BY JANET STEINBERG
I don’t know if you would call me a restaurant, hotel, or
movie groupie. In reality, I am none of
the above. I am a travel groupie with an
insatiable curiosity…one who likes to check out places where some of my
favorite movies were filmed. Come, take a peek with me at places where I slept,
ate, drank, and followed the stars.
movie groupie. In reality, I am none of
the above. I am a travel groupie with an
insatiable curiosity…one who likes to check out places where some of my
favorite movies were filmed. Come, take a peek with me at places where I slept,
ate, drank, and followed the stars.
QUEEN MARY: The Queen Mary was my raison de etre (reason for
being) in Long Beach. Although I have
sailed on some 140 cruises, the sight of a cruise ship still ignites
concupiscent feelings in me. And,
although she no longer sails, the Queen Mary still takes me away. Once the largest luxury liner afloat, the
Queen Mary has been Long Beach’s flagship attraction since its final voyage in
1967. Once a World War II troops ship
bigger than the Titanic, the Queen Mary is now a hotel where a restaurant scene
from Robert Redford’s “The Natural” was
shot.
being) in Long Beach. Although I have
sailed on some 140 cruises, the sight of a cruise ship still ignites
concupiscent feelings in me. And,
although she no longer sails, the Queen Mary still takes me away. Once the largest luxury liner afloat, the
Queen Mary has been Long Beach’s flagship attraction since its final voyage in
1967. Once a World War II troops ship
bigger than the Titanic, the Queen Mary is now a hotel where a restaurant scene
from Robert Redford’s “The Natural” was
shot.
 |
| QUEEN MARY–LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA |
KATZ’S DELICATESSAN: “Forget the corned beef and pastrami.
One need only think about eating at Katz’s Deli, in New York City’s Lower East
Side and the first thing that comes into mind is Meg Ryan’s euphoria in “When
Harry Met Sally”. When Director Rob
Reiner cast his mother at the table across from Ryan and Billy Crystal, I doubt
that even he knew that his mother’s one-liner, following Meg Ryan’s fake orgasm
(I’ll have what she’s having”), would steal the show and become a classic movie
line.
One need only think about eating at Katz’s Deli, in New York City’s Lower East
Side and the first thing that comes into mind is Meg Ryan’s euphoria in “When
Harry Met Sally”. When Director Rob
Reiner cast his mother at the table across from Ryan and Billy Crystal, I doubt
that even he knew that his mother’s one-liner, following Meg Ryan’s fake orgasm
(I’ll have what she’s having”), would steal the show and become a classic movie
line.
HOTEL DEL CORONADO: The stretch of Southern California, from
Los Angeles to San Diego/Coronado, has been called the American Riviera and the
Victorian-style (circa 1888) Hotel del Coronado may well be the jewel in its
crown. This National Historic Landmark, a
rambling white clapboard legend with red-peaked roof, crimson turrets, and lazy
verandas, is said to be “one-third sun, one-third sand, one-third fairy
tale”. In 1958, the Del became the
backdrop for the shenanigans of Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and
Joe E. Brown, when they filmed “Some Like It Hot” at the hotel. From my luxurious Victorian suite overlooking
the Pacific Ocean, I could almost see Marilyn and Tony toasting their champagne
flutes as they conned each other on Joe E. Brown’s yacht.
Los Angeles to San Diego/Coronado, has been called the American Riviera and the
Victorian-style (circa 1888) Hotel del Coronado may well be the jewel in its
crown. This National Historic Landmark, a
rambling white clapboard legend with red-peaked roof, crimson turrets, and lazy
verandas, is said to be “one-third sun, one-third sand, one-third fairy
tale”. In 1958, the Del became the
backdrop for the shenanigans of Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and
Joe E. Brown, when they filmed “Some Like It Hot” at the hotel. From my luxurious Victorian suite overlooking
the Pacific Ocean, I could almost see Marilyn and Tony toasting their champagne
flutes as they conned each other on Joe E. Brown’s yacht.
