Warner Bros. Studio tour

(This is a late post that should have been posted in August.  Sorry!)

While in LA on Monday I went on a tour of the Warner Bros. studios.  It was so cool!  Highly recommended.  I didn't realize that it took up so much room and it was in the middle of what seemed like a busy area of town.  (For more pics go here)

You walk into the tour and go to the gift shop to check in or buy tickets.  There was so many items you could buy including Harry Potter, Big Bang Theory, Ellen, Friends, and more. 

We got on a big golf cart and rode onto the lot seeing everything we could!  There was a big group of fake streets and towns in one section.  You could see where Pretty Little Liars and other shows were currently being filmed.  It was so neat seeing that the same houses were used on one show, then it was used on a completely different show.  Like the Gellars house from Friends is the same house as used on a completely different show with a different theme!  Super cool.  I think that town is called Anytown or Anywhere, USA.
I am not sure what house this is used as, but I know it was/is being used as a house in a t.v. show or movie. I just didn't write it down! From the outside it looks like a real house and street, but inside it is just shells that they dress up as they need to.  Super impressed with their trickery! :)

There was also a lagoon that they fill up for a current t.v. show Heart of Dixie.  The lagoon (and surrounding area) is used a lot for movies including Jurassic Park.

We got to see the actual set of Heart of Dixie that was being dressed up for that weeks taping.  We got to walk throughout the set in the kitchen, entryway, outside, etc.  It was super cool!  We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside, but we did walk through it.  We were going to see the Pretty Little Liars set too, but the red light was on, meaning a show was being taped in it.

After the studio lots we went to the special cars section to see cool cars that were in the movies nad tv shows including Harry Potter, Scooby Doo, Batman, Austin Powers, Willy Wonka, Big Bang Theory and more.

We went to the props house where they store all the stuff to dress up a t.v/movie set.  They had moved the actual Central Perk set from Friends to that building from the sound stage and recreated it for everyone to see.  I got to sit on the Central Perk couch!

At the end of the tour we got to go to a big museum building that had tons of artifacts from the shows and movies Warner Bros had produced.  Old and new shows/movies were featured with costumes and props that had been used in the movies (sorry, I didn't take pictures of this).  The upstairs was an entire Harry Potter movie museum.  Super cool!

It was a great tour and I am so glad I got to go on it.  Highly, highly, highly recommended!  For more pics go here.

Late Night with Jay Leno

(This is an old post that should have been posted in August, sorry!)


I have always wanted to see a t.v. show being taped, so while in LA I made sure to see one!  When I went in early August, most of the t.v. shows were still on haitus so it was either Jay Leno or Conan O'Brien.  Since I had already had tickets to Jay Leno I decided just to go to him. This is Jay Leno's last year to be on air, so that is another reason I chose him.  I didn't know who the celebrities were going to be on his show that day, but I wanted to go anyway.

The tickets said to be there no later than 3 pm, but I heard that you should get there about lunch time to make sure you get a seat.  I got there just in time too because the line was long!  There is a section that has covered seating, but there were so many people that some had to stand in the sun.  They gave each of us a number based on when we got to the studio, and that is how they decided who got in.  Apparently though there are two lines, one is for friends of the show or friends of the guests, and the other was my line.  Not everyone in my line got to go in though...but I did!! :)

You aren't allowed to take any pictures while there, so I don't have any to show of inside the studio, but the set was smaller (but bigger at the same time) than I expected.  Jay's desk and chairs were in the middle and his band was to the right (my right, his left) and the guest bands equipment were to my left (Jay's right). The decor had a car steering wheel and sort of chrome feel to it.  Very man-ish.

The two guest stars were some model (Karolina Kurkova) and a guy from Breaking Bad (Bryan Cranston).  I don't care anything about models (skinny witches! hahaha, kidding!) and I don't watch t.v. so I wasn't too into that.  I mainly watched how the camera man, makeup artists, producers, etc ran the show.  It was really neat!  There was  a lady that seemed to call the shots from a desk with a phone on it.  She moved her desk when the band that was playing came on and talked with the guests off stage too. 

There were interns (I guess they were interns) that were in charge of the line outside and seating us inside.  You could tell they were super bored with their job.  They gave a mini eye roll when people asked questions-I probably would too after a whole summer of that. LOL.  Even while they were watching the show they didn't smile or anything, they just looked bored to be there. Oh well, I had fun!

