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Since it’s not showing up on my personal blog right…here was the surprise that awaited us at 9 to 5 the Musical.
Yes, that’s me yelling and whooping it up. I mean I live like 45 minutes from Dollywood and I had to be in NYC to actually see her live. Fun!
New York, New York! No wonder why there’s been so many songs written about it. It’s a teeming mass of people and an opportunity for “anything” to happen. That’s where us 4 hopeful travelers headed yesterday: Perfectly Marvelous JennStoc (PM JennStoc), Sir PirateNinjaMonkey (SPNM), the Jim and Me. At 10 AM PM JennStoc arrived at my parent’s home and blessedly volunteered to drive us to NY since I needed to get air in my back tire anyway. I didn’t hesitate; I was a bit tired of driving so absolutely!
We arrived in NYC around noon, and parked at the Port Authority (which I highly recommend), and hurriedly hopped a cab to our dinner location, Brasserie Les Halles on Park Avenue. In true, yet boring fashion the four of us ordered the delish Steak & Frittes and noshed with glee. The plan was to split up and let the boys explore their day and the girls had some solid plans, so us girls hopped a cab to our first destination.
The Shubert Theatre is one of legend, just watch Elaine Stritch at Liberty and you’ll understand. PM JennStoc and I had tickets to see the Noel Coward play, Blithe Spirit and I was more than excited. Why? A couple of reasons. I have always wanted to see a Noel Coward play live and in person and never have. Second, the cast was ASTONISHINGLY wonderful to consider: Angela Lansbury (icon), Rupert Everett (one of my favorite gay men ever), Christine Ebersole…I mean, come on?! So we got there in plenty of time to wait in the extremely long ladies room line – I highly recommend using the bathrooms on the mezzanine and balconies, which they forgot to mention. The play began. Now…only 1 minor complaint. The sound engineer didn’t have the actor’s mics up and sometimes it was hard to hear the entire witty bantered dialog. That however was where the negative criticism ends. To read my full review – check out ANNA101.
Afterwards, we didn’t realize how little time we had between shows as dinner was in our future, so we walked up Times Square and ran into the obligatory guy who has every designer bag you could ever want. I didn’t partake this time…I was being a good girl. I got a text from my hubby dear letting me know that he and SPNM were having a grand time exploring all of NYC and one of those explorations scored me my birthday present, a limited edition, Times Square Swatch watch (I know that should bring back some memories from my 1980s peeps). I gave love and thanks. Then back to walking.
Along the walk we stopped outside of the exit door to the Late Show with David Letterman. A crowd of normal folk and paparazzi were stationed outside. Naturally curious, we asked what all the hub-bub was about. Apparently, Beyonce was scheduled on the show for tonight so everyone was awaiting her exit. PM JennStoc and I decided, “Heh, let’s wait and see if we can spot her too.” So we waited, and we waited….and waited. We took pics of the paparazzi and got chatted up by some sweetly annoying local man. Still, no Beyonce. A lot of excitement when Shrek in full makeup and costume came out to go across the street to his theatre…but no Beyonce. After waiting 20 minutes, we decided we really weren’t that big of fans and wanted some dinner. So we left. Who knows if she ever got out of that dressing room?
After eating a quick dinner, we were on our way to our 8 PM show…9-to-5, the Musical. It’s currently in previews at the Marquee Theatre, which started on April 7th; so going to a show in previews, in my opinion is a true delight. It’s so early in it’s stage life that the cast album hasn’t even been recorded yet. Truth was that while PM JennStoc and myself had some mild concerns about the play being toooo campy or too weird turning such a great and funny iconic movie into a musical, we were completely blown away. Read my full review at ANNA 101 and you’ll get a bonus surprise like we did.
After the play ended we called the boys and they were serendipitously right in front of our theatre. So, we walked the crowded and fabulously neon lit Times Square to get to our car. After a quick ride home…we were happy, exhausted and considering a return trip to NYC on Friday.
