Barbieheimer Day
During the past four years, Daveen and I have seen just one movie in a theater — Westside Story, a remake of one of our favorites. So on Saturday afternoon we thought it was time to see one of the two blockbuster films that opened last week.
We drove to Universal City, parked (at a fee of $75.00 for three hours — I recommend against valet parking), and found our way to the multiplex theater. At the box office I requested two tickets to the Imax screen for Oppenheimer. We could leave the Barbie film for another time.
The young lady behind the glass window could have been Barbie’s twin sister. But alas, with a smile, she told us that the Imax showing was sold out – every seat for the next several weeks. I was shocked. I’d never heard of a new movie being sold out for that long, even on an Imax screen. To assuage our disappointment, we stayed to enjoy lunch at the food court, but left in less than an hour, saving $50.00 on the parking lot fee.
I must admit that in a few ways I’m starting to feel my age. For one thing, even though I own a property management company that exclusively oversees shopping centers, there were several retail stores at Universal City with names I didn’t recognize. For another…well, I’ll just say that paying more than $10.00 for a hot dog – all right, a chili dog — seems a bit much. Who do they think they are – Dodger Stadium?
On Sunday afternoon we enjoyed an early dinner with friends at a local Italian restaurant. The total price of dinner for four was less than three hours of valet parking at Universal City.
And what will we do this evening?
Maybe I’ll have a 75-cent hot dog at home and watch a movie on Netflix. The parking fee will be zero, the cost of the movie is included in our monthly subscription fee, and when it’s over we won’t have to remember where we parked the car and wonder how long it will take to drive home.
No, when the credits roll on a Netflix movie, I’ll be right in bed where I belong. (The name of this People Tool is “Sweet Grapes”.)
Alan