Lots of visitors coming to Hollywood do so to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars. The great thing about the place is that anywhere you go the chances of being star struck is there.

If you want to spot some big stars but start feeling hungry from all the sightseeing you might as well visit restaurants that are the favorites of your favorite celebs including:

Spago Beverly Hills – The original Spago used to be located in west Hollywood but after Wolfgang Puck opened the Beverly Hills branch he had to let the first one go. If you want a sure shot at seeing big names this is the place to go especially during peak hours (7-9pm). The problem with the place though is that it is that you would need to book reservations days or even weeks in advance. Unless you’re a celeb or going out with one you also wouldn’t be able to get a table during the peak hours. Still the food is really excellent and at the very least you can say you’ve dined in the place where Sir Elton John, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise, Robin Williams, Sydney Poitier, Tom Hanks, and so many more have dined.

Formosa Cafe – Fancy a drink? This is the place to go. Actually the place offers a lot more than drinks and has an excellent full menu everynight. Formosa Cafe is really frequented by the celebs though mostly just for cocktails. The great thing about Formosa Cafe is that the prices are relatively reasonable and the ambiance will make you fill at ease. Big names that have been spotted there include Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, James Dean, etc (although you surely wouldn’t see them coming again!). Among those alive and breathing big stars that have been seen there include Bono, Nicolas Cage, Britney Spears, Jodie Foster, Kevin Spacey, an more.

Do you like doing your grocery shopping on a regular basis? Do you feel a certain sort of despair each time you go to the supermarket and you find vegetables and other produce that are not up to your standards? Well, if you are ever in Hollywood and you want to do your grocery shopping, you might want to go to the Hollywood Farmers Market instead of Costco.

This market is a true blue outdoor street market which offers a wide variety of goods. To date, it has about 90 farmers, 30 artisans, and 30 food vendors. Read the description of the market from their own web site:

Besides offering a great variety of fresh California-grown fruits and vegetables, Hollywood Farmers’ Market offers other wares such as honey, fish, free-range poultry and eggs, meats, cheeses, olives, mushrooms, jams, jellies, fruit juices, sauces, dried fruit and nuts, espresso, ethnic foods prepared on premises, hot pancakes, bread, biscuits, clothes, jewelry, gifts and more.

Now isn’t that just enough to make you want to visit the market? More than the food and produce, however, you can also enjoy other activities such as live music from street musicians. There are other forms of entertainment, family-oriented activities, and more. As such, you can make your visit to the market more than a routine chore. Indeed, it can be a family event that can keep everyone busy and happy.

The Hollywood Farmers’ Market is held every Sunday from 8 am to 1 pm. You will surely find it easily on Ivar Avenue and Selma Avenue.

Forget buying gifts for other people — what should Hollywood fans get for themselves? What about these vintage movie posters, available at emovieposter.com This site carries some of the posters from old blockbusters, from Disney’s 102 Dalmations to Empire Strikes Back to Ghostbusters.
Better yet, arrange a Hollywood tour that’ll bring you to the studios or sets. Now that’s what we call bragging rights.

The Vanguard is one of the hottest places to party in HOllywood. It’s famous for its cool DJs, go-go girls on a catwalk and enough dance floor space to fit in the relaxed but energetic crowd, which ranges mainly from 25s-early 30s. There’s an outdoor tropical-style patio in the back for VIP service, but this place is really just a pure dance club with few distractions.
(6021 Hollywood Bvld., 213-480-3232.)

Year in and year out, people from all over the United States and the world come in droves to Hollywood. They all want to see a glimpse of the real Tinsel Town that they normally only see on TV and the wide screen. Hollywood already has tried and tested places that attract visitors like nothing else.

What we see on TV and the movies may not be reflective of the “real” Hollywood and the “real” Los Angeles, however. And this is exactly what Robert Cabrales wants to share to visitors. Together with the Communities for a Better Environment, he is organizing tours specially designed for eco tourists. This group is actually an advocacy organization that aims to give something back to communities.