Afterwards we walked out and people were waiting for the celebrities to drive out.  I did see Jay Leno's car in the parking lot though!  There was a cut out picture of Jay Leno that you could take a picture with, but there was a line so I decided to just take a picture of the cut out.

Hollywood Sign and Walk of Fame

(This is a late post that should have been posted in August.  Sorry!)


While in Los Angeles I made sure to see the Hollywood Sign up close while I was there.  So after my aerobics class with R. Simmons, I drove up to the sign.

I googled how to get to it, and found a trail, but all along it the signs said no parking and I wasn't about to get towed in LA!  I did get really close, but not right up to it like I planned.  Oh well!  I saw it.

I of course did the obligatory 'jump' pose!

Afterwards I drove up to Hollywood Blvd to see if I could spot some celebrity stars.  For some reason I thought that the hand prints were with the starts, but apparently that is a whole different tourist attraction!  Oh well!  I had to take a picture for my Mom of Tom Petty's sign.  <---i a="" and="" as="" both="" br="" by="" could="" etc="" favorite="" genre.="" grew="" guns="" heart="" i="" it="" kid="" listen="" lol.="" made="" much.="" music="" my="" nbsp="" of="" parents="" petty="" probably="" recite="" rock="" rolling="" roses="" s="" since="" so="" still="" stones="" that="" they="" to="" tom="" too="" up="" us="" used="" was="" when="" with="" you="">

Anyway, I saw several other ones too Betty White, Reba McEntire, Bette Midler, Walt Disney, Britney Spears, and more.  My sister wanted me to find Aerosmith's star, but apparently they don't have one yet. (she is obsessed with Steven Tyler).

It was so busy that I just decided to get out of there. I did have a groupon for a LA home tour, but the amount of people sort of overwhelmed me and I didn't feel like being in such a big crowd for any longer.  LA is packed!

Sweatin' with Richard Simmons

(Late post from August-procrastinator!) I did it, I actually took a class at Richard Simmons 'Slimmons' aerobics studio while in Los Angeles! I have always wanted to meet him and it is a bucket list item! So fun.

I tweeted that I was taking his class and he tweeted back that he couldn't wait to hug me!!!! I skipped my conference on Saturday to attend his aerobics class. Richard teaches classes at Slimmons studio on Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays and my flight schedule would only allow me to take the class on Saturday morning. I got the studio early and bought a "I Sweat with Richard Simmons" tank top. I forgot to take a picture of it, but I will take one and try to remember to post it! (bad blogger!)

Richard came in and spoke with everyone and then we started the class. There were so many people at the class it was sort of crowded. We all got down and sweat our hearts out while rockin' to Beatles tunes. It was Beatles day and Richard was dressed up in a Beatles outfit (complete with a musical tie). There were guys and girls there, some people even wearing 80's outfits. I just wore a race shirt and hot pink shorts. (I should have planned my outfit more appropriately!)

Afterwards we got to take a picture with him. Earlier, before class, I went to the original Sprinkles cupcakes in Beverly Hills to kill time. I mentioned that I was taking the class and Sprinkles said I could have a free cupcake for him! The entire store (staff and customers) voted on giving him a red velvet cupcake. I gave it to him when I met him. I felt weird giving him a calorie filled cupcake right after a workout, but whatever! :)

It was a very fun time. I am glad I got to meet him!!

Fun at the Woodlands Children's Museum

On Friday I took my nephew Cole to the Woodlands Children's Museum while my sister went to the doctor. I met them at Chick Fil A and Cole was playing in the playground when he saw me through the glass and said to his friend (random kid in the playground), that's my Aunt Stepy! It was so cute!! He came running out of the playground to see me. A little while later, Laura left and so did we to good to the museum.

I thought the museum was in the Woodlands Mall still, but apparently it moved further back into the Woodland's a while ago off of W. Panther Creek. The sign on the building is so tiny that we drove around awhile looking for it before I eventually called them to see what stores they were by. Anyway, we paid the $10 entry fee for the both of us and we set out to play. Cole was in Heaven at this place! He played and played!

