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taz_39**Disclaimer** The views and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and do not reflect the views or opinions of my employer. DO NOT RESHARE ANY PART OF THIS POST WITHOUT PERMISSION. Thank you.
This post covers the weekend.
--- --- --- --- --- ---
FRIDAY
I got up at 6am for an early breakfast and working on Foodie Finds before gathering up my things for a walk to a laundromat. No washers at this hotel. The weather was beautiful, cool and breezy with the sun just starting to creep up, and the mile walk felt like no time at all.
Had the laundromat to myself and enjoyed sitting in the sun and reading a book while my clothes went through their cycles. Folded it all and walked back, soaking in that lovely sun and cool breeze. Oooooh I have missed being able to be outside comfortably!! Put my things away at the hotel and messaged Mike (our Main Street Philharmonic boss) to ask if I could stop by on this next layoff with some treats and to say hello. He not only said yes, but also offered to put me in for a "rehearsal day" which would get me paid! I said yes but emphasized that it's now been nearly half a year since I did any MSP sets, so I would likely use the day to re-memorize and shadow the band rather than participating in sets. He seemed totally ok with that. I am excited! I've missed the guys and want to catch up with them, and I really do need a HUGE refresher on the music.
Next I walked to Perly's ("it's Yiddish for delicious!") for lunch.
It was busy but not packed; I'd intentionally shown up before noon to avoid a lunch rush. I placed my order and scoped out the deli while I waited. Look at those lovely homemade pickles and smoked fish!
Potato & Duck Pierogies with mushroom onion sauce and sour cream.
A perfect li'l bite :)
I also got a side of tzimmes, which was sweet potatoes and carrots stewed with honey and prunes.
The pierogies were wonderful. Packed with flavor, savory, very hearty. I loved the caramelization on the outside of the pierogies, and they'd dusted them with fresh black pepper which made the mushroom sauce extra awesome. The duck was minced with mashed potatoes in the filling. Perhaps this is rude of me to say, but...although these were very good, they did not hold a candle to the pierogies I had at Eva's in Syracuse. Sorry, I couldn't help but compare!
I'd never had tzimmes before, but it wasn't much different from candied yams and I liked it a lot. There are loads of other tempting items on the menu. This is yet another of those places where, if I lived locally, I'd eat here once a week until I'd tried everything!
After that I popped into the little market next door to look around, then back to the hotel to digest and share Perly's food pics with our WhatsApp group to encourage others to stop in before we skip town. Then I read my book some more and took a short nap as I'd been up since 6am. A few hours later, masterclass run-through and a snack. Packing things to go back into my trunk. It looks like Louisville will also be warm, so my pea coat and winter layers can go in the trunk instead of my luggage. How exciting!
The evening show was good, with Connor (Key 1) conducting. We must have had a school group in the audience because there was so much reacting to every scene, from gasps when Belle appeared in her ball gown for the first time, to howls of "Nnnooooooo!" when the Beast let her go to help her father. It was really funny! I love me a reactive crowd. And in other exciting news, we FINALLY got appointments to get our in-ear molds made in Louisville next week. Wooo! It'll still probably take at least a month to receive the finished product, but at least it's moving forward now.
Also! Jameson shared that he and our neighbor discovered an adorable baby alligator underneath the neighbor's trash can! He sent a picture:
It looks to be about the size of a small/medium iguana. Lucky that I'm not there right now, because I ABSOLUTELY would have oogled over it for an hour and probably tried to touch and/or pick it up (with heavy gloves of course.) As it was, the men called animal control because you're supposed to call if you see a gator and there's not a lake nearby. It's amazing that we've lived in Florida for nearly 8 years and this is our first time having to call animal control.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SATURDAY
I was up early, nervous about my masterclass.
This one was more "chill" because it would via Zoom, but that also adds technical elements, plus I've never done THIS masterclass in particular before.
But there's a first time for everything, so I had my usual breakfast and packed a few things for the two-show day, and when 9:55am rolled around I logged in. Ms. Johnson (the organizer/founder) and I chatted for a bit while we waited for the kids to show up, and when everyone was there I got started.
This masterclass focused more on telling kids about the fun and exciting things that they could do with music/entertainment IF they continued to keep it through and beyond school. Lots of kids know about band, orchestra, chorus, jazz band, theater, etc., but as many teachers have confessed to me lately, few are aware of other ways to apply their musical skills post-education. Or rather, they may see a theater show or visit a theme park, but don't necessarily visualize themselves being a part of those performances. The kids started out quiet but as we got further into the masterclass--first theme parks, then the circus, then cruise ships followed by touring shows--more and more started to chime in until the chat was popping with answers to my factoid questions. It was great to see that level of interaction. Even some of their parents got in on it!
