The Iconic California Gay Bar Elizabeth Taylor Visited Every Week

It's possible that nobody was better at being a movie star than Elizabeth Taylor. With her carved-from-marble features and her striking amethyst eyes, she was the epitome of Hollywood glamor. Her relationship with Richard Burton ushered in a new era of celebrity culture, with paparazzi growing ever more desperate to capture candid photos of the stars. She won an Oscar for giving one of the greatest performances of all time in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"  But even though she was a living legend hounded by paparazzi, she still found the time to frequent the Abbey, a legendary gay bar in West Hollywood, once a week. (She would also frequent El Cholo, a Mexican restaurant, often enough to have her own private dining room.)

Even if Taylor never set foot in the Abbey, its legacy would be secure: It has long been a beloved institution among the LGBT community in Los Angeles. (Notably, Chappell Roan's hit song "Pink Pony Club" was written after she visited the Abbey for the first time.) Taylor wasn't just a visitor, though — she was a regular. In the twilight of her life, she would go to the bar on a weekly basis, often calling its owner ahead of time to see when was a good time to visit. Perhaps they'd have some fried chicken ready — her favorite food. In fact, Taylor's final public appearance before her death in 2011 was reportedly at the Abbey, smiling in a wheelchair with her dog, Daisy, on her lap.

It's small wonder that Elizabeth Taylor found herself at home in the Abbey. In the 1980s, she became a staunch advocate for people with AIDS, a disease that many people — including President Ronald Reagan — were willing to ignore, as they believed it only affected the gay community. (This was untrue, and even if it were true, their apathy was monstrous.) She co-founded the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR) in 1985 and helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars for the cause. She was always a star, but from then on, Taylor would be embraced as a true gay icon.

And if you're a gay icon, the Abbey is a pretty great place to be. Originally founded in 1991 as a low-key café for gay clientele, it became a hot spot for queer activism and then an epicenter for gay nightlife in Los Angeles. It claims to be the birthplace of the appletini, and whether or not that's true, the establishment is well-known for that particular cocktail — just be warned that it, like just about anything else you'll get at the Abbey, it's quite strong. (If you'd like to try other martini variations, try mixing yours like Winston Churchill.) As for entertainment, there is an assortment of drag performances, DJ sets, and impersonations of celebrities — including none other than Elizabeth Taylor.