Similar to how Des Moines surprised Megan, I am also surprised by how much I loved Birmingham. The presenters at the Alys Stevens Center and UAB were so wonderful and fun, and they went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. Sarah took us yesterday to her favorite soul food diner, Niki’s West , which was a 20 minute van ride from our hotel and located on a side-side street, it was set up like a cafeteria – you get a tray and a huge plate and point to what you want to eat – and it was delicious! I tried fried green tomatoes, fried okra, the amazing mac and cheese, grilled chicken, 20-bean casserole, collard (how do you spell that?) greens, sweet potatoes, apple pie, corn bread, steamed okra, pasta, and a bunch of stuff from other people’s plates… I left too full for a show day, but very pleased nonetheless.
(Non-sequitur set up:) Earlier that morning at Lucy’s Coffee for my last morning there, I randomly asked if they had other kinds of cream cheese besides plain. I was told no, and I laughed about my question, and said I figured, but I for some reason was thinking about cucumber cream cheese, and just thought I’d ask. I ordered plain, and went to my table. About ten minutes later when they brought me my (sundried tomato) bagel and cherry italian cream soda, the wonderful lady also brought out a small dish of cucumber cream cheese! I was rather confused, (and amazed and grateful;) she said she went next door to the subway and got some cucumbers and made it for me. I was blown away, and so excited. So, I tell this whole story 1) because it was awesome of her, and 2) because that’s what our entire stay here has been like: people going way out of their way just because they can to be nice. How refreshing!
Last night after our fourth (1 YPC, 3 regular) show, the venue hosted a masquerade reception and party in the building. We all got sequined masquerade masks and drink tickets and were treated to a yummy appetizer buffet and great conversation with friends of the arts program who had just seen our show. Our costume lady, Lisa, the educational liaison Kim, and most all the really genuine and nice, wonderful people who brought us here were there too. It was very enjoyable… Also, our demo reel was playing, being projected onto a wall, which even two years later, I still can’t keep myself from watching.
Right now, I’m sitting in the Birmingham airport, using the free wi-fi… we had to be up at 4am this morning (after getting to bed about 2a, last night after the party, showers and packing.) We get into LA at about 12:30pm, and then we have to pick up our passports, re-pack for Korea, see Dr. Hersten, and do any and all errands we need to all before we have to be back at LAX tomorrow morning at 9am. Geh. I’m hoping to save time for myself tonight to go see ‘Stranger than Fiction,’ but, we’ll see how the rest of the day goes/if I can find someone to see it with me who hasn’t already seen it. If not, I’ma see it when I get home. Or, maybe I will wait on purpose, that way hopefully Mom, Dad, Jerry and I (and Megan and Mike too!) can all go together and do Applebees.
Ok, off to check on the progress of my iTunes downloads… they’re going slow and I REALLY want Grey’s Anatomy to be finished before we have to board!!
I really want to see “Stranger Than Fiction” too and Applebees sounds great!