Sallie27

All right, I'm probably going to get razzed for this, but my friend and I will be spending a couple of days in L.A. and thought it would be kind of cool to see some celebs "out and about." I don't want to stake out their houses or do a tour or anything. Just wanted to go to a place they might hang out. Any suggestions?

Gekko

There's a "Stars Pavilion" in Hollywood where celebrities are caged so tourists can gawk at them. Didn't you know?

Okay, seriously, you're most likely to "see some celebs" at a Starbucks or gas station, when you least expect it. The thing is, you probably won't recognize them anyway.

So just relax and enjoy your travels. If you get "lucky" and have a sublime encounter, consider it a gift.

Suzie

We were recently in southern Ca and we went to the Getty center. It was an amazing place. We visited the Degas and the Courbet exhibits. We also saw the Italian artist wing. We had a great lunch in the café. We had a chicken sandwich with apples, basil and arugula on a sesame seed roll and a vegetarian Greek wrap with cucumbers and feta.

The views from the patio outside the Courbet exhibit was so amazing you could see all the way to the ocean. The hils were so green from all the spring rain.

The Getty is quite large and made of imported stone. The gardens are stunning. All this is free but you do pay $7 for parking.

We didn’t see any celebrities there but I thought maybe you could set your sights a little higher.

RBCal

Following is an actual answer to your question without judgment.

http://www.seeing-stars.com/

MaureenB

Maybe spend some time on Rodeo Drive, walk by Spago's, hang out in Malibu.

Sallie27

Thanks for the HELPFUL suggestions. Yes, I am seeing other and more "quality" sights on my trip but we thought it would be fun to do some frivolous things too, like see some celebs while we're out and about in L.A. It *is* a vacation.

GoTravel

What about The Ivey or the Standard Hotel?

Lori

When we lived in LA we used to see "stars" at sporting events, i.e. Dodger's games, Laker games, Kings games all the time.

Also saw "stars" shopping at Century City Mall in Beverly Hills and at a supermarket in Hollywood.

My husband is good at recognizing people (I'd walk right on by and never notice) and he'd often say "that's "so and so" from ____ t.v. show, you know the guy that plays the neighbor/whatever"

dwooddon

Back in the 1980's, I lived in Studio City for a couple of years and celebrity sightings were an almost daily occurance. Not including the two or three that lived in my neighborhood, the most frequent place I saw them was in the grocery stores.

There is (was?) an upscale grocery in Studio City named Mrs. Gooches where they could be seen with some regularity but I also saw them fairly often in more standard brand groceries.

Places like studio City, Beverly Hills, and Malibu are most likely but you could see them anywhere in southern California. As an example, many years ago, I walked by Charleton Heston on a sidewalk in Pomona of all places. You just have to be alert and be aware that there are no guarantees of "sightings".

kangamom

My suggestions:

Fred Segel in Hollywood (and in Santa Monica too). Shop in the boutiques, hang out at their cafe, if the salespeople are ignoring you, its probably because there are some stars in the store.

Ivy. Have lunch and try to linger for a long time.

Polo Lounge. Maybe someone will be having a meeting with their agent.

Urth Cafe on Melrose. Everyone needs their morning coffee, especially the famous.

Bill_I

I have seen some stars in the past, some of these are now dead, at places not really expecting. John Astin was at the table next to us at the Omlette Parlor in Santa Monica. Doing some last minute shopping in a LAX gift shop & look up & I am standing next to Andre the Giant. Got on a plane to LAX & John Candy was on the plane. Coming in on a late night flight to LAX, waiting for my ride & David Hasselloff comes running by & almost knocks me over getting to his limo.(& I kid you not, he had a lifeguard buoy in his hand.) Have been shopping at a strip mall off the PCH in Malibu & have seen stars. So basically, the place that I have seen most has been at the Airport.

Bill_I

Also forgot to mention that, once when attending an Alexandar Godunov ballet performance at the Hollywood Bowl, I saw celebrities all over the place. Most of whom I didn't know their names, but recognized faces.

TahitiTams

Probably in Rehab or an AA meeting..

petlover

The timing is not good for this venue but (for others) during winter months I've seen more stars at Staples Center @ a Lakers game than anywhere else. I also saw quite a few on TV (so I know they were there) a few years ago when the Angels were in the World Series.

youngandrestless

Check out http://www.defamer.com/hollywood/sig...68701.php#more

http://www.defamer.com/hollywood/sig...65151.php#more

People email in their star sightings in the Hollywood area. I think a good bet is "The Grove" http://www.thegrovela.com/. People are always sighting actors from the OC and stuff.

lynnejoel1015

kangamom's suggestions were good. The Ivy, Fred Segal, Beverly Hills, and DEFINITELY Studio City. Go find a Starbucks close to a studio lot and hang out for an hour or so in the late morning.

Also, if you can score tickets to an opening night performance at a play, a musical, or music performance, you're likely to see stars seated around you.

lynnejoel1015

specifically broadway LA's productions at the pantages theatre in hollywood.

Bikom

High end supermarkets on the Westside, Gelson's, Whole Foods, etc. are the best, I think.

The Ivy, Fred Segals and Malibu coffee houses and restaurants are good suggestions, too. There is a terrific place called Malibu Seafood on Pacific Coast Highway, where you sit across the street from the ocean, and eat delicious and cheap fresh seafood, and I usuaully see somebody there. Also Tra Di Noi in Malibu and at night, Giorgio Baldi, in the Palisades, ALWAYS has famous people eating there. Expensive but great, reservations a must.

Have a nice trip, I hope you like traffic, lol

socialworker

Someone above mentioned Urth Cafe on Melrose...when we were there a few months ago, Jake Glyllenhall was seated a few tables away. Also, our son just about always sees someone at the Arc Light (sp?) Movie theater, which is an awesome place to see a film even if you don't see any stars other than the ones on the screen!!

PS...LA "etiquette" is that you let them have their space and just enjoy the view.

SusanM

Many years ago I traveled to LA to do some corporate training. The people in the office there asked me what my plans were for the weekend, and I mentioned going to the Farmers Market and the Getty, and that I hoped to see some stars.

They mockingly told me to try the jail, and also mentioned that in all their years of living there had never seen anyone famous. I was not to be deterred!

I spent Saturday morning visiting the Farmers Market, then driving around up on Mullholland Drive. I highly recommend this for the views. At one point I spotted a fenced-in dog park, I think it was Laurel Canyon, and pulled in to the parking lot to regroup, check my map for where I wanted to go next, etc.

This was during the time when Melrose Place was still on the air. Watching the people in the park with their dogs, I noticed one red-headed woman who stood out because she was so stylishly dressed. I realized it was "Sydney" from MP (Laura Leighton). She was headed for the gated exit, where I was parked, so I scrambled for some litter in the car to give me an excuse to get out, throw it away, and be at the exit at the same time she was.

Being shy, I only wanted to "get a look," rather than actually approach her, but as I threw away the page from the guidebook that I had torn out, having found no trash to dispose of, she smiled at me and said "Hi." Stars in their natural settings, LOL!

Oh, by the way, a couple of years later Entertainment Weekly ran an article on where to spot stars in LA, and that dog park was mentioned!