Just another great day folks. Awesome.
Today was a day for Philadelphia and Bucks county, so we arose and were out of our hotel at 10 AM with the plan to zoom over to Independence Hall for our 11:00 appointment for our tour. We got there, and as expected it was busy, busy with the average tourists and the all too familiar school groups of annoying youngsters. We got our tickets and rushed over to get in line. IMPORTANT POINT TO NOTE: If you have tickets for the 11:00 tour, but you’re stuck in line…you’re not getting in. That’s right. No go. We waited in line while countless school groups were rushed in ahead of us and when the Jim and Sir PirateNinjaMonkey finally got up to security (I had bailed because I was going to hold the pocket knife that SPNM had brought with him), security was apparently even better than your standard airport fare. Even after a security check, they were told, “Sorry, you’re late by like 10 minutes.” 10 minutes? There’s no room at the inn after 10 minutes? We can’t just join the 11:15 tour? Are you serious? Yes, they were. Fab. So after a minute or so of grumbling, we decided to check out the Liberty Bell (through the glass), and then walked around the Independence Hall area where we saw Benjamin Franklin’s tomb (I actually didn’t realize he was buried here), and then called it a wrap. Next step…automobile.
We got in the car and headed to the yummiest place on earth…PAT’S KING OF STEAKS. It was time for the obligatory philly cheese steak of joy. I’m a hard core Pat’s girl…not into Geno’s at all but when I did live up here the first time I ate at either one/or both I did a taste comparison so I can proudly say it’s Pat’s all the way without being bigoted without experience. I got my standard cheese steak whiz wit’ out. YUM. Then we headed over to South Street which is looking pretty good these days – or perhaps everything looks a tad less seedy in the daylight. Sir PirateNinjaMonkey scored a sweet pork-pie hat (I still don’t know why they’re called that), from the aptly named “Hats in the Belfry”. After walking the strip, we then drove through Germantown, Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill and Willow Grove with the full intention to get to the place that I lived 10 years ago.
NEW HOPE. No, this isn’t going to be a blog about Star Wars #4. We blessedly were able to to get to New Hope before a lot of the shops closed, although with it being Tuesday, all the shops weren’t open (it’s such a weekeneder town). We enjoyed one of the dog-good stores, Jake and Elwood Blues Dog Emporium (I think), where I got some goodies to take back to the 4 legged children. However, the find of this trip was a new tea shop called CUPTEAVITY. The Jim and Sir PirateNinjaMonkey are quick on their way to being conissours of fine teas and we ended up with a bag of Ice Wine tea and Blue Lagoon tea. I got some blooming teas because I think they’re cute. We then went to Mother’s restaurant on Main Street and had a lovely dinner. Afterwards, it was back in the car and after a wonderful ride on river road and 611 we were back in Easton, which was a good thing because I was exhausted and we have a full day ahead of us tomorrow in NYC.
All in all, another beautiful day – say a little prayer for us that the weather holds up for NY.
Today, we awoke early and decided that the rain and rain and rain would not dissuade us from our scheduled intended trip to the “City of Brotherly Love” and apparently, high crime rates…Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We arrived here and I was already amazed at how much has changed since I moved to TN almost 7 or so years ago. The Jim and Sir PirateNinjaMonkey dropped me off at the Franklin Institute (now aptly named The Franklin), and they headed out to The Mutter Museum. I had decided before we got here today that I didn’t think I could handle the Mutter. I’m easily freaked out by things medical in nature and the thought of seeing preserved body parts, and god knows what else pretty much guaranteed that I wasn’t going to enjoy that. So, I played it safe and sent them to do their bidding.
