Visiting Club 33 at Disneyland

Thanks to my friend Erin from Horsing Around in LA I recently was able to cross something off my bucket list - visiting the exclusive Club 33 in Disneyland.

Now when it comes to bucket list items there's always a risk of them not being as great as you hoped they would be. You build up all this hype, decide it's something you MUST do before you die, and go out of your way to do it. It's bound to disappoint, right? WRONG. Club 33 was nothing short of amazing and truly a night I will never forget. 

For those of you that don't know, Club 33 is an exclusive restaurant that's hidden in plain sight inside of Disneyland. To get inside you have to be a member or have connection to a member. Membership does not come cheap and costs thousands of dollars per year. Because of that the ordinary Joe will hear about it often but only dream about visiting. Unless you work some magic...which is just what Erin did to gain us a reservation. 

And that's how I found myself in the heart of Disneyland one Friday night waiting at the secret door while Erin rang the bell. It opened and we walked into a small lobby decorated in a turn of the century (20th century) motif. We waited for a bit and then ascended into the restaurant.

Via old timey elevator, of course.

Once in the restaurant I was in awe of it's beauty. Filled with antique furnishings and exclusive artwork it was quite a sight.

Already, I knew it was better than I would have ever guessed and I hadn't even been seated!

But soon, enough I sat down at our exquisitly decorated table.

 I began to peruse the menu which has a choice of several a la carte options or a five course tasting menu. Because this was a special evening I decided to hang the expense and go with the tasting menu. It was definitely the right choice.

Now I must admit that going in I worried that the food would be subpar. I thought Disney might capitalize on the exclusivity aspect and skimp on the quality of the food. Not so. The food was amazing. Each dish was more delicious than the last and I practically licked my plates clean.

Prior to the meal Fantasmic occurred so we went on the balcony to watch.  It's not my favorite show so I decided to explore instead. It was so fun looking down on people and knowing they had no idea I was above them.

Far too soon the night was at a close. I grabbed an after dinner mint

 Stopped by the restroom

Purchased a souvenir and reentered the park. My night at Club 33 was now a wonderful, wonderful memory.

Lazy Sunday - Listening to the JV Club Podcast

Lazy Sunday - a weekly column where I discuss my favorite lazy day indulgences - movies, television shows, books, music and more. 

Not too long ago I shared with you a list of my favorite podcasts. But as with most lists it's ever evolving. I've got a lot of time to fill during the workday so I'm always searching for shows and recently I stumbled across a new favorite - The JV Club.

The JV Club is hosted by the lovely Janet Varney, a performer I only recently discovered via the hi-larious Burning Love. The podcast has a deceptively simple format - an hour long interview with a guest. But really, it's so much more than that.

The guests (save one) are exclusively female. And the topic? Adolescence and young adulthood. In each episode Janet and her guest take a stroll down memory lane and discuss the trials and tribulations of growing up. It makes for some truly compelling consversation.

Pictured are some of my favorite interviewees. Each has shared amazing stories - sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always fascinating.

The JV Club is a must listen, especially for women. Yes, it's entertaining but it's also an important reminder that no matter how alone we feel, how different from everyone else we think we are there are many other women thinking the same thing. We really are never alone but part of a large community of unique, amazing women who have the power to really make a difference in the world. That is why I love this podcast.

Having a Pint - Visiting Angel City Brewery

 Just a few months ago I had never been to the arts district near Downtown LA. But ever since I discovered The Pie Hole...well...it's practically my second home. So when I heard about the opening of Angel City Brewery right in the thick of it all I knew I had to stop by. 

I decided to visit recently when they held their grand opening celebration. Or grand re-opening I should say. Angel City Brewery has been around for some time but recently it underwent some changes - new owners, new recipes, and, most importantly, a new tasting bar.

Looks like the public loves it!

On the day I went they were offering tours of the brewery. Since I'm obsessed with finding out how things are made I just had to go on it. Now I must admit I paid more attention to what I was seeing that what I was hearing. Because of the massive crowds (and my short attention span) it was hard to stay focused so I decided to just soak up my surroundings instead.

One thing I made sure to listen to was the history of the building. The brewery is housed in the John A. Roebling building which is about a century old. The building initially housed a leading steel cable manufacturer. In this very building cables for the Golden Gate Bridge were made. In this very building! And later Slinkys were manufactured here. Slinkys! Those facts alone were worth the visit.

Oh. And this.

 

A slide! Now you may be wondering if you can actually use it. Well...the answer is

 

But it's awesome to look at. And it's even got this cool attachment.

"Hello! Anybody up there?" On a side note this totally reminds me of an old Buster Keaton movie called What! No Beer? Seriously. That's the title. Anyway, in the movie Buster owns a brewery and they have a slide just like this. For me that makes Angel City awesome.

But if you don't have a Buster Keaton obsession there is still much to like about Angel City Brewery. The bar is huge. There's lots of room and lots of seating areas. There was live music when I was there which made for a very festive atmosphere. And since it's in an old warehouse there's these large doors that open up into the fresh air. How picturesque would that be at night?

So now I have two reasons to visit the arts district - my beloved Pie Hole and my new flame, Angel City Brewery.

 Angel City Brewery
216 S. Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA  90012

High Heels and Ice Skates - Attending the Emerald Ball and Disney On Ice

When I was younger I loved to watch ballroom dancing on PBS. I loved seeing the beautiful dances and the sparkly dresses and the sheer elegance of it all. Now I may no longer watch ballroom dance competitions but I still really admire the art form. So much so that I took ballroom dance lessons a few years ago. I won't be lighting up the dance floor anytime soon but it was a lot of fun.

And you know what else was fun? Attending the Emerald Ball - a ballroom dance competition held annually in Los Angeles. It's a big event in the ballroom dance world and I was lucky enough to be a spectator.

