Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The Sunshine State:)

Yep, Yep the tour is still in Florida:)

Let's dive in. We had 3 days of sunshine, humidity and constant sweating! We had a day off the first day we were there. I did some D.C. work starting to prepare for Meagan, Laura's replacement's arrival. I met her today actually, she's lovely:)

Feeling a little overwhelmed I went for a run. You'll be impressed by this: I went running on the longest Sidewalk in the world.

It's 4.5 miles of continuous, scenic sidewalk along Hillsborough Bay:) Here's some pics:

Isn't it pretty:) As I was running there were fishes that were jumping up out of water saying "You can do it! Keep going, you're almost there!" In a fishy kind of voice. Ok so they didn't tlak to me but they really were jumping out of the water! It was entertaining, I told myself I was running that it was a pieces thing... hahaha anyways, there were houses lining the other side of the street. They are huge and beautiful!

This is the beginning of Bayshore, on the Tampa side.

So along with the jumping fish, there was also a lot of honking that was going on! The last time I went running the same thing happend and I starting to think it's not a coinsidance. Maybe my running atire might have something to do with it but I don't think so! What do you think?

I like to think of running as a more aerobic way to tan... I mean why not multitask:) But I don't understand why people feel the need to honk? Any incites?

That night we went out for Christies Birthday... I picked out her outfit and she picked out mine... hahahaha are you ready? I'm going to be asking you for a lot of comitment, I mean this is full out no marking!

I decided to wait... you'll see the full picture later.

We went to this very sheik Tapas restaurant. Everything was ridiculously good! There was live music:

We had 2 pictures of Sangria, Deviled eggs and humas for apatisers, and the most amazing entres you could imagin:)

(oh - here's a little more of the "full out no marking outfit") After dinner the sangria took over and there might have been some dancing:)

Here's the full outfit for you... doesn't Christie look great! It's ok you don't have to say anything about my outfit:) Once we were over the dance floor. Shawn and I decided to let the music take us to places that we've never gone before, while staying in our seats:

Just to let you know what's going on in these pictures is greatness... hahaha in the 2nd one I was singing along, well trying to, with the band. And I would like to draw attention to the lady in the 3rd pic that is fully judging us... Hahaha

All in all is was a great night! Because we had a 3 shows the next day we went home at a very sensible hour and watched like 8 episodes of Greys Anatamy:) AKA we were in heaven!

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Kandace is a naitive of Tampa Florida and her family, gracously, thru us an amazing party! She had over 100 friends and fam come to the 5pm show on Saturday. Since we had 3 shows we despretly needed a shower... So needles to say we were fasionably late. We walked in to everyone waiting our arival. The tables were set up wedding style:) The Cast in the front:

The crew was at an arms length to our left:

And the most important table of all was too our right:

I felt like we were royalty, we were even greeted with a riveting performance from the Oak Angels:) Enjoy:)



Kandace used to choreograph for them when she was home. Aren't they great? We loved it:)

After introductions and a very short prayer:) We dove in and it was perfect! After food was cake:

And after cake was dancing! Oh we did a lot of it:)

Of course when you have kids you know there's going to be some amazing Kodak moments:)

Laura was even giving Flighty Fairy lessens:)

I have no clue how this happened but, for some reason I'm not surprised:

Hahaha... It was so refreshing to be around family! Even thou it wasn't my own, they made everyone feel at home. Thank you so much for such a great night:)

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The theater that we were performing at was also the home to a Camp Broadway type thing. There were 200 high school/collage age kids attending. Apparently the Backyardigans' audience reaches out to more than just 3-7 year olds. These kids were hilarious! They're was always a group of them crowded at the end of the hall just hanging out waiting to see if they could get a glimps of us. I wanted to be like "kids, calm down, this is what you have to look forward too" hahaha:)

The last day that we were there, However, the roles were reverced! Idina Menzel was performing her live tour right after we were done loading out, but unfortunatly we couldn't go the concert, we were leaving at 8pm and that's when the concert started:(

We couldn't even get a picture with her. Michelle, our company manager, did everything she could! Idina was sleeping... really... it's not like she was about wail for 90 mins, like she's been doing one nighters for the past week and a half, like she's headlining her own concert tour and needs to be healthy for her people! I mean come on Idina:) I know all that because we talked to her stage manager for while before we left. It's ok maybe our paths will cross again.

I got to go to the bus now... we have a 10 hour drive:( and it's 1 in the morning:(

Love you all, talk to you later:)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Beach Time!

We just had a very entertaining week in Fort Lauderdale Florida!! Complete with 2 days off so I have a lot to tell you:)

The first day we got there we immediately ran to the beach:

Now I don't have that many pics of that first day, cause all we did was work on getting cancer... we just laid out all afternoon:)

After a VERY long 7 show weekend we had two days to play. We started it off right with a very sensible house party. Walter graciously invited the cast over to his home. We met his hole family and got to enjoy some amazing banana pudding, lovely conversation and of course, you can't invite everyone over and not expect them to see your embarrassing baby pics:)

You know a party is good when the Hats come out:)

And we ended the night right with a blessing from Nanna and the perfect Kodak moment:)

The next day was another sensible beach day. Again more cancer:) We found a Tiki hut that was about 15 minutes down the beach. After some refreshing beverages it was more cancer...

Later on Chris, our sound guy, shows up with some snorkeling gear. I've always wanted to go, luckily he had a spare:)

Chris gave me a two second class on how to breath. I tried it out, everything was great so we took off.

