Los Angeles

Flying back from Panama I had just 3 days before I dived head first into my exciting new job working for Universal Pictures.

Landing my dream job for a company as big as Universal has left me constantly pinching myself.

I am working on brands such as Minions, Jurassic World and Fast and Furious and during my first day my manager told me we would soon be flying to LA for our official on-boarding with the Creative team over in the states.

I think I bounced all the way home that night.

LA is somewhere I had not yet travelled to and whilst the trip was for business I was told we would be able to squeeze in a little bit of downtime. I couldn't wait to see a part of America I was yet to experience.

Flying out on a Saturday meant that we landed in LA Saturday evening, leaving a free Sunday to spend at the Universal Studios park in Hollywood.

Our tickets were all arranged and by 9am we were queuing by the entrance to head into the park.

We decided to tackle the areas of the park that were relevant to the brands we would be working on, so firstly we headed for Minions Mayhem, stopping by for a photo with Tom and Kevin along the way.

I have never been much of a fan of 3D rides or films as I have always felt they lacked the ability to make me feel I was part of the action.

I am pleased to say that the Minions Mayhem ride did just that. It was 5 minutes of silliness, packed full of humour, eye popping colour and roller coaster motion. Having bananas flying into my face followed by a hungry Minion was a fun way to begin the day.

The ride is obviously aimed at younger kids but the big kid in me enjoyed it just as much.

Next up we headed through those infamous gates and into Jurassic Park.

This is a river rapid ride and while some of the animatronics now look a little clunky, the ride was still lots of fun as you are surprised by pouncing raptors, before climbing a steep include in your boat before having a close encounter with a T-Rex, only escaping my sliding down a huge water slide getting wet in the process.

The Fast and the Furious ride is part of the Studio Lot tour so we jumped on a trolley cart and our tour guide Danny took us right into the heart of the Universal Studios, all of which are live and working film and tv sets.

Being a film fan myself it was such a cool experience to see up close how this industry works.

From watching King Kong wrestle a T Rex to driving through Amity island and coming face to face with Jaws himself. Being goggled eyed at the huge airplane crash scene from War of the Worlds to a monster car chase with the characters from F&F themselves. It was a very surreal 90 minutes.

The highlight of the day though had to be the opportunity to head into Hogsmeade and get a sneak peak at the soon to be officially opened Harry Potter experience.

We were unsure beforehand if we would be allowed in due to the official opening not being until the 7th April, but fortunately luck was on our side and we were allowed in.

The set is so authentic, from passing Olivanders wand shop to Bertie Blotts sweet shop the attention to detail was incredible. Staff were all in Hogwarts uniforms and fellow tourists were all glugging on a glass of Butterbeer.

The ride in the castle is another 3d ride where you feel as though you are riding your broomstick through the grounds of Hogwarts whilst being chased by dragons, or chasing a snitch during a game of quidditch or even desperately trying to escape the Dementors, who were real life animatronics and damn right scary.

After being all 'theme parked' out we headed down to Santa Monica pier. Somewhere I have always wanted to go.

SM is great for shopping and bars and restaurants but its down by the pier that the liveliness and atmosphere is at.

It was also Spring Break during that time so there were lots of party goers and surfers enjoying the weather.

Down along the pier you have everything you expect from a seaside pier, slot machines, ice cream stalls, fair ground rides and cheesy Californian merchandise. However there are are a couple of iconic stand out points on the pier that I was sure to get a photo of. The first being the sign stating that you are now at the end of Route 66 and the second being the Zoltar fortune teller which is from the Tom Hanks film - Big.

Dinner and a glass of wine rounded off a jam packed day and it was time to get some rest before the proper work started the following day.

The rest of the week was spent working alongside the US creative team and they really took good care of their international guests. From taking us for Mexican food in Melrose to the ultimate highlight which was dinner at Nobu in Malibu on Wednesday night.

Driving through the Californian hills with the sun blazing through the car roof was a pretty amazing sight, but when we turned a corner and suddenly being faced with the blue Pacific Ocean it was something else.

The decking area was pumping out chilled out house music all to the soundtrack of the ocean waves crashing against the rocks. With a beautiful sunset it all collectively made the evening feel really special. The food was incredible and it was nice to get to know my US, Japanese and Chinese counterparts.

So much of the past week has felt so surreal. From all of the above to standing on the Studio Lot following our town hall meeting being passed by a fleet of stunt cars.

I take nothing for granted though and know that I have been gifted an amazing experience. Aside from the fun stuff, the work stuff was pretty awesome too.

If only I could have stolen this Lego Raptor to take back home with me.

I am hoping to get back to LA at some point in the next year but for now this trip has been enough to make me fall in love with California.

Thanks for reading, back soon.

