Newman, CA
Hello Friends!
Our mountain week in Alturas has come and gone and went very well considering the fact that my fill in tour partner had no experience with Beauty Lou but what he lacked in show experience he made up for in droves when it came to working with kids - thanks Jon Gregory!
As soon as we were packed from the show, we braved night time mountain pass driving and the tedium of I-5 and arrived at a San Fransisco hotel at 1:30AM absolutely drained. Jon left SFO at 9AM and Spring Break began for me!
This week I am spending my fun times in wonderful Newman, CA home of the West Side Theatre. Kepler and I were the first MCT team to come here in the fall of 2004 and it has since become a hot spot on tour. Shawna was here last year and we will both be back here for some Beauty Lou fun in April!
Dave and Ferris Larsen run and maintain this gem and are an absolute delight. This week they are mounting a one man show Looking Over the President's Shoulder. It is an amazing show about the real life times of Alonzo Fields who served as head butler for four presidents. Yours truly is designing and running lights which means this whole week I am in TECH!!! I couldn't think of a better way to spend my break.
Internet is limited this week as I am writing from the theatre's office computer and therefore don't really have access to my pictures on my netbook. I will try to update as much as possible.
The Adventure Continues - ML
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
The John Muir House
Alturas, CA
Hello Friends!
Where has the time gone? What happened to Gilroy? Where are you now? Yup, these are some questions I have asked myself as I now find myself 4,200 feet up in the high desert mountain town of Alturas. Sadly Shawna is not with me as she is home for a family funeral so I am joined by fellow veteran Tour Actor Jon Gregory. We are done with day one and things are going grand. However, allow me though to go not one but two weeks back to Martinez where Shawna and I visited the home of John Muir.
Long story short, John Muir was a real cool guy. He kind of co-founded the national parks system with Teddy Roosevelt and spent his golden years in Martinez, CA on a fruit orchard. The house is three stories and gorgeous and all the furniture in side is from the era. Martinez is nuts about John Muir and we were very glad that we were able to visit. (That's me in his chair!)
Last week in Gilroy we had a very challenging and very rewarding week. It was the first time the school had us and the students had no idea what they were in for. After four days of very hard work they had three great shows on Friday that were great and chaotic. A huge thank you to the Henry family for their hospitality and Principal Otterson for all there help and hospitality that made our week great!
This week I may see some winter as I have gone from 75 and sunny to mid 30's and breezy. Snow is in the forecast...
The Adeventure Continues - ML
Hello Friends!
Where has the time gone? What happened to Gilroy? Where are you now? Yup, these are some questions I have asked myself as I now find myself 4,200 feet up in the high desert mountain town of Alturas. Sadly Shawna is not with me as she is home for a family funeral so I am joined by fellow veteran Tour Actor Jon Gregory. We are done with day one and things are going grand. However, allow me though to go not one but two weeks back to Martinez where Shawna and I visited the home of John Muir.Long story short, John Muir was a real cool guy. He kind of co-founded the national parks system with Teddy Roosevelt and spent his golden years in Martinez, CA on a fruit orchard. The house is three stories and gorgeous and all the furniture in side is from the era. Martinez is nuts about John Muir and we were very glad that we were able to visit. (That's me in his chair!)
Last week in Gilroy we had a very challenging and very rewarding week. It was the first time the school had us and the students had no idea what they were in for. After four days of very hard work they had three great shows on Friday that were great and chaotic. A huge thank you to the Henry family for their hospitality and Principal Otterson for all there help and hospitality that made our week great!
This week I may see some winter as I have gone from 75 and sunny to mid 30's and breezy. Snow is in the forecast...
The Adeventure Continues - ML
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Daring Dining ~ Split Pea Andersen's
Gilroy, CA
Hello Friends!
After a whirlwind and internet-less week in Martinez California I find you, oh blogger following friends here in Gilroy, CA, not too far from San Jose. They say Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world and I am sure I will have a tale or two about that later. For now, let us catch up on a quick bits from last week. First a little slice of Loehrke family history - Pea Soup Andersen's.
