Forget the star map (tacky) and bus tour (double tacky and boring). Famous folks are most efficiently found in their natural habitats, like these 15 surefire L.A. targets …
OBSERVE AND JUDGE:
L.A. County Courthouse
It might not be the most glamorous or tasteful place to star-scope, but a trip to Downtown’s county courthouse virtually guarantees a run-in with legally tenuous celebrities. Britney, Paris, Rihanna and Chris Brown are all courthouse regulars, and hearing dates are conveniently public, so you can plan your day in court around your favorite famous outlaw. Get there early to grab a prime spot in front of the throng of paparazzi that swarms outside.
KEEP READING: Hush-Hush at the Chateau! [PAGEBREAK]
GET A ROOM:
Chateau Marmont
This iconic hotel is both a private enclave of old Hollywood luxury and a legendary see-and-be-seen status spot. Everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Thom Yorke, LiLo and Orlando Bloom has stayed here, and if the walls could talk, they likely wouldn’t tell us a thing. The Chateau is famously tight-lipped about its transient residents, which makes it a go-to locale for A-list debauchery. Benicio del Toro and Scarlett Johansson famously got frisky in the elevator, and drug binges and other boozy shenanigans perpetually ensue. If you can’t afford a room, get a taste of the glamour and the excess at the adjacent Bar Marmont.
KEEP READING: Date Night, Hollywood Style! [PAGEBREAK]
DINNER AND A MOVIE:
Magnolia + The Arclight
The Arclight is a cushy movie theater that serves alcohol, offers reserved seating and provides chairs with extra Kobe-friendly legroom. This fancy-pants Hollywood institution is the theater of choice for celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Simpson, who round out Date Night with dinner at the nearby Magnolia restaurant, where gorging on baked macaroni and cheese is a must.
KEEP READING: Eastside Grime Time! [PAGEBREAK]
EAST SIDE BAR CRAWL:
The Echo + Little Joy + Spaceland
The Eastside neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Echo Park and Silver Lake forge a holy trinity of L.A. hipster stomping grounds. The adjacent neighborhoods are loaded with ultra-cool and slightly grimy hangouts including uber-dive Little Joy, the very bar Strokes member Fabrizio Moretti named his side project after. Head here for a PBR after checking out up-and-comers at music venues Spaceland and The Echo. Stick some money in the jukebox and prepare to have your selections judged by discerning regulars including Kiefer Sutherland, Ryan Gosling and Kate Moss.
KEEP READING: Party at Ralph’s! [PAGEBREAK]
NECESSARY SHOPPING:
Ralph’s on Sunset Blvd.
In terms of aesthetics or product variety, this Ralph’s location isn’t any different from the other billion Ralph’s grocery stores in the greater L.A. area. This Ralph’s, however, earns its glamorous distinction by being in the center of Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. This locale has earned it the nickname Rock ‘n’ Roll Ralph’s, and if you hang out long enough, you might see Audrina Patridge with a cart full of cookout necessities, Tara Reid on a 3AM booze run or Eva Mendes fondling tomatoes whilst gabbin’ into her cell phone. According to urban legend, the supermarket featured in the film Go is based on this very Ralph’s.
KEEP READING: Pattinson on Robertson! [PAGEBREAK]
UNNECESSARY SHOPPING:
Diavolina
Robertson Blvd. is the beating heart of the uppity West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Adjacent shopping scene frequented by Paris, Lindsay, Robert Pattinson and every beautiful PYT looking to be photographed with newly purchased Havaianas flip-flops from. Diavolina, however, eschews the ubiquitous sandals and offers the most exquisite (and most expensive) stilettos in life, plus, other can’t-live-without items like ironic denim overalls, oversized sunglasses and $100 T-shirts. Grab lunch at The Ivy post-spending spree for a side of paparazzi with your salad.
KEEP READING: Sweat It Out With Mayer! [PAGEBREAK]
SWEAT IT OUT:
7th Street Steps + Runyon Canyon
Burn off last night’s dinner and soak up the fresh L.A. air with a star-endorsed workout. John Mayer and Owen Wilson have both been spotted running the 7th Street steps in Santa Monica, (naturally, Mayer Twittered about going there, then complained when the paparazzi showed up). Celebs like Cameron Diaz and Kirsten Dunst hike the ultra-star-studded trails of Runyon Canyon. This Hollywood hill also serves as a dog park, so round up a pup and use it to make conversation with other taut hikers. Blend in by wearing something that shows off your chest, ass, or other God-given (or surgically enhanced) asset.
