Daring Dining ~ The Red Wagon Cafe

Shafter, CA
Hello Friends,

Ah the first Daring Dining of 2011! While I have had many wonderful foods in Califonia (mainly mexician) none of them have really been Daring Dining quality, until now. This morning I was terated to a little blast from the past at the Red Wagon Cafe.

Back when we visited my Uncle John and Aunt Michele in upstate New York we were always treated to a tasty breakfast at a little place called Bennie and Millies. I remember the food being wonderful and what I really remember the most was the fact that we were eating in a Caboose! The same can be said for the Red Wagon Cafe.

It is an old rail car turned cafe that serves up heaps of home style cooking with lots of country hospitality. We (the men of my home stay family and I) arrived at 9:15 and there was no one there. The chef and waitress (mother and daughter) were sitting drinking coffee while there bus person slowly wrapped silverware. Being that I entered with regulars I was the odd man out meaning they actually had to take my order while the usual hot chocolate and coffee was doled out without question. Within five minutes there was not an empty seat in the car.

The menu was bare bones and typical greasy breakfast/lunch fare. I went with a ham and cheese omelet and was not disappointed. The ham was grilled before being put into the omelet giving it a little crisp to it. It was wonderful and heavy, I didn't not finish it at all.

Below is a video I found on YouTube. It gives you good feel for the inside, however when I was there the clinetal wasn't nearly that decrepit. Maybe the regulars don't come out on the weekend.



The Adventure Continues - ML

Water Water Everywhere

Shafter, CA
Hello Friends,

So part of our job includes conducting workshops in the schools in addition to presenting the show. These range from Makeup to Improv and cover grades K-12. Usually the attendance is limited to 30-60 kids. Except for one workshop, our assembly workshop which hs many kids as possible can attend.

In the past the assembly has dealt with theatre and storytelling. However in the past two years MCT has partner up with the US Forest Service to create assemblies to get kids outside and respecting nature. It's a nice win/win situation for MCT and the Forestry service. This years assembly theme is water conservation, the title of the assembly being the title of this post. But wait - there is a website for the assembly as well. You can watch a couple of clips from the assembly to get a taste of it!

We each play many characters on our quest to find who is leaving large webbed footprints around areas of water. Yours truly plays Sherlock Houses the greatest of all living detectives (let me tell you, my British is AMAZING!). Shawna and I each play dogs, she Spot and I Fluffy (hence the pictures). The kids love these guys the most as they are the goofiest characters of them all.

We have had the assembly since September and somehow have not presented it until this week. We did a lot of cramming and practicing and yesterday it went really well. We had a nice audience of about 150 K-5. We will probably do the assembly about 3 more times this year and that is not a bad thing. Just another day on the road for me.

The Adventure Continues - ML

A Night in Hollywood

Shafter, CA
Hello Friends!

Greetings from very foggy and rural Shafter, CA. Located near Bakersfield we are experiencing some of the thickest fog I have ever seen. In fact school was delayed today for 2 hours because of it. I thought they were complete wusses, but then I drove in it and it was pretty epic.

My time of with friends in La Jolla end on a great note. Mary and I took in the beach and cliffs of La Jolla and we saw dolphins jumping through the surf about 100 feet away as well as stumbling across the only nude beach in San Diego where there was not woman to be found. Of course did I have my camera for any of this? No but then again considering all the old naked men we saw that day I guess that might have been a blessing. That night we took in the San Diego night life one last time with Daquri's in the Gaslamp district.

Saturday afternoon I bid a tearful goodbye to Mary and Nathan whose hospitality has been amazing and I headed up to LA to spend an evening with some TAD's (including Mandi Jung my summer tour partner) and then I could pick up Shawna at LAX Sunday afternoon (BTW I HATE LAX, I almost got an $88 ticket for not following signs that didn't exist...). After seeing Mandi's show we hit Hollywood. And what a night it was.

We started by taking the LA Metro (think subway) to Hollywood. For some reason it didn't click that I was going to THE Hollywood until we left the station and suddenly I was walking on a sidewalk with stars on it (my favorite was Lassie, we didn't stop for a picture cause the street was busy and kind of sketchy). Every store front was a thumping club or bar with lines and I suddenly felt very country mouse.

