The Best of Both Worlds (The one where Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell and Orlando Bloom wished me a happy birthday)

Most of my life, I've kind of felt like a Hannah Montana. You know, rockstar by weekend; rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and going to concerts, traveling, etc. Then, regular girl, just going to school to pursue her dreams by week, usually being ignored by the cool kids or just known as the "quiet" one, who isn't really remembered at the end of the day. I really do get the "best of both worlds," (ba dum bum-ching). Also, never has the line, "You go to movie premieres (is that Orlando Bloom?)" been more accurate than this very post. To find out more about that, you'll have to keep reading.

Anyway, all I wanted for my 22nd birthday this year was to hang out by the Golden Globes drop off spot for the red carpet, to see if we could see or meet any of the stars arriving for the main event. I had been doing my research on Google and YouTube, and it seemed like our chances were pretty good. My parents, being the amazing people that they are were up for the adventure. I made a sign that said "Roll down your window please" on one side, and on the other it read, "It is my birthday '22'!" I was all set and we kept joking that we were going to meet Sandra Bullock. Her, Monica Potter and Amy Poehler were on my top 3 people that I wanted to meet. But, of course, I would have been happy to see ANYONE. I mean everybody and their brother was going to be there, so I knew no matter what happened, it would be a good time.

Signs all around L.A promoting..I WANT ONE!

Sunday morning, we went to the earlier service at church, then came home for a few minutes to pick up our cameras and all that jazz, then headed out. We were still pretty early, so we had time to stop for lunch at Chipotle, and took our time. After, we made our way to L.A, and drove around for a bit looking for parking. That can be quite the task, especially if you don't want to pay an arm and a leg for parking on the night of a special event. We finally found a lot, then went searching for a restroom, which is hard on Wilshire Blvd, which is full of shops or cafes. We found a Rite Aid, and I was able to staple the letters on my board that kept flopping around and I was afraid would fall off with the wind outside. When everything was good to go, we walked to the Beverly Hilton Hotel to get start scoping things out for the red carpet. On the way over, I felt so awkward about holding my sign, trying to keep it hidden, but we were at a crosswalk with two guys across the street from them, and as we got the "walk" signal and passed them, they handed me a dollar and wished me a 'happy birthday.' I guess announcing that it is your birthday definitely has its benefits. I thought it was hilarious that they had planned it all out, too! My mom joked that I should just get a jar and walk around with the sign to see how many people would give me money! Lol...I didn't do that, but there's always next time ;).

We started out in front of the building, where there was a small crowd already gathered around. But, then we started realizing it was only for press and walked a little further down where there were only a few groups waiting by barricades. My dad started talking to a security guard and she was telling him that was the best spot to be in, so I was pretty excited and we stayed put. Then, some of my friends that I had met at the Lauren Graham book signing met up with us, and we started planning and talking about who we wanted to see. It was so good to see them again! We talk on Twitter, and Amber and I text here and there, but the last (and first) time we hung out was in May. It didn't feel like we had to wait that long, and pretty soon, limos were starting to show up.

Robyn, Amber and myself! 

One of the first people we were able to see was one of my favorite actresses, Monica Potter, from Parenthood, who was nominated for Supporting Actress in a Drama, Musical or Comedy. She had her window rolled down and waved to us, and I was SO excited to see her. Hoping next time there will be more time to actually meet her and talk to her

. I'm hoping maybe she recognized me from Twitter, since she follows me, but if not, she definitely saw Amber and Robyn, who talk to her all the time. Shortly after that, the limos kept showing up and you could tell that the red carpet had started. It was like this constant flow of excitement and each star being bigger than the last. It was hard to keep up with.

Here are some of my absolute FAVORITE moments and some other amazing celebrities we saw:

My parents! They're the bestest! :)

