There was just no way I could resist… An old theater, a rainy week-end and a boyfriend so happy to have the Thanksgiving week off that he didn’t mind to accompany me. Wow. Of course that (and a few other “can’t refuse” opportunity that presented themselves in the past week) meant the death of my 2011 NaNoWriMo attempt, but sometime you just have to let go…
Boarding the 24 bus toward Castro district last Saturday wasn’t unlike being at King’s Cross station around platform 9 3/4. Among all the Muggles, a few wizard-fans were easily recognizable – with robes or outfits showing the colors of their favorite house – while others were more conspicuous – revealed only by “compromising” ringtones and such…
People were already waiting in line when we arrived, but nothing monstrous (I have vivid memories of giant lines at Fantasia Fest in Montreal). Tickets were bought quickly (and cheaply!) and we barely had time to hunt for coffees and cookies before the doors opened… and to what magical world did they open! (Again, vivid memory of Fantasia Fest when it took place at the Imperial, a similarly beautiful theater in Montreal). Wood doors, lush carpet, warm color palette, Art Nouveau paintings, rich fixtures, old movie posters… Entering the Castro Theatre feels like going back in time… a time when we knew what “atmosphere” means.
The public was awesome, laughing and clapping at all the right moments… it was like watching a favorite movie (or, like, 8 of them!) with a big bunch of friends! Popcorn was pretty good too and beverage sizes were reasonable – another thing reminiscent of a past era.
For dinner, Alex brought us some amazing BLT sandwiches from Rossi’s Delicatessen… They’re call BLT because of – well, you know – the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomatoes they’re full of, but they really could be named OMG because they were – OMG! – the best BLTs I ever had! We ate them 2 days in a row and I wasn’t sorry about it. Honestly, I’m almost glad I don’t live too close from Rossi’s or I’d eat there every day :)
The only things that could’ve made the event even more magical was if a live organist would have apparated out of no where and started playing Hedwig’s theme song… but… WAIT! IT DID HAPPEN! AND I FILMED IT!
All in all, we were treated with 3 performances at the organ with 2 different organists. Apparently, organ performances are a tradition at Castro Theatre, always ending with the song “San Francisco” as the organ and the organist sink slowly to the floor and the public happily claps along.
Which makes the Castro Theatre the best ever, and a place where I’ll always be happy to spend time :)