So what does an eco tour of Los Angeles include? The answer is quite stark: a guided tour among the most “notorious environmental black spots” of the city. Dubbed Toxic Tours, these unique vacations are aimed to reveal the “dirty little secrets” of the city.

AFP reports:

“The purpose is mainly to let people know that there is something going on here, which is the dirty little secrets that pretty much most people don’t know about,” Cabrales says. “When we talk about tourism and people coming over to visit Los Angeles they’re not going to see the nasty parts.”

Launched in 2007, the tour departs several times a month, ferrying anyone from environmentally conscious tourists to schoolchildren, activists and even government officials.

Cabrales said the tour aims to shine a light on the “environmental injustices” of Los Angeles, where residents in poorer neighborhoods live in close proximity to heavy industry.

I admire the initiative and concept of the tours. However, I don’t know if I would want to pay to see these places. I mean, I might as well take note of the places and then go there myself. Then again, that wouldn’t mean much for the cause of trying to change things, would it?

How about you, would you pay to go on a Toxic Tour?

Do you consider yourself to be a maverick? I know a lot of people who do. It does not mean that they become instant successes but they do have a character of their own. In Hollywood, more than in other places, we can find a lot of mavericks. Forbes actually ran a feature article on some of Hollywood’s best known mavericks with this unforgettable lesson: “If you make people money, you can get away with being a maverick in Hollywood. If you don’t, well, that’s another story.”

So who made the list? Here are some of them.

Oliver Stone
He’s cemented his outsider status with a rebellious nature and a penchant for high-minded, controversial films. His work has provocatively depicted American culture, politics and business with Wall Street, Born on the Fourth of July and Natural Born Killers. But his latest film, W, grossed just $10 million during its opening weekend.

Michael Moore
He’s turned controversy into commerce, with documentaries that have explored American health care, the Iraq war, President Bush and gun ownership. But when his 2004 film Fahrenheit 9/11 grossed over $200 million worldwide–though it had a production cost of $6 million–that’s when he became a Hollywood darling. He’ll earn a reported $20 million to do the sequel.

Mel Gibson
Besides being outspoken, they’re adept at manipulating publicity–both positive and negative–to boost their fame, allowing them to work on their own terms. “Celebrities are selling their own brands because it affords them more freedom and they can drive the machine,” Says Levine.

That last description was actually referring not only to Mel Gibson but to other personalities such as Madonna and Kanye West as well. We all know where these people are right now and I think that being mavericks is one big reason that they reached where they are.

The Grauman Chinese Theatre is one of the most popular attractions in Hollywood. The great thing about this theatre is that its popularity is not only due to its “star record” but also because of its architecture. In fact the theatre is has been a historic-cultural landmark since 1968. Thanks to this status the theatre has been kept well preserved undergoing several facelifts and much needed earthquake retrofits to ensure that future generations will still have a Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to visit and enjoy when going to Hollywood.

The Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was first opened in May 18, 1927 with Cecil B. DeMille’s “The King of Kings” premiering that night. From the opening the theatre has already been popular and been making history as attested to by the thousands of fans, that turned out to see both the celebrities and the theatre, and then went ahead and rioted.

As mentioned earlier the theatre is also very special due to the architecture and the interior design. Quite obviously the theatre is of Chinese architecture, but what makes it really special is its legendary forecourt better known as the “Forecourt of the Stars”. The intricate artistry, from the fountains to the statues, displayed in the forecourt is actually the work of real Chinese artisans. Lots of the other artifacts that dot the theatre, such as the giant Heaven Dogs guarding the entrance of the theatre, are genuine Chinese artifacts imported from China. Of course, to the fans the emphasis goes to the stars part of the “Forecourt of the STARS” since it is there where you’ll find the hand and footprints of more than 200 celebrities. The very first hand and footprints belong to Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks in April 30, 1927 with more and more stars adding to the A-List each year.

