-- I was grateful to Peggy for those dresses, really. I've been a bridesmaid quite a few times, but this was the easiest, dress-wise. Rather than make us all wear the same dress, Peggy gave us a color and a "line" and let us all get whatever top and skirt combination worked for us. And we were all of an age where we all knew what style worked for ourselves. It was the total opposite of an episode of "Say Yes To The Dress" -- that show where the bride-to-be tries on dresses and is generally badgered by mom to get the princessy dress until she finally stands up for herself and says she wants the sexy mermaid, dammit. For Peggy's wedding, the team of us attacked David's Bridal, tried on what worked, and ordered the damn dress. Done, done, and done. Something to be said for a bridal party where everyone is old enough to be confident in her style.
Shit. Now I have to find that photo.
:::Jeopardy music here:::
Aha!
That's Laura in the middle (and me next to her, workin' the cleavage). So, yeah, we go back at least as far as Peggy's wedding. And Laura lives in Pasadena near me, so sometimes when Peggy would come up to the area, we'd all get together. (Dumplings were frequently involved. Frequently.) And sometimes Laura and I would get together without Peggy. Usually at theatre or other cultural-type events.
For some reason, I associate Laura more with classical music and other events more on the snooty side of things. So I was pleasantly surprised when she said she wanted to go to a hockey game for my 50 for 50.
Especially because I hadn't been to a hockey game since... I can't pin it down exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was before I knew how to drive. The Kings played at the Forum; it was the pre-Gretsky era; and hockey fans were pretty much thugs -- getting drunk, cussing loudly, and waving big foam fingers in front of your face.
For this one, Laura and I went for semi-snooty seats. Got "Premier level" (ooo) seats on discount from Goldstar. This meant we were on the same level as the suites. "VIP" entrance; much less crowded concourse; somewhat nicer food selections; wait-staff to take food/beverage orders at your seat.... Look, this is how snooty it was: the ladies' room didn't have soap in a dispenser, but had bottles of soap AND lotion next to every sink. Ooooo.
So we got there early, downed some upscale-ish stadium food, and found a nice table to sit at while we ate and chatted. We'd peeked at our seats and it definitely seemed cold in there. I'd brought a blanket (actually a Snuggie. Shut up.) but Laura had forgotten. We stopped by the little shop selling Kings crap and Laura looked at all the nice, warm sweatshirts for the low, low price of ARE YOU KIDDING ME? (She settled for the nice, warm, L.A. Kings beach towel, which had the advantage of providing warmth while not requiring a second mortgage.) We went in just as the game started.
It's the selfie!
It's the picture the nice usher took, so you can actually see the ice behind us!
Last time I'd been at Staples was for a Sparks game. Totally different experience. The Sparks game was underproduced and felt kind of amateurish (not the game itself -- all the stadium crap going on around it), while the stadium crap at the Kings game was super polished and professional and just SLICK. And compared to the audience I'd had for that Kings game at the Forum -- also totally different experience. This crowd was largely quiet -- nearly silent, even -- just really being into the game and only bursting into emotion when the Kings scored (or, alternatively, when a goal-scoring play was overturned on review -- there was a brief period of extremely negative emotion being shared). But respectful and INVOLVED.
After the game began, Laura asked me whether one team or the other was expected to win this one. I hadn't actually looked it up, but based on how the game was going, I thought it was fairly clear that the Kings were being outplayed by the Winnipeg Jets (who had managed twice as many shots on goal than the Kings had). At least I was seeing some spiffy goaltending from Jonathan Quick. Dude is, y'know, ... quick.
(At one point, the organist played the "Laverne & Shirley" theme song, and it took a second to process that's what he was playing, and then a half a second to process why. And nobody said a word; we just let everyone else process it, and think fondly of Penny.)
And someone must've spiked the Kings' punch during the first intermission, because they picked up the damn pace in the second, and were dominant. Faster play; many more shots on goal; actual goals scored. Respectful and involved audience got a little dancy and politely celebratory.
I get a text from a friend during the second intermission, asking if I could pick up a special holiday ornament for him. I ask Laura if she wants to go on an adventure with me, and we head on down to the main concourse level.
I'm glad we do this, both because it's good to compare the main level with the snooty premier level (main is more crowded and much more harshly lit) but also because Laura likes the ornaments and buys one for herself.
We need our tickets to get back to the premier level. We knew this, and had confirmed that we had our tickets when we headed down, but somehow Laura lost hers. And we need to basically go back up with just one ticket. So I hold the printed out ticket in my hand, unfolded, to show to the woman guarding the door, while Laura is right next to me, with a non-ticket piece of paper folded in her hand, and we walk right in. And I feel super guilty because I am INTENTIONALLY USING the fact that white women of a certain age just don't get questioned, but I freakin' do it anyway, because the third period is about to start.
Kings kind of lose their spark in the third, but it's ok, 'cause they win anyway. YAY! (At one point, they get a penalty for too many men on the ice, and it's just as the organist is starting to play Seven Nation Army, and I question whether the organist was playing Seven Nation Army because we had seven guys out there, and crack myself up at the thought. Props to the organist, a second time.)
I come home and research the answer to Laura's question -- whether one team was expected to win that one. Turns out the Kings are dead last in their division, while the Jets are leading theirs, so, I mean, yeah, this was a sweet, sweet upset victory.
Go Kings Go!
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