10 Things to do in the Greensboro area

 Now that I am trying to get myself out of the house more, I am always looking for things to do in Greensboro that I haven't tried yet.  For this list, I tried to stick to things actually in Greensboro but did put a few things on the list that are not in town but close by.  I also had no intention of putting a restaurant on here but one popped up into my Facebook feed that I had never heard of and I have to try it.  Anyone want to go with me?  Just let me know!

1. Green Hill Cemetery

Before there were parks in our country, there were cemeteries and people often spent leisurely afternoons strolling through them.  I just think it would be interesting to look at the history that is there.

2. Piedmont Triad Farmer's Market

Located in Colfax, NC, I hate to admit that I have never been here before.  And it's a good way to support the local economy.

3. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

Another historical site that would make for an interesting afternoon

4. Blandwood Museum

A historic mansion right downtown.  I have catered at this mansion years ago but have never been there as a tourist.  It's about time.

5. International Civil Rights Center & Museum

An important chapter in Greensboro history that I need to learn more about and this is the perfect place to do that.

6. Weatherspoon Art Museum

I've walked by this museum way too many times over the past 30 years to not finally get in there and take advantage of it!

7. Carolina Field of Honor

A beautiful section of Triad Park located just outside of Greensboro. 

8. Jazz at the O'Henry Hotel

Every Thursday night they have jazz at the O'Henry Hotel.  I love jazz and need to get out and support local artists. 

9. Church Street Cafe

I had never even heard of this burger joint until yesterday.  And it's been around for years.  Must try this!

10. North Carolina Pottery Center

Seagrove is known for its pottery and I think this would be a fun place to go and see the kinds of amazing works that the potters do.

Again, if you see anything that interests you, let me know.  I'd love to have someone to share these experiences with!

More Christmas Decorations

 I know that I have way too many Christmas decorations.  But you know?  They make me incredibly happy, so I am perfectly fine with that. And I am always on the lookout for something new.  Chances are new means new to me.  I love vintage decorations just like everything else in my life haha! I am now at the age where the contemporary decorations I grew up with are considered vintage.  I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that but it is what it is. 

I recently, like two days ago, bought some new to me Christmas decorations.  Let me start by saying that I collect pigs (among so many other things). I have always loved pigs.  I believe it goes back to having Charlotte's Web read to me in my first-grade class.  Thanks, Mrs. Gay! That was the teacher's assistant's name not a dig on myself haha.  Anyway, one Christmas probably in the early 90s, Mom bought me a Christmas pig for my birthday. I absolutely loved him and still have him and put him out every season. He is made by Tom Rubel.  There was an entire series of Christmas animals that he did.  I know that Mom got him at The Candlewick in the mall because that's where we first saw them. 

My Tom Rubel Christmas pig

I'd forgotten about the series of animals he created until two years ago.  One of my bosses at work loves giraffes like I love pigs.  When I was looking for a Christmas present for her, I found Tom Rubel's Christmas giraffe online and snatched it up.  After that, his pieces began to work their way into my eBay feed, and I started to take notice.  The next one I purchased for myself was one of his bears.  A cute bear with a wreath around his neck.  So anytime I see a good deal on one, I bid on it. Until this week, my bids had been unsuccessful.  

I found a set of them.  A partial set, anyway.  I figured if I got these it would be a good foundation to getting the entire set.  I bid and won.  I will get them this week and I am so excited.  Now, I need to start thinking about where to display them during the upcoming holiday season.  It's the little things like this that make my life joyful.

Ok, so now I'll have two pigs and two bears.  I'm fine with that haha!

Hiding in Thee

 A beautiful hymn that I often forget about.  

Today's Moment of Mindfulness

 

Be curious!  Open your mind to the new and the unknown in all walks of life. 

10 original Broadway musical casts I wish I'd seen

 As a lover of musical theatre, I sometimes wish that I could time travel back to the golden days of Broadway.  Days when there were great shows.  Even the not-so-great shows were great, comparatively.  And you didn't have to take out a loan to get tickets.  As much as I have loved going to NYC in the past and seeing shows, I do not foresee that happening any time soon with prices the way they are.  Still, there are some shows that I would love to go back in time and see.  Sometimes it's because the show is amazing itself.  Sometimes it's because the cast is phenomenal even when the show isn't. Sometimes it's a star turn that made history.  If you could go back in time and see some original casts of musicals, what would they be? Here are my top 10 choices:

1. Mame

The 1966 musical adaptation of Patrick Dennis's Auntie Mame by Jerry Herman.  To see this with Angela Lansbury in the role that catapulted her to Broadway stardom.  And, of course, Bea Arthur as Vera Charles, her best friend.  Nothing would be better than to see them live on stage together! And that wonderful Herman score!

2. A Chorus Line

Michael Bennett's 1976 Pulitzer Prize winning musical about the lives and struggles of Broadway gypsies.  I have been obsessed with this musical for years.  And knowing the history behind its creation, seeing the original cast would be a dream come true.

3. Dreamgirls

Incredible staging by Michael Bennett.  A fun score and an outstanding ensemble cast.  A star making turn by Jennifer Holliday and an act 1 finale that went down as Broadway legend.

4. Gypsy

Gypsy brought a roaring end to the 1959 Broadway theatre season, missing out on Tony contention by a few days. It was nominated for the 59-60 season but lost out all awards.  Ethel Merman at the pinnacle of her career, creating the role to end all roles.

