The Long Yellow-Brick Road to Wicked

I doubt anyone reading this hasn't heard of Wicked, the stage musical that tells "the untold story of the witches of Oz." I had first heard of this musical back in the summer of 2003 when our pal Steve M. caught a performance of the pre-Broadway try-out at San Francisco's Curran Theater.


Wicked at the Pantages Theater. (02/27/2008)

Several months later, the show opened on Broadway to enormous acclaim, especially for the two leads Idina Menzel (Elphaba) and Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda). It wasn't until I saw them perform the amazing "Defying Gravity" number on the Tony Awards the following June that I got bit by the Wicked bug. I knew then I needed to see this show.


Musical Theatre Sensation: Wicked

Our first opportunity to see Wicked in person came when the National Tour came to Los Angeles in June 2006. Our pal Jason, who at the time was working for The Center Orange County, alerted us that the organization was planning a fundraiser where you could buy tickets for a bus-chauffeured trip to Wicked.


Wicked, the Broadway Sensation.

We had participated in the same type of fundraiser in 2000 when we saw The Lion King , which worked out great. We told Jason to sign us up as soon as details were announced. As it turned out the group tickets sold out through word of mouth, even before the event was announced.


The Pantages Theater is a great place to see a show. (02/27/2008)

We didn't get to see it in L.A., but we weren't worried. Two months later the National Tour of Wicked traveled 45 miles south to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a two-and-a-half-week stint. We would see it then.


Caissie Levy played Elphaba the night we saw the show. Photo courtesy of Rick Yribe.

Easier said than done. We tried buying three tickets (the third being for my boss-at-the-time Lisa, who, like us, was dying to see the show). As it turned out there was such overwhelming demand by so many people, that the day tickets went on sale, the website froze up for hours. After three hours of trying via the telephone and not getting through, I gave up.


Megan Hilty played Glinda the night we saw the show. Photo courtesy of Rick Yribe.

I tried getting tickets on eBay. That didn't prove to be very beneficial. Not only were the tickets listed at outrageous prices, it was next to impossible to get three tickets. They were only sold in pairs or in groups of four, which were even more expensive. So we gave up.


The grand lobby inside the Pantages Theater. (02/27/2008)

But we found new hope in February 2007 when an open-ended production of Wicked opened at Los Angeles' Pantages Theatre. We still planned to go with Lisa for a while, but after a couple of her co-workers invited themselves into the plan, things started getting a little too complicated (you try coordinating schedules with eight people). We ultimately bowed out of the group event and just decided to see it on our own.


Chandelier inside the Pantages Theater. (02/27/2008)

Well months passed by until I started dropping hints for Tim that a great Christmas present would be tickets to Wicked. So when I saw that my Christmas present came in an envelope instead of a box, I had a feeling I knew what was inside. But I was shocked to find that Tim had somehow gotten his hand on fifth row seats! That was a huge surprise.


Katie Webber's headshot from American Idol season 3.

One interesting side note. Our friend Tom's stepmom Wendy worked with with the sister of Katie Webber, who in 2004, made it to the Top 32 of the 3rd season of American Idol (and was previously on the WB reality show Popstars). Today Katie is a cast member of the Broadway production of Wicked.



Ryan Seacrest and Katie Webber on American Idol in 2004.

For Christmas last year, Tom and Christine used those connections to get me an autographed copy of the Wicked CD — autographed by an actual cast member of the show! Consindering that I watch American Idol like a stalker (and did the same thing with Popstars), I was impressed!


The Katie Webber autographed Wicked CD I got for Christmas.

The show itself was amazing. And so were our fifth row seats! We laughed. We cried. And during certain moments, like the end of "Defying Gravity," we were on the edge of our seats. We particularly enjoyed Megan Hilty as Glinda who really stole the show. Caissie Levy as Elphaba was also great. We were also pleasantly surprised to see Jo Anne Worley, from Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, in the role of Madame Morrible.


It was a great night at the theatre. (02/27/2008)

I'd recommend Wicked to anyone. And if you want to see it in Los Angeles, you better start planning it now, because from what I understand, it's scheduled to close in January 2009. But a second North American tour, as well as a San Francisco production, begin in early 2009, so be on the lookout!

At Hollywood's Oldest Eatery

I don't remember exactly when I became aware of Musso & Frank Grill, Hollywood's oldest eatery. It must have been after moving to L.A. in the summer of 1992. But when your age and annual salary are in the low twenties, actually eating there was beyond my means. Who knew that nearly 16 years would go by before I would ever enter Musso & Frank's doors?


