Haiku #298 - El Centro

with Alex, hanging before she rejoins the Book of Mormon tour next week!

nachos and girl talk

with honorary seestor

before she leaves town

Haiku #259 - Guantanamera

old friends, Latin jams

y plátanos maduros

Guantanamazing

People, Places, Things:

Guantanamera

Kurt, Alex, Perry, Christina

Haiku #230 - All-You-Can-Eat Sushi!

BEFORE

so many fishies
that were swimming in the sea
now in my belly!

Kyle and Dom had the help of 6 other people for demolish that sushi....

Alex took us (me, Cherie, Kyle, Dom, 5ive, Perry, and Virginia) to her favorite sushi joint here in her home state of Connecticut. We made two trips in her car to get there from the hotel, and on the way back, we piled our sushi-filled bodies in there, clown-car style, for the short ride back.  Have to ask her to remind me the name of the place, because I can't remember... it was really good!

Haiku #175 - Shopping!

We enable each other.

how was your day off?
we shopped til we dropped and bought
seven pairs of shoes

Haiku #156 - Sleepy Al

Alex would kill me if I posted a pic of her sleeping,
so here's a cat picture.

her superpower

this lil sis/roommate of mine:

endurance sleeping

Haiku #144 - Your Mom

A little roommate banter for your entertainment:

"I'm cold." ... "Your mom's cold."

"Doubt it."... "Your mom's face doubts it."

"I doubt your mom's face."

Alex talking to her Dad (not your mom).

Haiku #143 - Toronto

food, coffee, massage
a trip to Chinatown yields
many benefits


Alex, Kurt, Cherie and I had a terrific breakfast at Karine's yesterday.  Tucked away inside a food court, it's a definite must-eat for budget travelers in Toronto: cheap, yummy, environmentally conscious.  I had a roast-veg omelet, and stole some of Alex's fries with homemade ketchup.  We caffeinated ourselves at Dark Horse Espresso Bar, and then unwound with hourlong reflexology foot massages at a place on Dundas in Chinatown.  It was pretty amusing with the four of us and each of our masseuses in one room, chatting amiably in Mandarin and English, with Cherie acting as translator when necessary.  


We're here for two more days, then on to West Virginia and beyond!

Haiku #137 - Teeth Whitening

Pam & me right after my teeth whitening
(the dent in my forehead is from the glasses I had to wear)

Pam whitened my teeth

I can't wait to go out and

show off my bright smile!

Alex and I went on Thursday for a complimentary teeth whitening sponsored by Altima dental to the members of our company.  I was expecting it to hurt, but it didn't at all - the worst part was having to wait 24 hours to eat anything colorful!  Now we're both back to our normal diets...so far teeth are still bright and shiny!

Alex staining her teeth again. 

Haiku #115 - Corning, NY

Cherie & Alex after our impromptu music store jam

what is that I hear?
the ominous rattle of
an awkward giraffe?


Two shows in Elmira, NY, and in between we have had today free in nearby Corning. This town is so cute - it reminds me of my hometown with its main drag of brick buildings that house small businesses.  While apparently Corning is famous for blown glass and - duh - Corningware, my pals and I had a non-touristy but very restful day of Indian food, an impromptu jam in the local music store (pictured), and getting out nails done.  We found a giraffe shaker in the music store and bought it for Kurt.  The awkward giraffe is an inside joke - thanks for indulging my haiku.  Also bought a regular egg shaker, so now we have two percussion instruments to accompany Cherie's ukelele "Uke-snavi" (named after Usnavi, the lead character in In the Heights).  


One more show in Elmira tonight, then on to Lexington KY for the weekend!

Haiku #108 - Green Mill

Al sitting in at Green Mill, impressing the hell out of everyone 

a badass bassist
cleverly disguised as a
sweet Jewish princess


Apologies for the delay, folks, but I was out with this one and several others from our show, and I was too sleepy by the time we got back to the hotel to string 17 syllables together.  Our trombone player, Andrew, is a regular player with the Thursday night swing band at Green Mill when he's not out on tour, and he invited us to check it out.  Alex and Giancarlo both sat in with the band, and Kurt and Giancarlo danced with Chloe and Cherie and me. Kurt taught me a move called the slingshot, which we later practiced verrrrry slowly while we waited for the train (prudence of practicing swing dancing on a snowy train platform late at night after even just one drink: questionable).


3 more days and 5 more shows in Chicago!

Haiku #105 - Kokopelli Goes to Chicago!

Alex & me at Cloud Gate aka "the Bean" -
and repping In the Heights with my phone cover!

roomie hangout time

magnificent riverwalk

wander to the Bean

Kokopelli, the Wrigley Building

Haiku #12 - Roomies!

Better to lose sleep
because you like your roommate
than because you don't.

Me with my tour roommate, Alex the Badass Bassist 

We both look a little tired at the airport waiting for our flight back to New York, partly because we've been working very hard, and partly because we're getting into a habit of staying up talking and sharing music.  She is going to introduce me to funky jamz and remind me how to wear lipstick, and I'm going to introduce her to Latin grooves and teach her how to pack. We're a good team, and half of the rhythm section of the Heights band.