The Birds and Sally Spectra

One of the most famous scenes in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" is the one that takes place in the Tides Restaurant. While trapped inside, the patrons attempt to make sense of the avian attacks, most notably Mrs. Bundy, played by Ethel Griffies. Also notable in this photo is the bespeckled waitress, played by an uncredited Darlene Conley.



Best known to soap opera fans as flaming redheaded fashion designer Sally Spectra in "The Bold and the Beautiful," Conley's larger than life portrayal made her a fan favorite. This is why watching the scene from "The Birds" is so funny, as her character seems so nerdy and shy. Amazing what a pair of thick glasses can do for you!



Conley passed away in 2007, but her tribute in wax can still be seen at Madame Tussaud's in Las Vegas.



See more "The Birds" photos on my Tippi Hedren web page.

Traveling Thursdays: The Venetian Hotel in Vegas

It’s official; I have a favorite hotel (so far) in Vegas, and it’s The Venetian. In the past I’ve stayed at The Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Paris, and Caesar’s on my various trips to Sin City. What does the Venetian have that the others don’t? First, I love the architecture and theme. The Paris Hotel is okay, but for me, there’s just something about it that misses the mark and looks more faux than French.





What an entrance! Hard not to have your jaw drop when you walk down this hallway off the lobby. Make no mistake; it cannot compare to the Sistine Chapel or any of the other works of art in Italy, but for those who can’t see the real thing, it’s damn impressive.





This is probably my favorite part of the hotel itself; the indoor shops and waterway with Gondola are done to perfection. It is truly difficult to manage a sense of time with this indoor area that is constantly lit like a sunny day.



The rooms/suites are tasteful without being over-the-top; I loved the sunken living room as well as the furnishings.





For entertainment, The Venetian also has “Phantom of the Opera.” A spectacular show on Broadway is even more impressive in Vegas. I dare you not to flinch as the chandelier drops overhead at 35 mph!







The Venetian also has its shares of delicious restaurants, including Valentino and Bouchon:





My mouth is watering…



And you CAN’T pass up Madame Tussaud’s, where they encourage you to touch and pose with the wax figures!



Do you prefer youthful and sexy Elvis?



or paunchy Elvis from the later years…



Some of the statues will make you look twice...they are THAT convincing!





See more Las Vegas photos at my main website.

Traveling Thursdays: Viva Las Vegas, Pt. 2

Over at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Phantom of the Opera and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum are two of the major attractions for visitors to Las Vegas.





Like Disneyland, Vegas has a total different look at night when the sun goes down and the magical lights turn on.



The interior of The Venetian is richly detailed and slightly over the top; just what you would expect when Italy and Las Vegas collide.





I’ve seen “Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway, but even that amazing production is outdone by the Las Vegas version. The music, the sets, and the moving story still brought chills the second time that I watched the show. If you’ve seen the movie, please don’t let that deter you from seeing the theater production!

Even the theater itself will cause your jaw to drop; decked out like a vintage playhouse, “dummies” populate the sideseat, dressed in historic era-appropriate clothing.







Falling overhead at a speed of 35 mph, this combined set of 4 chandeliers would be enough to cause even the bravest theatergoer to invest in a set of Depends!



For the Las Vegas production, even the Phantom’s makeup was revisited. With a new set of facial molds, the final result is stunning, as shown here by The Phantom himself, Anthony Crivello. Discussing the new molds, Crivello is having the final remnants of his Phantom “face” removed before he goes home after his performance.







Quite a setup of computers and monitors is required for precision accuracy with the lighting and props for “Phantom of the Opera” in Las Vegas:



Over at Madame Tussaud’s, you can see two versions of Elvis; young and handsome, or older and slightly paunchy. Take your pick!





Apparently Criss Angel is one of the most reviled people in Las Vegas; Cirque du Soleil is just waiting for his contract to expire so that they can remove their name from his show. Still, he is one of the figures at Tussaud’s.



Who needs the egotistical Criss Angel when you can have the Rat Pack?







You haven’t heard the last from Sin City. More to come in the future!

See more Las Vegas photos at my main website.

Traveling Thursdays: Madame Tussaud’s

If you easily get “starstruck,” the best place to visit is Madame Tussaud‘s. Some of the wax statues are a little off, but most of the time they are scarily accurate and realistic. Tussaud's has become very commercial, encouraging tourists to pose with the statues as if they were really interacting with the celebrities. Naturally, the more controversial statues (such as Michael Jackson) have constant surveillance nearby. These first images are from the Tussaud's in Hollywood.





You almost expect to see smoke swirls coming from Bette's cig:



Gloria is definitely ready for her closeup:







A few from the museum in Vegas:









And from New York City:



The Marilyn here is not quite as good as her West Coast counterpart:









Those of you that have seen the visual feast of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” (and also live on the west coast) will enjoy seeing the upcoming exhibit at LA’S Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.



Timed In Coordination with the June 1 Blu-ray™ & DVD Release, Disney’s Alice In Wonderland Exhibition Unveils Original Costumes From The Film As Well As “Edgier Side of Alice” Inspired Clothing & Products by Sue Wong, Tom Binns, Avril Lavigne and FIDM Alumni. The exhibition is free to the public and opens on Thursday, May 27 and will run through September 30, 2010.

From the press release: Fans of the film and fashion alike will find a new appreciation for the craftsmanship, artistry, and design behind the making of the costumes and merchandise at this particular exhibit that is comprised of three distinct parts: (1) Original costumes from the film designed by two time Academy Award® winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (Best Achievement in Costume Design for Memoirs of a Geisha in 2005 and Best Costume Design for Chicago in 2002), (2) The Edgier Side of Alice inspired clothing and products from DCP and designed by a variety of celebrities, designers and fashion icons (e.g. Sue Wong, Tom Binns, Avril Lavigne, etc.), and (3) Alice inspired gowns created by FIDM designer graduates with FIDM Fashion Mentor and Instructor Nick Verreos.

Colleen Atwood’s work portrays a reinvention of the madcap look of “Alice in Wonderland” for the 21st Century. Featured on display will be her original costumes from the film, including Johnny Depp’s original Mad Hatter fighter garment, a few of Mia Wasikowska’s Alice dresses and Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen Dress, as well as costume sketches, hats and props from the film.

In addition to the original costumes on display, there will be modern-day “Edgier Side of Alice” inspired clothing, jewelry, accessories and collections designed by fashion icons such as Sue Wong, Tom Binns and Avril Lavigne. This display by Disney Consumer Products illustrates its collaboration with these renowned designers in order to create an interpretive line that brings the allure and mystery of the film and characters to life.

FIDM will also play an active role in the exhibition. In collaboration with Disney’s fashion team, the college challenged six Designer grads to partake in a FIDM SuperLab project led by Nick Verreos (Star of “Project Runway”, Graduate and Instructor at FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and NIKOLAKI Owner/Designer). Since the ALICE IN WONDERLAND film is all about discovery, FIDM Fashion Designers were challenged to discover their talents in the world of Alice by designing and producing couture gowns inspired by six iconic characters in the film. Garments are couture glamour meets the red carpet – unconventional, unexpected, Alice in “Underland” – where nothing is what it seems! Their creations will be on display for all to see alongside Colleen Atwood and DCP’s collections.

Exhibition Gallery Hours & Details:
Admission to the exhibition is free of charge to the public and opens on Thursday, May 27 and runs until September 30, 2010. Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. FIDM Museum & Galleries Is located at FIDM/Fashion Institute Of Design & Merchandising, 919 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90015. For more information about this exhibition, please visit FIDMmuseum.org or call 213-623-5821.



See more Madame Tussaud’s photos at my main website.