Tootsie Yr2: Minneapolis, MN part 2
Thursday, I didn't sleep well probably because I was worrying about Jameson flying "across the pond."
But he arrived safely and started sightseeing right away! (because his hotel room wasn't ready haha)
Here he is outside Freddie Mercury's house.
He also treated himself to a fancy steak dinner, and seeing Moulin Rouge.
Tomorrow is Queen, and the next day is the Cubs, then sightseeing for the rest of the trip.
I'm so excited for him to have a GREAT time in London!
My day started pretty normally except that I felt stressed because of misc paperwork and obligations that I'd signed on for, but didn't feel very prepared for. I won't go into details but will just say that I was stressing over nothing and everything worked out fine, and that I sometimes I really need to calm my tits :p
My friend Eryn, who was born and raised here in Minneapolis, wanted to take me for some sightseeing!
But first I asked if we could go to Herbivorous Butcher, because it was on my bucket list and I was worried that I wouldn't have the time to go on Friday. Off we went!
Herbivorous Butcher is owned by a brother-sister team, and their deli/restaurant is focused on plant-based, healthy meat alternatives that simulate as closely as possible the textures of real meats and cheeses. If you watch Food Network at all you've probably seen them featured several times (Diners, Drive-ins & Dives + misc interviews and PR spots).
It's a pretty small shop, looks like a normal deli...but all of the meats and cheese are vegan!
There were lots of people bustling in the back kitchen, mixing up the soy and vital wheat gluten and nut purees and oils and seasonings that will become the flavorful "meats" and "cheeses" on display up front. And I'm 99% sure I saw the sister co-owner, Aubry, pulling a hand cart out the door :)
I was too shy to take pictures of people as they were working, but enjoyed watching as they assembled a sandwich for me: their new breakfast sandwich, which is hickory "bacon", eggy tofu, cheddar "cheese", sauteed onion and pepper, and southwest sauce on vegan focaccia. I got this to eat for dinner, but it's HUGE so it'll be two meals!
(photo courtesy Herbivorous Butcher, because the lighting in my hotel room was TRASH and I couldn't get a good shot. Mine looked JUST like this except for the greens!)
Sandwich review: It was REALLY good! Lots of great flavor, even the bread had herbs and spices added. I picked the sandwich apart a little because I was curious about the textures of the "meats" and "cheeses". The "bacon" had little stripes of "fat" that really were smoother than the "meat" parts of each slice! They must have cooked two different textures separately and then combined them later to create the effect. It definitely wasn't anywhere near the texture of real bacon, but it was still a good chew and the flavor was smoky and salty. Kind of like a reconstituted bacon sausage haha. The "cheese" was very impressive, it was very much like a slice of orange American cheese. The "egg" was just seasoned tofu, but the texture was similar to a griddled formed egg like you'd get at McDonald's. With the veggies and sauce and delicious focaccia it all came together very well. And everything is low in fat and cholesterol, too! I am jealous of people who can eat here regularly!
I also got a packet of the Korean "ribs". There were many flavors of ribs but Korean is currently the most popular.
Eryn drove me back to the hotel to drop this stuff off, then she took me down to the Mill District and showed me the long pedestrian bridge over the dam that used to be a rail line; and the ruins of the mill which burned down while she was a teen and is now a museum; and the Guthrie Theatre where she used to work.
The Guthrie Theatre not only has theatres, but also a restaurant and some breathtaking views.
Eryn took me to one of the uppermost levels, where I could see the beautiful Mississippi and Mill District through this yellow-tinted glass.
On a slightly lower level we were able to see the same view, but outside.
I liked how the sky was reflected in this metal balcony.
From there we went to Minnehaha Falls, chatting and updating each other on our doings on the way, and Eryn pointing out sights and historical points of interest. At the Falls was Sea Salt Eatery, a seafood restaurant built in what used to be an old park gazebo and is now a bustling restaurant. On this random Thursday it wasn't packed but was VERY busy with families and couples having a great time enjoying the outdoors along the Mississippi.
Eryn had a beer and grilled mahi tacos, and I was gonna get the mahi too...until I saw that they had a smoked trout roll on special! Not only that, it was trout fished in nearby Lake Superior, served with pickled leeks and radishes on a potato hot dog bun. Heck yes!
So smoky and delicious and tangy!
