Godzilla & Toho Studios | Tokyo, Japan

If there was one thing on this earth that Markus loves as much as me, it would be Godzilla. This kid is a fan of all things kaiju. I think it stems from his childhood and watching anything involving the Japanese monsters. I'm not joking. When he found out that Toho Studios was breaking Godzilla's ten year hibernation, he was ecstatic. All he talks about is this new Godzilla movie, it's quite funny. He owns almost every Godzilla movie and is constantly searching for the ones he's missing. The other night I walked into the bedroom and he was watching Gamera, the other famous Japanese kaiju. He even loves Ultraman, which has heaps and heaps of giant monsters. Personally, I think this obsession is adorable and unique. When we decided to travel to Japan, it was really his decision. The UK was my dream trip and Japan was his. In order to really make this an unforgettable trip, we had to trek to Toho Studios, the home of Godzilla.

Unfortunatley, Toho Studios does not offer tours. It totally stinks, but real diehard fans, still visit the exterior entrance.  Markus did all the research and figured out a way to get there. There isn't a direct way there and you have to walk through various suburban neighborhoods. To be honest, I really didn't want to go. It was out of the way and difficult to get there, but for Markus I relented. When we finally got to the exit after an hour, we walked for a bit and got lost a few times. I remember walking through this random gate and we finally found it. Toho is pretty brilliant, because the outside has a mini Godzilla and a huge wall homage to the Seven Samurai. It's enough to please any fan and Markus was more than pleased. I looked over at him as soon as the studio was in sight and he was more than happy. It's like he was a kid again. I've never seen him like that and it made all the trouble worth it.

Jurassic Park Car | Nashville, Tennesse

When Markus and I were in Nashville with my cousin Joy, something exciting and a bit strange happened. After we spent the day in the city, we drove back to our hotel. Along the way, I spied a Jurassic Park car at a stoplight. Since Markus is a huge dinosaur fanatic, I tried my best to get a photo from the other side of the street. Joy decided that a photo in the car wasn't enough and she decided to follow the car.  Total stalkers I know! We tailed the car all the way to a nearby shopping mall and asked the driver to pull over.

The driver was really nice and said that people follow him all the time. He actually made his car like that as a way to advertise his film project, Jurassic Park: Origins. They're basically trying to raise money for a film that will tell the back story of Jurassic Park. It's mainly focusing on the creation of the dinosaurs, scientific challenges and the moral and ethical struggles. It's a pretty cool project, so you guys should definitley check it out! I never thought we would come across something like this in Nashville. This is why road trips are the best!

Creepy Cinema 2013: Cult Camp

October has finally arrived, and in the Cruz household that means one thing, Creepy Cinema! Last year, Markus and I began this tradition because I couldn't watch scary movies at all. He would always ask me to watch them with him, but I always refused. I felt bad for him, so finally I gave in and said that he could have the entire month of October...and thus Creepy Cinema was born. However I 'd like to think that after last year's Creepy Cinema I've graduated to a higher level of courage. I have Markus to thank for all of this. He's seen almost every scary movie out there, and he's been a great guide.

This year, we decided on a theme, Cult Camp. We're basically watching 31 movies that are considered cult horror classics. A movie is deemed a cult classic when it has a a huge fan base but failed in the box office. From this list of 31 films, I've only seen two. There is such a wide variety this year and I'm really excited to get started. There's bound to be something that I'll love!

Source: Skeleton Couple/Vintage Feedsacks

Angkor Thom, Cambodia | 2 of 3

Since Angkor Thom is such a popular temple, we spent a lot of time there. We wanted to make sure that we saw every hidden room and tucked away corner. We found a few secluded spots and we were able to take as many photos as we wanted! I even climbed a few of the ruins for a more dynamic look. I guess I'll do anything to get the perfect photo!

Diagon Alley & Ministry of Magic | Harry Potter Studio Tour 5 of 6

Magic is Might

As I said before, the Harry Potter Studio Tour was massive. We could've spent all day there, since there was so much to see and explore. Two of the most impressive and easily recognizable sets were Diagon Alley and The Ministry of Magic. Besides The Great Hall, these are the other most recognizable locations from Harry Potter.

