WHATEVERR!

Do any of these places look familiar to you?

The reason for this post, is the sad and tragic death of Brittany Murphy, at age 32.  Murphy starred in “Clueless”, one of my favorite movies of all time. Everything about this movie “Clueless” was perfect, including Brittany.  The fashion, soundtrack, acting, quotes, humor, famed one liners, story, characters, locations, etc were just perfect in every way. Because of this movie, my poor family and friends were subject to years of me using different lines from this movie including, “As If!”and “Whatever”, included with hand gesture.

Cher's house

While watching the movie hundreds of times, I was always excited to see places that were familiar to me. Cher’s house or shall I say mansion, plays a big role in this movie, as mostly all major events happen here from beginning to end.

The funniest thing to me is how this actual house is in the valley, and in this movie the valley is a very taboo’d place. (Cher gets mugged and stripped of her Alaia “Awhatta?” jacket.)

Arial view of the real house used in the movie

Above is a view of the house in the movie, at 1542 Louise Avenue, in Encino, CA.

The best thing about the above picture is the famed pool.  I had never seen an arial view of this house, and when I saw it for the first time today, I got very excited that “the pool” was there.

The front entrance to the house

Dionne's house on Sierra Drive

Dionne’s house in the movie is in the 700 block of Sierra Drive, in Beverly hills.  I will never forget her coming out of this door to get in Cher’s car, ever !

Hillcrest home

This house you will recognize, as it comes right after Cher picks Dionne up from her home.  This house is three blocks west of Dionne’s house on the corner of Hillcrest and Elevado. (It’s very cool to me that I know the family who lives here :- ) ) I live in between these three blocks, so I think of Clueless quite often.

Rodeo Drive

Frustrated by her dad, boys, her recent fight with Tai, Josh, the Dmv, and just life, Cher decided to do some soul searching and do what would make her happiest, shop on Rodeo Drive !

Bronson Alcott Highschool from the movie, a.k.a. Occidental College

Some of the funniest and greatest scenes in the movie take place at the high school that most of the characters attend. Bronson Alcott High is actually Occidental College in Eagle Rock, California, which is about 45 minutes away from Beverly Hills.

According to Cher’s dad, everything in LA is 20 minutes away from each other. Hm.. Is that so?

Occidental College

Contempo Casuals was on the 6th floor in The Beverly Center

Ahh, The Beverly Center.  If you have read any of my other posts, you will remember my oh-so-nice note about the Beverly Center.  The Beverly Center was actually a very cool place circa Clueless, 1995.

Contempo Casuals was a store on the sixth floor highlighted in the movie.  This store had the latest and coolest clothes, shoes, accessories, lingerie, makeup, and inexpensive miscellaneous junk that one just had to have.

I remember being in heaven while being in this store ! I was only ten years old when Clueless came out, so I stuck to the accessories and misc. junk including the must have feather pen (in pink:) ). I was sooo happy when my mom bought me one of the animal backpacks that were so cool at the time.  I also remember buying patches from there to put on my backpack and other places.

The Westside Pavillion

The Westside Pavillion is now also not my favorite mall, but back then it was a very fun place to shop.  This mall makes a few cameos in the movie with Cher, Christian, Dionne, Amber, and Tai.

Westside Pavillion Mall. Area in which Tai almost gets pushed over the rail and where everyone shops in the movie.

At one point in the film, Tai is with two delinquent boys who hold her over the railing and attempt for her to fall down all three levels.  Christian, Cher’s gay crush, comes to the rescue to save Tai.

L.A. to Sun Valley map

Donut Den on Vineland in Sun Valley

Everyone loves the scene, where Cher is mugged in, “The Valley”.  She is asked for her possessions, including her beloved cell phone, and her Alaia jacket. Her unexperienced mugger then tells her to put her face down and count to 100 as he runs away.  This all happens because Cher has to make a “cameo” at a house party in in SV.  Cher thinks she is setting up Tai and Elton, but at the end of the party, Elton has other plans !  Cher gets out of Elton’s car after he makes unsuccessful advances at her and walks the streets of Sun Valley looking for a pay phone to call her step brother, Josh.

R.I.P Brittany Murphy, you will be missed !

