Magician's Alliance

So, for those of you who don't know, let me give a quick breakdown of The Magic Castle: it's a castle...ish building in Hollywood that has "members" (magicians). Commoners who are able to enter the Magic Castle only can do so through invitation. There is no photography, no talking about how tricks are done, and a strict fancy dress code. Most importantly, it's an exclusive, elite Los Angeles institution. Also, it's in Arrested Development ("The Gothic Castle"). Needless to say, I was psyched.

I got invited by one of my boyfriend's friends' friends. I think this is how most peons get in. Anyway, it was awesome. First of all, to enter you must say "open sesame" to an owl sitting between a few books on a bookcase. One of the bookcases slides back to reveal the interior--I KID YOU NOT. At that point I was impressed enough to go home.

Once inside, you see that everyone is clearly far far richer (and drunker) than you'll ever be. There are a few of bars, errant magicians doing tricks for people. There is a "ghost piano player" named Edna--you go into a room and request any song, and she'll play it. If someone is attached to the piano somehow (must be human, because I heard mistakes), their repertoire was astounding. I asked for Chopin's 3rd Piano Concerto, 1st movement. Check. Some old geezer asked for a song I've never heard of. Check. Some drunk lady calling her "Erma" asked for Led Zeppelin. Cue "Stairway to Heaven"! Also people would talk to her, asking how old she was ("Seventy-Six Trombones".....get it??) etc.

Then there are the theatres. We saw three different shows in each theatre, the last of which I got to sit at the table with the magician the whole show. This involved me holding coins, him sniffing me, and somehow putting a coin through my hand and a table into a glass beneath both.

Needless to say I kind of believe in magic now--I watched that magician drop two coins in my hand, yet somehow only one landed in my palm. I have no idea how he did it. None. It, quite literally, all took place half an arm's length away. I saw two coins leave his fingers, but one of them somehow disappeared. The rest of the evening my interactions with my boyfriend went something like this:

Me: HOW DID HE DO THAT. HOW. Two coins left his hand, I saw it. Only ONE LANDED.
BF: I don't know. Maybe they were magnetic coins.
Me: NO. They were real, normal coins. I held them.
BF: Maybe he had something where one went up his sleeve.
Me: No way. I would have seen that!
BF: Fine--IT WAS MAGIC.