My Fair Lady - Pittsburgh, PA part 2
LONG post. You've been warned.
I had set an early alarm for Thursday knowing there'd be limited time to do things before our understudy rehearsal, but was so tired that I went back to sleep for an additional hour.
No matter. It was still a productive morning. I managed to make an appointment to get some testing done while we're in South Carolina; it's always a pain to do/schedule medical things while traveling for work. Then I sent a portfolio and resume to an opportunity I'm interested in. The opportunity isn't until 2025, but I want to be in consideration from the start because you never know what people will need and when. Maybe I'm being an annoyance, but I'd rather get my hat in the ring early than hear later, "Oh, we've already picked someone for that job."
Then, rehearsal. The call time was 12:15 and it ran until 4:30pm. The purpose was for the understudies--not just actors but also our assistant MD--to be able to do a whole show. Since it was for such a good cause I was happy to be there, but near the end my goodness we were getting hungry.
That pretty much took the whole day. I had time to go back to the hotel, shower, eat dinner, and decompress a bit before it was time to do the show.
Also, Jameson has applied to another corporate opportunity with Disney. I don't know if he has good odds of getting it, and after what happened last time (a string of interviews ending in no job offer and literal silence) I don't want to get hopes up. But still, a chance is a chance.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, my stepmom and sister drove into town to visit!
After getting them settled into their hotel room, we walked over to Bae Bae's Kitchen, which is kind of mod-Korean plates and cocktails.
My pandan cocktail (with house-made pandan syrup!) and Kate's plum sour.
For the plates you could choose a protein and two sides. I did panko shrimp and two pickled dishes, white kimchi and yellow radish. Everything was fresh and delicious.
From there we took an Uber to Phipps Conservatory, a sort of botanical garden/greenhouse.
For the winter they have an orchid and bonsai tree display. There was also a miniature train set that was cute (didn't get a pic of that), a desert plants area, and many fruiting and spice trees/plants. We had a good time walking through and looking at as much as we could see!
We finished up earlier than planned because the outdoor sections were closed, and also frankly the displays were not as extensive as we had expected overall. I mean, orchids are lovely and everything, but after the fourth room of them or so it's kind of like...ok more orchids...got it...haha. But we did enjoy the experience :)
To kill time I suggested hitting The Strip for window shopping. The initial plan was to go to Prestogeorge's for coffee or tea, but the Uber dropped us off right in front of an Asian grocery and I knew Kate especially would lose her MIND in there!
An hour and a half later we marched out with all kinds of goodies to try! My sister and stepmom are from a rather small PA town, and while it has a small Thai/Asian grocery, there's not nearly the selection that you can find in a large city. I was so happy that they'd enjoyed new an exciting grocery items just as much as I did! We opted to walk back this time as it was only about a mile to the hotel.
After a brief rest and prep we walked to Gaucho, an Argentinian steakhouse where I'd made reservations for us.
Despite being a steakhouse it wasn't super-upscale; the food was certainly steakhouse-quality, but reasonably priced and there were small plates as well as the expensive wood-fired premium steak entrees. Oddly enough, I was the only one who got steak! A sliced steak sandwich with roasted veggies and chimichurri on HUGE fluffy ciabatta. Everything wood-fired and with a beautiful smoky sear to it, even the bread.
Kate got the seafood special which was seared scallops on a bed of pureed potato and turnip with crusty wood-fired bread (nobody took a pic somehow.) My stepmom got a roasted eggplant with roasted carrots, onions, beets, couscous, lemon ricotta, and pistachio gremolata. All of us tried it and honestly, I think it was the best dish of the three. The flavor was just incredible, between the smoke and the rich spices and the creamy lemon ricotta.
For dessert we had coffee and shared a banana dulce de leche bread pudding (as you can see, it was ALSO fire-roasted!)
Everything was amazing. I saved half my sandwich but everyone else crushed their meals. Good job us!
We walked to the theatre and picked up the tickets at the box office, then I left them in the lobby and went to the pit to do the show. It went pretty well, though I made some total weirdo mistakes, probably from being nervous with family there and also from being tired (socialization is draining on me no matter who I'm with or how much I love them.) After the show I found my fam in the lobby and we walked back to the hotel together. They had a great time and said they absolutely loved the show. Yay!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday I was up early to work on Foodie Finds for Auburn because it's recently been pointed out to me that we DO have time to explore there. I wanted to add some downtown options in case people find the time/money to Uber there and check things out.