Musso & Frank's sign in the back. (02/27/2008)

I find it simply astonishing that this Hollywood landmark has been around longer than movies had sound. It opened in 1919, when bar and grill restaurants were a new concept. (A full-service restaurant where you can get booze — imagine that!) Back then bar and grill restaurants had a somewhat bawdy connotation — the kind of place good church-going folk avoided. But this one was a magnet for Hollywood stars.


The rear entrance to Musso & Frank Grill. (02/27/2008)

Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Rudolph Valentino were said to be frequent diners. Purportedly the three of them once raced down Hollywood Boulevard on horseback, with the loser picking up the check at Musso & Frank's. Other frequent guests included Humphrey Bogart, Orson Welles, Jack Webb, Peter Lawford and all four of the original Warner brothers.


Tim inside the famous Musso & Frank Grill. (02/27/2008)

Musso & Frank Grill was also a watering hole for many literary giants who came to Hollywood for stints at screenwriting. These include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker, John O'Hara, Dashiell Hammett, even Ernest Hemingway. Legend has it that William Faulkner would mix his own mint juleps here. And from what I've read, Raymond Chandler wrote "The Big Sleep" while at Musso & Frank's.


Musso & Frank Grill's legendary stuffed celery. (02/27/2008)

Going inside Musso & Frank Grill is like stepping back in time. Dark mahogany panels cover the walls. The booths are upholstered with red leather. And you are served by red-jacketed waiters who look like they've been working there forever (and they probably have). Yet one of the strangest things about the place was what it didn't have: Muzak. It's amazing how we've gotten so used to background music at public places that when it's gone, it seems eerily quiet.


Tim's sanddabs sautè meunière. (02/27/2008)

But I wasn't just fascinated with the history and ambience. The menu itself was like a study in early- and mid-century cooking (except for the prices, which actually seemed to be from the future). But where else can you find hors d'oeuvres like stuffed celery, imported sardines, or marinated herring?


James' sauerbraten, potato pancakes and applesauce. (02/27/2008)

Other interesting selections include a stuffed tomato salad with chicken, a smoked tongue sandwich, even a side dish of stewed tomatoes. There's even a whole section devoted to potatoes. You can get them boiled, candied, french fried, mashed, julienne, lyonnaise, cottage fried, baked, au gratin or prepared as hash browns. Talk about choices!


James outside Hollywood's Musso & Frank Grill. (02/27/2008)

Some of the main courses would only appeal to a bon vivant with an adventuresome palette, like the oyster stew, lamb kidneys sauté, or sweetbreads jardinière. Although Tim and I didn't get too adventurous, we did end up selecting items that you don't often see on dinner menus these days. I ordered the Wednesday weekly special: Sauerbraten with potato pancakes ($22), while Tim selected the filet of sanddabs, sautè meunière ($21).


The legendary Musso & Frank Grill. (02/27/2008)

As great as the experience was up until that point, I can't say the same thing about the food unfortunately. I think Tim hit the nail on the head when he described it as "old people food." Both of our entrees were a bit bland. They were under seasoned and really lacked flair (as well as anything remotely resembling a vegetable). Conversely, our stuffed celery appetizer ($7) was so overpowered with blue cheese, I couldn't really enjoy it much.

Although the food itself wasn't great, I truly enjoyed the experience. I would go back in a heartbeat ... for drinks only!

Celebrity Grave Hunting, Episode 2

It's been more than a year since the last time we went celebrity grave hunting. It's one of those things that I really enjoy doing, but seldom find people who are actually willing to take the time to do it with me. So after crashing at Tom's & Christine's place in Burbank after Bean's birthday party, I decided to check out Forest Lawn Glendale.


Here lies Walt Disney. (02/10/2008)

Like the Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills site we checked out last time, the Glendale property is definitely worth a visit. Even if you take the whole celebrity grave concept out of the picture, there is simply so much to see! The mosaics, the statues, the artwork, heck, there's even a full museum, complete with rotating exhibits and everything.


Spencer Tracy. (02/10/2008)

I started off at the Court of Freedom, where thanks to Find A Grave, I knew there were lots of good celebrity graves. One of the first I found was that of Walt Disney, who is buried in a family plot with his wife Lillian, daughter Sharon Disney Brown Lund, and Walt's son-in-law Robert B. Brown. I was surprised that it was as understated as it was. I was almost expecting a statue of some sort.


