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

The Bradbury Building has been seen in Chinatown, Blade Runner, and Pay it Forward, among other productions. The building’s architecture is interesting and beautiful; if you are in downtown LA it’s a must-see! It’s located at 304 S Broadway at 3rd Street.

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

You may recognize the mansion from films like Ghostbusters (it was Gracie Mansion), The Big Lebowski, Batman and Robin, Indecent Proposal, X-Men, The Holiday (it stood in for a restaurant interior) and Death Becomes Her. It also stood in for Rory’s school, Chilton, on “Gilmore Girls”.

Aside from its location factor, the park & mansion are worth a visit for the scenery alone. The mansion is gorgeous, the grounds are pretty and serene, and from the front of the property is a gorgeous view of all of Los Angeles.

- 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!

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

The Bueller home is located at 4160 Country Club Drive in Long Beach, CA. (The house is private property – it’s cool to look and take pictures from the street, but don’t trespass or bother the residents!)

This location placed #8 on our list of the Top 10 Teen Movie Locations.

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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The WB’s hilarious and heartwarming dramedy “Gilmore Girls,” starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, was filmed on the WB studio lot in Burbank, CA for its entire seven-season run. The small town of Stars Hollow was created using the WB’s elaborate town square set, which has been used in countless films and TV shows. This set also took center stage in “Mermaids.”

The town square from "Gilmore Girls" and "Mermaids" was recently used for TV productions "Eastwick" and "The Forgotten." (Photo: Christina LeBlanc)

Luke’s Diner from “Gilmore Girls” is the same set that was used for Lou’s shoe store in “Mermaids,” and you can see Winona Ryder walk the same streets that Lorelai and Rory did all those years. The town square set was also used in “Back to the Future” and still stands on the WB lot, which offers VIP tours daily, Monday through Friday from 8:20 am to 4:00 pm.

The WB lot is located at 3400 Riverside Drive in Burbank, CA. The VIP Tour will run you about $45, but it’s totally worth it to get an up-close look at film and television history. Check out my review of the tour for all the important info!

- Story 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