The light installation can be found at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The museum is a great place to visit if you’re in the city. It’s located at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, and on the second Tuesday of each month, admission is free for all permanent exhibits.

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

Not only does the side of the school boast a mural of famous faces like Marilyn Monroe, the school itself boasts some famous alumni: Anthony Anderson, Brandy, Carol Burnett, Keith Carradine, Frank Darabont, Laurence Fishburne, Judy Garland, James Garner, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Ritter, Ione Skye, Leighton Meester, Sharon Tate, Lana Turner, Rita Wilson, and Fay Wray, to name a few.

The school has also been seen on screen, in productions such as the “Jackass” movie, the John Cusack 80s flick Better Off Dead and the 2007 Nancy Drew film.

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

If you’re a fan of the HSM films you’ll get a definite thrill of being at the actual East High. Located at 840 S 1300 E, East High is an impressive but still down-to-earth establishment; it’s easy to see why producers chose to film here.

This location was ranked #2 on our Top 10 Teen Movies list. Check out my blog about visiting East High!

The 1988 coming of age story “Mystic Pizza” helped launch the career of future America’s Sweetheart Julia Roberts. Also starring Annabeth Gish, Lili Taylor and Vincent D’Onofrio, with a tiny appearance by a young Matt Damon, “Mystic Pizza” is a much-loved growing up story that was set in Mystic, CT and filmed in Mystic and its neighboring seaside towns.

 The real Mystic Pizza is located at 56 West Main Street in Mystic and, though the shop has been renovated since it burst into fame in the late eighties, it still has that small-town “Slice of Heaven” vibe. The servers still wear the “Slice of Heaven” t-shirts like the girls wore in the movie, and you can buy one for yourself. The pizza really is delicious, and you won’t have to worry about feeling like a tourist at this location. Mystic Pizza is decked out in movie memorabilia, and fans are almost always snapping photos outside. (I did when I visited!)

There are also a ton of souvenirs you can pick up, including shirts, hats, magnets, matchbooks, bumper stickers, and the ever-appropriate pizza cutter. Whether you’re a fan of the movie or just seriously hungry, Mystic Pizza is a must-visit for movie fans. The neighboring towns (including Stonington and Essex) are picturesque as well and are worth a visit – especially considering they helped inspire Amy Sherman-Palladino’s wonderful world of “Gilmore Girls.”

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

A feature revealing locations used in the hit “Sex and the City” movie.

After four long years of waiting, “Sex and the City” fans finally got their favorite show back – on the big screen! Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda are once again sipping Cosmos, navigating the streets of Manhattan – and navigating the tricky world of love, sex, and relationships. And you can be the fifth friend (in your own mind) by gallivanting around NYC and checking out the city hotspots featured in the “Sex and the City” movie!

It’s at Italian restaurant Lumi at 963 Lexington Avenue that Charlotte runs into Big, yelling “I curse the day you were born!” before going into labor. Lenox Hill Hopital at 100 East 77th Street is where Charlotte gives birth to her daughter Rose, and where Harry tells Carrie that Big had been looking for her and hoping to run into her. Carrie and Louise meet for drinks at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel on 76th Street between Park & Madison. The exteriors of Carrie and Big’s gorgeous apartment were shot at a building across from the MOMA, at Fifth Avenue & 82nd Street. Exteriors of Charlotte and Harry’s apartment were shot on Park Avenue at 81st Street.

East 55th Street & Park Avenue, near a Mercedes-Benz dealership, is where Carrie ran past a girl screaming at her boyfriend and into a club. Samantha tries to buy a ring for herself at Christie’s Auction House on East 49th between Fifth & Sixth.

Charlotte goes running in Central Park, at the Reservoir, and the park’s Ladies’ Pavillion on the west side is where Carrie and Miranda discuss the issue of forgiveness where Steve’s betrayal is concerned.

It was outside of St. Patrick’s Cathedral that Carrie screamed at Big, “you’ve humiliated me!” and threw her flowers at him, after he failed to show up for their wedding.

