DOWN WITH BLOGGER!!!!!!

So
I have had it up to here (motions to eyebrows) with fighting with Blogger.

This blog has officially moved. It is up and running, but I will still be playing with it for a spell.
SO
iffin you came here looking for my newest installment please go to

www.thetravelblog.wordpress.com

see you there!

Seattle Washington - Week Thirty Eight

UGH!! Blogger is making me INSANE today. IMpossible to get my pictures loaded up. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I am definitely going to be switching blog hosts people. Be ready for the change. I wasn't able to load up all my pictures for you and that makes me veddy veddy mad. Anyway, let's move on...



There was definitely a part of me that wished we had stayed in Denver just a little longer. However, I am sure I will go back with some other show, so I have a ton to look forward to. As I said last week, there have been quite a few people who have always told me how much I would love Seattle, so I was beyond excited to get here and check it all out. Again, the trucks couldn't make the journey here in time for us to have a regular load in schedule. This is a double edged sword really. I love being able to just travel to the next city and chill out without having to run to load in. Having the entire next day off is lovely as well. I will tell you though, once the week gets rolling, on this schedule, it is a freight train that runs you over. Everything gets bunched up into five days instead of seven. It was a long week.
BUT
It was a very good week too.
Don (you all remember Don from Portland, right?) being the phenomenal kick ass friend he is, made the trek up here and picked me up at the airport. Sooooo nice not to take a cab. We got me all checked into the biggest room I have ever had. This place is enormous. Ok, perhaps there are some questionable stains on the carpet and the furniture, and yes, it did smell a little funky, BUT I have a full kitchen and a ginormous living room with 2 comfy couches, a dining room that seats eight (but only service for four...and one spoon.) and a seperate bedroom with a king sized bed. Now other people got flat screen TV's and new carpets, but I am perfectly happy. I rearranged all the furniture so many of the nastiest things on the carpet are covered. I was going to take pictures of it for you, but my beads and jewelry supplies are strewn everywhere.
My first day in Seattle, I was expecting rain, but it was sunny with just a few clouds, so Don and I zipped over to the Space Needle on the fancy yet over priced monorail. Getting to the top gave us an awesome view of the city and Mt Rainier. (It is funny how when I go to a city, I will run and do the touristy stuff, but I still have yet to make it out ot the Statue of Liberty.) The Space Needle was cheesey good fun and we hung out up there until I was able to get that clear shot of the volcano behind the city. I find you just have to be patient out here, and usually, the skies will clear up for a spell. The weather reminds me of Scotland, actually.
After that high ride excursion, Don convinced me to do something I would normally never do. I had been talking to him about how I had never been to Seattle and it would be great to get a general over view of the city. He suggested we take a city tour. I am not opposed to this idea. When Jim and I travel together, the first thing we would do in a foreign city, is get on a bus and learn all the different neighborhoods and that helps us get an idea of what we want to do while we are there. However, this wasn't any old tour...I can barely say it...It was a Duck tour. You know, those big tank like things that can cruise around on land AND water? I can't tell you the number of times these things have passed me on the streets of NYC as well as other places. I have openly mocked the Duck and it's crazy driver's who yell at pedestrians and make their people do the macarena as they whizz down the streets. There was an element of revulsion at the idea, but the place was right next to the Space Needle and I really did want to check out the town. So I, Fran Curry actually rode on a Duck Tour. To be honest, I had a ball with Don. He thought it was stupid too, but he committed. If we were going to be on this thing, we might as well submitt to the humilation, and hell, earn the mocking glances and middle fingers we received from the savvy sophisticated Seattleans. Our driver obviously loved his job, changing hats, and playing loud music, making us clap and yell. Don was hilarious. I about peed my pants with him dancing in his seat and waving at EVERY SINGLE person we passed. Not only that, but I did get to see all around the city and find the places I wanted to check out during my three weeks here. Even if it was in a Duck, I got to go out on the harbor and see the city from the water. I hate to admit it, but I had a good time. Damn Ducks.
