing way to end to a long and frenetic day of touring. Get a shared pass to the Guiness Book of Records museum across the street to get your money’s worth.

Hollywood is full of gorgeous and talented men and women. Many assume that in this town where they have so much, fairy tales will come true. Happy ever after would actually happen without need of any fairies or fairy godmothers.

Unfortunately that simply isn’t the case. Wealth and beauty do not automatically bring forth the fairy tale ending that many wish for. In fact, Hollywood has some of the shortest weddings.

Here are some of the shortest celebrity marriages Hollywood has ever seen:

Britney Spears takes home the prize for the shortest celebrity wedding. Her marriage to Jason Alexander barely lasted 48 hours. She said she just wanted to try being married. Did she think it was a dress?

After divorcing Sonny Bono, Cher seemed to have a hankering for the married state once again. So she up and married Greg Allman in Las Vegas. After a mere 9 days she called it quits saying that his drug and drinking problems were a bit too much for her.

Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley lasted longer. They made it to 3 months and fifteen days before saying I don’t want to anymore. Lisa Marie later married the former king of pop, Michael Jackson, which lasted 20 months.

The latest couple to file their divorce makes it to the list. After a mere four months, Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock are giving up on wedded bliss. Just goes to show that multiple wedding ceremonies do not equal a more united couple.

In my opinion, Hollywood stars are notorious for having a weird streak (some more than others). In Hollywood, saying strange things is actually encouraged as is the fondness for naming your child extremely un-tradtional names.

So in that vein, here are some of the worst things said by Hollywood’s finest. Kinda scary, especially when you think of how these people are idolised….

Angelina Jolie

“I am so in love with my brother right now!”

“On furnishing her new house: I saw these plastic horses – we’ll have them instead of chairs. People will climb in the saddle to sit.”

“Honestly, I like everything. Boyish girls, girlish boys, the thick, the thin. Which is a problem when I’m walking down the street. “

Paris Hilton

“Every woman should have four pets in her life. A mink in her closet, a jaguar in her garage, a tiger in her bed, and a jackass who pays for everything.”

“All British people have plain names, and that works pretty well over there. [Hmm... tell us about 'work' Paris]“

Britney Spears

?The cool thing about being famous is traveling. I have always wanted to travel across seas, like to Canada and stuff.?

Silent night…Holly night…

Forget the silent part. If you are wondering how to get around Hollywood to enjoy the pumping night scene without having to fork out lots of money for cab fare after cab fare, all you need to know that it isn’t a problem in Hollywood thanks to the Holly Trolley.

The Holley Trolley is a public transportation run by the LA Department of Tourism (LADOT). The Holly Trolley is special in several ways:

• It runs only at night.
• Its route takes you through the most popular night clubs.
• Tokens (fare pass) can be bought at bar, night clubs, and restaurants.
• Its very distinct orange picturesque look.

So if you want to get to the Kodak Theater from Capitol Records without paying $4 for a cab then just hop on the Holly Trolley for a wholly wonderful time at Hollywood.

Holly Trolley Schedule
Runs every 12 minutes
Thursday – Saturday
6:30pm – 2:30am
No service on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

FARE: $1.00
LADOT Pass Holders: Free

Holly Trolley Route Map

Hollywood is known for the glitz, glamor, and money… money lots of people frankly couldn’t afford or do not wish to shell out. Good news for those who want to experience Hollywood without totally emptying their pockets…there are actually lots of inexpensive hotels in Hollywood.

The benefit of staying in a budget hotel is that you’ll be able to save your money so you can afford to see all the sights and shows and maybe even dine in a special place or two.

Some budget-friendly hotels (compared to other hotels that offer the same level of service) include:

1-Star

• Days Inn Hollywood Hotel (5410 Hollywood Blvd.)

2-Star

• Days Inn Hollywood Near Universal Studios Hotel (7023 Sunset Blvd)
• Hollywood Metropolitan Hotel
• Hollywood Vermont Sunset Travelodge
• Liberty Hotel
• Rodeway Inn
• Saharan Motor Hotel
• Super 8 Motel
• Travelodge Sunset La Brea Hotel
• Westside Rentals Hollywood Hotel

3-Star

• Best Western Hollywood Hills
• Comfort Inn & Suites Hotel
• Holiday Inn Hollywood Walk Of Fame Hotel
• Magic Castle Hotel

If you wish to find quality yet cheap hotels in Hollywood I would also suggest that you use online booking sites since they usually offer lots of good deals year-round.

Want to know where all the prettiest girls, models, and aspiring actresses hang out? It’s the
Garden of Eden (LaBrea and Hollywood), one of Hollywood’s best clubs — and one of the hardest to get into. Owned by the Mood creator, has a very picky doorman; girls will usually get in within 15-20 minutes — less if you’re gorgeous — while the guys wait for an hour at least. Tip: wear black. The crowd consists mainly of twenty-somethings. Entrance fee is $15-25 for entrance. 7080 Hollywood Blvd (at LaBrea). (323) 465-3336.

Treat yourself like a star the next time you’re in Hollywood at the Estee Lauder Spa. it’s got amazing beauty treatments including anti-aging facials and scrubs to release that natural glow.
Try to get the “Oscar Room” for a completely private and utterly relaxing head to toe treatment.

9700 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Tel. 310-550-2044

You’ve seen celebrity hairstyles on TV and fashion magazines — but now that you’re in Hollywood, why not get your locks done by the favorite stylists of the stars?

Try the Byron Williams Hair Salon. This is the favorite salon of style icons likeLindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, and Mischa Barton. (Here she is posing with him). “I trust Byron and he listens to what I want.”

The salon address:
Byron Williams Salon
9294 Civic Center Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Some of Hollywood’s hotels can be considered as historical as Hollywood itself — like the Knickerbocker.

It was built in 1925 as a luxury apartment building, and its Renaissance Revival bar was a favorite hang out of the stars. Rudolph Valentino loved to tango here. FIlm director D. W. Griffith spent many hours at the bar, especially after he was “dismissed” by Hollywood after years of pioneering the industry. He was was walking in the lobby when he had a stroke, and died under the huge crystal chandelier.

Another Knickerbocker patron was Frances Farmer, who enjoyed an intense, but brief, career. She appeared in 18 films, three Broadway plays, thirty major radio shows and seven stock company productions, but alcohol, drugs, and weight problems had her career in shambles before she was 28. In 1943 she was arrested while she was at the Knickerbocker, and had to be dragged (half naked) out of her room. Famous costume designer Irene Gibbons also committed suicide here, checking in under another name, then trying to slit her wrists. When that didn’t work she jumped from the window.

The Knickerbocker was also the “lovenest” of William Faulkner and Meta Carpenter, a script girl from the Fox studios, Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio. Other celebrity guests were Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mae West, Lana Turner, Cecil B. DeMille, Frank Sinatra, Laurel and Hardy and many others.

The Knickerbocker was also the stage for the last Houdini seance. After an hour, a violent thunderstorm drenched participants and ended their attempts. They later discovered that the storm didn’t occur anywhere else in Hollywood — only above the hotel!

Today a coffee shop called “The All-Star Theatre Café & Speakeasy” stands where the bar used to be, and is frequented by celebrities like Sandra Bullock and Leonardo DiCaprio.