• Had a short conversation with Jim O'Heir (Jerry, Larry and Gary from Parks and Rec). He wished me a happy birthday, then said, "22? I'm only 3 decades older than you" or something like that. I thought I had gotten the entire thing on video, and was sad when I realized I hadn't actually pushed record. 
• Eric Stonestreet (Cam from Modern Family) kept looking and pointing at my sign, and you could tell he was saying something...Pretty sure he said happy birthday, but he was so far away it was hard to tell. HAH!
• Retta (Donna from Parks and Rec)
• Johnny Galecki (Big Bang Theory, Christmas Vacation-Russ)
• Kaley Cuoco Sweeting (Big Bang Theory, 8 Simple Rules)
• Sandra Bullock (you could tell it was her from the window and when we watched the red carpet later, but she didn't roll the window down)
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitchell from Modern Family)
• Ty Burrell (Phil from Modern Family)
• Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Malcolm in the Middle)
• Chris Hemsworth (THORRRRR!!!!! He really is even more gorgeous in person)
• Rob Lowe (he had his window rolled down further up the street, but by the time he got to us, it was up again..I was lit'rally so sad)
• Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)
• A couple long NBC limos 
• Could have sworn we saw Taylor Swift, judging by the way her hair was pulled up and curled, but not totally sure. 
• Emma Watson (she was putting on her lipstick in the car)
• Kevin Spacey
• Uma Thurman
• Leslie Mann
• P. Diddy
• Jared Leto
• Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally
• Channing and Jenna Dewan Tatum
• Taylor Schilling
• Amy Adams
• Idris Elba (Mandel)
• Melissa McCarthy (she was so cute; waving to everyone through the window, and looked so excited)
• ORLANDO BLOOM rolled down his window and I flipped my sign over to say that it was my birthday. He leaned out, the side that his mom was on, and wished me a happy birthday! I shouted "thank you" back and proceeded to fan girl, feeling like I was going to pass out. People don't even understand how extreme my crush on him back in the day around "Pirates" was. And when I found out we shared a birthday, he absolutely became one of my favorite people. I wish I would have thought to say happy birthday back to him, but it all happened so fast and I was completely caught off guard. It's not everyday that you expect THAT to happen. *SIGH* His accent and charming good looks could make anyone swoon.
• TOM HANKS and wife, RITA WILSON showed up and I thought they might wave to our section, but I put my birthday sign out again. Well, Tom yells "Happy birthday!" out the window, then starts saying other stuff, and then I realize HE'S SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, and then tapped his wife on the shoulder to join in! I'm just standing there, like, "Is this real life?!" (normally, I hate that expression...But, this really was one of those pinch me moments. like when does this stuff happen?!) I'm just standing there like an idiot, smiling so big and I think I shouted I'm a huge fan at some point and just kept saying "thank you so much." I thought I was getting all of it on camera, but I only got bits and pieces because I was shaking so much. Oh, and I also dropped my sign because I was too excited, and it slid to the middle of the street. One of the security guys was nice enough to pick it up for me. Then, just before Tom and Rita drove off, Tom pulled out his camera and started snapping pictures of our side of the crowd! I'm still hoping he tweets those! Haha! But, in the meantime...I'M STILL ON TOM HANKS' phone...WHAT?!?! Tom and Rita seem like they would be that really cool, fun couple really trying to liven up the party with a game of charades or something. I SERIOUSLY want to hang out with him. This just proved to me that he might be a great actor, but he's an even better person. Think about that.

  

  
  

  Oh, you know, just Tom Hanks taking a picture of US! AHHH!

• And just when I thought the day couldn't get any better, another star from Saving Mr. Banks, COLIN FARRELL ended up coming around and rolled his window down when he saw my sign. He said "happy birthday" with that awesome accent of his, and then sang "Happy birthday" again? I couldn't even comprehend what was happening at that point. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear...I don't know your name (he gave a slight shrug)." "Shelby," I told him and then he nodded and carried on, "Happy birthday dear Shelby (emphasis on my name that time), happy birthday to you." I just kept freaking out and telling him thank you again. Some other people near us started saying hi to him and then he had a green light to head towards the red carpet. Right before he left, he made eye contact with me again, placing his hands together like a prayer position/bow and nodding my way. He seems like SUCH A NICE GUY! Respect for him definitely went up in my book. I don't really know too much about his personal life. But, based on how he seems to treat people ...He seems like a really cool guy. 

  

  I believe this photo is courtesy of Amber :) HOW COOL?!

My new thing is going to be: If Tom Hanks, Colin Farrel and Orlando Bloom (three of THE BIGGEST STARS in Hollywood) can wish me a happy birthday on their way to the Golden Globes, what's your excuse?! Just kidding. Kind of ;)

Oh, and who can forget the Westboro Baptist that came into full effect as the red carpet started? They started pulling out their awful posters that said things like, "Paul Walker is in hell" or "God hates F--S" and other horrible things. I'm sorry, but the God that I serve does not think any of those things. These are the people that are spreading hate and ugliness wherever they go, and it's just awful. The images they were holding up were horrendous, too. We think that might be why some people weren't rolling their windows down too. They didn't want to be involved or to get bombarded with them, not knowing what they were going to do. And who can blame them? They also started bringing their own music out, with strange lyrics to the tune of "I Won't Let Go" by Rascal Flatts. Uh, go figure?! I will probably never be able to listen to that song the same way again.