We talked about lots of personal stuff as we ate, her about her divorce and struggle to find a worthwhile career, and me about my dad's death and some of the unknowns looming ahead after this tour is over. It was good to listen, and be listened to.
Before we left we had to look at the Falls of course!
Selfie:
Eryn asked if I'd like to visit George Floyd Square.
I'm ashamed to say that I hesitated, and almost said no.
But I squared up and agreed to go, because feeling uncomfortable was no excuse for avoidance.
As a Caucasian (mostly) I have privilege that I did not earn, that was bought on the backs of others.
Not only before I was born, but CONTINUALLY, NOW, in present day.
I am not even close to being an activist or an advocate. But I believe that closing your eyes and turning your back is acceptance, complacency, complicity. I think that we/I can’t take a single step toward making amends in our community or our state or our country until we fully face and own what is horribly wrong.
The memorial is beautiful, and the anger is real and justified.
This Minneapolis community has NOT been rebuilt, and this is an open and painful wound that has yet to be healed.
As we walked past Onyx Coffeehouse, two kids ran out and begged us to come buy something, lemonade or a coffee.
So we went in--what heartless monster says "no" to kids selling lemonade--and Eryn made a donation while I got an iced coffee and chatted with the owner. We continued walking but not very far as it was brutally hot. Eryn described what this neighborhood had been like right after the riots (she had come down to take pictures and provide food/water to people who needed it) and told me a bit about the history of the area, including showing me her high school nearby and the small shed where her great-grandparents had weathered the Depression (wow!). Her family has been in American for six whole generations. I was amazed at her roots here, and reminded of my own shallow roots set down by my great-grandparents fleeing the potato famine, and my Obaa-chan fleeing a life of abuse and neglect in Japan. It was...a lot to think about.
We stopped at a few more places (Target for bubble wrap for me, an Asian grocery for rice for Eryn) before we parted ways back at the hotel. I'm grateful that Eryn badgered me to hang out today. I'm a difficult person at the best of times, and it's hard to get me out of my shell, but she did it, and as a result I had time with a great human and saw much more of Minneapolis than I would have alone.
After a bit of a rest I helped a friend with some paperwork, and then it was time for the show.
It went well again, with an enthusiastic audience, and I could tell that some of the actors are starting to be really present on stage, thinking about the approaching end of the tour. Only five more shows left.
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Our closing party was on Thursday night after the show.
This is a bit unusual...normally a closing party is, you know...after the show closes :p
But this weekend Taylor Swift is in town AND there's a Pride Parade downtown, so I think A) they couldn't reserve a restaurant for the weekend and B) They don't want to have the party on load out day when people are going to be packing up for the last time.
So I walked over to the reserved restaurant with my band buddies, got myself a drink at the open bar, and got social.
Katie (Physical Therapist) and I:
The cake:
Bill (trumpet) keeping it real:
In addition to an open bar and the cake there were sliders, veggie trays, and some really good firecracker shrimp!
I ended up not mingling much with the actors...I've kept my distance, honestly, for better or worse, during the first year because of covid and during the second year because I just didn't feel I had much in common with people. It's a younger crowd up there on stage, and extroverts, and people who would probably cringe at the thought of getting up at 7am to try a new bakery, or walking across town just for a fake meat sandwich. That's not to be disparaging...it's just that their experience on this tour has been different than mine, and as a result I never really made those deep connections.
Every show is different, and this has been an AWESOME group of people to work with!
Maybe we're not BFFs for life or whatever, but I care about everyone here and very sincerely wish ALL of them the best in their future endeavors.
After the cake cutting I said my goodbyes and got back to the hotel.
Five shows left!
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Friday, I was up way too early considering how late I got home (1:30am or so).
But I felt twitchy, probably from the alcohol and cake last night.
So I did my "chores" of practicing Spamalot, typing up this blog, and washing my breakfast dishes before heading out for a two-mile walk, just to get exercise. It was very hot today, around 90F. I noticed tents and food trucks setting up in a nearby park for the Pride Parade happening over the weekend, and saw lots of "Swifties" and people wearing colorful outfits for either Pride or the Taylor Swift concert.
Last thistle that I'll probably see before heading back to Florida:
My favorite mural, which was actually near moto-i last week but I forgot to post it:
Back at the hotel I bubble wrapped some of the food souvenirs I'm bringing home, then mostly had a calm day.