And of course the girls attend Fashion Week at Bryant Park (between 40th and 42nd Streets & Fifth and Sixth Avenues)… this is also where Harry and Charlotte take Lily on the carousel! Exteriors and the lobby of the Bryant Park Hotel (40 West 40th Street between Fifth Avenue & Sixth Avenue) were also used. The Piano Suite at the Hotel Giraffe was converted into Big’s apartment – you can find the building at 365 Park Avenue.

Big and Carrie’s wedding festivities were supposed to be at the New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue & East 42nd Street – Carrie discovered it while returning her book of love letters. But don’t just visit; throw a party! The library rents Astor Hall and the McGraw Rotunda for wedding receptions (although they won’t let you perform the actual ceremony in the stacks). Like Carrie, you’ll need your own Anthony; the library requires that couples use a professional wedding planner.

Carrie meets with Enid at Vogue in the Conde Nast Building in Times Square. Also on Broadway is the Duane Reade drugstore where Carrie and Miranda shop for Halloween costumes. Carrie is shopping at Diane von Furstenberg at 874 Washington Street between 13th & 14th when she calls Samantha to inform her of her and Big’s marriage plans. (Miranda and Charlotte are with Carrie at The Modern on 53rd street when they hear the news.) Carrie and Charlotte shop for a new desk for Carrie at Luceplan on Greene Street. (Nearby is an empty store where producers re-created the Coffee Shop from the show!)

Carrie met her new assistant Louise for an interview at Starbucks, at 13 Astor Place #25. Later, Carrie meets Louise and her boyfriend at La Focaccia on Bank Street in Greenwich Village.

Carrie’s iconic brownstone steps are at 66 Perry Street and provide the meeting place for Miranda and Carrie to discuss the Valentine’s Day debacle (which took place at glam spot Raoul’s at 180 Prince Street).

Big and Carrie’s elegant engagement party took place at hotspot Buddakan, which is at 75 Ninth Avenue at the corner of 16th Street. Nearby is designer-owned brunch spot 202, which is where Miranda finally decided to forgive Steve. Vitra on Ninth Avenue between 13th & 14th was used as the exterior for Samantha’s 50th birthday celebration at the end of the film. When Miranda, Steve, Brady, and Magda went out to dinner, the Good World Bar & Grill on Orchard Street in Chinatown stood in for a Brooklyn eatery.

Several Brooklyn locations were used as well – obviously the Brooklyn Bridge, where Miranda and Steve had their moving reconciliation; the Brooklyn Supreme Court Building at 360 Adams Ave is where Big and Carrie finally tied the knot in a simple ceremony. The gathering after the wedding with their best friends took place at Junior’s on Flatbush Avenue, which is famous for its delicious cheesecake! Down the street on Dekalb Avenue between Washington & Waverly is the exterior used for Miranda and Steve’s home.

Now, go see the movie one more time and then retrace Carrie and the girls’ Manolo-ed steps throughout the city to all of these fabulous locations! We have an exclusive directory of all addresses featured in this story here. And don’t miss our tour of New York based on the original “Sex and the City” TV series!

- Christina LeBlanc and Bobby Guerette, Executive Editors


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Or, at least, that’s what Michael Scott would have you believe. But in reality, Scranton seems more like a city where dreams go to die. Okay, maybe that’s a little harsh, but there’s really not much there – unless you’re a major fan of NBC’s wry and hilariously awkward hit show “The Office”.

Though “The Office” is not actually filmed in Scranton, PA, it is where the show’s fictional paper company Dunder Mifflin is located, and where the show is set. And if you’re a dedicated fan of “The Office”, you’ll enjoy all the town’s nods to the show. Driving through the town, you’ll notice little touches such as Dunder Mifflin signs. The city is proud to be the (fictional) home of the struggling paper company.

A Dunder Mifflin sign on the streets of Scranton. (LTM)

Your first stop in town might be the Mall at Steamtown. You’ll recall that in one episode of “The Office”, Michael took the ladies here for a Women’s Appreciation Day. At the mall, you can find several items of “Office” memorabilia – such as Dunder Mufflin signs, cardboard cutouts of the characters, as well as the Scranton Welcomes You sign that is seen in the show’s opening credits.