Anyway, after all the cars seemed to stop and the security team all came back up to the front, we decided to head out. We walked back to the parking lot and ran into Robyn and Amber again, then realized that you could hear some of the awards ceremony. I wanted to cry when I heard Amy Poehler's voice, knowing she was just right across the street, but it was also really awesome at the same time. We listened for a few minutes, then as the sun was starting to set, we drove out of town, as I relived those incredible moments for the rest of the night.

We stopped for dinner at Lucille's, which would be for my birthday, since I had class until 7:30 on Monday and we wouldn't have time. We had to wait quite awhile, and my feet were throbbing and my head was pounding. Waiting to see celebrities is exhausting. I got some sweet tea and took medicine, and after almost an hour, we got a table. I was so out of it, and trying to make a decision about food felt impossible. But, I came to the conclusion of getting a couple appetizers, chicken strips and fried pickles. SO GOOD! The server we had was so helpful and extremely personable, and even brought me a sundae for my birthday, without the singing!

Yummy! Homemade ice cream!

CONGRATS AMY!!!!! AHHHH! I seriously teared up during her speech.

On the way home, my parents and I played 20 Questions, and I kept warning them that I am not that predictable (referring to anyone we had met or seen that night). I was trying to think outside the box. We got home fairly early, so my mom and I watched the red carpet and the Golden Globe awards themselves. I had to finish a quick homework assignment, then I was starting to fall asleep and still had to take a shower. I was still running on adrenaline when I got in bed that night, but had to get to sleep because Monday was going to be loooonnng.

This is definitely a day for the books, and I will NEVER forget it! :)

There are still some pictures and videos I haven't downloaded yet on mine and my mom's cameras, but I'll try to upload them here, as well when I finally put them on my computer.

That's all for now,
Shelby

Q&A with Rebecca

Thanks to social media these days, I have been able to get to know so many wonderful people and have made friendships that I know will last a lifetime, like my friend, Rebecca. I randomly started following her one day after my obsession with One Tree Hill had gone to the next level. Some of my followers were always chatting with her, so I decided to, too. We talked only a couple times, then met up at the network rehearsal for Sophia Bush's short lived comedy series, Partners, where we talked for at least a couple hours after the taping of the show in a parking garage at WB Studios. After that, we instantly hit it off and have been good friends since, writing hit country songs together, exchanging celebrity encounters and fangirling over TV shows…You know, the totally normal stuff that everyone does.

Rebecca has been lucky enough to intern at some pretty cool places through her college, and I asked her to share some of the stories that she lived out over the summer in Los Angeles!

First off, how different is California from Boston? Did it take awhile to get used to?

​Los Angeles and Boston are two polar opposite places, as far as big cities go. I’ve lived in four big cities now (born and raised just outside Philadelphia, go to school in Boston and have lived and co-oped in New York City and Los Angeles) and I love them all for different reasons. I love Boston as a college town. Everywhere you look, there’s another college student getting to know the city, just like I did 4 years ago. Boston is also very much a walking city. And when you can’t walk, you take the T, Boston’s age-old form of public transportation. It’s a gorgeous city, swelled by trees in the fall and snow in the winter. And it has such a rich history -- you really can’t help but to fall in love. Then you have Los Angeles, a city completely opposite of Boston. The weather is always gorgeous, the beach is within walking distance of wherever you are, and the atmosphere is laid back. Los Angeles definitely took some getting used to, having only ever lived on the east coast before last year (I was out in LA in the Spring of 2012 doing internships as well). You have to drive everywhere, and the traffic doesn’t always make it easy. But that’s the only downside to the city. Los Angeles just makes me happy, and I know I’ll end up there someday, but I think I’m going to miss Boston more than I realize when I have to leave in December.

Last spring, you worked at Dick Clark Productions/ABC and this summer, you worked at Yahoo! How was your job different? What have you learned from both experiences about the industry?

