Sunday, August 31, 2008
You know that part...
In other news, I'm home!! I've never been so happy to see my apartment, my street, my friends, everything. Maine was a-Maine-zing (one more time!!), but there is no place like home. I said it.
Back to being busy.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Maine in Vain
Still I can't wait to get back to my little studio. And to my friends. And to everything else.
Thank you, Jen, Larrance, Portia, Alex, Kelly, Cass, Sarah, Sam, Farrell, Andy and Jon for such and awesome time here.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Dem-Maine-cratic Convention
Sunset on the terrace of the Bar Harbor Inn.We're doing it! Sparkling wine! Ladies night!Ok, now we're doing it. We rocked out some karaoke.
On Sunday, we climbed a mountain....
Me pulling a Tamara at the top of Mt. Champlain.
The view heading up the mountain.
Only two more nights in Maine. I can't believe it. I'm ready to get back home, but it's also been so nice to be here. I'll miss it.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Presidential Camp-Maine
That's totally a whale!Whale tail! We had a great view from the bridge, where we got VIP treatment from one of the employees who has been to see our shows. I was much happier watching than taking pictures, though, so these are about as good as they get. It was pretty amazing to see these giant animals right next to the boat. We saw at least 10. Wtg, nature. You win again.
Tonight was very fun but I was really out of it for some reason. I hosted the second show of the night and going into the first game (which is almost always Option) I blanked and very purposely said, "Jen, for an extra point, what game will you be playing?" Nice work, Sullivan. On the way back to the house I was very nearly subjected to a roadside sobriety test (I was NOT drunk, mom) and I doubt I will ever hear the end of it from these guys.
All in all, a good night. Can't believe I only have 4 days left...
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Mainetenance
Btw, this store exists in downtown Ellsworth...
I'm clearly apprehensive about having no one to share looks with during the movie...but it was surprisingly engaging.
Jen went crazy last night and started telling stories with stickers on the greenroom lockers. This was my favorite....she muttered "This dog is climbing this cat's hat." I love that Jen.
Before yesterday's show we took an easy walk on a carriage path around Eagle Lake. It was incredibly beautiful. My phone's camera is trying to do it justice here.Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Maine Stage
Since my last entry I managed another whole lobster. This time I got to see the little guy from start to finish. If you're a Vegan or an animal activist, please skip ahead. At this particular lobster pound, you go in, ask for a particular size lobster (two pounds, please) and they open up a chest full of live and kickin' lobsters. One of the contestants goes onto a scale and then into a bag which heads out to the boilers. So you really get to bond with your meal before you see it go. About 20 minutes later, you have a bright red, fully cooked animal on a tray in front of you. Now, the last lobster I ate was cut down the middle and grilled. This one was fully intact, requiring a lot of dismantling. If lobster wasn't so good, it may have been more disturbing to find that my particular catch was in fact a lady. Yep, when I pulled off her tail, I came across many generations of unborn lobster homes. My internet research informs me that a one pound female carries on average 8,000 eggs. Mine was two pounds, so I can assume that there were 5 million eggs. That's what it looked like. I carefully avoided them, and went on to enjoy the barbarian act of eating an animal whole. I'm done with whole lobsters for this trip. But I'm glad I did it.
Ok...on to what I'm really here for. Improv! I know I've said relatively little regarding my actual tour of duty. Well....it's fun! The shows are very different from anything I've done before, not to mention I've never done shows twice a night for three weeks straight. It's been great to exercise that muscle. Jen is a ridiculously funny and smart improvisor and Larrance is an awesome musician. Sarah cracks me up constantly, Sam is full of surprises and Farrell always knows what the audience wants. So in short, I'm having a great time playing here. It's also been really fun getting to know the bartenders and servers and friends of the theatre. If there are better ways to spend a summer, I don't know about them. And I'll thank you not to tell me.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Everyone ReMaine Calm
It started here. 11:15 mass at the Holy Redeemer Church in Bar Harbor. It was a delight.
This is what Catholics do. Bits were flying around the greenroom about this the night before, so it's appropriate.
I'm documenting my blueberry consumption. It's easily in the thousands...fortunately, they haven't all been in pie form (also here in ale form).
Mmm...best one yet, from Morning Glory Bakery. I've learned I prefer it cold. And without ice cream (what am I saying???).
