One Day in SoCal

Long overdue trip report on my complete visit to London and Paris. Attractions I will talk about include The Tower of London, The British Museum, The London Eye, Big Ben, Adelphi Theater, Bath Spa, The Roman Baths, The Bath Bun, Windsor Castle, Gravesite of Queen Elizabeth II, Carpenter Arms Pub, Coronation of King Charles III, Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason, Happy Cat Coffee, Borough Market, St. James Park, Kensington Palace, Harrod's of London, Odeon Theater, Leicester Square, Westminster Abbey, Little Venice, Canal Boats, Poppies Fish and Chips, Eurostar & Channel Tunnel, Paris Catacombs, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Seine River, Saint Severin Church, United Club at Heathrow. 

The Big Day has come and I crossed the Pond and went to Europe for the very first time, flying in style on United Airlines with some premium options. I'll go over some the night before with my experience at the Wynn Buffet and a helicopter tour of the Las Vegas Strip, we'll go through some premium options when flying domestic or international such as cabin upgrades, TSA Precheck and United Clubs as well as a few spots I visited on my very first day in London including the Ancient Roman Wall, Tower Bridge and Picadilly Circus. Join me as I explore and experience travelling to Europe and share some insights and experiences on what its like to visit London these days!Over the next several episodes, I will be sharing experiences from London and Paris and we will return to our regularly scheduled things to do in Southern California afterwards. 

My last visit to SeaWorld was in 2013.  10 years after the release of the documentary Blackfish that nearly destroyed the company and Sea World as we know it, how are they doing and have they made any meaningful changes to their parks to address the criticism? On this visit, I'll be skipping the rides and shows and focusing directly on the animals themselves. I'll also review the fairly new All-Day Dining plan and we'll find out if it is actually worth your money? Let's head South to Sunny San Diego and explore Sea World!

The Grand Canyon is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the world. It's frequently and almost universally on lists of the top 10 places to see before you die and is something that has to be seen in person for you to even start to comprehend the magnitude and majesty of what you are looking at. But while the Grand Canyon hardly needs any introduction, there is a way to add to your vacation by riding into the park in style onboard a 1950's streamliner train. With 6 classes of travel to choose, a full-service 3 star hotel and Williams Arizona with dozens of restaurants and shops jam packed along route 66, let me show you why adding Grand Canyon Railway to your Grand Canyon vacation is the only way to visit!

I was afforded a fairly rare opportunity to tour the Jim Henson Company Lot in Hollywood, California and have a small audience with the one and only Brian Henson! Unlike most movie studios, The Jim Henson Company does not do public tours on a regular basis, so at this 1917 Charlie Chaplin Hollywood original is a rare treat indeed.Finally, we were treated to a show of the Jim Henson Companies newest sensation, Puppet Up! Uncensored!Full audience audio with Brian Henson will be at the end of this episode. Enjoy!*Language Warning: Due to the nature of Puppet Up! Uncensored, some content is adults only. 

Is Art truly in the eye of the beholder or can some art be classified as a scam? I would widely consider paintings like the Mona Lisa to be art, while simultaneously scoff at a banana from the local grocery store being duct tape to a white poster board and selling for $125,000 as a scam. We ponder these questions as I seek answers by expanding my horizons and trying something new at the World Famous Los Angeles County Museum of Art, known locally as LACMA. 

Located just south of Downtown Los Angeles is a FREE museum that is home to the only Space Shuttle on the West Coast; The original Space Shuttle Endeavour. In edition, you'll get to see some amazing replicas and original spacecraft, aircraft, animals and even a Kelp Forest that mimics what the oceans look like off our coast. Many of the exhibits are hands on, which provide a lot of entertainment for both kids and adults. The California Science Center is an incredible way to spend a few hours exploring some of our greatest advancements in science and where mankind is headed next. 

Modern life can be stressful. Looking for a refuge from the chaos of cell phones, modern medicine and democracy? Enter Medieval Times: Dinner and Tournament, a SoCal native located in Buena Park, California (about a block from Knotts Berry Farm) since 1986. You'll be treated as an honored guest of the Queen as you enjoy a meal fit for royalty while watching knights battle it out for your entertainment in a series of games and fights. Compared to Excalibur's Tournament of Kings in Las Vegas, is Medieval Times the better show? Listen and find out out!

While Downtown Los Angeles looks like an urban landscape of white collar business and government, it is filled with hidden gems, history and attractions that add to what makes SoCal unique. Venture with me as I take a walking tour around Downtown Los Angeles to explore some of these attractions and show you why Downtown should be part of your travel plans if coming to visit SoCal. 

So you want to be a famous actor, huh? As extreme as the odds are, there are numerous things you can do to increase your odds of at least some success in Hollywood, whether you are visiting for a few days or one of the many hundreds of starry eyed youth walking off the plane daily at LAX. I go over what you need to do to "make it" in Hollywood and share several of my own stories of working on major Hollywood productions, mostly as a background actor, but occasionally more!Join me this week as I share yet another thing that makes SoCal unique, and something you can do here, no matter what your background, age, looks or physical attributes.