​I’ve been so lucky over the past four years with all the experiences that Northeastern has allowed me to have. From my first internship in New York City at The Dr. Oz Show up until my final internship this summer at Yahoo!, I couldn’t be more grateful for this university and all they’ve awarded me with. Last spring, I moved out to Los Angeles for the first time to intern at Dick Clark Productions and also ABC for General Hospital, both as production interns. I had had one production experience prior to these two two and I was able to continue learning and growing while I was in LA. At Dick Clark, I did a lot of research and office work. I also got to make decks (PowerPoints used by executives to pitch shows to networks) and production books for new shows. I was able to see a show go from idea into fruition and straight through to the final product, and it was a great experience. ABC was mostly observing on set and doing office tasks to help the producers.

​This summer, I was lucky enough to land a coveted internship with Yahoo! Studios in Santa Monica, CA. After weeks and weeks of searching for an internship in NYC and having no luck, I found this internship last minute and was ecstatic when I got the offer after a long weekend of interviews. I could write a novel about my amazing 12 weeks at Yahoo! but I’ll keep it short. I was the only Studio intern in Santa Monica, and most of my time was spent bettering myself and my production skills. A list of things I did over the summer: attended weekly and monthly production meetings with the studio staff; compiled research packets on various entertainment topics (Emmys, One Direction, etc.); wrote, produced, directed, edited and starred in a video that I presented to over 100 producers at a Studio meeting, and observed and helped on sets for over 15 different programs, both in studio and on location. Phew! I learned so much over the summer and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.

​As far as the entertainment and production industries go, I’ve learned over the past few years to be up for anything. Production is a hard, hard business, both to get into and to succeed in. You really have to be dedicated and motivated to do well, and I’d like to think I’m both. I’m both anxious and excited to see where my future is in this industry.

When you were at Yahoo, you were able to meet some pretty cool people, like Charlie Worsham and Danielle Bradbury! What was that like?

With Danielle Bradbury

​I had so much fun at Yahoo! this summer! Because I’m what I like to call a “professional intern” now, after five internships, I went into my summer knowing two things: I had to make contacts and I had to speak up to get the experience that I wanted. And I did both and have no regrets! One of my best moves at the beginning of the summer was approaching the four women that produce Ram Country, Yahoo!’s country channel. I showed them my interest in country music and from there on out, they invited me on every exciting shoot they were hosting. Whether I was needed to work or not, they definitely took care of me this summer! Through them, I got to attend shoots with Brett Eldredge, Billy Currington, Charlie Worsham, Danielle Bradbury, Amos Lee and The 1975 (I’m probably leaving some of them out). I learned so much from those shoots AND I had so much fun!

On assignment for a shoot with Charlie Worsham! 

​I also helped out and observed a myriad of other shows while at Yahoo!, from cooking shows to variety shows and daily recap shows. Through my networking, I became really close with the Director of Photography, Tommy, who sent me on all the shoots I went on over the summer. Through him, I got to meet all those celebrities (he encouraged me to get pictures with them!). Aside from the country stars, I also got to hang out with Daniella Monet (Victorious), Ray J, Donald Faison (Scrubs), Aida Mollenkamp (Food Network), Nikki Boyer (host of Yahoo!’s Daytime in No Time), Kristen Aldridge (host on OMG! Insider), Theo Von (host of Yahoo! Primetime in No Time), Michael Yo (host of OMG! Insider and Yahoo!’s The Yo Show), Joy Prouty (photographer), and of course, One Direction! It definitely feels pretty cool to be working with the celebrities, rather than just watching them on TV!

There are always fun shows and plenty of things to do in L.A. Did you happen to discover any new groups/artists. What were some of the highlights of your trip/internship?

Rebecca with Amber Carrington

​Last spring when I was out in LA, I had some of the best experiences when I wasn’t working. This time around, I was working a full-time, paying internship, so I was very busy and had less time for fun outside of work. But that didn’t stop me! One of the fun things I did a few times after work this summer was attend The Grove’s summer concert series. In June, I was able to see two of my favorite contestants from The Voice last season, Amber Carrington and Sasha Allen, perform. Then in July, I got VIP passes to see The Backstreet Boys at their 20th Anniversary show at The Grove. That was a childhood dream come true for me!

Silly faces with Tori Kelly

​I also got to see my favorite singer, Tori Kelly, perform a sold-out show at The Troubadour in July. I saw her for the first time in January of 2012 in LA and there I was, at my fourth show, seeing her rock in front of a huge, sold-out crowd. I felt proud, watching her up there on the stage, and in awe of all the millions of fans that she’d gained since that first time I saw her at the Red Room in front of 100 people. Did I mention that Yahoo! happened to livestream her show for her? I was so happy to see her again this summer and I can’t wait until she comes back to Boston in November. Everyone should check her out!