KEEP READING: Famous Beach Bums! [PAGEBREAK]
CITY BY THE OCEAN:
Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice Beach’s Abbot Kinney Blvd. is lined with shops, bars and restaurants that draw a hip, low maintenance (by LA standards) kind of celeb. Jason Schwartzman eats at Shima, Edward Norton and Anna Paquin nosh at Gjelina, Owen Wilson tips ‘em back at The Otheroom and all sorts of luminaries including Jonah Hill, Adrian Grenier and Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber come out for the Abbot Kinney Festival. Rent a beach cruiser and coast up and down the street until you see someone you recognize.
KEEP READING: Get Your Game On! [PAGEBREAK]
GAME NIGHT:
The Lakers at the Staples Center
Lakers games, like most events at the 20,000-seat Staples Center, can be pricey. But for the price of a ticket, you not only get to watch Kobe and the rest of the 2009 NBA champions dominate any opponent, you also get to observe courtside superstar superfans including Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay-Z and, of course, Jack Nicholson. Make sure to invest in good seats or quality binoculars.
KEEP READING: Party Like a Rockstar, or Lindsay Lohan [PAGEBREAK]
HOLLYWOOD BAR CRAWL:
MyHouse + H.Wood
Post-dinner, head to L.A.’s clubs of the minute, MyHouse and H.Wood. Almost everybody comes out to get down at these emporiums of depravity, but you can bank on seeing party mongers like Lindsay Lohan, Hills starlets, the Hilton sisters and the Olsen twins populating these stupidly exclusive clubs. Just standing in line outside might get you into Us Weekly. Throwing a few hundred dollars down for bottle service will guarantee entry, although a short skirt sometimes works, too.
KEEP READING: Katie, Suri and You! [PAGEBREAK]
SIMPLE SHOPPING:
The Grove
With its fountains, landscaping and cobblestone streets, The Grove is essentially the Disney World of shopping centers. This outdoor mall even covers itself in mock snow during the holiday season! Katie and Suri are always buying stuff at the American Girl Place, and Rihanna, Nicole Richie and Seann William Scott head here for necessities at the Mac Store, Nordstrom’s and the adjacent Farmer’s Market, established in 1939. Make a day of it with shopping followed by dinner at Maggiano’s and a flick at The Grove’s movie theater.
KEEP READING: Fancy Pastries Match Fancy Clientele! [PAGEBREAK]
UNASSUMING BREAKFAST:
Joan’s on Third
Joan’s on Third is a lovely little West Hollywood café that’s both sceney (TMZ regularly sets up shop outside) and chaotic (getting a table during the morning rush is nearly as difficult as getting Kristen Stewart to smile). Celebs like Natalie Portman, the Jonas Brothers and Reese and Jake hit up Joan’s for French toast, smoked salmon and anything from the ultra-gourmet pastry case. Snag an outdoor table to up your see-and-be-seen ante, or avoid the flashbulbs by getting your food to-go.
KEEP READING: Paul Rudd + Organic Pizza = Heaven [PAGEBREAK]
UNASSUMING LUNCH:
Cheebo
Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Graham, Kerry Washington all hit up Cheebo for pizza slabs, sandwiches and other organic fare for lunch while out and about it Hollywood. If you’re not any of these people, be sure to make a reservation. Ask for a complimentary bowl of homemade chips.
KEEP READING: Jen’s Ivory Tower! [PAGEBREAK]
UNASSUMING DINNER:
The Tower Bar at Sunset Tower Hotel
End your adventure with a wind-down cocktail at The Tower Bar at Sunset Tower. Jennifer Aniston takes post-breakup decoy dates for dinner at this high-rise bar and restaurant, and even if you haven’t seen a single celebrity besides the sketchy dudes dressed as Spider-Man on Hollywood Blvd., you can still toast your L.A. adventure with an A-list view of the city.
KEEP READING: McConaughey in His Natural Habitat! [PAGEBREAK]
UP THE PCH:
Malibu
Like Quasimodo in Notre Dame, Malibu is where celebs cry sanctuary. The chi-chi beachside community is on the city’s north coast, and although it’s not far up Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica, the ‘bu feels far removed from the general population, which is why so many celebs live here. Start at Malibu Country Mart, and don’t let the word “country” trick you into visions of livestock and grain feed. This shopping center features upscale shops like Juicy Couture, Planet Blue and Japanese eatery Nobu, frequented by celebs like Pink and Matthew McConaughey, the de facto mayor of this surf haven hamlet. After shopping (or window shopping), head to Carbon or Broad Beach. Be sure not to trespass on your way in — beach front residents include Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks and Sting, and thus there are strict rules about where visitors (i.e. commoners) can enter. Post-beach, hit up Moonshadows, the bar and restaurant where Mel Gibson got sauced before getting his DUI. Dress is beach casual — but not too casual. Don’t forget your hat and sunglasses, which are less for the sun and more to make your ogling less blatant.
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