Miceli's: Hollywood's Oldest Italian Restaurant

The great thing about Los Angeles is that there is always something new to see or do. Even if that something new is actually really old. I don't know how many times I've passed Miceli's, the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood, without ever stopping in. I would always think to myself, "next time,"  but next time never came - until this past Mother's Day weekend.  

My wife's favorite food is Italian and I wanted to take her to an Italian restaurant we had never tried before. This seemed like the perfect time to try Miceli's. And once I learned that Miceli's had a Lucille Ball connection (my wife's favorite actress) I knew this place was a winner. Besides, being the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood, an area where restaurants change every few months, I figured Miceli's must be doing something right?

Miceli's opened in 1949 when Carmen and Silvia Miceli, with the help of their brothers and sisters, put their funds together to start a restaurant. Carmen, a Chicago native, came to Los Angeles shortly after fighting in World War II. When he started his Hollywood restaurant using family recipes brought from Sicily by way of Chicago, he opened what would be Hollywood's first pizzeria. Being in Hollywood, Miceli's attracted the stars and regular folks alike.

According to Joe Miceli, Carmen's son and one of the current co-owners, it was at Miceli's that Lucille Ball learned to toss a pizza for an episode of I Love Lucy. Watch a clip of that episode here. Other classic celebrities who have come to Miceli's throughout the years include Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sal Mineo, the Lloyd Bridges family, The Beatles, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio and probably every classic Hollywood star with a taste for Italian.

This photo from Glass of Win.

The place feels like a step back in time and what you would expect from an old Hollywood restaurant. In fact, an interesting bit of trivia, the wooden booths inside of Miceli's come from another old Hollywood restaurant, the famous Pig 'n Whistle restaurant located next door to the Egyptian Theatre. When the Pig 'n Whistle closed in 1949 (the restaurant sat unoccupied for 50 years before reopening) Miceli's bought up all the booths. Many of those booths can still be found inside Miceli's and my wife and I happened to be seated in one. In the picture below you can see carved into the booth is an image of a pig with a whistle.

Pig 'n Whistle carved into the booth.

Of course, we also happened to be seated under a Chianti bottle signed by someone from Green Bay, Wisconsin. This was fitting because I always tease my wife that everything can be tied back to Wisconsin, a kind of "six degrees of Wisco." Whether it be the long list of actors including Spencer Tracy, Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Fredric March, or directors Orson Welles, Nicholas Ray, Howard Hawks or Eddie Cline, or studio moguls like Carl Laemmle Sr. There are just too many connections to name but I will stop before I annoy you as much as my wife.

Chianti bottles hang from the ceiling.

Inside Miceli's in Hollywood.

Above is a photo we had taken inside of Miceli's. I had already devoured our appetizer, a round of drinks and started in on our pizza before I figured we better get a snapshot.

Joe Miceli discusses the history of the Miceli's restaurant.

One last old Hollywood connection. In one of my favorite noirs, Gun Crazy (1950), There is a scene where the two lead characters Annie and Bart pull their car over near a newsstand on Las Palmas. Although we don't really get a good view of the Miceli's restaurant, the spot where the two pull over is directly across the street from the Hollywood Miceli's. You can see this location in my full post on the Gun Crazy filming locations here.

Have you ever visited Miceli's? What's your favorite dish? We figured for our first time we better try the pizza. It tasted great and all the toppings were nice and fresh.

Inside The Beverly Hills Hotel

The Beverly Hills Hotel, December 20, 1924

Photo: Los Angeles Library Photo Collection

A few weeks ago CBS Sunday Morning ran a colorful segment on the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel, sometimes called the "Pink Palace." If you missed it you can watch the video below. The Beverly Hills Hotel was one of the first major hotels built in Los Angeles. In 1912, when the hotel opened, the area surrounding the hotel was mainly bean fields and empty land. The hotel was actually created to help attract buyers to what was then a new real-estate development. And attract buyers it did!

