A Night At the Pantages

Last weekend my son and I had an opportunity to see a live show at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. His cousins (my niece and nephew) had seen the Broadway musical "Wicked" earlier in the year, so - of course - he really wanted to go. We decided to make it an early birthday present. Since my wife had already seen it earlier in the year, I got to go.


Traffic into Hollywood can be pretty wicked during the week, so we went on a Saturday - smart decision.


The Sunset Strip (in West Hollywood) isn't known for family friendly billboards. This 60 foot ad on the side of a building for "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" in West Hollywood was an exception.


Hollywood is technically part of the City of Los Angeles. We had dinner at Subway at Sunset & La Brea. Not too exciting, but my son was looking for familiarity.


Hollywood Blvd. was full of life and activity around the Kodak Theater (the El Capitan, the Disney flagship theater, is across the street).


The mile between Hollywood & Highland (Kodak Theater) and the Pantages is - unfortunately - pretty gritty. There's a ton of large scale urban renewal going on ... but much of the area around the theater still needs an "extreme makeover."


The Pantages was built in 1930, and has recently been restored to it's original grandeur. The place was packed.


So what about "Wicked"? Overall, I enjoyed it. It probably would have helped if I had read an on-line description of the story ahead of time, as it was actually a lot more complex than I expected. I had a hard time sticking with the plot and themes, especially as some of the important dialogue is sung - it is, after all, a musical.


I cheated on these last two pictures and pulled them off the internet. Our seats were literally in the very last row. Great sound, but hard to see the subtle nuances of the actors on stage (and besides, the Pantages has a "no photography" policy). I pulled the next two pics off the internet. 

image credit: http://www.thepensivecitadel.com

The show has very catchy tunes, and deals with some serious questions of good and evil, who is really "good" ... and who is really "wicked." The first half is fairly lighthearted. After the intermission, it's more serious, more of a drama.

image credit: http://riddlelifearizona.erau.edu

The show runs fairly late - to about 11pm. We actually left about 20 minutes before the end of the show ... way too late for a 9 year old. Yet another one of those parental "what was I thinking?" moments. In hindsight, we should have probably caught a matinee show.


So while I'm not qualified to give a review or summary of the show, I do appreciate this excellent review from Dr. Brian Howell, anthropology professor at Wheaton College. If you're planning on seeing "Wicked" - or have already seen it - I recommend reading Professor Howell's review.


Watching a Broadway show (or a movie) from a Christian perspective, a Christian world-view, doesn't take an advanced degree in anthropology. But it does involve thinking through what's being communicated. And for Christians anywhere, hasn't God called us to love him with all our "heart, soul, mind, and strength"?


© 2008 www.experiencingla.com



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Junk Mail

Not everything we get in the mail is junk. Last month we received a nice mailer from the good people at Lamborghini Calabasas:



We're currently not in the market for a car, which is really too bad, because it's only $2,398 a month. Hmmm, that's about double an average American's monthly mortgage, but everybody says that things cost a bit more in L.A.



The reverse side explains in detail what the "affordable" payments are.

Are you sitting down?

$50,000 down.
$2,398 per month for 35 months
with a final balloon payment of (drum roll) $164,000.

Total cost: $300,000.

My wife and I laughed - is there seriously a market for a $300,000 car? We showed a few friends ... sort of the "can you believe this?"

Last week I spotted the exact same car driving up Sunset Blvd. Hey look, the $300K car!



Which was followed by another ...



and another ...



and another.


Handling must not be very good ... as you can see, the guy in the silver car had a hard time staying in lane.





Reminded me a bit of P.D. Eastman's Go, Dog, Go! Remember that children's book? Maybe they're on their way to a "big dog party" in a tree somewhere.





At the light (Sunset Blvd. & Palisades Drive in Pacific Palisades) there were these four, plus another three up ahead. Huh, that's $2 million and some change.

Obviously, even in L.A., you don't see seven Lamborghinis drive by at once very often (or ever).

As they drove by I had to wonder what Jesus meant in Luke 12 when he said: "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Actually, I don't really wonder. Jesus referred to anyone focusing on the "good life" as a fool.

There are a lot of fools in Los Angeles.

While I'm currently not in the market for a car (my Honda Accord set me back $5 grand - and it's running fine) is how I'm investing my time, my talents, and my resources .... wise ... or foolish?

"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?'Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." Proverbs 30:7-9

A Trip to Wal-Mart

Normally, a trip to Wal-Mart wouldn't justify a blog entry, but the Wal-Mart closest to our house is definitely unique.



As the only Wal-Mart in Los Angeles, it's actually located in a former department store on Crenshaw Blvd. The parking lot is - of course - a parking structure. You can waste 20 minutes trying to find a spot near the entrance, or just park at the periphery and walk five minutes - your choice.



How does a three story Wal-Mart work? Our kids liked the escalators especially designed for shopping carts -





and the HUGE elevators - you could drive a small car into these babies!



