Burbank Chamber of Commerce

MEET BURBANK
MEET BURBANK
Meet Burbank
We’re Rolling Tourists on the
Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tour
get caught on film.
112 | Spirit
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT
Movie (and TV) magic, plus a Mayberry vibe,
help make this Southern California success story.
Spirit
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MEET BURBANK
The Good Life Palm trees downtown; (below) a fruit tart at
Porto’s Bakery and a horse and
rider in Griffith Park
S C E N E in movie history: the closing moments of Casablanca, as fog
and darkness shroud the Lisbon,
Portugal–bound plane on the tarmac
while Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid
Bergman speak their final lines to
each other. Any idea where it was
filmed?
Here’s where it wasn’t filmed: on
location in Morocco, at an airport,
or anywhere in Hollywood. That climactic scene unfolded on a soundstage in Burbank, California.
For decades Burbank has served as
a largely uncredited location for film
and television production, but these
days, the city of 108,000 residents bordering Los Angeles is taking its turn in
the spotlight. Home to more working
studios than Hollywood, and boasting a vibrant, redeveloped downtown
shopping district, the self-styled
“Media Capital of the World” has cast
off its image as a boring suburb. Burbank is attracting new and younger
residents who appreciate its relatively
light traffic, big-city amenities, quaint
residential neighborhoods, and high
quality of life.
“A lot of people my age have opted
114 | Spirit
to stay and raise their kids here
because Burbank is a big town with
a small-town feel,” says Chris Habitz,
35, an agent with Dilbeck Realtors
and president of the Burbank Association of Realtors. “You can feel that
vibe, that energy that people know
everyone and look after each other.”
Located at the eastern end of the
San Fernando Valley and just 15 minutes from Hollywood and downtown
LA, Burbank has always benefited
from its strategic location and sunny
climate. For most of its 99 years, the
city’s economic base was built on
two industries: entertainment and
aviation. Lockheed Corporation
made its headquarters here starting
in the late 1920s, and during World
War II, the defense giant employed
close to 100,000 workers to design
and build aircraft. At the same time,
the entertainment industry was
becoming an enormous economic
engine in Burbank, with local studios such as Warner Bros. and The
Walt Disney Co. cranking out hit
movies and television shows.
PHOTOGRAPHY (FROM TOP) BY IAN GRANT/ALAMY AND DANIEL HENNESSY (2)
I T M AY B E T H E M O ST FA M O U S
LIVE WORK DINE UNWIND CREATE CELEBRATE FLOURISH
To find out more call 818-238-5180 or visit us online at www.burbankusa.com
&
Arts
Entertainment
BURBANK
Noor Old Town Pasadena: 626.793.4518
Accommodating 2 to 2,000 guests
French Mediterranean - Restaurant
Ballroom - Indoor/Outdoor
www.noorevents.com
The Starlight Bowl
is Burbank’s premiere
outdoor entertainment
venue and has
entertained generations
of Southern California
families.
www.StarlightBowl.com
818.525.3721
Burbank Historical Society
115 N. Lomita St., Burbank, CA 91506
Open Saturday & Sunday
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
818.841.6333 burbankhistoricalsoc.com
Audiences Unlimited, Inc. - Free TV
studio audience tickets. For show and
ticket information, visit our website:
www.tvtickets.com or call 818.260.0041
Do the Stroll
Baby’s day out
in Magnolia Park
“A lot of people my age have opted to stay and
raise their kids here because Burbank is a big town
with a small-town feel,” says Chris Habitz, 35,
president of the Burbank Association of Realtors.
As Burbank expanded, however,
scant attention was paid to amenities.
In the 1960s and ’70s, the popular TV
comedy Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In
and The Tonight Show’s Johnny Carson took turns lampooning “beautiful
downtown Burbank,” then a haphazard collection of industrial buildings
and blighted commercial strips.
“In the early 1980s, Burbank was
the entertainment capital of the world,
but there wasn’t a single movie theater
here,” observes Michael Cusumano, a
managing director of Cusumano Real
Estate Group, the largest privately held
landowner in Burbank.
