Newark, NJ with a side of NYC
Feb. 27th, 2013 11:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
taz_39We pulled into Newark pretty early.
Many of those not involved in load in took advantage of our early arrival to go into the city.
Self included!
Brett (bandmaster), Skippy (trumpet), Brian (guitar) and his girlfriend and I took a train to Penn Station
and rode the subway to a few stops to the East Village. Brian knew about this great sushi place,
so we followed him there, and it was pretty yummy!
I got to try Chu-Hi for the first time...pretty sure it had the alcohol content of a wine cooler,
but it was tasty! Brian had lime-flavored, I had oolong.
Next we went to McSorley's Old Ale House (since 1854! "WE were here before YOU were born.")
They've kept it as authentic as possible, with sawdust on the floor and a cash only bar.
They did let me in (McSorley's was for men ONLY until the 1970s!) and I was grateful for that ;D
You've got two drink choices here: light or dark.
I went with light, being not much of a beer drinker myself. For beer, it was pretty good!
We then headed over to Swing 46, where George Gee's Swing Orchestra was heating things up :)
This was really a treat...the band was great, couples young and old were dancing, and it was a good crowd.
More circus people joined us here...Ashley (Animal Trainer/Preshow Host), Colleen (Pie Car Master Chef), Jessi (Vet Tech), Tony (former sax player on Blue), and several others. Brett knew the guys in the band, so we got to meet several of the musicians, that was awesome.
After the band was done we split up...
some people went barhopping and the rest of us hopped the train back to Newark.
En route we passed through Times Square. It was raining and pretty quiet at that hour.
The streets were reflecting the lights, very pretty.
This week's show schedule is light compared to last week, and to what we'll be doing in Brooklyn.
I'm enjoying the down time while I can!
We had two one-show days this week.
I didn't do anything special, just rested, cooked, caught up on laundry, and enjoyed the time.
The band gag has been changed a little, my bit comes first now instead of last.
Not sure that it made much difference crowd reaction-wise, but it did give me an opportunity
to snap a photo of everyone else from the back :)
Although security here seems pretty tight, there were a few issues this week with people throwing
bottles and such onto the arena floor, and laser lights being pointed in our general direction.
Laser lights are especially dangerous because not only could they damage someone's eyes,
they could also upset the animals.
New Jersey...TRY to be classy...leave your lasers at home.
Between the 1st and 2nd shows on Saturday, some of us stepped outside in time to see
smoke pouring out of the arena's parking garage.
A car had caught fire on the 5th floor.
Before the fire department arrived, several of our brave crew members
grabbed some fire extinguishers, ran up five flights of stairs, and put out the blaze.
Applesauce, Britin, Chris, and whoever else was involved...GREAT job guys!!!
#circusfit ;D
Other than these, uh, 'surprises', shows have been going quite well.
Good crowds, especially on the weekends.
The LED toys seem to be selling well!
Oh, and we have also been featured in a 'Behind The Scenes' special on ABC 7!
There are four videos total, be sure to watch them all!
Also this week, a Ringling-themed waiting room was unveiled at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, NJ:
During our stay in Newark I paid a visit to Cucuzzella's Bakery (Since 1901 supposedly).
Because it was late in the day, they didn't have what I came for,
which was either the braided bread or the bread ring.
However they were pulling hot hoagie rolls out of a huge brick oven,
so I grabbed some of those.
(photo courtesy whatscookin.blogspot.com)
They were so hot that they almost steamed through their paper bag!
As artisan bread tends to go hard quickly, I made sure to try a piece fresh.
It was chewy and a little salty, and VERY good!
I also got to revisit Dinosaur BBQ!
There's a new one right next to the arena.
When we were in Rochester I got to experience this NOMmy goodness for the first time :)
Here in Newark, the 'original' beef brisket sandwich is on a toasted Martin's potato roll
and comes topped with jalapenos, onions, and tangy mayo!
(in Rochester it was on a flour-dusted Kaiser with caramelized onions)
On Sunday my cousin Matt brought some of his friends to see the circus.
I literally got like 15 minutes to hang out with them before the show started.
Fortunately we are in NJ next week as well, so there will be time to bring him to see the train
and maybe grab a bite to eat :)
Next week we will also welcome a new trumpet sub...today was Skippy's last day with us :/
Thanks for a great three weeks Skippy...see you down the road!!
McSorley's
Date: 2015-05-26 08:06 pm (UTC)Re: McSorley's
Date: 2015-05-27 12:34 am (UTC)