The first two minutes of this commercial, featuring the notoriously surly Russell Crowe being entertainingly surly, are a fun jaunt through Sydney. There's a panoramic of the harbor, a trip to a bar, and a bit of self-deprecation regarding one of the star's more notorious temper flareups. It actually kind of makes us want to go to Australia.

At about 2:05 of this tourism ad, however, things take a turn. Without getting into too many details: there's a tongue that jumps out of Crowe's body, starts hopping away, and then gets pecked by a bird. After that Crowe more or less threatens listeners with physical harm if you don't start planning their trip to Oz right away. None of which particularly makes us want to go to Australia.]]> Omri 2010-09-03T13:59:59-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/5/21/151536/634

England's tourism board VisitEngland has been a whirlwind of activity lately and this month they're up to something a little bit different, taking advantage of the tourism buzz generated by Ridley Scott's Robin Hood.

We've already told you about how the movie is generating a spike in interest around Sherwood Forest. VisitEngland's new campaign, centered around their new "Myths and Legends" site, wants to expand that interest to all of England. They've created an interactive map that divides the country into dozens of regions and describes the fairy tales, myths, and stories based out of those areas.]]> Omri 2010-05-21T15:30:16-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/5/13/13125/6159

Pull on your man-tights and string up your bow, because the release of the latest theatrical take on the tale of Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe, has sparked a tourism boom in Robin's hood, Sherwood Forest.

Sherwood Forest is located in Nottinghamshire, England and in Robin Hood's day, it was a royal hunting forest. Today on the other hand, it is part of a National Nature Reserve which you can visit. Within the mere 450 acres that remain of the forest, there are 900 veteran oak trees, including the famous Major Oak, one of Britain's most famous trees. ]]> cmb 2010-05-13T15:00:36-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/16/234858/063

It would be easier to list the stars that don't appear in the film, "State Of Play". The thriller, about the dying newspaper biz and dirty politics, stars Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright Penn, and 2009's most talked about city thanks to our new prez, Washington D.C. The city's history sets the stage for all of the movie's suspense and drama. Here's a guide to touring D.C., "State of Play" style.

Where to Stay:
According to IMDb, at least one scene in the movie was filmed at the Americana Hotel in Arlington, VA. The hotel sounds pretty basic and is located next to a highway but it does have a reputation for being clean and having a friendly staff. The price is right too, rates start at $94 a night. ]]> cmb 2009-04-17T15:25:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/29/92244/4449

If you have to mix business with pleasure, you might as well do it on a beach. While politicians in DC were fighting over the Stimulus Plan, celebs were doing their part to help out the economy by hitting the beaches....Er...ok, not quite.

Off duty from shooting "The Hills," Lauren Conrad headed for the beach in Malibu with new boyfriend Kyle Howard (although she still toted her cell phone).

Kelly Rowland chilled on Miami Beach the same week it was announced she was parting ways with longtime manager Matthew Knowles (Beyonce's dad).

Paul Walker may have enjoyed his trip to Hawaii with a girlfriend, but we know he's only surfaced to prepare for the April release of the fourth "The Fast and the Furious" movie (called, irritatingly, "Fast & Furious"). At least Russell Crowe looked fully focused on his family as they played together on a Sydney beach.

But after the fun in the sun has been had, it's time to go home. Days after shooting a new Victoria's Secret catalog in St. Barts, Alessandra Ambrosio returned to NYC -- much more bundled up -- to attend a gallery opening in the West Village. Fergie and Josh Duhamel came back from their honeymoon, although they managed to sneak in a little work there as well -- she performed and he played a celebrity golf invitational at their Bahamian resort. Guess there's no such thing as a real vacation any more.

Related Stories:
· Stars Aren't Like Us. (Because They're Still On The Beach.) [Jaunted]
· Owen Wilson Moves From Beach To Beach [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Celebrity-Gossip.net]]]> egw 2009-01-29T11:00:57-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/2/21/153659/695

The Oscars are back on, and we're celebrating with a series on the New York City locations you might've seen in this year's nominated films. Our Oscar Movies Map will be your golden statuette.

"American Gangster" didn't turn out to be the Oscar juggernaut Universal was hoping for, but it did pick up nods for Best Art Direction and Best Supporting Actress for Ruby Dee.

Dee, a career actress best known to movie buffs as the human embodiment of good in "The Stand," plays the mother of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a black gangster who controls the Harlem drug trade with his exceptionally pure "Blue Magic" heroin, imported direct from Southeast Asia. Lucas enlists his brothers and cousins in the business and faces not only the competition of other local drug lords like Nicky Barnes (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) but also catches the attention of jealous cops looking to collect bribes from him.

That's Where Russell Crowe Comes In]]> egw 2008-02-21T16:30:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/11/1/223930/980

We just love how practically every serious drug smuggling movie is set in the 1970s. Guess times were just way grittier then and the city sets were more believable. (Or the cops were just busier doing other stuff.) Anyways, today's pick, American Gangster, takes place in Harlem and revolves around a heroin kingpin (surprisingly Denzel Washington!) who is smuggling smack into the U.S. in the coffins of soldiers returning from Vietnam. Whoa there.

Thankfully there is a great detective on his case--that would be Russell Crowe--who senses a shift in the NYC drug scene and steps up.

This was actually shot in parts of New York, from the Bronx to today's neighborhood pick: Harlem, an up-and-comer that's got great history:

Where To Stay: 102 Brownstone Check into this cozy boutique brownstone hotel West 118th Street and pretend it's your own place. There are six tastefully themed suites for the choosing, from "Zen" to "Chalet" and all offer wireless, fully equipped kitchens and huge bathrooms with Jacuzzi tubs. It's a great neighborhood secret spot so keep it on the DL please.

Where To Eat: Sylvia's Let's get this straight, you do not go to Harlem and skip Sylvia's. It's a family-owned institution and offers the best of soul food in the neighborhood. Black-eyed peas, veggies and other treats make this a popular tourist stop, but it's worth it to fill up.

Where To Listen: Lenox Lounge Opened in the 1930s, this is the spot for jazz in NYC. Lenox Lounge has played host to folks like Billie Holiday, Miles Davis and even (supposedly) Malcolm X. It was restored in 1999 to its original furnishings and features up to three shows a night.

Related Stories:
· Movie Set Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· New York coverage [Jaunted]
· New York Hotels [HotelChatter]

[Photo: Ace land]]]> sedona 2007-11-02T08:45:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/