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August 23rd, my sweet little daughter surprised me this weekend. She told me when to be ready to leave, what to wear, I should eat something before we leave the house.  I woke up to find her making fresh flower arrangements, there were half a dozen of them around the house, all in the same color scheme.  She bought bunches of Oriental lilies in pink and white, deep pink roses, pale pink alstroemeria. Then an unusual touch, she mixed in some bright greens - spider mums, long stalks of blooming Bells of Ireland, other green flowers.  I might have caught on, if I had paid more attention to the color..

We left for L.A. She was enjoying keeping me in the dark. Told me there was no use asking where we were going. So I sat back and enjoyed the ride, traffic was easy on Saturday.

As we neared our destination, I noticed places and buildings I had seen before. (I am the kind of person who gets lost easily, and I don't drive to L.A.!) So I made a quick connection to a place she and I had been before, last December. To see a musical performance.

[Click on any of these to see a full-sized picture]

As we drove up, I saw it was the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. And the banner across the front was still the same. Wicked was playing. I loved it the first time I saw it with her and friends from her school. We all went down there a couple days before Christmas. Eden Espinosa and Emily Rozek playing the leads. If you've never seen the theater check it out online. Its a beauty, built in 1930 in the Art Deco style. Very decorative, it just continues getting more ornate as you go further inside.

My daughter got in line to pick up the tickets she had ordered. She had gotten orchestra seating for us! This was exciting! When we got to our seats, we were just a few rows from the stage!! (something we had promised ourselves we would do after we saw it the first time) What a sweetheart she is! She remembered that, and of course, how much I loved the show.

It was as good as ever, as enjoyable as before if not even more so, Alive, the music and the message is so powerful, and to be seated right close to the stage was fantastic! The leads had changed with Teal Wicks playing Elphaba, and Erin Mackey as Glinda. What a team, they were perfect together. A surprise addition was Jo Anne Worley as Madame Morrible taking over from Karen Kane in the previous production we had seen.

After the show, daughter took me to dinner. Yamashiro in the center of Hollywood, high over the city. The view was spectacular and we had a table at the window. It was still light so we got to watch the sky darken over the city as we had our meal. Sushi -  Several new types for us to try. 

Afterwards we walked around the grounds. Yamashiro is built on the top of a hill and has Japanese gardens surrounding it on all sides with paths to stroll along.

It was a fabulous birthday. One I will remember warmly, and with happiness, for the rest of my life.  Thank you Jenny!

From Defying Gravity, end of first act:

And nobody in, all of Oz.
No Wizard that there is or was.
Is ever gonna bring me down!