Once that experience came to a close, Don and I walked around the market area and had dinner at the Pike. This was the place I watched the Yankees lose to the Cleveland Indians. Which I do not want to talk about. It is also the place wear I dropped my camera in the toilet. BEFORE I sat down. Now I am sure some of my more imaginative friends are thinking something salacious, but it was in my pocket and just fell out as I turned around. Of course this would happen. That camera is not even old. It was only in the damn bowl for a second but the damage was done. Fried. I was more upset about the pictures I had taken of Don and Seattle than I was about the camera. I have a good job that pays well, technology can be replaced, but those pictures could not. So the next day Don and I headed out and we went to a camera place downtown who confirmed the death of my camera, but saved my card. Good thing to, cuz Kricka would have never believed I went on that Duck tour without photographic evidence. Don and I walked around the Pike Street Market, which was awesome. I had seen it at night, but everything had been closed up, to turn around the next day and see it hustling and bustling, full of people and flowers was quite a sight. I have to admit I was a typical tourist again and fell in love with the Pike Place Fish Co. where the boys behind the counter yell out what fish someone is buying and then hurl it at each other. One yells out something about Salmon, they all repeat it and the one who yelled first hurls the Salmon behind the counter where it is caught in paper that another one wraps up. Very entertaining. There is something about fisherman types that put them right up there with firemen and rangers. Those boys were easy on the eye.
My free time with Don was coming to a close. We strolled back to my voluminous hotel room, looking at architecture and trees along the way. We stopped by Seattle Glass Blowing on the way home, which was very cool. I was expecting to see some David Crosby look-a-like with a big metal tube blowing out a glass bubble, but the reality was waaaay more interesting. This was a much bigger outfit. No one looked like Crosby, Stills or Nash for that matter. This was a team of people working out of ovens and using all kinds of tools to create some really stunning things. Don and I must have stood there watching them for about a half hour. They have this little corraled area you can hang and just watch. I was disappointed we weren't allowed to ask any questions, because the entire process made me want to know exactly what all the rules were. The little arts and crafts fiend in me was just going crazy with quesions. All I could tell was that one guy was in charge of sand and one guy put the sand in the oven and heated it up to an ungodly temperature and then when he pulled the metal pole out of the oven the end was BRIGHT yellow-orange hot and the stuff would just drip off the end. That was the coolest part, watching liquid glass drip. Then he would sit down at this other station and swirl the pole, use tongs while he was swirling to shape it, blow into it, and then shape it some more. Wicked cool. On my way out they had a pamphlet that said you could drop 300 bucks for a 4 hour class. hmmmmmmmmmm. The class can have up to 2 people, so really if I found someone who wanted to go in on it with me, it would only be 150........
So I left Don at 6pm to go to load in. The Paramount Theater is small. Very small. this means everyone is scrunched together. Shrugs. It sucks for about two days while you figure out the issues and then it is fine. My quick change booth is tiny, but I have had worse, and I have a really good dresser, so whatever. It is just the setting up that is hard. All the dressers I deal with are fine. My Lancelot dresser, Bob, is very sweet, but I am gathering he and Patrick are not a match made in Heaven. Bob needs the routine to stay the same and when it changes it rattles him a little. Shrugs. Bob's a hard worker. He just wants things to be good. I guess he and Patrick have had "words". Whatever happens in the dressing room doesn't seem to be brought down on deck though. I like Bob. Besides, Patrick complaining makes me giggle. I don't know why, maybe it's the way he phrases his complaints.
Opening NIght was fine for me, but I am gathering it was a little bumpy in the men's area on stage right. Instead of having an area on Stage Left for the principal men, all the men in the show are shoe horned into this elevator on stage right. It worked out fine by the middle of the week, just one of those adjustments that was tough for the boys.
Don had to go home on Wednesday morning. It was sad seeing him go. I did get a little teary once the door shut. Sometimes I never know when I am going to see my people again, so I get a little blue. I still can't believe Don took the time to come all the way up here and hang with me my first couple of days here. I have the best friends.
Bye Don...

