"Grease" at the Pantages

My personal favorite theater for Broadway plays is not in NYC, but in Hollywood. The Pantages Theatre at 6223 Hollywood Blvd. It is my favorite, not just because it is a cool, ornate old theater . . . but mostly because I am CHEAP ! Since there is no elevator at the Pantages, they sell us wheelchair accessible seating in the high priced orchestra section for the lowest priced seat available in the entire theater. (Usually about 25-30% of Orchestra Section pricing)
"Grease" was the word for the show this weekend. Can't get "Teen Idol's" rendition of "Beauty School Dropout" out of my head.

Not only are the seats cheap, the amenities are also good. We have a private, wheelchair-only restroom conveniently located in the inner lobby with easy access. No waiting in line at intermission. Yes - we love the Pantages.

Spanish Village Art Center - San Diego

Before the flight home, spent a few hours browsing through the Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park, San Diego.



Melanie amongst the flowers and flowering trees at the Spanish Village Art Center.

Kathe Wolfhart in America & Mall of America

The Christmas Markets trip in December took us to several Kathe Wolfhart Christmas Traditions shops in Germany. There is one in the USA in Stillwater, Minnesota a little town on the banks of the St. Croix River, the first town in Minnesota we were told, settled by German immigrants. So here we are tracking down Melanie's favorite Christmas store.

No trip to the Minneapolis area would be complete without a stop at the Mall of America. Here is Melanie with her favorite TV characters.

Minnesota/Wisconsin - Frozen Rivers and Great Cheese

An ideal setting for a Minnesota Wedding is a frozen river. Here on the banks of the St Croix just before it merges with the mighty Mississippi, the happy couple shivers. Note car tracks on the frozen river backdrop.

This bridge leads from the Land of 10,000 Lakes Minnesota to Cheese Country Wisconsin.

Our license plate was from America's Dairyland, so Melanie wanted to find a cheese factory in Wisconsin. We drove across the river (actually we used the bridge) and the GPS took us to . . .

The Bass Lake Cheese Factory . . . run by one of the seven Master Cheesemakers in Wisconsin. The cheese, she was delicious !

More Arizona Hales

The kids are so happy to have "Uncle Jordan and Aunt Chelsea" live close by and they love to have them come over. Never a dull moment with Jordan and Chelsea around. It was nice to see them and discuss a little politics with Jordan.


All the kids love to have Chelsea as their own personal school teacher and she was caught reading to them frequently.

Love you guys !

Sadie Rose Hales - Sunday, March 1, 2009 Mesa, Arizona

INTRODUCING - SADIE ROSE HALES

The real purpose of our travels this weekend was to visit the "Arizona Hales" and meet Sadie Rose and particpate in the baby blessing of this cute, latest addition to the Hales clan. A beautiful blessing was giving by her Dad and Shondelle's testimony comments were tender and touching regarding this beautiful little girl's arrival into the family. So happy to have been there to share these moments.


















Here's the whole family. Lot's of sisters for Porter to have as his basketball fans.

A combo trip with Saturday In New York City to check out a couple of deals Melanie was looking for. We stopped in Chinatown, SOHO and Little Italy. Wandered through Little Italy at lunch time and stopped at Lombardi's, the first official Pizza place in the USofA, founded in 1905. Still considered by many 'one of the best' ever.