Warner Bros. Studios VIP Tour

For over 80 years Warner Bros. has been providing the world with quality entertainment.  They have done so many projects you fail to realize how much influence Warner Bros. has had on the entertainment industry.  They've made everything from Gone With the Wind to Harry Potter and a lot in between (I am Legend, Sesame Street, Million Dollar Baby, Happy Feet, ER, The Color Purple, The Matrix, Entourage, the Departed, Friends, the Dark Knight <--Just to name a few!).

On the "VIP Studio Tour" we got a two and a half hour tour of the Warner Bros lot.  The 110 acre facility houses 29 sound stages and a backlot that has been transformed to take audiences around world.

Friends is easily one of Warner Bros most popular productions and they saved the "Central Perk" set after the series ended.

  

With the anticipation building for the grand opening of Universal's new theme park, Harry Potter is definitely one of the more profitable WB attractions.  Warner Bros has an entire museum floor dedicated to wizarding world with props and costumes from the movie.  It's hard for any Harry Potter fan not to get excited about trying on the actual, talking Sorting Hat from the movie.  (Unfortunately, I was sorted into Hufflepuff...but I won't hold it against them!)

(George Lopez's pimped out golf cart)

(Artwork from Mike Tyson's house in The Hangover)

California Love: LA

During my California spring break I made a trip up to Los Angeles for the day.  LA is the city of dreams so it's impossible to do it justice in one day.  But that didn't stop me from trying!

First stop was the Santa Monica Pier and Muscle Beach.  Just west of Los Angeles, Santa Monica has the same buzz as LA but with the charm of a smaller city.  The pier is celebrating it's 100th anniversary and boasts a carnival, restaurants, and shops all on the water.

The next stop was Rodeo Dr. and Beverly Hills.  My cross country plane ticket maxed out my bank account so I didn't do any shopping on Rodeo but I couldn't have afforded it anyway.  Beverly Hills is everything you'd imagine it to be.  Every house is gorgeous and there is an even prettier Bentley, Lamborghini, or Rolls Royce in the driveway.

  

You can't go to LA without falling into the tourist hotspots in Hollywood.  Once you catch a glimpse the famous Hollywood sign and you know that you are in the place where peoples dreams have come true.

Even in the off season Hollywood Boulevard is crowded with people.  People from all over the world come to walk down the same streets as their favorite celebrities.  The Walk of Fame is the first thing you notice as you approach Hollywood Blvd.  You see the stars on the street of every celebrity you've ever heard of and a lot that were probably dead and gone before we were born.  

(Halle Beeerrrrrryyy, Halle Berry.)

The Walk of Fame leads you to Grauman's Chinese Theatre.  Grauman's is home to countless movie premieres and red carpet appearances.  For decades stars have left their mark on the city by putting their hand prints and signatures outside of the historic theatre.  It may be cliché but you can't leave without measuring up your hands against the stars.  

"Change the World."- Will Smith

The World Famous San Diego Zoo!

The World Famous San Diego Zoo tops everyone's To Do List of San Diego and for good reason.  It is definitely the best zoo I have ever been to and my one day there did not do it justice.

At the zoo the big cats are definitely king.  I must have picked a good day to go because all of the cats were out on the prowl.

The Zoo's jaguar paraded in front of her exhibit first.  She wasn't too hard to spot, she even stopped to pose for some great pictures.

They were walking this cheetah to a show he was appearing in.

As we walked up to the lion exhibit this guy was trying to prove he was king and was roaring away so I took a video.

Something that really makes the San Diego Zoo stand apart from other places is the landscaping and the attention to detail.  Each section of the zoo had a unique theme and design that was executed well.  Overall the Zoo was one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip.

Going Back to Cali!

Inflight internet is best invention since 1903 when the Wright bros invented the airplane itself!  I'm sitting here at 10,000 ft in a cramped coach seat and absolutely no room for my 6'5 legs but the internet is making this 4 hour flight FLY by (pun intended)!

Headed back to southern California to visit my family for Spring Break and this time I brought some roommates/friends!  We plan to hit up the beach in San Diego for a few days and then take a day trip to LA to see some more Cali sights and sounds.

This will be my fourth trip back to back to Southern Cali and I'm more excited than ever, I think LL Cool J said it best in Going Back to Cali:  "Going back to Cali, stylin, profilin. Growlin, and smilin, while in the sun"

(@ Hartsfield-Jackson Intl Airport waiting on the flight)

Look out during the next week for some new blog posts from LA, San Diego and Southern Cal!!!!!!