​I also got to attend two dance shows while I was out in LA (if you know me, you know I love my SYTYCD and DWTS!). The first was Nigel Lythgoe’s amazing function for charity, the Dizzyfeet Gala! It was a night filled of stars and phenomenal dancing from stars of So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. The second dance show was another charity event called Art4Life. It was an intimate dance show and a fantastic night!

At So You Think You Can Dance

​Finally, since I knew it was my last internship ever and therefore my last time to ever miss work without a valid excuse, I took a day and a half off to have some fun (shh! don’t tell my boss). In July, I took the day off to go to a taping of The Voice, which I had been waiting to do for 5 seasons. In August, I took half a day of work off to go to the rehearsals and taping of the first all-star episode of So You Think You Can Dance, which I had been waiting to do for 10 seasons! I’m so happy I got all the opportunities I did in the short time I was in LA!

Do you plan to move out to California after you graduate? If so, what do you hope to do? If not, do you plan to intern out here again?

​I’ve been saying for the past 4 years or so that I have plenty of time to figure out what I want to do after graduation, but it looks like I’m running out of time now! With only a few months to go until graduation, I’m still not sure what I want to do after college. I’ve gotten too comfortable living in my college bubble and interning, that frankly, I’m terrified to see what comes next (as I’m assuming is a natural feeling for graduating seniors).

​I do love California, but I know I have to end up there in the future if I want to work in entertainment production. So am I ready to move out there right now? I’m not so sure. California is a big move, considering that my entire family is on the east coast and it’s all I’ve ever really known. New York is like my second home and I do love it there. There are plenty of opportunities for production in New York, so that’s my other option. I will miss LA, but I think it can wait for a few years! It really depends where my opportunities lie. I’m flexible - I’ll move wherever I can find a job in this economy!

Did you make any new discoveries (restaurants, cafés, shopping) that you didn't last time?

​To be honest, I’m a little boring and I always stick with what I know! With that being said, I frequented my favorite restaurants this summer, including C&O Trattoria (best Italian food in LA) and Lemonade Cafe! I also sought out macaroons wherever I went (I discovered Bouchon Bakery in Beverly Hills, which was amazing!) and stuck with my Intelligentsia coffee whenever I could. I also, once again, made sure to try every food truck I saw! I’m a food truck eficianado, as Parvati Shallow (from Survivor) called me when I ran into her at the food trucks at First Fridays on Abbot Kinney (name dropping while referencing my favorite street, due to another celebrity run-in -- classic!). I tried the Grilled Cheese Truck my first weekend out in LA and it was amazing.

​I was lucky enough to have a fantastic roommate for the summer who also loved food. She took me to experience some firsts, including chicken and waffles at Bru’s Wiffle, cajun shrimp at Boiling Crab and korean barbecue (which I’m now OBSESSED with!).

You were kissed on the cheek by a certain One Direction member...*Cough*  Harry Styles *Cough*, which I'm sure millions of girls all over the world are jealous of! Care to explain?

​I think I played that one up a little too much because I knew it would make my friends jealous (no, I’m not too old to like One Direction! They’re foreign and adorable - what more could you ask for?). Here’s what happened: Over the course of the summer, I spent 7 or 8 weeks working on research and production pieces for the live stream of One Direction’s red carpet movie premiere in August. I spent weeks and weeks putting together a research packet and also helping produce packages for the website we’d be live streaming on. The event was in New York City on Monday, August 26th and I was flying home on Saturday, August 24th. With that in mind, I offered to take the train into NYC and work the event so I could get both live and red carpet experience on one final day with Yahoo!

This Is Us movie premiere red carpet

​I spent the day in NYC doing research and running around the city helping my bosses. When it came time for the show, I was placed on the carpet to act as a talent wrangler (mostly because my boss wanted to get me in on the action). I was standing right at the front of the carpet where the talent got out of their cars and was meant to identify celebrities and also pull them for interviews.

The One Direction guys walking the carpet! 