City leaders began plans to revitalize the downtown area in the 1970s,
but it wasn’t until the early ’90s that
their efforts bore fruit with the opening
of the Burbank Town Center shopping mall, now anchored by Macy’s,
Sears, and Ikea and offering more than
100 shops and restaurants, as well as
movie theaters. More recently, downtown has undergone more than $300
million in redevelopment that includes
new residential and office buildings,
a 16-screen theater complex, and
dozens of new shops and restaurants.
Nearby, the site of the old Lockheed
Aircraft plant that made the iconic
P-38 Lightning fighter jet has been
transformed into the Burbank Empire
Center, an aviation-themed shopping
and restaurant complex. In homage to
the site’s history, replicas of Lockheed
aircraft are perched on pylons at the
entrances to the center. (Lockheed
merged with Martin Marietta Corp. in
1995 to form Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Maryland.)
Today, Burbank’s leaders understand the importance of fostering a
sense of community and local identity.
The city promotes a host of events
designed to bring residents together,
such as the Mayor’s Cup Charity Golf
Tournament in April, a twice-yearly
Fine Arts Festival, free summer concerts, and the popular fall food fest,
Taste of Downtown Burbank. Many
events benefit local school programs
and social-service organizations such
as the Burbank Community YMCA and
the Boys and Girls Club. If that sounds
a bit small-townish, that’s fine with
most Burbankers.
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The Burbank Philharmonic has
been providing free world-class concerts
to the residents of Burbank and
surrounding areas since 1991.
818.771.7888 burbankphilharmonic.org
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MEET BURBANK
Fighting liver cancer … together.
Did you know that liver cancer is the 4th most common
cancer in the world and the 3rd largest cause of
cancer deaths worldwide?
For more information, visit our website at
www.bluefaery.org
Founded in 2002 in Burbank, California, Blue Faery’s mission is
to prevent, treat and cure primary liver cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma, through research, education and advocacy.
Note: Blue Faery is a 501(c)(3) public benefit charity. Tax ID: 13-4236788
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Refresh the way
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GREAT AR
Visit nearby major studios and attractions –
Universal, Warner Bros., L.A. Live
Walk to restaurants and shopping
Relax in our poolside cabanas or by the firepit
Courtyard by Marriott Burbank
2100 Empire Avenue, Burbank, CA 91504
818-843-5500 www.marriott.com/burcy
®
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BET TMANN/CORBIS
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“We’re right in the middle of this
mega-metropolis, yet if you ask residents what they value most, it’s the
small-town feel,” says city manager
Michael Flad.
Andrea Wilson knows all about
the city’s spirit and the caring nature
of its residents. A former substitute
teacher for the Burbank Unified
School District, Wilson is president
and founder of Burbank-based Blue
Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver
Cancer Association. It’s the nation’s
only nonprofit specifically dedicated
to fighting liver cancer. The organization is named in memory of Andrea’s
sister, a former honors student at Burbank High School who died in 2001
at age 15. “The Burbank community
was so supportive,” Andrea says.
“We received numerous monetary
donations so that I could stop working to care for Adrienne.”
Flad believes part of Burbank’s
small-town ambience stems from its
proximity to Southern California’s
wild, open spaces. Bordered on the
northeast by the spectacular peaks
of the Verdugo Mountains and on the
south by the rugged hills of Griffith
Park, Burbank offers easy access to
miles of hiking and horseback-riding
trails. Even within the city limits,
there are more than 20 parks, so
most all residents have some green
space within walking distance of
their homes.
Another smaller-city advantage is
that the municipal government isn’t
a nameless, faceless bureaucracy.
Burbank’s mayor is a plain-spoken
businessman, Gary Bric, who owns
a popular restaurant, Gary Bric’s
Ramp, not far from the airport. Residents are also likely to know their
local police officers by name, and
many cite effective policing and fast
fire and emergency response times
as key factors in helping to maintain
their quality of life.
One thing is certain: As Burbank
approaches its centennial next year,
this city has plenty to celebrate.
King of Late Night
Heeeere’s Johnny! Carson
and (left) Ed McMahon
Johnny Carson’s legacy
lives on in “beautiful
downtown Burbank”
The arena of late-night talk shows is
glutted with competing programs, and
battles between hosts are now conducted on air, in print, and online. So
unless you’re of a certain age, it may be
hard to believe that once there was a
simpler time when only one late-night
host really counted for anything.