I didn't have a lot of time to feel bad because on Friday my sister Mary came out to visit!!! I was soooo happy to see her! Course she got lost on her drive from the airport to my hotel but I could barely contain my joy at seeing her. We didn't have a lot of time over the weekend, because of my show schedule, but we had cribbage at night. That lil biatch kicked my ass every damn game. I did not win one single game of cribbage the entire time she was here. No mercy. At least I know my competitive streak is hereditary and not singular to me. Friday we walked around town toegther while I was show shopping for underwear for our new Galahad. Saturday she got sick, bless her, with some horrible viral thing, which was short lived thank god. All I could think was how she had come all the way out here for a rest, and instead she got sick. She went to the show though, and got to meet Eric Idle. There are people in this company who have never met Eric Idle and Mary happened to be at the sound console when he came up to shake Cuz's hand. I told her it was verboten to ask for an autograph and she was a good girl and restrained herself. I was so pysched she got to meet him though, gives her something to make her own family jealous over. They are all Python freaks. By the second day she was here, I started panicking about her leaving. It felt like she was going to leave immediately, even though she had just arrived, so we tried to change her flight to Wednesday, but the airline wanted to charge 700 big ones. um, no. So we had to just maximize the time we were together
Mary and I were living for Monday when we planned on going to Mt Rainier, and we did go, and you can read all about that next time. I know this blog is way late, and it made me chuckle to receive a few "Where's the Blog this week?" emails. I just didn't have time to write with Don and my sister here. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with them instead of being in front of the computer. Same thing is going to happen next week too, because I am going to Olympia to visit my buddy Derwood. Hopefully I will get this week's up on Saturday Night. We shall see. Either way, it's late cuz I am having fun with my people. This is good. After this stop, I won't be seeing anyone until D.C.
Meh.

Anyhoo. Sorry this was so late this week. Love you all. Gotta motor.
Fran

The Extra Pics:

This was our driver for the Duck tour. This dude TOTALLY loved his job.



This mural was located on the side of an old abandoned motel that the city was going to tear down. It is scheduled for demolition but the city gave the local artists carte blanche to do whatever they wanted to it before hand. Very cool.



These little shits were flipping us off as we rode by them in the DUCK. Who am I kidding I would have flipped us off too.



I really really like this picture. I was on Union Bay (in the Duck) and this woman had jogged up this huge hill and just stopped when she got to the top and looked out over the water.



This the Grey's Anatomy hospital...I love that show



This is the Sleepless In Seattle house. I love that movie.




This freakfest was on a corner in the Pioneer Square area. My guess is she is either the driver of the DUCK's wife, or she has the most mundane job in the world and on her lunch break she taunts the DUCK's as they drive by.




This is fair Seattle from Union Bay. I love pictures with people rowing crew. I have no idea why.




My first week in Seattle, this was one of the only places I ate out at. Von's is pretty cool, by looking at it you would never think the food there was so awesome...BUT IT IS.



This picture was taken at Vons. This is Don and his good friend Dan who lives here. Dan was pretty cool.




Pike Street Market at night




On friday I had to go to the boob doctor. This place had the best waiting area. big huge windows looking out over the water. And Not for Nothin, it was an efficiently run and very clean place. Of course getting my boobs mashed wasn't fun....neither the ultrasound where the hot young doctor came in...and then went to get a hot radiologist guy to come in. I am finally of an age where my doctors are younger than me. It is embarrassing having a crowd...or what felt like a crowd...of hot men staring at my boobs. Jeez.




The Space Needle from the ground looking up. this picture was off my phone. I was quite pleased!

I had a few more pictures but I am done fighting with blogger today. Sorry guys.

Denver Colorado - Week Thirty Seven

Wow what a week.

It has been a phenomenal first visit for me to this part of the country. I have fallen head over heels for The Rocky Mountains. They will never have the solemn singular grace that the volcanoes of the Pacific Northwest do, but they have their desert enormity which is a first for me. I can't believe I am leaving. I could stay here for months and months EASILY. There is so much to do and see. I don't think I even scratched the surface. It is rare for me to actually be sad that i am leaving a city. Most of the time it doesn't matter how long the stay. Could be a week, could be a month, but when load out weekend comes, somehow I am always ready to move on. I think it is just my brain gearing up for the move. So far the only places that seem to have me resisting the change are Oregon and Colorado.

