Musso & Franks - Holllywood

Musso & Frank's Grill is the oldest restaurant in Hollywood.  It opened in 1919 and quickly became a popular hangout for celebrities.  Today, the popularity continues - it is still a great place to meet and eat.  It is also a frequent filming location as well as appearing in some of Michael Connelly's books.

 

The bar where Harry brought Brasher on a date.(BOSCH)

Steve Kroft (60 Minutes) dined at the next table.

The famous Chicken Pot Pie

Bosch Alley

While watching the first episode of Bosch on Amazon Prime, I knew I had to find the alley where Bosch shot Flores.  It looked so creepy in the rain (fake rain for filming, but still rain).  I checked google maps, starting at Mariachi Plaza, and it didn't take long to locate it.  A couple of days later, I headed out to see it in person.  In the daylight, it wasn't nearly as spooky.

 

 

The stone by the sidewalk is how I found it.

This is where they turned and walked into the alley.

Closer look in the alley

Echo Lake Park

 Echo Park Lake is a beautiful and peaceful oasis in the well populated neighborhood of Echo Park. The area has been used many times as a filming location.  Parts of Echo Park were sometimes used as San Francisco in the TV show Parenthood.  Michael Connelly titled one of  his books ECHO PARK and wrote about many places in the neighborhood.  The ending of the book played out here in the Park.

 

The Lady of the Lake Statue is shown above.

 

There are beautiful views of downtown from the area.

 

The park is peaceful and beautiful and enjoyed by many.

High Tower Apartments - Hollywood

The High Tower Apartments are a unique complex with a great view near the Hollywood Bowl.

In the Raymond Chandler film THE LONG GOOD BYE, detective Philip Marlowe  lived here.

Since Michael Connelly (the author) was a big fan of Raymond Chandler novels, he used the location in his book ECHO PARK.  The garages are on the ground level and residents get keys to the elevator (which is the tower).  The property is very unusual and also very charming.  Who wouldn't love to live there with the great views?

 

 

Tunnel from the Gate to the Elevator

The elevator at the end of the short tunnel

The one car garage that is very narrow

Harry Bosch House - TV Show

My obsession with the Amazon Prime TV Show BOSCH continues.  The location from the show that I most wanted to see was Harry's house in the Hollywood Hills.  From the show I could tell it had floor to ceiling windows and a very cool patio with a great view.  The house is way up in the hills and the view was spectacular.  #LoveAllThingsBosch

 

Union Station

Union Station opened in 1939. Today it serves approximately 60,000 passengers per day. In 1980 it was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.  In 2011, the movie Gangster Squad was filmed here.  Other movies including Blade Runner, and Peal Harbor have also used Union Station as a backdrop.  And of course, it also appears frequently in Michael Connelly's books.

 

More Bosch

Outside the Bradbury Building on a wall at 242 S. Broadway is this Anthony Quinn - Pope of  Broadway mural.  The Victor Clothing Company commissioned muralist Eloy Torrez to paint the “Pope of Broadway” back in 1985 as an homage to its Latino clientele.

 

The mural is referred to in Connelly's book ANGELS FLIGHT. 

 

 

 

Charlie Chaplin is on loan to sit in the lobby of the Bradbury Building.

It also is mentioned as a meeting place in Michael Connelly's THE BLACK BOX.

Bradbury Building

 

The Bradbury Building is an architectural landmark in downtown Los Angeles.  It was build in 1893 and commissioned by LA gold mining millionaire Lewis L. Bradbury.  I think the building is one of the most beautiful places in LA.

 

It has appeared in several movies - including The Artist,  Blade Runner, Chinatown, and 500 Days of Summer. 

 

Michael Connelly also talks about this building in his books.

It sits on the corner of 3rd and Broadway

 

The stairs and lobby are beautiful.

The elevators are very ornate.

The main entrance

Bosch Premiere - Hollywood

As you know, I am a big Michael Connelly (the author) fan.  Harry Bosch is the name of his main character in most of his books.  Amazon Prime will start airing the series BOSCH on February 13th.    Needless to say, I am thrilled.  I was lucky enough to be invited to the premiere at the Arclight Dome in Hollywood.  We viewed the first two episodes and they were TERRIFIC.  I can not wait for the rest.  It was such a fun evening !  Red Carpets....Celebrities...Oh my!!!!!

Michael Connelly - My Favorite Author

I generally read about 2-3 books per week.   Crime fiction and mysteries and suspense are my favorite type of books.  Michael Connelly is the BEST Detective novel writer and he is my favorite author.  I have read everything he has written so I was very excited to learn that he was having a book signing at my favorite independent Book Store in Orange, CA - Book Carnival.  The Book Store has even appeared in one of his novels.  How cool is that? 

 

I am happy to report that he was very kind and even agreed to snap this picture of us.  It makes me so happy when someone you admire meets your expectations if you are lucky enough to meet them.  Michael Connelly did and I am waiting  patiently for his next novel - due November 2015.