We made it to our restaurant and enjoyed gourmet burgers by the time we left it was midnight. Our guide and former Tour Actor guided us to a place called Piano Bar. Being a hip north-westerner I assumed it was a piano bar with two dueling grand pianos. No is was a rock bar with a very loud band and wall to wall people. Yup, I was not in the NW... Drinks were had and we were squished around yet a good time was had by all and spirits were high when it closed at 2AM. Time to go home, right? Oh no. Not even close.

Our guide began furiously making texts and Facebooking and it wasn't long before we were invited to a house party in the Hollywood Hills (I am not even sure if that is the right name). I quickly discovered that the real night life in Hollywood begins when the official night life ends. The next thing I knew someone paid for us all to get in a cab and 20 minutes later I am in a strangers amazingly large house where the party is going strong. Thankfully the host was very nice and it was really neat to be at a Hollywood party. At 3:30 it looked as if it t'were time to turn in. Little did I know that an after AFTER party was waiting for us. So we crammed into car and 20 minutes later we were at another amazing house at another random party.

We left this party at 6AM. I couldn't even keep my eyes open this time, so when we pulled away I feel asleep in the car. When I awoke we were at an restaurant to finish off the night with breakfast. Oh my lord, I have never fallen asleep waiting for food. From there we walked home and all slept the sleep of angles.

It... was... crazy. Yet that is the Hollywood life and I can see how it is alluring. To me, I was happy to get a taste of it and I have no need to ever do it again. I am so thankful to Mandi, Brandon, and Emma (all in the pictures) for having me out on the town. It was an Epic night to say the least that I will cherish and never forget.

The Adventure Continues - ML

Vest Quest ~ La Jolla

La Jolla, CA (UCSD)
Hello Friends,

Today our never ending quest of the vest continues. I present Nathan Eggers. A man of many talents, a man who is oft mistaken for a young Sean Pen, a man who is in a vest. While not having a prop Nathan does make good use of one of the lesser known features of the vest, the lamb's wool. Proudly displaying the inside of this epic accessory we can easily say that our vest quest is going grand.


The Adventure Continues - ML

World Famous San Diego Zoo

La Jolla, CA (UCSD)
Hello Friends!

I am pleased to report that I am feeling much better and my time off has been filled with friends and fun. Early in the week we went to the San Diego Zoo and boy did we have a great time!

This place is huge. We got there at noon and weren't even able to see the whole zoo (it closes at 5 in the winter, a good heads up) I went with Mary and Nathan and some other friends in town Helena and her Mom. It was a good 75 degrees with not a cloud in the sky. It also being MLK weekend the place was packed!

The animal exhibits are great and quite varied, however I didn't really take pictures of the animals, we took pictures of ourselves by all the great photo opportunities, especially after we bought the Panda masks, best $10 spent ever! Enjoy the photos and remember to click to make them larger!







The Adventure Continues - ML

Flu

La Jolla (UCSD), CA
Hello Friends...

I am on vacation (thanks to an unbooked week) and I am coming to you from my dear friends Mary Rochon and Nathan Eggers quaint and spacious Grad school apartment. The shows went very well on Saturday and though I was really concerned about getting head lice (knock wood I think I am in the clear) I should have been more concerned about the sudden amount of children dropping out of the play - six total. Since I already had a good bout with the flu in Tekoa, WA I wasn't concerned. Then I got a small tickle in the back of my throat...

"Nay!" said I "This must be some weird allergy thingy since I am in Sand Diego and it is 75 and my body is not use to it. Surely this must be allergies."

Yesterday we took in the World Famous San Diego Zoo along with brunch and booze and while my voice was tired my energy was high. Oh and you just wait for those pictures! I went to bed happy and hopeful for a little break ahead of me.

Flash forward to this morning. I feel fine but my guts are not. "Mayhaps I imbibed a wee much," though I "Surely a shot of Pepto will clear this up!" Then my gut queasiness was slowly joined by aches, chills/fever, and the sudden urge to do nothing but exists as a mass of warm poo...

"Oh no..." I dreaded "this isn't a hangover at all. I am being visited by the flu!"