Johnny Carson was the “King of Late
Night,” reigning over America’s predreamland hours for 30 years. Starting in
1962, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny
Carson was broadcast from New York
for a decade. Then the show moved
to Burbank, and so began the 20-year
relationship between a city and its most
famous star.
Carson, who died in 2005, was uniquely
suited to helm the beloved show. Born
and raised in the Midwest, he was a glib
conversationalist who had the charm, dry
wit, and intelligence that allowed him to
chat easily with guests ranging from Ronald Reagan to Tiny Tim. But Carson was
first and foremost a superb comic, with
a self-deprecating sense of irony and an
ability to deftly improvise before an audience of millions. Famed film director Billy
Wilder once called what Carson did the
“salto mortale,” circus lingo for a deathdefying somersault on a tightrope—
without a net.
When Carson poked fun at “beautiful
downtown Burbank,” he wasn’t the first.
Gary Owens, the announcer for another
popular show filmed in Burbank, Rowan
and Martin’s Laugh-In, signed on with
the phrase starting in the late ’60s. But
Carson made it a regular bit, and the
audience loved it. During that era, being
the focus of attention from Carson could
make or break a guest’s, or a city’s, reputation. A host of comedians owe careers
to appearances on his show, and for
Burbank, too, the attention had a positive side. Former Burbank mayor Marsha
Ramos told the Los Angeles Times, “The
Tonight Show put us on the map. Without
that line from Johnny Carson about beautiful downtown Burbank, most people
wouldn’t even know that we exist.”
Carson retired from The Tonight Show in
1992, passing the torch to frequent guest
host Jay Leno. Leno has a far higher profile in Burbank than the famously private
Carson had; locals often spy Leno, an avid
car collector, tooling around town in one
of his attention-getting vehicles. When
Conan O’Brien took over the show last
year and it moved to Universal Studios
Hollywood, it marked the end of an era
for Burbank. It also signaled a further
fractionalization of the late-night playing field. Earlier this year, as the rivalry
between Leno and O’Brien heated up—
resulting in Leno reassuming his Tonight
Show hosting duties—more than a few
entertainment-industry observers noted
that Carson would never have feuded
with competitors in public.
When Carson announced his retirement,
the City of Burbank honored the legendary host by renaming a public park after
him. Johnny Carson Park is located behind
NBC Studios, around the block from the
area where, each weekday afternoon,
lines of Tonight Show audience members
would snake down the sidewalk. The
small green space features a monument
bearing a plaque that reads, in part,
“Dedicated to the King of Late Night for
30 years of keeping America up late and
laughing.” That serves as a fitting epitaph
for Carson.
®
®
Spirit | 119
MEET BURBANK
Live
Feeling at
home in
Burbank
120 | Spirit
W H E N PE O PL E TA L K A B O U T living in
Burbank, one catch phrase comes up repeatedly: “Mayberry R.F.D.” Burbank may be surrounded by the sprawl of Southern California, but it has a small-town feel and a sense
of safety and community that evokes the
fictional village portrayed in the old Andy
Griffith comedy.
To get an idea of Burbank’s charm, head
to its quiet residential neighborhoods, such
Home Base Downtown boasts the
new Burbank Collection, featuring
cool lofts, luxe condos, and trendy
restaurants and shops.
as Magnolia Park, a collection of small-scale
vintage bungalows and ranch houses with
stately trees shading the streets. In the Verdugo foothills to the northeast, you’ll find
elegant, larger homes that command spectacular views of the San Fernando Valley.
But Burbank has an urban edge, too. Its
redeveloped, pedestrian-friendly downtown boasts The Burbank Collection, a new
mixed-use loft, condo, and retail develop-
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK MEYER/COURTESY OF THE CIT Y OF BURBANK
ment just steps from a 16-screen
theater complex and the Burbank
Town Center shopping mall. The
popular farmers market downtown,
which runs year-round on Saturdays,
offers a cornucopia of fresh produce,
cheeses, California seafood, and an
array of plants and flowers, as well
as an opportunity to greet neighbors,
coworkers, and friends. Don’t forget
your laptop; Burbank’s entire downtown is a free Wi-Fi zone.
