Overview: This is my second installment of my memories of cruising. I am doing this for my own sanity and to remind everyone of our positive times in the past and what the future might bring. During these troubling times with politics and a global pandemic, focusing on something we all consider to be positive is good therapy. Add in your comments of how or what you would do on your day-two when cruising. Lets have some fun with this and leave our negativity out. Try just to have fun in our thoughts.
Disclaimer: I am retired 63, a stroke victim yet healthy now, gone on 24 cruises, and spoiled to the core. My reference to the NCL Haven™ is not meant to show what I can afford or I am better than anyone else. It is just my personal favorite experiences. Truth be told, my best cruise was my first. That was 40 years ago, in the cheapest inside cabin on the SS Norway. It was my honeymoon and it was magical. My next cruise in the end of May 2021, will be my 41st wedding anniversary on the same cruise line, now called NCL with my Adult Children. A full circle over 40 + Years.
Day 2: Cruise Memories
06:45 AM: I just can’t sleep in today, just can’t. Shower and in-suite coffee on the balcony. All you can see and hear are lovely waves. This is what I have been waiting for all year.
07:30 AM: First Breakfast in the Haven Restaurant. We start with French Press Coffee, of course. Appetizer of smoked salmon from the side fresh buffet, those danishes are calling my name though. With a huge smile, I order my favorite Breakfast, Steak & Over Easy Eggs skip the potato’s. Whole wheat toast with grape jelly. At the end, I always get one single danish. I am trying to not gain my normal 10+ lbs. from this cruise. I am quite clear in my own mind, I will fail.
09:00 AM: Explore the ship. Even after 24 cruises, going deck to deck is so much fun for me. People are just getting up. Still easy to get an elevator and no real crowds in the main walkways. Important to me to find the cigar bar for later enjoyment and there it is next to the Mojito Bar. Also, where is the slot tournament to be held at 01:00 PM, priorities folks. Where is the gym and finally where all the hot tubs on board.
10:30 AM: Gym. 30-minutes on the treadmill. Attempt to allow a bit of those food calories to get used. I know by day three, the exercise will be doomed. All I can think about is going down those huge water slides and driving the electric go carts. My hope is the lines are not to long. On my way back to my suite, I hear that wonderful sound of metal drums by the main pool. The smile begins to become a part of my day, as it always does on past cruises. Entering my suite, my family asks where I have been. I tell them and they are disappointed I did not take them with me. What I see is none of them have even gotten out of bed yet.
12:00 PM: Lunch by the Haven Pool another favorite pastime. Time for the best cheese burger on any cruise ship. No bun, of course. Really, no bun. French Fries YES, bun no? My wife orders a bottle of wine and takes half of it goes back to the room. God love that upgrade to the Premium Plus Drink Package. My wife loves ordering a bottle vs. a glass. It is a vacation isn’t it. This was her plan and I support it. She loves wine in the suite for night time balcony viewing.
01:00 PM: Slot Tournament, my entire family is entered, it is a tradition. We learned to have a few drinks first, because it is so stressful. We always play and never win. This year, my wife whom never gambles makes it to round two. We are so proud of her and consider that a victory. Since I am in the casino anyway, where is that “Buffalo Gold” machine. I feel the cash leaving my wallet forever. Why do I watch those YouTube Slot Guru’s. They are not good for my pocketbook.
02:30 PM: A littler poorer yet still happy, I get ready for my first water slide experience. Every cruise I do the same thing. I find someone whom is a afraid to do the water slide, and talk them into doing it with me. My record for number of consecutive slides is 10. The issue are those darn stairs, I am no spring chicken anymore. All the kids think I am funny because I am as excited as they are to slide. My last victim was my wife who became a huge fan.
04:00 PM: Did I hear “BINGO” or was it “Deal or No Deal”. It is like a magnet for me. The crowds, the joy of watching someone WIN. I debate myself. Do I start drinking NOW or hold off until right before dinner. Hold off today, smart move. I go back to the suite through the casino watching a older woman (that is saying a lot, I am 63) get a jackpot on the machine that took all my money earlier. Happy for her though, kind of.
05:30 PM: There are some ship snacks waiting on the table in the suite, which is always different every day. Today it is those world famous chocolate covered strawberries. Time to clean up and dress for dinner and the show. My wife as usually, is looking at the sun burn she got sitting on the deck and saying, “I think I over did it a bit.” I notice she is in a very happy mood and the bottle of wine in the room is out. I ask her when she started drinking? She smiles and tells me, 12:00 PM, at lunch. Stupid question on my part. I am the light weight in my family on drinking. However, when I get serious, I am serious. Pre-Dinner drinks on the balcony, it is so lovely.
