Magic Castle in Hollywood. If anyone asks I was never there.

The world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. Private club. Invitation only. Jacket and tie mandatory. No picture-taking inside or you will be asked to leave. Very mysterious. I went with a small group of friends and we had an extraordinary time. Lots of magic shows - very good magic. Theoretically you could go and not attend one magic show, yet occupy hours walking around and checking out the decor, interesting pictures, paintings, vintage posters, etcetera. It reminded me of The Safe House in Milwaukee (another bar) or Harry Potter's school, Hogworts, with alcohol.

Left to right: Bobby (Maria's cousin), Donovan & Maria, me, Susie & Jay. I look short, don't I. I'm 5'10"...above average male height. You'll have to pardon my dishevelment but the dress shirt I wore was not meant for use with a tie or jacket. Should've buttoned my jacket for the picture at least - how gauche. D & M are my closest friends in CA - I go to their home in Tujunga near Pasadena every weekend to watch football on the NFL Ticket. They asked me to be godfather to Gywneth, who is due in December. Their first daughter, Grace, was a year in June and I love her very much. I'm babysitting for her this Saturday.

By the way, Bobby disappeared during the evening and no one could seem to find him. Seriously...we still don't where he is.

If you would like to read more about the history of the castle and see a few more pix, click on READ MORE!

(WAIT! There's more...)

(Text is courtesy of The Magic Castle website.)

The Magic Castle is the private clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc, a very special organization devoted to the advancement of the ancient art of magic. The purpose of The Academy is to encourage and promote public interest in the art of magic with particular emphasis on preserving its history as an art form, entertainment medium, and hobby. Beginning with a charter membership of 150, the Academy has grown into a world-renowned fraternal organization with a membership of nearly 5,000 in over two dozen countries. Steve Martin, Jason Alexander, Cary Grant and Johnny Carson have all performed magic here.

The Magic Castle began its life as a private home built in 1909 by banker and real estate magnate Rollin B. Lane. Mr. Lane owned much of what is now Hollywood, dreaming of turning his land into orange groves, farms and ranches. But a severe drought brought an end to his dreams and orange blossoms never filled the valley. Matter of fact, part of the original driveway that snuck around up to the house from Santa Monica Blvd. (which is a fair ways away) through the orange groves is still there - in the form "Orange Street". How clever.

After the Lane family moved away in the 1940s, the mansion was divided into a multi-family home, then became a home for the elderly, and was finally transformed into a maze of small apartments. By 1960, the fate of the Mansion was uncertain. Then Milt Larsen met the owner, Thomas O. Glover.

Milt was a writer on the NBC TV show "Truth or Consequences." His office was on the ninth floor of a Hollywood office building that overlooked the Lane mansion. Milt's late father, William W. Larsen, Sr., was a renowned magician and had long dreamed of building an elegant private club for magicians.

The Lane mansion would become that club. In September of 1961, Milt and a crew of eternally generous friends and volunteers began the extraordinary task of returning this run-down apartment building to its glorious past. After months of scraping and sanding, the rich Victorian elegance began to resurface.

The Magic Castle opened its doors at 5 p.m. on January 2, 1963. Today more than four decades later, the Castle has become the world-famous "home" to the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc.and their invited guests.

Susie and Maria.

Left to right: Bobby (Maria's cousin), Donovan & Maria, me and Susie & Jay.