The city is also well-known as a
regional shopping draw, with more
than a dozen chain stores in the middle of town. But here’s the Burbank
difference: It still offers the mom-andpop shops, services, and eateries that
are the lifeblood of close-knit communities. You’ll find places such as
the tiny Sous Shoe Repair in Magnolia
Park; Milt and Edie’s dry cleaner,
LIVE WORK DINE UNWIND CREATE CELEBRATE FLOURISH
To find out more call 818-238-5180 or visit us online at www.burbankusa.com
MEET BURBANK
open around the clock, seven days a
week; and Monte Carlo Italian Deli,
a foodie mecca where you can hear
snippets of Italian as you wait to
place an order.
Mayberry, but with an Ikea and a
Costco? Now that’s a combination
you can live with.
“I love 91505!” Dees quips, adding that the high
level of entertainment-industry talent in Burbank
and nearby Hollywood makes his job easy.
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Enjoy an amazing meal at one of 80
different types of restaurants.
Dance in the streets during free
band concerts.
Shop for cool stuff in over 200 stores.
Eat, drink & make merry during
food & music festivals.
Browse our acclaimed fine art shows.
Catch a great film at one of 30
movie screens.
Kick back & people-watch at a
sidewalk café.
www.downtown-burbank.org
818.238.5180
Downtown Burbank is a snap to get to by car…and there’s tons of parking!
Or ride Metrolink, Metro or Burbank Bus.
A
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Luxurious Service, Hollywood Style, Ideal Burbank Location
Rick Dees
R ADIO PERSONALIT Y AND
MEDIA ENTREPRENEUR
Rick Dees may be Burbank’s busiest
man in show business. In addition to
his weekly internationally syndicated
Top 40 radio show, the multitasking
Dees is developing programming for
Scripps Networks’ new Cooking Channel, working on content for his website, and producing a digital network
of music channels for smartphones—
all at the production facility, Dees
Entertainment Inc., that he established
in Burbank almost 20 years ago.
“I love 91505!” Dees quips, adding
that the high level of entertainmentindustry talent in Burbank and nearby
Hollywood makes his job easy. During
his off hours, he doesn’t have to go far
to unwind; as proof, he reports a mere
20,000 miles on his 2003 car. “The
downtown area of Burbank has one
of everything,” Dees says. “There’s a
super mall. There’s a wonderful electronics store. There’s a coffee shop.
There are numerous restaurants with
all kinds of international cuisine. Parking is free. Where else can you get
that?” rick.com
Hotel Amarano Burbank offers superlative service, a quiet location in the heart
of a great city, and a bold yet understated architecture and interior design. Our
luxurious suites embody the glamour of old Hollywood. Our location provides
privacy and tranquility in a truly residential setting while maintaining easy
access to the business and entertainment center of Burbank. Whether you are
here for a vacation or a weekend getaway, a business meeting or private event,
or perhaps an extended stay, our pleasure is to serve you.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DEES ENTERTAINMENT
&
Play.
322 North Pass Avenue | Burbank, CA 91505
phone 818.842.8887 | reservations 888.956.1900
www.hotelamarano.com
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
MEET BURBANK
Magic Central The Princess and the
Frog was the latest hit flick to come
out of Walt Disney Animation Studios .
Work
B U R BA N K WO R K S ; it’s as simple as that.
Each day about 100,000 people converge
here to make movies, produce TV shows,
create digital content, administer city services, provide health care, and whisk visitors
to and from Bob Hope Airport.
Nicknamed the Media Capital of the
World, about 65 percent of Burbank’s economic base is directly or indirectly entertainment- or media-related. Leading employers
include The Walt Disney Company, Warner
Bros. Entertainment Inc., NBC Universal, the
Cartoon Network, Clear Channel Communications, Nickelodeon, Warner Music, and
Yahoo. Add to that more than 800 smaller
media-related businesses, such as postproduction facilities, special-effects compa124 | Spirit
nies, and digital houses, and it’s easy to see
how the city got its nickname
Still, entertainment isn’t the whole story.
