Things you find and dont find in Kentucky .
Under the cut wou will find my honest and yes long winded epic of the adventures of Senfeld and Gretchen in Ohio. Also know as the Labor day weekend trip to Ohio Renaissance Festival.
So sit back and relax, and pre-pare to stroll down your own festival memories!
Starts by getting off work a little bit earlier than anticipated but when the scheduled departure time rolled around we were not all gathered...Damn, you would think everyone in Nashville was trying to leave the city! So we got a late start and had to make a couple of necessary stops in downtown before we could actually leave. However, once we got past Rivergate it was smooth sailing...It was decided to not stop for dinner until around 7. 7:00 came and went. We had agreed to do sit down dinner. At about 6:50pm we started looking for billboards and those incredibly big blue boards that hold several restaurants for each exit, with incredibly tiny logos wording....At 7:30 we had come to the conclusion that Kentucky does not have dine - in restaurants at all. Or at least not ones with large enough budgets to do interstate advertising. When all of a sudden: CRACKER BARREL came up woo hoo we veered to make the exit. Only problem was it was the Parkway, NOT the next Exit...so 15 minutes later we found food in Kentucky. The other adventures of the road I will leave to Mary's camera skills on Leland’s post...You have to laugh at the utterly ridiculous things you see while traveling if you just pay attention. Walsingfolk has already mentioned the lousy hotel.... I wont say much but this...they gave us (Mary, Leland and yours truly) a non-smoking room; two smokers and a former bar bouncer, while the non-smokers/allergic; Korey and Candace were given a smokers room that I am sure was revolting to their nostrils.
Ernesto decided to enjoy a day at the festival too! It never truly rained, but it misted on and off all day, made Skull and Crossbones' 1st show a little interesting....I don’t think anyone in the audience would have known the difference as the guys did brilliantly. I am in awe. sure they work together, but not in months...they had Friday to rehearse and refine. Very good show. Ryan some whip tricks and "Stupid" sword ticks to kill time and establish a connection to the audience that is waiting.....Outstandingly sharp fight phrases. Love that toss the blade with your other sword over you back to have Ryan catch it.....way cool looking. The show was fast paced and witty and I grinned all the way thru it (Rosebud!)
I wont remember the order of the rest of the shows we saw. but I do know I left the crew who were shopping to head to the mud show...these guys have a great rep and I really wanted the gang to see a good one if they had not already seen one. Theatre in the Mud did Dante's Inferno and it was fantastic....the gang arrived late and they really didn't enjoy it as much as I did. But I think it's because they didn't see the prep and first 10 minutes so they missed much.
I bought one of their tee shirts (I was cold!)
As we were leaving Mud show, we were passing another stage's side and I did a double take...guy standing on his head on a hand....HEY I KNOW THIS GUY! Pull out the program and yep. Dangerous Daniel (Dan Looker) I lived in a 4 room Cabin with him in one room, Scott Hendrix (Axel) had a room with a guy most of you will not know Brian (Broon) had one of the other rooms. We (the Tennessee contingency had the largest as we were 4 people....It was Great Lake's first year and there were lots of bonding issues! we watched from the side...He was still wonderful he is a master balancer it is amazing some of the stuff he does!
Lets take a few minutes to talk about their cast....it is Elizabeth I she is lovely, different from our Kimberly; not better; not worse, just different. Some of us liked her portrayal some didn't. the only thing I can think to describe the difference is TN gives us a truth of realism where as Ohio is more into what the audience expects. So it comes down to what side of the coin you land on which is good vs. which is great. Both have merit. They had a Dudley (massive flaming fop. He was so good at it I caught myself marveling at how small a man he really is as he is a giant of a fop.(Insert Ryanism here)
They also had a Harrington (father of TN's WC inventor), they also had a Drake, a Duke D'Va.....chap! that French guy..I can’t spell ! ! ! ! ! a Raleigh, Shakespeare and Marlow. and an English peasant accented Pirate Captain who tried to pass himself off as the Prince of Sweden so he could be a suitor of HRM. I like all the men except the two writers, they were not part of the plot line (or at least what I saw of the plotline) they only came to our attention at the chess game.