​When One Directions Escalades pulled up, I saw the boys get out of their cars (and fawned a little obviously - Niall’s just so cute!), and stepped back to get out of their way.                               As they walked toward our stage to be interviewed, Harry stopped in front of myself and my counterpart, Liz, grabbed our hands one at a time, and kissed us on the cheek. I had no idea what was happening and didn’t know what to do, so I just kissed back! He’s quite a womanizer, that Harry! I definitely didn’t mind though :)

So, there you have it! Pretty exciting stuff, right? I can't wait to see what she ends up doing in the business someday :)

If you'd like to see what she's up to, be sure to follow her on Twitter and Instagram!

That's all for now,
Shelby
xoxo

Re-eee-ed, Re-eee-ed Tour 2013

Yesterday feels like a very strange dream; complete with a little drama, theatricality, good music, the city of Angels, and Taylor Swift. Let me explain how it all went down!

I woke up around 7:30, got ready, talked with my dad for a few minutes, and my mom and I were ready to go by 8:30, which is when we had originally planned to leave. Well, there is a bit of construction going on around our neighborhood, so it took us a little longer to get to the freeway. Then, I was reminded that I forgot something, so we had to turn around and go back. I was not in a good mood...But, I tried to perk up a little. Finally, we were back on the road, so I set the tunes to Taylor, of course, since that's who we were on our way to see. I always like to get pumped up to the artist we're going to see. It just helps me feel festive, that's all.

Shirt//Forever 21, Shorts//Forever 21, Shoes//Target

We made it down to LA in really good timing! The traffic wasn't bad at all, so we ended up in town around 10:30, so that gave us plenty of time. I was trying to think of somewhere different to eat, but just decided with Paty's, since it was close and I know they have good food. I had a chicken wrap that was good, but I was too excited to eat really, so I just sort of ended up picking around and eating the chicken! Too much avocado isn't always a good thing! LOL. We finished lunch and would've had time to do some other things, but not knowing how the system at Taylor's concert worked for the pit, we wanted to make sure we got over there to check it all out.

My mom and I drove into downtown, parked the car, then walked to Staples Center to see if we could pick up our tickets at will call. Well, because the confirmation e-mail never said what time you could do that, we assumed you could just do it whenever. As it turns out, we couldn't pick them up until 4:30, so we had a ton of time to kill and absolutely nothing to do. There's not much else to do around L.A Live, unless you're there for a concert or to eat...So, that sort of narrowed it down. And we had just been to the Grammy museum again a couple months ago. We mainly just wandered around, then I suggested going to FIDM (Fashion Institute). They have a really awesome student scholarship store that has a lot of discounted clothes and jewelry that some of the students have either made or used for projects! I found a lot of great items last time, and thought it'd be something to do! I didn't buy anything, because I wanted to save what money I had for Taylor...that girl always knows how to find a way to empty my wallet!
On the FIDM campus, they usually have an exhibit of costumes from motion pictures that were nominated for the academy awards and it's free (you can donate if you want to on the way out), so my mom and I wondered if they had switched it out with something else. Indeed they had, so we gave that a little looksie... it had costumes from several hit shows like, Nashville, Downton Abbey, Two Broke Girls, Parks and Recreation, Girls, Scandal, and several others that I hadn't really heard of. It's amazing to see how tall or small the actors are who wear them, compared to the idea you have while you watch them on the small screen. There was also a room full of one of the largest collections of 1920s outfits inspired by "Gatsby's women", which was fascinating. So many incredible flapper dresses; the beading and detailing were mesmerizing. I would love to time travel back to that era.
After that, we had killed an hour, with several more to go and no idea what to do next. It was a little warm and I was not in the happiest of moods, which unfortunately seems to be the theme lately, and something I bring on myself. I stress myself out over absolutely nothing most of the time or worry myself to death about the future, causing everyone around me to be miserable. My mom and I had a bit of a...moment...and had to talk some things out.
The fashion around downtown LA as we walked around is definitely something else...Everyone has their own flavor, which is exciting! After that, we walked back to the Staples/Nokia area. I was able to pick up some goodies from the merch table, then we wandered a little more. We were both getting pretty tired of "wandering", so we took a bit of a break, grabbed something to drink and ended up sitting behind Staples near the buses, because we had absolutely nothing else to do, as people gave us strange looks, like what are you waiting around for? No, we weren't even waiting or expecting Taylor to come out, so there was absolutely nothing going on. The sun moved its way over to us, so we decided to walk back to the car and came back to sit by the box office, so we were ready to go when pit was released.
While we were waiting, a younger girl came over to us and handed out cards, explaining she's a singer/songwriter, that if you like Taylor, you'd love her music too. I thought it was such a bold move, which I admired. She asked to take a picture with me for her fan site, and explained that she has a headlining show coming up at The House of Blues on sunset soon, which is a pretty big deal around here! She was really sweet, so I looked her up on Twitter and Instagram; definitely going to check out her music! Ellysa Rose was her name, in case any of you are interested :)