A Dunder Mifflin sign in the Steamtown Mall. (LTM)

Cardboard cutouts and the show's Scranton Welcomes You sign.

One of the major hangouts for the characters on the show is Poor Richard’s, a bar/pub where they go to let loose after a day of tedious office work. The real Poor Richard’s is located at 125 Beech Street in Scranton, and welcomes “Office” fans with open arms!

Poor Richard's welcomes you to Scranton. (LTM)

It can be found inside a bowling alley called South Side Bowl. The bar itself has televisions for watching sports games, dartboards, and karaoke on some nights. In the bowling alley, you can buy Poor Richard’s items such as shot glasses and t-shirts. They make great souvenirs for you or gifts for your “Office”-obsessed friends!

Poor Richard's, the ultimate Dunder Mifflin hangout. (LTM)

So it seems that the “Office” tour of Scranton is fairly short, but if you’re a bigtime fan it makes a great day trip or quirky weekend getaway! Enjoy the nonstop party of Scranton… and if you run into Meredith drunkly stumbling around in an alley, head in the opposite direction!

If you’d like to visit a place that’s both a natural wonder and a place where the “Office” cast did film on location, why not hit up Niagara Falls? This beautiful and romantic spot was a perfect place for Jim and Pam’s wedding, and if you visit you’ll definitely have flashbacks to their big day.

- Story and Photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

Welcome to Wilmington! Better known to fans as Tree Hill. (LTM)

 If you fly into Wilmington International Airport, you’ll immediately recognize it from the Tree Hill airport scenes - for example, when Lucas goes to pick up his Mom and Brooke thinks he’s there for her, or when Brooke and Lucas go to the airport to send baby Angie home. When I was at ILM, I ran into Ashley Rickards! (She plays angsty teen Sam in season six.)

Let’s head into town. This fountain, on Market Street, makes an appearance in an episode that takes place in Savannah, Georgia, when Peyton takes Jake’s daughter Jenny for a walk:

Peyton walked by this fountain while checking out the Savannah College of Art and Design. (LTM)

Much of the action on “One Tree Hill” takes place down at the Riverfront, which is a beautiful and historic area.

Wilmington's riverfront serves as a backdrop for countless "One Tree Hill" scenes. (LTM)

Crews often add romantic lighting to set the scene — Nathan and Haley, Peyton and Jake, and Brooke and Chase have all had cute dates down by the Riverfront. The Burning Boat Festival took place down by the river, and a lot of establishing shots are Riverfront footage as well.

This setting has been in the background of several "One Tree Hill" shots. (LTM)

From the Riverfront, you can see the bridge that Lucas dribbles across in the opening credits, and across the way is the River Court that houses the outdoor ball games, most importantly the playoff between Lucas and Nathan in the pilot episode.

"I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately..." (LTM)

Several downtown restaurants and stores have been used on the show as well. At 8 Market Street is CD Alley, where Tyler Hilton’s character Chris Keller works. Peyton goes there to put up fliers for Tric and fights with him. They’ve also got a pretty decent music selection, so take the time to shop around a little while you’re there!

Downtown shop-lined streets play a big role on "One Tree Hill." (LTM)

Troublemaker Chris Keller worked at CD Alley. (LTM)

At 5 South Water Street is the Water Street Restaurant, which doubled as Leery’s Fresh Fish on “Dawson’s Creek.” For “One Tree Hill,” the open-air patio was used as a market.

This location did double-duty on "Tree Hill" and "Creek." (LTM)

Brooke and Lucas’s tattoo date in the first season took place at Blue Post Billiards, at 15 South Water Street. It’s 21+.

Think twice before you get a tattoo on the first date. Brooke and Lucas didn't. (LTM)

Remember the Swinging Donkey where Nathan visited Haley’s sister Taylor in Season Two? That’s actually Hell’s Kitchen, at 118 Princess Street, which was also used on “Dawson’s Creek”!