He played at the train set the longest, lining up the cars in a looooooooong row on the track. I swear,he gathered up almost every car (besides the ones that the other kids were playing with) and made one long row. He kept going back to that train track section over and over again.

His next favorite section was the house/store. He would not leave that cart and all that food.

When it was time to leave he kept saying '5 more minutes' when I told him it was time to go. Then when those 5 minutes were over, he would say it again. He would only go when I promised him that we would come back soon. I think my Mom is going to get him a membership for a year so that they can go anytime they want.

Corn Maze at Froeberg Farm

This past weekend I went to the corn maze at Froberg Farm in Alvin, Texas with my friends from my old church. It was so much fun!! First, we all met at Mimi's Cafe in Pearland to have breakfast. I had never been to Mimi's before, but I will say it was good. It was sort of a fancy breakfast place that had a french flair to it. They even had mimosas!!! I didn't drink one though, I had wine the night before and I was trying to be good. :) We got to Froberg's and got in line for the hayride and corn maze. There are two corn mazes connected together that are a pumpkin and spider web. The pumpkin one was super easy, but the spider was a bit more complicated. We powered through though. Group pic in the corn maze! We had two kids with us, one was a 2 year old and the other one was about 7 or 8. The 7/8 year old was the line leader and was super brave with all of the 'jeepers creepers' in the maze with us. He kept telling us to tell his dad (who was with us) that there were jeeper creepers in the maze and he would jump out and scare his dad. The corn stalks were pretty see through, so you could see someone 'hiding'. Kids don't know that though! After one such 'jeepers creepers' hide and jump out session he had gotten some dirt/corn stuff on him that looked like rust. He said what is that? and I told him it was scarecrow blood that the jeepers creepers left on the corn when they drug the poor scarecrows through the maze. He was totally freaked out! <----I am going to be a great mom aren't I? :) When we were back on the hayride, going back to the main farm store, it started to rain. We took pictures in the pumpkin patch and then went shopping in the store. I got lots of veggies for this week. I have been eating salad non stop!! is great and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a corn maze! The whole place is kid friendly and they have more games to play too. We only went to the corn maze (it was $10), but there were other games like face painting, rubber ducky water relay, and more.

Updates

Goodness gracious! It has been a looooooooong time since I have posted anything to my blog and I wanted to give you some updates on what I have been doing. Fun: In late July/early August I went to Los Angeles for a book writers conference. I will post more about it later, but I wanted to let you know that I marked off THREE bucket list items (Hollywood sign, meet Richard Simmons, and watch a TV show being taped).

I also took my nephew to the Texans game! It was super fun! I better be the best aunt ever since I took him to the game and bought him Chick-fil-A AND ice cream.

My sister bought a Groupon awhile ago for a Murder By Chocolate mystery tea party. It was super cute, you walk in and there is a secret wall that swings out!! Love it. They serve you food, tea, and dessert while you figure out 'who did it'.

Moving: I am moving sometime in November, but the location is still undetermined. I am the process of buying a house (maybe a townhouse) and I need your prayers it will be a fabulous location and a great price. I put an offer on one in Kingwood, but the seller is a crazy lady and didn't accept our reasonable offer. Rude! That's ok though because it will all work out. God will show me the place where I should move. I might have to live in an apartment until I find something that is perfect for me, but we shall see. It will all work out.

If I only had a doggie door

I sort of wish I had a doggie door if I did, I imagine it to look something like this when Jabba is going through it. I have been laughing all morning thinking about it. LOL. #poorjabba #diet #crazycatlady

Random

This post will be a super random compilation of things that have been going through my head over the last few days.  I am telling you now, super random. 

Random Thought #1-If someone gives you a business lead, call the lead!  Especially if they are the person who is the lead.  If you want more business, follow up and follow through.  Don’t wait for your customers to call you back or contact you.  I had someone talk about their business with me (at an event through a mutual friend) and I said I would be interested and gave them my card so they could send a proposal, three weeks later they have still yet to contact me.  Come on!  I basically just handed you business and you did nothing with it.

Random Thought #2-Elevators should have an “unpush” button.  We have 15 floors in our office building and randomly sometimes I choose the wrong button.  I would like the option of unchoosing that button please.  Elevator operators, take note of my request.  I can see how people would ‘unpush’ a button if they were rude and didn’t want to stop, but honestly, not many people would do that.