Some of the first people to check into the hotel were Hollywood's first major stars including Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. Ever since the hotel would be popular with the Hollywood crowd and that open land around the hotel would become covered by celebrity mansions. In the 1930s, when polo was all the rage, one of the hotel dining rooms was a popular hangout for post-match drinks. Will Rogers, Spencer Tracy and film mogul Darryl Zanuck were some of the celebrities who could have been seen in what was later to be named the Polo Lounge.

The video features some anecdotes about celebrities who stayed or lived at the hotel.  One of my favorite anecdotes is about eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes who lived in bungalow 4 on the hotel grounds. According to the video the hotel had a staff member tasked with placing roast beef sandwiches in the trees so that Hughes could sneak out for a midnight snack in privacy. Another interesting bit of trivia is that Elizabeth Taylor spent six of her eight honeymoons at the hotel!

The Beverly Hills Hotel has also been used as a filming location. Designing Woman (1957), Who's Got the Action (1962), Move Over, Darling (1963), Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed (1963), Valley of the Dolls (1967), and California Suite (1977) are just a few of the films that feature scenes of the hotel. Some of the earliest movies filmed at the Beverly Hills Hotel go back to the silent era. Comedians Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd both made films at the hotel.

Have you ever stayed at the Beverly Hills Hotel or perhaps dropped in to the Polo Lounge for a drink?

On Vacation: The North Woods Part Two

Senator John Warner and Elizabeth Taylor

(Photo from Ministry Health Care Facebook Page)

This post is the second part related to my trip to the North Woods of Wisconsin. To read my first vacation post on the Little Bohemia Lodge, the site of the John Dillinger shootout with the FBI and the filming location for the film Public Enemies, click here. In today's post I visit a site related to the grand actress, Elizabeth Taylor.

Elizabeth Taylor spent ten of her childhood summers fishing, hiking and playing in the woods at her uncle Howard Young's estate, Cedar Gates, in Minocqua, Wisconsin. This small North Woods town,  sometimes referred to as "Island City," is surrounded by thousands of lakes and rivers. Young's estate was situated on Lake Minocqua, "one of whose islands Sara [Elizabeth's mother] had renamed 'Elizabeth's Island,'" according to Alexander Walker in his biography, Elizabeth: The Life of Elizabeth Taylor.  The island reminded Sara of J.M. Barrie's enchanted island in his play Mary Rose. One can imagine a young Taylor, play acting on the island, like a character out of one of Barrie's plays.

Minocqua, Wisconsin - "Island City"

Photo Credit: Jesse Canfield

When Taylor and her family had to go into town, Leslie Rusch, who owned a local dime store, remembered in a July 4, 1977 People magazine article, that Taylor "used to look at the coloring books and play the penny slot machine." I remember when I was a kid how fun it was to go and visit the small shops in Minocqua. As a boy, I was more interested in the sling-shots and the toy bow and arrows that I would have my parents buy so that I could go "hunting" outside when we got back to the cottage.

Like myself, Taylor always had fond memories of the summers she spent in Minocqua and would sometimes return to the area as an adult. On one occasion in 1977, Taylor visited Minocqua with then husband, Senator John Warner, for the dedication of the Howard Young Medical Center, a new state-of-the-art hospital. Taylor's uncle Young was a wealthy art dealer, who in 1972, surprised residents of the area when he bequeathed $20 million so that the area could build a new hospital and attract the best doctors. The photo at the top shows Taylor and Warner at the dedication ceremony. 

Howard Young Medical Center

In the next-door town of Woodruff, 2,500 people came out for the dedication of the new hospital, but mainly to see Elizabeth Taylor. "This would have been the proudest day of Uncle Howard's life," Taylor, as quoted in People, told the audience. Taylor told the audience how beautiful the area still was and explained that it was in Minocqua that she learned to fish, but that on this trip, her husband John fished without her. "He came back dangling a poor little fish," Taylor said. "He said, 'Honey, here's your breakfast." 

Now, you may be wondering, other than being a die-hard Elizabeth Taylor fan who must see everything related to Taylor, why would anyone want to visit this hospital? Well, for one, continuing in the tradition of Howard Young's passion for art as a dealer and collector, the hospital regularly displays artwork by local artists. These include paintings, drawings, photography and three-dimensional artwork. Even the outside of the hospital, was designed to be a copy of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, one might say an architectural piece of art. Second, inside the hospital is a display and video kiosk showing the history of Howard Young that is pretty interesting.