Saturday at opening gate they had a she-male character in skirts and britches....Her inch and a half hair was gel'd to tiny spikes sticking straight out....At first I was insulted that any fair would let some one play an openly gay character in a renaissance faire, not for any moral reasoning but for the shear simplicity of that fact that you wouldn't see she-males in this time fame unless it was some Spanish prince or a young boy playing a girls' roll on stage. But the more I saw her throughout the day and the more I watched her work....it rapidly became more about the gel than anything else....she was part of the pirate crew and was tying to fit in as a boy but still not able to deny her female side. She was good at street improve. engaged me Sunday morning and we had a blast getting her yes / and was a breeze. They had several cast members who actively engaged us all day both days. and they had cast that were better at doing trunk shows at pre-destined locations....OH MY GOD can I just weep in jealousy of the wide open spaces they have at this faire!!!!!!! load of room to play with out blocking lanes, impeding booth sales or disturbing stages!
Chess match was by far the best outside of TN I have EVER seen. they use SAFD style. I am going to toot my own horn here a minute. you guys know I don’t fight, but I have had the training so I at least know what I am looking at right? Well some of our group saw it on Saturday and pegged Drake as the Fight Director....I saw it on Sunday and my guess was Raleigh. I WON. No one asked how I knew, but I am going to say it here just in case anyone would like to know. Drake, oozes character confidence and obviously knows how to fight (found out later he was one of the fight assistances so the ones that guessed him as FD get points for recognizing quality staff) Raleigh wasn't near as big a character His confidence was in his person - not his character.....FOOTWORK watch the feet. the FD never once put a foot out of line every step was poetry no shuffling no tiny corrections. I did talk to him to congratulate him on a fine show and did confirm the SAFD. I didn't ask if he was certified or certified trainer. Didn't feel the need, he was good and pulled off a decent show. (some awkward moments of course and ONE Brilliant bad moment perfectly handled) Fisherman is fighting a female pirate so it is small trident (wooden handled) verses a broad sword. a little of 1/2 way through the fight SNAP Metal Meets Wood....Metal Wins the trident is snapped in two...the kid double took the two pieces and discarded the shorter piece and went on...there were some pucker moments but they didn't hesitate, they slowed down a tiny bit to be sure of placements and they didn't let the adrenalin speed them into overdrive...I was impressed to the point I found the fisherman and told him so and the spoke with the FD(it was the fisherman that confirmed that Raleigh was the FD) Mary took over 400 shots of that game alone!
Eat with Mike and Ryan (would you believe a Ruby Tuesday's)
Sunday no misting and about 5 to 10 decrees warmer, and yet still overcast. I was in heaven....perfect festival day!
We mapped out our day so we could try to get some more shows and still get in some quality shopping for the girls.
Went to the 1st mud show of the day Beowulf got there early enough to get great seats out of the major splash zones. Everyone walked away liking it. Saw Hey Na Neh Na Nee Singing Nuns they are highly respected ladies on the circuit so I was excited to finally get to see them. Great singers, good classic catholic/Nun jokes.....Great Singers. But I think once you see them, you've seen them I can see going back to see them again. Which we did next by going to see the boys again...got there late - no seats! Full and over flowing...I think the boys are going to have a fan club after this weekend. too bad they are only doing this one weekend! Ask Ryan about the Seinfeld guy!
Joust. Canadian troupe Knights of Valor, lots like Freelancers....their list is too short so they had one knight who lost points for not getting his horse up to a canter. the list has no width to speak of....in fact, on the 3d pass the Knight Marshall bid the audience to be alert as tips had been known to travel. VERY Next Pass a lady got cut and she was on the back row of the shallow sides' bleachers. That was handled very well by the knights and by the cast.
The reason Mike and Ryan are only working the one weekend is because Bristol is closing this same weekend and the regular sword show is still in Wisconsin ....What this also meant was Dean (Johnny Phoenix),Carol (Lady Ettie) Minstrels of Mayhem were also NOT in OHIO yet...that was disappointing....but at the glass blowers I got into conversation with a lady...we talked about MOM and dang if she isn't Connie of Connie's Kitchen on Ty's recently released single album! She even took me to see her kitchen (they have onsite facilities!) there was a Hungarian Chicken Pope Koch (help me Mary) AND a veggie stew.....It was like Ty's words came to life! That was a special moment for me. Also saw a guy I haven’t seen in years at a tomatoes target game....like a dunking booth only you get to pelt this guy who is insulting you! I didn't place him until this morning.... he did this same game at TN years ago before we moved across the street!
