Some things are quintessential Beverly Hills, and those are the things I really enjoy. Watching television and movies as a child gave me a certain perception of what it would be like here – glamorous, fun, festive, tropical, with star watching. All these were rolled into one evening under the stars at the Aqua Star Pool of the Beverly Hilton. I always try to be the mom who finds activities for My Perfect Husband, my Critter and I that combine that lust for glamour and can also give the kidlet something fun to do. When I got the invitation to screen Shrek at the pool and enjoy tiki cocktails(we can WALK home!) while the kids laugh at the ogre, I was all over it – called Dr. Leila and told her to get her posse over there too.

The weather was just cool enough to turn on the heat lamps and settle in to watch Shrek while dining from the menu of the fabulously renovated Trader Vic’s. I must say the Hilton looks really fabulous – it’s been a while since I last spent time at the pool, and it is comfortable and luxurious, and the staff was exceptionally gracious and attentive. The kids had a ball, the grownups got to relax a bit and enjoy the balmy evening with good friends.

Of COURSE I won’t disappoint you by not giving a celebrity sighting – I have a three for one! I noticed a pretty lady with a hibiscus in her hair and as I focused on her I realized that she was Betsy Brandt of Breaking Bad, the AMC series that has had me in fits for three seasons. Also with Ms. Brandt was Dean Norris, who plays her husband in the series along with Vince Gilligan, the executive producer. The characters Brandt and Norris play on Breaking Bad have had a very crazy scary life lately and I had to tell them what a great job they have done with the material – they were super nice and said that we can look forward to more BB next summer.

I’d like to thank the folks at the Beverly Hilton and Trader Vic’s for a very Beverly Hills evening!