Founded in 1884, Woodbury University
enrolls approximately 1,600 students in
northeast Burbank and employs more than
400 people. Major employers include the
third-largest hospital in the San Fernando
Valley, Providence St. Joseph Medical Center; the City of Burbank; Burbank Unified
School District; Bob Hope Airport; and
Crane Aerospace and Electronics.
Handling nearly 5 million to 6 million
passengers annually, the airport plays a pivotal role in the city’s success. Formerly the
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, it was
renamed to honor the legendary comedian
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOUIE PSIHOYOS/SCIENCE FACTION/CORBIS
Heeere’s Burbank! The Media Capital of the World
Degrees
Majors
Bachelor of Architecture
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Science
Master of Architecture
Master of Architecture in Real Estate
Development
Master of Business Administration
Master of Organizational Leadership
School of Architecture
Architecture
Interior Architecture
School of Media, Culture, & Design
Animation
Communication
Fashion Design
Graphic Design
Psychology
School of Business
Accounting
Fashion Marketing
Management
Marketing
Organizational Leadership
Institute of Transdisciplinary Studies
Interdisciplinary Studies
Politics and History
818.767.0888
log on www.woodbury.edu
call us at
WOODBURY UNIVERSITY
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA
See the Sights Some celebs prefer the
circa-1930 Bob Hope Airport for its easy
access, and (left) the Warner Bros. water
tower is a local landmark.
Take a Break Lunchtime for workers at the
Vega aircraft plant, Burbank, August 1943
after his death in 2003. Its relatively
small size and easy accessibility make
it a favorite of business travelers. The
airport’s valet parking service, in which
passengers can leave their cars in front
of the terminal, is particularly popular.
Other businesses demonstrate the
city’s diversity. GB Solutions offers
turnkey custom manufacturing and
packaging services, including research
and product development, Universal
Product Code labeling, screen printing,
and fulfillment. Lanair Group handles a
wide range of information-technology
services, such as network security, data
management, and e-mail hosting.
City leaders work hard to make
Burbank a hospitable place to set up
shop. The municipality has invested in
infrastructure such as fiber optics and
high-speed Internet service to attract
and retain businesses that require
cutting-edge communications technology. Unlike Los Angeles, Burbank
doesn’t impose a gross-receipts tax.
“The low business tax rate makes for
a business-friendly environment,”
observes Terence Curren, president
of post-production house AlphaDogs,
Inc., and a longtime Burbank resident.
“Those of us who work in Burbank
would never want to leave.”
PHOTOGRAPHY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) BY RAINE VERA/ALAMY, COURTESY OF BOB HOPE AIRPORT, BY DANIEL HENNESSY, AND BY THE ART ARCHIVE/ALAMY
Serving
Air Travelers
Since 1930
Michael Cusumano
REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVE/PHILANTHROPIST
Glance around any block in downtown Burbank and you’re probably
looking at a Cusumano property.
Brothers Chuck and Roger Cusumano founded the Cusumano Real
Estate Group 51 years ago, and it
has always been a driving force in
Burbank’s redevelopment, making
investments when few recognized
the opportunities. Now managed
by Chuck’s sons Michael and Charlie
(though all four are active managing
directors), the Burbank-based company manages more than 100 properties across Southern California.
The Cusumano family is well-known
for its donations to Burbank’s charitable organizations, but Michael
Cusumano says he’s a believer not
just in writing checks, but in getting involved personally. “We try to
support nonprofits in a meaningful
way so that it has an impact on their
ability to execute their mission,” he
explains.
His current projects include Burbank’s first LEED–certified residential development, Burbank Eco Village, and a separate, companywide
initiative to make its portfolio of
properties more environmentally
friendly. That’s already paying off in
“dramatic” savings on utility bills,
Cusumano says. “It’s not just environmentally friendly; it’s good business.” cusumanogroup.com
55 Southwest flights daily
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Pick your pleasure, from behindthe-scenes to away-from-it-all.