07:00 PM: Dinner tonight is a specialty restaurant. My habit is to go to the steak place the first night. Martini shaken not stirred, slightly dirty with two blue cheese stuffed olives. Shrimp cocktail, Fresh Bread with really good butter, Blue Cheese Wedge and a Rib Eye Medium Rare Plus. I am so full, I simply can’t eat all the fully loaded potato. Maybe a few bits. I have to sit for a while and have some Coffee with Baileys. I am feeling no pain and starting to relax a bit. New York Cheese cake is the finale. “There is cheating and then there is Cheese Cake!”
09:30 PM: I know I am tired because I would usually be in bed by now. The food, drink and excitement of the day is telling my body, pass on the show. I used to listen to myself, not anymore. I will get my second wind shortly and so will you. The show which on the first night is usually a production. We always sit in the last row on the end by the door. We have seen some fantastic and not so fantastic shows. We are not expecting much. Then the music starts and it is all Latin dancing. 90-minutes has never go so quick. This show was incredible. My wife for the first time was on her feet doing a standing ovation.
11:00 PM: This is when my wife and I start to argue. She wants to party some more, I want to chill in the room. Translation, go to sleep. I know her, the moment she hits the pillow, with the sun she got that day, add the food and drink, that is all she wrote. We get to the suite, on the desk are the passes for the excursion we are taking in the morning, I love that. Never gets old. I, just want to dream again about my next day’s breakfast of Steak and Eggs. Tomorrow I add a waffle I thing. We attempt to look at the agenda for the next day however never make it more then 10-minutes before the waves put us to sleep.
Perfect second day in my book.

I’m waiting for the call that officially ends my banquet career.

Since 2017, I have worked in a major casino as a banquet server. It was terrifying at first. It was SO FANCY. I went from selling ice cream and coffee to setting a ballroom full of 50 ten top tables with like eight pieces of silverware. There was so much to remember and I honestly didn’t know if I was going to make it.
We did all sorts of events. Car shows, basketball hall of fame, Make-A-Wish gala, American Cancer Society, baseball auctions, Miss America, epic Christmas parties... it was mostly just corporate events but even the most simple ones, like banquets for nurses and teachers, were fun.
It was every type of food service you could possibly imagine — hand passed appetizers, plated meals, family style meals, and exquisite buffets like you’ve never seen. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. Even the most basic meals were incredible.
You never knew what your job was going to be, or who you were going to work with when you walked in, and that was the scariest part to me. One day, you’d be on the soup station. The next day, you’d be working with a partner to serve a six table section and walking across a giant ballroom with a tray of ten piping hot dinners while trying to remember who had the gluten allergy. Or you could be scooping gelato. Or building buffets to perfection. Or passing around trays with bacon wrapped scallops and raspberry and Brie tarts. Or clearing while 500 people have their cocktail hour. Once you got used to something, they’d throw you into something totally new.
It took me about a year and a half, plus a lot of anxiety attacks and considerations of quitting, but I eventually got the hang of it. It was an on call job, so sometimes I’d work 40 hours, and then not have any work again for two weeks. That’s why it took so long to learn everything. And there were 75 other people in the department, so sometimes, it was scary to find out that you’d be working with the OG server who’d been there for fifteen years and will chew you out if you mess anything up, yet sometimes YOU would be the one to have to explain to someone new why all the coffee mug handles absolutely had to be facing the same way, and still correcting them anyways. It was hardcore teamwork.
There were so many ups and downs, but it was a fantastic gig. We were paid extremely fairly. It never mattered what my job was; it could have been the hardest or the most boring task, I’d do it gleefully because I knew I’d be making a good paycheck regardless. Oh, and did I mention that 75% of the time, we got to eat the leftovers? Yeah. They’d have giant displays of shrimp over ice sculptures — and while it was disheartening how much food got wasted (or “sent to pig farms” as they told us), it was the best thing to ever happen to me. Now that I think about it, did I really love this job, or was it just the endless shrimp? Hard to say...
The physical gains were powerful. Lifting a 60-pound tray on one shoulder while walking across a huge ballroom doesn’t sound fun, but holy shit, was I fit!! I would easily walk ten miles during a shift. It was painful a lot of the time, but it felt sooooo good to be active. The mental gains were astronomical as well.