Sadly, the Franklin left me a little disappointed this time around. Perhaps it was that at least 2 of the 3 major exhibits were closed or in transition which left not a lot to do otherwise. I bought the steeply priced, Museum and Movie package for a whopping $28.50. This included the museum pass, a 3-D movie and a Tuttleman Omniverse Movie. I skulked around for an hour or more and saw the new multimedia light show in the foyer area where Ben Franklin himself sits (in marble, not preserved like what the boys were viewing at the Mutter). I then went to the 3-D movie about the Sun which was interesting. As I walked out, I got a text from the Jim that they were heading our way. They were just in time for the Omniverse movie. It was a movie all about the life of VanGogh and it was fascinating and beautifully shot. I love art, but I admit I didn’t know much about the painter VanGogh himself other than that he had cut off part of his ear and gave it to a woman. While he did that, the story explained the situation further and discussed his maddening obsession with painting. It was like a joy and an almost uncontrollable addiction for him. The movie focused on his lesser known works in the context of explaining his life. It was fascinating. I had no idea how troubled he was, let alone that he ended his own life at the age of 37.
While awaiting the movie, the Jim and Sir PirateNinjaMonkey told me that I was right on in my decision to not go to the Mutter with them. They indicated it was fascinating as it is a medical museum, but I would not have been able to stomach the suspended body parts, the fetuses, the plasticized cross-sections of real people and the giant colon (just to name a few). Funny thing was that the only thing that grossed them out was looking at specimens and smelling the odor of a museum employee heating up their vegetable soup. Just bad timing and strong scent. Eww.
After waltzing around the Franklin, we headed to our hotel, the Sofitel near Rittenhouse Square. I like my French hotels folks. We then headed over to Pod restaurant on Penn Campus and while the food was sensational, it was overly priced and small in proportion. We then got back to the hotel and headed to a local Cosi for some dessert. I had my favorite, self-made smores with Oreo cookies. As I write this blog entry, I am sitting in LaBourse the hotel Bar with my husband and good friend and drinking a beautiful Champagne Flight of Moet & Chandon White Star Champagne, Domaine Chandon Rose and Perrier Jouet Grand Brut. I love my sparkling wine.
I now look forward to the wonders that tomorrow brings and I pray that the weather cooperates.
Sunday was a day of fabulous family, and some frivolity along the way. The day began with the Jim and Sir PirateNinjaMonkey heading to the vallhalla of outdoorsmen shops, the giant Cabella’s which is near Allentown, PA. I decided to stay in at my Dad’s and read on the new Kindle and fight with the new usb modem for my laptop which still isn’t working. After a nap, the boys/men returned and soon afterwards we were descended upon by my FAMILY, not all of them, but a few choice gems! My Daddy orchestrated a “welcome home” pizza partay with yummy lusciousness from Salvatore’s in Forks. So we got to dine and dish the dirt with my nephew and his darling fiancee (Sir SodaBread Himself and Lady Teach – what I’ll name her for now until I think of a better pseudonym), my Brother (M&Ms Man), and Dolores fabulous family: Johnny, Joanne, Christine, David, and their respective adorable children. It was loud and wonderful. Not a single southern accent in the room (sorry, it’s something I love about being home folks). We talked about growing up, ragged on my dear Dad and just enjoyed each others company. I loved it.
After the family late lunch, the Jim, Sir PirateNinjaMonkey and I headed to my favorite food store in Easton, Wegmans. It’s just overwhelming. We spent a fair amount of time stocking up on some good food finds and I swore I saw one of my old classmates but I didn’t want to say anything, for fear of being wrong. We then went to my second of 3 food must haves when coming home…MARYLAND FRIED CHICKEN. It’s just so good, you wanna cry…tears of joy. After that, I shepherded Sir PirateNinjaMonkey to a Seven-Eleven in Phillipsburg so he could get a super slurpie. Then the Jim and Sir PNM took some night photos of the local scene and we called it a night.
All in all, a great day.
