A Family Outing or See How They Run

For Christmas, I got us tickets to the Hale Center Theater in Sandy to see the play See How They Run. It's a ridiculously funny play involving many vicars, some in disguise, a former stage actress, and lots of running around. I've had a gift card to Cheesecake Factory for several years and thought we could have dinner there before seeing the play. I also thought we might make a day of it and go to the Natural History Museum as we were going to be in Salt Lake anyway. I told everyone they were required to attend as I sometimes have people who object to coming along. It was my Christmas gift that would be realized in March.

We did not get out the door as early as I had hoped. While everyone agreed to come, not everyone was keen on the extra museum activity, and one or two people claimed to have much more important things to do before we left, so by the time we were in the car and on our way, I realized we were going to have to scrap the museum or we would not be able to get dinner.

We walked into the Cheesecake Factory to ask for a table at 4:00pm. We were quoted an hour and fifteen minutes wait time, but we were there, we had the gift card, and I didn't want to come back. We said we'd be back closer to our time and went to wander around the mall the restaurant is attached to. Next door is a fun store with games, puzzles, stuffed animals, and other enticing items. I bought a new game I think we will enjoy playing and will certainly enjoying naming (wink wink). Isabella and I went into a Claires to look at jewelry and other girlie items. She tried on a terrific St. Patrick's Day hat and glasses. We wandered around for a long time then returned to the restaurant only to wait what felt like an additionally long time. I think it was 5:40 before we were seated. 

The play started at 7:30pm, we were about twenty minutes from the theater, and I figured we would have plenty of time to eat and get to the theater on time. But I should have realized, when we waited more than an hour and a half to get a table, that it wasn't going to work like that. We left the restaurant at 7:10 and with traffic and parking, were a few minutes late. We had to wait to be seated, watching the opening moments from high up before being seated. I think it will be the last time I eat at Cheesecake Factory.

The play was hilarious; we all loved it. We laughed and laughed. At the end of the show, Brandt went and talked to the guy running the sound booth. I would love to see him working in that sort of job. It was a successful evening and for me, a terrific Christmas gift.