Alicia Silverstone (as Cher Horowitz, Stacey Dash (as Dionne) and Brittany Murphy (as transplant Tai) in “Clueless” (1995)

Amy Heckerlings’ “Clueless” (1995) captured the youth of Los Angeles, and definitely of Beverly Hills, in a way all L.A. Natives can agree was pure genius. In honor of a fallen angel today, we honor her with our favorite quotes and vocab from the quintessential L.A. Natives (Dionne and Cher), and the quintessential L.A. Transplant, Tai, played by the late Brittany Murphy, RIP. Our love to her family and husband, Vogue photographer Simon Monjack.

“Clueless Quotes & Vocab:”

Mel: So, what did you do in school today?
Cher: Well, I broke in my purple clogs.

Josh: Hey, James Bond, in America we drive on the right side of the road.
Cher: I am. You try driving in platforms.
Josh: You want to practice parking?
Cher: What’s the point? Everywhere you go has valet.

Amber: Ms. Stoeger, my plastic surgeon doesn’t want me doing any activity where balls fly at my nose.

Cher: Isn’t my house classic? The columns date all the way back to 1972.

Cher: Wasn’t my mom a total Betty? She died when I was young. A freak accident during a routine liposuction.

Cher: “Did I step into some bad lighting?”

Mel: I expect you to walk through this door in twenty minutes.

Cher: It might take longer than that Dad.
Mel: Everywhere in L.A takes twenty minutes.

Cher: Lucy, the fire department called again. They said we need to clear out that bush. You said you’d get Jose to do it.
Lucy: He your gardener, I don’t know why you no tell him.
Cher: Lucy, you know I don’t speak Mexican.
Lucy: I NOT A MEXICAN! [storms off]
Cher: Great, what was that all about?
Josh: Lucy’s from El Salvador.
Cher: So?
Josh: So, it’s an entirely different country.
Cher: What does that matter?
Josh: You get mad if anyone thinks you live below Sunset

Mel: What the hell is that?
Cher: A dress.
Mel: Says who?
Cher: Calvin Klein.

Cher: So like, right now for example. The Haitians need to come to America. But some people are all, “What about the strain on our resources?” Well it’s like when I had this garden party for my father’s birthday, right? I put R.S.V.P. ’cause it was a sit-down dinner. But some people came that like did not R.S.V.P. I was like totally buggin’. I had to haul ass to the kitchen, redistribute the food, and squish in extra place settings. But by the end of the day it was, like, the more the merrier. And so if the government could just get to the kitchen, rearrange some things, we could certainly party with the Haitians. And in conclusion may I please remind you it does not say R.S.V.P. on the Statue of Liberty. Thank you very much.

Tai: Do you think she’s pretty?
Cher: No, she’s a full-on Monet.
Tai: What’s a monet?
Cher: It’s like a painting, see? From far away, it’s OK, but up close, it’s a big old mess. Let’s ask a guy. Christian, what do you think of Amber?
Christian: Hagsville.
Cher: See?

"But this is an Alaïa!"

"Project!!" - Cher

"Dionne and I were both named after famous singers of the past, who now do infomercials." - Cher

The House of Hype
2008 Sundance Film Festival
In Conjunction with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
To Benefit Amnesty International and Rock the Vote
January 18 – 20
268 Main Street, Park City, UT
Friday, January 18
Daytime Hospitality Lounge – 11 AM – 5 PM

My friend Eileen Colavita, founder of Spin Shoppe PR, asked me to join her this year in Sundance to handle press and media for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s pop-up club all week long on Main Street during the 17th Sundance International Film Festival. Much like season 3 of Entourage, or a tour with Ben Lyons, I made the rounds, saw the faces and went to the parties.

1st Party of the week: Rock the Vote
Simon Monjack, Vogue photographer and husband of Brittany Murphy, shot celebs for Rock the Vote ’08 Elections posters during our party.

Harvard-Westlake alum, Kam Nassib, me and Jason Reitman

My boss for the week; Eileen Colavita

Me and Steve Aoki (left), Ben Katz and me (right), Dory Benami, Jamie Kantrowitz (VP Music at Myspace), her boyfriend and me