Following in the footsteps of ilovepam's "My Greatest Day Ever" and Officesuperstar's "I Left My Heart in Scranton" posts, I am thrilled to have a story of my own to share with my fellow Office fans about my recent visit to Los Angeles.

For a couple months now I had been planning a trip to L.A. to visit a friend. I love all the Hollywood stuff anyway (studio tours, TV show tapings), but now that I'm an Office fan, I knew I had to make the most of this trip. And boy, did I ever! The most exciting events of my 5-day trip to L.A. happened in the very beginning, but there were still some fun parts later in the week that I think you'll enjoy hearing about as well. So here is my story, along with some photographic highlights.

I had done some research and found out that The Office doesn't film on a traditional soundstage at a studio lot (like Warner Bros., where they film shows like ER, Gilmore Girls, Without a Trace, Two and a Half Men, etc.). The Office actually films at an independent studio complex consisting of several soundstage buildings located outside of Hollywood. This had me feeling very positive, like I might actually have a shot of seeing the Dunder Mifflin building and maybe even spotting a cast member or two. I'm not going to list the name and address of the studio here, but I was very excited because the location of this studio complex was only a half-mile from my friend's house where I'd be staying during my visit to L.A.! How cool is that?!

From things I've read online and on cast members' blogs, I was fairly certain that they were filming their last episode before taking a break from shooting for several weeks. I already knew that Steve Carell had finished up filming his scenes for the final two episodes before the break and was actually now in my home state of Rhode Island working on his latest movie. So I knew that if I had any chance of seeing anything or anyone Office-related, it would have to be on Thursday and/or Friday. Unfortunately, I had a very loooooong delay at O'Hare Airport due to "mechanical trouble" and got to L.A. about 6 hours behind schedule on Thursday, November 2. So I didn't bother driving by the studio the night I arrived in California.

I got a good night's sleep though, and first thing Friday morning I grabbed my camera and headed out to the studio. I was still amazed how close it was to my friend's house, and also surprised by the very non-descript street where it was located. Certainly not a glamorous Hollywood location by any means! It was actually somewhat industrial. Who knew?! Here's a picture of the street where the studio is located.



I got to the end of the dead-end street and was so excited as I got my first look at the "Scranton Business Park" building that we all know so well from the exterior shots during episodes like The Fire, The Injury, and Casino Night, among others. There it was!! The fence and high shrubbery (where Dwight crashed his car and threw up on it), where Jim told Pam he loved her during the Season 2 finale, where they all stood around when Ryan started the fire. There was a Dunder Mifflin sign on the fence, and I could see the Scranton Business Park sign and the fake building number of 1725 on the building itself. Along the left side of the building I could see the warehouse dock door and the benches where the warehouse guys sometimes sit. Also in that same area is where they had the bird funeral in Grief Counseling. Unbelievable!!







There were orange cones along the alley leading to the warehouse door (on the left) and a truck. Looked like they were probably packing stuff up from the warehouse set since they were heading into a filming break for several weeks. And is it just me, or does it look like "fire" marks on the ground where the bird coffin was burned?!

I drove a little further past the main building and saw the second soundstage building (Stage 3). According to something Jenna recently wrote on her MySpace page, the main Scranton set is actually located in this second building, NOT in the main building as it appears on the show. That main building is the one with the front entrance we all recognize, and the warehouse entrance on the side. Jenna also said that's where the Stamford set is located. It's confusing to me personally because it looks so realistic when you see someone looking out Michael's office window or the conference room window (like when we saw Jan looking up at Dwight after she spent the night with Michael in The Client and took a taxi back to her car the next morning). Or when Michael came running down the stairs to rescue the dead bird during Grief Counseling.



Continuing on...just past the Stage 3 building is a cul-de-sac/dead end, and I immediately spotted a fenced-in parking area containing several Star Waggons. These are the mobile dressing room trailers the stars have on location and even at the studios. (Bit of trivia - former Carol Burnett show star Lyle Waggoner started this mobile trailer company a number of years ago! Check out the website at www.starwaggons.com.) So obviously these were the trailers for the cast. There was also one nearby that said "Makeup." (Note: in this picture the fence to the trailers is closed and locked. It was wide open when I went there Friday. This pic was taken when I went back on Saturday. No one was there that day, but I was able to get better pictures of some areas now that no cars or crew were around.)