I made it up the seniority list. Every year I was making a little bit more money. Returning to events I had done in the past was super exciting, because being able to look back on where I was as a shy and sickeningly anxious newbie, now to someone who was helping all the newbies feel as comfortable as I wish more people had done for me... it was truly a unique and wonderful feeling.
It felt like where I was meant to be. I originally wanted to move out of state, but this job kept me close. I had full intentions of staying for as long as I possibly could. I didn’t get enough hours and had to work other jobs the whole time, but at the rate I was moving up, it could have been my only job in a year or two. I could have lived an EXTREMELY comfortable life only working four days a week at a job that I absolutely loved. They had just built an 80 million dollar convention center — on top of the 5,300 people capacity ballroom — which meant there were WAY more work days on the horizon.
The last time I worked was in the beginning of March. It was a summit for a large real estate company. Over 1,200 people from all over the country (and let’s be honest, probably a covid hotspot before we even knew it). Bougie ass people. I stood in one place with a tray of wine for hours, and then immediately had to serve a seven table section with a new guy who, while enthusiastic and willing to listen to me, had no idea what he was doing. It was the only event that I had cried at in the past two years I had done it. I almost cried at this one (because it just got so, so crazy) but I didn’t! And that, to me, was progress!
But now, coronavirus is here to stay. Tightly packing ten people to a table, with fifty tables, and thirty servers weaving in and out of the aisles, touching plates with food, grabbing glasses to fill wine or water, trusting thousands of people to serve themselves on a buffet... none of those things are safe anymore. None of it. Most of these events were not local, they were national, so you’d have people from everywhere.
They kept telling us that although all of the spring and summer events were cancelled, that come September we’d have work again... but we all know that was never going to happen. Now the casino I work for has finally come to the hardest and most heartbreaking decision... it’s time to lay everybody off. Things are never going to be the same again.
No more banquets. No more cocktail hours. No more weaving through 800 people to get dirty plates out of the room all while listening to rich people’s conversations and judging their expensive outfits. No more bonding with my coworkers in the back while the group is having a speaking presentation. No more late nights and cranky mornings. No more guessing who had the most cocaine in the room. No more wine service. No more uppity contacts. No more pushing six buffet tables through a busy casino to get to the other side of the property. No more five-table dessert buffets. No more giant paella. No more shucking oysters and sliding them down an ice luge into a martini glass. No more silverware rolling quotas in the thousands. No more sweating my ass off while I constantly refilled a buffet. No more waiting for the last person to leave so we could all go home. No more linen. No more BEOs. No more polishing wine glasses. No more endless shrimp.
It’s all over. That is so many people out of work now. Cooks, dishwashers, EVS, audio and visual, house men, bartenders, bar backs, and of course us servers and our captains and shift leaders. Do you know how many people it really takes to put on these events? It’s a lot.
I knew this was coming, but I didn’t want to think about it yet. Now I’m waiting for the phone call. And I know that one day I’ll find my place again, but I just feel so lost now. I wish I could say I’ve spent the last six months brainstorming my new career path, but I’ve really just been sad.
TL;DR: I was a banquet server at a beautiful casino for three years and after a lot of hardship, it became what I thought was going to be a lifelong career. Now I’m being laid off.
Edit: If you know, you know. But please remember rule #2 of this sub! And thanks for the kind words, friends.

Il mio viaggio nella storia del cinema: dal 1960 al 1964

Sono quasi al termine della mia carrellata nella storia del cinema, perché attualmente mi sto godendo la visione dei film del 1969, nice, e ne avrò certo per 2 mesi. Quindi col prossimo post mi metto in pari, ma intanto ecco qualche spunto per questi 5 bellissimi anni di cinema che sono la prima metà degli anni '60.
1960
Di quest’anno ho visto 275 titoli e ho dato almeno un 8 a 47 film, è un grande anno di cinema ma ne segnalo giusto 5, e tutti italiani! E per complicarmi la vita non parlo né della Dolce Vita, né dell’Avventura, né di Sordi e nemmeno della Ciociara. Mi sono piaciuti? Certo che sì, perché a qualcuno no?
