Week 31: Montreal, QB

I've been looking forward to Montreal because I've been trying to plan a trip here for years now. French Canada is very different from the rest of the country, as is Vancouver I should say. The bilingual nature of the city is like nothing I've ever experienced; the easy flow between French and English, though signage is predominantly French. "Bonjour Hello!" is the standard greeting and from there is usually obvious based on someone's response which language you will continue with in the conversation.

Lots of culinary adventures here. First night Mandy and I went to Alpenhaus, a very cool Swiss restaurant, while Emily dined in the dark, served by blind waiters at O Noir. Crepes were had by almost everyone, and Saturday between shows Mandy and I made it to a lovely French restaurant in Old Town, Creperie Chez Suzettes. Sunday a few of us made it over to Lola Rosa, a vegetarian/vegan place in Plateau Mont Royal that was utterly delicious. With my continued exposure to this cuisine (thank you, Carly) I want to explore more recipes in the veggie field. I had a killer polenta stew that seemed nutritious and fairly easy to accomplish on my own.

There was also a bit of academic trouble happening during our time there. Concordia University studies were rioting about a raise in tuition, and it lead to vandalism and violence. Police brigades in full riot gear were running through the streets on several occasions. Strange to be there but utterly separate from this action, thank goodness.

Canada. Where they have ketchup flavored chips. I did not get around to trying them but they certainly look interesting...

Identical, beautiful brownstone type houses of very different colors. I loved all the different types of buildings in the city. Very much like New York, differing by neighborhood.

Some gorgeous outdoor art/graffiti on some wall siding in a cool Montreal neighborhood.

Mt Royal Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who also created Central Park, is literally on the mountain. It was gorgeous, but quite a hike in jeans.

Just a seagull at the park, chillin' by the lake.

We found ourselves in the subway!! All the French speaking and posts in the city made me want to get back in to practice of the language.

Springtime is definitely on it's way. Between the daffodils and the tulips, there's plenty of flowers in the city a bloom. 

Our lovely and very modern theatre was in a grouping at the Place des Arts, which was connected to the subway in an underground complex. Apparently when it's cold out no one can be seen on the streets, only underground.

We've been itching for a ladies night, and Montreal seemed like the perfect location. Of course when ten beautiful actresses walk in to a bar on a Wednesday, the bar tender brings over a bottle of champagne on the house. Philemon is a great place to go out in Old Town, and if I'm ever back in Montreal I'll certainly return!!

The whole group. It was a pink and black sort of night. It went so well we decided a few more ladies nights would be in order before the majority of us are done (7 out of 10 of our girls for sure!!).

Michael enjoying a cup of coffee, and looking like a handsome devil, at a creperie on a lovely spring day.

My little station...makeup, knitting, and a Nietzsche quote: "Without music, life is a mistake."

Package number two from Sam: fluff + nutella + graham crackers = instant s'mores! He went on a 4,000 mile bike ride and this was apparently a very popular snack. Mandy and I devoured half of the supplies in one night.

Had a great hair day after the show and it deserved some photographs. I love this pseudo 40's pin up style...wish my hair had more texture and I could rock this look more often.

At Lola Rosa all the tables have drawers full of notes left behind by customers...like Post Secret. Carly found one reading "Beware...gingers have no souls". We beg to differ :)

While I loved my time in Montreal, I was happy to return to cell phone usage in Easton, PA, followed by New Brunswick, NJ and a much anticipated Golden Monday in: MANHATTAN!!

Week 29-30: Detroit, MI

It is lovely to sit down for two weeks, even if it is Detroit. Day one I hadn't even unpacked before I hit the grocery store to stock up on fresh food. I think when I'm done with tour I probably won't go out to eat for a while, unless it's to catch up with friends in the city.

Naked Juice: a tour essential. Its just so delicious and nutritious, and fairly available these days. My favorites are green machine, berry veggie, and orange carrot. If you haven't tried them go NOW!!

So, I forgot you cannot use liquid detergent in the dish washer. I came downstairs to find this lovely bubbly mess on the floor and could only laugh. Apparently it happened to 5 different people that one day!! 

We had a two story suite, and I spent a lot of time up in my lofted bedroom watching TV, knitting, sleeping, and working out. This was my roost for two weeks. Sometimes you just gotta get cozy and not worry about the touristy stuff.

