Dinner and a show

The goal for today was for my friend to get student rush tickets for "Legally Blonde: The Musical". I had seen and heard about lines starting VERY early in the morning for these tickets so we debated on how early to get there - she was game to get up as early as it took. My very "in the know" roommate when it comes to all things Broadway said that we should be fine if we got there between 7:30 & 8am.

So we arrived at the time suggested and headed for the line that was already just long enough that our hopes for tickets were in doubt. We had a plan B but that would require more line standing for my friend and less site seeing so fingers were crossed tight that things would work out. I kept her company until it was time for work and waited to hear the outcome on my cell. Once again luck was on our side and she just made the cut for tickets! Woot!

Prior to my friend's arrival I had found a restaurant that was offering free bottles of wine for first time customers. I signed up and made reservations and that is where we dined for supper.
The staff was very friendly and attentive and the food was great. We had an appetizer of their house specialty - Swedish meatballs and lingonberries - and it was delish! :) Our hostess was suprised when she checked on our wine at the end of our meal and discovered we'd finished it. Waste not, want not! ;)

As I am always bargain minded, I intend to go back sometime and take advantage of their BOGO entree offer on Tuesdays! :)

Off to the show!

We were in the 2nd row for this one and although they were great because of proximity, they weren't so great because we were just low enough that any floor action towards the back of the stage (i.e. dog entrances) we couldn't see very well. But we knew they were there by the rest of the audience's reaction! ;)

The show is fun but knowing the money that went into the production you can't help but feel like there was a "good enough" attitude with some choices in the show. With a little extra time and tweaking it could have quite possibly been a show that stood the test of time - or been a kitchy time capsule to revisit. But instead it will only be a show that lasts as long as memory of the movie does - as much of the story isn't fleshed out and I wondered how it would have played to me had I not had the movie knowledge going into it.

That being said though - it was fun to sit near a guy that was learning English and getting a total kick out of understanding the jokes on stage. He took a pic of us afterwards in front of the stage and we did the same for him. What an expression of excitement he had! Once again, the show was fun and looking at it from his perspective you just have to enjoy it for what it is! :)

After the show I suggested that we stop at Neptune Diner on the way home as they have fabulous desserts at reasonable prices. We both opted for strawberry treats (cheesecake and shortcake). And as we sat there I reflected on something a co-worker had told me as I looked at the customers sitting next to us. My co-worker is a native New Yorker and lives in Astoria. He often tells me how he hates new people moving in (he's around my age) and how the various ethnic neighborhoods don't like new people because it messes up the ethnic dynamics. Adding that when I spend money at certain establishments in Astoria I'm probably helping to fund mob members. Who knows if he was saying this to try and "scare" me into moving or being dead honest...maybe best not to dwell on it, however as I continued to look around I suddenly felt very out of place. My friend, not knowing my thoughts, asked me if she was talking too loud. I gave a shrug and filled her in on my thoughts after we left. Thanks to my co-worker it seems I won't look at the local shops around there the same way again...

But my thoughts of who wanders the neighborhood soon faded as "Oh My God You Guys" floated into my head as we ended another day.