One of the coolest things ever, for perpetually engrossed pop culture people, is to visit a place they've seen on television.
Maybe they head for Boston and snap a picture outside the exterior used for the "Cheers" bar or they make for Studio City to spy the "Brady Bunch" house.
But strolling into Moe's Tavern? The bar overseen by grumbly, cuddly barkeep Moe Szylak? That's a bit trickier given that the series it appears on, "The Simpsons,"is animated.
Spoiler alert? Nah -- this is a show that's now fully part of our television DNA, having been around since the decade before the decade before the decade before this one. But while spoiler alerts aren't necessary, prepare for a d'oh-lightful surprise: You can visit Moe's Tavern at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Springfield, the street-long themed environment that's been rising for several months between The Simpsons Ride and the future home of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, makes its official debut on Wednesday, May 13.
Moe's Tavern is in the cityscape-meets-candy-color-wow line-up -- yep, you can sip a non-alcoholic Flaming Moe within -- as is Duff Brewery, which will be serving three kinds of Duff Beer. As for where Homer goes when he's hungry? Krusty Burger is selling a "genuine clown-endorsed meal," there are walk-and-chow noshables at Bumblebee Man's Taco Truck and Cletus' Chicken Shack has Chicken Thumbs on the menu.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
As for the all-important Simpsons-style donuts? Find your doughy treats at Lard Lad. As for more meal-ready places? They're there, from Suds McDuff Hot Dog Stand to Phineas Q. Butterfat's Ice Cream Parlour.
The environment does echo a walk through a town just like Springfield, but it isn't all about the food and drink. Watch-for-'em details abound, from the Springfield sign hanging high above everything (it pays tribute, style-wise, to our own Hollywood Sign) to Krusty the Clown's cherished memorabilia collection to the very special prank-call-y telephone inside Moe's.
A number of three-dimensional sculptures abound, too. And, yes, a few new strolling characters'll be haunting the street, including Sideshow Bob. Eek. (Don't tell him we said "eek" because, as all fans know, Bob gets ruffled pretty darn quick.)
And, yes, those twin icons of the series, the smokestacks topping Homer Simpson's workplace, are part of the merry milieu, as are the Springfield Police Station, Burns Manor and Krustylu Studios.
Who says you can't enter an animated world in real life? Who says you can't say "d'oh-lightful" when it pertains to something pleasing about "The Simpsons"?
And who says you can't obsess over Chicken Thumbs, in your mind, just a little, for the remainder of the day, after you learn such a curiosity exists in this world?
