She's going to shoot me for this, but Moose wrote a very detailed account of our weekend in Minneapolis. Of course, she's better at the details, because I'm old... Go there now to read her account, then come back here. I'll try to come up with observations that she didn't. Go. Shoo....
OK--welcome back! First off, let me say that she and I have known each other for almost 12 years. Some of you seemed to think that this was a random meeting. Hardly! But she's a keeper!
The rain on Friday was of epic proportions to this Montana boy. It just doesn't rain like that around here. Moose's driving skills were pretty good. She's competitive, and won't just let anyone sneak in from the on-ramp! She only got lost driving around once, which I was fairly impressed with. And she's got the vocabulary of a sailor, and isn't afraid to use it. I'd forgotten that.
Moose started the weekend off with a surprise. She told me that we were going to an art showing before dinner, which I thought was odd. What I didn't know until we were on the way was that part-time HNTer Sandi, the Manic Manicurist, was one of the artists showing! You know what that means! A picture, and a listing on the sidebar! Sandi claims #31!! Friday's dinner was great, but the dessert was phenomenal. Our waiter said he'd drizzle a little caramel on top. It was more like dump half a jar on top. IT WAS HEAVEN!Saturday was sunny, but windy. We made our way to the theater district and parked in one of the garages. Coming out of it, we're accosted by little bees and beauty queens. There was some sort of dance competition or something. Please don't get me started on my views about that! I don't know if having many beers before the theater is a good thing, but we did it anyway.
The show was GREAT! Not much in the way of sets, but the use of space and lighting was terrific. My only complaint, if I were to complain, and you know I usually do, would be that the "orchestra" was just a 5-piece rock band. With one of the keyboards playing all the orchestral parts--strings, brass, etc. Which is pretty much what I would have expected. But having led a full pit orchestra for this show, I would have liked to have heard that. But it was a minor thing. Ted Neely was amazing. If you saw him on the street, you'd think he was a burned-out hippie. Which he may very well be. There was an obvious chill up my spine when he first appeared on stage, but it didn't even compare to the feeling when he sang his first notes. It was as though he'd recorded the movie soundtrack just this year. Close your eyes, and it's so obviously him! And whereas I mentioned that Elton John wussed out on the high notes in his old age, Ted hit every one of them. And then some! Most incredible were the high notes in the scene in Gethsemane (after the Last Supper). Moose blamed the tears on the fog. She's lying. A most amazing vocal display. Makes Axl Rose sound like a trained opera singer! I don't understand how he can possibly do that 4-5 times a week, and twice on Saturdays...
Corey Glover played Judas. He is the former lead singer for Living Colour. Not a band that I would listen to, though I have heard their music. He made the character his own. I don't know the gentleman who played Herod, but he played it up to the max. "King Herod's Song" is the one point in the show where there's not only humor, but the leeway to present it in any number of ways. In this case, the music was altered from a honky-tonk ragtime feel to a spicy Latin number! Way cool (if they'd only used real trumpets...)!
Dinner Saturday was in downtown Edina. I wish Helena had a main street like this. A hip little diner, which even had a Missoula beer on tap! The beer Moose had problems naming was Land Shark. I get this whenever I can--it's not terribly common in these parts. But I tried to drink all sorts of beers, since there was such a variety not found at home.
Sunday was sleep in, and get to the airport and to home. Some other things I noted over the weekend...
- Apparently Minnesotans are messy eaters. Instead of nice linen napkins, you get a nice rolled up terrycloth face towel instead. Takes care of any mess!
- I'm not much of a friendly seatmate on a plane. I'd much rather sleep or do sudoku puzzles than carry on a conversation.
- Puddlejumpers are not built for big people.
- Airports are full of unhappy people. But people watching certainly is fun!
- I had to haul ass from the northernmost point of Concourse B to the southernmost point at Denver International Airport. A half mile (well, maybe a quarter mile). My arthritic knee didn't like it, but I actually had plenty of time. Still...
- I was not able to get past the DIA filters to get to this site (nudity), but had no problem getting onto the anon site. Go figure...
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