Now if you'll look closely, in the ubove pic, way far back, you can see some booies... we had to swim just past those and it's the land of Nemo... well I didn't make it! We start out & I'm like "yeah this is great I love it, I can do this!" Then we get about 7/8ths of the way there and my goggles start to fill up with water. While trying to keep myself a float I tried to fix them but it just wouldn't work. Then I started to panic cause i was taking in a lot of salt water. I had to go back, and Chris had to come with me cause you're not supost to go out alon... The hardest part was swimming back! I think an anjel came and got me cause it was real ruff!

I had to go in once we finally got back to shore, I felt like I was going to thro up! Heres a little note from the wise, practice snorkling before you go diving into the ocean:)

After my near death experince, I took a much needed 3 hour nap:) Woke up just in time for the BBQ! The crew has a grill that we brake out every once in a while. It was a great ending to a lazy day...

Sally and I, the next morning, woke up at 5:30 (such an ungodly hour) to watch the sunrise:)

It took a full hour for the sun to come to it's full exposure. These pics don't really do it justice, It kind of looks like a sunset, my camera didn't know how to capture the light, but at the end it was full daylight. Once it was all over we went right back to our beds!!! Hahaha:)

When I woke again... Jinay, her boyfriend Scott, Christie, Creighton and I hopped in the car and went down to Miami. Our first stop was a clothing optional beach called Haulover. It was an experience let me tell you. I have never seen so many peirced peepee's in my life! Most of the people there were over 50 so it was the least sexual thing ever! Everyone was coming together to enjoy the sun, the increadibly clear warm water and the feeling of freedom:) There were two funny's of the afternoon; the first was getting asked to play Vollyball. One of the guys with the peircing came up to the group, looked durectly at me and asked if I wanted to play... now if you know me your probably dying with laughter cause A- I don't do sports and B- the thought of vollyball in the nude? Oh hell no!:) The other funny is we were all in the watter, just loving our lives, when all the sudden we notice some Pellicans nose diving into the water unnervingly close to us. These Pellicans were bigger than me no joke, we're like that's a little scary! We look down & realize that we're in the middle of a school of a million fish!!! Of course we all start screaming like 12 year old girls at a Back Street Boys concert, they were darting and swerving all around our you know whats... needless to say we exited the water imediatly!

Feeling crispy and ready for shade, we did a kick ball change and hedded for downtown Miami:) Now of course I don't have pics of nudy beach, sorry, I thought it would be a little rude to take pics let a lone post them... lol we did see this when we left the parking lot though:

They look pretty funny when they run away, scary as hell if it decided to run towards you, but luckily that didn't happen:)

Once we got downtown we scoped out a place with moderately priced drinks and great food. We found better: Happy Hour and a fabulous host that came with the package:

It was perfect! After 2 $5 Pomegranate Martinis and a $7 entree we were ready to brows ... we started walking. 2 doors down was an American Apparel... we did quite a bit of damage. So, full, broke and on a time crunch we decided to head back. We walk out of the store to find this:

This guy, just hoppen down the street with a python. It's an endangerd snake, he was charging $20 donations to take pictures with it, all proceeds go to reviving this species of snake. The thing was totally licking me!!! He said that it was bread in captivity and was venumless, but still that's like the 3rd time I almost died in 2 days!

I couldn't leave Miami without taking some more pics. Here you go Mom, scenery:

Totally pooped from such a fun day, we passed out:

I definatly want to come back! 2 days was not enough time! Now we're in Gainsville on our way to Tampa ... There should be some fun things coming up, so stay tuned:)

Love you all, and will talk to you later:)

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The Big Apple:)

Quite a while back we played Madison Square Garden... yes you read correctly! It was so much fun! First of all just being home was amazing, I just love that city!

We had 7 shows in 3 days... It was a little intense, and because it was MSG the pressure was on for perfection! There were producers, the creative team, Nickelodeon, jaded New York kids everyone was there! You can't meet up to everyone's expectations ... this guy decided he should give us a personal review of the show, then post it on youtube...



Yeah... Glen is a little bitter. The comments are even better... People are pissed! They hate it... But it doesn't seem to be hurting ticket sails ... we're still sold out everywhere we go. I don't know I can't watch the hole thing it makes me angry!

So anyways on a better note I got to see my parents:) My mom came for the weekend, witch was amazing. Dad was flying home from France and had them schedule a layover in NY:)

It was so nice to see them! I love my parents!

The very last show I got to go on as Pablo, that's the real reason mom came:) It was so exciting a bunch of my friends came to view the train wreck ... or show, hahaha:)

Before the show I had my first meet and greet. (A meet and greet is just a thing for privileged kids to meet there favorite characters before the show, I have no idea how you get one of these... I guess you have to know someone involved with the show) I was doing it with LaRaisha, who was going on for Uniqua. I was kind of nervous... ok I was pooping my pants! We got ourselves all pumped up and ready, we skip into the room, say hello:) This little girl comes running up to me and gives me this huge, my heart melted it was the cutest thing ever! I look up and who do I see in the corner my Mom and Jonny dying with laughter! This was my reaction:

Just totally took me out of it! I couldn't stop laughing!

My mom always does stuff like this! I don't know how she does it!

It's show time now... some of my amazing friends came to see the train wreck ... I mean show:) I got them all wands just so that they would have the full experience.

Jocie, One of my amazing roommates took pics from the show...

Intermission ...

Apparently they got a little bored:)

Act 2...

After the show we went to eat and then we went to Mary's house to watch the Tony's, mom got a little drunk - it was perfect night:)

Although It was amazing being in NY, seeing all my friends and family, you know something has to go wrong, it's New York... well my I-pod got stolen, $1,600 and beef jerky got snatched from the cash box in stage managements office and something happened with the lights causing $61,000 damage... Thank God for insurance right:)

Love you all. Talk to you later:)