Shopping, Princess, you would have been in your element! Now I am the world's worst shopper....I am an impulse shopper so I run in and run out of shops at the speed of light. only stopping if I can justify the purchase....well my justifier must be on the fritz as I bought a ton of stuff. a couple of tee shirts, cd's by a guy who plays water glasses who oh my goodness lives in Goodlettsville! Does Scarby, so no TN at least not yet. Kimberly had given Mary a tip on bath salts...I spent way too much in there! THANKS KIMBERLY your gift is waiting for your return to TN!
essential oils, bottle (from Connie's man) an opera cape, and boots, way too expensive boots but boots I will probably never have to replace EVER! and some other varying items that will not be named here as they are gifts. to give you some perspective, I took a 20-inch fully packed duffle and a purse. On the way home we found 26-inch duffle for 20$ each and oh I got one of those too.....Shit my bills are going to be ginormous! anyway to conserve on the toting from the car I packed the new 26 duffle with all the new stuff and the tote...and it was dearly full, AND that is not including the BOOTS or CAPE that are being shipped to me! There was some bad news about shopping and I am not talking about the quill place that we are now sure was no longer a part of our time continuum but Dream Shoes is no longer making shoes. He has cancer and has stopped building new shoes, the no longer sale over the Internet and once they run out of stock at the next few faires they will be done. Dreamshoes has been at Atlanta for years but there are no garentees they will have enough stock to make it to that show. So I strongly encourage any Dream shoe fans to make the trip to Ohio and get your shoes now! Canace got a lovely pair. I'm sure she will elaborate on her purchases on her LJ.
We met the boys at the laundry mat that was fun. then ate at Bob Evans for the second time that day! B.E.'s are EVERY FREAKINGWHERE up there! Did you guys know Ohio has Drive Thru Liquor Stores! They look like converted car washes full of vending machines!!!!! What a hoot!
We got up early and hit the road for a mainly un-eventful trip home...damn those deer! Again I will leave the explaining to the magic photo talents of Mary and Leland's LJ!
All it all it was the best travel to a faire experience I have had in years , good entertainment, good weather, good shopping and great friends.
So sit back and relax, and pre-pare to stroll down your own festival memories!
Starts by getting off work a little bit earlier than anticipated but when the scheduled departure time rolled around we were not all gathered...Damn, you would think everyone in Nashville was trying to leave the city! So we got a late start and had to make a couple of necessary stops in downtown before we could actually leave. However, once we got past Rivergate it was smooth sailing...It was decided to not stop for dinner until around 7. 7:00 came and went. We had agreed to do sit down dinner. At about 6:50pm we started looking for billboards and those incredibly big blue boards that hold several restaurants for each exit, with incredibly tiny logos wording....At 7:30 we had come to the conclusion that Kentucky does not have dine - in restaurants at all. Or at least not ones with large enough budgets to do interstate advertising. When all of a sudden: CRACKER BARREL came up woo hoo we veered to make the exit. Only problem was it was the Parkway, NOT the next Exit...so 15 minutes later we found food in Kentucky. The other adventures of the road I will leave to Mary's camera skills on Leland’s post...You have to laugh at the utterly ridiculous things you see while traveling if you just pay attention. Walsingfolk has already mentioned the lousy hotel.... I wont say much but this...they gave us (Mary, Leland and yours truly) a non-smoking room; two smokers and a former bar bouncer, while the non-smokers/allergic; Korey and Candace were given a smokers room that I am sure was revolting to their nostrils.
Ernesto decided to enjoy a day at the festival too! It never truly rained, but it misted on and off all day, made Skull and Crossbones' 1st show a little interesting....I don’t think anyone in the audience would have known the difference as the guys did brilliantly. I am in awe. sure they work together, but not in months...they had Friday to rehearse and refine. Very good show. Ryan some whip tricks and "Stupid" sword ticks to kill time and establish a connection to the audience that is waiting.....Outstandingly sharp fight phrases. Love that toss the blade with your other sword over you back to have Ryan catch it.....way cool looking. The show was fast paced and witty and I grinned all the way thru it (Rosebud!)
