Philadelphia Week #3
Wednesday, April 4th
I’m getting over my cold. My limp is almost gone. I may be ready to face the world! Woke up this morning ready to go out and perhaps do one touristy thing before my time is up in Philadelphia: and it’s raining. Think I’ll stay in and (finally) watch Borat.
I’ve been enjoying Philadelphia, in my home-body sort of way. Thursday I prepared for Sheila’s visit with a massive trip to Reading Terminal Market. Bought most everything I needed to make Filet of Beef Bourguignon (one of SM’s favorites) and sent the shoppers at the Residence Inn out for the rest. (The good folks here will do your grocery shopping FOR FREE and bill it to your room. I got all the fun stuff and sent them out for the beef broth…) Spent part of Friday afternoon getting dinner started, so we could have a not-too-late night supper. When I got home Friday night, Andy greeted me at the door and Sheila and I settled in for a nice dinner – heaven.
Saturday, Abigail made the trip down to Philly for the day. We met her for a late breakfast before I had to do the matinee. Abigail and Sheila had manicures during the first show of the day and met me for dinner. Vegan Philadelphia recommended a place just off South Street for their wide variety, so we headed cross town. The walk there and back was lovely – lots of beautiful old houses on tiny streets. The flowers are poking their heads up. Had a nice dinner (finally had a Philly Cheesesteak – Yum! Though, I have to admit, it did make me feel a bit ill later…) and some very tasty desserts before we wandered South Street a bit.
Walking back to the theatre, I was pondering all the history in Philadelphia. Every block or so there’s a marker describing some person of import who lived in that very house. Lots of the houses have little signs detailing when the house was built (often 17-something) and who the original owners were. Really cool stuff. Being the New York-snob that I am, it got me thinking. I’ve been reading all kinds of New York historical stuff lately and very often the historical thing being described has been knocked down, built over, remodeled beyond recognition or allowed to crumble. Why is it that some places (Philadelphia & Boston) retain so much of their past and other places (New York & Atlanta) replace so much of theirs? Philadelphia even still has their trolley lines! As they say: “New York’ll be a great town, if they ever finish it.”
Got a nice surprise on Sunday, Ken and Francesca cut me loose after the first show. I was home on my couch before the train I had originally booked had even left Philadelphia (and, for that matter, before the curtain had come down on Spamalot)! Spent a nice day and a half in NYC. We were invited to Dana and Steve’s Passover Seder. Had a really great time catching up with a few of our WaHI friends and learned a bit of Jewish tradition (though I think the ritual called for 4 cups of wine, not four bottles…).
Arrived back in Philly yesterday in time for the show. Came down on the Amtrak – truly civilized travel. Wish the train was as convenient to go everywhere as it is traveling around the East Coast – I would never fly again. We’re doing double rehearsal duties this week: we’ll finish putting in Julie Barnes and we also welcome a new swing/assistant dance captain, Graham Bowen. Thursday afternoon is another understudy run through and Friday we’ll do a full scale put-in rehearsal for Julie. Hopefully this will give me a good opportunity to take some backstage photos for the “How We Do It” blog I’m planning. Sheila and Andy are coming back for a last look at Philly (I think SM might start looking at real estate, she really likes it here) and we’ll also be visited by Jenna and Kareem (Yay!). Sunday night we load-out and I’m headed home for a quick day off in NYC. Early Tuesday AM, I’ll be on the road to catch up with Spamalot in Hartford.
Random realization: this week marks my two month anniversary with Spamalot. Last night was my 64th performance.
Wednesday, April 4th
I’m getting over my cold. My limp is almost gone. I may be ready to face the world! Woke up this morning ready to go out and perhaps do one touristy thing before my time is up in Philadelphia: and it’s raining. Think I’ll stay in and (finally) watch Borat.
