Our Big Night

So, last night was the big opening at the new $98 million dollar Mesa Arts Center. We were given free tickets that were normally priced at $285 per person. While we really had a lovely time, there's not much I think is worth that much money.

I went and had my hair done and got a manicure and a pedicure at the insistence of Karin. My daughter helped me pick out a dress, the price of which would have fed my family of 6 well for 2 weeks. Ahh, the price of beauty!
First was an hors d'oeuveres reception. Can anyone say sushi? Because I cannot without gagging. I think I ate a piece of shrimp. I mean it, one piece of cold shrimp. Not my kind of food at all! We then moved on to a second theater (there are 4 in this building) for a dessert reception. Now this I could handle! Chocolate covered strawberries, little pastries, all manner of candies and tarts and generally yummy stuff. I tried a lot of it because I had eaten exactly one. piece. of. shrimp. Ahhh...but the stuff dreams are made of...the chocolate martini! Heaven in a glass. I never drink, not on principle, just based on several years of too many weekend parties in college, so this was a departure for me, but YUM!
After the dessert reception, we went in to a concert by Michael Crawford, the original Phantom of the Opera.
After much patting on the back of the Mesa Arts staff and contributers, Hugh Downs introduced Michael Crawford. He was very funny. Told some amusing anecdotes from his years in theater. Sang some lovely songs. I don't care for his style, but he was not bad to listen to. And the 60-ish year old women in front of us definitely thought he was the Cat's Meow. Groupies I tell you! If they had been a bit closer, I do think they would have been throwing bras on the stage!
The event was really lovely and it was so much fun to get dressed up and go out with my hubbie. I never go to these kind of things with him, but I had been dying to see this particular building. I wanted to see what $98 million buys these days! Pictures of us are on my photo page. Follow the link in the sidebar. My mother took the pictures, so they are ummm....interesting. I haven't quite figured out how she got the shadows, but you get the idea!