I wont remember the order of the rest of the shows we saw. but I do know I left the crew who were shopping to head to the mud show...these guys have a great rep and I really wanted the gang to see a good one if they had not already seen one. Theatre in the Mud did Dante's Inferno and it was fantastic....the gang arrived late and they really didn't enjoy it as much as I did. But I think it's because they didn't see the prep and first 10 minutes so they missed much.
I bought one of their tee shirts (I was cold!)
As we were leaving Mud show, we were passing another stage's side and I did a double take...guy standing on his head on a hand....HEY I KNOW THIS GUY! Pull out the program and yep. Dangerous Daniel (Dan Looker) I lived in a 4 room Cabin with him in one room, Scott Hendrix (Axel) had a room with a guy most of you will not know Brian (Broon) had one of the other rooms. We (the Tennessee contingency had the largest as we were 4 people....It was Great Lake's first year and there were lots of bonding issues! we watched from the side...He was still wonderful he is a master balancer it is amazing some of the stuff he does!
Lets take a few minutes to talk about their cast....it is Elizabeth I she is lovely, different from our Kimberly; not better; not worse, just different. Some of us liked her portrayal some didn't. the only thing I can think to describe the difference is TN gives us a truth of realism where as Ohio is more into what the audience expects. So it comes down to what side of the coin you land on which is good vs. which is great. Both have merit. They had a Dudley (massive flaming fop. He was so good at it I caught myself marveling at how small a man he really is as he is a giant of a fop.(Insert Ryanism here)
They also had a Harrington (father of TN's WC inventor), they also had a Drake, a Duke D'Va.....chap! that French guy..I can’t spell ! ! ! ! ! a Raleigh, Shakespeare and Marlow. and an English peasant accented Pirate Captain who tried to pass himself off as the Prince of Sweden so he could be a suitor of HRM. I like all the men except the two writers, they were not part of the plot line (or at least what I saw of the plotline) they only came to our attention at the chess game.
Saturday at opening gate they had a she-male character in skirts and britches....Her inch and a half hair was gel'd to tiny spikes sticking straight out....At first I was insulted that any fair would let some one play an openly gay character in a renaissance faire, not for any moral reasoning but for the shear simplicity of that fact that you wouldn't see she-males in this time fame unless it was some Spanish prince or a young boy playing a girls' roll on stage. But the more I saw her throughout the day and the more I watched her work....it rapidly became more about the gel than anything else....she was part of the pirate crew and was tying to fit in as a boy but still not able to deny her female side. She was good at street improve. engaged me Sunday morning and we had a blast getting her yes / and was a breeze. They had several cast members who actively engaged us all day both days. and they had cast that were better at doing trunk shows at pre-destined locations....OH MY GOD can I just weep in jealousy of the wide open spaces they have at this faire!!!!!!! load of room to play with out blocking lanes, impeding booth sales or disturbing stages!
Chess match was by far the best outside of TN I have EVER seen. they use SAFD style. I am going to toot my own horn here a minute. you guys know I don’t fight, but I have had the training so I at least know what I am looking at right? Well some of our group saw it on Saturday and pegged Drake as the Fight Director....I saw it on Sunday and my guess was Raleigh. I WON. No one asked how I knew, but I am going to say it here just in case anyone would like to know. Drake, oozes character confidence and obviously knows how to fight (found out later he was one of the fight assistances so the ones that guessed him as FD get points for recognizing quality staff) Raleigh wasn't near as big a character His confidence was in his person - not his character.....FOOTWORK watch the feet. the FD never once put a foot out of line every step was poetry no shuffling no tiny corrections. I did talk to him to congratulate him on a fine show and did confirm the SAFD. I didn't ask if he was certified or certified trainer. Didn't feel the need, he was good and pulled off a decent show. (some awkward moments of course and ONE Brilliant bad moment perfectly handled) Fisherman is fighting a female pirate so it is small trident (wooden handled) verses a broad sword. a little of 1/2 way through the fight SNAP Metal Meets Wood....Metal Wins the trident is snapped in two...the kid double took the two pieces and discarded the shorter piece and went on...there were some pucker moments but they didn't hesitate, they slowed down a tiny bit to be sure of placements and they didn't let the adrenalin speed them into overdrive...I was impressed to the point I found the fisherman and told him so and the spoke with the FD(it was the fisherman that confirmed that Raleigh was the FD) Mary took over 400 shots of that game alone!