I’ve been enjoying Philadelphia, in my home-body sort of way. Thursday I prepared for Sheila’s visit with a massive trip to Reading Terminal Market. Bought most everything I needed to make Filet of Beef Bourguignon (one of SM’s favorites) and sent the shoppers at the Residence Inn out for the rest. (The good folks here will do your grocery shopping FOR FREE and bill it to your room. I got all the fun stuff and sent them out for the beef broth…) Spent part of Friday afternoon getting dinner started, so we could have a not-too-late night supper. When I got home Friday night, Andy greeted me at the door and Sheila and I settled in for a nice dinner – heaven.
Saturday, Abigail made the trip down to Philly for the day. We met her for a late breakfast before I had to do the matinee. Abigail and Sheila had manicures during the first show of the day and met me for dinner. Vegan Philadelphia recommended a place just off South Street for their wide variety, so we headed cross town. The walk there and back was lovely – lots of beautiful old houses on tiny streets. The flowers are poking their heads up. Had a nice dinner (finally had a Philly Cheesesteak – Yum! Though, I have to admit, it did make me feel a bit ill later…) and some very tasty desserts before we wandered South Street a bit.
Walking back to the theatre, I was pondering all the history in Philadelphia. Every block or so there’s a marker describing some person of import who lived in that very house. Lots of the houses have little signs detailing when the house was built (often 17-something) and who the original owners were. Really cool stuff. Being the New York-snob that I am, it got me thinking. I’ve been reading all kinds of New York historical stuff lately and very often the historical thing being described has been knocked down, built over, remodeled beyond recognition or allowed to crumble. Why is it that some places (Philadelphia & Boston) retain so much of their past and other places (New York & Atlanta) replace so much of theirs? Philadelphia even still has their trolley lines! As they say: “New York’ll be a great town, if they ever finish it.”
Got a nice surprise on Sunday, Ken and Francesca cut me loose after the first show. I was home on my couch before the train I had originally booked had even left Philadelphia (and, for that matter, before the curtain had come down on Spamalot)! Spent a nice day and a half in NYC. We were invited to Dana and Steve’s Passover Seder. Had a really great time catching up with a few of our WaHI friends and learned a bit of Jewish tradition (though I think the ritual called for 4 cups of wine, not four bottles…).
Arrived back in Philly yesterday in time for the show. Came down on the Amtrak – truly civilized travel. Wish the train was as convenient to go everywhere as it is traveling around the East Coast – I would never fly again. We’re doing double rehearsal duties this week: we’ll finish putting in Julie Barnes and we also welcome a new swing/assistant dance captain, Graham Bowen. Thursday afternoon is another understudy run through and Friday we’ll do a full scale put-in rehearsal for Julie. Hopefully this will give me a good opportunity to take some backstage photos for the “How We Do It” blog I’m planning. Sheila and Andy are coming back for a last look at Philly (I think SM might start looking at real estate, she really likes it here) and we’ll also be visited by Jenna and Kareem (Yay!). Sunday night we load-out and I’m headed home for a quick day off in NYC. Early Tuesday AM, I’ll be on the road to catch up with Spamalot in Hartford.
Random realization: this week marks my two month anniversary with Spamalot. Last night was my 64th performance.
Random cell phone camera pictures (I sent two rolls of film off to Snapfish last week - more soon):
We're on bus stops!
This mailbox is right outside the stage door...
The view from my hotel room. That's city hall in the foreground.
JV
3 comments:
Wait--I'm confused. Was it a vegan cheese steak? I shudder to think... Though I'm pretty sure that there is no actual dairy in Cheez Whiz. Hmmm.... Who would know about Cheez Whiz?
Mercifully, it was not a vegan cheesesteak (though that was an option). Though I know it was breaking the cheesesteak rules, I got mine with provolone rather than the traditional whiz.
I can confirm that Cheez Whiz does have some actual cheese in it. Along with a load of tasty chemicals. Woo! I had a phantastic phoray into Philly, JV! Thank you!
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