I thought it went really well and so did Ms. Johnson, who thanked me profusely and asked me a few more questions herself afterward because her curiosity had been piqued. And then, after we'd said our goodbyes, she surprised me by sending a gift card to Whole Paycheck!! I had not asked for any type of payment, and was very touched. She had this to say:
If I am lucky, maybe I can repay her with tickets to a show in the future :)
From there it was a normal Saturday. At the first show I had visitors, some circus fans who had come out to see the show. We took selfies afterward, and that was nice. Between shows I walked back to the hotel and had dinner and typed this post up, plus some planning for the layoff and future tour travel. I was admittedly in a bit of a mood because the theater had been VERY cold, and that makes it uncomfortable to play. But we are only here for one more day, so I am gonna disassociate from the temp for the rest of my time here :p
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUNDAY
Daylight savings! Uuuuuuugh.
I guess it's also International Women's Day? I don't much care about these fakey holidays, but we were told there'd be a special announcement after the matinee so someone cares, haha.
Breakfast and gradual packing of things for this flight to Louisville. I was supposed to work on Foodie Finds but was just not in the mood. Walked to the theater early and was surprised to see a hopping neighborhood block party/craft fair thing happening in the little square park in front of the theater. It looked like a lot of fun and I was jealous, I wanted to go! But work calls.
I'd meant to get more pics of the inside of the theater but was demotivated. It was load out and things were being shuffled around a lot backstage, and I just couldn't be bothered. Sorry I'm lazy, guys, but if you want to know more about the historic Altria Theater in Richmond, seriously just google it and there are a zillion pics and videos and articles!
The matinee went well, and after the bows they invited ALL of the women of BATB--cast crew, management, and even musicians!--to come to the stage and take a bow in recognition of our work. Of course we pit ladies stayed put because we still had exit music to play, but the gesture was appreciated!
Between shows I walked through the block party/craft fair. Didn't buy anything, but enjoyed looking. There were so many people out enjoying it...this was probably the first nice weekend day in months for such an event. Little kids laughing and chasing each other, elderly people chatting in groups in lawn chairs. Families playing with dogs or eating together. A live band, and even a jump rope troupe! It was lovely to see.
The evening show was very good with an enthusiastic crowd. I'm going to miss playing for 1,000 more people than usual! Sometimes it has sounded like a rock concert, the way people have cheered for us here!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday: Flights to Louisville, KY. I haven't been here since 2014 and am looking forward to it.
Tuesday: Opening night in Louisville.
This post covers the weekend.
--- --- --- --- --- ---
FRIDAY
I got up at 6am for an early breakfast and working on Foodie Finds before gathering up my things for a walk to a laundromat. No washers at this hotel. The weather was beautiful, cool and breezy with the sun just starting to creep up, and the mile walk felt like no time at all.
Had the laundromat to myself and enjoyed sitting in the sun and reading a book while my clothes went through their cycles. Folded it all and walked back, soaking in that lovely sun and cool breeze. Oooooh I have missed being able to be outside comfortably!! Put my things away at the hotel and messaged Mike (our Main Street Philharmonic boss) to ask if I could stop by on this next layoff with some treats and to say hello. He not only said yes, but also offered to put me in for a "rehearsal day" which would get me paid! I said yes but emphasized that it's now been nearly half a year since I did any MSP sets, so I would likely use the day to re-memorize and shadow the band rather than participating in sets. He seemed totally ok with that. I am excited! I've missed the guys and want to catch up with them, and I really do need a HUGE refresher on the music.
Next I walked to Perly's ("it's Yiddish for delicious!") for lunch.
It was busy but not packed; I'd intentionally shown up before noon to avoid a lunch rush. I placed my order and scoped out the deli while I waited. Look at those lovely homemade pickles and smoked fish!
Potato & Duck Pierogies with mushroom onion sauce and sour cream.
A perfect li'l bite :)
I also got a side of tzimmes, which was sweet potatoes and carrots stewed with honey and prunes.
The pierogies were wonderful. Packed with flavor, savory, very hearty. I loved the caramelization on the outside of the pierogies, and they'd dusted them with fresh black pepper which made the mushroom sauce extra awesome. The duck was minced with mashed potatoes in the filling. Perhaps this is rude of me to say, but...although these were very good, they did not hold a candle to the pierogies I had at Eva's in Syracuse. Sorry, I couldn't help but compare!
I'd never had tzimmes before, but it wasn't much different from candied yams and I liked it a lot. There are loads of other tempting items on the menu. This is yet another of those places where, if I lived locally, I'd eat here once a week until I'd tried everything!
After that I popped into the little market next door to look around, then back to the hotel to digest and share Perly's food pics with our WhatsApp group to encourage others to stop in before we skip town. Then I read my book some more and took a short nap as I'd been up since 6am. A few hours later, masterclass run-through and a snack. Packing things to go back into my trunk. It looks like Louisville will also be warm, so my pea coat and winter layers can go in the trunk instead of my luggage. How exciting!