Eat with Mike and Ryan (would you believe a Ruby Tuesday's)
Sunday no misting and about 5 to 10 decrees warmer, and yet still overcast. I was in heaven....perfect festival day!
We mapped out our day so we could try to get some more shows and still get in some quality shopping for the girls.
Went to the 1st mud show of the day Beowulf got there early enough to get great seats out of the major splash zones. Everyone walked away liking it. Saw Hey Na Neh Na Nee Singing Nuns they are highly respected ladies on the circuit so I was excited to finally get to see them. Great singers, good classic catholic/Nun jokes.....Great Singers. But I think once you see them, you've seen them I can see going back to see them again. Which we did next by going to see the boys again...got there late - no seats! Full and over flowing...I think the boys are going to have a fan club after this weekend. too bad they are only doing this one weekend! Ask Ryan about the Seinfeld guy!
Joust. Canadian troupe Knights of Valor, lots like Freelancers....their list is too short so they had one knight who lost points for not getting his horse up to a canter. the list has no width to speak of....in fact, on the 3d pass the Knight Marshall bid the audience to be alert as tips had been known to travel. VERY Next Pass a lady got cut and she was on the back row of the shallow sides' bleachers. That was handled very well by the knights and by the cast.
The reason Mike and Ryan are only working the one weekend is because Bristol is closing this same weekend and the regular sword show is still in Wisconsin ....What this also meant was Dean (Johnny Phoenix),Carol (Lady Ettie) Minstrels of Mayhem were also NOT in OHIO yet...that was disappointing....but at the glass blowers I got into conversation with a lady...we talked about MOM and dang if she isn't Connie of Connie's Kitchen on Ty's recently released single album! She even took me to see her kitchen (they have onsite facilities!) there was a Hungarian Chicken Pope Koch (help me Mary) AND a veggie stew.....It was like Ty's words came to life! That was a special moment for me. Also saw a guy I haven’t seen in years at a tomatoes target game....like a dunking booth only you get to pelt this guy who is insulting you! I didn't place him until this morning.... he did this same game at TN years ago before we moved across the street!
Shopping, Princess, you would have been in your element! Now I am the world's worst shopper....I am an impulse shopper so I run in and run out of shops at the speed of light. only stopping if I can justify the purchase....well my justifier must be on the fritz as I bought a ton of stuff. a couple of tee shirts, cd's by a guy who plays water glasses who oh my goodness lives in Goodlettsville! Does Scarby, so no TN at least not yet. Kimberly had given Mary a tip on bath salts...I spent way too much in there! THANKS KIMBERLY your gift is waiting for your return to TN!
essential oils, bottle (from Connie's man) an opera cape, and boots, way too expensive boots but boots I will probably never have to replace EVER! and some other varying items that will not be named here as they are gifts. to give you some perspective, I took a 20-inch fully packed duffle and a purse. On the way home we found 26-inch duffle for 20$ each and oh I got one of those too.....Shit my bills are going to be ginormous! anyway to conserve on the toting from the car I packed the new 26 duffle with all the new stuff and the tote...and it was dearly full, AND that is not including the BOOTS or CAPE that are being shipped to me! There was some bad news about shopping and I am not talking about the quill place that we are now sure was no longer a part of our time continuum but Dream Shoes is no longer making shoes. He has cancer and has stopped building new shoes, the no longer sale over the Internet and once they run out of stock at the next few faires they will be done. Dreamshoes has been at Atlanta for years but there are no garentees they will have enough stock to make it to that show. So I strongly encourage any Dream shoe fans to make the trip to Ohio and get your shoes now! Canace got a lovely pair. I'm sure she will elaborate on her purchases on her LJ.
We met the boys at the laundry mat that was fun. then ate at Bob Evans for the second time that day! B.E.'s are EVERY FREAKINGWHERE up there! Did you guys know Ohio has Drive Thru Liquor Stores! They look like converted car washes full of vending machines!!!!! What a hoot!
We got up early and hit the road for a mainly un-eventful trip home...damn those deer! Again I will leave the explaining to the magic photo talents of Mary and Leland's LJ!
All it all it was the best travel to a faire experience I have had in years , good entertainment, good weather, good shopping and great friends.