February 2012
While spending a week visiting Marianne in Southern California (LA County to be specific) we visited many popular tourist sites along with some lesser known, but equally interesting places. Many of these were filming locations from the Back to the Future movies. You can't be in SoCal and without running into many TV and movie locations. We went to Warner Brothers Studios and other places that are interesting on their own like the La Brea Tar Pits and Griffith Observatory, but of course, have movie tie-ins as well.
Mountains and palm trees. We're definitely in California.
Puente Hills Mall in City of Industry is better known as Twin Pines/Lone Pine Mall from Back to the Future. Just picture a DeLorean tearing across the parking lot.
Puente Hills Mall in City of Industry is better known as Twin Pines/Lone Pine Mall from Back to the Future. Just picture a DeLorean tearing across the parking lot.
Whittier High School played the part of Hill Valley High School in Back to the Future
We toured the Gamble House (as in Proctor & Gamble) which was Doc Brown's mansion in Back to the Future.
Doc Brown's garage was where the DeLorean time machine was built in Back to the Future. now it's the gift shop for the Gamble House.
I wonder if the people who live at 9303 Roslyndale Ave in Pacoima expect Michael J. Fox to walk out every time they come home since they live in Marty McFly's house from Back to the Future.
The Griffith Park Tunnel was in the first 2 Back to the Future movies and was also the entrance to Toontown in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
The Griffith Park Tunnel was in the first 2 Back to the Future movies and was also the entrance to Toontown in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Griffith Observatory has a great planetarium show and great views. It also was featured in the movie Rebel Without a Cause among others.
We picked a bit of a smoggy day to visit Griffith Observatory, but it paid off with a fantastic sunset later.
Griffith Observatory has a great planetarium show and great views. It also was featured in the movie Rebel Without a Cause among others.
That's the Hollywood sign over there as the sun begins to set over the Hollywood Hills.
The ceiling in the lobby of Griffith Observatory
Einstein sits on a bench demonstrating the amount of the sky that would be covered by holding your finger a foot from your face.
The entrance to Griffith Observatory was the site of one of the pivotal scenes in the movie Rebel Without a Cause.
Monument to James Dean's role in Rebel Without a Cause at Griffith Observatory as the sun sets and the moon plus 3 planets begin to come into view.
A smoggy day equals a spectacular sunset. I couldn't resist this beautiful photo op.
Looking down over the city from Griffith Observatory
This landing at Griffith Observatory is where the knife fight scene from Rebel Without a Cause was filmed
There were three planets plus the moon visible the night we visited Griffith Observatory.
If this road in Long Beach looks like it's part of a Formula 1 track, that's because it is.
The Queen Mary is now a floating Hotel and museum
Long Beach Harbor
Long Beach Harbor
Yes, that's a ferris wheel by the road in Long Beach
That's not a roller coaster, it's a pedestrian bridge built to be reminiscent of The Pike amusement area in Long Beach.
RUN FORREST RUN! Lunch at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company in Long Beach
Long Beach Harbor Lighthouse
The Queen Mary is now a floating Hotel and museum
The Russian submarine Scorpion is docked next to the Queen Mary
One of the turbines that powered the Queen Mary
In the engine room of the Queen Mary
You never know when you'll need excess white or black smoke
The last reminaing intact prop on the Queen Mary
The signs aboard the Queen Mary are a bit contradictory of each other
Long Beach by day as seen from the Queen Mary
Long Beach by night as seen from the Queen Mary
Queensway Bridge as seen from the Queen Mary
Looking across Queensway Bay at downtown Long Beach from the Queen Mary
Santa Anita Park
Bushnell Avenue in South Pasadena is home to several Back to the Future filming sites. I was also the street from The Wonder Years.
George's house from Back to the Future
Biff's house from Back to the Future
A visit to Marianne's "office"
I was not only in California to visit Marianne, but was there to see Charlie too.
The La Brea Tar Pits are a fascinating place. I only previously knew about these because of the Tommy Lee Jones movie Volcano.
We don't have plants like this in New Jersey
The Lake Pit at the La Brea Tar Pits swallows a mammoth
Tar continues to rise from the tar pits
The La Brea Tar Pits are still quite active
Entering Universal Studios
We had a great dinner at Buca di Beppo at Universal CityWalk
Universal CityWalk
Universal CityWalk
Seeing the Warner Brothers water tower can only make yuo think of one thing... The Animaniacs!
Touring Warner Brothers Studios
Bugs Bunny greets guests at Warner Brothers Studios
The set of Harry's Law on the Warner Brothers lot
You may recognize this from the Friends episode with Jean Claude van Damme
The end of the "street" on the Warner Brothers lot was the ambulance bay from season 1 of ER
Filming the Mentalist on the Warner Brothers lot
This tiny patch of grass is the field where Ross played Rugby on Friends
Crews dress the set for Hart of Dixie. Note that the leaves on the trees stop at the top of where the camera can see.
Fully dressed back lot at Warner Brothers
That's not a real church, it's on the Warner Brothers back lot
Fake leaves and sphagnum moss almost make you believe the set of Hart of Dixie is really in Alabama
Do I really need to tell you that this is the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard?
Clint Eastwood actually owns the car from Gran Torino
Coming full circle from our visit to Griffith Observatory, there's an image from Rebel Without a Cause
You may not know this is a Ford Anglia, but you have to know it's from Harry Potter.
We're ready to board the Hogwarts Express
The Central Perk set is so iconic that it's still maintained even though the show, Friends, has been off the air for 8 years.
The Central Perk set is so iconic that it's still maintained even though the show, Friends, has been off the air for 8 years.
We may not be Ross and Rachel, but our butts are on the same sofa theirs occupied at Central Perk.
The Friends Stage
Through that archway is the ambulance bay from ER, or so we can imagine.
Downtown Los Angeles skyline
Walking the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Capitol Records Building in Hollywood
Street in front of the Kodak Theatre was still all set up from the Oscars the night before
The Kodak Theatre hosted the Oscars the night before we were there.
The Kodak Theatre hosted the Oscars the night before we were there. This is where the red carpet was.
Grauman's Chinese Theater
Donald Duck's footprints at Grauman's Chinese Theater
Whoopi Goldberg's hand, foor and dreadlock prints at Grauman's Chinese Theater
John Travolta's hand and foot prints at Grauman's Chinese Theater
lots of hand and foot prints outside Grauman's Chinese Theater. Jimmy Stewart, Gene Autry, Dean Martin, Bruce Willis, Peter Sellers and others.
Ron Howard's hand and foot prints at Grauman's Chinese Theater
Sid Grauman's hand and foot prints at Grauman's Chinese Theater
The press route from the Oscars was still marked out from the previous night
And the most important star... Michael J. Fox
Mel's Drive-In
The always iconic Hollywood sign
Looking down from Mulholland Drive
Looking down at Hollywood and Los Angeles from Mulholland Drive.