Hello followers and apparent fans of the Jonas Brothers (stay tuned you wacky kids, there’s a contest coming up for you scamps), yesterday we packed up the car, the Jim, Sir PirateNinjaMonkey and Me…situated the pups (our fantastic Easton Boone and Uli Bear), with Lord and Lady Dotson (aka Chris Dotson and Our Mate, Maria), and their wacky pups Ginny the bearer of liquid evil and the sassy lassy Trixie Pup. We arranged for our house sitter the lovely, Mrs. Nelly herself to check in on Iris Pants and Kira Dottie. We hit the road and started the journey around 8 AM – destination, NORTH…specifically, Easton, Pennsylvania (my hometown).
En-route, we ate breakfast at Flapjacks which is where sadly the low-carb game plan ended so far. We stopped in Greenville/Staunton, Virginia at one of my favorite gems of a restaurant, Edelweiss where we noshed on some fantabulous German Food. I highly recommend the following items if you venture there:
- Brochen (which is so close to the real thing it’s funny)
- Soft Preztel (appetizer)
- Vienerschnitzel with Spaetzel,
- Rice Pudding with Merangue Topping
IN a word, DELICIOUS. Then back in the car and back on the road. We headed into Easton, PA around 8:00 PM and I, for one, was happy to be home. While coming home is never the same since my Mom’s passing (obviously), but it’s where I feel closest to her these days. I miss her so. Anyway, we rolled in kissed and hugged the Daddy and Dolores and ran out to my FAVORITE pizza place, Colonial for some late night grubbery. I had left a voicemail for my best friend, the Perfectly Marvelous JennStoc and texted my first sis-in-love, Mrs. Patrick Star to see if they wanted to join us or I could bum-rush them but sadly, no. Still, we ordered the antipasta (must have), and a traditional Colonial Pizza and one with some toppings (blasphemous). It was so scrummy that I was in heaven. Ah…food can truly transport you back to your childhood.
Then it was back to Clover Court and home. After some good converation with the Dad and Dolores, we called it a night. All in all, day one was marvelous if not a lot of traveling (10 hours in the car). Still we arrived happy and ready for an adventure tonight.
We
Well readers (and mostly my friends/family), another birthday is almost in the can and I can spend the next 365 days attempting to change my life for the better. I must admit, it was a wonderful birthday with some melancholy moments sprinkled in for good measure (will discuss on my personal blog). All and all the birthday began with my husband’s whispered well wishes at midnight, and after a good night’s rest. I awoke, and was ready to hit the world full-on as a 35 year old woman.
The morning started off in fine form, and I even had a successful trip to renew my driver’s license and got a decent license pic this year! Yea! All through the day I had a ton of beautiful twitters, facebook comments, voice mails and phone calls. After a melancholy afternoon. It was off to meet my local friends at my favorite place to eat on my birthday (since it’s the only day that I can eat there if the Jim is involved), The Melting Pot.
If you’re not familiar with the divinity that is The Melting Pot, you should be. It is four courses of insane beauty that consist of cheese fondue, sublime salad, meat fondue and chocolate fondue. It is an evening worth breaking my eating plan for. I shared a wonderful meal with 11 fantastic friends, and got some stunner presents too. Note, one will be offered up as a contest prize on this blog soon – stay tuned. In the end, I’m looking forward to a 35th year on this earth full of hope and promise. I pray that everyone has a wonderful night and years ahead and thanks to all my friends everywhere for all their love and support. I am who I am thanks to you all.
35th never looked so good.
Photo credit: http://www.talk-food.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/image_1426526.jpg
Leave it to my husband to make me cry with joy on my birthday. Probably a year ago he sent me the link to the astonishing Paul Potts performance and now…I give you, Susan Boyle. (Click twice on the link to view it -it will take you to the Youtube Page for it).
A reminder to all of us. Don’t think you know about someone’s gifts until you open yourself up to discovering them. Try not to judge people at face value; and always, always be open to being suprised by life’s wonders. Excellent.
Read my thoughts HERE!