I met my stepmom and sister in the hotel lobby, and we walked to The Speckled Egg for breakfast. I was very thankful to have made reservations because we overheard the hostess say that there would not be open tables until 1pm!!
We were seated right away and enjoyed catching up with each other while eating bagels with lox, a crab and lobster roll, and "Hen's Hash," which was over easy eggs on potato, sweet potato, brussels, mushroom, and onion, with sourdough toast and a drizzle of house-made pineapple habanero vinegar. That was my dish, and it was simple yet the seasoning was perfect and it felt healthy to eat :)
When we were done eating we took time to appreciate the architecture (the restaurant is located inside the Union Trust Building which like many skyscrapers in Pittsburgh is historic and beautiful.)
We made sure to get selfies in the lobby!
I am extremely grateful for this time with family. Because of my lifestyle it is difficult to coordinate visits with family; time home is brief, so much needs to be done when I'm NOT moving all around, and then when I catch them during tour like this our time is limited. Which is why I'm so grateful that they drove four hours just to spend time with me, and see the show. And yeah, eat some great food!
Back at the hotel I walked them back to their room, then we hugged goodbye. I'll see Kate again soon when we do the sibling trip to Mexico! Then it was time to type this post and digest that exquisite breakfast before the 2pm matinee. It went well, and our assistant MD got to conduct the show for the first time and did a wonderful job.
(photo courtesy Laura, drums)
Between shows I finished fixing the Auburn Foodie Finds sheet, and tried to chill and drink tea because I was feeling a little yucky. Our French hornist has a cold (she says it's a cold anyway) and she'd BETTER not have given it to me.
--------------------------------------------------
Sunday was my birthday! The big 4-0!
I spent the morning responding to a barrage of well-wishes on social media. People are so kind! But today is certainly the day that I hate facebook the most haha.
Then, to my surprise, I got a message from one of the trombonists who sat next to me for Candlelight.
He was the musician from The Florida Orchestra, on the gig where I ran to my seat with only two minutes to spare before downbeat. He wanted to know if I'd sub for the orchestra on Trombone 2, for an upcoming Pops concert in May (Disco-themed!) I have nothing lined up so of course I said yes!
Here it is, you guys! The payoff! All of that finagling last year, and I actually get to sub with an established symphony orchestra. It may not seem like much, but to me it's the fulfillment of a dream (and also an absolute strategical win; my inner INTJ is CACKLING)
A fantastic birthday present!
Soon it was time to walk to the theatre.
There's an art installation on the way. It seems eerily meant for me.
I shared it to my socials, with the following caption:
"Today I am 40, and spending the day being a trombonist with My Fair Lady at the Benedum Center. Which is next to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where I performed with the All-Eastern Band as a high school student in 2001…hoping to become a professional musician.
"In a way, it’s a full-circle moment. I’m surprised, happy, and maybe even a little bit proud…that in the end, I really did get to be a musician after all. And on some pretty amazing gigs too. How wild is that? Looking back, it feels like a miracle.
"Today I’m playing two shows. And the fact that that’s “normal” to me is incredibly special.
------------
"Edit to Add: It’s special because this wasn’t just my dream. It was my mother’s dream too. She passed away before she could see me realize it.
"She never once discouraged me from music.
She never once tried to bar my path.
She never once suggested I try something “safer.”
"She supported my dream of becoming a professional musician with no reservations.
And I have felt her love, and her unconditional support, every step of the way."
I don't feel particularly older, today. But giving my first masterclass last week made me realize that I AM older...and as a musician, I'm now considered to have "made it" in music. As I'm still struggling to find work and get gigs, this is surprising to me. And yet, from the perspective of a kid in college with no experience, I have done a LOT. I am surprised to look back and see so much. Life is strange. I'm grateful to be here.
The show went well. All of our shows here have been very well attended.
Between shows I partial-packed and did more responding to b-day wishes.
The evening show also went well. At intermission Company Management called me into the office to receive this loverly card from the cast! How nice! Several people took this time to thank me for doing Foodie Finds, which made me feel extra warm and fuzzy.
And then, the show was over. Did the usual pack up, typed up this post, and went to bed.
------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow we fly to Atlanta, and from there it's a two hour bus ride to Auburn, Alabama.
I've never been there before, and we do get a little time to explore so I'm hoping to see the downtown and visit a restaurant.