My excitement level was really increasing! The average fan would never have casual access to a major studio lot like Paramount or Warner Bros. Even though these buildings were located on a public street, there were clearly fences around the buildings with Authorized Personnel/No Trespassing signs. So I needed to respect that and certainly wouldn't try walking past those gates. But I spotted a security guard so I figured I'd do things right and check with him. Instead of trying to be "too cool" about why I was there, I tried the honest approach.

I pulled over and rolled down my car window. The guard came over and leaned in. I said "Excuse me. Is today the last day of filming before the break?" I didn't come right out and ask "Is this where they film The Office?" I knew it was, and wanted to show some confidence about being there. The guard said he thought it was, so I explained that I was a fan, in L.A. on vacation, and asked if it would be okay to get out and take some pictures of the buildings. I promised I wouldn't go anywhere I shouldn't. There didn't appear to be any available spots on this cul-de-sac, but the guard was really nice and told me to park right in front where he was.

While the guard was still talking to me, over his shoulder I spotted Phyllis walking by!! She had come through a fence by Stage 3 and was heading towards the dressing room trailers!! Of course I was excited! I had been there all of 2-3 minutes and was already just feet away from one of the stars of the show! But I didn't want to be disrespectful towards the security guy so I didn't interrupt him.

I gladly took advantage of the parking spot offered to me and got out with my camera. The guard turned and saw that Phyllis had just walked past and pointed her out to me, saying "That's one of them," (as if I didn't know!). I introduced myself to the guard and asked his name (Rick) and we started chatting. I think he could sense that I wasn't a crazy stalker fan that would get out of control. I told him how much I loved The Office but said that I would respect any boundaries of the area and wouldn't do anything without his permission. He even took a picture of me near the fence beside the Dunder Mifflin sign. So that's me! Hello, everyone, I'm Stapler.



Rick was a nice guy! Obviously he had a job to do, but he also seemed willing to help me out. I walked down the block, back towards the main building, to get some pictures through the fence (the pix I posted above). I could also see smaller buildings with signs reading "The Office Art Department" and "Production Office." I spotted some production people walking around with headsets and clipboards. There was a tent-covered table set up in another part of the lot that appeared to be the catering table where the cast and crew would get their food.



A few minutes later I came back to where Rick was standing, and asked him about his job, if he's always assigned to The Office set or if he works on other shows too. He asked about my vacation plans and we were making small talk when Phyllis walked by again! This time I was close enough where I was able to say "Hi Phyllis." She stopped and I politely said I was big fan of the show and just wanted to say hello. She was so nice! She stood with me for a moment, asking where I was from. I asked if I could get a picture with her, and handed my camera to my new buddy Rick again. I couldn't believe it! I was posing for a photo with one of the stars!! So there goes my anonymity on these boards! Here's a picture of me with Phyllis. I should have kept my sunglasses on - I ended up squinting in the sun, but I didn't care. I thanked her for her time and she walked away saying "Keep watching!"



She went into one of the trailers and I told Rick how excited I was. He seemed happy for me, which was nice. We chatted some more about the show. He told me about times they've filmed outside, and I pointed to a scruffy lot across the street, asking if he knew if that's where they filmed the fireworks scene.



He wasn't sure about that but told me that they were filming on the roof of the main building recently, and pointed out a crane that was still stretched up to the roof. (Didn't John Krasinski mention on one of the commentaries that he and Jenna were taken up to the roof in a crane for their picnic scene?) Rick was very friendly and fun to chat with, but always professional. Here's a picture of the crane against the building.

[img]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p48/POBoxCal/DSC01501.jpg[/img]

After a little while I told him I should probably go, that my friend was at the house waiting to go out to breakfast. I thanked him profusely for his help and said maybe I'd take a drive by again later. Here's a picture of Rick, my security guard buddy.

[img]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p48/POBoxCal/DSC01495.jpg[/img]

And that's where I'll end my story for now. I have LOTS more to tell you, but I just got back from vacation today and I'm completely exhausted. Check back tomorrow night for my next installment and even more pictures!

STAPLER! That is the best! I love those pictures! Phyllis looks great! Cant wait to read AND see the next part!