Otherwise, it was like any other Wal-Mart: a focus low prices and (on a Saturday afternoon at 2pm) crowded. They had plenty of empolyees out on the floor, so that was nice. It was actually smaller than I expected in terms of total floor space - those "Super Wal-Marts" have significantly more selection.



A lot has been written about the economic effect of Wal-Mart on the U.S. economy and individual communities. This is actually the only Wal-Mart with a "Los Angeles" address. The three other Wal-marts in the City of Los Angeles are located in the San Fernando Valley: Panorama City, West Hills, and Porter Ranch.

Living in Los Angeles is certainly different. As a Christian, I've found it an exciting and often challenging place to live and work.

The New Testament uses words like "stranger" or "alien" to describe our brief stint on earth (I Peter 2:11). Whether the city, the country, or someplace in between, there's a danger in becoming too comfortable in any place we're living.



Amazing how even a trip down to Wal-mart can remind me of that.

"The Sound of Music" sing-a-long at the Hollywood Bowl

Last night we joined two other home school families for an evening at the Hollywood Bowl.



The bowl offers a huge variety of musical performances throughout the season. Having no idea what to expect, we thought we'd try "The Sound of Music" sing-a-long.



Three tips: one, bring something for a picnic before the show. We spread out a blanket in one of the grassy areas outside the bowl and enjoyed our "Subway" sandwiches, picked up along the way.



Two, if at all possible, try and avoid the "stacked" parking lots next to the Bowl. They're not cheap, and you can't leave until the show is over. I always prefer parking far away and literally walking in.

Three, bring a sweater or jacket, and a blanket. Even on a very warm September day, it got surprisingly cool into the evening.


"The Sound of Music" sing-a-long is just that: you watch the movie with 18,000 of your closest friends and sing along to the music. Think a G rated (or PG) version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.




We read that there was a "costume parade" before hand. We had no idea what this would be, but my son wanted to participate at the last minute, using what we had at home. In that we didn't have any lederhosen or other Austrian costumes laying around, he went as a goat herder. You know, from the marionette scene. His costume looked more like a shepherd, maybe from a millennium or two earlier.



It was less of a parade, more of a costume contest. My son was in the very front of the line, which was fun. Each participant (there were at least 200) individually went on stage, said their name, and who they were. The host asked my son "and who are you?" He said "I'm the shepherd boy" - she responded, "that's perfect, you can be in the movie and in the nativity scene ..." 60 years from now he'll be able to tell his grandkids "Hollywood Bowl? No big deal, I was on stage there back in the day."



Some of the costumes were pretty amazing: a group behind us came as the "boat scene" (from the movie). Others were even more creative: one couple were dressed in huge numbers "16 going on 17". The group that won the contest (they actually had prizes) dressed up as musical notes: "do, re, mi, fa, so ...." The costume contest went for a whole hour.

The movie finally started when it got dark around 7:30pm. We opted for the "cheap seats" (or "cheaper seats") near the top. The sound was great, but the screen was small.

It was a unique experience watching a movie with 18,000 other people. The crowd was rowdier than I expected - there's a lot of alcohol consumed at the Hollywood Bowl, even on evenings that attract a lot of families.

In additional to singing along to every song, the crowd booed the Nazis, hissed at the Baroness, cheered along with Maria and the children, laughed at anything that was remotely funny, and waved their illuminated cell phones during "Edelweiss." I don't want to be a grouch - but I was pretty annoyed with the handful of people who brought in red laser pointers (designed for highlighting a power point demonstration) to "boo" the bad guys during the film (the Baroness, the Nazis and Nazi sympathizers).

It was fun to go once, but if you're looking for a traditional Hollywood Bowl concert experience, "The Sound of Music" sing-a-long is probably not for you.

"The Sound of Music" was released in 1965 (and based on the 1959 Broadway musical) and won 5 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It remains one of the most popular films of all times. While not what I would call a "Christian film" in the strictest sense, it contains strong themes of good and evil, faith, love, courage, family. I'm reminded of St. Paul's admonition to "hate what is evil, cling to what is good" (Romans 12:9).

Watching the film in the Hollywood Bowl, with a clear view of the Hollywood sign behind it, I couldn't help but wonder when the next time a G (or PG) rated film will win an Academy Award for Best Picture. My hope is sooner rather than later.

Here's a link to the Hollywood Bowl website.

© 2008 www.experiencingla.com

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No Comparison

Every four years I'm reminded of that special summer in 1984 when Los Angeles played host to the Olympic Games.



Los Angeles is one of three cities in the world (along with London and Paris) to host the Olympics twice. The whole idea of an "Olympic Village" began here in Los Angeles in 1932. Fifty two years later, the eyes of the world would again be on Los Angeles.



As hard as it might be to envision today, by the late 1970's, the Olympics had fallen on hard times:


Mexico City 1968 saw government troops opening fire and killing 300 student demonstrators ten days before the opening ceremonies.