HOTEL DEL CORONADO—CORONADO, CALIFORNIA: The stretch of
Southern California, from Los Angeles to San Diego/Coronado, has been called
the American Riviera and the Victorian-style (circa 1888) Hotel del Coronado
may well be the jewel in its crown. This
National Historic Landmark, a rambling white clapboard legend with red-peaked
roof, crimson turrets, and lazy verandas, is said to be “one-third sun,
one-third sand, one-third fairy tale”.
In 1958, the Del became the backdrop for the shenanigans of Marilyn
Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Joe E. Brown, when they filmed “Some Like
It Hot” at the hotel. From my luxurious
Victorian suite overlooking the Pacific Ocean, I could almost see Marilyn and
Tony toasting their champagne flutes as they conned each other on Joe E.
Brown’s yacht.
Southern California, from Los Angeles to San Diego/Coronado, has been called
the American Riviera and the Victorian-style (circa 1888) Hotel del Coronado
may well be the jewel in its crown. This
National Historic Landmark, a rambling white clapboard legend with red-peaked
roof, crimson turrets, and lazy verandas, is said to be “one-third sun,
one-third sand, one-third fairy tale”.
In 1958, the Del became the backdrop for the shenanigans of Marilyn
Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Joe E. Brown, when they filmed “Some Like
It Hot” at the hotel. From my luxurious
Victorian suite overlooking the Pacific Ocean, I could almost see Marilyn and
Tony toasting their champagne flutes as they conned each other on Joe E.
Brown’s yacht.
 |
| HOTEL DEL CORONADO—CORONADO, CALIFORNIA |
POMPILIOS: This
authentic Italian restaurant, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, is in
Newport, Kentucky. It’s my Italian
restaurant of choice whenever I have a craving for Eggplant Parmigiana or
Homemade Meat Sauce Lasagna. It is also
the place in “Rain Man” where Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) and his mentally
challenged brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffmann) stopped. And who can ever forget
the memorable scene where the waitress drops a box of toothpicks. Raymond
reveals his numerical skills by looking at the dropped toothpicks on the floor
and correctly calculates that there are 246 of them scattered on the
floor. FYI: It was a box of 250
toothpicks but 4 were left in the box.
authentic Italian restaurant, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, is in
Newport, Kentucky. It’s my Italian
restaurant of choice whenever I have a craving for Eggplant Parmigiana or
Homemade Meat Sauce Lasagna. It is also
the place in “Rain Man” where Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) and his mentally
challenged brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffmann) stopped. And who can ever forget
the memorable scene where the waitress drops a box of toothpicks. Raymond
reveals his numerical skills by looking at the dropped toothpicks on the floor
and correctly calculates that there are 246 of them scattered on the
floor. FYI: It was a box of 250
toothpicks but 4 were left in the box.
PINK’S HOT DOGS: This Hollywood landmark, founded by Paul
and Betty Pink in 1939 as a pushcart near the corner of La Brea and Melrose, is
a Hollywood love story where a $50 loan became a Hollywood legend. The city fell in love with Pink’s tasty chilidogs
and friendly service, and 73 years later, Pink’s has become a Hollywood
landmark. Their celebrity-named hot dogs
are often versions actually ordered by their namesakes. Pink’s is featured in
David Lynch’s 2001 film, “Mulholland Drive” and in “The Golden Child”, with
Eddie Murphy.
and Betty Pink in 1939 as a pushcart near the corner of La Brea and Melrose, is
a Hollywood love story where a $50 loan became a Hollywood legend. The city fell in love with Pink’s tasty chilidogs
and friendly service, and 73 years later, Pink’s has become a Hollywood
landmark. Their celebrity-named hot dogs
are often versions actually ordered by their namesakes. Pink’s is featured in
David Lynch’s 2001 film, “Mulholland Drive” and in “The Golden Child”, with
Eddie Murphy.
PLAZA HOTEL OAK ROOM: This iconic New York Institution (that
closed in 2011 but is possibly reopening in 2014) served as a backdrop for
movies for over half a century. This classic richly wood-paneled restaurant was
the dining spot where Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell) took the blind Lt. Col.
Frank Slade (Al Pacino) for a last fling in “Scent of a Woman”. It is also the spot where the eccentric,
manic Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore) chose to dine with Times Square hooker Gloria
(Anna De Salvo) in the 1981 movie “Arthur”.
closed in 2011 but is possibly reopening in 2014) served as a backdrop for
movies for over half a century. This classic richly wood-paneled restaurant was
the dining spot where Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell) took the blind Lt. Col.
