melted smoosh

  1) The Temptations. whenever I hear Motown music, it immediately transports me back to college days, listening to the crooning melodies and tight harmonies while driving around in Nick's hearse (yes, he drove a hearse -- it's a long story, but it's not as weird as it sounds). last November I opened up an email from the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to find that The Temptations, including one member of the original band, are still touring and they were coming to Pittsburgh in the spring for one show only! I conspired with our friends to plan another double date, just like we did for Seinfeld last year, and gave Nick the tickets for Christmas. however, we realized shortly afterwards that we had a conflict with the performance date. I offered up the tickets for resale to different friends and in various local Facebook groups, with no takers, so I assumed we would just be out the money for the tickets in addition to missing the show (salt in the wound for sure!). then, just a few...

  1) the opera! I've only been to the opera a few times previously -- if I'm going to see a show, I prefer it to be a Broadway musical! but when my friend Susan invited me to see a matinee performance of Falstaff at the Pittsburgh Opera with free childcare provided, of course I said yes. Falstaff is a comedy written by Verdi, and I enjoyed trying to translate the Italian as much as I could (while being very grateful for the English subtitles displayed above the stage). the costuming and set design were fun, although understandably not as elaborate as the Broadway national tour productions. and we felt very cultured indeed!  the curtain call the childcare was a hit -- they were set up in a beautiful large room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking downtown, with lots of toys and games for the kids. Elizabeth and Victoria might have been more nervous about me leaving if it weren't for their friends joining them, so that worked out well all around.  I really hope they di...