B U R BA N K ’ S C E N T R A L L O C AT I O N makes
it an ideal jumping-off spot to explore Southern California’s spectacular beaches, topclass museums, stylish shopping areas, hot
restaurants, and diverse neighborhoods. But
there’s plenty of fun to be had in and around
Burbank itself. A few suggestions:
■ Take the VIP Tour at Warner Bros.
Studios. The WB offers a two-hour,
15-minute behind-the-scenes experi-
128 | Spirit
ence, including a tour of its lot and visits
to the sets of actual TV shows and movie
productions ($45 per person). www2
.warnerbros.com/vipstudiotour
■ Snag tickets to be in the audience for
one of your favorite TV shows filmed
in Burbank, such as Ellen or The New
Adventures of Old Christine. Tickets are
free, but you must follow strict studio
rules on age eligibility, arrival time, and
PHOTOGRAPHY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) BY RICK MEYER/COURTESY OF THE CIT Y OF BURBANK, BY AMBIENT IMAGES/ALAMY AND BY MICHAEL ROZMAN/WARNER BROS.; MAP ILLUSTRATION BY STEVE STANKIEWICZ
Saticoy St.
behavior. audiencesunlimited.com,
ellen.warnerbros.com/tickets
■ Friday evening with no plans?
Head to America’s oldest remaining Bob’s Big Boy restaurant, built
in 1949 and located in the heart of
the exclusive Toluca Lake neighborhood. Designed by famed
architect Wayne McAllister with
exuberant Googie flair (a spaceage 1950s style reminiscent of the
cartoon The Jetsons), the Burbank
Bob’s hosts a classic car rally on
Fridays from 5 to 10 p.m. bobs.net
■ Troll the antique stores and
vintage-clothing boutiques along
Magnolia Boulevard in the treelined Magnolia Park neighborhood. Browse the shelves for artisan wares at Mindful Nest or look
for retro flair at 8 Ball.
magnoliaparkburbank.org
■ Grab your place in the spotlight
during an evening of cocktails
and “singing” at Dimples, a funky
nightclub near NBC Studios that
was the first karaoke bar established outside of Japan. dimples
showcase.com
■ Hop in the saddle for a sunset
Serving
Air Travelers
Since 1930
55 Southwest flights daily
T Convenient
T Hassle-free
T Close to
EVERYTHING in L.A.!
Millions of people who
fly into Bob Hope Airport
in Burbank say
Nothing But a Good Time The Ellen studio audience gets ready to
dance. Above, from left: Fine Arts Festival goers and Bob’s Big Boy
MEET BURBANK
Drive, She Said The popular
Be-Boppin in the Park festival
in Magnolia Park features a
vintage car show.
Tiara Nappi
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK MEYER/COURTESY OF THE CIT Y OF BURBANK AND (OPPOSITE PAGE) BY DANIEL HENNESSY
horseback ride through scenic
Griffith Park, stopping for dinner
at Viva Fresh Mexican Restaurant in the Burbank Rancho, an
equestrian neighborhood where
many residents stable horses on
their property. sunsetranch
hollywood.com
■ Catch a play or a musical at Burbank’s Falcon Theatre, founded
by renowned writer/director/
producer Garry Marshall (Happy
Days, Mork and Mindy, The
Princess Diaries, Pretty Woman).
falcontheatre.com
■ Downtown is hopping any
week of the year, but a roster of
festivals makes this happening
district especially worth the trip.
Next month, check out the wares
at the spring edition of the twiceyearly Fine Arts Festival; in fall,
make time for the delicious Taste
of Downtown Burbank.
downtown-burbank.org
OW N E R , I T ’ S A W R A P !
Among the many vintage and
secondhand clothing shops that
lure bargain hunters to Burbank’s
Magnolia Boulevard, one stands
out. It’s A Wrap! sells only apparel,
shoes, and accessories from film
and television productions. Tiara
Nappi’s mother started the business
in the early 1980s, and Nappi has
built it into a used-clothing powerhouse, with 25 employees and a
branch on LA’s West Side. Every
item in the store is marked with the
show or film from which it came,
and prices are 35 to 95 percent
off retail.
“The cachet that it’s from films or
television is what draws people
in for the first time,” Nappi says.
