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Thanatourism / Museum Travel / Hollywood Travel / Quirky Travel / Death / Los Angeles Travel / → All Tags

See Serial Killer Art at Hollywood's Gory 'Museum of Death'

Some people like their art with dark themes, but the Museum of Death takes it to a whole other level. The Hollywood museum specializes in what it calls "death education."

The museum owns the largest collection of artwork from serial killers. It also has collections of coffins, mortician instruments, replicas of execution devices and different colored body bags. But this oddball museum isn't going to expire any time soon. It marked its 15th anniversary last month.

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Movie Travel / Los Angeles Travel / Events / → All Tags

Sing Along with Phyllis Nefler at Cinespace (No Red Feathers Allowed)

Last week HotelChatter got all excited about the Eloise Suite opening at The Plaza and Twittered that they now wanted a "Troop Beverly Hills" suite to open inside The Beverly Hills Hotel. Well, that's not happening (as far as we can tell) but Phyllis Nefler is alive and well and she's hosting a Troop Beverly Hills Sing-a-long at Cinespace in Hollywood.

Come celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 80s cult classic Troop Beverly Hills. Be an honorary Wilderness Girl for one night only (for now)! Earn patches, boo Velda Plendor, dance "The Freddie", and of course sing Kumbaya.

Word is that film director Jeff Kanew will be in attendance as well as some other "special guests."

The showing begins at 8pm on October 5. Tickets are $12 and can be ordered here. Otherwise, it's $15 at the door. Oh and yes, we will be attending. Possibly in leotards and leg warmers.

You can follow all your favorite Troop Beverly Hills character on Twitter here: @phyllisnefler, @veldaplendor, @freddynefler, @annieherman, @hannahnefler. (And Jaunted too!)

Related Stories:
· Phyllis Nefler [Twitter]
· The Houlywood Reporter [Tumblr]

[Front Door Photo: Beverly Hills What a Thrill/Tumblr]

Entourage-Travel-Map / Entourage / Clubbin' / TV Set Travel / → All Tags

'Entourage' Finds Vince Alone in His House After Partying at MyHouse

We're not sure exactly why Entourage has returned to HBO for another season. They should have ended the series with the final episode of last season which had Vincent Chase dramatically pulling himself out of nasty career funk by scoring a movie role with Martin Scorcese. But no. Entourage is now back in our living rooms on Sunday nights throwing all the perks of movie stardom and beautiful people and VIP lifestyle into our faces. Ok, we could choose not to watch it but what fun would that be?

The episode finds the boys once again living the good life now that Vince's done shooting the movie and is starting the publicity rounds, including a Leno appearance. But this year, it seems not everything revolves Vince. E, Turtle and Drama amazingly have found their own lives and things to do while Ari has his hands full with a promotion-seeking Lloyd and an old friend who has joined him at the agency.

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Party Dispatch Report / Jetblue LAX Inaugural / JetBlue / New Airline Routes / Robin Thicke / → All Tags

JetBlue, VH1 and Robin Thicke Take Over MyHouse in Hollywood

Last night to celebrate their big arrival into LAX, JetBlue threw a party with VH1's Save The Music foundation at the Hollywood Club du Nuit, MyHouse. Yes, that's the place with the bed upstairs. And yes, we sat on it and took pictures.

The night was largely about Save The Music and people in Hollywood than JetBlue. Still, JetBlue made their presence known with the flight attendants serving the famous blue Terra chips and the bartenders outfitted in JetBlue LA t-shirts. Blue Malibu rum drinks and champagne were served and everyone walked away with a JetBlue gift bag full of LA and NYC goodies as well as a good-sized bottle of the Absolut 100 vodka. (It was definitely not the TSA-approved three ounces.)

It's no surprise that JetBlue chose to do up their LA debut in such a large way, what with Richard Branson popping champagne off the wings of his V Australia planes and showing up for every new Virgin America launch. Let's face it: the competition is on between JetBlue and Virgin America to become THE airline for the young, the hip, the famous and the bicoastal. The only edge we see right now is that VA has first class which is more conducive to celebrity privacy. (Unless we're sitting behind them!)

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Madame Tussauds / Hollywood Travel / Tourist Traps / Wax Museums / → All Tags

Hollywood To Get Another Wacky And Original Wax Museum

How many times have you walked down Hollywood Boulevard and thought to yourself "you know, this place is classy and all, but what it could really use is another shticky tourist attraction filled with zany wax figures." If you've mused thusly - and we've lost count of how many times we have - then Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is here to help. The international wax museum chain, which has locations sprinkled from Shanghai to London, is finally opening a Hollywood location. Doors are scheduled to open on August 1.

The new $55 million museum will sit next to the Grauman's Theatre, along the Walk of Fame and it should not be confused with the already established, Hollywood Wax Museum. Arriving guests walk in on a red carpet and will be greeted by a wax Joan Rivers rasping something about their clothes. Any guests who get past that part will eventually rewarded with a Jamie Foxx wax figure, one of many that are spread over 3 floors and 18 themed zones. Magic.

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Comfort Food Restaurants / Waffles / Food Travel / Restaurants / → All Tags

Hollywood's Sugary Side: The Waffle

Hollywood has never been a favored foodie destination, mostly because it's hard to work up an appetite when all you see is super-skinny people eating tiny bites of sushi and Pinkberry. So last time we were there, we were pretty pleased to notice The Waffle, a hearty, oversized, gut-busting slice of Middle America plopped right into the middle of Sunset Boulevard.