I was going through some rough emotional stuff both in and out of work the last few weeks, and Detroit was the pinnacle of the drama. We've been out on the road for a while now and the upcoming break can't come quick enough. I had one pretty rough night but my lovely roommate Mandy surprised me a yummy ice cream sundae to cheer me up. She cut those York peppermint patties into little hearts by hand :) 

In my struggles, I reached out to our little Bible study group for prayer. Everyone responded with wonderful advise and warmth, but this particular text got me. Good friends make such a difference when the going gets rough. Really grateful for the kind, Christ-like people in this cast.

Family everywhere!! It's really amazing how many people I know across the country. My cousins Gary and Karen live in the suburbs near Detroit with their boys Austin and Collin. Look at those tall Kittrell genes!! They loved the show and Karen gave me a tour of the beautiful, green neighborhoods outside of the city. 

Real kitchen= immediate baking! I make a mean pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, and I tailored the recipe so that it was dairy free for my friend Carly. I made probably 4 dozen over the two weeks with all my requests. Here's the recipe if anyone is interested!!

Amanda celebrated a birthday our first week there, and we had a lovely breakfast before the two show day. The little boys were big fans of the noise makers.

Since we had big suite style hotel rooms

Alan, Amanda, and me early on in the night.

The birthday room. With three celebrations in the surrounding days, it only seemed appropriate. We played pin the tail on the donkey, did birthday cake shots, and had both vegan and non-vegan cupcakes.

Cat is a rocking ninja. All the ninjas actually spent the first few rooms in all their garb, hiding against walls, etc. It was hysterical.

Ninja's champagne of beers....

My lovely friend Brian and I toast with Prosecco in Italia.

Espana: jello shots, chips and salsa, and quesadillas. 

Suburbia: complete with multiple TV screen video gaming, pizza, and chinese food. 

The RuPaul drag race room, starring Kyle and Brian. Resourceful boys that they are, they made all their costumes our of supplies provided by Party City. The things we do to entertain ourselves.

Belle-isimma Jimmy. There are always stickers and crowns and props at a theatre party.

And so begins an exciting activity with my friend Sam: package exchange!! I sent him a list of all our remaining cities and we decided no theme was necessary. Just little treats from the road from me, and comfort from home from him. Very excited about what's to come.

Just being a gangsta napkin. I need to make a big cabled hat like this, so cozy!!

New read: The Great Gatsby. I haven't sat down with a book in a little while, and on several people's recommendation I'm going with this classic. So far, so very good.

And now we're back to Canada for a much anticipated city: Montreal, QB!!

Week 28: Pittsburgh, PA

Another week out of the hotel! Turns out I know quite a few people in Pittsburgh... I stayed with my old family friend Jessica, who is now married to a lovely guy named Chris. They are both in the first year of medical residency at two different hospitals in the city. I also saw two different childhood friends, Chad from church, and Sam from middle school. What a small world! I'm realizing now I failed to take pictures with all four of them...fail. They all came to the show and loved it too. Nice to have kind friends :)

Jess and Chris' apartment building is an old converted school. Such a cool lobby!

Their puppies, Benny and Sarge. They were so much fun to play with all week. I'd love a mini-daschund so it was like a little taste of wiener dog heaven. 

Puppy pile, watching TV. Sarge is a total love bug, always needs to be in your lap.

Primanti's Brothers is a famous sandwich place where they put coleslaw and french fries INSIDE your sandwich. Can't say I was disappointed...

Pennsylvania Macaroni Company is an awesome Italian grocery store in the Strip District. They had quite the cheese selection.

Beautiful church in the Strip district just a few blocks from Jess' place.

When I have a kitchen I get really excited about food. Funny what tour teaches you about your priorities...picked up the veggies, tabbouleh, and goat cheese at the Greek and Italian grocers.

My sweet friend Matt happened to be passing through Pittsburgh and came to see the show!! Funny, he knows three people in Beauty from separate shows, what a small community! It was so nice to see him again and catch up, ever so briefly. 

My sweet Easter basket from Jess and Chris!! Full of yummy chocolate. Pretty funny, our mothers sent a picture text of them in the church choir from that morning- alto's rock ;)...we were on the couch in our pjs. 

"Supermole Sunday" is our weekly ritual, but for Easter Jen (the wardrobe) got creative and drew a teeny tiny bunny. She's so good. 

Beautiful puppies at Easter dinner with friends of Jess and Chris. That's three sets of dogs for me! Spoiled :) I loved the one of the right, so beautiful and playful.