“What keeps them coming back and
telling their friends are the amazing
prices that we have.” And what if
you’re not the same size as a cast
member of Gossip Girl? “Definitely
there’s a concentration of smaller
sizes, but I’m a size 12 and I get all
my clothes here,” she says. “We get
everything.” itsawraphollywood.com
.
LIVE WORK DINE UNWIND CREATE CELEBRATE FLOURISH
To find out more call 818-238-5180 or visit us online at www.burbankusa.com
When was the
last time you raised your hand,
stepped in and got involved?
MEET BURBANK
From Bistro
to Bakery
Not a Hollywood glamour
puss? Check out these
favorite Burbank eateries:
Bistro Provence
A casually elegant French
restaurant in a supermarket
shopping center? You betcha!
Chef Miki Zivkovic serves
classics like fork-tender beef
bourguignon and roasted
chicken with garlic fries. Save
room for the house-made
desserts. And reservations
are a must. bistroprovence
burbank.com
Granville Cafe
Handy Market
Be there on Saturdays, when
this small neighborhood
grocer sets up huge grills for
takeout tri-tip sirloin, ribs,
and chicken in barbecue
sauce. Follow the plume of
smoke, and arrive early—
people line up on the street.
burbankshandymarket.com
Porto’s Bakery
This family-owned Cuban
bakery has been an area
fave for 35 years, and
recently opened a new store
in Burbank. It’s known for
sandwiches (classic Cuban or
pastrami) and lovely pastries
(apple strudel or Refugiado,
a guava and cheese treat).
portosbakery.com
Tin Horn Flats
Bar and Grill
Just minutes from the airport,
this local watering hole (since
1939) is the place if you’re a
Chicago Bears fan. (A former
owner was a Chicago native.)
If you’re not, you’ll go for
the decent burgers and the
cheapest pitchers in town.
tinhornflats.com
132 | Spirit
Eat
A retro spot for seeing stars
and savoring steaks
T H E S O F T L I G H T I N G I N T H E BA R at the
Smoke House Restaurant makes it easy to
fantasize about who might be sitting a few
stools down from you. It could be a group
of actors from a popular TV show that just
wrapped its taping across the street at Warner Bros. Studios. It might be a movie star
fresh from voicing a character in a Disney
feature. And that singer at the mike crooning
an old standard—isn’t she somebody?
Decades of celebrity ghosts haunt the
circa-1946 Smoke House, a steak-and-rib
joint (with plenty of seafood on the menu)
that’s served a constellation of stars from
Bing Crosby to Errol Flynn. Jack Paar hosted
The Tonight Show there in 1956, and in the
early 1990s, Tom Snyder broadcast his cable
talk show from the same spot.
Because of its location near the studios,
its hearty meat-and-potatoes menu, and—
We are Assistance League, a national nonprot organization that celebrates the power of
it must be confessed—the well-made cocktails, the restaurant still draws a loyal celeb
following. George Clooney was such a regular when ER was filming across the street
that he later named his production company
after the restaurant.
When you walk in, it seems that not much
has changed since 1946. The red vinyl
booths are cushy, the cocktails come with a
generous extra “sidecar” pour, and the best
choices on the menu are big slabs of meat—
steaks, prime rib, or barbecued pork ribs—
along with the restaurant’s signature garlic
cheese bread, topped with a neon-orange
coating that is astonishingly addictive. If you
insist on a vegetable, try the wedge salad, a
slice of crisp iceberg lettuce slathered with
blue-cheese dressing. And don’t forget to
check who might be hanging out at the bar.
smokehouse1946.com
the volunteer to evoke positive change in the world. Across this country, the volunteers
of Assistance League are committed to improving their communities through hands-on
involvement and innovative philanthropic programs. And in transforming our communities, we ourselves are transformed.
In over one hundred years, we’ve touched the lives of millions of people in our towns and
cities. And we’ve grown into a respected and effective national organization of individual
chapters whose members believe that a giving heart and simple compassionate acts can
make a world of difference.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL HENNESSY
A Bacon and Blue Burger
smothered with applewoodsmoked bacon, caramelized
onions, blue cheese, sautéed
mushrooms, port sauce, and
horseradish aioli. Catch this
bad boy at this bustling eatery in the heart of downtown.
granvillecafe.com
We are Assistance League. Caring and commitment in action.
