Musso and Frank's: Old School at its Best!

Opening on September 27, 1919, Frank's Café at 6669 Hollywood Boulevard began its story, culminating in it being the oldest restaurant in Hollywood. Owner Frank Toulet partnered with restaurateur Joseph Musso and the current name, Musso & Frank's Grill, was born. My first visit was back in April 2000, shortly after I had moved back to California.



It was an excellent recommendation by my friend Dennis Christopher, who explained the history of this classic Hollywood eatery.



Heading up to LA last weekend for a photo shoot, I made it a point to revisit Musso & Frank's. I hadn't been in years, and was happy to find that the classic look of the interior remained.



Vintage light fixtures.





Comfortable booths.



And let's not forget the main reason one goes to a restaurant: the food. I ordered Chicken à la King, a comfort food classic. The chicken pieces were large and juicy. The triangles of bread that encircled the dish were perfectly toasted. The vegetables and sauce were tasty, too, without being overcooked or watered down. DELICIOUS!



Although I didn't order any alcoholic beverages, I had to get a shot of the bar where so many famous cocktails have been made. Writers Kurt Vonnegut and Charles Bukowski were regulars here, preceded by John Steinbeck, Dorothy Parker, Aldous Huxley, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and T.S. Elliot. Not too shabby company.



A vintage neon sign beckoned me to the back of the restaurant. Cocktails this way, please.



Rather than tell me that no photos were permitted, the Manager instead explained some of the history of the restaurant and made suggestions of things I should shoot. I was in hog heaven. The first pay phone in Hollywood is still there (minus the phone):



Writers loved to sit in this booth, located next to the phone, so that they could phone in a scoop…or perhaps place a bet with their bookie. You can pick your own legend.



The original grill remains. You are eating meals cooked on the same grill that served Greta Garbo, Gary Cooper, and Marilyn Monroe.



Offers to "restore" and clean the aged wallpaper have all been turned down. I agree with the restaurant's decision; the patina of Clark Gable's cigarette smoke is priceless.



A shot of the exterior:



and the sign that marks the 1919 opening of this landmark:



If you want to eat here, don't go on Sunday or Monday; it's closed. Yup. Old school…and I love it!

See more Daveland Musso & Frank Grill photos at my main website.

Breaking Away: 35th Anniversary

Today marks the 35th Anniversary of one of my very favorite films, "Breaking Away." Filmed entirely in Bloomington where I attended Indiana University, it perfectly captured the quirky small-town community that just happened to have over 40,000 students. I say "captured" because Bloomington has changed a lot in the last 35 years!

Dennis Christopher plays Dave, a high school student who struggles to figure out his future. Here he is posing in downtown Bloomington astride his bike:



Here's how the same Courthouse Square looks today:



The struggle between "Town and Gown" (community residents vs. the college students) comes to a head in an epic brawl that takes place at the University Student Union:



The Indiana Memorial Union Cafeteria today:



One of the local quarries plays a major role in the film. Limestone from this quarry was used in the Empire State Building, The Pentagon, and Washington National Cathedral, just to name a few iconic structures. Here Dave sunbathes with his high school friends, played by Dennis Quaid (diving into the quarry) and Daniel Stern.



During my college days, I used to go swimming in the very same quarry, aka Rooftop Quarry. Today, you couldn't pay me enough money to jump into this stagnant cesspool!



One of the most touching scenes in the film is between Dave and his somewhat detached father (played by Paul Dooley), who used to work in one of the quarries. They stroll through the campus near the library, discussing Dave's future after high school.

Father: You guys still go swimmin' in the quarries?
Dave: Sure.
Father: So, the only thing you got to show for my 20 years of work is the holes we left behind?

He goes on, in an awkward attempt to encourage his son to be something that he never was:

I was proud of my work. And the buildings went up. When they were finished the damnedest thing happened. It was like the buildings were too good for us. Nobody told us that. It just felt uncomfortable, that's all.



The very same limestone library today:



The final bike race is breathtaking and emotionally charged; I still get excited watching it, even though I know what the result will be.



All that's left of the original stadium where the race was filmed are the corner limestone pillars:



The film's box office started out extremely slow, thanks to a trailer that does a very poor job of promoting the film.



Happy Anniversary, "Breaking Away"!

See more "Breaking Away" photos on my main website.

Django Unchained: An Explosive Film

Last night I stepped out of my vintage world and ventured to the theater to see "Django Unchained." Early trailers for the movie did little to motivate me to see what appeared to be a violent Quentin Tarantino western, but once I found out that Dennis Christopher, one of my favorite actors ("Breaking Away") had a part in it, I decided to give it a try.



