Bathing Suits Just Aren't My Style

So much to tell.  But first, please do yourself a favor and go watch this week's episode of South Park.  It is genius and my friend Kate is one of the singers.  Done and done.

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The end of Tampa marked a milestone in my Addams career: I finally went on.  Easily the scariest experience of my theatrical life thus far.  Similar to being shot out of a cannon.  The theatre was HUGE, of course:

But I had lots of support in my corner.  Baby Stella:

Flowers from Momma Huston and Papa Elem:

And Gil:

Who, coincidentally made his debut along with me!  Sam stuffed him in her shirt and brought him onstage in the first act.  A big day, indeed.

Other highlights of Tampa include the sunset on the way to work:

FaceTime with Miss Stella Anne:

And more delightful mole painting:

I've also been seriously thinking about tattoo designs.  I'll probably chicken out in the end, but here's one I really liked: (Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Pagianini)

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On our day off, the troops were split: Some wanted to go to the beach and get tan, and some wanted to go to BUSCH GARDENS and ride ROLLER COASTERS.   Yes.  Yes.  And Yes.

The newest coaster is called Cheetah Hunt, and they had a small zoo with real cheetahs!  We were within spitting distance.

They also had all their Halloween decor up and ready for evenings.  Nothing looks as creepy in the daytime, though.

At one point, we got stuck on a coaster they were shutting down.  This is us feeling pissy about it:

At least the gift shops had exciting things to play with... a die-cast chalice:

Cuddly hats:

And... zombies?

Karla, one of our featured dancers, posing by the Moroccan fountains.

After lunch (fried and more fried), we decided to see the gorillas until we were digested enough to ride the Sheikra coaster.  Here's Brad:

Ted:

And Patrick, showing you how apes do:

Then we have some real gorillas.  Beating chests and all:

Remember all that Halloween decor?  Some of it was appropriate to our Addams counterparts.  See here our Dance Captain Jonathan in costume with swing Alex:

What could be more fitting than a haunted jail?!

I love amusement parks.

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Let me take this opportunity to thank Jimmy John's sandwich shop for keeping me well-fed in Tampa:

Why yes, that IS a face-sized sandwich!  And its only HALF!

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Sean, our Automations technician, likes to keep candy at his station.  He calls it "Ballerina Bait."  Its pretty accurate considering how the ladies flock to a well-stocked supply of sweets and chocolate.  He asked me to design something Addams-ey on the empty plastic tub he keeps his stash in, and this is what I came up with:

Fester's big number is all about being in love with the moon.  He's supported by the ladies ensemble in old-timey bathing suits with parasols.  I used that to complete the "design."

Oh, Tampa.  So many memories... but unfortunately touring means leaving for new cities.  We'll never forget you, or your fabulous groupies:

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MIAMI!

I'm not a huge fan of warm climates, swim suits and beaches... but when they give you a hotel APARTMENT like this, how can you not celebrate?!

We each have our own bedroom and bathroom, there's a full kitchen, living room with dvd player, washer and dryer IN THE ROOM, and access to a gym, pool, roof, etc.  Its perfect.  In honor of our great digs, the ladies went out for a South Beach evening of debauchery:

Translation: Drinks the size of your face (buy one get one free?!) and a scrumptious dinner:

I think we can all agree that Miami is going to be good for us.  Everyone need to let loose once in awhile.  Even Doug:

I will be going on again for six shows starting tonight!  This time as The Bride.  Pictures to come and stories to follow - hope you all are enjoying the Fall up north!

Tampa: Day One.

Bye bye, Charlotte.  Your audiences were inspiring and your crew rescued kittens and brought them to the theatre to play:

You gave our ladies a moment to pose for the camera:

And Sam's mole went through a variety of stages:

But in the end, touring is touring.  A new town awaited us, and we were ready for adventure.  Tampa, as it turns out, was ready for us right at the airport:

My fellow swing, Brad, did a bit of dining research before we made the trek south.  The infamous Bern's Steakhouse was located a mere ten minutes away.  Since we had the night off and everyone was ready to indulge in a fancy meal, we gathered a group and made a reservation for 7:30pm.  Our flight got in at 5pm.  I love boys, but sometimes they don't think about things like female-getting-ready-timing-standards... by the time we had our bags and took the bus to the hotel, it was just after 6:00pm.  Our shuttle to Bern's would leave at 7:10, and I was unshowered and completely packed in two suitcases.  Begin marathon now.

