Favorite Five Friday (121st Edition)

It’s the day of the show y’all! Okay, not the show… Just the Friday post! Have at it…

FAVORITE FIVE FRIDAY 

1.  We are cruising through summer! Which means we are closer to our trip to Europe. I can’t even explain how excited I am. We are finalizing plans, buying various tickets, looking at expected weather… It all becomes more real every day. So, if anyone has any recommendations of places to visit or things to do in Paris or London – speak now! We want to see as much as possible. Europe here we come!!

2.  Another thing that gets closer every day is the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood. They are putting it up so quickly it must be magic. As I walked beside the site where it is being built this week, I found myself giggling out loud because it just looks so perfect. It’s everything I’ve been imagining since I was eleven years old and I began my adventures with Harry. I can’t wait to finally go to Hogwarts.

3.  Speaking of the awesome place I work, Universal puts together some pretty awesome workshops and classes for the tour guides. This week we began a six-week class with instructors from Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop, and I was blown away. Jordan Shappell started us off with a bang. We dove right into scenes, and he coached us with such energy, intuition, and clarity. I learned so much, and I’m already pumped to go back next week.

4.  The number of times I’ve been to the beach this year is pretty sad considering how close it is. There is something so refreshing about being near the ocean. Lucky for me one of my dearest friends just moved to Redondo, and the beach is only a few feet from her door. This week I got to spend time with Cammie AND go to the beach. Totally win-win. It was exactly the refresher I needed. Love that girl and her beach. Thanks for sharing it with me, Cam!

5.  Obligatory cat pictures! Let’s be honest… They will always be on my favorite list. 😉

Have a great week, folks!

Favorite Five Friday (79th Edition)

Hey, Friday. You’re lookin’ good…

FAVORITE FIVE FRIDAY

1.  One of our dear friends was in town this week, and we got the chance to meet up with her for a few hours. She was staying in Hollywood so got to eat breakfast with her at the fabulous Roosevelt Hotel. The 25 Degree restaurant there is amazing. It was so lovely to have a relaxing breakfast and the opportunity to reunite with a friend. Thank you, Miss Trina! What a refreshing morning. 🙂 (The photo is a bit grainy, but still cute!)

2.  The Universal Tour Guide Showcase auditions were this week, and I had a really great time. My scene partner and I picked an awesome scene. I feel like we really created some fun an interesting moments. Our audition went really well, and I left feeling very proud of what I did. Unfortunately, I did not get cast in the showcase this year. Of course, I am disappointed, but I feel like I am learning to bounce back from that faster. You have to develop a tough skin to work in this industry – while somehow still remaining vulnerable. It’s an interesting dynamic, but it’s one I am working on. I feel great about my audition, and I am just going to keep plugging away. I can’t wait to see my fellow guides in action at the showcase this fall!

3.  I have been craving a beach day all summer! We don’t get to go too often. (Plus, my husband gets burned pretty quickly so it’s not always high on his list). Well, we finally had a day to go and it was perfect. We walked in the sand, sat in the sun, played on the monkey bars, and are ice cream! There is something so amazing about being by the ocean. It’s simultaneously calming and thrilling. Maybe that’s just me? I am just a huge fan of that atmosphere. I’m dreaming of a day where maybe I will have the chance to live right next to the beach. But being close is good enough for now.

4.  Some friends of ours who are fellow Nashville transplants live in Downtown Los Angeles. The mileage isn’t too far, but the traffic is terrible. Basically this means we don’t get to see them very often. Well, they just moved to a new place so we got to go check it out this week. One of my favorite parts of this week was eating dinner in their cute little bungalow and catching up on each other’s lives. It feels like a little piece of our Nashville home is with us when we are with them. Plus, I love this little man…

5.  I’ve had several people going through all of my fabulous headshots and helping me choose which ones I should use. Kat Tuohy took so many fantastic pictures that it is hard to pick! Soon I will post my selections, but I came across this little outtake and thought it would be fun to share…

 

Enjoy your weekend, friends! You deserve it. 🙂