Eventually, 4:30 rolled around and we got in line for the passes. We started talking to a couple moms with daughters about Taylor...What else, right?! And I actually met the sister of a girl who had contacted me on Twitter...Small world! I was explaining how I'd been able to meet Taylor a few times and the story rang a bell with her! HA! Totally random! After we picked up our tickets, we went to the door and waited for an hour, talking with a mom and her 12 year old daughter. We were telling them about some of our trips to Nashville, as well as winning T-Party and pit. They told us all about their "Taylor Trip" to Nashville, hitting all of the places she goes...Needless to say, we got along real well. They were so sweet, and we thought we would be in the pit together...But, we ended up being on opposite sides, realizing we were in the wrong line. We should have been in the front row of the pit, but the guy wouldn't let us go down the same way, even though it didn't matter, so we had to go around to find another entrance that would allow us floor access. Such a crazy thing! We finally ended up in line, pretty far back, but we still made it against the other side, touching the stage, which was all I cared about.  I thought, "She'll use all of the stage at some point, so we'll be fine here." The waiting took forever, because we still had an hour to go before the show even started...But, it wasn't too bad. I think it's great that Taylor always makes every show of hers feel like an experience. Complete with booths, picture taking and lots of videos and music to keep you occupied.

                                        

At last, the lights went out and stage lights went up for Casey James! He's really talented, can jam on the guitar, and is a great songwriter. I enjoyed his set, which was only about four songs, and he seemed to have the crowd going..I just think he seems to be better with playing small bars/venues for the style he does, but you just never know. Ed Sheeran was up next and I was really excited to see him live, because everyone has said he's great! I've only listened to a little bit of his music on Spotify, but fell in love with "Lego House," so I was glad that was his last single and also that he played it live. What I loved most about him is that he's so hilarious and witty, and I just think he should make YouTube videos of all of his adventures around the world (if he doesn't already?) because he's so endearing. I can see why him and Taylor get along so well. Not all of his music is my style, but I think he's an incredible artist and knows how to draw an audience in. Can't wait to see what he does after the Red tour!

There was a bit of an intermission, and we had started talking to the security guard standing next to us. He said he would tell them he had two people for Club Red if they were looking for people..I didn't actually think he had any pull, but it was a nice gesture. And finally, "American Woman" started playing over the loud speaker... I knew exactly what that meant. Taylor was heading to the stage.

The lights went out for the last time, and the screams went to another level. I had my hand on the stage,  looking out to the sea of people all screaming for Taylor, waving their glow sticks and signs in the air just hoping that she'd even glimpse their way. It's the most unreal thing I've ever experienced. I can see how she says something like that never gets old. As a little girl, that was all I'd ever dreamed of...Standing on a stage, hearing people shout and sing along with me. Some dreams change, and I realize that might not be where I end up, but living it out from the pit of a Taylor Swift concert is pretty darn close. She represents girls everywhere who dream of that someday or just want to have that little fantasy of it happening to them.

A shadow of Taylor appeared behind the large red curtain, as the band began to play "State of Grace," and the roar of the crowd erupted. I always tell myself I won't cry...and then I do. And I did last night. Several times. I'm just SO SO proud of her. To have literally been there from the beginning, watching her grow into this worldwide phenomenon is just mind boggling. I mean, we all knew she was capable of it She walked down the grand staircase, strutting down the catwalk, and pretty soon, she was off and running. Towards the end of the song, she even gave away the hat she was wearing, placing it on the girl's head, and I just about freaked out! I can't even imagine being that girl. 

Taylor popped out a few more catchy, upbeat songs, like "Holy Ground" and "Red." She even thanked everyone in the audience for being the reason that she broke records as having the most sellouts for a solo artist, beating out Madonna, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, with 11 shows. CRAZY! She went into several more songs, and most of the time, I was just thinking how insane it was to have watched her at 17 years old, opening for Brad Paisley, and the only thing she had to sell to a crowd was the blue backdrop with her name on it, her guitar and her songs. Now, she has her own trucks with her face painted on every one of them carrying all kinds of equipment, an entire production team with big screens and graphics, dancers, backup singers, and all kinds of surprises up her sleeve. Just when I think she can't get any better, she does. 