We made it in time.  For me, that has got to be a record.

Bern's was everything it had promised to be.  Their waitstaff goes through a rigorous training process (puts Ruby Foo's to SHAME) - one year of following/training through all sections of the restaurant and garden.  Our server, Jim, had worked there for twenty-five years.  With the check average, its easy to see why someone would go through the process and keep the job.

Addams ambience:

A STELLAR wine menu:

And food that blew our minds.  Here is the black-truffle steak tartare: 

And the white fish caviar with seven different flavor foams and toast :

(PS: Holy crap, I like caviar.  Dangerous knowledge.)

A thirty THOUSAND dollar bottle of wine:

My half of the 16oz Delmonico that Sam and I split:

(Complete with fresh vegetable tasting, crispy onion straws, pinot noir reduction sauce, and a stuffed potato... all inclusive with a french onion soup and salad to boot!)

Our dinner was very filling, so when Jim (our server) suggested a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar, we jumped at the chance to digest before dessert.  The kitchen was a little boring, but only because I've been in so many kitchens at this point in my life.  I imagine that for the average Joe, its a treat to see the inner workings of a place like Bern's.  That said, it was a supremely clean, well-run kitchen.  Gorgeous plating.

The wine cellar was INSANE.  Wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bottles of wine, and this was only one TENTH of the restaurant's collection.  The rest were housed in an additional building just outside the front doors.

I'd never seen so much wine in my life.

Some of the dessert wines dated back to the 1800's, before there were paper-and-glue labels.

This bottle is from 1850 - when ABRAHAM LINCOLN was alive.  Ten years or so before his Presidency.  That's mind-boggling.  (Jim pulled the cork so we could smell, and let me tell you it smelled pretty damn fantastic.  I had no idea wine could age that long and still be drinkable.)

This next shot is of the $30,000 bottle.  I wish I could draw an arrow... Its between the wiring, in the cardboard box on the floor, just left of the center of the photo.

More examples of how enormous this cellar was:

After the tour, we were digested enough to consider coffee and dessert.  These were served in a separate dining room on the second floor - a maze of cherry wood cubby holes with doors to create an intimate setting.  It was like having our own little pocket of pastry privacy.  The walls were decorated with huge recipes:

Here's the pricing for one of those 1800's dessert wines.  Madness.  (Yet, when you think about it...)

Brad and our glorious server, Jim.

The Bern cappuccino.  Not to be confused with your average cappuccino, these beans are soaked in Kahlua before brewing and being topped with a vanilla creme and powdered grinds.  This is the ultimate cappuccino.

Wait until you see these desserts.  We couldn't handle it.

 Banana's foster, made table-side and served with home made vanilla bean ice cream.

MACADAMIA NUT ICE CREAM SUNDAE.  Made in house and served in a waffle bowl with whip,  hot fudge, and more macadamia nut pieces.  Bern apparently worked for seven years to perfect this recipe.  It is not to be missed.

Strawberry shortcake with rhubarb ice cream and fresh whipped cream (all made in house, as if there were any other option).

 And Dulce du Leche lava cake.  Jesus.

Another of the bananas foster, for good measure:

To say that we were satisfied with our meal would be an understatement.  This is, hands down, the best dining experience I've ever had.  Full package, start to finish, they are entirely focused on giving you a singular experience.  I highly recommend treating yourself if you ever have the opportunity.

We were at Bern's for almost five hours.  FIVE.  HOURS.  When we finished dessert, it was 12:30am and there wasn't a cab to be seen.  Our shuttle from the hotel was no longer running, and none of us knew any numbers to call.  Brad went back into Bern's to see if they could help, while the rest of us waited on the corner in the hopes luck would turn our way.

Also dining that evening was a party of 40 or so business folk from the Transit Authority.  They were leaving at about the same time and climbing on a rented bus to take them back to their hotel.  What did I do?  Why, I marched right onto that bus and asked the nearest tipsy gentleman if they'd mind giving us a lift back downtown (they were staying at a hotel two blocks from us).  He checked with the driver, and soon we were laughing and talking about our show with these fine people:

Best part?  The driver dropped us off right in front of our hotel.  Door to door service, completely free and jolly.  TAMPA IS SETTING THE BAR HIGH.