A few hours before dinner I walked to my last Foodie Find of the tour: Edward's Dessert Kitchen.
They make fancy-pants single-serving pastries and desserts, most of which are about the size of tarts or large cupcakes.
They also make larger cakes for special occasions, and house gelatos and sorbets, AND they have a full bar, AND they serve small plates/tapas of regular savory food. They kind of do it all!
I knew what I wanted already: the purpleberry pavlova.
Lime mousse, bay leaf poached berries, black lime meringue, purpleberry bay leaf ganache.
So fancy! And I totally wrecked it lol. Should have asked for pointers on how to cut it from the staff.
It was a vanilla pavlova (you can see the vanilla granules) on top of a berry-chocolate shell.
The bottom level of the shell contained whole small blueberries which I think were the bay leaf poached berries.
Above that was a separating layer of chocolate, then the black lime meringue (the fluffy purple stuff that squished everywhere when I tried to cut the pavlova.) Then above that was the soft pavlova filling surrounding the purpleberry bay leaf ganache, which was dark and intense like a super thick berry jam. The lime mousse was just that little dab of off-white stuff on top of the jam, helping hold the single blackberry in place.
Pavlova is a wonderful thing. Delicate and crispy, but inside all creamy and marshmallowy.
This was perfectly light and crisp, and with the tart lime and herb-flavored berries, SO GOOD.
Decadent yet light and summery and not overfilling. I loved it, and savored it, because this is the last time I'll get to be so indulgent for quite a while! At least until the holidays roll around :P
I walked back and got ready for the show, had dinner, walked to the theatre.
Another excellent crowd, and my friend Julia (former circus clown) came to the show with her dad, a pleasant surprise! I hadn't known she was in the area. After the show we had to walk the gauntlet of a block party at the club next door, it was fenced off but there was a huge crowd especially around the stage, and loud thumping bass, and tables and endless tables of alcohol. It looked like a good time tbh.
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Saturday, I had a bit of a stomach ache (can't imagine!) so took it easy.
As a sort of interlude, here are some of the reasons why I might have a stomachache, and reviews of them!
Fruitbelt Sparkling Tonic: 7/10 This is supposed to be a mixer but they advertise that you can drink it straight up too. It was tasty but very tart, and probably a big reason why my stomach is burning this morning. Would drink again but as a cocktail.
Camel Milk: 8/10 I shared some of this with my coworkers and the adjectives everyone had for it were "grassy", "cheesy", "mushroomy", and "earthy". I agree with all of that, but will say that it's a lot less funky than goat milk and I'd definitely drink it again (if it weren't so expensive).
Tapuat Raspberry Almond Kombucha: 5/10 Kombucha does give me a stomachache so I get to blame this too. And it WOULD NOT STOP FIZZING so maybe there was something off about this batch. Flavor was pretty much just raspberry, I didn't get almond at all. All of that said, I tried their pear kombucha last week and it was delicious.
Stumptown Strange Magic Cascara Soda: 7/10 Cascara is the fruit surrounding coffee beans. It's been used to brew tea for a long time, but hasn't had much commerical use in the US. This tasted mostly good, kind of a "Fruity Pebbles coffee" thing going on. But again with the acidity...it was also tart, which gave "sour coffee" vibes, so I don't see this taking off.
As always, it was fun to try new things :)
Though apparently acid reflux, or some sort of stomach ulcer, is going to make me spread acidic drinks like these out over a broader time frame in the future. That turning-40 "check engine" light is starting to flicker on!
Both shows went well.
Eryn came to the later show with her husband, so I got to shout cheerfully up at them from the pit.
They seemed to have a good time, sat right down front.
Eryn took this nice wide shot during bows:
On the walk back home we had to thread the gauntlet of the Pride rave again.
The line to get in tonight was SO LONG, stretching about a block and a half!
As soon as I got to my room I heard a loud clap of thunder, and heard the sea of people below exclaim together, laughing and screaming as the skies opened up. But the music didn't stop, and I heard cheering long after the storm had passed.
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Sunday. I woke up earlier than usual. Can you guess why?
Today is it. The last shows for Tootsie the Musical!
It's hard to believe. When you do something for eighteen months, you fall into patterns of behavior, activities, thought.
