The Carousel Never Stops Turning
- Shelby Parker
- Nov 13, 2018
- 3 min read
"...but the carousel never stops turning. You can't get off."
~Ellis Grey ("Grey's Anatomy")
It's no secret that I am a TV junkie. Because of that, I love finding the film locations of my latest and favorite obsessions. Currently, it is "Grey's Anatomy." I started watching the show a couple years ago and have finally made it to season 13. I know, it took me awhile...But, I've been a little busy.
Last Saturday, my parents and I took a spontaneous trip to LA to see a carousel that was used for a few shots on the show. I worked earlier in the day, so we got a later start and were only in the area for a few hours.
The carousel analogy has been a pivotal point in the series and the carousel itself was used in the episode "Deny, Deny, Deny" where Meredith's mom tries to commit suicide and Richard leaves her, as well as many other flashbacks. However, it's actually at the carousel that Richard walks away and Meredith's mom begs him to come back and is the reason for her setback later in the episode. Meanwhile, young Meredith is on the carousel and watches it all go down.
After doing more research, I quickly found that it is also THE carousel where Walt Disney took his daughters every weekend and ultimately inspired him to dream up Disneyland. That was a pinch me moment. Being a huge Disney fan and having gone there my entire life, I've always wondered where that bench was.
It's a cute little area tucked in the hills of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, CA. Nearby is the Los Angeles zoo, as well as Griffith Park & Southern Railroad train rides, and Griffith Observatory.
Upon arrival, you can hear chipper music from the organ playing songs from "Mary Poppins" and other recognizable classic tunes. The carousel continues to go 'round and 'round as long as there are visitors. There is also a small concession stand that sells cotton candy, popcorn and other fair food treats. We bought purple cotton candy, and I must say, it was some of the best I've had - light, airy, sugary, sticky goodness. It also makes picture taking a lot more fun. The atmosphere really just put me in such a jolly, giddy mood.
We walked around the premises, making sure we got all of the photos we wanted and saw all of the angles used from the show. We took a ride on the carousel, which actually goes much faster than it appears. Once on the ride, you will see the very bench that Walt sat on as well as other photos and memorabilia of Walt, family and Disneyland.
Once we finished there, we went over to the North Hills area, where the exterior shots of Seattle Grace/Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital are used. They also use the inside for more interior shots for bigger episodes, like the hospital shooting and other smaller scenes starting in season 12. It's one of those rare locations that looks the same in person and on television. It is a beautiful location with a great view of Los Angeles from the back entrance. It is also a real working veterans hospital.
We'd visited the location before, but I wasn't as big of a fan as I am now, nor had my mom seen an episode at the time. My mom recently started watching with me, so she was able to recall certain scenes or bring up conversation about the building itself. And then I didn't feel like the only fangirl geeking out over it either.
We drove around and parked, then walked around the backside of the hospital. As we approached the doors, they opened...So, we decided to take a peek inside. There was no one around; it was a complete ghost town. All you could hear was TV's playing in the background, which was kind of eerie.
I wanted a photo on the infamous bridge, where Dr. Shepherd was shot and where many important conversations have taken place over the years. Unfortunately, the doors to the bridge were locked. I took photos from afar, which was still pretty exciting. I walked down a couple halls and past a conference room, which I now believe is what they use as Chief Bailey's office and a few other spots near the stairs that they use for closer up shots.
It was a fun afternoon, getting to spend quality time with my parents and doing a little sightseeing. I love spending time in LA, and it's always fun to visit these hidden gems.
"Knowing is better than wondering. Waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beats the hell out of never trying."
-Meredith Grey
Stay tuned for more locations and trips in the future!
That's all for now,
Shelby
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