Places: Warner Bros Lot. Need I Say More?

As you could tell by the absence of my post last Wednesday, I've been on vacation. More specifically, I've been on vacation in LA! You may know by now that I want a career in film production, so when I visited my cousin who works at Warner Bros it was an amazing experience to say the least. So, here are some reasons why the next time you're in Southern California you should make time to visit the Warner Bros. Lot.

Warner Bros. Lot

First, I'd like to preface this blog by saying, unfortunately I don't have any of my own pictures to post. When you're on the lot, although it's amazing, pictures just wouldn't do it justice, and when you're in the museum you aren't allowed to take pictures anyway. Trust me, I wish I had my own pictures, but we'll just have to make due with what I find on the Internet.

As previously stated, my cousin works for Warner Bros. so fortunately for me I didn't have to pay to get in and take the tour. This also meant that we could freely walk around and investigate things we saw on our own time and at our own pace. However, my cousin did say that paying for the tour is worth it and the tour guides are incredibly knowledgeable.

Town Square in Gilmore Girls

Since we got to the Lot a little after lunch time, and after being stuck in the perpetual LA traffic, we were very hungry. My cousin gave us the option of eating at the Commissary or this little outdoor cafe. When we asked her which she preferred, she  informed us that the Commissary has more options but that the cafe is where the stars go to pick up a quick bite. Clearly after hearing this we went to the outdoor cafe! The cafe is located on the other side of the town square which played a fundamental role in the show Gilmore Girls. Gilmore Girls was my favorite show when I was in middle school and high school so it was incredible to be walking through the set. Right next to the town square stand houses featured in the hit show Friends! If you're aren't an avid fan, you may be wondering where the houses come into play since the cast all lived in New York apartments. The two houses that played important roles in the show were Monica and Ross' parent's house, as well as the house that Monica and Chandler move into at the end of the series.

Anyway, although we didn't see anyone famous at the cafe, I did have the best taco of my life!

Warner Bros. Back Lot

When you're walking through the lot it's a surreal feeling. It looks and feels like a city, but everything is fake. Walking down the street you keep thinking that busy city traffic is going to appear to run you over, but then you remember that there is no traffic because this isn't a real street and this isn't an actual city. Very surreal.

In addition to the pure grandeur of the Lot, the people that work there are phenomenal as well. Everyone is working hard, and it's clear that everyone loves what they do. (Although like any company, I'm sure there is at least one disgruntled employee haha.)

Since we went during the summer, unfortunately most shows were on hiatus and it was an off time for movie making so there really wasn't too much going on. If I were to go again (and hopefully I will!) then I'd probably go in the fall when everything is starting up again. Either way though, it's an amazing place to visit. If you're ever in the LA area be sure to make this a stop on your list. You won't regret it!

Song of the week: Nero-Guilt

Vacation Time!

So this Wednesday there won't be a new post because I will be in LA! See you all in a week for the next Places post : )

People: Demetri Martin. Comedian.

Demetri Martin

This week's featured person is comedian, Demetri Martin. I was first introduced to Demetri Martin about 5 years ago and have been a huge fan of his comedy ever since. 

One night I was having trouble sleeping. I got out of bed and turned the TV. Nothing was on expect a stand up comedian on Comedy Central. It only took one joke for me to realize that this style of comedy was different than any other stand up that I'd seen. Demetri delivers his jokes one after the other, in a very deadpan, monotone voice. His delivery is just as funny as his jokes!

As you can see from the video above, he's really different from most comedians that are out there. Furthermore, he's really brilliant! He graduated from Yale University in 1995 and got a full ride to New York University School of Law. However, after his second year at NYU he dropped out to become a comedian, and by the looks of it, it was the right choice!

In addition to his stand up, he also is a musician and often incorporates his musical talents into his comedy. Playing the guitar, piano or harmonica, Demetri creates a magical world where comedy is the mode of communication. 

If you watched the above video you can see how he pulls from his past to create comedy while playing music and cultivating creativity. Very cool. 

Demetri Martin doesn't just do stand up though. He has worked as a writer on Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show and many others. He has also played supporting rolls in a number of movies and shows including Flight of the Conchords.

So, the next time you're in the mood to laugh, while being truly entertained check out Demetri Martin. You won't be disappointed!

Song of the week: Mashup-Germany: I'll Be Missing You (Don't Raise Your Glass) 

Things: Envirosax, Conveniently Green!

