It's Hard to Tell if This is Actually Happening

Last week we flew Topeka to Albuquerque to play in Rio Rancho. I didn't write about our week in Topeka because there was nothing to write about.
Exception: My parents had cookies from Gayla delivered for our opening night.

And Dianne and I went to the art district in NoTo.

He was all over town

Everything in New Mexico was wonderful, right down to the Uber drivers. My breakfast wasn't supposed to be free, but the hotel employees told me they thought I was cool, so I ate free eggs and english muffins every morning. Rio Rancho itself is beautiful; I took some time to run around the desert parks and to the Rio Grande, and with a few days off between our arrival and showtime we had the opportunity to travel.

I don't know the name of these pumpkin looking things

One of our firsts stops was the Ojo Caliente mineral springs. I bathed in the mineral pools while gazing up at the bluest sky I've ever seen, framed by dusty mountains and cliffs. Unreal. After a round of bathing, a clay caking session, and brunch, a few of us climbed the surrounding mountains. The trails are filled with shards of eight hundred year old pottery, cacti, and other shrubs that don't thrive in the North East. We kept our eyes out for snakes, of course.

I noticed and abundance of small lizards in New Mexico, and we saw a few teeny tiny hummingbirds in our travels.

I spent a day in Santa Fe. One of my elementary school classmates told me about her summers here, so I always associated thoughts of the city with her adventures. My first stop was Meow Wolf, the interactive installation piece on the outskirts of town. I don't want to reveal too much, because it's one of those things you need to be surprised by yourself, but I will say it is a Courage the Cowardly Dog/Twilight Zone tripping inter-dimensional is-this-really-happening experience. You're greeted by black lit almost three dimensional animal drawings speaking out of context sentence fragments, then taken into many different worlds filled with subtle details you can experience with all senses, not taste but maybe taste if you're feeling invincible.

In the lobby

Our next stop was a completely different kind of artistic experience: Georgia O'Keeffe. I was first introduced to O'Keeffe's work when I was in elementary school. My art teacher focused mostly on her flower portraits, but a museum attendant informed me that the flowers only comprise about eight percent of O'Keeffe's work. I was excited to see the other styles she produced throughout the twentieth century and the influence she had and success she experienced in her lifetime.

After burritos, Dianne, Lizzie, and I explored the town center. We were accompanied by traditional music at the central pavilion (it was Santa Fe Bandstand) as we walked the chili covered streets. I stepped into a shop to figure out what the chilis meant, and I must have looked puzzled because immediately an employee asked if I had a question. Once I asked, some locals laughed, and I was informed that New Mexico is the world's chili capital, so the chilis are everywhere.

For eating. For decorating.

On our way home we learned our Uber driver is a frequent stand-in for Ben Stiller. He showed us pictures of himself and the actor together on set as we rode through the evening's thunderstorm. It's currently monsoon season in New Mexico, which is something I learned backstage from the local wardrobe crew.

Other important things:
New Mexico is actually called the "Land of Enchantment."
Village Inn serves free pie on Wednesdays.

Independence La Crosse

Our stay in La Crosse was the first of what will be at least three visits with the Mississippi River towns. After a week of studio time and orientations in St. Paul my company arrived in this small river town settled in the western bluffs of Wisconsin to tech our show. As I promised, there was ice cream. My cast and I frequented Pearl Street Ice Cream for dessert, and I say "frequented" because we were there every single day. These are the ice cream flavors I ate: butter pecan, snapping turtle, maple walnut, and cookie dough, all covered in sprinkles in a chocolate dipped sprinkle cone. Our first trip to the most popular (also only) ice creamery down town was sponsored by our CEO in celebration of the announcement that our company joined the Cirque du Soleil family. My cone was 3/4 in my body by the time we walked two blocks back to our riverside hotel to watch the Independence Day firework display. La Crosse gave us all kinds of fireworks, including smiley faces, and ended with four fire cloud explosions à la The Wizard of Oz (1939, Technicolor.) Were these fires intentional? I don't know.

Me, Bri, and Ice Crea

We explored a few miles of the Mississippi together on the LaCrosse Queen, a replica of early 20th century grand river boats. Our boat stopped as we approached the Canadian Pacific Railway bridge. I've seen a number of Bascule bridges in my trips to the Jersey shore, but this was my first encounter with a Swing bridge. The bridge swung open for our vessel to pass through twice on our journey, and I had a slice of Dominos in my hand each time.

SpEaKiNg Of PiZzA my cast and I took a sweaty post-rehearsal march over to Polito's Pizza for several slices one evening, and I did something. I don't think my ancestors will ever forgive me. I ate pizza covered in mac and cheese. My college pizza shop served pizza topped with penne, and I never bought it because I thought it was "disgraceful." I can't believe I was so close-minded to wonders of the world such as this. The mac and cheese pizza was delicious and I'd do it again. But Mom Mom can never know.

Other (not pictured) pizzas I consumed include the veggie flatbread from The Crow and Big Al's flatbread (which I ate whilst watching The Boy and drinking Bogle Chardonnay.)

The bottle of Bogle I purchased cost twice as much as it does back home, but it was worth it. To my surprise, it was the wine of choice at Jules Coffee House, home of the most delicious scones I have ever eaten in my life and also some chocolate infused coffee. These sones are crumbly, but also soft and covered in sugar and I will miss them. Get the blueberry oat or cherry oat if you go.

For a more substantial breakfast I suggest Cabin Coffee Co. They have a number of locations in the midwest and maybe in Georgia, so when asked if I'd like to become a club member I declined. At this location patrons have the option to sit in a saddle to consume their fluffy egg and cheese bagel.

For a juicy brunch experience, get a mimosa flight at Grounded Patio Cafe. I kicked off my Fourth of July celebration with one of these. Also, they serve up a delicious lavender honey latte.

Flavors Right to Left: Lemonade, Cranberry, Orange, Grapefruit. Consume Left to Right.

I tried the Bor-e-alis at The Twisted Moose. It looked like this and it tasted like a juice box fantasy.

He watches over

I'm not a beer drinker but here is the world's largest six pack. This area smells strongly of sulfur and is filled with the bodies of dead dragonfly/wasp things?

A trip to Wisconsin is not complete without cheese curds.

Last time I was in Wisconsin I had these cheese curds.

This time I was in Wisconsin I had many cheese curds and I recommend these from Dublin Square.

Last time I was in Wisconsin I saw barbie legs in the window of a bar.

Bodega Brew Pub

And this time I saw barbie legs in the window of a bar.

Bodega Brew Pub

And that's when I realized I've been to La Crosse before.

Some things that I didn't know about La Crosse that I know now:

It is a Pepsi town. Pepsi is everywhere. On the vending machines, on billboards, sponsoring the arena, in the river probably.

La Crosse is filled with secret back alley murals.

The businesses of La Crosse are all connected from the inside, like Bath & Body Works and its portal to the candle part of the store. Restaurants are connected to businesses that appear to be completely unrelated and it's fascinating. Is it a zoning thing? Is it because everyone is friends? I should have asked but I was distracted.

One night I ran out to Grandad’s Bluff. The run was two and a half miles uphill.

Outside of our hotel was a display of decorated herons from the Pump House. They come out of the regional arts center ever summer to say hello.

We don't have black squirrels in Pennsylvania but here they are in La Crosse.

We don't have vending machine cigarettes in Pennsylvania but here they are in La Crosse.

I'm currently passing a wind farm en route to Topeka where we'll have our final dress for our partners at Nickelodeon and open the third season of PAW Patrol Live! "Race to the Rescue."