LA Ballet and The Getty Villa

My audition pics.

After I went to Chicago, I auditioned with LA Ballet in California. The auditions took place in Malibu--Woooonderful place! On my way to the audition, I saw that the Getty Villa was right there, so, after my audition (which also was fruitless), I went to the villa to see if I could not get in. You see, normally you have to have a reservation to get in and usually reservations go so quickly that you have to plan ahead for a month or two.

As I drove into the drive way in my beautiful looking rental car, I smiled at the guy and said: "Hi! I am from Utah and I am flying out tonight. I just drove by and saw that the Getty Villa is here. I am wondering if there is not any way for me to get in without a reservation?" The guy (in his 20ies) looked at me and said: "Well, you are a beautiful lady! ... You do know that we close at five p.m.?!" (1 hour) "Oh, no. But that would be plenty for me. That would be just great! Anything I can get!" Did I sound desperate? YES! So, he let me in for FREE! No reservation either. What a day. Of course I stayed until five o'clock sharp. There I have to explain...the Getty Villa is the extension of the Getty Museum. It carries items from the ancient Roman and Greeco period and cultures. I saw masks, wall mosaics that tols their stories, a mummy, the clothes and jewelry people of that time wore, their money, statuettes, and little idols like a golden calf (!). The oldest thing I saw was from about 400 B.C., I think. It was fascinating to me because these exhibitions showed the sophisticated culture Christ was born into--So sophisticated that it is easy to understand why people would not have cared much about the mission He had. It was indeed a very worldly culture. Now, my flight was leaving at 7:45. It would take me 1/2 hour to drive back to the rental car place and then 10 min to the airport. I was at the airport and next in line at 6:30. But they did not check anyone in anymore 1 hour before boarding time! So, to make it short. Yes, especially Kelly, I missed my flight. (Kelly just said to me in a conversation that day that I should be there early to not miss my flight.... Tsss! :-)

Anyways, I must have looked frantic. I said: "Is there a cheap hotel close by?" The guy at the counter, about in his 30ies said: "Well, a good looking woman like you does not want a cheap hotel!" I first did not understand him: "Oh, I don't?" He smiled. "No, you want a hotel with good service for a reasonable price, but not a cheap hotel!" "OH!" (language barriers). So, he went ahead and called a hotel for me right then and in a minute had a room for me for $30. I made myself a great, relaxing night in LA in my hotelroom, with dinner, desert, hot bath, and TV. I was called a "beautiful woman" twice that day,... What more would a woman need! :-) I had a wonderful trip!

To see more about the Getty, click: http://www.getty.edu/visit