First, a brief clip hosted on my personal site because I can’t figure out how to upload a quicktime movie to WordPress; with some slightly off-color language – you were warned (don’t click if you can’t handle it).
Last night, I spent a couple of hours in the company of rock-n-roll Chef Anthony Bourdain and good friends. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to file this post under this blog, or my personal blog since the Jim opted not to go to the show because, and I quote:
The Jim: “What is he going to do?”
Me: “I don’t know, I assume talk, give a lecture, discuss his travels?”
The Jim: “Is he gonna cook?”
Me: “I don’t think so.”
The Jim: “Well then I’m not paying the money to see a guy talk if he ain’t servin’ up what he’s famous for…”
I can see his logic. It makes sense. Anthony Bourdain started out his career as a dishwasher and moved to chef at the succulent Brasserie le Halles in NY. While there, he wrote articles and eventually a book entitled Kitchen Confidential. His life changed when that book became a hit. He’s written more since then, but most people know him now from his travel show, No Reservations which is a feature on the Travel Channel. His m.o. is to take the viewer with him on a journey around the world and be a traveler who is unafraid to immerse themselves in enjoying each experience that another culture or country has to offer. Especially gastronomically. While he’s not as shocking as Andrew Zimmerman (the guy who eats almost anything), he has a very good delivery style in his show and truly encourages people to be “good travelers”, and to open yourself up to new experiences with…of course, no reservations.
So, when I heard he was coming to the little town of Knoxville, Tennesssee; I knew this was an opportunity I was not going to miss. I mean, when does a guy like this decide that Knoxville is going to be a good location to explore? Someone who’s so well-traveled and has been to places including Russia, Vietnam, Namibia, etc. Best part, was a lot of my friends agreed with me that this was worth the price of admission. Sadly, we didn’t pony up the cash to do the meet, greet, and eat afterwards, because sadly, I couldn’t justify the pricetag, but nonetheless – we were in. Thanks to Mrs. Overtlytrite, we scored some sensational seats in the 6th row of the gorgeous Tennessee Theatre. So…game on.
We planned the night to begin with a meal at a Honduran restaurant called La Rumba. It was a very good meal, and their happy hour is indeed happy ($1.00 beers and $2.00 margaritas that will make you quiver with glee). If you go, don’t be shocked by their avacado colored building – go inside and be impressed with their food and hospitality. First of all, there was a tad to much “Mexican” flavor to the menu, but we all made the effort to order some “uniquely” Honduran food. I ended up with two Papusas (kinda like a filled pancake with cheese, and pork), and a shrimp dish that was amazingly seasoned. I did have a margarita, and I only had 1 because I don’t hold my liquor all that well, and I was a driver for the evening.
After a fantastic meal with Mrs. OvertlyTrite, Mr. OvertlyTrite, Brother OT and Nephew OT, and the always awesome Mommy Strangelove, we hopped in our automobiles and headed to the Tennessee Theatre to meet up with Mr. & Mrs. Dotson for a evening with Chef Bourdain. He started off the evening with some brief initial notes about Knoxville indicating that there was some sensational cheeses in his dressing room and a good local beer. He also indicated that the people who were doing the catering of the meet, greet and eat afterwards were surprisingly well versed in succulence including lamb cheeks (which is better than I ever anticipated), as it was catered by the Northshore Brasserie (which has amazing food and some of the best Steak Tartare I’ve ever ate). He then spent the next hour or so talking about his travels, the foods, the cultures and the importance of being a good guest and not an ugly American when going abroad. He was witty, he was offensive (in a good way when speaking of vegetarians – I love you Maria), but mostly he was poignant and real with us – or at least a real as a person riffing on a theme standing in front of a packed house at a theatre could be.