The restaurant calls their crispy, deep-pocketed namesakes "Belgian waffles," but we're betting you'd be hard-pressed to find a brown sugar sticky bun waffle or baked-in smoked bacon waffle in Antwerp. Not that we're complaining. These super-rich treats are a pretty perfect way to soak up a late-night Hollywood bar crawl, considering the Waffle is open 'til 2am on weekdays and 4am on weekends. And if those options aren't intense enough for you, it's hard to go wrong with a giant waffle sundae.

In addition to all those waffles (and waffle fries), the restaurant makes a few nods to non-breakfast obsessives, with comfort food staples like meatloaf, chili mac and chicken pot pie. We'll report back about those if we can see over our mound of waffles next time.

Related Stories:
· The Waffle [Official Site]
· Waffle Travel: New York's Belgian Delights [Jaunted]
· The Five Best Comfort Food Restaurants in New York [Jaunted]

[Photo: NathanJongewaard]

LOST / Lost-Season-5 / Television Travel / TV Travel / → All Tags

Chasing 'Lost' Season 5: The Incident

Just where in the world is LOST? Each episode, we're looking at the real and fictional locations of LOST from a travel perspective, and plotting them on our Google map. Be sure to check out all the map points, updated weekly!

This week, it's the big season finale. We have a few spoilers, so don't read any further if you are playing catch-up with your Tivo. Will the Island blow-up? Will Juliet and Sawyer sail off into the sunset in that tin can submarine? Will they ever stop creating more questions? Doubtful. The finale spends a lot of time introducing us to the legendary Jacob -- who looks like any other random guy on the island. The thing is, he keeps showing up in everyone's lives at different points. Everybody has met Jacob at some point in their journey. With all that travel, we sure hope he's banking all those frequent flier miles.

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LOST / Lost-Season-5 / Television Travel / TV Travel / → All Tags

Chasing 'Lost' Season 5: The Variable

Just where in the world is LOST? Each episode, we're looking at the real and fictional locations of LOST from a travel perspective, and plotting them on our Google map. Be sure to check out all the map points, updated weekly!

This week, LOST drops a couple of big bombs, like how Eloise Hawking is Daniel Faraday's mother, and that Charles Widmore is his dad. We can't think of a worse parental combination. So, if it's true, this would mean that Penny Widmore is Faraday's half sister. The episode is titled The Variable, which is a reference to the human beings on the island. The equations remain true, it's the variables that change the outcome.

There are a couple of flashbacks that take us back to Oxford after Faraday has graduated. He and Eloise grab lunch at a local Indian restaurant near campus. If you're in the neighborhood and in the mood for some great Indian food, we found this handy list over at In Oxford Magazine.

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LOST / Lost-Season-5 / Television Travel / TV Travel / → All Tags

Chasing 'Lost' Season 5: Dead is Dead

Just where in the world is LOST? Each episode, we're looking at the real and fictional locations of LOST from a travel perspective, and plotting them on our Google map. Be sure to check out all the map points, updated weekly!

This week, it's all about Ben. Since last week's near-death experience, things just keep getting weirder. We catch a glimpse of life in the Hostiles encampment, which reminds us of rustic camping in the jungle, roughly halfway between M.A.S.H. and Gilligan's Island. Still, if roughing it in the jungle sounds cool, you might want to check out Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia, or Qoyllur Tours, which features ecotourism programs in Peru.

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LOST / Lost-Season-5 / Television Travel / TV Travel / → All Tags

Chasing 'Lost' Season 5: Whatever Happened, Happened

Just where in the world is LOST? Each episode, we're looking at the real and fictional locations of LOST from a travel perspective, and plotting them on our Google map. Be sure to check out all the map points, updated weekly!

This week, the drama surrounds little Ben and what happens to him after he's shot. It involves Sawyer, a pouty trek through the jungle, and a handoff to Richard Alpert. Also, we see flashes of Kate leaving Aaron with his grandmother before returning to the island. If all of this makes you want more, you might consider heading to Hawaii and checking out a few of the LOST set tours.

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LOST / Lost-Season-5 / Television Travel / TV Travel / → All Tags

Chasing 'Lost' Season 5: He's Our You

Just where in the world is LOST? Each episode, we're looking at the real and fictional locations of LOST from a travel perspective, and plotting them on our Google map. Be sure to check out all the map points, updated weekly!

This week, we're on tour with Sayid and the cast of LOST.

Tikrit, Iraq
In a major flashback, Sayid chokes a chicken - literally. While we wouldn't recommend visiting the region at the moment, Iraq has a wide selection of historical sites and other points of interest. Tikrit is an interesting bet, but maybe you want to wait a few years.

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Food Travel / Cupcakes / Desserts / Contests / → All Tags

Nestle's 'Cupcake Challenge' Seems Kind Of Awesome But Pricey

Commenters were aghast a few days ago when we suggested that the cupcake craze might be over. Now, as if on cue, Nestle is parachuting into Los Angeles to host an extravagant "Cupcake Challenge" at the Hollywood Renaissance.

The awesome: 18 of the area's best bakeries are competing on Sunday, March 29 from 1 to 4pm. You the customer will get the chance to go from vendor to vendor voting on who has the best mini-cupcakes. At the end the votes will be tallied and a Southern California cupcake champion will be declared.

The suck: tickets are $40 per person, an awful steep price to pay for indulging your sweet tooth. On the other hand, did we mention that 18 different vendors would be offering mini-cupcakes for people to sample?

If the ticket prices are a deal breaker, you can of course visit any of the competitors on your own time. The full list is on the Challenge site and includes perennial LA favorites like The Buttercake Bakery and Oinkster.

We also recommend checking out Sprinkles in Beverly Hills and Leda's in the Valley, neither of which are competing.

Related Stories:
· Are Donuts the New Cupcakes? [Jaunted]
· Cupcakes coverage [Jaunted]