That's awesome Stapler, I'm so excited for you!! You are so lucky!

Can't wait to hear more!

I am sooooo jealous. I live in California and I have never gotten anything like that! I work in a building right next to the state capitol and I have never seen Arnold! Darn it

Wow wow- made my night to read this- I was getting excited for you! I can't wait to read more- and yes I am a bit jealous right now...

I know! I couldn't believe this was happening to me! While I was there experiencing all this, my thoughts were about coming home and sharing it with everyone on the boards here.

So as tired as I am right now (took a red-eye flight home from L.A. last night), I couldn't wait to upload all my pix and start sharing my story.

More to come tomorrow night.

Wow! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us, including all the great pix! Now, who was up on the roof, and what were they doing there? Hmmmmmmmm.

WOW! Stapler, that's really great!!!

And I must commend you on your self control. If Phyllis had walked by while I was talking to Rick, I probably would have knocked him over and run screaming, "PHYLLIS! PHYLLIS! I LOVE YOU!!!!!! PHYLLIS! STOP PLEASE!!! I LOVE THE OFFICE!!!!"

Can't wait to hear the rest of your story! It's bringing back those ilovepam memories of the Greatest Day Ever!

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and your photos! You got some really great shots! It's amazing how the atmosphere of Scranton is created in an industrial park in LA!

What an awesome trip! LUCKY! Can't wait to read the rest of your story!

Yea, Stapler! What a fun time! To actually get to meet someone from the show!! I can't wait to hear the rest of it!

It's like a fantasy came true. It reminds me of Disneyland, where there is magic in the air.

I'd like to say thanks for including the pictures. That for me was the most awesome part. The signs are so cool. And seeing the actual building that we see on tv!! And then the picture of you and Phyllis!! It's fiction and reality happening at the same time! (I also think it is especially nice you decided to share that picture with us since a lot of people don't like posting personal pictures of themselves on the internet because of weirdos).

Awesome Stapler!!!! I, too, commend you for your self control. I wish i could have seen that. Ill definitely be checking up on this thread for the rest of your story.

This is so great! Thanks for posting this, Stapler. And thanks for representing us Office fans as polite, well behaved not-a-terrorists. Pam would be proud.

That is SO cool! Wow, I think Phyllis looks a lot younger in that photo than she does on TV. I can't wait to hear more. My mind is totally divided between thinking about Jim, Pam, Michael and the rest as real people and thinking about them as characters created by a fantastic team of writers, actors and others. I find myself very interested in both.

OMG! OMG! OMG!

Yes, this topic was worthy of that - this is SO exciting! Thanks so much for sharing - I can't wait for the next installment - this belongs on the Season 3 DVD along with officesuperstar's and ilovepam's experiences!

Stapler, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I am so jealous and can't believe we have to wait until tonight to hear the rest of the story. What an amazing trip. I want to hear more!

OK, to pick up where I left off in my story...

After meeting Phyllis, I headed back to my friend's house and we got some breakfast and did a few errands. But I was still so stoked from my good fortune earlier that I decided to go back to the studio. My friend thinks I'm silly, but he's lived in L.A. all his life so he's a bit jaded.

I drove back down that dead-end street, and just as I rounded the corner into the cul-de-sac, I spotted Rainn Wilson walking down the same sidewalk towards the trailers! He was in full Dwight office wear - his golden-colored, short-sleeved, button-down shirt and tie, hair parted in the middle. I couldn't believe my luck! I quickly pulled my car into the same spot where the guard had let me park earlier and jumped out. I spotted the guard sitting in a folding chair on the curb, so I waved and said loudly, "Hi Rick, I'm back!" so that Rainn wouldn't think I was some crazy fan approaching. If I knew their security guy, I must be okay, right?

At this same moment, I noticed Leslie David Baker (Stanley) coming out of a trailer, so he and Rainn were now standing side-by-side by the fence near the trailers, looking at something together (a poster or color flyer?). Rick gave me a look as if to say that I had lucked out...catching two more of the stars. I smiled back at him and seized the moment!

I politely approached Rainn and Leslie and said something similar about how I was a fan of the show, visiting L.A. on vacation from the East Coast, and just wanted to say hello. Honestly, I would have been happy just seeing the Dunder Mifflin building, and didn't realize the stars might actually be outside and that I might get to see or meet them, so I never thought about what I'd say if I did.

