It's a foodie sort of day.

But first..

Things I like:

- Train songs (you know, Johnny Cash with some where to go..)

- Sing-a-longs (come now, I was born in 1975. How many times did I see the Coke-a-Cola commercials? How much did my mom vacuum to Cat Stevens? Much.)

- Backing vocals (we'll talk about that Edward Sharpe and his army of singers later)

It seems I also like songs that have videos of Canadians walking through the woods in masks.

Basia Bulat's "In the Night" (Jen's xmas mix 2008!) - ooh! Isn't she adorable? Isn't her hair perfect? Is that an autoharp? Look, furries! Skeletons! ooh! That's good folk rock video, friends.

And now, unexpectedly, the Hidden Camera's "Awoo" (almost Jen's xmas mix 2006, switched out for "Boys of Melody") .. Why, here's the video!

(the screen shot at moment 2:13 and 2:26 might be my favorites. Dancing wolf heads!*)

Goodness. Did something happen in Canada? Was camping suddenly a trend? Did Jung become very popular amongst the friendly folky rocker sorts? Well done, Canuck art students of the world!

Anywhoo..

It was the last day of class with the 9ish-13 year olds, and I'm speechless. Crap. I'll miss them. This was so good. When class embodies those perfect mixes, when we are so lucky to be amongst the best of company - - smart and funny and weird and brave. So, here is to Noah, Kevin, Sophie, Liz, Gabriella, Talia, Brianne, Emma, Kayli and Mackensie. And to their parents, who were a joy. And laughed and laughed at their performance. It's an awesome thing to see this age group get belly laughs, and to see them relish in it. Oooh. That's good.

I stopped by the MCAD art sale. NOT BAD, you arty people you. It also was interesting to be in a Minnesota moment, jamming crowds of people into tight spaces to look at stuff. Much like the State Fair or Grand Ol' Days, but with more coffee and white paint.

Then to Keefer (see previous food happy post), then to a callback, then to the Museum where three to four years olds announced to me that all one needed to protect oneself against the chill of the Arctic Circle is a rainbow.

It was a very lucky day.

I stopped for tiny dinner and a drink at the Red Stag before heading home, and totally got to see Butch & Katharine by chance! Ah! Delightful!!

Katharine noted how funny it was to see each other at this particular business, as it's a restaurant owned by a woman that we once both worked for. (I actually met Katharine first, in the year 1999/2000 or so. She did an awesome job. My performance was questionable. Back then, I had met/seen Butch only briefly, enough to tell Katharine that her fiance' was very awesome and very funny. She showed me her wedding binder. Katharine, then and now, kicks ass.) So, 1o years later, here we are. *grin*

We are very lucky, it's true.

Red Stag is and was an indulgence.

a) Butch was right about the martini. Goddamn smooth. Thank you, Splendid Things, for the wooden drink-fetching nickel!

b) I had a small plate of pork belly with fennel and pureed leeks. Meaning, basically, for dinner, I had a fat'splosion. Oh man. Even the leeks had fat in them (olive oil and possibly cream). Delicious fat'splosion!!!

c) I had a Spanish coffee for dessert. Ollie, the kickass bartender, carmelized the sugar on the glass by lighting brandy in said glass on fire. It was beautiful and ridiculous. Good god. (Unfortunately, all my brain could compare it too was Quark's on Deep Space Nine. Drinks with dry ice in them and such. Merh. This does not do the pretty blue flame justice.)

Now I am home, and the animals have been fed, and I need to empty the cat box. It was a long day, but it was good. Someone awesome comes home late tonight, and that's really really awesome.

Tomorrow, Suburban World and Vikings and the LAST TONY & TINA'S and Improv A Go Go and then the Spring Street. hew.

Onward.

P.S. I've been using the phrase "In their wheelhouse" way too often the last two weeks. I am a poser. Please stop me.

*I can't see anyone in an over-sized cardboard head without thinking of Jimmy deSimone in one himself in one of the last (?) Collective Fringe shows.. Was he Jimmy Stewart? Was he Kapra? Was he President Carter? The brain blurs.