Pawnee Visit//Oakwood Goodbyes

My last official week of Grady LA was perfect! I was truly amazed to see how much of a routine I had built only to see it come to an end.

Monday I had my internship. It was bittersweet as my time was coming to a close but I got a chance to work on a treatment for a new show which was fun. I felt very official! After that I went to the annual women's summer white party held by C3 Silverlake/Hollywood. Now most of my friends that know me well, know that directions and driving can give me great anxiety and the parking situation in LA can be quite confusing and stressful. But alas, I ventured out and found myself parked and waiting exactly where I needed to be! The party was fun and I was really glad I went. I cherish the connections I was able to make in the place I may one day call my home!

Lovely C3 Summer White Party at NoHo.

The message was beautiful. We referenced the verse often used for young ones on the precipice of an unsure future:

For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11

- You can't doubt God's promise.

- Compromise comes when the promise can't be seen in our current position

- Determination with desperation and without submission leads to compromise.

- God isn't looking for a stand in or replacement in your life
-- your his plan A NOT plan B


Tuesday we went to the Dodgers/Braves game. I'm not a big sports aficionado but the experience was fun regardless! The Stadium was beautiful. I wore blue so as not to reveal my allegiance, as I technically had none. It will always remain a mystery, which team was I rooting for? Wouldn't you like to know? Technically, so would I...haha.

Dodgers.

Dat field though...

After that we went to a very well-known karaoke bar called "Dimples." It's very famous and many famous people go there to have a good time. But alas we went on a night where famous people there were not. Except for one America's Next Top Model contestant Don Benjamin (and groupies that sang way to well for a karaoke bar)! I freaked out, he sang "I'm Too Sexy," and it was perfect!

Wednesday I continued my research for my internship and when I came home we watched one of my favorite films Pride & Prejudice, which I can quote word for word (much to my roommate's dismay). It was a sweet night.

Thursday was the day I'd been literally waiting all summer for. The day we went to visit the set of Parks and Recreation. All I have to say is many pictures were taken and many freak outs were experienced. And with one of these pictures I pulled a joke on my friends back home that was worthy of applause...

Welcome to the Parks Department.

Council Members.

Conference room.

Pawnee Mural.

April and Andy's living room.

That evening we screened our group projects that we filmed and they were hilarious! We had no idea that each one of our separate films made one giant film as a whole...it was a masterpiece. And as I watched all the different portions of the films edited together a wave of nostalgia rushed over me. It was the sweetest thing to see all the personalities and humor of so many of my classmates. I loved it! Our evening concluded with a group dinner to Umami Burger and a game of superlatives that got all too real too quick. Funny but really real. And then I went with some of the guys to an evening showing of Guardians of the Galaxy which was quite possibly the best summer film I've ever seen! I was blown away. My expectations were high and I'm happy to say they were all met.

My awesome Guardians of the Galaxy poster.

My last day of my internship was very sad. We never truly realize how attached we've become until we reach the end. I'd grown to love all my co-workers and the fun work environment they'd created but alas my time was done. They surprised me with cupcakes and a card. I'm gonna miss A Smith & Co. I am I am....

Sprinkles cupcakes from A Smith.

Saturday, the last official day of Grady LA, started very early and was literally the day that never ended and the day I got to be a soccer mom and cart people around all day. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, it was just a long day. I took a friend of mine to the airport, stopped my Chick-fil-A for breakfast, went the car rental to pick up a friend, got blocked in at Enterprise(it was a mad house), the friend I came to pick ended going back another way but I managed to pick up 3 other friends instead, and I came back to the apartment at 10AM only to find out that we had to move out by 10:30...Our morning became a mad dash to leave Oakwood and after a call persuading them to change our departure to noon we were out of our summer home at 12:30. Then after some car shuffling and confusion we used some Universal tickets procured in various ways(we won't get into that) to spend our last day riding rides and spending time together at Universal Hollywood. It was a lovely day that ended all too quick. And after playing about 20 mins of Ellen's game "Heads Up" (prolonging the inevitable) we said our goodbyes in the Oakwood guest lot outside the gate. Yes, tears were shed.

This summer was incredible. I had a wonderful time experiencing so many great things and spending time with so many amazing people. California has truly stolen my heart!

My musings from Grady LA have ended. But the musings of a post-grad have only just begun.

So until we meet again friends...