Saturday Mia and I went to Torrance, CA to see Buffy's house & the high school that they used to film Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Though we felt extremely weird creeping around a residential area (because people actually live in the house...super jealous), I am so happy that we went and that I got to physically walk around where they filmed the television show that made my adolescence. Going around the school was a lot of fun too because it is REALLY big, so as we walked around and saw different spots of the school we were literally just recalling scenes that we remembered that were shot in those specific locations.
Afterward we looked in my GPS for a place to eat in the area and we found this place called Buffy's cafe, so of course we went thinking it was this awesome cafe completely dedicated to the show. Yeah, it was just this creepy diner with dolls and blankets in the show case window that had absolutely nothing to do with BTVS. So, we ended up going somewhere else. Surprise!
On our way back we stopped at this place called Famous Cupcakes because I had a Groupon that I spent $9 on to get 1/2 a dozen. We got 6 different flavors and then when Ginny was around we split all of them three ways so that we could try all of them. It was a fun little roomie bonding experience.
On Sunday morning I met with my group so that we could finalize and prepare our pilot pitch for our Writing for Series TV final. We timed it perfectly so that when it finished we could go right over to the end of the semester Luau for the ICLA program. It was a really nice, final little get together where we all got to see each other and eat dinner on the RA's budget...haha.
I left the luau pretty early though to go see West Side Story that was being shown at the Grauman's Egyptian Theater as part of the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Film Festival that was taking place in Hollywood for the weekend. They had a discussion before hand at which the producer of the movie, Walter Mirisch, the woman whose voice was actually used as the voice of Maria (they claimed Natalie Wood had a good voice, but they wanted a great voice), Marni Nixon, and the guy that played Bernardo, George Chakiris, were all there answering the commentator's questions and just going over aspects of making the movie. George looked like he hadn't aged a day since they filmed the movie (which is incredible!) and I was literally in awe to be standing (or rather, sitting) in the same room as such talented people. Also, seeing the movie on such a big screen with the color restored was insane! Great LA experience.
Monday I did a lot of work on my presentation for our final later, and I typed up my notes for our Government and Media final on Tuesday. The actual presentation went pretty well, our group didnt get first or second place, but the judges said that our show had definite potential to be picked up had it been an actual pitch, so that was pretty cool.
Tuesday I took my car to get serviced and started packing up some stuff around the apartment. After our Government and Media final (which didn't go as well as I hoped, but oh well) a bunch of us went to Menchies for frozen yogurt because it was Mia's last night in LA.
Wednesday my Uncle Jim was in town so I took him to Santa Monica to see the Pacific Ocean and to see the Hollywood sign. That night Ginny, Danny, and I watched all but the last two episodes of season two of Friday Night Lights! We were planning on watching the last two episodes today, but it didn't work out so it looks like we will be watching them in Ithaca in the fall... :(
Yesterday I went to The Counter for lunch with my friend Anthony because we both heard good things about it and wanted to check it out before we left. It was pretty cool because you got to custom build your burger, even though I put too much on mine and had to eat it with a knife and fork.
Then we stopped by Paramount so that I could get a couple movies at the Paramount store (they are only $4 there with your Paramount ID). Anthony wanted to see the set of Community (or what is left of it since they are on hiatus) and I wanted to go say hi/bye to Josie one more time. I am so glad to have worked for someone as sweet as her and it is a relationship I plan on maintaining regardless of whether my life brings me back to LA or not. Awe.
Last night a bunch of us went to dinner in downtown Burbank (we tried to go to El Torito because it was Cinco de Mayo so we figured going to a mexican restaurant was fitting, but apparently everyone else had the same idea and the wait was ridiculous) as our last hurrah. It was really a lot of fun, definitely one of the best nights I have had out here because it was a good time with good friends. Also, the girl that was singing/playing guitar was AMAZING, not only in her performance ability but in the extensive collection of awesome songs that she could cover.
This morning Ginny and I took a box full of stuff to the Pendelton Center that we are leaving for Kelsy and her other roommates that will be out in LA in the Fall. While there, we also said goodbye to Jon & Holly. I didn't get as sad as I thought (or probably should have) because I felt like I would definitely be seeing them again, even though I don't plan on returning to LA after graduation. That being said, the staff at the Pendelton Center are truly the nicest, kindest, most caring faculty members I have ever encountered at Ithaca College and they and their helpfulness alone were worth coming to LA to study. Awe, again.
Then Ginny and I went to one of the stores on Hollywood & Highland so she could get some souvenirs for her family. I didn't get anything for my family because they picked out their own souvenirs when they came out here, however I did help her pick some stuff out and I bought some shot glasses for a few friends back home.
After that it was time to pick my Uncle Dean up at the airport! Actually picking him up made me realize that I am actually going home tomorrow. It is starting to feel real for the first time, even though I have been packing all week and one of my roommates is already gone. However, it also made me super excited for our trip home because we are planning on seeing a lot of cool stuff. I suppose I will keep this blog through the week and end it when I am finally home so that the LA experience can be documented in its entirety!
Thankfully his flight got in before rush hour traffic started, so we weren't in the car as long as I thought we would be getting back. After we got back Ginny and I went through the fridge and freezer to get rid of all the stuff we didn't want, then Uncle Dean cooked the food we were keeping so that we could eat it for lunch/dinner (he even ventured to say breakfast) tomorrow.
After a random discovery that Uncle Dean likes Thai food, we decided to try out Palm Thai to see if the Elvis impersonator would be there this time. I was also excited to go again because I didn't really like what I got the first time and I was ready to get something actually enjoyable. Unfortunately, the impersonator wasn't there AGAIN! One of the ladies said he had a stroke last month, so he had only been coming in spontaneously the past month or so. If that is true, I feel bad for him but it sucks that he is one of the main advertising pawns to get people to come to this restaurant and he is never there. However, it was a much more successful experience than last time, so I guess I do like Thai food!
Afterwards, we went to Yogurtland (of course) so Uncle Dean could have his first frozen yogurt experience, which it seems like he enjoyed. It is just one of those things you HAVE to do in LA apparently...haha
Tomorrow morning I'm getting up really early to take Ginny to the airport and then we are gonna head out! Update along the way when I can. Goodbye Los Angeles! Thanks for the memories.
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