A part of my mind is "Ho hum, just another Sunday, better start packing!"
And the larger part is yelling, "Savor every moment because after today, no more!"
Looking around this hotel room because this lifestyle won't exist for me after today.
Wondering where I'm going to store the tiny fridge, Itaki, and mess kit, and other things that have no practical use in a Real Place. Texting with Jameson about our plans for the coming week...which is only the start of what will be a new adventure for me. New job, working from home, rehearsing for Spamalot, becoming a Disney "castmember". A possible trip to PA to visit family in mid-July.
I'm glad to know much of what's ahead of me, but there are still a lot of unknowns.
But as usual I get ahead of myself.
After breakfast I packed as best I could, trying to leave room for my big bottle of sake from moto-i.
Kicking myself for buying it now--I don't even drink that much!--but my hope is that sometime in July we'll either attend or have a party where I can whip it out and make others try it. That's assuming it survives the journey.
Walking to the theatre in the midst of a Pride parade was fun!
Brian (actor) got this great photo of the theatre with the Tootsie banner surrounded by people having a good time.
The first show went well. It was clear that some actors and actresses were beginning to struggle with emotions.
I also found myself spending less time reading a book on my phone, and more time listening to the lines, looking at my bandmates, and being in the moment. This is one of the last times I'll get to experience this.
The break between shows seemed to fly by. Before I knew it, it was already time for the last show.
Last time sitting in this "office".
I did my best, and did a pretty good job I think. So did my fellow musician dudes.
During intermission we took a group photo. The last Tootsie band.
As the sole female, I have to say, these guys were ALL great. I would definitely play a gig again with each and every one of them.
I will miss Kyle's dad jokes, and Kevin's memes, and Sam's goofy laugh, and talking with Paul about cooking and gardening.
And I'll miss Soto, as a person and as an MD. What a kind, open-hearted, professional, incredible person we were lucky to have leading us for the majority of this tour. Just like bosses, some MDs can be really difficult to work with. Soto was the coolest boss we could've had.
(He's the muscly guy on my actual left side in the photo)
Anyway, we played the second half and not surprisingly, emotions were high and you could tell it was a struggle for actors and actresses to get through the lines without choking up. But they did it, and the bows were SO enthusiastic, and I'm sure the audience had a clue because they were also screaming their heads off. It was a really great way to end this eighteen-month run. We've done nearly 500 shows in close to 80 cities. It's been a blast. And with that, the curtain closed, and it was over.
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496 shows. 71 cities. 28,272 miles traveled. 250k patrons.
It's difficult to express all the feelings that I have about this tour, and the past two years.
I was so grateful to get a call to go on tour directly after the pandemic, and also SO worried.
Not only about covid, but because I hadn't picked up a trombone in the entire two years!
But "it's like riding a bike." The skills were still there, just needed brushing off, and I was thrilled to get to work!!
Then, right as we were going into dress rehearsals, my dad died of covid.
BECAUSE it was covid, there was no point in going home; we couldn't enter the house, we couldn't have a funeral, our stepmom was in the ER for three weeks and we legally couldn't do anything until she was able to give consent and instruction on all sorts of things. So the first several months of this tour were lost on me...along with my sisters, every waking moment where I was not rehearsing or performing, I was gathering information and paying bills and making arrangements and processing grief. And then when it was finally safe to hold a funeral, taking bereavement and going home to be with family.
My dad's death impacted and overshadowed this whole tour experience for me.
But if I hadn't been on tour--especially on tour with a COMEDY show that made so many people laugh and enjoy themselves despite all we'd been through--everything would have been a LOT harder. Here on Tootsie, I found a safe place to be, to process, to grieve, and to do what I love with others doing what they loved.
All of that aside, as a tour, there were ups and downs just like there always are.
Some travel days were so easy; others were a disaster. Some hotels were glorious, others were miserable.
Such is the nomadic life. I love it. It's an adventure like no other, and most of the time it does not feel like work at all :)
I will hope to have the chance to tour again.
But even if I never do, I had this beautiful experience, this crystallized time with these incredible people.
And that was a priceless gift.
The memories that I made here, I'll treasure forever.
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And now, it's Monday morning and I'm typing this up before heading to the airport.
My flight gets in around 2:30, and Jameson's about two hours after that.
