It is always heartwarming to see a good cause succeed. We all recently heard about the passing away of Hollywood icon Paul Newman. I am sure that if he had any way of knowing what is happening after his passing away, he would be quite happy. An annual fundraiser for a children’s camp for those with life-threatening diseases was held on Monday and the support that it received from the who’s who of Hollywood was overwhelming. More than actually turning up to help raise money for a good cause, the people also turned up to pay their own tribute to Paul Newman. The Associate Press has this report:

The lineup for a dramatic reading of “The World of Nick Adams” on Monday night at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall already was set when the acting legend died of cancer Sept. 26 at the age of 83. The event benefited The Painted Turtle, a camp for children with life-threatening illnesses, that was started by Newman in 1999.

“We expected Paul to be with us and so this kind of turned into kind of a tribute,” said Danny Glover, who joined Jack Nicholson, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Warren Beatty, Sean Penn and other big names in the reading. “This is the first time we are doing this without Paul — there is a void there, without a doubt.”

Some 2,500 people attended the star-studded benefit, which began with a video in which Newman discussed his work with the Association of Hole in The Wall Camps, which runs 11 camps around the world including The Painted Turtle.

Just take note of those names mentioned above and you will understand how big the event turned up to be. I am sure that the children involved – and Paul Newman, if he were alive – would deeply appreciate the gesture.

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?

If you do, then you are among countless people yearning to live at The Broadway Hollywood, a condominium complex that gives a new twist to the classic loft style of living. The Broadway Hollywood is located at Hollywood and Vine and is housed in a 1927 department store building. The builders of this condominium complex took the original New York loft style and added their own brand of creativity.

Taking a step away from the industrialized loft style, The Broadway Hollywood has all the perks that are needed for style and comfort. It has a fitness center, the view is fantastic, it has a rooftop pool with cabanas for lounging, and more. The units themselves are designed for the most discerning tastes. Think Hollywood big names such as Charlize Theron, Dave Navarro, and Danny Masterson – they all have units in this building.

The Broadway Hollywood has more to offer than the condo units. With its strategic location, there are so many conveniences to be had. There is the Katsuya sushi joint downstairs and The Geisha House is within walking distance. This is not to mention the other numerous shops that you can visit within minutes.

Of course, you have to pay a considerable sum to enjoy all of this. Guess how much a unit will set you back? I could not find prices for the average lofts but a two-floor penthouse unit with a living area of 2,000 square feet was recently listed at $1.8 million!

Have you ever heard of the group Hollywood Heritage? It is a group that has been actively preserving the landmarks of Hollywood. It has been in operation for over 25 years and even though they may not be as well known as the other names in the industry, their work has certainly made a difference.

It was thus quite a surprise when the news came out that they have received an eviction notice. They have been calling the Wattles Mansion home for a while now but they have been told by the LA city government to move out! The LA Times reports:

Hollywood’s leading preservation group has been ordered out of the community’s most prominent historic estate for allegedly ignoring city rules and renting out the mansion for disruptive parties.

Hollywood Heritage has supervised the famed Wattles Mansion for 25 years under an exclusive agreement with the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. The city purchased the mansion for about $2 million in 1968.

But parks officials say the nonprofit organization — known for its vigorous efforts to protect endangered structures from Hollywood’s early years — has failed to properly maintain the 101-year-old landmark. The group has also been accused of failing to turn over financial records related to weddings, film shoots and other special events at the mansion.

Nearby residents on dead-end North Curson Avenue complain that partygoers’ cars clog the street and block driveways. They say that loud, amplified music echoes through their hillside canyon on party nights.

If the allegations are true, then it is such a disappointing turn of events.

Hollywood is definitely one for setting trends, which is why it’s a great thing for our environment that West Hollywood is setting an example by going green. The City of West Hollywood has in fact won the “Innovation in Green Building Award” for its environtmental-friendlt new program called the “WeHo Green Building Program.”

The Green Building Program is actually not an idea that grew overnight. It started out with a public vision exercise five years ago that showed the interest of those in West Hollywood (not just their planners!) to help the environment by making green building a priority. To show the city government’s dedication to the “green vision” they required all public buildings to adhere to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System and as proof get LEED certifications. It is also developing a new system for urban infill developments to be more environmental friendly.

Hollywood is known worldwide for theatre arts but what many do not realise is its commitment to arts as a whole. In fact, Hollywood is home to one of the most unique theme park in the world - and Arts Park.

The Arts Park, located at the Young Circle, is meant to be designed in such a way that each section of the park will not only be tastefully artful but functional in the sense that it will fit the activity meant to happen in that area of the partk. Though the park’s plan was first conceived back in 2003 till now it is still a work in progress. So far though visitors to the park will already find a good variety of things to enjoy including the:

• historic pavilion - historic building built using an indigenous material (oolitic limestone)
• grove - lawn built for more sedate activities such picnics, reading, and simply lounging around
• the meadow - built for the more active visitors who want to toss a frisbee around or play some board games
• “ancient” baobab trees - five baobab tree to marvel at
• millennium springs - artwork designed by Ritsuko Taho it has 3 major components: the water sculpture (water fountain and the baobab tree sound art), the dream wave patterned walkway, and an E-sculpture
• plaza - used for special events and festivals
• children’s play area - A place where children of all ages will certainly love to explore. Features an interactive fountain, entrance sculptures, and innovative playground equipment.
• visual arts pavilion
• performing arts pavilion (not yet constructed)

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.

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

Attention shopaholics there’s a new store to check out in Hollywood!

The newest Chanel store is set to open this Friday, May 30, at Robertson Boulevard in West hollywood. The new store would is uniquely packaged compared to other Chanel stores in that it is like a mini-Chanel store. This makes it blend in with the quaint look of the other boutiques located in Robertson Boulevard. Robertson is after all known for its indie boutiques.

The Channel “mini-store” is actually a 5000 plus square foot two-storey building done in the classic black and white Chanel is known for. Clearly the store is not a mini-store for the size but because it will feature only select pieces of this season’s collection. It will showcase the best of this season’s pieces from jewelry to nail polish, and of course ready-to-wear clothes.

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.