Category Archives: Theatre

Wicked and the Corner Office

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Lucky enough to have a date night last night with my husband. I got out of work a little early and drove to downtown Denver, and we enjoyed Happy Hour at The Corner Office close to the theatre, and then went to Wicked. At The Corner Office, I had the Sonoron dog (bacon wrapped hot dog with baked beans, guacamole, salsa, crema, cojita) (the baked beans kind of overpowered everything else, but it was good) and Ken had a burger, and we shared the poutine (I don’t think I have had poutine before, it was excellent.)

I had to have a Dark and Stormy, in honor of my friend who always has one when they are on the menu, even though they were not on the happy hour specials. Tasty. Gingery.

Then we walked down to Crave, a dessert bar. Ken had a cookie from there that afternoon. Well, they had macarons! Not macaroons, those have coconut, and they are easier to find, but French Macarons, which are meringue based, difficult to make, and difficult to find. So I did a happy dance and ordered one of each flavor.

I was so excited about the macarons I left my phone there and we walked all the way to the theatre and then had to go back and get it.

Wicked was wonderful. However, I was not going into the evening expecting a show that would remind me so much of my college room mate and best friend, who was killed in a winter/ice car accident our senior year. We didn’t originally start out as room mates, but hers moved out and I wanted to get away from mine. Our dorm director was a little reluctant to do this, because I think he thought we were going to be trouble, and he was sooooo right. We were a force to be reckoned with when we were together, mostly be being crazy and nutty and off the wall. So when Glinda and Elphaba became friends, and then they were saying goodbye and singing “Changed for Good,” I lost it. Especially since I had been at a funeral that afternoon for someone else who had died too young. Oh, it wasn’t good. I can’t watch the movie Beaches, and I don’t know if I can ever see Wicked again. Maybe now that I know what is coming I will be ok, but it could also be worse. Which is too bad, because it is an amazing show and an wonderful, innovative story. It was totally a Rebecca and Glenderella show.

Dinner and a Show

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Last Friday night, my friend Cathy and I went to dinner and a show. I took advantage of the fact that Cathy was excited to eat somewhere new and adventurous (Ken had no interest in going here) and we went to Le Central. We were tempted by the Moules Frites (mussels and fries) but decided to try those another time. We each had a salad, I had the Salade Périgourdine  with Hazelnuts, mushrooms and country-style pate with mixed greens in a Dijon mustard vinaigrette:

It was excellent. Cathy had a different one, whose name I can’t recall, and it appears that it has rotated off the menu. She said it was also excellent. (Their menu changes every week, not every item goes off, but some always go off and new ones come on.)

I had the Bouillabaisse du Central: Mediterranean fumet infused with saffron and prepared with mussels, scallops, shrimp, red and white fish, potatoes, onions, fennel and leeks; sided by a spicy rouille:

And the “side” of spicy rouille as well as some parmesan and croutons. It was excellent, but I think I like cioppino a little better, spicier. Definition of rouille: (I had to look it up) Rouille (pronounced: [ʁuj], French ‘rust’) is a sauce that consists of olive oil with breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron and chili peppers. It is served as a garnish with fish, fish soup and, notably, bouillabaisse. Rouille is most often used in the cuisine of Provence.

Cathy had the sole, which is also not on the menu this week (if I find the receipt, I will put in the details that are on there….)

She was particularly taken with the rice, because she does not really care for wild rice, but said this was excellent, as was the fish.

We would have liked to get dessert, but we were running out of time for the 7:30 performance of “Ring of Fire” at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Excellent show, I recommend it. It tells the story of the life of Johnny Cash, without trying to imitate him, but gives you an idea of his spirit and talents. Great show, songs that I hadn’t heard in years. For some reason “Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog” is not on too many radio station playlists around here. All in all, a very fine evening!