And from there, this chapter of my life is closed, and a new one opens.
But he arrived safely and started sightseeing right away! (because his hotel room wasn't ready haha)
Here he is outside Freddie Mercury's house.
He also treated himself to a fancy steak dinner, and seeing Moulin Rouge.
Tomorrow is Queen, and the next day is the Cubs, then sightseeing for the rest of the trip.
I'm so excited for him to have a GREAT time in London!
My day started pretty normally except that I felt stressed because of misc paperwork and obligations that I'd signed on for, but didn't feel very prepared for. I won't go into details but will just say that I was stressing over nothing and everything worked out fine, and that I sometimes I really need to calm my tits :p
My friend Eryn, who was born and raised here in Minneapolis, wanted to take me for some sightseeing!
But first I asked if we could go to Herbivorous Butcher, because it was on my bucket list and I was worried that I wouldn't have the time to go on Friday. Off we went!
Herbivorous Butcher is owned by a brother-sister team, and their deli/restaurant is focused on plant-based, healthy meat alternatives that simulate as closely as possible the textures of real meats and cheeses. If you watch Food Network at all you've probably seen them featured several times (Diners, Drive-ins & Dives + misc interviews and PR spots).
It's a pretty small shop, looks like a normal deli...but all of the meats and cheese are vegan!
There were lots of people bustling in the back kitchen, mixing up the soy and vital wheat gluten and nut purees and oils and seasonings that will become the flavorful "meats" and "cheeses" on display up front. And I'm 99% sure I saw the sister co-owner, Aubry, pulling a hand cart out the door :)
I was too shy to take pictures of people as they were working, but enjoyed watching as they assembled a sandwich for me: their new breakfast sandwich, which is hickory "bacon", eggy tofu, cheddar "cheese", sauteed onion and pepper, and southwest sauce on vegan focaccia. I got this to eat for dinner, but it's HUGE so it'll be two meals!
(photo courtesy Herbivorous Butcher, because the lighting in my hotel room was TRASH and I couldn't get a good shot. Mine looked JUST like this except for the greens!)
Sandwich review: It was REALLY good! Lots of great flavor, even the bread had herbs and spices added. I picked the sandwich apart a little because I was curious about the textures of the "meats" and "cheeses". The "bacon" had little stripes of "fat" that really were smoother than the "meat" parts of each slice! They must have cooked two different textures separately and then combined them later to create the effect. It definitely wasn't anywhere near the texture of real bacon, but it was still a good chew and the flavor was smoky and salty. Kind of like a reconstituted bacon sausage haha. The "cheese" was very impressive, it was very much like a slice of orange American cheese. The "egg" was just seasoned tofu, but the texture was similar to a griddled formed egg like you'd get at McDonald's. With the veggies and sauce and delicious focaccia it all came together very well. And everything is low in fat and cholesterol, too! I am jealous of people who can eat here regularly!
I also got a packet of the Korean "ribs". There were many flavors of ribs but Korean is currently the most popular.
Eryn drove me back to the hotel to drop this stuff off, then she took me down to the Mill District and showed me the long pedestrian bridge over the dam that used to be a rail line; and the ruins of the mill which burned down while she was a teen and is now a museum; and the Guthrie Theatre where she used to work.
The Guthrie Theatre not only has theatres, but also a restaurant and some breathtaking views.
Eryn took me to one of the uppermost levels, where I could see the beautiful Mississippi and Mill District through this yellow-tinted glass.
On a slightly lower level we were able to see the same view, but outside.
I liked how the sky was reflected in this metal balcony.
From there we went to Minnehaha Falls, chatting and updating each other on our doings on the way, and Eryn pointing out sights and historical points of interest. At the Falls was Sea Salt Eatery, a seafood restaurant built in what used to be an old park gazebo and is now a bustling restaurant. On this random Thursday it wasn't packed but was VERY busy with families and couples having a great time enjoying the outdoors along the Mississippi.
Eryn had a beer and grilled mahi tacos, and I was gonna get the mahi too...until I saw that they had a smoked trout roll on special! Not only that, it was trout fished in nearby Lake Superior, served with pickled leeks and radishes on a potato hot dog bun. Heck yes!
So smoky and delicious and tangy!
