Back from LaLaLand

L.A. was fun even if I was only there for around 24 hours. My flight was delayed out of Reno and by the time I got my rental car and drove to Chinatown it was about 1:30.

I'm really glad I decided not to go to the matinee showing at 2pm because I would have missed it. So I had plenty of time to kill. Being in Chinatown, how could I not go get something asian for lunch. The hotel was surrounded by restaurants.

So I walked around the corner and grabbed some food. Along the way I spotted an Italian restaurant. I was really curious, but no so curious that I ate there. The chinese food was really good though!

Then I thought about seeing a movie, but there weren't any theaters nearby and I had to take the freeway to any theater anyway. I figured it would put me coming back around 4:30-5:00 and I didn't know how long traffic would take and I was again nervous about the show. So I hung out at the hotel all afternoon, took a quick nap and then went to the show.

The show was fantastic. It's actually based on this German play that was written in like 1890 but all the themes are very current - teen pregnancy, suicide, abortion, coming of age/sexuality. Plus the music was really goood. The best way I can describe it is that it was like Rent. I think maybe that's why it's so popular. I was buying a keychain and the attendant recognized a girl that was standing nearby and they started chatting. Apparently said girl had been to see it multiple times. And I've heard it's like this all over, people seeing it more than once. Crazy.

I sat in the balcony and had a pretty good view. I could have gotten closer but didn't see the point. I also love how many gay men there are when attending musical theater. And good looking gay men at that! I wore my nice jeans that Jamie picked out for me when we were in Vegas.

The show was over at 10:30 and I practically ran back to the parking garage to beat the traffic.

I had really been wanting to see Milk - the movie about Harvey Milk - but I don't want to see it at Cinemark (aka Century Theaters). FYI - the CEO of Cinemark donated $10,000 to yes on 8. And while I have still gone to see movies there, I refuse to see Milk there. It would kinda defeat the purpose of seeing Milk in the first place because Prop 8 stands for everything Harvey Milk fought against. As Cinemark has a monopoly on theaters, I don't really have a choice for everything else.

If you have the chance to see it (at a non-Century theater) I HIGHLY recommend it. It was a very good movie and very moving. I can't believe the parallels between what happened in the late 70's and what's happening today with Prop 8. Part of the movie deals with Milk's battle against Prop 6 (the Briggs Initiative) which would have removed any gay teacher from teaching in public schools in California. And a lot of the propaganda the Yes on 6 people used is exactly the same messaging that the Yes on 8 people used.

It makes me wonder where our modern Harvey Milk is? HRC just isn't cutting it. I joined the Human Rights Campaign but now wish I didn't. They've done some stupid stuff, made some bad endorsements and I don't think they're doing a good job. Needless to say I'll be sending my money elsewhere.

ALSO! Who wants to guess what corrupt Nevada politician was on my plane both going TO and FROM L.A.?.......(Dis)Honorable Jim Gibbons. Yes! The governor was on my plane both ways. It was a little weird. I saw him sitting on the plane when I boarded in Reno and then waiting in L.A. I saw him again. He was with some woman (not his wife!). Not sure who she was, but GROSS. I kinda wanted to say something to him, but in L.A. he was standing with someone who I'm assuming was a U.S. Marshall - as I don't think the governor gets secret service.

He's icky! But it's always fun when you see quasi-public people.