Birthday in Hollywood

Last week I celebrated y last birthday before becoming a married woman with Tad and some of my favorite girls in the Hollywood area. Becky and I always have a birthday outing (her day si two days after mine). This year's outing was scheduled around Tad's surprise for me: tickets to see the taping of Conan!

Tad and I picked Krista up in Orange County and met Becky at the Hollywood and Highland Center (a huge mall on Hollywood Blvd). The plan was to have lunch and see some of the walk of fame. We only had time for lunch, but it was still fun. The mall is pretty cool. It's really big and has all sorts of little decorations around about being famous. There's a large courtyard with one of those in-the-ground fountains for kids to play in. We ate at CPK and enjoyed quesadilla appetizers and a bbq chicken pizza with bacon. Becky and I got Tad to tell the waiter it was our birthdays so we could get free icecream sundaes, hehe

Tad and I had to be to the Conan lot by 1:30 to claim our tickets, so we bid farewell to the girls and headed up to Burbank. The waiting was quite boring. We picked up our tickets , went through security, and then had about an hour to kill. There was a small souvenir stand, but it was overpriced. It might've been more exciting if we had been waiting somewhere other than a parking garage. Since we had V with us, we got called early to ride on a golf cart over to the sound stage (a nice treat since it was a bit of a walk and rather warm out). Once there we waited for another 45 minutes of so before getting to go into the studio.

It was really cool being there. Everything from the show is just, right there. The studio is a bit smaller than it looks on tv. Once things got started, it went by quickly. The warm up comedian came out and interacted with the audience while explaining safety rules. Andy came out, and then the band started playing. The show tapes pretty much in real time. The band starts a song as you go into commercial, they keep playing during the commercial, and then finish as the show comes back.

It was a great show to be at. Conan's monologue was a pretty good one, and all 3 guests (Neil Patrick Harris, Emily Mortimer, and a great comedian) were all really entertaining. After the show, Tad and I agreed that it was a neat experience, but not something we needed to do regularly. :)

By the time we were finished and out of the lot, it was 5:30 time for dinner. And what is Lindsey's current favorite birthday restaurant? RED ROBIN! We met Becky and Krista and en at a Red Robin in the Glendale Galleria mall. It was nice to get to hang out and chat some more (and to see Jen). Tad and I shared a "Groovy Smoothie" which was fantastic! The table consensus was that it tasted like jelly beans. I also tried a new burger: the pub burger. FANTASTIC!!! It has like monterey cheese, garlic mayo, onion straws, and mushrooms. I think there are a few other things, but yeah, new favorite tied with the BBQ burger.

This meal around we got Krista to inform the waiter of the birthdays and enjoyed a second icecream sundae. Boy do we live on the wild side! Once we'd finished our icecream it was about 8:00, which meant it was time for Tad and me (and Krista, who we were driving home) to hit the road. While dropping Krista off, I got to see their little puppies, so adorable!

It was a great day. I felt a little strange not having my parents around (they were on vacation in China), but we'll just celebrate a little late. My family is into having birthdays last the entire month of your birth. Tad took me out to lunch just the two of us the day before my birthday (Father's Day) at Red Lobster. I had cocnut shrimp, and we got a key lime pie and a brownie a la mode. Raelene and I went out Friday for happy hour at applebees and had margaritas and appetizers. I have so much to look forward to for 24: getting married, a new job, and a new life with my husband. Definitely looking forward to my first birthday as a maried lady :)