Video kiosk inside Howard Young Medical Center

The most interesting parts of the video kisok for me were the scenes of Howard Young at his Minocqua estate, which include some scenes of Elizabeth Taylor and Young's friend, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Young considered Eisenhower a close friend and even played a big part in Eisenhower getting into the 1952 presidential race.

Video kiosk showing Howard Young Fishing in Minocqua

Prior to the new state-of-the-art hospital built using the money bequethed by Young, the first major hospital built in the Lakeland area also has an interesting back-story. Local doctor, Kate Newcomb had envisioned a hospital for the area and through contributions and volunteer help, construction began on a new hospital. Unfortunately there was not enough money to complete the project.

Students at the Arbor Vitae-Woodruff School, at the suggestion of their geometry teacher Otto Burich, started a campaign to collect a million pennies. This started the Million Penny Parade and the money collected would go towards the completion of the hospital.

In March 1954, Dr. Kate visited California for a doctors convention and ended up being the surprise guest of the TV program, "This is Your Life." Dr. Kate's appearance on the popular TV show inspired people all over the country to donate money to the campaign. With these additional donations enough money was raised to finish the hospital. 

The World's Largest Penny - Woodruff, Wisconsin

The hospital completed with funds from the Million Penny Parade.

Dr. Kate Museum, Woodruff, Wisconsin

Around the corner from the Lakeland area hospital which was built using money raised from the Million Penny Parade, is a museum dedicated to the legacy of Dr. Kate. It's an interesting stop worth peeking into. There is a screening room which shows the episode of "This is Your Life" that Dr. Kate appeared on and a short documentary on her life. There are also several artifacts on display including the letters sent in from people all over the United States who sent in money for the Million Penny Parade, the snow shoes Dr. Kate wore during the blustery and snowy Wisconsin winters to make "house" calls, as well as many photographs. 

Letters sent in from the Million Penny Parade

If you are interested in learning more about the Lakeland area here are some other sites to visit:

Minocqua Area Chamber of Commerce

Town of Woodruff

Howard Young Medical Center - Ministry Health Care

On Vacation: The North Woods Part One

Entrance to the Little Bohemia Lodge

Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin

Following in the footsteps of many classic Hollywood stars including Bing Crosby, actresses Janet Gaynor, Joan Crawford and Elizabeth Taylor, my wife and I took a vacation to the North Woods of Wisconsin. Although, it wasn't the Hollywood connections that attracted us to the area, but the same things that have attracted so many people to the area: the fresh aroma of pine trees, crystal clear lakes, fishing, boating, wildlife and a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

As a kid, I looked forward to vacationing in the North Woods every summer. I had not visited in over 15 years and had longed to go back, as well as show my wife, a born and raised Los Angeles city girl, what life in the woods is like. The moment we arrived in northern Wisconsin we were greeted by the familiar scent of pine. We saw bald eagles, loons (a common bird in the area), turtles, fish, otters, plenty of deer, woodpeckers, and numerous other wild critters. It was a landscape far different from the cityscape we left behind in LA. We were in the middle of the woods, far from most everything but nature. It's no wonder why so many of the big Chicago gangsters of the 1930s and 1940s also came to the North Woods of Wisconsin to get lost. 

Little Bohemia Lodge, Site of the John Dillinger Shootout

Yes, that's right, gangsters. During the 1930s and 1940s, whenever things got heated in Chicago, many of the gangsters would flee to the North Woods to hide out from the law. Many gangsters had cabins in the area or stayed at one of the small lodges in the woods. Sometimes the gangsters weren't hiding out. They were just looking for a relaxing vacation. Even gangsters need a little R&R.

One of the most famous incidents involving gangsters in the North Woods is the shoot-out between the FBI and John Dillinger and his gang. If you've seen the film Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, you know the shoot-out I'm talking about. Both the actual shoot-out and the scene in the film took place at the Little Bohemia Lodge, located on Little Star Lake in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin. All the pictures in this first part of my trip report are of the Little Bohemia Lodge.