Random Thought #3-I wish I was a smooth toothpaste tube person.  I tend to squeeze the toothpaste tube randomly and it is a weird shape.  I want to be one of those people who squeeze from the bottom of the tube and the tube perfectly rolls up or has one of those devices that brings the toothpaste up
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Random Thought #4-It’s HOT in Houston.  I almost melted away yesterday when I was walking back to my car from the Astros game (btw, I went to the Astros vs. Angels game last night…Astros lost).  Seriously, how am I supposed to run outside in this heat?  (side note:  I am still retired from running and my foot is still hurt, but sometimes I just want to run!).  Just walking almost does me in, I am so glad I work in a nice, air conditioned building all day.  #scorcher

Random Thought #5-Instagram ‘selfies’ make you look stupid.  I have never uploaded any picture to my Instagram account because I see what other people upload.  There is on lady (who shall remain nameless) who is all about herself.  She posts pictures of herself ALL THE TIME.  Seriously, out of 10 pictures 6 of them are of her.  RIDICILOUS!  She is a beautiful woman, but seriously, how into yourself can you be?  She is dating someone who has a lot of money and let me tell you…#golddigger.  There are others on Instagram too that take stupid pictures, but she takes the cake.  I need to delete her but it’s a train wreck and I can’t stop watching.  If you take lots of ‘selfies’ or pictures of your shoe collection or something else that ‘you’ bought, you seem materialistic and shallow.  STOP TAKING THEM!  

Random Though #6-If you are 6'3 don't get a Mini Cooper, you look stupid.  What can you do with that small of a car? You have to bend really weird to get out of the thing. #thechef (now called #theexchef)

Random Thought #7-Why don't I have big fluffy bubbles in my bathtub?  I use bubble bath but my bubbles are never as big as they write in books or show in movies.  Sigh.  Maybe I should keep looking for new bubble mixes, the perfect bubble consistency is out there waiting for me, I just know it.

Taking a Break

Friends, 

I will start by saying that I am truly so happy for you when you get married, dating someone new, have a baby, get engaged, buy a house, etc.  I just can’t take reading about it or hearing about it anymore.  I am 30 freaking 1 and I don’t have any of that stuff.  Yes, I have a great job that I make great money at, but I want all the other stuff.  When my friends in their early 20’s are getting engaged it makes me really sad.  Really sad.  I am so happy for them, but when will it be my turn?  Will I get a turn?  I do date and I do go out to meet guys, but it doesn’t happen for me.  Where the hell is he?!  Every time I see someone on FB have a happy moment, I truly am very happy for them, but it doesn’t make me feel good for myself.  I love seeing cute baby photos or family photos with baby daddies being good parents, but I want all that and then some.  When you walk around a public place and start counting people with babies or that are pregnant, you sort of think you lost it.

When your sisters who are 10 years younger than you start having babies, you wonder if it will ever happen for you.  Maybe I am not ready, maybe he isn’t, but seriously, what do I do to get ready!  I am tired of this.  When your parents say that you are the ‘good child’ for having a career instead of marriage, but you know that you want those things, it sort of kills you inside.  At Christmas we were walking around the neighborhood and I was pushing my nephew on his scooter thing.  We all stopped to look at something and then started walking again.  My nephew didn’t quite start going and he fell off and said ‘whoa’ (he wasn’t hurt, don’t worry) and my mother pats me on the back and says “this is why you don’t have children” and laughs.    That didn’t feel good. I know they don’t mean to make me feel bad, but it does.  

I have been trying this new thing for reading my Facebook newsfeed, but it hasn't worked very well.  If I see 3 things regarding a happy family, an engagement, a wedding, a pregnancy, etc I stop looking at Facebook for the day.  I know it sounds selfish, but it’s what I have to do not to break down and cry.  These thoughts have been in my head for awhile now, but in the last few months they have really gotten me down.  So, effective today I am going to take a break from Facebook.  I am not sure how long I will be boycotting it, but I will be uninstalling the apps and refusing to go to the website anymore.  

I will keep posting on here, but I did want to say (er, type?) my thoughts.  Apparently my blog has become my diary. :)

-Stephanie