“Era notte a Roma” di Rossellini mi piace tantissimo. Intanto è il mio film preferito con Giovanna Ralli, che prima della Ferilli c’era lei, e poi c’è Leo Genn (Petronio di Quo Vadis?), il mio beniamino Renato Salvatori e in un ruolo commovente il russo Sergey Bondarchuk, il quale tra l’altro nel 1959 aveva diretto e interpretato l’intenso e ottimo “Il destino di un uomo”. Torniamo alla Ralli che in piena WWII vive in una casa all’ultimo piano di un palazzo ed escogita gli espedienti del caso per portare a casa un po’ di zucchero, del vino o della pasta. Siccome è sveglia, i partigiani la scelgono per ospitare in gran segreto tre soldati alleati su in soffitta. La Ralli si ribella ma alla fine fa il suo dovere, e i 3 sono al sicuro. Per accedere al soffitto c’è un passaggio segreto dietro l’armadio (Anna Frank mi viene in mente), e i 3 diventano amici tra loro e amici suoi. Ora però il problema è che siamo in guerra e che è un film di Rossellini, non di Walt Disney. Quindi tenetevi pronti.
“Adua e le compagne” invece è un gran cast al femminile capitanato da Simone Signoret con il buon supporto di Emmanuelle Riva e Sandra Milo. Molto prima di “Ciro! Ciro!” la Milo era attrice di culto degli anni ’60, e non solo in mano a Fellini. In quest’anno per esempio è accanto a Lino Ventura in “Asfalto che scotta”, per dire. Certo è la Milo, la voce è quella, la figura è quella, la verve anche. Qui hanno da poco chiuso le case chiuse e sfrattato le Signorine che le popolavano. Signoret decide quindi di mettersi in affari e avviare una trattoria in un casolare di periferia insieme alle amiche. Faranno a turno in cucina e ai tavoli, e magari se qualche cliente vuole qualche massaggio, perché no? L’idea funziona e la trattoria va bene, ma le amiche cominciano a voler cambiare vita, o si rendono conto che in realtà non possono. Ci sono quindi 4 reazioni diverse causate dagli eventi che si susseguono. È un film in cui si sorride e che ti dà un po’ di malinconia, ma si sente l’odore di frittata, di cipolla, di basilico.
“Dolci inganni” di Lattuada è il primo film che ho visto con Catherine Spaak. Per me la Spaak era una presentatrice tv. Da ragazzo guardavo Harem, o anche Forum quando lo presentava lei. Sì, sapevo che aveva recitato, ma non ci avevo mai fatto caso veramente, mi aspettavo un paio di film senza pretese. Invece, anno dopo anno nel mio percorso cronologico mi accorgo che nella prima metà degli anni ’60 la Spaak aveva i ruoli migliori, era bellissima, brava e tra le attrici più famose. È stata una rivelazione per me. Teniamo presente che la Spaak aveva nel 1960 solo 15 anni. Era bravissima! Per l’età che aveva spesso aveva parti alla Lolita. Qui ad esempio è attratta da un amico di famiglia che ha quasi 40 anni. La Spaak era seducente, fresca, intrigante. Gran sorriso. Questo film e anche altri successivi mi sono parsi modernissimi: la settimana prima vedi le attrici americane con le gonne a campana e il filo di perle del dado Knorr, la settimana dopo c’è la Spaak che flirta con un architetto. Magnifica.
“La maschera del demonio” è uno dei film del filone italiano horror. Quando leggo horror penso al sangue e alla motosega elettrica, quindi non faccio una faccia contenta, mi stufo. Però a fine anni ’50 si attiva questo piccolo genere in cui emergono mostri e vampiri che in breve si afferma e crea uno stile invidiato ovunque. Sì, qui una donna viene uccisa con una maschera piena di chiodi acuminati, ma non devi metterti le mani davanti agli occhi perché fa troppo impressione. C’è il giusto bilanciamento tra suspence, storia, effetti speciali e ridicolaggine. Non sono film di livello A+ però sono veramente tipici di quest’epoca, ti fanno capire meglio di altri il gusto di chi andava al cinema in questi anni e per questo per me sono interessanti.
