One reason my neighborhood is cool.

Van Nuys and the San Fernando Valley in general gets flak about being lame to live in. It's cool to live here. I love the Valley or "the 818" and my neighborhood in particular. I'll post many reasons in time but here's one for today.

Remember the '80s classic FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH?



OK, remember the characters Rat and Stacy (Brian Backer and Jennifer Jason Leigh)?

Images from here.

Remember the scene when Rat and Stacy had their big date at the Swiss restaurant? You know ...with the scary looking waitress and when Rat forgot his wallet. That scene was filmed at the Matterhorn Chef. It's just around the corner from me. It was a well known Valley landmark. It's now the new home for another well known Valley restaurant, Barone's (which used to be on Ventura Blvd.)

Images from here and here.

Watch the movie again and go there. The interior decor is less Alpine now but you'll still recognize it. I love useless trivia like this, especially when I live near it and from a movie that I love.
P.S.
The Billy Bob Thorton version of BAD NEWS BEARS had many scenes in there.
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3 comments:

  1. Christine Jag3/21/2008 6:00 AM

    Ok, I only dis the Valley cause I spent my first 17 years there, and I know plenty of peeps who are still there, with no intention to ever see anything else but the Fridays on Canoga.

    However, I wouldn't want to have grown up anywhere else. Sherman Way for Boogie Nights, the big clown sign in Burbank for Clueless, Encino Man was actually in West Hills, the Erin Brockovich car accident on Lankershim and Magnolia...

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  2. Anonymous3/21/2008 6:46 AM

    My grandparent's and parents were good friends with the Barone family. Really nice people. They had awesome pizza back in the day. Personally, I liked the Ventura Blvd. location better.
    RJR

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  3. Rick Cortes12/22/2008 9:10 PM

    I was watching Fast Times today and noticed the restaurant.

    The pizza at Barone's is amazing.

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