I wasn't disappointed.

As with most Tarantino movies, this one is full of graphic violence and uncomfortable moments. The violence (showing bodies literally exploding when shot) I could have done without; the uncomfortable moments make it a more interesting film that begs to be discussed once you exit the theater. That's my kind of movie.



In a nutshell, Django (Jamie Foxx) is a shackled slave whose fortunes change when a bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) needs his assistance in identifying three of the men he must kill/capture. As a forward thinking German immigrant, Schultz is against slavery and treats Django as a business partner, granting him his freedom as well as a new wardrobe (one of the many brilliant comic moments in the movie). Django wants to be reunited with his wife, who was sold off to a different plantation in Mississippi, and Schultz agrees to help him. The plantation owner, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), is a man with few morals and a twisted sense of fun (watching Mandingo slave fights). Schultz realizes that merely proposing the purchase of Django's wife will not accomplish the goal, and the two decide to pose as buyers of Mandingo Fighters and approach Candie that way.

And that's as much as you need to know. Watch the movie to see how it all unfolds.

Jamie Foxx is amazing as Django, but Waltz steals the show with his even-tempered yet fast acting characterization of the brilliant Dr. Schultz. Waltz is able to take a typically unlikeable character of a bounty hunter and make him someone that the audience positively identifies with and supports. The two of them are one of the best on-screen duos to come along in Western film history.



The rest of the cast is top notch as well. Dennis did a great job as Candie's somewhat slimy attorney. Don Johnson had a fun supporting role as a plantation owner with little regard for his slaves. He is also part of a slightly uncomfortable Ku Klux Klan scene, but if you view the overall message (and the ending) of the movie in the larger sense, you will see that this film neither condones slavery nor is looking for a race war, as some who have reviewed the film have claimed.



Where viewers might find themselves getting fueled up over the controversial elements is that this is a period film, but much of the acting, music, and language used is extremely contemporary. This makes it easy to forget that the plot should be examined in the context of the era in which it takes place: pre-Civil War America.

Samuel Jackson is almost unrecognizable as Candie's trusted house slave, Stephen, who does little to help his fellow slaves.



Franco Nero, who starred in "Camelot" and the original "Django," has an amusing cameo in the movie.



Squeamish viewers might have to turn their heads a few times, but it is well worth it. Check out this Oscar nominated flick (Picture, Supporting Actor-Waltz, Screenplay, Sound Editing, Cinematography) while it is still in the theaters.

See more Classic Movie & TV photos on my Classic Movie & TV photo web page.

Back Home Again In Indiana: Bloomington

Besides being home to Indiana University, Bloomington is a cool little town all on its own. The best pizza can be found at Mother Bear's on Third Street.

Nick's English Hut has been a local tradition for years, where both locals and University-affiliated folk hang out.





The Bluebird is one of the most popular nightclubs, featuring fantastic live music.



One of my very favorite dinner spots is the Uptown Cafe. It sure was good to dine here again.



I strayed a bit from my training diet for this one.



Farm Restaurant was a new one for me, as it was there when I lived in Bloomington. It was a tasty addition to the many other choices in town.



Interesting decor:



With a way cool nightclub in the basement:



Delicious breakfasts can be ordered at The Village Deli; I highly recommend Paxton's Potatoes! Unless you have a cholesterol issue...



Locally owned and operated The Scholar's Inn Bakehouse is another great little eatery, located on the square in Downtown Bloomington.



Also on the square is The Courthouse:



with its quirky weathervane:



The University isn't the only place in Bloomington with cool limestone buildings, statues, and detailing:











Inside of the Courthouse beautiful stained glass and hand painted historic murals can be admired:







The Von Lee theater is no more, but the current tenant has kept the façade of the building the same as well as the original neon sign:



The Indiana Theater was a little more fortunate, as the city rallied to restore it to its former glory and make it a live venue. Apparently, it's still doing well.



These odd little statues have always fascinated me, located in a park as you first enter Bloomington:



For you "Breaking Away" fans, here's the house used as the residence of the Stoller family:



In this vintage shot, Director Peter Yates stands in front of the same house with actors Dennis Christopher and Paul Dooley.



That wraps up my nostalgic tour of my alma mater and the town where it resides. One more stop on my Indiana tour to go!

See more vintage and current Indiana University photos on my Bloomington, Indiana web page.