We talked about lots of personal stuff as we ate, her about her divorce and struggle to find a worthwhile career, and me about my dad's death and some of the unknowns looming ahead after this tour is over. It was good to listen, and be listened to.
Before we left we had to look at the Falls of course!
Selfie:
Eryn asked if I'd like to visit George Floyd Square.
I'm ashamed to say that I hesitated, and almost said no.
But I squared up and agreed to go, because feeling uncomfortable was no excuse for avoidance.
As a Caucasian (mostly) I have privilege that I did not earn, that was bought on the backs of others.
Not only before I was born, but CONTINUALLY, NOW, in present day.
I am not even close to being an activist or an advocate. But I believe that closing your eyes and turning your back is acceptance, complacency, complicity. I think that we/I can’t take a single step toward making amends in our community or our state or our country until we fully face and own what is horribly wrong.
The memorial is beautiful, and the anger is real and justified.
This Minneapolis community has NOT been rebuilt, and this is an open and painful wound that has yet to be healed.
As we walked past Onyx Coffeehouse, two kids ran out and begged us to come buy something, lemonade or a coffee.
So we went in--what heartless monster says "no" to kids selling lemonade--and Eryn made a donation while I got an iced coffee and chatted with the owner. We continued walking but not very far as it was brutally hot. Eryn described what this neighborhood had been like right after the riots (she had come down to take pictures and provide food/water to people who needed it) and told me a bit about the history of the area, including showing me her high school nearby and the small shed where her great-grandparents had weathered the Depression (wow!). Her family has been in American for six whole generations. I was amazed at her roots here, and reminded of my own shallow roots set down by my great-grandparents fleeing the potato famine, and my Obaa-chan fleeing a life of abuse and neglect in Japan. It was...a lot to think about.
We stopped at a few more places (Target for bubble wrap for me, an Asian grocery for rice for Eryn) before we parted ways back at the hotel. I'm grateful that Eryn badgered me to hang out today. I'm a difficult person at the best of times, and it's hard to get me out of my shell, but she did it, and as a result I had time with a great human and saw much more of Minneapolis than I would have alone.
After a bit of a rest I helped a friend with some paperwork, and then it was time for the show.
It went well again, with an enthusiastic audience, and I could tell that some of the actors are starting to be really present on stage, thinking about the approaching end of the tour. Only five more shows left.
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Our closing party was on Thursday night after the show.
This is a bit unusual...normally a closing party is, you know...after the show closes :p
But this weekend Taylor Swift is in town AND there's a Pride Parade downtown, so I think A) they couldn't reserve a restaurant for the weekend and B) They don't want to have the party on load out day when people are going to be packing up for the last time.
So I walked over to the reserved restaurant with my band buddies, got myself a drink at the open bar, and got social.
Katie (Physical Therapist) and I:
The cake:
Bill (trumpet) keeping it real:
In addition to an open bar and the cake there were sliders, veggie trays, and some really good firecracker shrimp!
I ended up not mingling much with the actors...I've kept my distance, honestly, for better or worse, during the first year because of covid and during the second year because I just didn't feel I had much in common with people. It's a younger crowd up there on stage, and extroverts, and people who would probably cringe at the thought of getting up at 7am to try a new bakery, or walking across town just for a fake meat sandwich. That's not to be disparaging...it's just that their experience on this tour has been different than mine, and as a result I never really made those deep connections.
Every show is different, and this has been an AWESOME group of people to work with!
Maybe we're not BFFs for life or whatever, but I care about everyone here and very sincerely wish ALL of them the best in their future endeavors.
After the cake cutting I said my goodbyes and got back to the hotel.
Five shows left!
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Friday, I was up way too early considering how late I got home (1:30am or so).
But I felt twitchy, probably from the alcohol and cake last night.
So I did my "chores" of practicing Spamalot, typing up this blog, and washing my breakfast dishes before heading out for a two-mile walk, just to get exercise. It was very hot today, around 90F. I noticed tents and food trucks setting up in a nearby park for the Pride Parade happening over the weekend, and saw lots of "Swifties" and people wearing colorful outfits for either Pride or the Taylor Swift concert.
Last thistle that I'll probably see before heading back to Florida:
My favorite mural, which was actually near moto-i last week but I forgot to post it:
Back at the hotel I bubble wrapped some of the food souvenirs I'm bringing home, then mostly had a calm day.
