I recently took a vacation to New York City. New York is my favorite place in the entire world, but the particular reason for this trip was to visit the One Life To Live Studio’s in hopes of meeting some of my favorite actors. As promised I took lots of pictures, and I have stories to tell =)
April 6th 2010:
Tuesday was the longest day of the trip. We had about a 14 hour train ride to the city, that took longer than planned because of the constant stops for construction on the train. But after the never ending train ride we had made it to New York City! As soon as we got off the train in Penn Station the first stop was outside to get used to our surroundings. Just stepping outside to the city filled me with excitement. However I knew that none of the real stuff would start until the next day. We managed to find our way around the subway system (with lots of help from my twitter friends from NYC) and made it to our hotel room in Queens. We ate dinner at a pretty awful Diner (Pop Diner, I don’t recommend it), went back to the hotel and showered, then headed off to bed ready for the day ahead of us.
April 7th 2010:
We woke up bright and early at 5 AM (as decided by me lol) and took an hour to get ready. My dad and Jacque pretty much drug their feet the entire way, but I was wide and awake with excitement. We managed to make it out of the hotel by six, and after made it to the OLTL studio’s by 7:15ish.
The first two stars we saw were JPL and Farah. It took me a second to realize who it was, and I right away said good morning to them, not wanting to bug anyone for pictures so early in the morning. John was pleasant, smiled and wished us a good morning. Farah was very stand offish, which I thought was likely because it was so early, but she was the same way while going out of the studio. I really don’t like her much, I don’t know her personally so I can’t say anything about her on a person level, but the way she acted that day was enough for me to dislike what I know of her.
The next person we saw was Illene Kirsten. She was in a hurry but was nice enough to allow me to have a picture with her =) I did however promise her that I wouldn’t put it online after she stated “Please don’t put it on Facebook or anything I don’t have any make-up on.” It was great to get to meet her in person, I’ve talked to her on Stardish Radio (GO CHECK IT OUT http://www.stardishradio.net/) and she really is sweet.
Walking out of the studio we managed to catch Shaun Ringgold. I have to say he is like a huge teddy bear. He was just too sweet and loveable and I was so glad I got to meet him. I was also so happy to meet him because that means he’s recording, which means we get to see more of Sean, I adore his character and he really is a great actor.
I think one of the most un-recognizable actors for me was Michael Easton. He was on his way out of the studio when he caught my eye. Wearing sunglasses made it slightly hard for me to know who he was, but the biggest factor was he was so much tinier in real life than on TV. When I watch John I see this tall, built, cop. In real life he just seems so different, so much smaller, not quite as powerful. Anyways I was beyond excited to meet him. He was my first soap crush ago years ago when I started watching One Life To Live. He was very nice, asked us about who we had met and that type of stuff. It was so awesome to get to meet him.
The two people I wanted to meet most were Brandon Buddy and Kristen Alderson, and I kept telling myself to ask one of the actors I met if they were working, however I kept forgetting. I was watching as Jason Tam and Mark Lawson walk down the street, when they got to the door I asked Jason if they were working, he said he was sorry but he didn’t know, then they went in… that was it! As soon as they went inside it hit me that I had just let Jason Tam walk past me and I didn’t do a single thing! I just asked him about Kristen and Brandon. I couldn’t believe it, and tried to wait until he got out of work to meet him but I didn’t meet him that day.
My dad wandered around most of the day, but was back in time to see Bob Woods. If you ask my dad he looks so much older in person then he does on TV, but I thought he looked great. I didn’t really talk to him much, just snapped a pic and he was on his way.
I had earlier watched Bree and BethAnn go into the studio, and when BethAnn came out I was quick to get a picture. She was an absolute doll. She was so sweet and happy and just adorable. When she walked away she twirled around talking about how beautiful it was outside. It was amazing to get to meet her.
The next stars we spotted were Farah and JPL coming out of the studio. John was once again sweet to all of us, while Farah simply just walked away. They managed to get away quickly when David Fumero showed up. I have to say he is even hotter in person! Lol I mean yeah he looks great on TV, but he’s incredible in person. He was too great to all of us =)
Next but not least at all is Brittany Underwood. Who out of everyone I met was my absolute favorite. I can’t even put into words how sweet she was to me and the other few people who were there. I was so nervous to meet her, and she just gave me a hug and was absolutely incredible. Out of all the other stars she stayed and talked with us the longest, she was just so happy and sweet and it was amazing to get to meet her. I also was sure to mention her that she’s nothing like Langston which she of course took as a compliment and thanked me for that. As much as it makes me sick to watch Langston, knowing how amazing Brittany is makes it slightly easier. <3
While we were at the studio a wall fell down across the street which was cause for tons of fire trucks (and good looking firemen lol) While watching the action across the street I looked up in the window to see Bob Woods and Hilary B. Smith watching too out the window. I was able to snap a picture of it
The last star I met that day was Bree Williamson who is such a sweet heart. I congratulated her on her pregnancy and she was just as happy as could be. And I have to say I adore her sense of fashion. Both days that I met her, her outfits were adorable.