But I also REALLY need to do laundry!
I had set an early alarm for Thursday knowing there'd be limited time to do things before our understudy rehearsal, but was so tired that I went back to sleep for an additional hour.
No matter. It was still a productive morning. I managed to make an appointment to get some testing done while we're in South Carolina; it's always a pain to do/schedule medical things while traveling for work. Then I sent a portfolio and resume to an opportunity I'm interested in. The opportunity isn't until 2025, but I want to be in consideration from the start because you never know what people will need and when. Maybe I'm being an annoyance, but I'd rather get my hat in the ring early than hear later, "Oh, we've already picked someone for that job."
Then, rehearsal. The call time was 12:15 and it ran until 4:30pm. The purpose was for the understudies--not just actors but also our assistant MD--to be able to do a whole show. Since it was for such a good cause I was happy to be there, but near the end my goodness we were getting hungry.
That pretty much took the whole day. I had time to go back to the hotel, shower, eat dinner, and decompress a bit before it was time to do the show.
Also, Jameson has applied to another corporate opportunity with Disney. I don't know if he has good odds of getting it, and after what happened last time (a string of interviews ending in no job offer and literal silence) I don't want to get hopes up. But still, a chance is a chance.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, my stepmom and sister drove into town to visit!
After getting them settled into their hotel room, we walked over to Bae Bae's Kitchen, which is kind of mod-Korean plates and cocktails.
My pandan cocktail (with house-made pandan syrup!) and Kate's plum sour.
For the plates you could choose a protein and two sides. I did panko shrimp and two pickled dishes, white kimchi and yellow radish. Everything was fresh and delicious.
From there we took an Uber to Phipps Conservatory, a sort of botanical garden/greenhouse.
For the winter they have an orchid and bonsai tree display. There was also a miniature train set that was cute (didn't get a pic of that), a desert plants area, and many fruiting and spice trees/plants. We had a good time walking through and looking at as much as we could see!
We finished up earlier than planned because the outdoor sections were closed, and also frankly the displays were not as extensive as we had expected overall. I mean, orchids are lovely and everything, but after the fourth room of them or so it's kind of like...ok more orchids...got it...haha. But we did enjoy the experience :)
To kill time I suggested hitting The Strip for window shopping. The initial plan was to go to Prestogeorge's for coffee or tea, but the Uber dropped us off right in front of an Asian grocery and I knew Kate especially would lose her MIND in there!
An hour and a half later we marched out with all kinds of goodies to try! My sister and stepmom are from a rather small PA town, and while it has a small Thai/Asian grocery, there's not nearly the selection that you can find in a large city. I was so happy that they'd enjoyed new an exciting grocery items just as much as I did! We opted to walk back this time as it was only about a mile to the hotel.
After a brief rest and prep we walked to Gaucho, an Argentinian steakhouse where I'd made reservations for us.
Despite being a steakhouse it wasn't super-upscale; the food was certainly steakhouse-quality, but reasonably priced and there were small plates as well as the expensive wood-fired premium steak entrees. Oddly enough, I was the only one who got steak! A sliced steak sandwich with roasted veggies and chimichurri on HUGE fluffy ciabatta. Everything wood-fired and with a beautiful smoky sear to it, even the bread.
Kate got the seafood special which was seared scallops on a bed of pureed potato and turnip with crusty wood-fired bread (nobody took a pic somehow.) My stepmom got a roasted eggplant with roasted carrots, onions, beets, couscous, lemon ricotta, and pistachio gremolata. All of us tried it and honestly, I think it was the best dish of the three. The flavor was just incredible, between the smoke and the rich spices and the creamy lemon ricotta.
For dessert we had coffee and shared a banana dulce de leche bread pudding (as you can see, it was ALSO fire-roasted!)
Everything was amazing. I saved half my sandwich but everyone else crushed their meals. Good job us!
We walked to the theatre and picked up the tickets at the box office, then I left them in the lobby and went to the pit to do the show. It went pretty well, though I made some total weirdo mistakes, probably from being nervous with family there and also from being tired (socialization is draining on me no matter who I'm with or how much I love them.) After the show I found my fam in the lobby and we walked back to the hotel together. They had a great time and said they absolutely loved the show. Yay!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday I was up early to work on Foodie Finds for Auburn because it's recently been pointed out to me that we DO have time to explore there. I wanted to add some downtown options in case people find the time/money to Uber there and check things out.
