Using My Christmas Present

(Pictures above - on the subway and at Union Station. Left at Pantages)

Last night we got to use my Christmas present, 4 tickets to Phantom of the Opera at my very favorite theatre - Pantages. This was the first time that the kids got to go to the "real theatre" (meaning anything aside from the local theater). We decided to go all out and make an adventure of it. We started out with a local dinner at Lazy Dog Cafe. Lauren was mortified because we insisted on dressing up for the night, and then went to the restaurant at the mall where she could be seen by real people. I am not sure what her fear is - people will find out she has parents? that she eats? that she owns a skirt? Oh well. Then we drove downtown to Union Station and took the Redline subway to the theatre. We just did not want to deal with any parking issues in Hollywood. The subway lets you out directly across the street from the Pantages so it worked out perfectly. We got there just in time to find our seats, get settled and then the musical started. John and I saw Phantom several pre-children years ago. We were very anxious to see it again and were not disappointed. The kids enjoyed it as well. Jason and I left humming away. The subway was a little more stressful on the return trip. I will just say that not everyone on the subway was a suburbanite out with the family for an adventure. But we made it home. Now we are suffering from post-much-anticipated-event-stress-syndrome. We feel let down and have nothing to look forward to. Well, there is that ski trip in March.