Hell's Kitchen doubled as the Swinging Donkey. (LTM)

A special set was built downtown for Karen’s Cafe, at the corner of Grace Street & North Front Street. It’s now Clothes Over Bro’s on the show, but this is what it looked like when we were first there:

Lucas's mom runs this popular café in Tree Hill. (LTM)

While you’re in Wilmington, don’t forget to check out Screen Gems Studios at 1223 23rd Street North. It’s where “Dawson’s Creek” and “One Tree Hill” sets have been housed, and the tour guides do a great job of showing you great “One Tree Hill” sets and telling you fun trivia!

Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington.

You can take a tour for $12 if you’re a student, and when we were there we walked through the halls of Tree Hill High, sat in the gym bleachers and a classroom, poked our heads into the locker room, and even wandered around the kitchen and living room of the Scott mansion. It’s definitely worth the price of admission!

A proud "One Tree Hill" display at Screen Gems Studios. (LTM)

Before you leave Wilmington, find a way to stop by the Reel Café at 100 South Front Street. Though not a filming location itself, it’s supposedly a major hangout for the cast of “One Tree Hill” (and formerly for “Dawson’s Creek” cast members too). It has a Hard Rock Café feel to it, but with film and television memorabilia (including “Creek” and “Tree Hill” posters). It’s a fun place to eat and hang, and who knows who you could run into?

The Reel Café in downtown Wilmington. (LTM)

A "One Tree Hill" poster at the Reel Café. (LTM)

*** UPDATED WITH NEW INFO AND NEW LOCATIONS!

While you’re walking around in downtown Wilmington, check out Cape Fear Community College’s Schwartz Center – if you go around back, you’ll instantly recognize the exterior courtyard of Tree Hill High! It’s at 610 N Front Street.

Tree Hill's courtyard is really behind Cape Fear Community College's Schwartz Center. (LTM)

Where Karen’s Cafe once was, now stands Brooke’s clothing boutique Clothes Over Bro’s at the corner of Grace St and Front St. While you can’t go inside and shop, you can peek in the windows and check out the awnings and exteriors. (Worry not, the exterior door for Karen’s Cafe is still there! You’ll get to see both.)

Clothes Over Bro's! (LTM)

At 1321 Chestnut Street you’ll find the exterior for Quentin’s house:

Quentin lived here.

Just down the street at 1811 Chestnut is the home that was used as Haley’s for the first season of the show:

The James estate.

And just slightly down the road is the house that was used for exteriors of Peyton’s home for seasons 1-4. It’s at 1901 Chestnut:

Look familiar? Stay away, stalker Derek -- Peyton lives here!

At 1829 Wrightsville Ave you’ll find the house that Lucas Scott grew up in:

Don’t forget that WB favorite “Dawson’s Creek” was also filmed in Wilmington! Many “Creek” locations are still up and running, and you can get more information about them in our “DC” story here!

- Story and Photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

The stunning exterior of the Biltmore Estate. (Photo credit Biltmore.com)

The estate has been seen in films ranging from “Forrest Gump” to “Hannibal,” and was used as the Rich Manor in the 1994 Macaulay Culkin family comedy “Richie Rich.” 1998’s Robin Williams tearjerker “Patch Adams” filmed many scenes at the estate (with much other footage being taken at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).

The estate's grandiose banquet hall. (Photo courtesy of Biltmore.com)

You can really live the movies by visiting and staying at the 250-room modern-day castle. You can buy tickets online or at the gate that gain you access to the Biltmore House (where you can take a self-guided tour or a more in-depth one for a little extra change), the gardens, the winery, and the farm. Parking is free and there are also dining and shopping to indulge in! Tickets for adults range from $33-59 due to the date of your trip. There are also special rates for groups of 20 0r more.

The Inn. (Photo courtesy of Biltmore.com)

You can stay overnight in the lap of luxury at the Estate’s Inn or Cottage. If you stay on any package of two or more nights, you get free tickets to explore the house.

