tuesdAys Are bAck!

This week my new favorite show returned to television... Pretty Little Liars! I hate to admit that I have been sucked into this high school soap opera, but it's so catchy even my husband is hooked.  I will spare you my thoughts on the season premiere because 1) most of you probably don't watch, and 2) I don't want to give away any of the big reveals for people who might eventually watch it.  ;)

I started watching PLL during my hip-surgery-rehab-couch-potato phase, which admittedly was when I was under the influence of drugs, but I can't deny that the show has an engaging quality.  So now I am subscribed to it until the end, and we will see where this fanship takes me.

Recently it took me to Warner Brothers Studio where the show is filmed, and what a fun day it was!!  We didn't really know what to expect, and we were hoping to maybe get a glance of one set or another, but in actuality it was probably one of the funnest days I've had in a while and we got to see nearly all of the set!

When we arrived we got a small video tour of all the movies and shows that have been filmed at WB studios, and then we boarded our little golf cart to tour the grounds.  We started in the Rosewood "woods" and travelled through the town, the homes, and the backyards.  We caught glimpses of different actors and sets but what made our day was spotting Tyler Blackburn, the actor who plays Hanna's boyfriend (Caleb Rivers) in the series.  He had just finished filming the promo for Ravenswood and we recognized his outfit which matched the outfit in all the new photos online.  It was a weirdly thrilling feeling, since this show has now reached such international popularity.  History being made, people!

We got to tour an indoor set but unfortunately the PLL sets were closed for tours because they were filming.  Instead we got to see the set of "2 Broke Girls" and what was more interesting than any of the facts about the show was learning how they film sitcoms in general.  We learned how the audience plays a role and even how they use many optical illusions to make a very small set appear to be life size.  After viewing the 2BG set, we got to sit on the couch at Central Perk, a "Friends" favorite. :)

The tour ended in the WB museum which contained costumes and artifacts from soooo many legendary films and shows.  The whole 2nd floor is dedicated to Harry Potter costumes and props and I couldn't believe how close I was to all the original pieces.  It was amazing to see the costumes get larger as the actors grew, starting from practically children's clothes to those of full grown men and women.

After the tour we spent some time buying souvenirs in the gift shop (I was able to snag a Luke's Diner mug, after seeing many sets where Gilmore Girls was originally filmed!) and then had lunch in Burbank near the studios.  I returned home with a huge smile on my face, and a little buzz that lasted the rest of the week (note: not from alcohol, but the sheer enjoyment of the experience).  It was such a fun day, and not one that we will soon forget.

Here are some of the photos I took with my phone.  They would not allow phones or cameras in the museum, except in the car museum:

Yes I stood in the bushes. Lol, had to get the proof!

The DiLaurentis House.  In real life it has no roof, so you will notice the whole house is never shown in the show. Also, as with many of the sets, it is not a real house, but just the front of one.  All indoor scenes are filmed in am indoor soundstage where they can control all the lighting and noise.

Noel Kahn's cabin, also a location in Dexter I believe (I don't watch the show but the tour guide kept pumping out facts on how each of these sets are used in multiple different shows, just decorated or painted differently).

The "barn" where Emily gets gassed and saved by Ali.  Interesting note, WB has many stray cats on the premises (on is picture skitting away on the right) but they are allowed to be there and they keep the mice population under control.

Rosewood city hall, where they have all been busted.

Rosewood High--oh how we wish Mr. Fitz would just appear in the doorway.  Interesting fact again, there is nothing inside this building but merely a few square feet of foyer area for extras to walk back and fourth as scenes are filmed in front on the steps.

The church! I took this photo from the middle of the town square, which is rarely ever shown in PLL because it was the town square in Gilmore Girls and bears too much resemblance.  In GG there is a large Gazebo where I am standing.  Also, note all the extra branches laying around, for when they have shaved "winter" trees that need to be groomed into "springtime" trees.  

Lucky Leon's, where Hanna stuffs her face as a result of a command from A, and also where Maya used to work.

The whole "town" is set up for PLL right now, but in a moment's notice everything can change for a new show to be filmed.  I wish I could have seen it as Star's Hollow. ;)

The front of Emily's house.  Also the Gellar house in Friends. 

The back of Emily's house, which is also the front of Suki's house in Gilmore Girls. 

Emily's backyard, which in the show is Spencer's backyard, and this is the barn that Spencer designed and built.

Got a secret, can you keep it, well this one you'll save, better lock it in your pocket, takin' this one to the grave...

