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When it comes to adventures in the kitchen, though, I think that we can all agree that there is a lot to discover in that room! Whether you are a new cook or a seasoned one, there is always the potential to discover something new in the kitchen. And each time that you go in there to whip up a delicious meal, a new adventure begins!

For any kind adventure, the adventurer needs to have the right equipment in order to get the most of the experience. For the cook who seeks some adventure in the kitchen, one of the best things that you can have by your side is an endless source of ideas. In this matter, I think I have something that can be of help: Recipe Finder. Continue reading »

You’ll probably be seeing and hearing that phrase a lot in the next weeks, even months, as it is the tag line for the new tourism campaign that the city of Angels has launched. On Friday last week, Los Angeles city officials kicked off a new tourism campaign that is aimed at boosting the economy and providing jobs.

You would think that this part of the world would not have a lack of tourists. Indeed, last year, they still had a record number of visitors. However, the economic troubles of the country – and hence the city – are far from over and the authorities are bracing themselves for the worst. As such, they have launched this campaign in an effort to attract more visitors.

Mind you, they have put a lot of money into this campaign – a whopping $2M worth! Initially, the campaign is geared at reaching Southern California residents who might want to take a trip to the city. Eventually, the campaign will be widened to target other places in the US as well as international markets.

Despite the money that Hollywood movies brings in – and they capitalize on Hollywood for tourist attractions, believe me – the city knows that tourism is the lifeblood of their economy. As such, $2M is but a small price to pay to entice people from all over the world to spend their money in the city.

That’s So LA is replacing the old campaign dubbed See My LA. It still features the most popular attractions in the city.

Anyone who has visited one of Madame Tussauds’ museums would know just how amazingly lifelike the exhibits are. And for those who just can’t get enough of their Hollywood stars, Madame Tussauds has something especially for them – the newest museum in its already vast line up.

This time, the museum is dedicated to the stars – the human kind, not the twinkly kind you see up in the night sky. The newest addition to Madame Tussauds’ museum is located right next to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, near the Kodak Theatre. If you follow the Walk of Fame, you will go by the new museum, which opened on the 1st of this month.

There are 115 celebrities immortalized in wax, and guess what? This is no stuffy museum where visitors have to stay behind the red ropes! Those who go inside Madame Tussauds can literally rub shoulders with the wax figures.

To add to the whole experience, the stars do not come as stand alone figures. Some of them actually have props, which they are most known for. Tom Hanks, for example, sits on a bench as Forrest Gump did. You can even put on some the available habits around Whoopi Goldberg’s figure to join her in Sister Act. Needless to say, the possibilities for fun are endless in this museum.

Tickets are sold online and at the door. Online, you can buy Priority Access or Flexi Tickets, both for a 10 percent discount. What are you waiting for? It’s the perfect trip to end the summer.

Millions and millions of tourists have set foot on Hollywood and have roamed the streets to discover what this amazing city has to offer. Being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, it is no wonder that Hollywood is home to all sorts of establishments catering to all sorts of tastes and preferences. There is one thing that will always be sought after: that authentic Hollywood feel; and if you are looking for the real deal, then you should pay Musso & Frank Grill a visit.

This is not your run-of-the-mill restaurant which tries to emulate the Hollywood in everybody’s dream. It IS part of Hollywood’s rich and colorful history. Founded in the early 1900s, this establishment was the regular haunt of many personalities – from actors to literary figures. It changed ownership in 1926, and has continued to cater to locals and visitors alike. Recently, Musso & Frank has undergone some radical changes yet again. Jordan M. Jones, a descendant of the owners, took over the reins and implemented improvements while at the same time sticking to old traditions.

It used to be that the grill was best known for its martinis. Today, they have expanded their menu to include excellent wines and other drinks. They have also started playing music late at night, which was something “unknown” in the past. Once you put your foot inside the door, however, you will not be able to deny that Musso & Frank has something that all the other establishments in Hollywood may not have. Whatever you want to call it, you’ll definitely get that feeling at this Hollywood fixture.

Who is it? No, it is not Donald Trump. Never mind that this mogul who does not seem to mind wearing an ill-fitting wig can easily strike fear or inspiration in the hearts of people. And no, it is not Chuck Norris either. (Oh, heck, I think I see a round house kick coming just for writing that line!) So who is Hollywood’s most powerful man?

Come to think of it, I never really paid much attention to this in the past. I guess I have been to busy thinking about other things but this weekend, with everything and everyone in Hollywood buzzing about one single topic, it is hard to miss. Remember that little golden man?

Yup, I am talking about Mr. Oscar. It actually took an article from The Star Central to make me realize that indeed, this 13 ½ inch guy might very well be the most powerful man in Tinsel Town. Tonight, the whole world will see why.

Have you ever wondered why he was named Oscar? The truth is, his name was not always so. In fact, he didn’t even have a name to begin with. As the story goes, Margaret Herrick, once the Academy librarian remarked that the statue bore a resemblance to her Uncle Oscar and perhaps, Sidney Skolsky’s (a journalist) usage of the name to refer to Katharine Hepburn’s win in 1934 helped it stick. It was not until 1939 that Oscar became the official name, however.

Today, this name is known all over the world to represent the best movies that have graced the silver screen. And tonight, the whole world will be watching – yet again.

What’s going on in Hollywood aside from the current season of American Idol? By the way, I heard that the show gathered the most votes ever for their top10. Anyhow, after the recent Oscars, it seems to me that the movie scene has not been that active. However, that is not really true. There is much going on behind the scenes, and I got wind of one story that just might make it to the big screen.