On the good side its glad I am dealing with this on a couch and not trying to teach children. I am sure in a day or two I will be up and about and break can carry on as normal.

So be happy and healthy and come back soon for some amazing San Diego Zoo pictures. For now, I think I will curl back up in a blanket and continue watching "Modern Family" on DVD. This show is amazing!

The Adventure Continues - ML

Spring in Winter

La Jolla, CA
Hello Friends,

Today, Wednesday January 12th, the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky and a cool breeze was coming in from the ocean. The natives wore a light jacket and we could hear conversations about how chilly these 60 degree days are. We are truly lucky to be in such nice weather right now. I just read an article about how there is snow in forty nine out of the fifty United States (Matt reading a weather article? No...). I have even been hearing about other MCT teams, some of them brand new, who are having snow days after snow days and are missing rehearsals. I definitely can not complain.

For those of you bracing for yet another bout of winter weather, I end with two pictures of the wonderful sunsets I have been experiencing these past few days taken at Bird Rock. Enjoy!




The Adventure Continues - ML

Lovely La Jolla

La Jolla, CA
Hello Friends!

Yesterday we bid a fond farewell to little Hilmar. We had great performances that were attended by over 300! Not bad for a town of 3,000. A big thank you to Rod and Norma who took us to dinner after the show. We really enjoyed Cool Hand Luke's! We also received a Hilmar cheese gift box - AWESOME!

The drive to La Jolla was 7.5 hours. It took us over the Tejon pass right before LA and things were pretty good. No bad traffic to speak of, though we were plagued once again horrible fog until we began our descent into the City of Angels.

La Jolla is gorgeous! Located just north north of downtown San Diego, this hip, funky little berg is awesome! I just got back from a 10AM stroll in 65 degree sun around the neighborhood I am staying in (this place is definitely out of my tax bracket...) Not far from where I am staying is a place called Bird Rock. As a matter of fact it was only a two minute walk for me to get this picture from where I am staying. I can even hear the ocean at night as I sleep.

I am also lucky to be near my very good friends from Portland who are now in La Jolla at UCSD Mary and Nathon this week and I will be spending a lot of time with them as well as many adventures over the next two weeks. TWO WEEKS?! - you may say. Yes our next week canceled so while Shawna flies away to visit her beau in Spokane I will stay in lovely San Diego next week and take in many adventures.

For now I hope you enjoy these pictures of my home this week and of Bird Rock!

The Adventure Continues - ML

Hilmar Cheese

Hilmar, CA
Hello Friends,

Who says there is nothing to do in Hilamr! Yesterday Shawna and I took in what is probably the reason for Hilamr still being a town, I speak of course of the largest employer of the town and the reason for the aromatic "farm" smell that stings our eyes everyday, yes we went and toured The Hilmar Cheese Company.

This place was great. While it wasn't a huge facility, there was a lot to do. First we ate at their cafe which boasted a bevy of very tasty treats. I opted for a small Italian sub paired with their renowned cheese chowder. The soup was so-so, cheesy but not with much flavor. Still I ate it all. The cafe also had free samples of Hilmar cheese. The cheese curds were the run away favorite and the habanero cheddar was pretty good too. Now I am going to be a bit of an Oregon snob here, but I have to admit, I think Tillamook cheese is better. Then again I think my Northwest bias may have something to do with that... Still it is nice cheese and if I was given a platter as a gift I would gobble it down.

After lunch was had we headed upstairs for the "How we make cheese" exhibit. It was not too big, but it was free and the photo opportunities were amazing. It is never a good thing to give tour actors costumes to try on, even if they are meant for children.

Just so you know that all the pictures I post on the blog can be seen larger if you click on them. May your cheese be tasty and firm!

The Adventure Continues - ML

Bronner's CHRISTmas World

Hilmar, CA
Hello Friends,

I had many adventures this past holiday season and one of them was a trip to the largest Christmas store in the world, Bronner's CHRISTmas World. Located in Frankenmuth, MI (a lovely Bavarian town located in eastern Michigan). This massive store is equal parts amazing and terrifying. I must confess that I have been here before as it is only about an hour or so south of Pigeon, MI and is one of the few MUST DO activities in the greater thumb area and therefore is required when you first visit Pigeon. Still it is sort of like a new experience every time you go. Why? Because this place is HUGE!