A few hours before dinner I walked to my last Foodie Find of the tour: Edward's Dessert Kitchen.
They make fancy-pants single-serving pastries and desserts, most of which are about the size of tarts or large cupcakes.
They also make larger cakes for special occasions, and house gelatos and sorbets, AND they have a full bar, AND they serve small plates/tapas of regular savory food. They kind of do it all!
I knew what I wanted already: the purpleberry pavlova.
Lime mousse, bay leaf poached berries, black lime meringue, purpleberry bay leaf ganache.
So fancy! And I totally wrecked it lol. Should have asked for pointers on how to cut it from the staff.
It was a vanilla pavlova (you can see the vanilla granules) on top of a berry-chocolate shell.
The bottom level of the shell contained whole small blueberries which I think were the bay leaf poached berries.
Above that was a separating layer of chocolate, then the black lime meringue (the fluffy purple stuff that squished everywhere when I tried to cut the pavlova.) Then above that was the soft pavlova filling surrounding the purpleberry bay leaf ganache, which was dark and intense like a super thick berry jam. The lime mousse was just that little dab of off-white stuff on top of the jam, helping hold the single blackberry in place.
Pavlova is a wonderful thing. Delicate and crispy, but inside all creamy and marshmallowy.
This was perfectly light and crisp, and with the tart lime and herb-flavored berries, SO GOOD.
Decadent yet light and summery and not overfilling. I loved it, and savored it, because this is the last time I'll get to be so indulgent for quite a while! At least until the holidays roll around :P
I walked back and got ready for the show, had dinner, walked to the theatre.
Another excellent crowd, and my friend Julia (former circus clown) came to the show with her dad, a pleasant surprise! I hadn't known she was in the area. After the show we had to walk the gauntlet of a block party at the club next door, it was fenced off but there was a huge crowd especially around the stage, and loud thumping bass, and tables and endless tables of alcohol. It looked like a good time tbh.
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Saturday, I had a bit of a stomach ache (can't imagine!) so took it easy.
As a sort of interlude, here are some of the reasons why I might have a stomachache, and reviews of them!
Fruitbelt Sparkling Tonic: 7/10 This is supposed to be a mixer but they advertise that you can drink it straight up too. It was tasty but very tart, and probably a big reason why my stomach is burning this morning. Would drink again but as a cocktail.
Camel Milk: 8/10 I shared some of this with my coworkers and the adjectives everyone had for it were "grassy", "cheesy", "mushroomy", and "earthy". I agree with all of that, but will say that it's a lot less funky than goat milk and I'd definitely drink it again (if it weren't so expensive).
Tapuat Raspberry Almond Kombucha: 5/10 Kombucha does give me a stomachache so I get to blame this too. And it WOULD NOT STOP FIZZING so maybe there was something off about this batch. Flavor was pretty much just raspberry, I didn't get almond at all. All of that said, I tried their pear kombucha last week and it was delicious.
Stumptown Strange Magic Cascara Soda: 7/10 Cascara is the fruit surrounding coffee beans. It's been used to brew tea for a long time, but hasn't had much commerical use in the US. This tasted mostly good, kind of a "Fruity Pebbles coffee" thing going on. But again with the acidity...it was also tart, which gave "sour coffee" vibes, so I don't see this taking off.
As always, it was fun to try new things :)
Though apparently acid reflux, or some sort of stomach ulcer, is going to make me spread acidic drinks like these out over a broader time frame in the future. That turning-40 "check engine" light is starting to flicker on!
Both shows went well.
Eryn came to the later show with her husband, so I got to shout cheerfully up at them from the pit.
They seemed to have a good time, sat right down front.
Eryn took this nice wide shot during bows:
On the walk back home we had to thread the gauntlet of the Pride rave again.
The line to get in tonight was SO LONG, stretching about a block and a half!
As soon as I got to my room I heard a loud clap of thunder, and heard the sea of people below exclaim together, laughing and screaming as the skies opened up. But the music didn't stop, and I heard cheering long after the storm had passed.
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Sunday. I woke up earlier than usual. Can you guess why?
Today is it. The last shows for Tootsie the Musical!
It's hard to believe. When you do something for eighteen months, you fall into patterns of behavior, activities, thought.
A part of my mind is "Ho hum, just another Sunday, better start packing!"