I'm not really an autograph person. Whenever I've met a celebrity, I've just been happy with chatting for a moment or two, shaking their hand, and snapping a photo. Ya know, treating them like regular people (who just happen to be on my favorite show!). So I just did what comes naturally - said hello, told them how much I love them on the show, and then asked if it would be OK to take their picture. They moved closer together to pose, but I wanted to be in on it too, so I handed my camera to Rick once again (he was so sweet to put up with me!).

When I got to where they were standing, I introduced myself and shook both their hands, then said, "Can I get in the middle?" They parted a bit, put their arms around my shoulders, and posed for a photo. I'm sooooo glad the pictures came out well. I would have been disappointed if Rick didn't know how to keep the camera steady and the pictures came out blurry or something! But they were great!



I thanked them both and Rainn continued on to the trailer behind us. Leslie seemed to be heading back to the soundstage, but before he walked away I wanted to say something more. All I could think of was to comment on one of the deleted scenes, telling him that I loved his "That's what she said" line when Michael commented on the how good the pretzels tasted in his mouth. He chuckled, thanked me, and said goodbye. Do the stars even watch the finished episodes and check out the NBC website? Did he know that the pretzel-eating clip was posted as a deleted scene? Obviously he remembers filming it.

That whole encounter only lasted a moment or two. Once they were both gone, Rick and I chatted some more and I told him how excited and lucky I felt! He seemed genuinely happy for me, that I was able to meet several cast members in such a short period of time. It's not like I parked out there all day like a stalker, waiting for a glimpse of someone. My two visits to the studio combined were probably less than 30 minutes, including my walking-around-taking-building-pictures time and chatting with Rick. It didn't hit me till later just how fortunate I had been!

I didn't want to overstay my welcome and it didn't really occur to me to try to drag out my time there hoping for more celebrity sightings, so I thanked Rick again and headed to my car. Just as I was getting in, who do I see next?! Jenna Fischer! She had also just come through the gate (to the left of where I'm posing next to the Dunder Mifflin sign in the picture further up).

Once again, without thinking about what to say, I just said "Excuse me, Jenna?" (I'm surprised my mind was still working and that I didn't accidentally call her Pam.) I'm sure celebrities don't like being called by their character's name. At least I was showing that I recognize her as an actress and don't think she's really her character from the show. I used the same introduction with her as well, approaching slowly so as not to scare her (after all, I'm coming up to her at her job!). I introduced myself, commented on loving the show, etc.

However, when I asked her if I could take a picture, she seemed a bit hesitant at first, saying something about how they had security rules and she wasn't sure if that was allowed. I could have been pushy and rude and said "Well I did it before!" but that's not me. So I just said, "That's okay, no problem" and started backing away. I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable or threatened. But just then Rick came around the corner again and said something to me, and I casually said to Jenna how I had been chatting with him earlier and had already taken some photos. I guess she felt more relaxed then, because she said "Oh, I guess it's OK then."



Once again I put Rick to work with my little digital camera! I stood beside Jenna and she put her arm on my shoulder while he snapped the pic. Maybe she felt bad for having brushed me off a little earlier, because now she started talking to me for a few minutes. She asked where I was from, what plans I had for my stay in Los Angeles, stuff like that. I actually got a little tongue-tied while talking to her. I don't know why I felt the most nervous with her. Maybe because we had the longest interaction, or because she didn't readily agree to pose with me at first. But she was very sweet, and is just adorable in person. Of course I thanked her for taking a moment to stop and say hello, and she continued on towards the trailers.

Her hair was done Pam-style, but she was just wearing velour sweat pants and a purple sweater hoodie, not her Pam clothes. Perhaps she was just arriving to the set, heading off to the makeup trailer before starting her scenes (it was about 11 a.m. at the time). It was the last day of filming before their break, so maybe she only had a few scenes to do. Who knows?

I thanked Rick one final time for all his cooperation and kindness and got in my car and headed back to my friend's house. I would have loved to have met John Krasinski and Angela Kinsey, but I was satisfied with my great luck so far and left it at that. I swear, I was only gone about 15 minutes this time, but when I walked into my friend's house and told him I had met THREE MORE STARS OF THE SHOW, he didn't believe me! Luckily I had the digital pictures to prove it.

