SANTA MONICA PIER, SANTA MONICA, CA :: We met with Kristie's Dad and Carol at the Santa Monica Pier and treated them to their first Cirque du Soleil show: Kooza. As expected, the performances were amazing, and we think Dad and Carol were also impressed.

All of the Cirque shows feature a theme: a dream, a life, a love, a song, a struggle... or a death. Incredibly, Kooza may be the first Cirque show with "a circus" as the theme. It's a magical and twisted take on a circus - complete with a slick and slightly scary ringleader, a majestic king of fools, and clowns that actually made me cry with laughter - but the focus of the show was on the acrobatic performances. Emphasis on action and incredible feats, a little less on atmosphere. It was one of the better traveling Cirque shows that we've seen.

After the show, we strolled along the Pier, enjoying the night and debating endlessly about where to eat. Dad and Carol finally treated us to a tasty and healthy dinner at one of many vegan/raw restaurants along the 3rd Street Promenade.