“Rocco e i suoi fratelli” è un film che voglio rivedere, ma non so quando sarò pronto per rivederlo. Quest’impressione me la fanno pochi film, quelli che mi colpiscono così in profondità che devo prepararmi psicologicamente alla visione successiva, e anzi devo prima capire se voglio affrontarla. Schindler’s list, Se7en, Casino e Full Metal Jacket sono altri film che mi hanno fatto lo stesso effetto. Dunque qui abbiamo una famiglia di emigrati che va a vivere in un seminterrato a Milano. Sono tanti in poco spazio e si arrangiano. La matriarca è l’ottima Katina Paxinou che capisce e gestisce con pochi sguardi. I figli sono Rocco e i suoi fratelli. C’è qualcosa di buono in questi ragazzi, ma c’è anche la vita in agguato. Le strade che prendono sono forse prevedibili se vogliamo, ma questo le rende anche più tragiche. Una donna entra nella vita dei fratelli Alain Delon e Renato Salvatori. Ora, c’è una scena in cui Alain Delon è disteso sul letto, un po’ sbilenco, con lo sguardo rivolto verso la telecamera, e quella scena è indelebile nella mia memoria, è come se Visconti mi sussurrasse all’orecchio quello che vuole dire. Ma ovviamente il dramma che si consuma tra Salvatori e Girardot è ovviamente il cuore del film ed è la scena che non voglio mai più vedere, perché nel farlo perderebbe forse la carica di sorpresa, sgomento, emozione che mi ha trasmesso la prima volta e ci resterei male, o peggio ancora mi renderebbe ancora più sorpreso, sgomento ed emozionato della prima volta, e ci resterei secco.
1961
Di quest’anno ho visto 250 titoli, e 45 hanno preso almeno 8. Compresso tra due anni fantastici, il 1960 e il 1962, qui mi esalto meno, ma ci sta.
“Madre Giovanna degli angeli” di Jerzy Kawalerowicz è uno di quei film che ti fa sentire figo e intellettuale già solo a pronunciare il nome del regista, ma il punto è che mentre scrivo queste righe ho in mente la scena della suora posseduta dal demonio che spalle al muro fronteggia il giovane sacerdote inviato nel convento a indagare, e capisco che quest’immagine così potente è scena da grandi film. Tutto il film è inquietante e malato, intanto sembra più vecchio di quello che è, pare realizzato negli anni ’40, il che secondo me aggiunge disagio alla visione. Però negli anni ’40 alcune scene sarebbero state solo abbozzate e il film avrebbe avuto un diverso impatto. Il prete scoprirà come mai il demonio ha preso possesso del convento?
“L’anno scorso a Marienbad” di Alain Resnais è un film che non ci ho capito niente. Lo confesso. Tuttavia, mentre lo guardavo con estrema perplessità ne restavo ugualmente affascinato. Come un bimbo che è schifato da uno scarafaggio spiaccicato sul pavimento e però vuole vederlo ancora più da vicino, più passavano i minuti e più cercavo di capire dove voleva andare a parare Resnais, più mi arrendevo e mi lasciavo ipnotizzare. Alla fine non mi interessa se non ci ho capito niente, so solo che per un’ora e mezza sono stato preso e portato in un altro posto e ho visto qualcosa che non avevo mai visto prima. Per cui, mi è piaciuto.
“La primavera romana della signora Stone” di José Quintero invece è un bel melodramma. C’è una signora che fa un viaggio a Roma e si imbatte in un giovane gigolò. Tutto qua ma attenzione: lei è Vivien Leigh e lui Warren Beatty. La Leigh aveva 50 anni mentre Beatty 25. Lei era una rosa conservata tra le pagine di un vecchio diario, lui è il rumore dell’acqua del mare sugli scogli; nello sguardo di lei ci sono tante risposte, quello di lui ti fa fare mille domande. Bellissima e tormentata la Leigh nel suo penultimo ruolo, bellissimo e spavaldo Beatty nel suo secondo ruolo: combinazione da non perdere.
I peplum andavano tanto a inizio anni ’60. Cinecittà era invasa da sandali, toghe, Circi e Meduse. L’epoca d’oro di questo genere è quella che va dal 1958 al 1963 circa. Per ogni Marvel di oggi c’erano 2 Ursus all’epoca. Sansone, Argonauti, Macisti contro Zorro e assurdità del genere. Grandi massi di polistirolo, matrone romane coi capelli stile Jackie Kennedy, ave Cesari e muscoli luccicanti, la gente adorava i peplum. Tante erano le star di questo genere che però non riuscirono a farsi un nome al di fuori. Tutto finì probabilmente con 2 film e cioè la Caduta dell’impero Romano, che fu un fiasco, e Cleopatra, che mandò il genere in burnout e dopo nessuno ne voleva più sentire parlare.