- Story by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

1991’s Best Picture “The Silence of the Lambs” was filmed mostly in Pittsburgh, PA, where you can check out several accessible (at least exteriors) locations. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History at 4400 Forbes Avenue is not only a location from the film, but is also an interesting place worthy of spending an afternoon. If you’re a student with an ID, you can get in for $11 and check out exhibits about dinosaurs, arctic life, and the Earth Theater. Interiors at the Old Allegheny County Jail on Fifth Ave & Ross Street stood in for the Baltimore State Forensic Hospital, and the Soldiers and Sailors Museum and Memorial at 4141 Fifth Avenue was used for the Shelby County Courthouse.

In 1998 the darkly funny “American Beauty” took top honors. Kevin Spacey’s fed-up suburbanite Lester Burnham lives at 11388 Homedale Street in Los Angeles, while the exterior of the Colonel’s home can be found at 303 South Windsor Boulevard. The scenes at Mr. Smiley’s Drive-Thru were filmed at a Carl’s Jr at 20105 Saticoy Road in Canoga Park, Los Angeles. The high school scenes were shot at Long Beach Polytechnic High School at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach and South High School at 4801 Pacific Coast Highway in Torrance, CA. Annette Bening and Peter Gallagher’s target shooting scene was filmed at the Los Angeles Police Academy at 1880 North Academy Drive in L.A.

Several universities stood in during college scenes in 2001’s Best Picture, “A Beautiful Mind”. MIT was represented by Bronx Community College at University Avenue & West 181 Street in New York, while Manhattan College was used as Harvard. Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ and Manhattan College in NY were also used for university footage.

To experience a moment from “Million Dollar Baby,” the prize-fighter of 2004, stop in at the Hollywood Athletic Club at 6525 West Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.

One of the most beloved movies of our time, and an Academy favorite, is 1994’s Best Picture, “Forrest Gump.” As the film spans Forrest’s lifetime and its locations span the country, there’s something near everyone to visit! Perhaps the most famous location in the film is the bench that Forrest sits on, telling his story (and spouting the movie’s most famous line: “Mama always said, life is like a box of chocolates… you never know what you’re gonna get”). Originally in Chuppewa Square, the bench has been moved to Savannah, Georgia’s History Museum at 303 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. (Check out a photo here.) The musuem is open til 5:00 pm, and admission is $4.25 for adults. The shrimp boat from the film and one of the ping pong paddles (signed by Tom Hanks) can be found in Orlando, FL, at Downtown Disney’s Planet Hollywood restaurant.

At one point in “Gump” Forrest runs across the country and back. While his arrival in Maine takes place at the Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde, when he arrives in California it’s at the Santa Monica Pier, which has been used in several films, television shows (think “Baywatch”) and in some music videos. Also found in California? East Los Angeles College, at 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez in Monterey; Grauman’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles (check out our Quick Visit about this Hollywood staple); Marks Hall at USC (612 West 35th Place in Los Angeles), which stood in for Jenny’s dorm; and the Ebell of Los Angeles at 743 South Lucerne Boulevard (also seen as a retirement home in “Cruel Intentions”).

Other locations seen in the film include: the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (also seen in “The Firm,” “Election,” “Wedding Crashers,” and the “National Treasure” films); the Bluff Plantation at 3547 Combahee Road in Yemasse, South Carolina; Glacier National Park in Montana; and the Valley of the Gods in Mexican Hat, UT. The Ocean Fripp Golf Course on Fripp Island, SC stood in for Vietnam in the film’s war scenes.

(One last location featured in “Forrest Gump” was the majestic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC — check out our Quick Visit about this fabulous and oft-used setting.)

While walking away from Hyde Park just days after the election, we came across this painting on the wall of an underpass. (JOY L. LEE FOR LIVETHEMOVIES.COM.)

With his inauguration as president on January 20, President Barack Obama finished his move from Chicago to Washington. Obama’s work as a young man serving as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago has been well-documented, but during a recent trip to Chicago, we tracked down some of the more recent places the president has been seen.

