From reggae night to world music, Sondheim to Tchaikovsky, I’ve seen some great shows at The Hollywood Bowl. I’ve sat everywhere from the nosebleed bleachers to box seats, and the view was great from every seat. But I can now say from firsthand experience that the most spectacular vantage point of all is the one from the stage.
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a cocktail party kicking off the 2013 season at the Bowl and introducing some of the new fare that the Patina Restaurant Group (PRG) will be offering this year. The event took place on the stage, and, like nearly everyone else, I tiptoed to the edge, and imagined what it would be like to perform in the largest natural outdoor amphitheater in the United States on a balmy Southern California night.
Doing encores of Billie Holiday songs to a rapturous crowd of 18,000 remains a fantasy. Instead, most of us will have to settle for enjoying shows like Queen Latifah, Tony Bennett, Earth, Wind and Fire, a Grease sing-a-long, and Bugs Bunny at the Symphony.
And whether you pack your own picnic or decide to enjoy the fare offered at the Bowl you’ll be able to dine very well. For the 14th season, PRG, under the direction of chef and founder Joachim Splichal, is operating the food venues at the Bowl. This year, they’re introducing a brand new al fresco wine and tapas bar, the only wine bar within the gates of the Bowl. In all there, are 17 food outlets on the Bowl campus, and, as these photos show, sample bites, like pan-seared salmon, budino in egg shell and lemon meringue lollipops, were as gorgeous as a summer SoCal night.
Shelley Levitt
Editor
California Meetings + Events
