Gary
All-Pro
- Location
- Southern California
- Name
- Gary Ayala
The X100S, Pink Martini and the Hollywood Bowl all come together for a great night of entertainment.
#1
First is dinner. The Bowl allows picnic baskets, coolers and even booze into the facility (there are size regulations for the baskets/coolers). For Pink Martini we choose Mexican and to make it vastly easier, Mary Lou and I got it togo from Julians, a locals only spoon type place in Hawaiian Gardens.
#2
#3
Then on to Lakewood to board the charter buses which will drop us off at The Bowl. Parking at The Bowl is a horror. What little parking they have is expensive, $20-$30 depending on the act and parking is what The Bowl describes as "Stacked". The cars are lined up bumper to bumper, literally. There are no aisles. The only way you can leave the lot is when the car ahead of you moves, the only way the car ahead of you can move is when the car ahead of them moves, et cetera. The buses are only $5, you get dropped off at the very front of The Bowl and the bus exit is directly to the 101 on-ramp ... and many begin their celebrations on the bus in-route.
#4
There are many places to eat and picnic at The Bowl, plus restaurants at the bowl will deliver food to your box seats. Mary Lou and I like the shaded walkway with the wooden benches on the left. More room to stretch out than what is available at your seat.
#5
First a toast to The Bowl, a magical place for entertainment.
#5
Tamale dinners from Julians, fine wines, perfect weather, a X100S and The Bowl ... life is good. (We have these stainless steel wine glasses just for The Bowl. If they drop they won't shatter. Yeah, use could use those red plastic party cups, but this is The Bowl and wine just tastes better in a wine glass.)
#6
Here we go ... Pink Martini, this eclectic band performs songs in many languages backed tonight by the LA Phil. The Bowl is surrounded by hills, all you can see are the hills. It is wonderful because for the next few hours nothing else in the world matters, because all there is ... is the Bowl. Even air traffic is routed around The Bowl during a performance.
#7
The pianist, Thomas Lauderdale and organizer of Pink Martini, brought down from Oregon the former head of the Oregon Philharmonic, the man who was responsible for launching Lauderdale's career. This 95 y/o man hobbles out on stage with his clarinet. This was his Bowl debut and he played his heart out. Even at 95 he didn't miss a beat. You could tell that a dream was fulfilled this evening.
#8
Then Lauderdale spoke of performing in Japan and working with a local artist to create an album in Japan. "Ladies and Gentlemen ... the Barbara Streisand of Japan," said Lauderdale. This lady dressed in a kimono shuffles across the stage and sings 'Puff the Magic Dragon' in Japanese. This was her Bowl debut.
#9
Ari Shapiro, White House correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR), came out on stage for his Bowl debut and he sang, and he sang well, (quite well actually), and he's very tall.
All-in-all a great night of entertainment.
Gary
#1
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First is dinner. The Bowl allows picnic baskets, coolers and even booze into the facility (there are size regulations for the baskets/coolers). For Pink Martini we choose Mexican and to make it vastly easier, Mary Lou and I got it togo from Julians, a locals only spoon type place in Hawaiian Gardens.
#2
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#3
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Then on to Lakewood to board the charter buses which will drop us off at The Bowl. Parking at The Bowl is a horror. What little parking they have is expensive, $20-$30 depending on the act and parking is what The Bowl describes as "Stacked". The cars are lined up bumper to bumper, literally. There are no aisles. The only way you can leave the lot is when the car ahead of you moves, the only way the car ahead of you can move is when the car ahead of them moves, et cetera. The buses are only $5, you get dropped off at the very front of The Bowl and the bus exit is directly to the 101 on-ramp ... and many begin their celebrations on the bus in-route.
#4
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There are many places to eat and picnic at The Bowl, plus restaurants at the bowl will deliver food to your box seats. Mary Lou and I like the shaded walkway with the wooden benches on the left. More room to stretch out than what is available at your seat.
#5
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
First a toast to The Bowl, a magical place for entertainment.
#5
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Tamale dinners from Julians, fine wines, perfect weather, a X100S and The Bowl ... life is good. (We have these stainless steel wine glasses just for The Bowl. If they drop they won't shatter. Yeah, use could use those red plastic party cups, but this is The Bowl and wine just tastes better in a wine glass.)
#6
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Here we go ... Pink Martini, this eclectic band performs songs in many languages backed tonight by the LA Phil. The Bowl is surrounded by hills, all you can see are the hills. It is wonderful because for the next few hours nothing else in the world matters, because all there is ... is the Bowl. Even air traffic is routed around The Bowl during a performance.
#7
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The pianist, Thomas Lauderdale and organizer of Pink Martini, brought down from Oregon the former head of the Oregon Philharmonic, the man who was responsible for launching Lauderdale's career. This 95 y/o man hobbles out on stage with his clarinet. This was his Bowl debut and he played his heart out. Even at 95 he didn't miss a beat. You could tell that a dream was fulfilled this evening.
#8
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Then Lauderdale spoke of performing in Japan and working with a local artist to create an album in Japan. "Ladies and Gentlemen ... the Barbara Streisand of Japan," said Lauderdale. This lady dressed in a kimono shuffles across the stage and sings 'Puff the Magic Dragon' in Japanese. This was her Bowl debut.
#9
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Ari Shapiro, White House correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR), came out on stage for his Bowl debut and he sang, and he sang well, (quite well actually), and he's very tall.
All-in-all a great night of entertainment.
Gary