Nic x

Washington DC in a day

So whilst this blog will mostly feature new travel posts I did want to write a quick review on a tour I took in December 2012.

Spending six nights in NYC I was keen to explore further afield then previous trips had allowed time for. After doing some quick research I discovered you could get from New York to Washington in a reasonable amount of time that it wouldn't eat too much into my holiday.

New York to Washington DC in a day

I discovered that Viator offered a round trip deal for under £90, that included return bus transfers, and a whistle stop tour of all of the postcard famous sights of the city.

http://www.viator.com/tours/New-York-City/Washington-DC-Day-Trip-from-New-York/d687-3857DC1

Also be sure to look out for Discount coupons for Viator as I saved 10% on my tour.

Leaving NY early in the morning it takes around 3-4 hours to arrive in the Capital.

The Viator deal takes you to the Lincoln Memorial and reflecting pool, the Korean War memorial, the Capitol Hill State Building, the Whitehouse, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and finally a quick stop at Madame Tussauds where you can have you photo taken with Presidents old and new.

War Memorial with carved faces of the Veterans

Korean War Memorial

The famous Lincoln Memorial is a must visit when in the Capital

The Whitehouse

The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

The tour was informative and our guide was great at picking out the highlights and historical facts. It didn't feel rushed and ample time was available for you to take the typical tourist shots in front of the iconic buildings.

The Reflecting Pool made famous in Forrest Gump

For the price of the tour and what was included into a jam packed day, I would definitely recommend Viator as this tour meant I could tick one more thing off of my Bucket List.

I will definitely look up Viator for future tours.

Is Washington DC on your bucket list?

America Road Trip - Part 4 Great Smoky Mountains

Leaving rainy Nashville behind next stop and another 213 miles to go the next stop was Gatlinburg in the Great Smoky Mountains.

I spent a great deal of time researching where would be the best place to stay in the smokies as we only had one night to stay. Gatlinburg offered everything I was looking for.

Driving to Gatlinburg you pass the town of Pigeon Forge, most famous as the home of Dollywood - A theme park owned by the one and only Dolly Parton. Driving through Pigeon Forge was one of the most bizarre driving experiences ever. It has an upside down hotel and a replica of King Kong and the Empire State Building. The word that springs to mind is tacky tourist town but thankfully that was not the final destination.

Pigeon Forge

Nestled in the heart of the Smokies the small town of Gatlinburg has picturesque scenery, a Moonshine Brewery and lots of personality.

Going at the beginning of August this place was very busy and full of tourists but that didn't distract you from any of the towns charm.

Quaint shops and restaurants line the side of the one road that goes right through the heart of Gatlinburg and pretty much everything is within walking distance.

A few recommendations if you are going to Gatlinburg are;

* To try all different 12 different types of Moonshine that they offer at the Brewery. I managed all 12!!

12 Varieties of Moonshine

* Look out for Racoons

This little guy was hanging out on a shop roof

* Take the sky lift to the top of the mountain for great views of the town. I went up just as the sun was going down so you had great views as the sky changed colour.

View from the top of the ski lift

If you have more time to spare in Gatlinburg there is also an Aquarium and an old fashioned trolley cart that takes you through the town.

Be sure to pay a visit to the Great Smoky Mountain Visitors Centre as they offer great advice on the best walks and drives to do with the time you have in the smokies. Due to limited time we opted for a drive up to Clingmans Dome observatory tower for a quick view from 7000 feet up, before setting off for a drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway. This beautiful drive is incredibly high and through endless winding roads but on the other side we entered the State of North Carolina and one step closer to the final destination.

Thanks for reading my little blog!!

American Road Trip - Part 3 Nashville

So after Memphis the real part of the road trip began.

Next stop Nashville.

211 miles and about 3.5 hours later the highway curved around to bring into view the iconic skyline that Nashville is known for. Most recognisable is the AT&T building also known as the Batman Building.

The view of Nashville from the Cumberland Bridge

The trusty voucher book (you can pick one up at any gas station) that had become a staple part of the road trip gave discount codes for a range of hotels in Nashville, but after a friend visited here a few years ago I knew I wanted to stay in the hotel with the guitar shaped pool. The Ramada Downton Nashville is cheap but not so cheerful however the pool was pretty great. It is also almost on the car park of the Tennessee Titans stadium and right by the Cumberland Bridge which helps you to cross the river straight into the heart of the city.

The first night out in Nashville (perhaps due to the long drive) resulted in a great deal of beer being drunk. Broadway Downtown is the place to be, where every night you can listen to live music, smell the leather from the cowboy boot shops and drink good old Tennessee whiskey in the saloon bars. The strip is alive with neon signs drawing you into the bars and so after working our way up Broadway we ended up in Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.

Now this place came recommended in my Lonely Planet book and was buzzing with atmosphere. The beer is cheap and the music is loud.

