2018 Nissan Rogue Fleet in L.A.
Star Wars and Nissan proved such an inspiring (not to mention lucrative) combination during Rogue One: A Star Wars Story that it only made sense they reunite for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. And this go around, it’s both the Rogue and the Leaf. To toast their latest coup, Nissan hosted an L.A. trip, aptly titled Nissan ProPilot Assist Drive to Opening Night: Star Wars: The Las Jedi, to flex their latest innovation ProPilot Assist, available on the Rogue and Leaf, and ePedal on the Leaf.
Getting there started very early as I literally boarded the plane in Atlanta before dawn West Coast time. By lunch West Coast time, I was already ripping and running. Like really, we had lunch, where the gourmet pizza was the standout by the way, followed by a ProPilot and ePedal intro presentation led by two of Nissan’s kickass female team members--Brittany Tessmer, senior project engineer, and Janelle Williams, chief marketing manager.
After that we were off to scavenger up some fun. The illustrious Jawn Murray was my partner or, rather, leader. Our mission was divided into two phases—The Dark Side and The Light Side. If you’ve seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi, you totally get it. Because we explored The Dark Side first, we rode Rogue.
Me at SkySpace LA
Central Library, where we located our “dark” or “evil” droid, the BB-9E, was our first stop. Next we scuttled across the street to Que Skyspace LA. Now Skyspace has the most amazing views of L.A. and some people can peep them during a clear glass mini-slide to the roof. Jawn nor I knew we’d be doing this. But once on the roof, we took a few dark droid pics and some of us.
From Skyspace, we raced to the comic book store, A Shop Called Quest, to get our Star Wars-inspired caricatures done. Since the caricaturist was backed up, we got our pics snapped and, before we left L.A., I got my cool Princess Leia-ish caricature.
Back on the streets, we headed to the legendary Hotel Roosevelt in Hollywood. Jawn did apply the ProPilot Assist but it takes a little getting used to since you surrender to the car. Being out of control on the L.A. freeway is asking a lot but one of the aims of ProPilot Assist is to make those commutes slightly less stressful because the car is helping out.
My Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
Once at the Roosevelt, there was no rest for the weary. Bye comfy room. We had a Nissan party to attend. Shower and a little sprucing and I was on the run again to Raleigh Studios. Appetizers consisted of these blow-torched pastry-ish options, with one tasting just like a gooey good pizza that I just couldn’t resist. There was a virtual reality Star Wars experience, droids and all, and then, after dinner, my assigned team and I got really humbled in the Star Wars trivia contest. Let’s just say the Force was so not with us.
Back to the room, sleep didn’t last long enough. Early the next morning it was time to experience The Light Side. After breakfast, the Leaf, Nissan’s electric vehicle, was up and Jawn and I did a switcheroo with Christen Rochon and Vanessa James. Nissan’s William Mattice rolled with Vanessa and me. She drove as I assumed video duty. We didn’t quite take to the freeway so our ProPilot, sort of self-driving car, experience was short-lived. On the road in Toluca Lake, Miss V did get some ePedal action in and we felt it do all the stopping for us whenever traffic required it.
Our Lightsaber Instructor at the American School of Martial Arts
Star Wars Lightsaber training at the American School of Martial Arts was our first stop and that was action-packed fun. Lightsabers came courtesy of Hasbro. So thanks to them, I am ready to join the resistance. NOT.
Back in the Leaf, we used ProPilot to roll to Griffith Observatory. Again letting a car stop and go for you on the L.A. freeway takes some getting used to but it got us there. At Griffith Observatory, we were on top of L.A. I immediately found the good droid—the resourceful BB-8. We snapped his pic on top of the fence with the iconic Hollywood sign in the back but we never factored on the BB-8 falling and getting stuck. After I proved unsuccessful, eventually Vanessa managed to free him. We both had to lay down on the hard concrete to make it happen and that attracted a group of Asian tourists who found our Ethel and Lucy act out loud funny. But we got our droid.
Moon Juice was next up. I found no droids but enjoyed some liquid green goodness. On the way back to the Roosevelt, I took the wheel. That Nissan kickass engineer Brittany Tessmer rocked West Coast Hip-Hop Carpool Karaoke from Silver Lake to Hollywood with me, Vanessa and William. Talk about a moment!!
Lunch was quick at the hotel because we had to dress for the big night, Nissan and Star Wars at El Capitan. Luckily there were sliders, fries, drinks (no more driving!) and cool folks, some dressed in Star Wars attire (our very own Christen was a beautiful Princess Leia) at the pre-movie rooftop soiree. At El Capitan, which we strolled to, it got so surreal.
Nissan Star Wars Red Carpet at El Capitan
We floated down the red carpet lined with custom Star Wars Nissan vehicles. Inside there were lots of gifts and surprises. We hit the tail-end of a 30-hour Star Wars marathon. They were such real deal Star Wars fans that The Last Jedi writer/director Rian Johnson even popped by! Watching a Star Wars film with Star Wars diehards proved an experience and a half. We’re talking spontaneous applause, collective laughter at inside jokes and even standing ovations. By film’s end, the El Capitan crowd seemed pleased.
R2D2 at the Nissan Star Wars Hollywood Roosevelt Rooftop After-Party
We capped off the evening back on the rooftop where, in L.A. fashion, the kale salad shined among the passed edible delights! Both R2D2 and Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Guillermo dropped by so it was certainly a good night.
The next afternoon, I headed back to Atlanta but the adventure wasn’t quite over. A couple of days later, my brothers and I attended Nissan’s special Atlanta screening at the AMC Camp Creek 14 on the city’s South side, near the airport.
At this screening, with my longtime Nissan friend Steve Parrett attending, we watched behind-the-scenes videos on the Star Wars Rogue and Leaf collabs spotlighting great folks I met in L.A. like Nissan marketing communications guru Jeremy Tucker. I even found out how those fab custom cars were created!
As for The Last Jedi, even without the costumed diehards, spontaneous applause and standing ovations, it hit in Atlanta too!