On Saturday I drove by the studio building again since it was so close to where I was staying. I didn't expect anyone to be around that day, and they weren't (plenty of parking that day!). But it gave me a chance to take some more pictures of the buildings without all the cars and people around. The gate near the trailers was locked, but surprisingly the fence to the parking area by Stage 3 was wide open. And the big sliding door into the building was open. I could see the back side of what was probably their set (all plywood framing). It's kind of dark in the picture below, but you get an idea.



I'm kicking myself now for not taking a bit of a chance and driving into the lot, or walking up to the building, and saying "Hellloooo?" There were probably just stage hands or crew members around at that point, but who knows? Maybe I could have gotten closer and seen something more. Even a glimpse of the set would have been awesome!

Back by the main Dunder Mifflin building, it definitely looked like they were preparing for a few weeks' hiatus. There was a big box truck on the side of the building (near the warehouse door) and it looked like they were moving stuff out. I could see a big stage light on a stand by the truck, and I noticed that the two benches beside the building had been removed (they were there the day before). This made me realize how lucky I had been to catch them on their last day of filming. Here are a few pictures taken on Saturday, when the area was much quieter. It was just so cool to be seeing this building in person!





Then here's a wider shot of the cul-de-sac on Saturday with no other cars except my rental. The building right behind my car is Stage 3, and beyond that is the other soundstage that has the main Dunder Mifflin entrance and warehouse.



And this shot shows the left side of the front of the building. Think of all the scenes we've seen shot outside here...Jim and Michael putting Dwight in Meredith's van to go to the hospital in The Injury, Pam and Roy talking by her new car, Dwight psyching himself up and then calling Jan during his attempt to overthrow Michael in The Coup.



Here's a shot of the fence at the entrance to the parking lot, where Dwight crashed his car going to get Michael when he cooked his foot, the very fence Jim walked through after telling Pam he loved her, where Gil was parked when he picked up Oscar at the end of GWH.



It's even these tiny little details I love...on the wall of the main building there was even a little reserved parking sign for Bob Vance! My camera has a pretty good zoom lens, huh?!



I'll definitely be looking closely at the episodes several weeks from now, to see if there is another scene filmed on the roof, or to notice when Phyllis has on the green and purple outfit she was wearing the day I met her!

That's the end of THIS part of my story about my Office adventures in L.A. But there's still more to come. Not nearly as thrilling, but awesome nonetheless. As we know, not all episodes are filmed on the set. I found and visited two filming locations that you're sure to recognize! Want a hint? Michael's Birthday and The Convention. Stay tuned! Details and photos to follow. (I'm typing as fast as I can!)

That is SOOO cool... those pictures can keep me going.... that is awesome... very cool of you to share it will us.. thanks

Good so your not going to jump off a building or rob a convience store before tomorrows episode right?

I dont know that was a quik pick-me-up... i am starting to come down again.. i just need it, come on man. i'll pay whatever just give me some lines........ new dwight lines..

I hate so much about the things that you choose to be, Stapler!

KIDDING! I only said that out of complete jealousy! You are sooo lucky!! So you and Rick emailing now?

OK, here's the final part of my story about my trip to L.A. One night when I was watching Michael's Birthday, I noticed what I assumed was the name of the ice rink in the background of a scene. At the time I didn't know if that was the real name of the place where they were filming, or if they were detailed and thorough enough to show the name of a real Scranton ice rink.

Watch closely next time you watch this episode. When Michael is talking to Carol and her kids, behind her you can see a sign that says Pickwick Gardens and then when Kevin gets the call that his skin cancer results were negative, it says Pickwick Ice behind him.

So I did some research online (gotta love the Internet!) and discovered that this was a real ice rink and banquet facility in Burbank, California! So I put this on my list of places to track down while I was in L.A. I went there Monday morning, November 6, before driving over to Warner Bros. for the studio tour I was going to take.

I went inside and immediately recognized this place from the episode! I guess I could have just walked around taking pictures, but I figured I better get permission first, since there were people practicing on the ice. The girl at the window got the manager so I checked with him. Felt a little silly admitting that I'm an Office fan and just wanted to take pictures here since I know they filmed an episode at this location. He said OK so I walked around for 10 minutes or so, and got the following pictures to share with you all.