What an event! It's a whole world I never knew about. First of all there's lots of vendors selling all your ballroom dance essentials. It was fun looking at all the (very expensive) costumes and jewelry.

lots and lots of earrings

Love these dresses from Dore Designs!

After looking at all the dresses on the racks I wanted to see them in action so I headed to the ballroom to check out the competition.

Ooohhh...sparkles!

But the dresses weren't the only things that impressed. I was happy to learn that the world of ballroom dance is very open minded. There were people of all shapes and sizes - skinny, pleasantly plump, young, old...everyone was represented. I love that you don't have to fit into a box to ballroom dance - as long as you love it you can compete. At least that's what I surmised after watching the competition.

It was fascinating. And exciting to watch it in person. I had such a good time that I'm thinking I need to sign up for lessons again!

And if ballroom dance isn't glitzy enough...I also recently attended Disney On Ice. Just like ballroom dance I loved watching figure skating when I was young. Even more so. I was all over the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding drama. And Oksana Baul. And Kristy Yamaguchi. And Victor! Who could forget Viktor Petrenko!

Anyway, I recently saw Disney On Ice when it rolled into town. I had never gone before and it was an experience. The show was Treasure Trove and it featured scores and scores of Disney characters. My favorite had to be Pumba.

Just imagine that butterball waddling around on four skates. Cuteness!

And it really is a spectacular. Tinkerbell flies! Fireworks explode! Herds of bison roam before your very eyes! I get why kids eat this up.

full disclosure: I was provided with free admission to both events. All opinions are my own.

Grab a Seat at Last Remaining Seats!

It's Last Remaining Seats time! It's Last Remaining Seats time!

Well...almost. But I've got to tell you now so that you can be sure to attend when this awesome event begins on June 1st. And just what is Last Remaining Seats, you ask? Only the best film festival in town!

As I've written about before, Los Angeles is home to several beautiful historic movie palaces. Most  are rarely open to the public and people don't get to see the beauty within. But then, once a year the Los Angeles Conservancy puts on Last Remaining Seats and the theatre doors are flung open so that everyone can come watch a classic film in period surroundings. I told you it was awesome!

This year's schedule is fantabulous. Check it out:

June 1st - To Catch a Thief at the 1926 Orpheum Theatre (sold out, unfortunately)

 June 5th - La Bamba at the 1911 Palace Theatre

June 12th - My Fair Lady at the 1964 Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (wow!)

June 19th - All About Eve at the 1931 Los Angeles Theatre (also sold out)

 

June 26th - Ben Hur (1925 silent version) at the 1926 Orpheum Theatre 

June 29th - Casablanca at the 1930 Saban Theatre 

 

What a line up! And you won't just see the film. Each evening has a special pre-show performance. Sometimes it's a band, sometimes it's an interview with an actor or filmaker, sometimes it's cartoons and newsreels...really it could be anything! 

So come to Last Remaining Seats for the best show in town!

The Art of the Story - Viewing Pen to Paper at GR Works

by Glen Keane

I know I go on and on about the LA Conservancy but there's another Los Angeles non-profit that's dear to my heart - 826LA, a tutoring center that helps children improve their writing skills. It's a worthy cause that I've talked about in the past (check out the posts on the Dead Author Readings and the Time Travel Mart) and am continually amazed by.

Case in point - the Pen to Paper exhibit currently at GR Works in Downtown Los Angeles. The students of 826 wrote stories about their imaginary friends. Then, professional illustrators and animators produced illustrations based on their stories. Here's the details.

GRworks and 826LA presents "Pen to Paper" from GR Works on Vimeo.

Obviously, I had to check it out. So I made my way downtown and stopped in during the opening reception. It. was. Awesome. On the wall were displayed the original stories alongside the artists' interpretation. Usually when I visit a gallery it doesn't take me too long to see everything. Not this time. The stories were so entertaining I wanted to read each one. And the illustrations? Could they be anything less than amazing? Here's a sampling.

by Katia Grifols

by Joe Pitt

by Joseph M. Lee

Good stuff, right?

I loved the work so much that I just had to buy the book because I know these are stories I want to read over and over again.

Pen to Paper runs until May 11.

GR Works
114 W. 4th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Taking In a Show - Viewing Watching the Tightrope and 24th Street Theatre

I may be a movie nut but I love plays nearly as much. There's just something special about going to the theatre and watching a story performed live right in front of you. So recently, when I was offered a ticket to see the play Walking the Tightrope at the 24th Street Theatre in Los Angeles I jumped at the chance. 

The small theatre is located near USC on a mostly residential street. It's an older neighborhood and the playhouse resides in a former carriage house that retains much of its historic charm.

What a lovely example of adaptive reuse!

There's a quaint lobby in which the crowd gathers before the show. Refreshments are offered, including handmade tamales!

 The theatre space is quite small which creates an intimate experience and allows one to really get immersed in the play. Now, 24th Street Theatre is actually a family theatre in which all ages are welcome. But don't expect saccharine productions that make adults want to gouge their eyeballs out. And you won't find plays that will bore children. Instead, you'll find honest, thought provoking productions that speak to all age groups.

Walking the Tightrope is one such production.

source

It's story about a young girl who makes her annual visit to her grandfather's seaside home. But this year something is different and the girl and her grandfather have to learn how to handle the change.

It's a lovely piece that contains only three characters. The set design is minimal but well done. And the acting is very good. I really enjoyed the production and may have gotten choked up at some moments. It's a sweet tale that people of all ages will truly enjoy.

24th Street Theatre 
111 W. 24th Street Theatre
Los Angeles, CA 90007

full disclosure: I was provided with a free ticket in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.