The King of Sting is the story of real life con men. Think Catch Me If You Can. It runs along the same lines. The protagonists of this story are Craig Glazer and Don Woodbeck. They operated all across the United States, posing as cops, and conducting drug stings. The caveat is that they kept all the money and drugs involved. Now you can just imagine how much they raked in!

In fact, they were so successful in their activities that they were hired by the Attorney General of Kansas. Unfortunately, Woodbeck lost his life in their final attempt. Glazer subsequently wrote a book about his colorful life, titled The King of Sting: The Amazing True Story of a Modern American Outlaw.

It seems that it was received warmly and is now targeted to be turned into a movie. Eric Eisner, a known producer, is said to have locked in the rights to the story. While there are no other details known as of yet, I am thinking we’ll get to see this movie by early next year.

It may not be the newest hotel in the area, nor is it the grandest, but the Chateau Marmont is the hotel steeped in authentic Hollywood history. Located at 8221 Sunset Boulevard, the hotel was built in 1927 by Fred Horowitz. It was modeled after the famed Château d’Amboise in the Loire Valley in France. Originally, though, the project was not meant as a hotel. In fact, it was opened in 1929 as an apartment building. Due to the high rent and the Depression, there weren’t many takes. As such, it was converted into a hotel in 1931.

In 1990, Chateau Marmont was bought and has since then been run by hotelier Andre Balazs. So what is so special about this hotel? Let’s just say that countless Hollywood (and non-Hollywood) celebrities have spent many a naughty time in this place. This hotel is perhaps the most discrete and most private that you can find in all of Hollywood. And, in a place where privacy is hard to come by, Chateau Marmont is a haven for many. Indeed, Harry Cohn (founder of Columbia Pictures) is quoted to have said that “If you must get in trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont.”

This license for the naughty and the privacy does not come cheaply, though. The hotel has 63 rooms, cottages, and bungalows. The cheapest room – standard – will cost you a hefty $300++ per night. For the utmost privacy, the bungalows are what the stars choose. I can’t even begin to imagine how much these cost!

The next time you find yourself with cash – lots of it – to burn and you want a genuine Hollywood experience, check yourself in at the Chateau Marmont.

Did you know that Disney’s Hollywood Studios celebrated its 20th anniversary in May of this year? Ever since it was conceived in Walt Disney’s mind 4 decades or so ago, this theme park has reached unprecedented heights: it is now one of the most visited theme parks in the world. As with many other institutions, though, this park has its own secrets, and in celebration of the park’s 20th anniversary, the LA Times treated its readers to these secrets. Here are some of them.

Many buildings in the theme park are not as big as they seem. In fact, many of the architectural structures in Disney theme parks follow the concept of “forced perspective.” Following this concept, buildings have smaller scaling as one goes up. Many a visitor has found his mouth hang open in awe of the buildings thanks to forced perspective.

The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is actually the first ever Disney roller coaster to invert riders. This applies to ALL of the Disney theme parks. So, more than an exciting ride, you’re also getting a piece of theme park history here!

The Sorcerer’s Hat is painted using a unique technique called “chameleon paint.” This hat is the main icon of the studio and was dedicated in 2001 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Walt Disney. The chameleon paint makes the hat change in color as people move from one place to another.

Here’s another piece of trivia about the Sorcerer’s Hat. All other Disney theme park icons have some sort of attraction except for the hat! That doesn’t take away from its popularity, though.

These are only several of the secrets, though. You might want to check the article from LA Times to discover the rest.

He was a good bad boy – if you know what I mean. Another Hollywood icon has said farewell to this world, and we will all remember him with fond memories. Dennis Hopper passed away yesterday at the age of 74 in his home in Venice, Los Angeles. Last year, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He valiantly battled the disease, which eventually took his life.

Dennis Hopper’s career was full of ups and downs – much like many other personalities out there. One big difference is how this man handled the stuff that life threw at him. Despite all the discouragement he had met in his career, he was able to achieve a lot of things, including two Oscar nominations, his own Hollywood star (which he got this year, by the way), and a reputation for being one of the best bad boys in Hollywood.

He is probably best known for Easy Rider, which changed a lot of things for him and movies in general. Indeed, his co-star Peter Fonda says that they “rode the highways of America and changed the way movies were made in Hollywood.” In tribute to Hopper, he continues to say that he “was blessed by his passion and friendship.”

More than being an actor, Dennis Hopper was also an accomplished director. In fact, the last several years of his life could be described as nothing but frenetic. This is a guy who was filled with passion for his life and work, and for that, we cannot do anything but admire him.

So long, Dennis Hopper!

Hollywood is always getting accused of all sorts of things, so I am not at all surprised by the recent accusations being thrown left and right. You might have heard of the latest dirt being thrown at Hollywood people. It involves the recently released movie, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

The news is that the casting was done in favor of white actors. Obviously, many of the characters in the movie are supposed to be of Asian or Middle Eastern descent. However, as we all know, many of the actors taking on the lead roles are not exactly from that part of the world.

Let’s take a look at hunky Jake Gyllenhaal who plays the lead role. He’s definitely not Middle Eastern – he’s American with Swedish and Jewish blood in him. (At least there’s a bit of Asian in him.)

Then there’s his leading lady, the princess, who is played by Gemma Arterton. She’s a full blooded Brit. No Asian blood in her.

It’s really not a surprise that critics are up in arms about the way the cast members – the leading cast members most especially – were chosen. Of course, there must be some reasoning behind the choices. There may be things that the general public – and the critics even – may not be aware of.

Then again, independent filmmaker Jehanzeb Dar might just be right. He said something like choosing white people to play the roles of other races is an insult to everyone involved. What do you think? Have you seen the movie?