First, an outside shot of the building (not seen in the episode), followed by the inside entrance where we first see the Office staff walking into the rink. Pay attention next time you watch Michael's Birthday - you'll notice the double doors, green and white cinder block wall, even the brass plaque on the wall.





Then there's a wide shot of the rink itself - just close your eyes and imagine the "Happy Birthday, Michael Scott" banner hanging above it!



Here are the Pickwick Gardens and Pickwick Ice signs you see in the background, as well as the scoreboard and flags and even the silhouette images of skaters that you can see during the episode as well.









Then I went around to the side of the rink and took a picture of the penalty box. I haven't watched the episode lately but I think this is where Carol was when Michael spotted her, and might be near where Kevin is standing when everyone gathers around to hear the news about his skin cancer. There were people sitting in the box so I had to be careful when taking the picture.



Next I went over to the game/party room. From watching the episode, I figured it was to the left of the entrance when you walked in, and that's just where it was. Here's a shot from outside the game room (kinda dark), and then inside. It's the table where they were all sitting as Michael opened his gifts! Through that window you can see the bleachers on the right. These were the bleachers were Michael was sitting when he commented on Kevin's diagnosis. And finally there's a picture of the shooting video game that Creed was playing (he was holding the red gun, remember?!).





[img]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p48/POBoxCal/DSC01561.jpg[/img]

The only spot I didn't go take a picture of was the bleachers where Michael is sitting when he says how "negative" in medical terminology sounds like something bad. But I saw them!

Gotta go make some supper...I'll finish my story before the night is over. Thanks for sticking with me...

Stapler you have no need to grow a pair!(that is from being able to ask the Rink Manager to take pictures!) It takes a pair to be honest and upfront! YOU GO GIRL! Loved the pictures!

So cool... i am glad you had a great trip to my hometown.... awesome pictures... thanks

Wow that is a really awesome story. I mean if you didn't have pictures that'd be almost unbelivable that you got in like that and actualy met people.

I know what you mean about autographs though, I'm not a big fan of them either. Since I go to San Diego Comic Con every year I run into a LOT of celebs there but I have very few autographs to show for it. I much prefer to just tell someone I enjoy their work to their face and maybe get a picture if they're ok with it.

Somehow it's not shocking that Jenna was the most talkative though seeing how much time she spends on MySpace with fan interaction. I'm sure at first she was just a little nervous because they probobly have rules about taking photos on set and such.

It's a little scary though how easily you got to them though. I mean what if you were like one of those obsessed can't understand they are just actors on a show type fans? Maybe they are so lax cause it IS like that out there where such things are just not a big deal to the locals.

Haha! I was cracking up when i read that because I would have done the exact same thing.

Dam Stapler, that is soo cool! I am definetly jealous! I am so happy for you, if i ever go to L.A., i will definetly do my research to find where all these places are!

Wait like me... if i cant have pam... no one willl...... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA oh wait someone could take me for real.... maybe they should.. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA just kidding i want to watch pam watch jim watch karen and smile... HHAHAHAHA how many watches were there..? 3

Oh Stapler, this only gets better and better! Thanks for posting this - you are my daughter's hero! She printed out the picture of you and Leslie and Rainn for her wall. She also pointed out that you were wearing red - so we'd know that you're the RED Stapler - just in case there could be confusion!

I just looked at the pics - now I'm going to go back and read everything! Thanks again!!!!

That is so awesome that you got to meet all of them!! Thanks for sharing- I'm really enjoying reading your post- now if I can just plan a trip to California.....

First of all, I can't believe that your daughter printed out my picture! That's funny... And I didn't even think about wearing red! Clever of her to pick that up.

I was really hesitant about posting my picture online. It's fun to post anonymously on a message board. But meeting these nice celebrities and seeing the Office building was just too big! I so wanted to share it with everyone, so I did it!

In a little bit I'll post the final piece of the story. Overall I took lots of pictures - every angle of the building I could get, the surrounding area, etc. These are the highlights, but really represent my experience on that day. Thanks to everyone for the comments and feedback on my story. Now I know how Scrantonbranch feels when other flans offer their opinions and ideas on her Jim Paradox and Pam Dichotomy posts!