Here lies Larry Fine, one third of the Three Stooges. (02/10/2008)

Next I popped inside the Freedom Mausoleum, where I saw such legends as George Burns & Gracie Allen, Nat King Cole, Alan Ladd, Jeanette MacDonald, Chico Marx of the Marx Bros., Larry Fine of the Three Stooges and Spencer Tracy. Not bad. I saw all of those and probably only spent about 10-15 minutes inside.


Gracie Allen & George Burns. (02/10/2008)

Next, I came across an exact reproduction of Michelangelo's David. Like the original, it stands 16 feet, 9 inches tall and was carved from a single piece of white Carrara marble. This is the second exact reproduction of Michelangelo's David I've seen in Southern California. The first was during our visit to the now-closed Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park. My next goal is to see the original David statue.


Exact reproduction of Michelangelo's David. (02/10/2008)

Although the David statue was cool, there were few accessible celebrities in the area, so I moved on to the Hall of the Crucifixion-Resurrection. This building was constructed in 1951 to display a painting of the crucifixion, which I kid you not, was singularly the largest painting I have ever seen in my entire life. Painted by the renowned Polish artist Jan Styka, The Crucifixion stands 195 feet long and 45 feet high. Yet it's not just the size that makes it impressive, it's the detail.


Hall of the Crucifixion/Resurrection. (02/10/2008)

I couldn't take pictures inside the Hall of the Crucifixion-Resurrection, but even if I could, it would not capture the monumental scale of the painting. The guard was telling me that normally, another painting, The Resurrection, rolls in front of the crucifixion. At the moment, that process was not functioning however. He suggested to come back at a later time, which I certainly intend to do. Another notable feature: The view of Glendale from the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection is spectacular.


Great view of Glendale, CA. (02/10/2008)

Next stop, the Forest Lawn Museum and Gift Shop. Yes, this cemetery has a museum and gift shop. And believe it or not, it's very worthwhile! I spent an hour there, and could have stayed there longer. I was about to head home when the guard recommended that I check out the Last Supper Window/Memorial Terrace, which houses an exact replica of Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper painting, but in 100% stained glass.


The entrance to the Great Mausoleum. (02/10/2008)

It was magnificent. It was crafted in Italy by Rosa Caselli Moretti using Leonardo Da Vinci's own sketches. The And it wasn't just a stained glass window, either. It was a complete show, with story narration and an unveiling. It was a little Disneylandish, but since I love Disneyland, I loved this.


Clark Gable. (02/10/2008)

While I was in there, I also visited the graves of Clark Gable and wife Carole Lombard Gable, who were interred side-by-side in the attached mausoleum wing. I looked for a few others but couldn't find many more before the guard came by and politely told me I wasn't supposed to be wandering around after the Last Supper show.


The front of the Wee Kirk o' the Heather Church. (02/10/2008)

I also made an attempt to find Jimmy Stewart, who is buried near a replica of the Wee Kirk o' the Heather chapel. This chapel is modeled after the village church at Glencairn, Scotland, where Annie Laurie of Scottish lore worshipped. It was pretty cool on the inside and outside, although I never did find Jimmy Stewart.

Bean's Birthday 2008

So far February hasn't been too eventful of a month, but one modest-yet-fun highlight stands out: Bean's Birthday (aka Christine's Birthday). Although it's not technically her birthday until the 16th, we held it a few days early since Tom was leaving for New Mexico the next day.


Christine blows out her birthday cupcakes. (02/09/2008)

It was basically a small group enjoying pizza and some pretty damn good black and tans. Tom missed the first half, since he had some sort of Writers Guild meeting. Apparently the guild leadership was presenting the membership with the terms of the offer to finally end the three-month-old+ writer's strike.


Yummy Cupcakes in Burbank supplied the birthday pastries. (02/09/2008)

Besides the great company, the highlight of the night was the birthday cake, or rather, birthday cupcakes from Burbank's own Yummy Cupcakes. And believe me, as good as they look in the photos, they tasted even better. We even had to cut them in quarters so we could each try multiple varieties.


Nigella thinks the gifts are for her. (02/09/2008)

As with every party, Ryan eventually fell asleep, with Laura and Christine joining him shortly therafter. Tom and I tried to keep things going with a game of Scrabble, but I eventually joined the sleep party, ultimately crashing on the sofa for the night. They say if you wake up in a bed that's not yours, that's the mark of a good party!