Frank Slade (Al Pacino) for a last fling in “Scent of a Woman”. It is also the spot where the eccentric,
manic Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore) chose to dine with Times Square hooker Gloria
(Anna De Salvo) in the 1981 movie “Arthur”.
 |
| PLAZA HOTEL—NEW YORK CITY |
RUSSIAN TEA ROOM: The Russian Tea Room, with its Russian
Modernist décor, is a few doors away from Carnegie Hall. Founded in 1926 by members of the Russian
Imperial Ballet, it has had it share of openings and closings. This New York
icon might best be known for the scene in “Tootsie” where Dustin Hoffman,
dressed as a woman, appeared for lunch with his agent. It is also the
restaurant where Madonna worked as a coat check girl before she became famous.
Today, The Russian Tea Room still hosts New York’s elite.
Modernist décor, is a few doors away from Carnegie Hall. Founded in 1926 by members of the Russian
Imperial Ballet, it has had it share of openings and closings. This New York
icon might best be known for the scene in “Tootsie” where Dustin Hoffman,
dressed as a woman, appeared for lunch with his agent. It is also the
restaurant where Madonna worked as a coat check girl before she became famous.
Today, The Russian Tea Room still hosts New York’s elite.
GRAND HOTEL: Somewhere in time, precisely 1980, I saw a
movie filmed at The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. The movie, entitled “Somewhere In Time”,
starred a young actor named Christopher Reeve who played the part of a writer
who finds happiness in the past.
Somewhere in time, precisely nineteen years later, I found myself at
that very same circa 1887 island jewel, set on a bluff above the historic
Straits of Mackinaw. Rocking on one of
the 88 white wicker rockers, on the same endless porch that Reeve rocked on,
and riding a horse-drawn carriage like the one that clip-clopped Christopher
Reeve and Jane Seymour around the palatial grounds, I too was transformed
somewhere in time.
movie filmed at The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. The movie, entitled “Somewhere In Time”,
starred a young actor named Christopher Reeve who played the part of a writer
who finds happiness in the past.
Somewhere in time, precisely nineteen years later, I found myself at
that very same circa 1887 island jewel, set on a bluff above the historic
Straits of Mackinaw. Rocking on one of
the 88 white wicker rockers, on the same endless porch that Reeve rocked on,
and riding a horse-drawn carriage like the one that clip-clopped Christopher
Reeve and Jane Seymour around the palatial grounds, I too was transformed
somewhere in time.
 |
| GRAND HOTEL–MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN |
RICK’S CAFÉ AMÉRICAIN:
What can I say about a famous bar that never existed until it was the
watering hole in my most favorite movie of all time…“Casablanca”? Ever since the movie, Rick’s Café Américain
has taken on a life all its own in cities around the world. During World War
II, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), runs the café that is an upscale nightclub
and gambling den.
What can I say about a famous bar that never existed until it was the
watering hole in my most favorite movie of all time…“Casablanca”? Ever since the movie, Rick’s Café Américain
has taken on a life all its own in cities around the world. During World War
II, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), runs the café that is an upscale nightclub
and gambling den.
By far, the most popular item I spotted in all of Morocco
was the Humphrey Bogart tee shirt for sale at the Bogie-decorated Casablanca
Bar in Casablanca. There was only one
problem. The glass-showcased shirt was
so in demand that it was completely sold out.
was the Humphrey Bogart tee shirt for sale at the Bogie-decorated Casablanca
Bar in Casablanca. There was only one
problem. The glass-showcased shirt was
so in demand that it was completely sold out.
One of these days I hope to see you enjoying some of my
favorite movie backdrops. To quote Bogie in Casablanca: “Here’s looking at you
kid!”
favorite movie backdrops. To quote Bogie in Casablanca: “Here’s looking at you
kid!”
JANET STEINBERG is the winner of 40 national Travel Writer
Awards and a Travel Consultant with The Travel Authority in Mariemont, OH.
Awards and a Travel Consultant with The Travel Authority in Mariemont, OH.