OK, for the final piece of the story (and the last of the photo highlights). After watching The Convention, it was obvious that they filmed that episode at a real hotel, not on a cheesy make-believe hotel set. I was determined to find it, and I did!

I had a busy schedule on the day I planned to visit this hotel. My goal was to get some pictures during the daylight hours in the areas where they were outside during the episode, but I didn't get there in time. It was after dark when I arrived. Oh well...I did the best I could.

From what I remember of The Convention episode, they didn't show a lot of "wide" shots of the hotel (except in the convention hall itself where all the vendors were). Most of the scenes were tighter, close-up shots, such as the front desk when Angela picked up her key, sitting in the lobby on the leather couch when Michael told Jan she should "estimate" him, near the concierge desk when both Michael and Jim had talking head segments, etc. But I did recognize those areas!!

I'll be honest. I was planning to ask permission to take pictures at the hotel too, and was hoping they'd even show me a room (or THE room, Michael's room #308). But on the off chance that I got turned away, I decided to scope things out first. I had come so far...didn't want to miss out on my chance to check things out and snap some pix.

So I walked into the hotel as if I belonged there and went right up to the 3rd floor in the elevator. I found room 308, but I knew right away it just wasn't right. Even though I was at the REAL room 308, the location was wrong, the door looked wrong, and the end of the hallway wasn't right either. There's a scene in that episode where Michael steps out into the hallway from his room to see if anyone is coming to his party, and behind him you can see these blue curtains at the end of the hall. But there were none there.

Hmmmm... I was sure I was at the right hotel, so I figured maybe they used a different room and just labeled it 308. I took a few pictures (below) but wasn't satisfied. The walls near these rooms were flat. From the episode, I remember that the doorways were "indented" a little bit. Remember?





So now I went down to the front desk in the lobby, and asked to speak to a manager. I work in a hotel back home, so I showed my business card to give me some legitimacy but told her I wasn't there in my hotel capacity. I pretty much told the truth about my motives. I said I'm a freelance writer (I am! I've had a few articles published in some regional magazines), and I was writing an article for an Office fan site (I am! You're reading it right now!). I told her I knew they had filmed an episode of The Office there in early September, and I wondered if they could show me one of the rooms they filmed in or even just a standard room so I could get some pictures to accompany the article. She asked me to take a seat in the lobby and she'd check and get back to me.

I was nervous while I waited, but things worked out okay! The manager came back and said they'd allow me to take some pictures in one of the rooms if I agreed to two conditions: I couldn't mention the name or location of the hotel in my article, and none of the pictures could show the hotel logo. I agreed, and she told me how The Office had actually bought out a whole floor for filming, and she'd have one of the guest service agents escort me to that very floor!! Whoa!

The agent came over and she told him to show me room 557. I was surprised when he didn't escort me to the elevators I had been in earlier. He walked me down a different hallway and out of the building...and to another entrance leading into a different wing of the hotel. OH!!!

Now things were making sense!! If you recall, in that episode they first greet each other in the lobby, but then they walk outside on a walkway (the scene where Dwight shrugs off Jim's touch, and where Josh tells Michael he'll try to find room for him if Scranton closes). In that scene, they then approach another doorway where Michael stops Jan to address the 800-lb. gorilla issue (and in the background you can see Josh, Jim, and Dwight waiting for the elevator). That's the door the hotel guy was taking me to! Here it is...



We went up in the elevator to the 5th floor. Although I had heard the manager tell the guy to show me room 557, he went to 556! Were the Gods on my side?! In another post, someone (Roy_Anderson?) had said it looked like Dwight's room number was 556. I didn't correct the hotel employee - I really wanted to see inside this room! And it looked like the same location of the room Jim entered (see next picture below). And of course the yellow striped wallpaper is the same as in the episode. Again...so surreal to be in a place where The Office was actually filmed!





When the guy opened the room and turned on the lights, I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone! The layout of the room was the same as in that episode. There was the bed Angela had been laying on when Jim mistook her for a hooker! Go back and watch the episode again then compare it to my pictures.