The evening show was good, with Connor (Key 1) conducting. We must have had a school group in the audience because there was so much reacting to every scene, from gasps when Belle appeared in her ball gown for the first time, to howls of "Nnnooooooo!" when the Beast let her go to help her father. It was really funny! I love me a reactive crowd. And in other exciting news, we FINALLY got appointments to get our in-ear molds made in Louisville next week. Wooo! It'll still probably take at least a month to receive the finished product, but at least it's moving forward now.
Also! Jameson shared that he and our neighbor discovered an adorable baby alligator underneath the neighbor's trash can! He sent a picture:
It looks to be about the size of a small/medium iguana. Lucky that I'm not there right now, because I ABSOLUTELY would have oogled over it for an hour and probably tried to touch and/or pick it up (with heavy gloves of course.) As it was, the men called animal control because you're supposed to call if you see a gator and there's not a lake nearby. It's amazing that we've lived in Florida for nearly 8 years and this is our first time having to call animal control.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SATURDAY
I was up early, nervous about my masterclass.
This one was more "chill" because it would via Zoom, but that also adds technical elements, plus I've never done THIS masterclass in particular before.
But there's a first time for everything, so I had my usual breakfast and packed a few things for the two-show day, and when 9:55am rolled around I logged in. Ms. Johnson (the organizer/founder) and I chatted for a bit while we waited for the kids to show up, and when everyone was there I got started.
This masterclass focused more on telling kids about the fun and exciting things that they could do with music/entertainment IF they continued to keep it through and beyond school. Lots of kids know about band, orchestra, chorus, jazz band, theater, etc., but as many teachers have confessed to me lately, few are aware of other ways to apply their musical skills post-education. Or rather, they may see a theater show or visit a theme park, but don't necessarily visualize themselves being a part of those performances. The kids started out quiet but as we got further into the masterclass--first theme parks, then the circus, then cruise ships followed by touring shows--more and more started to chime in until the chat was popping with answers to my factoid questions. It was great to see that level of interaction. Even some of their parents got in on it!
I thought it went really well and so did Ms. Johnson, who thanked me profusely and asked me a few more questions herself afterward because her curiosity had been piqued. And then, after we'd said our goodbyes, she surprised me by sending a gift card to Whole Paycheck!! I had not asked for any type of payment, and was very touched. She had this to say:
If I am lucky, maybe I can repay her with tickets to a show in the future :)
From there it was a normal Saturday. At the first show I had visitors, some circus fans who had come out to see the show. We took selfies afterward, and that was nice. Between shows I walked back to the hotel and had dinner and typed this post up, plus some planning for the layoff and future tour travel. I was admittedly in a bit of a mood because the theater had been VERY cold, and that makes it uncomfortable to play. But we are only here for one more day, so I am gonna disassociate from the temp for the rest of my time here :p
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUNDAY
Daylight savings! Uuuuuuugh.
I guess it's also International Women's Day? I don't much care about these fakey holidays, but we were told there'd be a special announcement after the matinee so someone cares, haha.
Breakfast and gradual packing of things for this flight to Louisville. I was supposed to work on Foodie Finds but was just not in the mood. Walked to the theater early and was surprised to see a hopping neighborhood block party/craft fair thing happening in the little square park in front of the theater. It looked like a lot of fun and I was jealous, I wanted to go! But work calls.
I'd meant to get more pics of the inside of the theater but was demotivated. It was load out and things were being shuffled around a lot backstage, and I just couldn't be bothered. Sorry I'm lazy, guys, but if you want to know more about the historic Altria Theater in Richmond, seriously just google it and there are a zillion pics and videos and articles!
The matinee went well, and after the bows they invited ALL of the women of BATB--cast crew, management, and even musicians!--to come to the stage and take a bow in recognition of our work. Of course we pit ladies stayed put because we still had exit music to play, but the gesture was appreciated!
Between shows I walked through the block party/craft fair. Didn't buy anything, but enjoyed looking. There were so many people out enjoying it...this was probably the first nice weekend day in months for such an event. Little kids laughing and chasing each other, elderly people chatting in groups in lawn chairs. Families playing with dogs or eating together. A live band, and even a jump rope troupe! It was lovely to see.
The evening show was very good with an enthusiastic crowd. I'm going to miss playing for 1,000 more people than usual! Sometimes it has sounded like a rock concert, the way people have cheered for us here!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday: Flights to Louisville, KY. I haven't been here since 2014 and am looking forward to it.
Tuesday: Opening night in Louisville.
no subject
Date: 2026-03-09 03:06 am (UTC)Aw, he didn't keep the little gator?
no subject
Date: 2026-03-09 03:10 am (UTC)I SOO would have tried to keep the bebe! Those are “Florida puppies” lol
no subject
Date: 2026-03-09 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-03-09 05:37 pm (UTC)But if you don’t like snakes or lizards….those are DAILY my friend. And the lizards and frogs and palmettos WILL be in your house no matter what floor you are on.
no subject
Date: 2026-03-09 06:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-03-10 01:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-03-10 01:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-03-10 01:58 pm (UTC)