My walk along the shore path today. I walked it three times...I had a lot of time to kill. That's a cruise ship out there. Oh those days...
I discovered today that I'm very consistent. As I walked through the touristy shops I would see a place and say, "Huh, that looks interesting," and when I walked in I would remember, "Oh right, I came here last year on the ship." I walked into almost all the same places. I know me so well! Also discovered a couple new great places...Bar Harbor Tea Company and Alternative Market. Organic trail mix and blueberry tea! Oh boy!
Had my night off on Thursday...here's what my night off looks like.
Here's how I feel about that! It really seems like I love that house behind me.
Farrell, Sam and I went for a walk yesterday and found this. The coolest tree I've ever seen. Sam: This is really the coolest tree you've ever seen? Me: We didn't all grow up in the country, Sam.
Sam and I trying to recreate our headshots in the theatre entrance.
What else? Oh right, I went to a psychic yesterday. Tarot. I've had tarot cards read three times in the last 6 months. Something about this may be throwing off my karma or something...I don't know a ton about that...but anyway, she was disturbingly accurate. And not just those things like, "So you're an actor...I see that you struggle with money." I mean specifics. So we get through the reading, which is some good, some not so good, and she wants me to buy some herbs from her. Not to delve into my reading, but suffice to say that I'm not sure how I feel about all of this. I clearly am interested...I've been getting tarot readings like they were haircuts this year (and I don't even get haircuts 3 times a year). But I still feel guilty about being too involved. I imagine what a priest would say...and I question exactly what part of it I believe. Any Catholics/Christians/monotheists out there have thoughts on this?
Alright. Enough documentation for today. Tomorrow (or thereabouts)...improv talk!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Maine Course
OM(aine)G
Once home we soon decided, hey let's go hike Acadia Mountain! And that we did, after looks of reservation from Jen and Larrance. You see, I have earned the nickname "Little Bean" for being the slowest hiker in the group (trust me, it makes sense in context). I always lag a little, not for lack of energy, but more for caution...I take a long time to negotiate my steps over rocks. Hey, I don't want to fall, do you?? Anyway, the hike was amazing. And much more all-terrain than the last one. Pictures...I've got them...
On the way in, we met a brook...how pretty...
Near the top. We had no idea that the climb back down would be so vertical, but this was worth it.
I did it! I really did it!
We totally climbed this. My spin class when I get home is going to seem a little lame. Ssshhh. Don't tell the LVAC.
Mika Brzezinski!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VdNcCcweL0
I can't embed this video to save my life for some reason, but do yourself a favor and go check it out. I watch Morning Joe every day at home, so this couldn't have been a bigger celeb sighting to me. I eagerly shook her hand after the show and gushed "I watch you every day!" Oh boy. Couldn't have been dorkier. But I love her!! She was in the front row with her family and she even volunteered for the dream! Hey, Bar Harbor, thanks for being such a swanky vacay spot.
After a fun 10pm show (got to play 185!!), we came home and had family TV time with the Olympics. (Side note: Jen is as much of a Food Network nerd as I am...we talked a lot about how Mario is great on Iron Chef, but not so much on Molto Mario and yes, Bobby Flay is kind of d-baggy, but man his food is great....sooouuulllmates). Just before bed I was treated to a playlist in my mailbox from one Bob Ladewig. I fell asleep to it, and it's been titled on my iPod "Bob Really Gets It." Thanks, Bob. You're the best.
Big day! I told you!! We're going soon to have lunch at Maine Luau, a nearby lobster pound/BBQ pit. And tonight is my night off. Plans include watching Firefly and not driving. Hooray!!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Mainestream
What have you got there, Sam? Well Natalie, I'm glad you asked...it's a licorice pipe. A licorice pipe? A licorice pipe! There's a great gourmet store called Rooster Brothers right down the street and they sell fun things...like licorice pipes and 77% dark chocolate with love poems on the inside. They also have a ton of coffees and teas and jams and cheeses and cooking implements... in short, I will be in a lot of trouble if I go there too often.
We stopped by a place called Maine Grind on the way back and discovered that they have Jazzercise classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Yes, please. So Sarah and I will be in attendance tomorrow and then we'll hang out to sample the Grind's food and coffee. They have spanakopita! Oh man. I'm a real nerd. I'm not sorry.