The theatre, though a tourist attraction, is also still very much a real theatre serving as the venue for premieres of the best shows in Hollywood.

I don’t know about you but one of my main considerations when I go on vacation is the quality and the variety of choices when it comes to food. Going to Hollywood should be no different. In fact, if there is one city in the United States wherein you should expect some of the best restaurants, then it should be Los Angeles. So how would you know which restaurants to go to? You can always look for the restaurants of some of the celebrity chefs.

Then again, if you want some more variety, there are other alternatives – many other alternatives. Your best bet would be to visit the site Los Angeles Restaurants. I went through the web site earlier today and I really liked what I found. For one, on the main page, you already see some really useful lists. Some of the categories are Best Restaurants – Overall Dining Experience, Best Service, Best Food, Best Ambiance, and Best Wine List & Bar Selection.

When you click on a restaurant name, you will be taken to a page with more details about the restaurant. You can find information such as the full review, which is very detailed, I have to say. You can also find details about the location, type of cuisine, pricing, dress code, and more. There are some items on the menu shown with the description and price. Best of all, you can actually make reservations on the site itself.

Knots Berry Farm is a well known brand all over the world. Situated not far from Hollywood, Knotts Berry Farm is the perfect destination for tourists, especially for those with families. There are various agencies operating in and around Hollywood which offer tours to the Farm.

One example is prominent Hollywood Tours. Here is something from their web site:

The Knotts Berry Farm Excursion from Hollywood (Day and Evening) includes admission and unlimited use of all rides and attractions, with hotel pick-up before 9:00 am and return from the park at 9:30 pm.

Pick-up from Hollywood, San Fernando Valley, the Valley, Mid-Wilshire, Pasadena, Glendale, and Burbank area hotels.

Enjoy 165 wild rides, live shows and attractions including an action-packed Old West Ghost Town, six-acre Camp Snoopy for kids, and all-new Jaguar!, the Streaking Big Cat of Roller Coasters!

Of course, I am sure that you want to know how much a tour would set you back. For adults, they charge $106.95. If you book from their web site, you get a discount and pay only $101.95. Prices for children are cheaper at $77.95.

If you are planning on taking the Knotts Berry Farm tour, you should be ready to spend about 14 hours. Basically, you have to set aside a whole day for the tour, with perhaps some time to relax in the evening upon your return.

Just because Hollywood is where some of the richest people on earth live, it does not mean that the community does not have a sense of social and environmental responsibility. Indeed, some of the most socially aware people are big figures in Hollywood. As another testament to how this part of the world is contributing to the effort to save Mother Earth, the first eco-friendly lounge is set to open in November of this year in Hollywood.

Dubbed Ecco, the lounge is located in the Cahuenga Corridor and is set to lay down the standards for an environmentally friendly night out. Ecco used to be the Tokio Hollywood, which was renovated and transformed into something which, many would say, is better.

So what makes Ecco different from the plethora of night clubs and lounges in Hollywood? Here are some of its features:

– Multi-colored state-of-the-art LED lighting, exclusively designed and installed by Disco Designer and Cosmos Lighting.
– Neutralized carbon emissions through LivClean.
– Green energy supplied by L.A. Department of Water & Power’s Green Power resources.
– Certified organic cuisine and beverages without fertilizers, pesticides, hormones or antibiotics.
– Energy efficient insulation, saving 20% more energy than standard insulation.
– Eco-friendly bathrooms with flushless toilets, Dyson “Airblade” hand dryers, and organic cleansers and hand soaps.
– Free valet service for hybrid vehicles.
– Paperless event ticketing, table and bottle reservations provided by UpCode Solutions USA/Mobile Access & Interaction technology (MAI)(TM).
– Custom audio provided by Turbosound, winners of the Best Club Awards

LED lighting, flushless toilets, organic food – you can’t get any “eco-friendlier” than that can you?