Universal Studios and Rodeo Drive (fri)

For our last full day in L.A. we hit up Universal Studios and in the evening walked down Rodeo Drive. The studios was pretty fun, although not as big or as good as Dinseyland, but we expected that. The tour through all the sets was awesome fun and its great to get an idea of how many movies and TV shows are actually made there. While we went through they were filming parts of Desperate Housewives and also Ghoswhisperer (or what ever it is called!) not that we got to see any one. The locations you drive through are all set up in sections, like the western area and the frenchy one, the English and New York sets and the Mexican street. And they are all set outside. The Mexican street is all set to start raining everywhere strait away and can also make a 'flash flood',all of which was demonstrated. The Mexican street is actually where the OC filmed most of their TJ trip woo! And one of the villa thingos in the frenchy or european like streets is where Tourtuga from Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. Wicked!

So the tour was the most exciting thing to do there, the other bits and pieces were some rides, side shows and themed cantinas and cafes (the Flinstone's BBQ anyone?). There was Itchy and Scratchy Land (the Simpsons) which was so deatailed and included this amazing virtual rollercopaster where you dont even leave the building but instead have this massive screen in front of you. The chairs rock and water sprays your face, and when a giant maggie tries to eat you, you can also smell baby powder. The Shrek film is the same idea except in 3d (or what they call 4D including the seats moving and water/wind effects). It was an amazing experience involves the auience so much more in watching the film. We also got to see the 'waterworld'production, which is a stage play but the set is mostly water and then fake rigging and towers etc surrounding it. That was amazing, except that the actors splashed us before it started with water pistold and big buckets of water!

Rodeo drive we didnt visit for long as the shops were starting to close, but it was such a lovely street. In comparisson to Hollywood the place was paridise! However we didnt see any one famous :( Except Taylor Lautner had been into the same coffee shop we went to earlier that day! Ha ha there were so many stories like that, but it was still nice to have a look at all the really nice shops (and all the really expensive cars parked outside!).

Love E and S