I met my stepmom and sister in the hotel lobby, and we walked to The Speckled Egg for breakfast. I was very thankful to have made reservations because we overheard the hostess say that there would not be open tables until 1pm!!
We were seated right away and enjoyed catching up with each other while eating bagels with lox, a crab and lobster roll, and "Hen's Hash," which was over easy eggs on potato, sweet potato, brussels, mushroom, and onion, with sourdough toast and a drizzle of house-made pineapple habanero vinegar. That was my dish, and it was simple yet the seasoning was perfect and it felt healthy to eat :)
When we were done eating we took time to appreciate the architecture (the restaurant is located inside the Union Trust Building which like many skyscrapers in Pittsburgh is historic and beautiful.)
We made sure to get selfies in the lobby!
I am extremely grateful for this time with family. Because of my lifestyle it is difficult to coordinate visits with family; time home is brief, so much needs to be done when I'm NOT moving all around, and then when I catch them during tour like this our time is limited. Which is why I'm so grateful that they drove four hours just to spend time with me, and see the show. And yeah, eat some great food!
Back at the hotel I walked them back to their room, then we hugged goodbye. I'll see Kate again soon when we do the sibling trip to Mexico! Then it was time to type this post and digest that exquisite breakfast before the 2pm matinee. It went well, and our assistant MD got to conduct the show for the first time and did a wonderful job.
(photo courtesy Laura, drums)
Between shows I finished fixing the Auburn Foodie Finds sheet, and tried to chill and drink tea because I was feeling a little yucky. Our French hornist has a cold (she says it's a cold anyway) and she'd BETTER not have given it to me.
--------------------------------------------------
Sunday was my birthday! The big 4-0!
I spent the morning responding to a barrage of well-wishes on social media. People are so kind! But today is certainly the day that I hate facebook the most haha.
Then, to my surprise, I got a message from one of the trombonists who sat next to me for Candlelight.
He was the musician from The Florida Orchestra, on the gig where I ran to my seat with only two minutes to spare before downbeat. He wanted to know if I'd sub for the orchestra on Trombone 2, for an upcoming Pops concert in May (Disco-themed!) I have nothing lined up so of course I said yes!
Here it is, you guys! The payoff! All of that finagling last year, and I actually get to sub with an established symphony orchestra. It may not seem like much, but to me it's the fulfillment of a dream (and also an absolute strategical win; my inner INTJ is CACKLING)
A fantastic birthday present!
Soon it was time to walk to the theatre.
There's an art installation on the way. It seems eerily meant for me.
I shared it to my socials, with the following caption:
"Today I am 40, and spending the day being a trombonist with My Fair Lady at the Benedum Center. Which is next to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where I performed with the All-Eastern Band as a high school student in 2001…hoping to become a professional musician.
"In a way, it’s a full-circle moment. I’m surprised, happy, and maybe even a little bit proud…that in the end, I really did get to be a musician after all. And on some pretty amazing gigs too. How wild is that? Looking back, it feels like a miracle.
"Today I’m playing two shows. And the fact that that’s “normal” to me is incredibly special.
------------
"Edit to Add: It’s special because this wasn’t just my dream. It was my mother’s dream too. She passed away before she could see me realize it.
"She never once discouraged me from music.
She never once tried to bar my path.
She never once suggested I try something “safer.”
"She supported my dream of becoming a professional musician with no reservations.
And I have felt her love, and her unconditional support, every step of the way."
I don't feel particularly older, today. But giving my first masterclass last week made me realize that I AM older...and as a musician, I'm now considered to have "made it" in music. As I'm still struggling to find work and get gigs, this is surprising to me. And yet, from the perspective of a kid in college with no experience, I have done a LOT. I am surprised to look back and see so much. Life is strange. I'm grateful to be here.
The show went well. All of our shows here have been very well attended.
Between shows I partial-packed and did more responding to b-day wishes.
The evening show also went well. At intermission Company Management called me into the office to receive this loverly card from the cast! How nice! Several people took this time to thank me for doing Foodie Finds, which made me feel extra warm and fuzzy.
And then, the show was over. Did the usual pack up, typed up this post, and went to bed.
------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow we fly to Atlanta, and from there it's a two hour bus ride to Auburn, Alabama.
I've never been there before, and we do get a little time to explore so I'm hoping to see the downtown and visit a restaurant.
But I also REALLY need to do laundry!