Toby and Jenna's house, where many motorcycles are doctored.

The stairs to Toby's loft, and also the train rails from General Hospital.

Radley Sanitarium.  So small!

A random street, shown in almost every show, just painted differently each time.  I was sad because the corner where PLL films "the Grille" is also what used to be Luke's Diner, which was unfortunately undergoing heavy construction on this day and we couldn't go near it.  

On our ride back from town we passed what was Rory's ballet studio from GG.

A HUGE Roll's Royce from Arthur.  I never realized they were this big; the photo doesn't do it justice, it was nearly the size of a limo!

Gran Torino.

One of the many bat cars.

And Ron's Ford Angelina.

A visit to the preserved "Central Perk" set which is now a historical site. 

And yes, we did get to sit on their couch!  You would be amazed how small this set really is, but with optical illusions even in this photo it looks like the size of a normal room.  I'll give you a hint, the tables and pictures in the back are all very small in actuality, so in the show they appear to be far away.

The famous water tower near the parking lot that also doubled as the Helipad for General Hospital.

And a delicious lunch at Granville Cafe, in hopes of a celebrity siting.

Like I said, it was truly a great experience and now as I watch the show I can't help but squeal "I've been there!! I stood there!!" every time I see one of these locations.  I highly recommend this tour to anyone who is a fan of one of the many shows that they film there, they do not disappoint.

Until next time. --A

Crushed Pixels, Crushed Memories

Yesterday morning I made a rather large purchase and sprung for my first real camera.  I'm in no means a professional photographer nor do I ever intend to try to become one, but for a while (see: a few years) I have been wanting a point-and-shoot type camera that would give me high quality photos which could be printed out and taken seriously, like for family photos in our house someday.  That might seem like an oxy-moron, but I was determined to find it.  I didn't want the bulk or complexity of a DSLR camera, though many of my friends own them and have mastered them.  I just wanted something I could slip in my purse, or possibly even James' pocket, but it needed to perform and not just give me the same lousy digital camera pictures I've been capturing for the last 5 years.

I know there is no substitute for the quality and beauty that comes from DSLR cameras and lenses, but I think I have come pretty darn close, or in the case of my specific quest, I think I've found it.

Last week was my college graduation and during the ceremony I tasked my mom with taking photos on my camera as I crossed the stage.  I set all of my settings so that she would be prepared when my name was called, but what I got was disappointing to say the least, and it wasn't entirely my mom's fault.  Despite setting the mode, shutter speed, flash settings, aperture settings, and even adjusting the exposure and white balance, my graduation photo did not deliver.  Here is my proof:

Time for a new camera! We are making memories left and right at this time of life and it pains me to know they are passing by with little more than my phone camera to take them in. If for no reason other than our personal archives I want a high quality camera that will preserve these memories for thousands of years!

So, after much researching (months!) I narrowed down my choice and made a decision. After having my heart set on a Fujifilm x10s for a few solid months, I spontaneously changed my mind (due to some Fuji reviews claiming the same problem even in their newer models) and went with a Sony DCS-RX100.  Feast your eyes on my new baby!

Specs n Stuff: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/sony-dsc-rx100

I got an email saying it has already shipped and now I only have to wait in eager expectation.  I really hope that I made a good decision and that it will be everything I hoped for (and researched!).  I'm sure you will see the results on this blog sooner than later, but until then, fingers crossed!

A Time for Everything

Yesterday marked one of my larger recent milestones, my college graduation!  Even though I finished my classes and received my diploma in December, it was a joy to officialize it by walking in the ceremony along with my fellow Human Development colleagues.  It was an incredibly fun and enjoyable day despite the anticipated sunburns and wait times; I was able to spend the day with the ones who love me most, at an unusually relaxing pace.  In the morning we slept in and then James ran out to grab coffee while I ironed my dress and got ready for the day.  He returned with my parents, up from San Diego, and we hopped in the car and drove to school.  Thanks to my almost-expired handicap parking pass we were able to find parking quickly and walk right in, and before I knew it the precessional was going and I was ushered into confetti and cheers as 1,092 of us took our seats.  The ceremony dragged along as they read thousands of names but oddly enough I didn't mind it at all.  Afterwards I reunited with my family, including my older sister Heather and her kids, and then it was off to dinner at Red Lobster where we met up with James' family too.  Dinner was full of laughter, and GOOD FOOD (for me hehe), and then James and I headed home for a quiet movie night in.  Truly a great day!

