Breakfast at Eli's

My friend Eric Sciotto messaged me from Sacramento last week  (where he was playing Zach in A CHORUS LINE) to "have breakfast at Eli's on Hennepin". Then I deleted the message and forgot the name of the restaurant. This morning we started my day off by taking TT to an optometrist for new glasses and as we got chatting to Barb, the lovely lady helping him choose frames, she asked "Have you eaten at Eli's on Hennepin?" Never ones to laugh in the face of destiny, we hotfooted it to Eli's on Hennepin.

It was not at all what I was expecting but the menu was mouthwatering and we were assured that everything was made "from scratch".

The vintage photos of old Hennepin Ave were fascinating.

And we very much enjoyed our waitress Sheila, who bantered gaily and later revealed herself to be a Rosalind Russell aficionado. Which might explain why there was so much Pride detritus still decorating the room from the previous day.

Colonel Selfie

Pickering is alive and well at the Guthrie. First dress rehearsal.

Minnehaha Falls

This is near the entrance to Minnehaha Falls Park, a name that might be familiar to people who know Longfellow's poem "Hiawatha". Or rude parodies therof.

The view from the top

This is the Hiawatha Gardens. The poem is engraved in a sandstone circle around the fountain.

We decided to have lunch at the celebrated seafood  café in the park. There was a half hour wait to order then another half hour wait for the food but the "fish basket" would have fed thousands and was worth the wait.

 

2013 - 2014 Connecticut Critics Circle Awards Announced

 The Connecticut Critics Circle Awards for the 2013 - 2014 season have been announced. The awards will be presented at a gala ceremony on Monday, June 23 at the Westport Country Playhouse.

The recipients are:

2013-2014 Connecticut Critics Circle Awards

Outstanding Production of a Play – Dual Awards

                             Kaliswa Brewster, Kate MacCluggage and Mahira Kakkar.

                            Photo by Charles Erickson

Macbeth                                                                      Hartford Stage

These Paper Bullets!                                                   Yale Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Musical

                                         The cast of The Most Happy Fella.
                                         Photo by Diane Sobolewski

The Most Happy Fella                                                Goodspeed Opera House

Outstanding Director of a Play

                     Ceci Fernandez as Frida, Keira Naughton as Ulcie, Ariana Venturi

                     as Higgy, Jeanine Serralles as Bea and Brad Heberlee as the priest. 

                     Photo by Joan Marcus

Jackson Gay – These Paper Bullets!                           Yale Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Rob Ruggiero – The Most Happy Fella                      Goodspeed Opera House

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play

Matthew Rauch – Macbeth                                        Hartford Stage

Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play

                                             Kate Levy. Photo by Lanny Nagler

Kate Levy – The Other Place                                     Hartford TheaterWorks

Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical

                                    Katie Rose Clark. Photo by T. Charles Erickson 

Katie Rose Clarke – Last Five Years                          Long Wharf Theatre

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical

Bill Nolte – The Most Happy Fella                             Goodspeed Opera House

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Caryn West – Vanya…                                               Hartford Stage

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play – Dual Award

Steve Routman – The Underpants                              Hartford Stage/Long Wharf Theatre

Frank Vlastnik – Room Service                                  Westport Country Playhouse

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Janelle Robinson – South Pacific                                Summer Theatre of New Canaan

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

Tony Sheldon – Hello, Dolly!                                     Goodspeed Opera House

Outstanding Ensemble

                      Bruch Reed. Pascale Armand, Chris Thorn and Laura Woodward.

                      Photo by Lanny Nagler

Love/Sick                                                                    Hartford TheaterWorks

   Pascale Arnand

   Bruch Reed

   Chris Thorn

   Laura Woodward

Outstanding Debut

Sheniqua Denise Trotman – Dreamgirls                     Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Choreography

Greg Graham – Somewhere                                        Hartford Stage

Outstanding Set Design

Michael Yeargan – These Paper Bullets!                    Yale Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design

Jessica Ford – These Paper Bullets!                            Yale Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design

Jason Crystal – Somewhere                                        Hartford Stage

Outstanding Lighting Design

Matthew Richards – Macbeth                                    Hartford Stage

Special Awards

Billie Joe Armstrong – Score for “…Bullets!”           Yale Repertory Theatre

A Broken Umbrella Theatre

The Tom Killen Award

Athol Fugard

Mickey's

We caught the brand spanking new Green Line light rail to St. Paul. After many years and many millions of dollars the new route was opened last weekend so we hopped on with a single destination in mind. Downtown St Paul and...

Mickey's! A good old 24 hour greasy spoon diner! An institution since 1939.

 

 

 

A truck was passing the window when we took this shot.

Our excellent hosts.

Sculpture Park