HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
with LOGO MAN (!)

On Tuesday night Logo Man (you remember him from previous blogs -- the bigger the logo, the better the wear!) and I went out on the town for dinner and a play. Logo, that's what I call him for short, is content to be my back-up date when Big Ben can't go with me.

First we hit the Old Ebbitt Grill. WOW. All about affordable YUM. Plus, I found it a great place to people watch. Just a few blocks around the corner from the theater AND the White House, I felt hip and strategically ready for a fun night. Plus, you can't beat the complementary valet parking after 6pm. We shared some crab cakes and this amazing brownie soaked in espresso for dessert -- that is the closest I have ever come to drinking coffee.

I love Logo because he's not only a close friend, but has proven to be quite the shopper. I have discovered his trick on shopping sprees. They're called "YELLOW CAKE SQUARE CHARGERS". A fellow member of the "yellow #5 Club" (those of us who like yellow food like yellow cake mix, anything off the Denny's menu, Grands, etc.) his strategy is to carry yellow cake cut up into bite size squares and keep them fresh in a Tupperware container. When you absolutely get exhausted from hitting the sales, head out to the car for a quick yellow cake "charge"! If you are hustling the bargains like any expert shopper, then you need not worry about the extra calories as you will burn them off on the bargain hunt!

But, back to my date with Logo. After dinner, we headed over to the National Theater to see HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. I didn't know much going in, but immediately during the opening act I almost started singing

" Summer Lovin' " from Grease. It starts out in a high school, just after winter break, where a girl new to the school is talking -- (make that SINGING - it is a MUSICAL AFTERALL) to her girlfriends about this cute guy she just met while Karaoke-ing on a ski vacation. Meantime ,on the other side of the stage, her guy (unbeknownst to her) is singing about the cute girl he met while snowboarding over the holiday, quite obviously leaving out the Karaoke part...his JOCK friends would NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT!

After she settles in with her brainiac friends, and he with his jock friends, they inevitably wind up trying out for the High School Musical. My favorite characters are the sister & brother team (Charpay & Ryan) who find themselves belonging to no click and have gotten the lead roles in the musical every year since 3rd grade.

Logo came up with a one phrase summary that I think works quite well -- IT’S GREASE MEETS SAVED BY THE BELL.

Absolutely.

You'll find yourself clapping along at times. My favorite scenes both take place in drama class with the teacher, Miss Darbus. In the first scene, she makes everyone play a game involving a magical sphere of noise. My other favorite scene is also in the drama class, where the students become whatever animal they can relate to. Be sure to watch the guy who plays the inch worm!

It occurred to me that Logo was awfully inconspicuous. "You're not wearing any logos, Logo! What gives?" I asked while sitting in the theater. "I didn't want to get ID'd, he said. How embarrassing. I'm trying to keep a low profile." I see. I need to send out a special "hello" to Michael Timmermann of Arlington. He came over to me and Logo to say hi. Right back atcha!