Here's Jaaaaay!

We went to the Monday night taping of the Tonight Show. My first experience viewing a television show (Josh, Olivia and Natalie had all been to Oprah before)

We arrived and stood outside for about 45 minutes, in 78 degrees.  The sun was intense. Burbank is in the "valley" and warmer than Santa Monica. People were in shorts, sun dresses, and sandals. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that this is MARCH and not July.

Next we were sent in groups through security and saw Jay's car in the parking lot.

 We sat again and waited.

Again, in groups, we were escorted into the studio and guided to seats. It was a nice set, but we all commented that it looks far larger on screen.

After a couple of staffers prepped us, Jay came out in jeans and talked with us. He had some people from the audience come up (cute little girls, somehow I didn't get asked!) Some guy took polaroid photos of Jay with the guests and then he went to change into his suit.

Then he came out to do his monologue and we had great seats to view him doing his thing.

His first guest was Jane Lynch from Glee. She's so tall, as tall as Jay and Chris Matthews. She was wonderful, she kept addressing the audience, very conscious that we were there.

It was interesting to watch what happened at the commercial breaks. She and Jay talked and the band played a real upbeat number for us.

When Chris Matthews came on

he was a little more of a serious guest, yet he had some funny lines. After his interview and when there was a break he and Jay talked and Jane tried to be part of it, but Chris wasn't really including her, but Jay was making attempts. However she told us she was deaf in one ear, so it was really hard for her to hear, with her good ear and the band playing loudly.

Then off to the side Avril Lavigne

played and Jane and Chris and Jay walked over to watch and shake hands with the band after.

We were then told to sit and the four of them taped a promo for the show.

Overall it was a wonderful experience. I loved it! It was surreal, almost hard to believe I was there.

Our next stop on our way back to Brentwood was Casa Vega.

Here's the back story to Casa Vega. Jeff lewis of Flipping Out renovated the foyer of this restaurant. Well Natalie and Olivia watch this show and when Natalie was in LA in October the three of them went to this restaurant just to check it out. The kids found that the food was delicious, so they took us there.

And the food was great, but the place was as dark as night on the inside and so old school in decor. I don't think it had been touched since the 60s or 70s. Josh felt that gave it its charm.

Then my driver  and his co-pilot took us back to Brentwood.

Sitting in the back seat, I didn't think the travel time or traffic was bad.

However it must be taken into consideration that I was not driving and that my glass of malbec was giving me that oh so relaxed feeling.

Oh, one more building...The Mark Twain Apartments! I couldn't resist!

And the most important part of my day and stay...