The bean structure in Millennium Park. (LTM)

When you first arrive in downtown Chicago, head east to Grant Park. This park was home to the president-elect’s Election-Night rally and acceptance speech; local police reports placed 240,000 people in the park. Grant Park and the adjacent Millennium Park are must-visits on any trip to Chicago. With good views of architecture and a nice landscape, they provide a welcome respite from the busyness of the city just a few blocks away.

The Hyatt Regency Chicago (151 East Wacker Drive) stands a few blocks north of Millennium Park. Obama and his family watched election returns from this hotel before going to Grant Park for his acceptance speech. There’s not much else to see here, so we wouldn’t recommend walking to this hotel just to get a glimpse of the outside. (However, if you are able to afford a room at the Hyatt or Swissotel Chicago, which is next door, you’ll be treated to excellent views of the Magnificent Mile area or Lake Michigan.)

Walk about thirteen blocks north on the Magnificent Mile and you’ll come across Spiaggia (980 N. Michigan Avenue), a sophisticated Italian restaurant where the First Couple dined for their anniversary dinner a week after the election. News reports indicated that a crowd gathered outside the restaurant and cheered as President-elect and Mrs. Obama exited. The restaurant’s dress code requires men to wear a jacket, and be sure to check the restaurant’s menu before making required reservations — you’ll need a hefty wad of cash to check out.

However, we suggest skipping the fanfare and grabbing a meal at a place more authentically Obama: Medici on 57th (1327 57th Street). This restaurant is located in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Obama lives in the community and served as a law professor in this college neighborhood before becoming a United States senator in 2004.

Pizza joint Medici is frequented by University of Chicago students and professors -- and President-elect Barack Obama. (LTM)

Travel southwest using city buses to get to Hyde Park. Once you arrive at Medici, you’ll find pizza, pasta, and burgers in a cozy restaurant. Over the years, diners have scribbled their names and messages on the wooden walls and tables — a practice that is now discouraged. The pizza comes famous Chicago deep-dish style; the smallest size is perfect for lunch, and the “Garbage Pizza” comes filled with all the ingredients you could ever want. Our waitress said she had served Obama a few times, and some staffers wore T-shirts declaring the same. After lunch, we stumbled across the nearby 57th Street Books (1301 57th Street); the store professes that Obama regularly bought books there. Shop through five or six rooms packed with books, including ample selections on Chicago and Chicago-related writers. Displays featuring books by Studs Turkel and tomes about Barack Obama were prominent during our visit.

Obama lives near the University of Chicago campus, but the area around the house is heavily secured and shouldn’t be approached by tourists. The Law School is not located on the main campus quadrangle area we visited during our trip, and we haven’t found any evidence to show that it’s worth a trip. (Indeed, most of the university’s buildings have “No Trespassing” stickers secured to every exterior door.) Instead, you can get a haircut by heading (ha!) a bit north to the Hyde Park Hair Salon at S. Blackstone and 54th. Don’t expect to see the president-elect here; following the election, his barber began traveling to him for security reasons.

The view from the Hancock Tower lounge is worth the price of a drink. (LTM)

After your day exploring Chicago, head back to the Magnificent Mile and the John Hancock Center (875 N. Michigan Avenue). We know of no Obama connection, but can’t help sharing this favorite part of our trip. Instead of paying the $15 admission fee for the observatory at the very top of the building, take the elevator to the The Signature Lounge on the 96th floor. For the price of a drink, you’ll relax at tables to next to floor-to-ceiling windows that look out at incredible views of Chicago. Our $12 Sky High Martini in particular was top-of-the-shelf. Great drinks, great company, great views, and the feeling that we had beat the system. That’s change we’ll take any day.

-Story written and reported by Bobby Guerette.

UPDATE: After our trip, The New York Times published its own story about Hyde Park. If you’re planning to visit Chicago, be sure to check The Times article for a few more tips on places to visit. The Times mentions the Museum of Science and Industry. We will caution you: This sprawling museum is perfect for kids, younger teens, and parents, but twentysomethings may want to opt for one of the city’s many other museums instead.