5. My Fair Lady

This classic 1956 musical made a Broadway sensation out of Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison earned a Tony Award (and later an Oscar) for his performance as Henry Higgins.  A delightful score full of wonderful songs.  I wouldn't have minded seeing Sally Ann Howes, Julie's replacement, either!

6. South Pacific

The 1949 Pulitzer Prize winning musical by Rodgers & Hammerstein.  While not my favorite score of theirs, as a package deal this show is the one to beat.  Its themes are timeless, its score is beautiful, funny and poignant. It swept the acting categories at the Tony Awards that year. Something no other musical has achieved.

7. Camelot

Despite the many book flaws of the show, the score is wonderfully entertaining.  And the chance to see Julie Andrews, Richard Burton and Robert Goulet...Wow!

8. Follies

The original production of Follies is legendary.  Everything came together in this concept musical that still divides the theatre going public.  It's one of my favorite scores of Sondheim's and the shear magnificence of the production design alone would be worth the trip back in time.

9. Sweet Charity

Gwen Verdon played so many fantastic roles on Broadway but if I had to choose one to see, it would be her portraying Charity Hope Valentine.  Verdon's appeal and Fosse's choreography are an explosive combination that I would love to have seen.

10. Funny Girl

Barbra Streisand already had buzz surrounding her name when she exploded on stage as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. The score was fitted for her amazing vocals and it shows.  What an evening this would have been!

Thinking about this makes me want to get out and see more theatre.  Who knows what new show may blow my mind!

You're a nice guy but...

 

After 5ish years of being single again, I am finally starting to embrace what I call my spinster status.  And I am not saying that as a dig on myself.  Granted, this word has such negative connotations in our society, and I used to be someone who agreed with that stereotype.  But not anymore. I look at it as something to aspire to.  What being a spinster means to me is someone who is completely comfortable in his/her own skin.  Someone who enjoys their own company.  Someone who does not rely on anyone else for happiness.  That is not to say that I believe it should be someone who lives life without others.  Quite the contrary.  It's someone who's relationships with others are enhanced by that person being feeling whole and not dependent on others to feel complete. That's what I want to be like as a spinster. 

I think back to some of the people in my life that would be considered spinsters and realize now how much I look up to them even though they are no longer with us.  They lived their own lives and did what they wanted to on their own terms.  They had successful lives that were filled with people and rich experiences.  They made and followed their own paths from an early age.  Of course, this is where I differ from them in that I am coming into this late in life.  But I think it's never too late to start something new LOL I only wish that I had soaked up more from them while they were still here. 

I never thought that at this age I would be single but after two failed relationships in the last 25 years, that seems to be the hand that I have been dealt.  I have been thinking about that a lot lately and I found myself to be surprisingly fine with it. That's a very freeing feeling to have. I have started taking myself out on dates and going out and doing things on my own.  I have absolutely loved that!  It's not that I would not enjoy someone's company for dinner or for seeing a show or for going antiquing.  It's that I can do these things alone and be perfectly fine.  I'm doing the things that I want to do.  I have learned that the key to my success is learning to enjoy my own company and that's not as hard as I expected it to be.  I'm a nice guy so why not have a good time by myself and not wait on others to join in?

You're a nice guy but...that phrase comes from the speech that I have heard over and over throughout my life. If I had a dollar for every time some guy has said it to me, I could not retire but I could treat myself to a fancy dinner LOL And I know that the words were not said with malicious intentions over the years. I'm not everyone's cup of tea as far as dating goes and that is ok. So, I am taking those words and turning them into a positive in my life. Basically, I am looking to enjoy myself on my own terms after years of making sure others were happy first.  While that is not necessarily a bad thing and I still love doing things for others, it no longer defines who I am.

That is all. 

Daily challenge for August

 It has always been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  This is not something that I have adhered to in my life.  Do not get me wrong, I love breakfast foods.  Always have.  But I have never been a big breakfast eater.  As a child, I would eat my bowl of dry cereal every day.  Not a fan of milk here even with cereal LOL But as I got older, eating breakfast every day became less and less frequent.  A hot breakfast was always welcomed but it was not a constant.  If I spent the night at Grandmother's there was always breakfast of some kind that I would eat.  If family was visiting, there was guaranteed to be at least one big family breakfast.  And on Christmas morning, Mom always cooked a big breakfast for everyone.  But that really has been the extent of my breakfast habits.

Breakfast out at Miam's

As an adult, eating breakfast daily was definitely not on my radar.  If I was on vacation, I would go out for breakfast but really that was about it.  Part of it was the fact that for a long time, I would wake up about 30 minutes before I needed to be at work.  Time enough to throw on some clothes and get to work.  Of course, that was back in my younger adult days when my nights were spent out.  Those were some good times, but I definitely do not miss that existence.  Now that I have become a morning person, I need to include breakfast in my daily routine.  And not just something small.  I need to have a good, balanced full breakfast to get me through the day. 

Scrambled eggs topped with Mexican street corn and salsa.  Yum!

I have started going out on Saturday mornings and treating myself to a good breakfast.  What I am learning from this is that when I eat a nice breakfast like that, I am pretty full for the rest of the day.  Last Saturday I had a great breakfast out and then didn't eat again until dinner time.  And even then, I only had a small salad. That was all I needed.  Breakfast allows me to not eat again until I am actually hungry and not just on an eating schedule. That is good for me.  Also, it's nice to treat myself every week.  I think I deserve that LOL  So, this month, my goal is to eat breakfast every day.  Here we are on day 5 of August and I'm on a roll.  Let's hope that continues!