I tried to play it cool as I took a few photos. While it wasn't Michael's "party room," the furnishings were similar so I took a picture of the TV armoire as well. Same as the one in Michael's room, where Dwight hung up the dart board.



As I was leaving this floor (still escorted by the guest services agent), I snapped a picture of the end of the hallway. There were the blue curtains I remembered! Picture came out dark, but it made it all very real to me. So both Dwight's room and Michael's were really located on the same floor, even though on the show Michael was in 308 and Dwight in 556.



So I left there very happy!! Not only did I track down these out-of-office filming locations, but I was able to get access and pictures beyond my expectations! Overall a very successful trip! Thanks for reading along.

Allright Stapler! I know the location of the hotel has been listed in other websites(i cant remember the name offhand myself). That was very considerate of the manager giving you access to the area of filming! I love the 556 room, I am tempted to play those for the lottery tomorrow, and I think i will!

stapler youre so lucky i live less than a half hour away and i know if i ever tried to meet or even see and of them id get kicked out of there right away. im so jealous. im just happy to be myspace friends with the actors haha

Eeee, hee, hee, hee, hee! That's me, screaming for joy for you, Stapler! How great that you were honest, upfront, and calm! And see how much you were given? What a great trip! We'll never look at those episodes again in the same way! And maybe Pam and Jim re-create their "first-date" on the roof! Can't wait to see!

Yeah, I had lucked into finding the name of the hotel online somewhere (can't remember where...Google brings you places you'd never think of!) and then I verified it by searching the official website for that hotel. The pictures there matched the episode, so I knew I was on the right track.

Obviously if I found this info, anyone can! But I'm just honoring my word that I wouldn't name the hotel in my story. Not that they'd suddenly be overrun with Office fans wanting to see Dwight's room, but they have their reasons.

Those are AMAZING pics Stapler!! I would be way to shy to do what you did. I may have to go to the dundies thread and give you one for this if someone hasn't already!

Wow stapler! That is SO amazing that you got to go to the studio, meet phyllisk, leslie, rainn, and jenna! Then you managed to find the skating rink and the hotel!
And kudos to you for managing to keep it together when meeting everybody. I would have been a babbling mess.

That made me laugh! It's one of my all-time favorite lines from The Office ever!

Oh wow! How awesome and amazing!!! So happy for / jealous of you!! Like Denise, I am way too shy to do what you did! Thanks for sharing!!

Just had to say congratulations, Stapler! And thanks for sharing -- not since Ilovepam's great adventure has there been such a terrific post. I had so much fun reading about your whole trip.

WOW! WOW! WOW! I thought the first part of your story was amazing. Now to read the rest-- that you met Leslie, Rainn and Jenna & tracked down those locations. That is awesome. (That gold shirt is my favorite of Dwight's wardrobe. It's so dweebishly Dwightish. Also I like how in "The Fire" he wears the gold shirt & a gold tie and Ryan wears a blue shirt & blue tie. Makes a good contrast between them.)

You are my HEROINE and I don't mean the drug, because everyone knows I am ridiculously anti-drug!

Thank you! I know this will sound corny, but the whole time I was in L.A. doing this Office stuff, I kept thinking about everyone here on the message boards. I was so eager to come home and share my story because I knew that you'd all GET IT!

Thanks for sharing!! That was great!!

I'm so happy that a true Office Flan such as yourself could have this opportunity! I can only hope that one day I will be able to meet this fine cast of actors!

All I can manage to get out is WOW!

I'm so happy for you! And a little bit jealous... but just a little. I mean you did go to all the trouble of finding all the places and asking for permission from eveyone. It shows the cast that the fans are very respectful of them and their privacy, but we STILL love them to death!

Way to keep it classy!

Nice thread...for some reason, that "Vance Refrigeration" sign cracks me up

WOW! Great story!

Sounds like you had an excellent time.

Wow, that was an impressive journey, Stapler! I'm more than a little jealous!


I lived in CA near LA for 4 years and all I ever saw was Dennis Rodman in Disneyland. *Lame* Of course, I didn't put forth the amazing time and effort you did!

thanks for sharing

I can top that - I lived in Southern California near LA all of my life (except the past year) and I only saw the following:


Michael J. Fox and his wife - back in the 80's in a store on Melrose.

That's it!