The week started out with another BBQ. This one was hosted by Cuz in the sound department, and his wife Maggie. They live here in town.
I was a little surprised, actually. I always thought of Cuz as a mountainy kinda guy. Their house is adorable with a ginormous backyard - which we took over. Maggie cooked her face off, and Cuz was content to cook up the burgers and some trout on his very fancy brick grill. He told me the reason he bought this house was for that grill. That's funny...boys and their grills.
It was a smaller party than Elaine and Steve's, but the people that showed up had a great time. Cuz made some kick ass margharitas by the bucket...what were they called... Oh Yes. Knock Them Naked Margharitas. While I didn't see anyone disrobe, they were very good and completely deceiving in their potency. I had three and needed a seat. I don't even know what the hell was in it. I wanna say there was beer as well as tequila, but maybe I made that up. As good as they were, I had to leave the party early to go see THE BEST BASEBALL GAME I HAVE EVER SEEN (live)

Those of you who know me well, know I am not a sports fanatic. I am still pretty passionate about men's tennis, but other than that, not so much. However, over the years, I have grown really fond of baseball. I still don't really watch it on TV, unless it is with Kricka, but I just love going to games at the stadiums. Usually, it is in Row X at Yankee stadium (Let's here it for Row X Kricka!) but I have attended a few of the games out here on the road, and have just had the best time. It all pales in comparison to last Monday's game between The Rockies and The Padres. This game was so exciting from beginning to end. To start off with, it was an historic match up. There have only been 7 one off tie breakers in the history of the game. (do not fact check me that info came from highly reliable sources and for all I know they were talking out their butts, but I seriously doubt it) The Rockies took off with an early lead, but then the damn Padres fought back in one stinkin inning. Back and forth this went. There were lousy calls which brought 45,000 people screaming BOOOOOOOOOO. There were home runs that made us jump up and scream and yell. It went into high anxiety extra innings. Then the Padres scored two runs. So sad. (except for the two Padres fans in the place) This air of doom hung over the whole stadium. People started leaving. (oh that burns me up. YOU NEVER LEAVE...NEEEEEEEEEEVER) I bet those people are kicking themselves that they left -as well they should. The Rockies won with a questionable call over a slide into home plate. The place went INSANE. You couldn't help but be caught up in it! I was screaming and jumping up and down. I peed myself a little (with a fleeting thought of concern over how often that happens as I get older) My voice was blown out the next day. It wasn't my team that was even involved, but it just didn't matter. I had the best time. Truly spectacular.

It's a good thing I spent the next day on a journey alone, because I could barely speak on Tuesday. I hopped in the car and drove down to Colorado Springs. I had a whole day of it planned. I was going to go to The Garden of the Gods, then drive down to see the world's highest suspension bridge, and then hit Pike's Peak. Well that all went out the window when I arrived at the Garden of the Gods. Some of you who came out to visit me eons ago, when I Iived in Vegas, should remember The Valley of Fire. This place was very similar to it. These giant red rocks, seemingly dropped out of nowhere, standing tall and beautiful. The difference between here and Vegas is that the Valley of Fire is much much much bigger, BUT it is also in true dusty desert. Nothing living but lizards and tumbleweeds. (hmmm are tumbleweeds alive even?) The Garden of the Gods is nestled in the lush green foothills near Pike's Peak. So instead of stark red in beige dusty sand (still incredible), this place is made more dramatic against the dark greens of the trees surrounding the rocks. Wow. As soon as I got out of the car and started walking around, I threw the rest of my day out the window. I spent four hours there just walking around, sitting quietly in the sun, just me and my thoughts. I am so glad I went alone. It is one of those places that seems solitary and brings peace to an otherwise anxiety ridden brain. Another one of those spots where you take the lens off your camera and suddenly you are Ansel Adams. Loved it. Try and make it down there if you can, if you are ever in the area.