I was very happy to see the house packed for the show and thank AC Entertainment for encouraging and bringing this man to town. Hopefully the good showing by the audience will encourage other entertainers, etc…to include a stop to the Knoxville area as we can be some pretty “hip” people who would also like to indulge in some good shows and not have to drive to Atlanta or Nashville in order to see them. But I digress…
The best part of the evening was that Chef Bourdain opened up the floor to questions from the audience and those who wanted to ask something lined up at two microphones placed at the center aisles. People immediately started heading up to the mics and while initially I had thought I had a good question (i.e. How he actually got through the experiences he had with the Kalahari Bushmen in Namibia), he had already discussed this issue during his lecture. So, I thought…darn it. Then I realized I did have a good and valid question, so I got up out of my seat and took my place at the end of the line on the left hand side of the theatre. Person after person asked questions that ranged from “I’m a vegan and I want to know why you bash us?” type questions, to the obligatory audience member offering Tony to let them take him to the best bar/restaurant in town (um, unless his producer has connected with you and set up your evening, I doubt this married man with a baby is just going to randomly head-out with a random Knoxvillian – especially since some of the audience already forked out $140 some dollars to nosh with him after the show). Soon after I was in line, one of the staff of the theatre came up behind me and indicated she was cutting off the line for questions and informed me that I may not have an opportunity to ask my question as he may stop taking questions soon. I figured well, I can understand that, but I’m here and I’ll stick it out to see if I get my opportunity or not.
First of all, this is important. I typically get mildly star-struck and nervous in a situation like this; but this time, I did not. Probably thanks to some well received therapeutic services. I had thought to myself, when am I actually going to have an opportunity to speak to a man I think is cool and does a good service to the world by encouraging people to live in the moment whenever you travel, so what did I have to lose? Nothing. As the line in front of me and the line on the right continued to dwindle, I was inevitably up next and actually up last to ask a question. So, I took a deep breath and leapt.
“Chef Bourdain, you’re kinda like the rock-n-roll chef and you’ve recently become a father. One of my favorite passages you’ve ever written was the story of how you became more gastronomically adventurous when your family was in france and your parents actually left you and your brother in the car so they could go and dine without complaining and at that moment you decided you were going to eat and explore the culinary world because it was the first time it was “off limits” to you. My question is, that now that you’re a father, how do you plan or suggest how to encourage a child to be more gastronomically adventurous and how has fatherhood changed you?” Whew, I got the question out without sounding like a dolt or a silly fan girl. His answer was nicely loquacious and I was honored that he took the time to really answer my silly little question. He discussed the realities that having a child almost immediately made all your “cool-points” go out the window, and he admitted that he lost his earring when his daughter arrived. He discussed the importance of encouraging children to explore new foods and new cultures but not to bully them into becoming gourmands because, that’s a tad pretentious. He also enlisted the concept of counter-marketing to your children about the seedy realities of McDonald’s and the potentially scary clown that is Ronald McDonald. It was a fantastic answer and very generous in his response to me. He also mentioned a concept that I felt was accurate in how to develop a gastronomically adventurous child which includes having a parent who is from a different culture as I grew up with a father who was born and raised in Germany and Anthony Bourdain’s wife is Italian. I think that having a parent who is ethnically different and willing to share those cultural experiences with their family (i.e. food cooked at home, and taking you to their home countries), makes for a child who accepts new aspects of culture more freely and openly (while at the same time rebelling because come-on, we’re kids).
He closed the show and it was a really nice night. I can only imagine the succulent dishes that awaited him and his guests after the show and I hope that he’ll come back soon and that Ashley Capps will continue to be able to lure interesting and varied talent to our little city that could.
Okay, so it sounds more elaborate than it really is right? This is our little slice of internet nonsense, which basically is our on-going effort to keep our friends and family up-to-date on our lives, our love and our continuing pursuit of pomegranates. In this modern age of movement, we’ve realized that distance is not an excuse to not keep everyone posted, so please - stop by anytime - in person or internet-ly and know that you are all never far from our thoughts.
