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Hangin' with the Stars

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Ever wanted to go on location with a big Hollywood production? Or be a part of a glitzy film premiere? How about being in the audience watching Britney Spears, Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez perform at the American Music Awards? You can do all of this an more - and it\'s not as hard as you may think. Make your next trip to the movie capital of the world one to make your friends green with envy.

Without make-up, stylists and good lighting movie stars are often unrecognisable to fans. In their quest for privacy celebrities often hit the streets wearing no make-up, baggy clothes, sunglasses and caps. If you think you have seen someone famous but aren\'t 100% sure don\'t be afraid to ask the person. Sometimes a celebrity may not want to be approached by fans in public and may say something like "Oh, I wish I was Cameron Diaz" for example.

Val Kilmer wore many disguises in The Saint and does so when shopping for music. Two brothers spotted him shopping at the Virgin Megastore late one night wearing a very unfashionable velvet tracksuit, glasses and long oily hair that would make Julian Clary shriek.

The older brother, who noticed him first, whispered "Oh my God, Val Kilmer is standing at the end of the counter". The younger brother looked and was not convinced until the star turned and looked both of them. "I had no idea it was him until he turned around and I saw his very distinctive lips. I wouldn\'t have looked twice at him if my brother had not seen him first." They had the perfect opportunity to meet him and get a photo with hardly any customers around, but were too nervous and had no film in their camera.

Tip > Carry your camera everywhere and make sure you have spare film at all times. There is nothing like photographic evidence to confirm your story to sceptical friends.

The Virgin Megastore and Tower Records, both located on Sunset Blvd, have a long list of celebrity clientelle. Janet Jackson, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez have made in-store appearances, the latest being a live performance by No Doubt. Schedules are advertised regularly online, but the best way to find out about upcoming appearances is to ask the store manager.

Most magazines talk about the exclusive nightclubs and bars in which celebrities like to party. Some of these are not easy to get into. You either need to know the bouncer to get in or slip them a $50 and hope for the best. This, of course, is not the case with all of them. Club 360 has a mixed night on Tuesday\'s. The club is on the top floor of "The Penthouse" locted on the corner of Sunset and Vine and boasts, as the name suggests, a stunning 360 degree view of LA. Drew Barrymore and Leonardo di Caprio have been seen getting down on the dancefloor on occasion.

Johnny Depp\'s Viper Room has been described by the LA Times as "the most consistently hip club in town". The club, made famous by River Phoenix\'s death on the sidewalk outside, features live performances most nights. Well known recording artists such as No Doubt, Courtney Love, Lenny Kravitz and Billy Idol have performed on stage to patrons such as Tom Hanks, Rosanna Arquette, Alicia Silverstone, Jennifer Anniston and Lisa Maree Presley.

Beverly Hills restaurants and lounges such as Spago, Sky Bar, The Sunset Room and The Ivy are favourites of Brad Pitt, Madonna, Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman and Goldie Hawn. They are often seen having business meetings with their managers and agents over lunch and dinner.

If you are willing to pay huge amounts of money and have a table booked months in advance, this approach to meeting a celebrity is not high on the list. However, there is no law that states you cannot wait outside the entrance and cautiously approach the star if the situation feels right.

There are a number of reasonably priced restaurants where you can dine with the stars. Drew Barrymore, Tom Green, Aeorosmith, Cyndi Lauper and Alyssa Milano are often seen eating at "Toi". This amazing Thai restaurant, on Sunset Blvd, is inexpensive and staffed by long-haired, tattooed metal types who offer extremely fast and friendly service. The restaurant has a relaxed mood and the walls are lined with autographed album posters. The walls in the men\'s bathroom have also been signed by visiting celebrities and regular customers.

Most people think it hard to meet celebrities. All you need to do to is some research. You can find exact street locations of where new movies, TV shows and music videos are being filmed. The LA Film & Video Premit Office publish a daily online list, called a shoot-sheet.

A fan of actress Leelee Sobieski (Never Been Kissed, Joy Ride, Joan of Arc) recently proved this avenue a successful one. He found out the up-and-coming actress was filming scenes from The Glass House, her latest movie at the time, which he had seen listed on the daily shoot-sheet.

"I turned up mid-morning and sat across the road from where they were filming for over two hours. Just as I was thinking of going to grab a bite to eat I saw Leelee walking back to her trailer with a security guard." The excited fan kept his distance as she crossed the road and politely asked her for an autograph. "She was so nice to me. She signed my DVD cover of Never Been Kissed and then threw her arms around me while the security guard took our picture."

Keep in mind that not all celebrities are as accommodating to requests for autpgraphs and photos. Some are even known to become violent or extremely annoyed if they see a screaming fan running at them with a camera. In public stars don\'t like having attention drawn to them. In public places remember to keep your distance and approach them slowly and calmly, no matter how excited you may be.

Tip > If attending a location shoot pack plenty of sunblock, water and food. Stay put and your patience should eventually pay off. You don\'t want to head down the road for something to eat and return finding your celebrity has been whisked away to another filming location during your absence.

Movie premiers are held regularly at cinemas all over LA and usually take place mid-to-late afternoon. The majority happen at Mann\'s National in Westwood and Grauman\'s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, formerly known as Mann\'s Chinese Theatre.

The website Seeing Stars in Hollywood, www.seeing-stars.com, is the only source of information you need to do everything covered in this story. It lists all up-coming celebrity events and ceremonies. If you are unable to gain Internet access you can look through the cinema listings in the LA Times entertainment guide as certain movie houses will say "Closed for Premiere".

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