We Will Rock You, Italian Food and Barack Obama -- how's that for a mix?

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

How did it become the last day of March already?!?

Joe and I had a nice night out Saturday – caught a quick bite and a beer at a pub in the theatre district prior to attending “We Will Rock You,” a theatre production based on Queen’s music. It totally rocked and I would see it again. And again. I was dancing in my seat!

Leading up to the theatre, though, was a bit of a laugh – I’d gotten hooked up w/ the evening’s babysitter via a mom in Ava’s class. She has twins and has had a nanny (Carmen) from the start. Carmen came highly recommended, responded immediately to my request, etc.

But late last week I got a text message from her saying she’d had to leave town for Bolivia. Bolivia?!?

Not to worry, though, she was going to send her mom.

I talked with her mom, who said her daughter Heidi (who will now be a nanny for the mom of twins in Ava’s class) would babysit.

Low and behold, 5:30 rolled around on Friday and no Carmen, no Carmen’s mom, no Heidi. They’d sent another relative, Ivonne, who was standing in front of the wrong house #30. (She called Heidi, who’d called her mom to notify me.) After working through the phone tree, Ivonne did appear at our door and did take very good care of the kids. I shall keep the contact info on the Bolivian network.

(BTW, Julie – mother of twins –said Carmen gave a day’s notice before leaving to marry her boyfriend. No, she’s not 19 – 31.)

A little tighter for time after getting the babysitting thing coordinated (too tight for proper sit down meal, which really was quite fine as we were in the mood for bar food), we took the underground to our destination, which spilled us out in front of the Dominion Theatre. We then canvassed the nearby blocks for a bar that beckoned, landed at a huge place with two bars, tons of tables upstairs and down. Humming with activity, they were on their last food legs. I convinced the bar tender to hook us up w/ 2 chicken pies and mash.

Sated, we headed off to be rocked, only to find 2 people in our seats! (I’d gotten our tickets at a discount outlet earlier in the day. I did ask the people in line if they’d purchased at said outlet in the past; the answer was yes, good experience, great seats/value….).

Our friendly usher disappeared to address the problem, came back to tell us our money would be refunded to our card no later than Monday, leaving us…with no show to watch?!? Unless of course we wanted to pay full face value.

Thankfully we were in front of the box office and the woman selling tix graciously sold us house seats at half price – better discount than I’d gotten at the ticket outlet earlier in the day. And maybe nine rows back in the center of a fabulous theatre.

At intermission we were provided a letter of proof just in case we need it to ensure our double-booked tickets are refunded.

So great service at the Dominion – very professional – and may I say again, a GREAT show – the music, the costuming, the humor, the farfetched, fun story. Must own CD!

On Sunday we tripped off to an Italian cultural festival. It was more like a trade show, with tons of well organized booths set up inside a big convention center. We ate our way through – fabulous roasted pork, homemade noodles (we watched the woman making them), gelato, and then of course sampled olive oils, breads, salamis and prosciuttos, olives, cheeses…food mecca.

Cooking and wine demos were arranged as well. I caught one on everyday Italian wines, which was good, but best were the little booths with people showing where different wines are produced in Italy’s microclimates.

Naturally we walked away with goodies (I told Joe for the prices next time we should just cut to the chase and buy the villa in the Italian countryside; Lord knows there were plenty of people selling real estate). Our “souvenirs”: wine, salami, buffalo mozzarella (incredibly good w/ crusty bread and prosciutto – that’s what we had for dinner).

Today Barack Obama will be at Claire’s school – hope she’ll be able to see him. He’s scheduled for an event at the school late in the day.

And I’m off to the ballet with the ladies this evening, which I’m quite excited about.