And the larger part is yelling, "Savor every moment because after today, no more!"
Looking around this hotel room because this lifestyle won't exist for me after today.
Wondering where I'm going to store the tiny fridge, Itaki, and mess kit, and other things that have no practical use in a Real Place. Texting with Jameson about our plans for the coming week...which is only the start of what will be a new adventure for me. New job, working from home, rehearsing for Spamalot, becoming a Disney "castmember". A possible trip to PA to visit family in mid-July.
I'm glad to know much of what's ahead of me, but there are still a lot of unknowns.
But as usual I get ahead of myself.
After breakfast I packed as best I could, trying to leave room for my big bottle of sake from moto-i.
Kicking myself for buying it now--I don't even drink that much!--but my hope is that sometime in July we'll either attend or have a party where I can whip it out and make others try it. That's assuming it survives the journey.
Walking to the theatre in the midst of a Pride parade was fun!
Brian (actor) got this great photo of the theatre with the Tootsie banner surrounded by people having a good time.
The first show went well. It was clear that some actors and actresses were beginning to struggle with emotions.
I also found myself spending less time reading a book on my phone, and more time listening to the lines, looking at my bandmates, and being in the moment. This is one of the last times I'll get to experience this.
The break between shows seemed to fly by. Before I knew it, it was already time for the last show.
Last time sitting in this "office".
I did my best, and did a pretty good job I think. So did my fellow musician dudes.
During intermission we took a group photo. The last Tootsie band.
As the sole female, I have to say, these guys were ALL great. I would definitely play a gig again with each and every one of them.
I will miss Kyle's dad jokes, and Kevin's memes, and Sam's goofy laugh, and talking with Paul about cooking and gardening.
And I'll miss Soto, as a person and as an MD. What a kind, open-hearted, professional, incredible person we were lucky to have leading us for the majority of this tour. Just like bosses, some MDs can be really difficult to work with. Soto was the coolest boss we could've had.
(He's the muscly guy on my actual left side in the photo)
Anyway, we played the second half and not surprisingly, emotions were high and you could tell it was a struggle for actors and actresses to get through the lines without choking up. But they did it, and the bows were SO enthusiastic, and I'm sure the audience had a clue because they were also screaming their heads off. It was a really great way to end this eighteen-month run. We've done nearly 500 shows in close to 80 cities. It's been a blast. And with that, the curtain closed, and it was over.
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496 shows. 71 cities. 28,272 miles traveled. 250k patrons.
It's difficult to express all the feelings that I have about this tour, and the past two years.
I was so grateful to get a call to go on tour directly after the pandemic, and also SO worried.
Not only about covid, but because I hadn't picked up a trombone in the entire two years!
But "it's like riding a bike." The skills were still there, just needed brushing off, and I was thrilled to get to work!!
Then, right as we were going into dress rehearsals, my dad died of covid.
BECAUSE it was covid, there was no point in going home; we couldn't enter the house, we couldn't have a funeral, our stepmom was in the ER for three weeks and we legally couldn't do anything until she was able to give consent and instruction on all sorts of things. So the first several months of this tour were lost on me...along with my sisters, every waking moment where I was not rehearsing or performing, I was gathering information and paying bills and making arrangements and processing grief. And then when it was finally safe to hold a funeral, taking bereavement and going home to be with family.
My dad's death impacted and overshadowed this whole tour experience for me.
But if I hadn't been on tour--especially on tour with a COMEDY show that made so many people laugh and enjoy themselves despite all we'd been through--everything would have been a LOT harder. Here on Tootsie, I found a safe place to be, to process, to grieve, and to do what I love with others doing what they loved.
All of that aside, as a tour, there were ups and downs just like there always are.
Some travel days were so easy; others were a disaster. Some hotels were glorious, others were miserable.
Such is the nomadic life. I love it. It's an adventure like no other, and most of the time it does not feel like work at all :)
I will hope to have the chance to tour again.
But even if I never do, I had this beautiful experience, this crystallized time with these incredible people.
And that was a priceless gift.
The memories that I made here, I'll treasure forever.
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And now, it's Monday morning and I'm typing this up before heading to the airport.
My flight gets in around 2:30, and Jameson's about two hours after that.
And from there, this chapter of my life is closed, and a new one opens.