The concert was going incredible! She had just finished up the set at the back of the auditorium and made her way to the main stage for "22"--SO FUN! Everyone was rocking out. And then came another moment I had been waiting for all night...she started talking about the surprise guest, which was Tegan and Sara. I know some people were freaking out about that, I'm just not that familiar with their music, so it wasn't a big deal to me. About that time, my mom leaned over to me and just said, "I don't feel good." I kept asking her if we needed to leave, because I didn't want her to start feeling worse before we left, and she said no. She went rummaging through her purse and said, "I can't find my...I can't find my..." I kept asking her what, because I was going to find it for her if she didn't feel like looking for it. She put her purse down and lay her head down on the stage, I was trying to comfort her as best as I could, but I didn't know what to do. The next thing I know she's falling down on the ground. I didn't know what was happening. Probably the scariest moment ever, not knowing what to do, with a million different thoughts running through my head. I mean, we're in the pit in the middle of a Taylor Swift concert...what do you do?? The security guard next to us stepped in and we tried to get her up, but she couldn't. So, she tried to stay there for a few seconds, until another security came up and said, "We need to get her out of here." Uh, yeah, no kidding! That's what we're trying to do, but she doesn't have the strength yet. So, after one of the nice bystanders helped out and others just stared awkwardly not knowing what was going on and turning their direction back to the concert, we were escorted by several security members up the stairs. I glanced at the stage one last time as we walked out of the pit, and could've sworn Amos was making eye contact, probably wondering what was going on...And then we were out. 

We went up to the lobby area to sit down for a little while, while first aid came to make sure my mom was okay. They asked us several questions, also telling us it wasn't the first passing out stint they've had at a Taylor show, just the first of the night. They got her some water and continued asking for information and what actually happened in there, if she had passed out or fell. She didn't really remember that much at the moment, but I clarified that she went down. It turns out it was just dehydration, we hadn't really drank much or eaten since 10:30 or 11 a.m, and we had been in the sun just about all day...Which is something we aren't totally used to, so that means drinking a lot of water and resting up now to make up for it.

She kept joking with the guy that we should get Club Red...But, of course, that didn't happen! Haha! Trust me, that was not an intentional plan. After mom started feeling a little better and was just trying to take it easy, she said I could go back in to watch the last few songs. All Too Well had already started up when I was out in the lobby, but I was able to make it back inside for the last half. The security guard talked to one of the ushers and she said it was okay if I just stood at the top. To be honest, I actually liked that view much better. It was easier to see all of the dancers and detail on the stage, instead of glancing every which way to keep up from the pit, but was still a lot of fun down there...There's a different energy that you just can't get anywhere else in the venue.  

Taylor closed out the show with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" with confetti flying through the air. It was pretty magical, I must say. I left a few seconds early to beat the rush and met up with my mom. Luckily, we got out of there pretty quickly and made it out before the crowd hit and our parking lot was just across the street when we took the back exit. We hurried to the car and headed to the freeway. What a night, is all I can say. 

Definitely Taylor's best concert so far, I think. As special as each tour has been for me, I feel like this one was just really fun and heartfelt. She seemed the most natural again, while still making it feel like you're at a real live stage show, complete with costume changes and all. My favorite part of the entire show was "The Lucky One." Taylor always goes into so much detail with everything that she does; making videos, her monologues, her hidden messages in songs. Whatever she does, she makes sure that it is well thought out and planned, and that definitely shows! I will ALWAYS be a fan of hers...I don't care what genre she is. She makes fantastic music and puts on one heck of a show, to think otherwise...You obviously haven't seen her live.

We got out of LA with no problem and made it to Valencia, grabbing In-N-Out, then hitting the road again that would lead us home. We were even starting to chuckle at mom's little tumble LOL...I told her, "We are never ever ever going to another concert together." I was obviously just kidding, but thought it was fitting with the Taylor Swift theme, and then we laughed a little more at all of the stupid things that we'd say or come up with on the way home. We made it home around 12:30, and talked to my dad for a few minutes about the night and the concert, then hit the hay. Going to concerts is quite the exhausting process...Some people don't even understand! HA! 

That's all for now,

Shelby

Oh, and stay tuned for a vlog of pictures and video of the night's festivities! :)