Seeing the Magic is Might monument from The Ministry was pretty cool. I didn't think it was that massive, but when I finally walked up to it, it was quite big and really detailed. Markus, James and Ari were wandering about the other sets, and I was a bit tired. So, I sat down on a bench below the statue. While I was sitting there, I imagined myself as a Ministry worker on a lunch break. There were heaps of people walking about with wands and cloaks, so it only added to my daydream. It was a bit silly, but it was a moment I enjoyed.

As you can tell from the photos, Diagon Alley wasn't as big as you would think. I think that's the magic of movies. When you see the films, you imagine a larger than life world and seeing it in real life takes a little of the magic away. It doesn't ruin the films, but it's still a bit jarring. I will say that the amount of detail and work that went into these shops were amazing. I wish they let us walk into the shops, but I know they were just for show. It was still a wonderful experience and more than just seeing a set from Harry Potter. It was like stepping into another time period, it was almost Dickensian and it was awesome.

Olivanders Wand Shop

Wands galore!

Homes & Masks | Harry Potter Studio Tour 4 of 6

Hagrid's Home

The other areas of the first studio had sets and props from other famous places in the world of Harry Potter. There were the homes of Hagrid, Sirius Black and the Weasley family. I will say that it's super awkward seeing this sort of headless mannequins dressed as all the characters. I do like that they had something, but seeing my favorite characters clothing without heads is slightly off putting.

The Leaky Cauldron

Weasley's Home

Sirius Black's Home

The second studio was filled with even more interesting things. The first part delved into special effects and showcased a lot of the monsters and makeup. It was crazy seeing how detailed and intricate the masks were for some of the characters. I'm pretty sure being a make-up artist for films like these is an awesome job. Although, I do think they could've displayed Dobby a bit better. It was a bit jarring seeing his head propped up on a desk. Poor Dobby, murdered and displayed for all the world to see. 

221b Baker Street & Chipotle | London, England | 2 of 6

As you've seen before, I'm a bit of a geek. Our trip to England was so fantastic because I was able to indulge all of my geeky little obsessions. We were able to go to Pemberley, Hogwarts and we even made it to 221b Baker Street. I love Steven Moffat's modernization of Sherlock. If you haven't seen the show, you must watch it now. It's absolutely brilliant. I actually like it a little better than the recent film versions.

 

Unfortunately, there wasn't a sign of Sherlock or Watson, but it was still pretty awesome. After we caught a glimpse of Sherlock's flat, we headed over to Chipotle. I can't even describe the elated feeling that coursed through my body the moment I saw the familiar red and silver logo. I really miss America and its delicious food. When I found out there was a Chipotle in London, it immediately went on the itinerary. 

Markus and I ordered our typical meal of chicken salad and chicken burrito. We even splurged a bit and ordered chips and guacamole. Oh guacamole, how I miss you.  Everything tasted amazing and it made me miss home even more. I spent 12 long months without the taste of Tex Mex and it was a joyous reunion. It really is the little things in life that make you happy.

Valentine's Day Card 2013

When I have the time, I like to create personalized cards for every occasion. Markus is the master of personalized cards. He's an illustrator, so his cards are always amazing. One Valentine's Day, he showed our love conquering Londy Town. On my 27th birthday, he illustrated what the world would be like if I "got my way". It was a wonderful world indeed. One of my favorite cards was the Tardis he made for me, it was even more special because there was a video that accompanied it. I always try to be clever with the cards I make for him. I might not be a great artist, but I think I get the job done. 

It should come as no surprise that Markus and I are big geeks. We spend a lot of our date nights at home watching Doctor Who or marathoning 80s movies. It's with this shared passion that I found inspiration for this year's Valentine's Day card. I definitely went for a time traveling theme and showcased three of our favorite things, Doctor Who, Back to the Future and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.  

Dear readers, I hope all of you have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your loved ones and remember, "Be excellent to each other!"