A few weeks ago my friend Danielle asked if she could take some graduation-esque photos of me for her website, which I gladly agreed to.  I never imagined my last few moments on campus would be spent limping around, but I did, and ended up getting a couple great shots in the process.  This school holds so many memories for me, from each stage of my short life, and graduation seems to mark so much more than just a scholastic achievement.  I'm happy to close this chapter in my life and move on to the next!

My Gay Best Friend

Yesterday was a special day because it was the birthday of a dear, dear friend, my GBF, Tommy!  Anyone who is close to me knows how I feel about him and how he can never be replaced; one of those friends that just sticks around after everyone else has moved on with life.  He is truly a best friend; someone who sees me for who I am and has never judged me for the decisions I've made, the way I live, how I look, or anything else for that matter.  In high school I was an increedddibly awkward (and ugly) teenager and it's no wonder to me now why I had only the friends that I did, because looking back I can see how strange I (we) were. Tommy was someone who was actually pretty popular (and mysteriously had friends in all places) but of all groups to align with, he chose to be our friend.  He was my first guy friend and I soon found that it was much easier to talk with him than anyone else because he saw things from a different brain and he was able to give me fresh advice.  We became fast friends the summer after our freshman year and together with Kirstie and DeAnne we were thick as thieves.  What else is there to do but hang out when no one has a license or a job?

Teaching me how to play tennis when we were but babies.

I remember the funny times, riding on my electric motor scooter to meet them at the Starbucks by Tommy's house, just so that we could stalk my barista-crush and spend hundreds of baby-sitting dollars doing so study spanish.  We would take hundreds of dumb photos and home videos and upload them to MySpace because we were so cool (I confess, still have most of them).  Tommy introduced us to Boba and Asian fast-food, he supplied us with all the crude humor we never learned anywhere else, and kept it real when it came to critiquing our fashion choices and wardrobes.  I guess at the time we were having too much fun to notice it was strange for a fashion-savvy asian guy to travel with a pack of mid-pubescent white girls. Oh well.

Tommy was always there for me, even when it meant sitting around just being bored together.  He was the first guy I ever held hands with, my first slow dance, the one I confessed all of my secrets to when I started dating, and he was the one who let me cry and whine when I was in the depths of my worst heartbreak.  We made a promise that we would get married to each other for the sake of tax-benefits if neither of us were married by 40.  I guess that won't be happening, not that he minds.

Senior Prom.

It was the week of our high school graduation when I got his phone call, out of breath and uncharacteristically anxious, asking me to meet him at Hilltop Park by our house.  I dropped everything and met him in minutes, only to have him lead me away to a secluded bench and shake in front of me for a few more minutes.  I asked him what was going on and that's when it happened, he came out and told me he was gay.  I can't say it surprised me; my parents and friends' parents had been saying it for years, but I wasn't going to join in until he confirmed it for me.  He told me about his struggles during our four years of high school together, and what he had gone through even since he felt that way in childhood.  I was a little confused because he dated some of my [girl] friends in high school, but he explained to me why he did that.  I guess you could say things were never the same after that conversation.

But then they got back to normal, and we all adjusted to who he was and how he was going to live.  Who was I to judge this person who had been nothing but supportive and loving of me since the day we met?  When he told us about his first boyfriend I think we were a little protective and nervous at first, but now I can see it's really just all the same, relationships and all.

I know how I was raised, in my conservative-Christian home, and I know what I believe in my heart, but nothing in the world could make me feel any differently about Tommy.  It's been such a wild ride, learning everything there is to learn about his lifestyle, which is the lifestyle of many people I have come to know up here in LA.  It really crushes me when I see close friends (yes, usually of my Christian community) acting the way they do and saying the things they say about homosexuals.  Regardless of how you feel about the lifestyle, it's no reason to treat the person differently or to act all fidgety around them as if they have the plague.  I think it has been one of the most educational experiences in my life to have this friendship and to learn the reality of what it's like for people like Tommy to navigate life.

Today little has changed, Tommy is still there for me every step of the way, and 100 miles from San Diego to Long Beach makes no difference at all.  When we are together it's as if no time has passed.  I was extremely bummed that he couldn't make it to my wedding (to be my best man, of course) because was backpacking through Asia(!), but we still have the rest of our lives to continue making memories.

Happy.

Tommy, I love you so so so much and nothing will ever change that.  You have been a truer friend to me than anyone I've ever met, you are undoubtedly the best at keeping in touch (out of all of us), and your optimistic outlook on life is truly contagious.  I love every outing we have together and I know that coming home means coffee and talks with you, because you are always there.