After the studio’s we went to Times Square to meet a friend of mine from online Kizzy. Thank goodness she knew the area and was able to find us in Times Square, because there is no way that we would have been able to find her. Kizzy was too sweet to us. It was so great to get a chance to meet her, online she’s always seemed so awesome, but meeting her in person just made it even better. She was great about giving us directions, suggesting places to go, and just awesome to hang out with. I have a picture but it’s not a great picture of me haha so Im not going to put mine up, but she did take a picture so I’m going to steal that one =)
After hanging out with Kizzy for a bit we ate dinner and walked around Times Square for a bit. Checking out the lobby of Ripley’s was pretty cool, but we didn’t actually go in. We ended up taking a double decker bus tour. That was incredibly fun. We went all over the city, the tour guide was amazing, he was funny and very informative. Here’s a few pictures, if you want to see all of them, they should be on my Facebook in the next few days http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?ref=profile&id=695717305
After the night tour we went back to the hotel, and crashed for the night.
April 8th 2010
So the day started off at 5 AM again, and we managed to get ready and leave by 5:30. However when we got down to the subway station my dad realized that he had left his cell at the hotel, had to go back to get it, then come back. After the long wait he came back and realized then that he didn’t leave it there, looked in his bag again and it was there. Stuff happens sometimes right? Then we got on the subway and made our way back to the studio.
The first stars I saw that day was Kristen and Eddie Alderson! However I didn’t actually get to meet them =( Jacque and I had walked ahead of my dad, and I was watching him walk up to us, and he had a paper bag in his hand. I was too busy trying to figure out what he had to notice that Kristen and Eddie were walking right in front of him! My friend was quietly saying “Megan it’s Kristen” but she was so quiet I couldn’t hear her =( So I noticed it was them by the time they were inside =( I waved to Kristen through the window, but that was it. I am so bummed that I missed meeting her and Eddie, but life goes on I met a lot of awesome people.
Anyways the next person I got to meet was the amazing Jason Tam, and this time I didn’t give up the chance to actually meet him. He was so nice and sweet and adorable. We talked about the letter I had wrote him asking if they would be working and the Joe Iconis show that I wanted to see, and how we couldn’t go because as he said “the city sucks money right out of you.” It was so amazing to get to meet him and I was able to tell him about how I stupidly didn’t get a picture with him the day before. Oh and yes he is even cuter in person <3
After Jason I got the chance to meet Shenell. She was very quiet but very sweet.
So while sitting outside the studio Brittany came running up the stairs in a hurry. However being the sweetie she is she stopped to give me a hug. She told me that she would be back in an hour or so that she had an appointment to get to.
The day before there was a few other people at the studio who would watch down the hallway of the studio to see who was coming out. It seemed to me kind of creepy to be staring into a window waiting for people, so I didn’t really do it, but I did snap a picture of it =)
Needing to talk about all of the exciting things going on I called my friend Tanya. While on the phone with her Kassie came out. She too was so nice to us. I asked her if Brandon was working and she said she wasn’t sure. She was talking about how she had been there since 7:30 and she was ready to just go home. She was just so cool and it was awesome to meet her. I can’t help but wonder if she is singing in the musical again.
After meeting her I went back to talking to Tanya when out of nowhere Brittany comes back and gives me a hug. She was just too sweet I can’t even put it into words. I asked her if she would be willing to say hi to Tanya real quick and she was more than happy to. After she talked to her that’s when I asked about Brandon and found out he wasn’t working =( I was really bummed, but at the same time I met so many awesome people so I couldn’t complain.
After I met Bree again and she was really sweet and took another picture, but it wasn’t a good one of either of us so I’m just going to leave that one out ;)
So here’s the story of the extra named Matt. He came out at one point, and was having a conversation with some guy about working on One Life To Live, and how the show is only going to last a few more years because there’s no market for it. I automatically didn’t particularly like him because of that, but oh well.
Later on he came out in his Rodi’s shirt so I asked him if I could take a picture real quick. Then asked him if he needed a lighter (he was asking for one earlier) so he said yeah and sat down and talked with us. It turns out he was really an awesome guy. We were talking about how I want to move to NYC and he was very positive about it. So many tell me it’s too hard and stuff but he was talking about how really if you want it just do it, and how he did it seven years ago and it worked out for him. He was a lot of fun to talk to and I’m glad that I was able to get to talk to him instead of just thinking he was mean for saying the show would be canceled =P
After that I managed to get a quick picture with Mark Lawson. I had watched him going in and out quite a few times, but finally asked to take a picture. He was really sweet and his eyes are to die for I’m just saying =)
I was also able to get a sneak peek at some Prom dresses =) A few of the people had come out for a lunch break at one point and two of the girls were still in what I’m assuming is their dresses for the musical. The girl’s dress in the middle is a whole bunch of rainbow colored peace signs it’s too cute. And then it looked the last dress was either a bunched up style or a rose type thing. It’s very cute too.
While we were waiting, randomly all of a sudden we hear a lady from behind us go, “Who are you girls waiting for?” I simply said “Kristen Alderson” the one person I had left to see, she came to us and was like, “Really? Because I’m her mom.” I was completely shocked. She was so sweet to us and explained to us how it’s hard for the actors to get out because of the size of the studio and that she would try to get Kristen out, but she couldn’t know for sure. Her mom was just so nice to us, and it was the next best thing to meeting Kristen =)
My dad got a picture with Sherri from the View. I had no clue who she was so I didn’t need to lol
That was the end of my adventures at the One Life To Live studio. I had so much fun, and met so many incredible people. I can’t wait to go back one day =)If you want all of my pics from the studio (the ones I didn't post are mostly just surroding buildings) then go ahead and download them >>>>> http://www.sendspace.com/file/m9zqo6