Unbelievable toasted almond cake from a local bakery in Pittsburgh. Whenever I make a return trip this will be my first stop on the culinary adventures lists. Our hosts were so gracious to have me at their family event, a complete stranger in stage makeup no less. It was nice to be at a big party, felt like home to me.

Wonderful and relaxing week all in all. It makes such a difference, staying in homes. While I did start to feel separated from the cast, the privacy and little luxuries it affords are completely worth it. I was excited to go to work, to see how people spent their day, and go back again to a sense of 'normalcy'. I imagine if the show were only running in any given city- New York, Chicago, Minnesota, LA- I'd be in heaven.

Next up: two weeks in Detroit, MI. Thank goodness for sit downs!!

Week 27: Springfield and Toledo, OH

Springfield was just a little one nighter on the way to Toledo really, but we had a great time all the same. Really interesting to see these middle America little towns that seem to be stuck in another time all together.

Funky magician/vaudeville mural outside our hotel room window. 

I got it in my mind that I wanted my name written down by people I love for a photo project of sorts. Obviously one's given name holds a lot of weight, at least for me. To hear my name spoken or written by someone I care about, not just "Hey girl" or "You" but "Caroline" really means something to me. Mom's (down right) is my favorite, as always.

I had the privilege of staying with my friend Mandy at her home in Toledo, and it was a God send. So revitalizing to be in an actual home, even if we were hardly there that weekend. Her parents were incredibly welcoming and so happy to have us, we were spoiled rotten. The time was colored by delicious food and lots of animals...between Mandy's two vizclas and a backstage trip to the zoo with her mom who works at the zoo, it was a ton of fun.

The amazing four 'second dinners' at the household. Dr. S is something of an amateur chef and took great pride in our first and second (before and after the show) dinner menus. Colorful, wholesome, home-cooked meals that were pre-described to us, making it very difficult to get through the show. 

Tika and Toby, Mandy's vizsla pups. Such great dogs. Tika is a champion jumper and Toby is dumb and wonderful.

Toby isn't sure how big he really is...but he sure is a sweet boy.

Our trip to the zoo! Toledo Zoo is one of the world's most complete zoos and truly a gem among zoos. Of course I hold a little bias for San Antonio's zoo, which is also excellent, but Toledo is definitely up there. Didn't hurt that Mrs. S let us know when feeding and handling of the animals would occur, and even took a few of us behind the scenes to meet a few!

Just chillin on the children's zoo tire swing. It was something of a squeeze.

Because we were something of a VIP group they took out a lot of animals for us, including this enormous but docile python.

A close up on her beautiful skin. I'm not afraid of snakes at all really- it's spiders for this Miss Muffett :) I realize in the wild they are extremely dangerous, but at the zoo it's just a big beautiful creature. 

Michael made friends with one of the sloth bears. They touched hands too, and the bear would blow air through a screw opening in the glass.

One of the orangutans all bundled up, saying hello. She knew a few hand signs and was talking to a zoo volunteer.

Baby Lucas the African Elephant!! There are lots of babies at this zoo, including some brand new lemurs!

This is a good story. As we passed this fence we heard the boom of a lion's roar. I slowed down and tried to peak through the fence, then lay on the ground to see this...

These gorgeous lions were looking right at me!! Apparently they are those famous circus lions? Their enclosure was being renovated so they were in the back. Everyone ended up on the ground to get a good look, hence the previous picture. Glad to say I started it all :)

A little armadillo we got to meet in the back. She was shy...

And the ever exciting life of an understudy: I got to go on for three performances finishing out the weekend in Toledo!! Em hadn't been feeling well, but when her voice started to go she warned me. Saturday I was a villager in the morning and Belle by night, and then both shows Sunday. :) Amazing what a different kind of focus and energy it takes to play her versus my normal role. 

I just love the blue dress. The costume designer, Ann Hould-Ward, did an update for this tour the season was moved from winter to spring...shorter sleeves and hem lines all around. I love how this dress made a such transformation. 

My very favorite moment, the 'dress reveal'. I walk out behind a blue curtain which is lifted to reveal me in a pool of light in the famous gold dress. You can feel the audience sigh, and my heart always skips a beat. While I don't think I could ever wear a princess ball gown like this at my wedding, it feels like that moment, everyone looking at you as you fall in love with someone for the first time. 

Next week: Easter week in Pittsburgh, PA with old family friends Jessica and Chris!!