Perfect combination.

Broadway Baby

So on Day 2 armed with a hangover, the first stop was the Country Music Hall of Fame. Complete with Audio tour this place is a must visit even if you are not the biggest fan of Country Music. It takes about 3 hours to do the whole tour. The museum is great and you get to hear how Country Music got its roots and the costume section of the tour was my absolute favourite.

Dolly Parton's Outfit on show at the CMHOF

After the CMHOF I walked further up Broadway towards the Ryman Auditorium. This place is probably best known as the most famous former home of the Grand Ole Opry and definitely worth a visit. The building itself is one of a kind.

The next stop was to hop back in the car and head out of town to the famous listening rooms - The Bluebird Cafe. This small and intimate 90 seat venue has played host to Faith Hill, Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift, and is covered in fairy lights.

Now if you want to visit the Bluebird make sure you book in advance and don't do what I did and take your chances queuing up early for the 20 places they offer without booking. Despite getting there early we made it right to the front of the queue before we were told the venue was full. Gutted...... However they did let us stick our heads in to see inside and it was magical. Being a massive fan of the TV show Nashville this place was the one venue I really wanted to go and see some live music. I guess it just wasn't meant to be, but that didn't stop me from getting my picture taken underneath the iconic canopy.

My final recommendation in Nashville is the Hatch Show Print Shop on Broadway. If you follow music, art, and culture of the American South, sooner or later you will run into the iconic look, typography and imagery of Hatch Show Prints.

One of the oldest working letterpress print shops in America, Hatch Show Print posters have featured a hot of music performers, including Neil Young, BB King and Johnny Cash. The shop itself is also home to an adorable fat ginger cat that can be found snoring in a basket tucked behind some of the print boxes.

I just couldn't leave this place without buying a print for myself. A little something to remind me of the amazing time I had in Nashville. This print is now framed and hangs in my kitchen.

I would recommend Nashville to anyone and cant wait to go back for longer next time

+Lonely Planet 

American Road Trip - Part 2 Memphis

So upon leaving New Orleans and a 7 hour Amtrak train ride later I arrived in Memphis, Tennessee.

Moving on from a city of Jazz this place is all about the Blues and good old fashioned Rock and Roll.

Memphis certainly has a different feel to that of New Orleans and whilst it is mostly known for its music and bbq's its a city very much affected by poverty. The area surrounding Beale Street can at times feel very surreal as you walk past closed down shops and ramshackle buildings. However the city is still full of plenty of charm and charisma.

Of course no trip to Memphis is complete with a trip to the mecca of Rock and Roll - Graceland. I really didnt know what to expect from Graceland but I have to say I was pleasantly suprised and found the audio tour around the house and grounds fascinating. It really is like taking a step back in a time machine.

From Graceland you can catch a free shuttle bus to take you to the World Famous Sun Studios. This place was my favourite tour in Memphis and the little shoebox sized studios was amazing.

Sun Studios was founded by Sam Philipps in the early 1950s and was the place that recorded the first tracks of Howling Wolf, Johnny Cash and some guy named Elvis. You may have heard of him. :)

In fact you can even stand on the spot where Elvis recorded some of his most famous tracks. There is also the most iconic photo of the 'Million Dollar Quarter' that was Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins hanging on the wall. If you love music this place is an absolute must.

A short walk from Sun is the Gibson Guitar factory. If you love guitars then this place is like Disneyland. On the tour you get a front row seat into how the factory creates these beautiful instruments right from the very first piece of wood.

Now any history lovers will know that Memphis is not just about the blues music but that this place was an integral part of the civil rights movement back in the 50's and 60's and The Lorraine Motel on Mulberry Street is the place where on April 4th 1968 Martin Luther King was shot dead. You can peer through the window of the motel room where he was staying and then take a tour around the civil rights museum just across the road. Now this place is very information heavy but its definitely a worthwhile trip to fully appreciate the scale of what happened on that day and the days of the investigation thereafter.

Finally no trip to Memphis would be complete without spending a good few boozy nights of your stay on Beale Street. This 24 hour carnival zone is lined with bar after bar all playing live Blues music throughout the day and night. You can easily lose many hours just sat in a bar with a good beer in hand listening to real life rhythm and blues. I also recommend the BBQ ribs in BB King Blues Club.

Silky O'Sullivans Irish Bar on Beale

If you're looking for somewhere to stay in Memphis I would recommend the Comfort Inn Downtown Memphis. The ritz this place certainly isn't but its clean, right by the banks of the Mississippi and has a rooftop pool with a view of the Pyramid.

Here are a few photos of my time in Memphis - Tennessee.

Elvis' TV Room

Inside Sun Studios

Elvis' Jungle Room with Lisa Maries Panda toy

Hope you enjoyed reading my little blog :)