In case you haven't heard, I recently decided to dedicate this blog to people, places and things. For those of you that have been following the posts, I promise this will be the last time I go over this. For those of you that are new to reading this blog, here's a quick run down. Every Wednesday I will update this blog with a review of a person, place or thing. I'm open to suggestions, so if you have a certain someone that you think is worth knowing, or a favorite place, or a great item that you want me to share with the world, just let me know!

So, now that you've been reminded feel free to read on!

Envirosax

I'm sure by now you've all heard of this little thing called Global Warming. Well it turns out that this little thing is actually a big deal! Although it's taken a while, finally people are realizing that we all need to do our part to save our planet. 

Plastic bag littering our oceans

One thing that people do on a weekly (and sometimes daily!) basis is go grocery shopping. By now we are all familiar with the question "paper or plastic?" If you have a choice, go with paper. Yeah, you gotta kill some trees, but at least the bags can be recycled. The plastic bags at the grocery store are not made to be recycled and the majority of them end up littering our planet; hurting our environment as well as endangering the lives of countless animals.  So, when you go to the grocery store and you hear that question, "paper or plastic?" wouldn't it be great to be able to say "neither"? Well, now you can. 

Now it seems like almost any store you go into is selling their own reusable bags in an effort to eliminate this needless waste. Some grocery stores, such as Fred Meyer have even held promotionals; such as a 10cent discount for every reusable bag you used per visit. While I applaud their efforts, most of the time the reusable bags sold at these stores are cheaply made, inconvenient and dare I say ugly? 

I realize that vanity should not be high on the list when trying to save the planet, but let's face it, 9 times out of 10 we're gonna go with the cool looking item over the environmentally friendly one. Furthermore, most of these stores put their logo in big, bold letters all over these bags. I love the environment but I don't necessarily want to be a free walking advertisement for my local grocery store, but now I won't have to thanks to Envirosax!

Snapshot of Envirosax website. 

A few years ago my sister got me my first Envirosax. This was when when reusable bags were starting to come into the mainstream. I thought it was a cool idea, but I was living on campus and so I rarely ever went to the grocery store, and if I did I was buying only one or two items that I could just stick in my purse. It wasn't until she gave me a new Envirosax a few months ago that I really realized just how awesome these things are! Now that I'm home I've been doing my own grocery shopping and I would recommend the Envirosax to anyone, every time. 

My Envirosax after a trip to the grocery store!

So what makes the Envirosax so great? Three things. The first being its durability. One large Envirosax can hold up to 44lbs. That's considerably more than a plastic or paper bag at the grocery store. I've purchased reusable bags at the store and theirs tend to break at the seams when they have more than 10lbs of groceries stuffed in them.

Another plus is that the bags are washable. While they discourage machine washing, a simple hand washing will do the trick! 

The bags have also undergone testing to make sure they are being produced in the most environmentally friendly way possible. This is important to me, and I'm sure to you, because it seems pointless to have the manufacturing process cancel out any good that would come from using a reusable bag!

Size comparison. 

Convenience is crucial as well. I know in the past, although I had reusable bags, I hardly used them because I always either forgot them at home or left them in the car, only to remember them at the check out counter. Not anymore! The Envirosax can be rolled up and is small enough to fit in my purse so I can take it with me wherever I go. There are other reusable bags that are made to be rolled up, but they can oftentimes be a pain and don't fold up as neatly and as easily as they claim. Not the Envirosax, it takes no time at all to roll up and it's easy too. Here's a little picture step by step I took so you can visualize the effortlessness. 

Step 1: Lay bag out flat.

Step 2: Fold handles over.

Step 3: Roll bag up "hot dog" style.

Once you have a long roll...

Step 4: Roll bag up towards the ties on the bottom of the bag.

Step 5: Once all rolled up, just snap the ties around the bag.

Rolling the Envirosax up literally takes no time at all. 

Finally, style. Envirosax makes a large variety of bag styles and prints. There is something for everyone. I love the two I have because they are reusable bags but don't look like reusable bags!

Clearly I like red, but if you can't stand the color red, don't worry, you'll definitely find something that suites your needs and your style. 

On top of all this, Envirosax's are affordable. They range in prices, from the inexpensive $8.95 to the more pricey $39.95. Either way, you'll be able to find something in your price range while helping save the planet at the same time! 

For more information you can check out Envirosax's website www.envirosax.com. Until next time, happy shopping!

Song of the week: Little Boots--Earthquake (Phinz Remix)