To learn more about our programs and membership
opportunities, call: (818) 846-3777 or go to AssistanceLeague.org
MEET BURBANK
Stay and Play
Explore Burbank’s Most
Charming Neighborhood!
Courtyard Los Angeles
Burbank Airport
Road warriors will rest easily in Courtyard’s king- or queen-sized rooms.
Ergonomic Herman Miller chairs and
Wi-Fi foster productivity, and the outdoor pool complete with fire pit means
it won’t be all work and no play. When
it’s time to head out, print your boarding pass at the Print and Go station,
or check out the GoBoard for weather,
maps, and directions to local attractions. Rooms start at $135. marriott
.com/burcy
Sleep
Stay in the midst of it all downtown.
Browse the shops at Burbank Town
Center or the stalls at the weekend
farmers market. Or stay closer to home
and browse the hotel’s lush gardens,
with a beautiful gazebo. When you’re
ready to relax, visit the sauna to steam
your cares away. Rooms start at $199.
holidayinn.com
For efficient meetings or easy access
to vacation hot spots, check in at this
flyer-friendly property. Host your group
in the 50,000-square-foot convention
center, then adjourn to the on-site Daily
Grill Restaurant for cocktails and classic
Americana, or hop the free shuttle to
Universal Studios. At the end of the day,
unwind in one of 20 PURE Rooms, with
allergy-friendly bedding and electronically purified air. Rooms start at $139.
marriottburbankairport.com
134 | Spirit
for an autograph,” vows General Manager
Tom Whelan.
Upstairs, the 100 guest rooms are contemporary in style and cushy in feel, decorated in a
soothing color palette of soft neutrals, greens,
and blues, with Italian linens and down-filled
duvets on the beds; iPod docking stations; and
42-inch, high-definition plasma TVs. Ten onebedroom suites offer the ultimate in space and
luxury, including pillowcases monogrammed
with the guest’s initials, and many rooms have
kitchenettes. Naturally, the hotel provides
24-hour room service, as well as a fitness center, meeting rooms, a business center, and an
array of spaces for functions.
Best of all, the Amarano offers guests complimentary town-car service to and from Bob
Hope Airport and any other destination within
a three-mile radius of the hotel. Visiting Burbank without having to rent a car? Now that’s a
luxury. Rooms start at $239. hotelamarano.com
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HOTEL AMARANO BURBANK AND (OPPOSITE PAGE) SAFARI INN
Hollywood-style luxury at a Burbank hideaway
you immediately sense this is no ordinary hotel.
The lobby’s sleek, modern decor and designer
furnishings put it at the level of LA’s top luxury
accommodations. Yet the welcoming, residential feel invites guests to make themselves
at home and sip tea in front of the fireplace,
enjoy a cocktail and tapas at the bar, or settle
on a sofa and check e-mail (there’s free Wi-Fi
throughout the property).
The Hotel Amarano Burbank (formerly the
Graciela Burbank Hotel) opened in 2002 and
has since become the preferred hotel for savvy
visitors and locals. It’s just steps from Warner
Bros. Studios and a few minutes from Walt
Disney, NBC Television Studios, and Universal
Studios. So it’s little wonder that movie stars
and television celebs are frequent guests,
and hotel staffers are trained to treat celebrities
with aplomb. “A five-time Oscar winner can
walk in the door and no one’s going to ask
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99 BARBERSHOP
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bbarbershop, it would look like Floyd’s 99.”
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Holiday Inn Burbank–
Media Center
Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel and Convention Center
WA L K I N TO the Hotel Amarano Burbank and
PORTO’S BAKERY & CAFÉ
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Safari Inn
Soak up Hollywood history at this
1950s landmark that blends retro decor
(including the original Googie-style
sign) with modern amenities. Linger
by the outdoor pool or cozy up in your
brightly decorated room and take
advantage of the high-speed wireless
Internet. Keep your eyes peeled for film
crews: The Safari’s been featured in
movies and television shows such as
Six Feet Under, CSI, and Apollo 13.
Rooms start at $129. safariburbank.com
magnoliaparkburbank.org