Wednesday was a fun filled day with Wayne and Jovon. It was another big day of seeing the sights. I have to admit, I was starting to feel pressure to see as much as possible before I left. The first place we hit was Buffalo Bill's grave. For at least a week I was having a bit of a conundrum about this site. I could have sworn Buffalo Bill was buried at the Mt. Moriah cemetery in Deadwood South Dakota. Then while I was at this site, I saw a postcard and it became clear I was mixing up Buffalo Bill with Wild Bill Hickok. That was kinda stooopid, but whatev. Buffalo's Bill grave was cool...but if truth be told, I enjoyed Wild Bill's better. That cemetery in deadwood is just old and lovely. Did ya'll know that Buffalo Bill was a Freemason? It's true. That wacky triangle symbol was on his grave.
After that stop, we went on to the coolest one of the day. It wasn't even originally on the plan and it turned out to be the diamond of the day. The Shrine of Mother Cabrini is located about ten miles from my hotel.
She is the first American saint. (FUN FRAN FACT: Although her name is St. Francis Xavier...I am not named for her but St. Francis of Assisi.) It's a fun windy drive up the hills to get there. It is a sort of compound really, with a church, a convent, the shrine -with a small park connected, and a giant Jesus on the hill behind the shrine. Leading up to the giant Jesus are 400 stairs, with the Stations of the Cross placed about every 15 steps or so. Wayne was having none of the stairs, but Jovon and I climbed up as far as we could go. Apparently Jesus was struck by lightening in May of this year and suffered some damage, so the statue is covered in scaffolding. This knocked off about 25 stairs for us to crawl up. It was a gorgeous day with a beautiful view of the city laid out. After the walk down, we went into the shrine itself, which was really beautiful and tiny. Down a bit from the shrine, located in the park, is famous fountain you can drink from. Mother Cabrini, while she was bringing orphaned children to this place for some peaceful summer sun, hit some rocks with a cane or something and water came pouring out. Now you can drink from the fountain and gain some healing peace from the refreshing mountain water. They had a little metal donation collection box. Is it bad of me that I got the tinsiest pissy that all I had was a five to put in? I mean, I went ahead and gave the five bucks but really, five bucks for a sip of water? That's ten times worse than Poland Spring or Evian I drank some myself, and I am feeling a bit peaceful...

