Jill's Journal: The legendary Hollywood Bowl has been on our “must-do” list of things to see in L.A. and we got such a kick out of stopping by here. The largest natural outdoor amphitheater in the U.S. may have a long and storied history, but it was also the site of our very first date way back in 1991. How fun it was to show the Bowl to the girls, who can’t imagine us young and certainly can’t imagine either of us without the other.
I snapped this shot of the illustrious Bowl from the hills above it. The stage is the massive white dome on the left, while the 18,000 seats fan out to the right. This Los Angeles icon was carved into the hillside in the 1920s when the stellar acoustics of the natural bowl-shaped area came to light. Its first massive production was an Easter sunrise service in 1921. The next year, the L.A. Philharmonic claimed the Bowl as its summer home. Since then, the Bowl has since hosted just about every big music star known to man, ranging from The Beatles to Frank Sinatra to Garth Brooks. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt spoke here. Fred Astaire danced here. Countless performers and speakers have graced the stage over the last 90 years.
These days concertgoers are welcome to take a picnic and a bottle of wine along to enjoy under the stars during a show. Maybe someday Rob and I will make it back here and relive our first date. We talked about doing it now, with the girls, but it appears the Bowl is closed for the winter. Some other time. :)
This is what a concert at the Bowl might look like from the cheap seats. Not too shabby, is it? I love L.A.