Come back with me friends. The Loehrke's were living in San Diego and it was time for us to move north to start a new chapter in Seattle thanks to the Coast Guard (though it almost Alaska - can you imagine!). It was the early 90's and we were making an unknown trek north on I-5 to the Emerald City. Our first night stop was a quick on/off ramp not too far from San Fransisco. At this exit was a tourist restaurant that my Mother assured was well worth the stop and would be one of the highlights of the trip. A place known for its famous Pea Soup.
The thing is, at the time, I can't think of anyone in our family at the time that actually enjoyed peas. From here the memory gets a little blurry. I remember hating the food and all of us being very cranky after being in the car for 10 hours and then we stayed at a scummy Motel 6 across the interstate (I saw that too).
Needless to say it is a memory that has lived with us for eons and we always get a chuckle when the mention of Pea Soup Andersen's comes up.
Well two weeks ago when we drove from Shafter to Gilroy no sooner had we got on the interstate then I saw a sign saying Pea Soup Andersen's was only 100 miles away. Oh yes, we were stopping.
Thankfully Shawna was up for some tourist fun and the food was much better then I remembered (it helps that my pallet has vastly grown since we were last there). The pea soup wasn't bad. It's really a vehicle for cheese and bacon and the like. Served in a sourdough bread bowl you really can't go wrong.
The whole establishment has a nice Bavarian slash Hispanic feel with an American Diner service that you expect from a stop off right off the interstate. Not only can you find a wide range of sandwiches and soups but there is a bevy of baked goods and cheese dips you can buy in the gift shop. Its good American (sort of) stuff, and definitely worth a stop should you cross its path on I-5!
The Adventure Continues - ML
Hello Friends!
After a whirlwind and internet-less week in Martinez California I find you, oh blogger following friends here in Gilroy, CA, not too far from San Jose. They say Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world and I am sure I will have a tale or two about that later. For now, let us catch up on a quick bits from last week. First a little slice of Loehrke family history - Pea Soup Andersen's.Come back with me friends. The Loehrke's were living in San Diego and it was time for us to move north to start a new chapter in Seattle thanks to the Coast Guard (though it almost Alaska - can you imagine!). It was the early 90's and we were making an unknown trek north on I-5 to the Emerald City. Our first night stop was a quick on/off ramp not too far from San Fransisco. At this exit was a tourist restaurant that my Mother assured was well worth the stop and would be one of the highlights of the trip. A place known for its famous Pea Soup.
The thing is, at the time, I can't think of anyone in our family at the time that actually enjoyed peas. From here the memory gets a little blurry. I remember hating the food and all of us being very cranky after being in the car for 10 hours and then we stayed at a scummy Motel 6 across the interstate (I saw that too).Needless to say it is a memory that has lived with us for eons and we always get a chuckle when the mention of Pea Soup Andersen's comes up.
Well two weeks ago when we drove from Shafter to Gilroy no sooner had we got on the interstate then I saw a sign saying Pea Soup Andersen's was only 100 miles away. Oh yes, we were stopping.
Thankfully Shawna was up for some tourist fun and the food was much better then I remembered (it helps that my pallet has vastly grown since we were last there). The pea soup wasn't bad. It's really a vehicle for cheese and bacon and the like. Served in a sourdough bread bowl you really can't go wrong. The whole establishment has a nice Bavarian slash Hispanic feel with an American Diner service that you expect from a stop off right off the interstate. Not only can you find a wide range of sandwiches and soups but there is a bevy of baked goods and cheese dips you can buy in the gift shop. Its good American (sort of) stuff, and definitely worth a stop should you cross its path on I-5!
The Adventure Continues - ML
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Safe in Martinez
Martinez, CA
Hello Friends,
Real quick I am doing grand in Martinez but have no internet at home. I won't really be able to update this week (at a Starbucks now). Just know things are going very well and I will have many a story to share. Till then.
The Adventure Continues - ML
Hello Friends,
Real quick I am doing grand in Martinez but have no internet at home. I won't really be able to update this week (at a Starbucks now). Just know things are going very well and I will have many a story to share. Till then.
The Adventure Continues - ML
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