*December 2024-January 2025* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 18 of 64_web.jpeg]] ## Happy New Year! Doug had heard about something cool they were doing at the Warner Brothers Studio tour for the Christmas holidays that we both got excited about. They decided to redress their "Midwest Town Square" outdoor set on the studio as the location of one of our favorite shows. Town Square was once again **Stars Hollow** from **Gilmore Girls**, which I think we have watched twice through recently -- once early in the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic and again more recently. (Though we skipped most of season seven -- the Palladinos know why.) Getting a chance to walk around on that Stars Hollow set was too good to pass up, so he booked a tour as well as an extra day prior (New Year's Eve!) at Universal Studios since we'd be in Los Angeles. The tours were a lot of fun! We also caught two movies on New Year's Eve -- didn't really do a light night and countdown -- and before dashing back to Palm Springs we managed to sneak in a quick lunch with the wonderful Mandel Ilagan. We met Mandel for the first time in person in 2001 on our first road trip to California in Doug's then brand-new Kia Sportage Ragtop. He's an awesome guy, a TV and game shows expert, and just one of the nicest people. We hope to see him and his husband Phil in person again soon since we're in California more often. ![[2024-12-30 Trip Map_web.png]] *Our trip took us from Hollywood, the HOLLYWOOD VOLUME hotel, to Universal Studios on day one, and to Warner Brothers and The Stand on day two* ## Timeline > [!example] Day Zero - Monday 30 December 2024 > Drive to Los Angeles, CA > Check into **Hollywood Volume, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel** > [!example] Day One - Tuesday 31 December 2024 > Universal Studios Hollywood > AMC Movie Theaters to see **A Complete Unknown** and **Wicked Part One** Sing-a-Long Edition > [!example] Day Two - Wednesday 01 January 2025 > WB Studio Tour > Met Mandel Ilagan for lunch at The Stand > Drive to Palm Springs, CA ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 1 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Lobby of the HOLLYWOOD VOLUME Hotel, just a block off Hollywood Blvd, but not in exactly a glamourous neighborhood.* ## Unviersal Studios & Citywalk ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 2 of 64_web.jpeg]] *The Universal Studios Hollywood sign & fountain greeting us after we sprung for Premiere Parking... cos we're fancy.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 3 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Wizarding World of Harry Potter - starting off in Hogsmeade* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 4 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 5 of 64_web.jpeg]] *First attraction of the day: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. I took a dramamine right after parking our car, but still got pretty woozy by the end of this one since it didn't have enough time to kick in. Still an amazing attraction, worth the woozy!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 6 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Walking through the "Upper Lot" and Springfield from The Simpsons. We'd return to Moe's Tavern (left) later for a refreshment.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 7 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Still walking off "Forbidden Journey" so wasn't ready to visit Krustyland yet* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 8 of 64_web.jpeg]] *New since our last visit - Super Nintendo World! I'm sure I'm going to call it Super Mario World on accident cos I already have. Just realized that wasn't the name looking at this photo.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 10 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Mario Kart ride! Their racing outfits lined one of the walls in a pre-show room where we watched the safety and instructions video on the opposite wall.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 11 of 64_web.jpeg]] *The ride vehicles incorporate augmented reality, so a clear screen clips on to these cute visor hats once you are seated in your vehicle - then you can see the turtle shells you shoot at the various competitors and enemies throughout the ride.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 12 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Loading zone, as we boarded into two rows of two.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 13 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Doug feeling pretty proud of himself, he got a better score than me on Mario Kart!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 14 of 64_web.jpeg]] *I loved the forced perspectives and all of the characters and easter eggs in the land -- these little cactuses were always cute, and things like the 1-UP mushrooms and goombas waddling around on ledges gave the land a lot of movement and excitement.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 15 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Bowser's castle looking imposing...* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 16 of 64_web.jpeg]] *We stayed in the lower lot a bit longer, riding the Transformers ride and then The Mummy!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 17 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Until it was late enough to enjoy an adult beverage with our pal Barney -- we enjoyed a sensible iced tea. From the distant land of Long Island. With the liquid courage (and another dramamine taken earlier) we were then ready to go to Krustyland for the simulator ride.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 20 of 64_web.jpeg]] *We finished up our visit with the Universal Studios Tour, including seeing the outdoor sets for The Good Place, another one of our favorite shows.* We finished up our day at Universal Studios by getting a few souvenirs (like my Wicked pajamas), having a bite at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company in Universal Citywalk, then seeing two movies -- **A Complete Unknown**, the Bob Dylan biopic with Timothee Chalamet, as well as **Wicked** sing-a-long edition where they even give you the words to sing along with. ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 21 of 64_web.jpeg]] *I of course had to wear my Wicked pajamas immediately - here is a selfie in them the next morning with my amazing hairstyle.* ## Warner Brothers Studio Tour ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 22 of 64_web.jpeg]] Warner Brothers Studios may not have all the rides and attractions, but feels like you are closer to the action as far as working studios go. We opted for the Studio Tour Plus -- I'm not sure aside from some additional tour time that it added... if it adds the prop house then the upgrade is worth it. Once nice thing is that the tours are entirely unscripted/improvised -- so they encourage you to tell your guide about the movies and shows that you like so that the guide can then work in facts and anecdotes that directly relate to the shows you love. Our guide was pretty good, but would be interested in going back again to get another guide's take on the tour -- we're definitely interested in going back again. ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 23 of 64_web.jpeg]] *I loved our walk through the first floor of the prop house -- so many incredible items and stories to hear.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 24 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Taxidermy, retro stage lighting, bicycles, and mementos from the Maltese Falcon all at the same intersection. The actual Maltese Falcon prop is in the studio president's office, apparently - these were just duplicates.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 25 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 26 of 64_web.jpeg]] *The Resolute Desk and some furniture from the oval office of Jed Bartlet in The West Wing, as well as others including The American President I belive.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 27 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 28 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Back to the backlot to explore New York street.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 29 of 64_web.jpeg]] *I hear you can find interesting pets in this curio shop... just don't feed them after midnight!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 30 of 64_web.jpeg]] *This theater on the backlot is an actual theater -- in addition to using it as a location they also do some screenings there.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 31 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Abbott Elementary is on the backlot! If you were to stand on the steps and look off to the left you'd see Luke's Diner and into Town Square of Stars Hollow -- more on that later.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 32 of 64_web.jpeg]] *After the tour we walked through some exhibits at Stage 48, including seeing some amazing costumes like these from **Crazy Rich Asians*** ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 33 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Of course we had to get our photo on the actual set of Central Perk from **Friends**!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 64 of 64_web.jpeg]] *We bought the official shot from their photographer too... "How YOU doin'?"* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 34 of 64_web.jpeg]] *The costumes from **My Fair Lady** when she went to Ascot.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 35 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Costumes from **The Big Bang Theory*** ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 36 of 64_web.jpeg]] *A fun photo op showing some forced perspective work like they used on the Lord of the Rings movies to make Gandalf look so much larger than the hobbits.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 37 of 64_web.jpeg]] *But finally, time to visit Stars Hollow from **Gilmore Girls** - first stop, Lorelai's house!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 38 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Filming locations - while they had signs on buildings for Independence Inn & Dragonfly Inn, those sets were originally at "The Ranch" offsite. Lorelai's house is actually the backside of Sookie's house in Town Square.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 39 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Costumes were out, and around every corner a new chance to buy trinkets to commemorate your time in Stars Hollow* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 40 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Doug on Lorelai's porch* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 41 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Me/Chris on Lorelai's porch* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 44 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Kim's Antiques* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 42 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Emily's oversized portrait of Richard Gilmore from **Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life*** ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 43 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Doug in front of Rory's portrait* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 45 of 64_web.jpeg]] *It was great seeing Town Square all dressed as Stars Hollow in "winter" -- how funny that all of those wintery scenes were shot on warm days in Los Angeles. Makes sense that some of the most magical winter moments were at night when it wasn't bright and sunny.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 46 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Doosey's Market* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 48 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Luke's Diner!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 49 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 50 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 51 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 52 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 53 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Obviously one of the highlights for us -- I got a hot chocolate and Doug enjoyed some coffee.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 54 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 55 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 56 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 57 of 64_web.jpeg]] *A real treat to walk around Stars Hollow - if they do it again in a future year we'd recommend it!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 58 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Some final exhibits included their DC Comics franchises, including Batman and Superman* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 59 of 64_web.jpeg]] ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 60 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Universal Studios may have the theme park rights, but all of those souvenir dollars go back to WB cos they have the merchandising rights! And some cool props.* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 61 of 64_web.jpeg]] *Cupboard under the stairs* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 62 of 64_web.jpeg]] *We got our letters!* ![[Web - 2024-12 - LA New Years - 63 of 64_web.jpeg]] *From **The West Wing** I got to see CJ's pet goldfish Gail, given to her by Danny. They'd add little props as easter eggs to the bowl that would relate to the episode/season.* ## Quick Visit with Mandel! ![[2024-12-30_LA_Universal_and_WB_65.jpg]] *The wonderful Mandel sparing a bit of his day off to have a quick bite and catch-up with us... lots of exciting travel talk!*