Munich 1972 was marred by the tragic murder of 11 Israeli athletes by terrorists.



Montreal 1976 nearly bankrupt the city on costly infrastructure.

The whole concept of the modern Olympic Games was being called into question. By the time the International Olympic Committee met in May of 1978, our city was the only one in the world willing to host them.


Could Los Angeles save the modern Olympic Games?


For the first time ever, a private corporation - the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee - would oversee and be responsible for financing the Olympics. The existing stadium and infrastructure would be used. Los Angeles proved it could be done.



Peter Ueberroth, who would become Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" pulled off an incredible event, costing the tax-payers of Los Angeles nothing, and making an unheard of $215 million profit - the majority of which endowed inner city sports programs in the city.

With the exception of Beijing, every Olympic host city has used Los Angeles as a model of how to run the event.



Tickets for the opening ceremonies went on sale almost two years ahead of time with prices pegged at $50, $100, $200 - which seemed pricey at the time. Lack of vision (and a very tight budget as a college student) kept me from considering buying a couple of tickets. By the day of the opening ceremonies, people were offering $1500 for tickets - if they could find them. I - along with everyone else I knew - simply enjoyed the event a few miles away on T.V.



The opening ceremonies were nothing less than amazing. From the opening "Welcome" song, to the "Rocketman" flying across the stadium, to the dozens of pianos playing George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," the flags of the nations card show ... it was incredible and primarily staffed by volunteers. (In contrast, 75% of those who participated in the opening ceremonies in Beijing were members of the Chinese military. I recenlty read that in terms of "precision" only North Korea could have done a better job than China.)

Unfortunately, the Soviet Union and their Eastern European allies stayed home - what can we say? Their loss.

The 1984 Olympics remains a high point in our city's history. It was an truly incredible time to be here.



More thoughts on this soon (with an update February 8, 2009).

Finding Christ at the Getty

There are many reasons to visit the Getty Center here in Los Angeles: the architecture, the gardens, the views, and - of course - the artwork.







I understand it is the richest private museum in the world. Aside from the parking fee, a visit to the Getty Center is free.

My favorite work at the Getty is Velentin de Boulogne's "Christ and the Adulteress" (1620's).



From the Getty website:

Light illuminates the neck and shoulders of a woman looking down at the figure of Christ kneeling on the ground. The Pharisees had brought to Christ a woman caught in the act of committing adultery. When they asked whether she should be stoned, he stooped down and began to write with his finger on the ground. When they continued to ask, Christ said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." The male accusers watch with varying expressions; some absorb Christ's words, while others recollect their own transgressions.

For this biblical narrative, Boulogne used contemporary, working-class people as models, a practice initiated by Caravaggio at the turn of the century.

Who am I in this painting? One of the Pharisees, locked in my own self-righteousness? Or the woman, deserving condemnation yet receiving grace and forgiveness?

Stopping, sitting down in the gallery, and reflecting on the content of this painting and it's historical narrative has literally moved me to tears as I think about my own life and Jesus' love and acceptance.


"Jesus said, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, sir," she said.

"Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin."

John 8:10, 11

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Walt Disney's Barn

Years before Disneyland, Walt Disney built a working steam train layout featuring a half mile of track in the backyard of his home here in Los Angeles. While Disney's home was very modest, it was located on a five acre lot, huge by any standards.

In the center of the layout was the red barn where Disney would "tinker" and work on various projects. The ideas for Disneyland were born in Walt Disney's barn.



Today Walt Disney's barn is located in Griffith Park here in Los Angeles. It's open to the public free of charge the 3rd Sunday of every month.



Disney's home was located at 355 Carolwood Drive in Homby Hills in Los Angeles. After the house was sold about ten years ago, the barn was moved to Griffith Park.



Disney called his layout the Carolwood Pacific, named after the street he lived on. The train engine (pictured) was called the Lilly Belle, named after his wife Lillian Disney.



The Lilly Belle is on display at the barn, along with other mementos from the layout. The train at Disneyland is simply a larger version of what was found in Walt Disney's backyard.



Disney's backyard layout was very impressive, complete with trestles and tunnels. A great link on the Carolwood Pacific can be found here: http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=eo050923bb



This past Fathers' Day, our family got a chance to (finally) see the barn, take a ride on the working "live steamers" that circle the barn every Sunday afternoon. My grandfather took me here 35+ years ago, and it's nice to see the track layout has expanded over the years. It's entirely volunteer run and worth seeing.

So, what - if anything - can be learned from Walt Disney's barn? Perhaps that complex ideas (Disneyland) are often developed in simple circumstances (in this case, a barn). And that ideas - good or evil, profound or mundane, God-centered or self-centered, eternal or temporal - can outlast us long after our "trains and track" are gone. What we invest our lives in is hopefully passed on to the next generation. The question becomes, is what we're passing on of any significance in light of eternity?

"Teach us to number our days aright that we might gain a heart of wisdom." Pslam 90:12