Cirdan has a marketing guy who's brother is a coach for the Lakers. Cirdan said that we could get tickets to a Laker game and that we should go soon before Kobe retires. We found a babysitter and booked our flights. Off we went!
We arrived. Love these small airports. At this airport this is where you pick up your luggage. This is it. Small.
We checked in our hotel (Sheraton at Universal) and headed over to Universal Studios.
We went the beginning of December and it was all decorated for Christmas. It was awesome!! I loved all the Christmas decorations. I just with that we had the kids there to see it too.
Whoville
This tree was enormous! I wonder how they store it.
The Seahawks were playing so we found a mexican restaurant in Universal City that was airing it and watched until half time. We then walked down to a different restaurant to watch the rest of the game.
After the sun went down it was even better. Lights everywhere!
We stood in line for about an hour to get this picture.
There was a celebration in Whoville and there was even snow
Someone photo bombed us.
We went and ate at a sushi place in University City - It was YUMMY!! Definitely a place that I will remember and will have to eat at again.
day 2
We headed back over to Universal. Watched some Extra (they film right outside of Universal Studios), and went in Universal Studios to eat some lunch.
While we waited for the bus to come take us back to our hotel Mario Lopez came walking by. I had my back turned towards him but Cirdan saw him coming. He didn't tell me until he was right there. Giving me no warning.
Them filming.
Found another big awesome tree!
We got tickets to the Jimmy Kimmel show. I tried before and didn't get them so this time I was super excited that we actually were given tickets. His show films right across the street from the Dolby Theater. It was bring back some good memories when I was with Kaiya and the kids from ADA when they danced in front of the America's Got Talent judges.
We stood in line for over an hour to get into the doors.
The show was hilarious. Jimmy Kimmel was great. One for the bucket list to cross off.
day 3
I requested tickets to the Dr. Phil show. I found out once I got to California that we were not able to get tickets. We have done the WB tour, Universal tour so we decided to go to the Paramount tour (where Dr. Phil is filmed). We lucked out and had a tour guide with only 3 of us (Cirdan, I and a guy who was from New Zeland).
Props from movies/TV
The shows that are filmed at Paramount
This was interesting. That screen on the back looks like clouds. The parking lot is lower than the road around the area. They used to fill it up with water for movie scenes. They showed us some examples of those movies. You would have never been able to tell that it was in a parking lot!
All the cars sitting lower
Us with the Hollywood sign in the back- trying to create good memories instead of bad ones of the sign.
This little piece of grass has been used in many scenes as parks etc
The Brady Bunch was also filmed here under that tree
Where we were supposed to be. Grrr
Dr. Phil's cars - nice
Dr. Phil's custom golf cart
Found another amazing huge tree!
The bench from Forrest Gump
We also walked around an area that was being used to film Brooklyn 99 (TV show). They were busy prepping it for their next episode to be filmed.
This was a smaller tour but I am glad we did it. I love learning about all the tricks and work that gets put into making movies and tv shows.
That night we went to Lakers game.
Next to the stadium there was an ice rink and another huge tree!
Since we got tickets from one of the coaches we had really good seats. We also sat next to the players families.
Kobe
One of the players wife's with her Louis Vuitton shoes. Those are some beauties! Can't imagine wearing them to a basketball game though.
Another thing to cross off the bucket list!
We got back to the hotel - I loved looking out the windows at night
FINAL DAY
Saying goodbye to Universal Studios
This airport is so small they had inflatable Santa's on the front of the airport and out where the Burbank Airport sign was. It was quite a sight!
Another fun trip! The kids were happy at home and we had a blast.