The balcony where Dillinger and gang escaped FBI.

In April of 1934, John Dillinger, a.k.a. public enemy number one, arrived in Manitowish Waters, along with his gang, to spend the weekend. The gang included Lester Gillis ("Baby Face Nelson"), Tommy Carrol, Homer Van Meter, and Pat Reilly. They were also accompanied by five women.

Dillinger and his gang were on the lam after a killing and robbery spree that took them across the Midwest. The FBI, headed by J. Edgar Hoover, were ready to do anything to catch Dillinger who had embarrassed the department when he was able to escape capture once before. On Sunday, April 22, 1934 the FBI received a tip that Dillinger and his gang were staying in Manitowish Waters at the Little Bohemia resort. Hoover gave orders for FBI agents in St. Paul and Chicago to head up to Manitowish Waters immediately.

The FBI's surprise attack on Dillinger and his men was a disaster. FBI men surrounded the lodge and when three innocent bar patrons left the lodge, the FBI opened fire on their car, killing one of the patrons immediately. Dillinger and his gang heard the gunfire and started their escape out a rear window and headed towards the shore of Little Star Lake. Baby Face Nelson, who was in another cabin, took off toward Highway 51, where he came across more agents in a car. Nelson opened fire on the agents, killing one and then taking their car to escape. The FBI continued firing bullets and tear gas at the lodge, but when they entered, only the five women who were left behind were found. Dillinger was ultimately gunned down three months later when he was leaving the Biograph Theatre in Chicago.

Bullet holes in the 2nd floor balcony.

In the above photo you can see the balcony where Dillinger and his men escaped. The bullet holes in this balcony were recreated for the filming of Public Enemies, but you can see real bullet holes from the actual shoot-out in other areas of the lodge. Further below are some photographs of the actual bullet holes.

Actual WANTED ad for John Dillinger.

Items left behind by Dillinger and gang.

Original newspapers headlining Dillinger's escape from the FBI.

The main bar at the Little Bohemia lodge.

Looking into the bar.

The suitcase Dillinger used to carry their stolen money.

Items left behind by Dillinger's gang.

A photo of Johnny Depp dressed as Dillinger with 

the current owners of the Little Bohemia lodge.

The sign above the lodge restaurant.

Real bullet holes in the window.

Bullet holes.

Dining room with bullet holes everywhere.

Real Bullet Holes.

Clothes left behind by Dillinger.

More clothes left behind by Dillinger and gang.

The room where Dillinger and gang stayed.

Another view of the room where Dillinger stayed.

The bathroom next to Dillinger's room.

The Little Bohemia Lodge Restaurant.

My wife and I, along with my parents, had a late breakfast in the restaurant at the Little Bohemia lodge. The portions were quite large and everyone seemed to enjoy what they ordered. I was more hungry for lunch, so I ordered the "Dillinger Dip," Little Bohemia's take on a French dip sandwich.

If you stop by to visit Little Bohemia, which I definitely recommend, it is worth eating in the restaurant. Our friendly server, Vince, was also full of knowledge regarding the filming of Public Enemies. My favorite story was regarding all the pine needles on the ground. Before the filming started, Vince was raking the grounds around the Little Bohemia lodge, clearing the area of all the fallen pine needles and pine cones. This is before he knew they would be using the lodge for the film. By the time Vince finished raking the grounds he found out that the film crew was shipping in $5,000 worth of pine needles from New Hampshire!

Looking at the lodge from the lake side.

The back side of Little Bohemia lodge.

Little Star Lake behind the Little Bohemia Lodge

Above is Little Star Lake, right behind the Little Bohemia lodge. It is along the shore of this lake that Dillinger and his gang made their escape. During the filming of Public Enemies, our server Vince and his friends were able to watch the filming take place from their boat on the lake. 

It was also nice to hear everyone speak kindly of Johnny Depp. People said he was a nice guy and that he took time to pose for photographs.

If you ever make it to the North Woods of Wisconsin, the Little Bohemia lodge is certainly worth a stop. Later I'll post some more of my North Woods trip.