I kid you not. If you take two Super Walmarts and put them together you are getting close to how big this place is. The thing that makes it especially disorientating are the low ceilings and rows upon rows of Christmas decorations that all sort of blend together after awhile. I am a person who does not get lost easily, but even I found myself turned around within the first few moments.

Why is it amazing? Well you can't help but be in awe of the extraordinary amount of Christmas cheer this locations exudes. You get a little giddy at all the shiny and sparkle babbles that hang around and even if you visited it in the middle of July you too would long for December 25th to roll around. (Also the photo ops are AMAZING!)

Why is it terrifying? Well like everything in life all things healthy come in moderation, and moderation is something not even considered at Bronner's. The place is overwhelming.

Regardless of the date or holiday Bronner's is a must see for any road warrior. Give yourself at least an hour to wonder this holiday maze and don't be surprised if you hum a Christmas tune upon your departure. Thanks Mom for taking me here and taking all these goofy pictures!

The Adventure Continues - ML

The Drive South

Hilmar, CA
Hello Friends!

Saturday and Sunday Shawna and I shotgunned down I-5 to get to Central California for our first residency of the Winter/Spring Tour. We were very lucky that the weather held and it was a gorgeous drive over the many passes in Southern Oregon and Northern California. Sadly I can't say the same for other MCT Teams as I read facebook updates of TAD's trapped in the Dakotas due to the interstates being closed. Thankfully it sounds as if everyone has made it safe and sound.

The highway at the Oregon and California border take you to the highest peak on I-5, the Siskiyou Summit of 4310 ft! The road was bare and clear though snow abounded. Would hate to chain drive that pass. Stopped for a scenic shot of Mt. Shasta that remains in you sight for about 2 hours after you first see on I-5, it is a big mountain.

We arrived at Turlock (about 8 miles away from Hilmar) and had a great Mexican dinner with our homestay. While it really wasn't Daring Dining material I will share that my green chili enchaldas were devine.

This week Shawna and I are staying on the Stevinson Ranch Golf Club in little cottages. They are prefab little houses with a separate bedroom and living/kitchen area as well as a full bath. We each have our own (I am 105) and they recently acquired wifi!

Well it is audition time. K-5 this week with Saturday shows and no workshops so this will be a nice way to get back in the groove.

The Adventure Continues ~ ML

Vest Quest ~ Portland

Portland, OR
Hello Friends,

So in addition to Daring Dining there will be another semi regular addition to the blog - Vest Quest. So what in the world is it? Well here's the deal. My wonderful Mother thought that this denim/wool vest would be grand for me. As you can see its not really a Matt thing. So she tried to give it to her Son-in-law who in turn tried to give it to his son.

Well when Christmas came around this year my Sister got a hold of said vest and I have found it once again in my possession. So what should I do with it? Easy. Put it on as many people as possible in weird positions and post the photos on the Compass Rose.

It is with great pleasure that my good friend Arran Robertson is the first to model the vest and even with a prop (his idea!).



Where and who will the vest quest find next? We will just have to wait and see...

The Adventure Continues - ML

2011 is here!

Portland, OR
Happy New Year Friends!

That's right I cam coming to you from the tail end of a "ninja" visit to t Portland, OR that lasted less then 24 hours yet it was great to ring in the New Year in the Rose City. Pictured is me having a New Year tiki drink at Midnight, oh Portland...

I have been inspired by my Tour Partner Shawna to actually attempt so New Years resolution. Why? Well all last year Shawna swore off coffee and made it and I am quite proud of her and she has inspired me to try some of my own. The best way to keep me honest about them is to post them publicly that way I can be held responsible for them. So here they are, my resolutions-

1. Jog 10 miles a week
2. Be MUCH better about acknowledging family and friends birthdays and annivereries
3. Be productive and do not procrastinate
4. Stop having late night snacks
5. Blog at least 3 times a week

I know these are pretty generic but I want these in my life. So heres to a great 2011! I know it is going to be grand. Next stop, Hilmar, CA!

The Adventure Continues - ML