Shows last night were super fun. Really lively audience at 8 and a particularly dirty adult show at 10. There were five of us playing, which won't happen a lot with one person off every now and then. But it was fun to have the whole cast there. My night off this week is Thursday. TV, here I come...
Well, back to my giant bowl of yogurt and coffee. (separately...together would be gross)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
ReMaines of the day (I have a million of these)
This is what I get to look at before I do improv.
Of course, I see this immediately before. This is the door the performers use to enter the theatre for the show. It's on a deck across from the green room in a little shopping area. The space is really cool. Nice work, Jen and Larrance!
I got to see these awesome guys do a show on Friday. Well, Ferrell, Sarah and Andy played. Sam sat in the back with me. We were studying...
After the show we got to take part in Improvision at Reel Pizza. This place is great. And the pizza..good lord...we had two kinds, one with spinach and peppers and pesto, the other with avacado, chicken and WALNUTS. Yeah, avacado and nuts on a pizza. It may have been the fattiest food ever, but it was amazing. The movie we dubbed was called Robot Monster. It is a terrible 1953 sci-fi movie. Just awful in a great way. Please IMDB it. Or Netflix...you won't regret it. Or maybe you will. It was probably a lot better with Andy playing the "Ro-Man" who sang "Groove is in the Heart" as he walked.
"Opening" (for me and Sam) night cast. Ferrell, me, Jen and Sam. We had a lot of fun and then went out to Lampoc, a local bar, to say goodbye to Andy who was heading back to Chicago after his two week stay. We miss him but appreciate him leaving us his leftover cereal and shrimp. (Mmm, shrimp cereal)
He was so serious...
Today we hiked! This is Sand Beach. Yes, it was that foggy. A very overcast and chilly day, but thankfully no rain. It stayed nice enough for the hike although the views were lacking. It was pretty cold, and there were still people in the water. This is the north Atlantic, people...what the F?
Sam and Ferrell, discovering the New World...
Sarah and I, conqering it.Something about coniferous trees adjacent to a beach really gets me. I love it.
I'm an explorer. I really am.
Not pictured: I went to mass today at St. Joseph's, a Catholic church conviently located two blocks from the house. It's a cute church and the pastor was great. And they use traditional music, which is a huge plus for me. Eagle's Wings during Communion? I'm so easily won over. (Once again, you're my soulmate if this makes sense to you)
Friday, August 8, 2008
Mainely...
Real Maine blueberries!! The difference is they are teeny and they are blue on the inside, as opposed to the standard Michigan or Jersey berries which are larger and white or green inside. I'll be contacting Alton Brown regarding a show dedicated to this fact. (whoever gets that reference is my soulmate)
Welcome to Maine, Natalie! Stay inside.
Oh boy!! I haven't seen a Friendly's since Florida! Their sign says it all..."Ice cream World."
Maine Event (and other puns to follow)
I realize I've overpacked.
Sam! Thanks for driving!
Especially for taking me to my favorite place.
Beautiful upstate NY road.
Almost rehearsal time....actual Maine pictures to come....
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
LOLLAPALOOZA!!!
Look at this ragtag bunch of guys....Rob, Durbin and Abby, early on day 1.
The lady version...Ali, what do you think of Duffy? Yeah...she's lame.
Blurry but you get the idea...Radiohead's show. I'll say it, I got kind of bored. But I'm not that into Radiohead.
I am that into Meredith! Me, my BFF, and the Chicago skyline. (Not pictured, Rage Against the Machine playing nearby)
DJ Mom Jeans!! Yes, this is Danny Masterson of That 70s Show. What??
The best pic I could manage of Moby at the Vision afterparty. It was great to see him. But the crowd was gross. Rob, Kim and I didn't last too long.
Okkervil River. A really good band...this year's Frames, as far as new band discoveries go. I loved them.
My sweet (airbrushed) tatt.
Ali's.
Love & Rockets! Bubblemen!! This brought me back to being 9 and having my sister dress me all goth and take me out with her friends.
The best part of the whole thing...NIN. Trent Reznor was incredible. He said he never thought he'd be playing at Lollapalooza 17 years after he played in the first one...or that he would even be alive 17 years later. Good call...I remembered him all skinny and drugged out. He's the opposite of that now. HOT.Before they came back to rock our faces off some more. They closed with Hurt. No words...
This entry cannot possibly do justice. It was an amazing weekend. Thanks to my friends and to Grant Park for sending me off in style.