After that brilliant stop we went to one of the meccas of any U2 fan. Red Rocks. I am sure that Wayne and Jovon weren't as awestruck as me, but they seemed to enjoy it. I, of course, was beside myself with visions of Sunday Bloody Sunday, and the entire Under A Blood Red Sky album. I was very very surprised at how small the stage was. It just this little postage stamp. Just a lil U2/Red Rocks Love from You Tube for you. In fact when the counter says 4:46 there is a shot that looks as if it was taken from the same location as my picture below.
It looks a lot bigger on the video. I grew up thinking of Red Rocks as THE place to see a band play. It is a unique and wicked cool venue. The seats are surrounded by the big sandstone rocks with that itty bitty stage down at the base. there is a small museum on the inside of the visitor's center giving the history of the place. It was originally called The Garden of the Angels. No doubt this was in relation to the Garden of The Gods. Even before they made it an official venue, there were people who recognixed it's amazing acoustics. They had a picture up on the wall in the museum, of one of the first bands to ever play there. The picture was dated 1910 and it was of an unfortunate looking couple singing. Red Rocks was purchased by the City of Denver in 1927, finished into an ampitheater because of it's perfect acoustics in 1941, and U2 played their famous performance there on June 5th 1983. I was 13. It has been on my list of things to see since then. (checks off on list.)
After a fantasic lunch there, we headed out to the dud of our journey. Now I want to say by this point in the day, I am gettin' tuckered. Being at Red Rocks was a thrill for me and there was no where to go but down. Down is really the wrong word. Dinosaur Ridge blows. I was originally so excited to see bones and foot prints of the dinosaurs that had roamed this area. I was picturing tusks of Wooly Mammoths, and a skeleton of a T-rex. Wayne by this time has exhausted himself and laid down in the back of the car to sleep. So Jovon and I got a map, and with Wayne snoring (lol) we headed out over the road around the ridge to the various stopping points. The first stop was of foot prints. Now, I am sure they painted the foot prints so that we could see them better, but it looked like a 5 year old in kindegarten art class had painted up their hands and randomly slapped them all over the side of the hill. I started to question the validity of the place, but remembered it was listed as a National Historic place. I don't even want to talk about it anymore, that is how much it sucked. Jovon thought if we had a guide it might not have stunk. I dunno. The company of Jovon was fun and even Wayne's snoring made me giggle, but the joint just irritated me.
The only other thing of note that happened during the week was that on Friday night at around 1:30am, I set the fire alarm off in my room while making popcorn. The front desk lady called up, freaking out - no doubt nothing ever happens on the night shift- and I explained to her that it was just popcorn, but she came up anyway to make sure I wasn't burning the place down. In the time that it took her to show up, if it had been a real fire, everyone in the hotel would have bought the farm. My room still smells like burnt popcorn. LOL.
I got a nice surprise on Saturday. Amber Issac, who I know from a bunch of shows in NYC, came down from her new
mountain home and we went out and had a really nice dinner. She had been hired to work Little Mermaid with Eddie while he was here. Like me, she has had enough of working in The City and sees a more quiet life for her future. Hanging out with Amber was like having just the littlest piece of home. It is always nice to spend time with someone who knows where you come from.
Heading into Load Out Weekend, I was sad I never made it up to Estes Park to explore the Northeastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park. I never got to see the Continental Divide or Pike's Peak. However, now that I have been here and love it so much I know I will be back. No way around it. I am hooked. I am really sad to say goodbye to these locals. Just a wonderful group of hard working people. Not a rotten egg in the bunch. No one to babysit, or worry about. On top of that they were a fun hang. This is a group of the crew hanging out in the Wardrobe room. Laura C, Callie, Julie, Leslie, and Laura P. I look forward to seeing them all when I pass through town on the next show.
The next stop is Seattle. Seattle and I have never actually met. I have been in the airport a few times, but that's it. Everyone I know, who has been to this city has said I will more than love it. A number of people see me living there. That's a tall order people. So Seattle had better be putting out.

xo
Fran


The Extra Pics

I was show shopping on Thursday, out in the burbs of Denver and I ran into Columbine High School. I mean, I knew it was in the town I was in, but I didn't expect to see it. It was kinda shocking. I remember watching that whole event unfold on the TV and the view from the helicopter made it look like a big school. It is really isn't all that big. Bunch of kids hanging out waiting for their parents to pick them up. Very normal.





A boy and his Grill...




Some of the ladies enjoying the eats.




The cutest Spamalot Dog. This is Rozie. I love this dog.



This the group of us that went to see the Rockies kick The Padres. That's Tony, Vera, and Jovon in the front, with Jeff and Michael in the back. What a good time that was.




The winning group hug. You can't see it in this photo but there were cops lining up and down the field in front of the dugouts to keep the crazy Rocky fans from rushing.





Somehow all those cops couldn't keep this one Rockies freakfest from dashing out onto the field in just his shorts. He was runing around and dodging them like a kindergarten kid on the play ground. They tackled him down seconds later.



This is my favorite rock at The Garden of The Gods. I think I sat right there for about 45 minutes.




Looking at Pike's Peak from one of the trails at The Garden of the Gods. Maybe next time I will get up there.






Awwwwwwww Bambi and his momma at The Garden of The Gods.




The city of Denver owns a herd of buffalo that live in a huge park near the Mother Cabrini shine. They were rollin all around kickin up the dust. Buffalo are funny lookin.





The big daddy of them all. still funny lookin...




This is the famous well at the shrine of Mother Cabrini. You know, the one that I was forced to give 5 bucks to. I guess 5 bucks isn't so much to pay for a lil peace...right?




I call this one "Vagina Rock"







WHAT THE HELL?????? IT'S OCTOBER FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY.
When I rule the world, there will be a law that says you CANNOT decorate for Christmas until after Halloween is over.