Los Angeles Along with Hollywood to Shine with Oscars

Hollywood Museum

If you are travelling to Hollywood this award season, we profile some of the best locales to explore near Hollywood.

HOLLYWOOD MUSEUM
Though she was never nominated for an Oscar, Marilyn Monroe remains one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars. Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Legend, the nation’s largest exhibit of authentic memorabilia celebrating the life of the legendary actress, is on display at the Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building on Highland Avenue. Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Legend includes Monroe’s million-dollar honeymoon dress and personal collection; clothing and accessories from her personal wardrobe; and many of Monroe’s personally owned artifacts


THE ACADEMY HEADQUARTERS & MUSEUM

The Academy Headquarters

Stanley Kubrick: The Ultimate Trip is a free companion exhibit to the Stanley Kubrick exhibition currently showing at LACMA.  Based around Kubrick’s elaborate, multi-formatted advertising campaigns and movie posters, the Academy’s exhibition brings Kubrick’s on-set world to life with photographs, production designs, Dr. Strangelove screenplay drafts, correspondence and other original documents.

UNIVERSAL CITYWALK HOLLYWOOD
LA’s favorite place to play! CityWalk has more than 25 places to eat, 30 specialty shops, six nightclubs, an outdoor concert venue where you can enjoy free live entertainment, a 19-screen movie theater with IMAX, and street entertainment. Add a little excitement by visiting or planning your next meeting at Universal’s City Walk Hollywood.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, HOLLYWOOD

Universal Studios

Go behind the scenes at Universal Studios and see how movies and TV shows are made on a fun tram tour.Climb aboard one of the park’s trams, with state-of-the-art HD monitors adding to your experience at every seat. You’ll visit real movie sets to discover how movie magic is made. Cruise along Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives, see real set pieces from the movie King Kong, and be spooked by the likes of Norman at the Bates Motel or a certain mega-shark from one of the scariest movies ever made.

HOLLYWOOD’S HISTORIC CHINESE THEATRE 

Grauman’s Chinese Theatre

Staring down at Marilyn Monroe’s dainty handprints and the petite prints from her high-heel pumps, it’s almost impossible not to slide your fingers into that same spot the ultimate blond bombshell did where the icon pressed her hands in wet cement over a half-century ago. And over there, John Wayne’s size-10 cowboy boot prints beckon, and Johnny Depp’s boot prints too. These and the hand- and footprints left by over other 150 stars and celebrities make Grauman’s Chinese Theatre an irresistible destination along Hollywood Boulevard. Wander the courtyard here to spy some surprises in the mix: prints from Whoopi Goldberg’s dreadlocks, the imprint of Bob Hope’s ski-jump nose, and the wheel prints of Star Wars robot cutie, R2D2.

WEST HOLLYWOOD: LUCQUES 
Chef Suzanne Goin’s luxuriant, unpretentious French-Mediterranean cooking has been drawing raves for years for Lucques .The Chef’s frequent forays into local farmers’ markets yield much of the organic produce that informs the ever-changing menu: lemon-fennel vinaigrette over sea bass; wild mushroom tart with tangy Gruyère; grilled duck breast with ricotta gnocchi, summer squash, pistachios, and roasted apricots.

Lucques

Lucques occupies the former carriage house of silent film star Harold Lloyd, and the vibe is at once civilized and fun. Try lunch and a cheese plate on the sun-dappled garden patio, a small sea of tranquility amid the hustle of West Hollywood. Prix fixe Sunday suppers here are a ritual.