I musicarelli, a loro volta, erano un genere tipico degli anni ’60, In realtà si estendono più o meno dal 1958 al 1972, ma trovano l’apice coi vari Gianni Morandi, Rita Pavone, Caterina Caselli e Little Tony, quindi verso il 1964-67. Bisogna considerare che da Modugno in avanti i canzonettisti dei primi anni ’50 erano già surclassati. Andavano ora gli urlatori. Nasce una generazione di artisti fortunatissima, che in gran parte ancora oggi ha largo seguito, basti pensare a Mina, Vanoni, Celentano, che si affacciano volentieri al cinema di quegli anni. I musicarelli si somigliano: ci sono giovani protagonisti il cui amore è osteggiato dalle famiglie o giovani di talento che cercano di farsi strada nel mondo della canzone. Questi sono i temi. I primi musicarelli sono sequenze di canzoni intercalati da qualche scena con Nino Taranto onnipresente, i successivi sono un po’ più maturi e le canzoni sono più integrate con le storie. Per esempio quelli con Morandi sono così. Verso la fine degli anni ’60 c’era già invece un cambiamento nel gusto sia musicale sia proprio culturale, e si vede che il genere sta per arrivare al capolinea.
1962
Quanto mi piace quest’anno di cinema! Forse è il mio preferito di sempre? Ne ho visti 254 di titoli e ho dato almeno 8 a ben 81 titoli. Secondo me è perché non mi aspettavo che mi piacesse così tanto, provo a spiegare. Quando ero ragazzino io i protagonisti del cinema italiano di questi anni mi sembravano così vecchi e antiquati, che a prescindere io non li amavo e mi rifiutavo di vedere questi film. Sapete come succede coi ragazzi, per loro una moda di 3 mesi fa è archeologia. Quindi quando in tv uscivano Manfredi, Tognazzi, Gassman, Sordi, Mastroianni & co, sbruffavo e dicevo uff che palle e me ne andavo a giocare al Commodore64. Questa è la mia epoca. Ora, trascorsi 40 anni, fedele al mio proposito di guardare di tutto senza preconcetti e con gli occhi di chi vede per la prima volta questi film, resto sorpreso: siamo in un’epoca d’oro del cinema italiano e non solo: le città, le auto, gli abiti, i modi di dire, i gesti degli attori di tutti gli anni ‘60, mi riportano flash dei miei genitori, dei miei nonni, delle persone che vivevano negli anni prima che nascessi io. È come assaporare momenti di una vita che non hai potuto vivere, è bello! Queste cose di cui sto blaterando hanno senso solo a livello personale, certo, d’altra parte questa rassegna “è personale” e non ha la pretesa di indicare quanto oggettivamente di meglio sia uscito in questi anni. Tenuto a mente ciò ecco 5 titoli, giusto per non fare impazzire la scrollbar di chi legge. E lo so che non ho messo Sorpasso, Baby Jane, Antonioni, Kubrick, Frankenheimer e Gregory Peck.
“L’angelo sterminatore” di Bunuel è sorprendente. Questo regista aveva iniziato molto tempo prima, 33 anni, col corto d’avanguardia “Un cane andaluso”, quello della lametta negli occhi per intenderci. La sua fase surrealista è importante però mi intriga meno. Dopo un lungo periodo di titoli passati in secondo piano, negli anni ’50 comincia a girare film tra virgolette più classici. Il Bunuel degli anni ’60 per me è a livelli eccezionali. Nell’angelo sterminatore c’è un ritrovo con molte persone che bevono e conversano e flirtano e si disprezzano a vicenda. Ogni volta che qualcuno prova a andar via cambia idea, o viene bloccato, o succede qualcosa di strano per cui non riesce. All’inizio nessuno ci fa caso, ma col passare delle ore inizia a montare l’ansia perché è chiaro che sono tutti intrappolati, come in una sorta di incantesimo. Man mano scarseggia il cibo, l’acqua, e la volontà cede: non riescono ad andar via, sono in gabbia, intrappolati. Il titolo, e il motivo per cui questo succede ognuno lo deve capire da solo.
“Anna dei miracoli” non ha niente a che vedere con le aureole ma è la storia molto commovente di una ragazza con gravi disabilità e della sua maestra, che sono Patty Duke e Anne Bancroft. Mentre per tutti la ragazza non è che un caso umano da trattare praticamente solo col pietismo, per la Bancroft è un essere umano capace di comprendere e apprendere, che va educato e a cui bisogna dare delle regole per il suo bene. La sfida che ha davanti la Bancroft è tremenda, perché per ottenere pochissimi risultati ci vogliono settimane di lotte. Il film è una grande prova di attrici, entrambe spettacolari. C’è una lunghissima sequenza nella sala da pranzo, quando Patty Duke si rifiuta di mangiare in ordine e la Bancroft si ostina a insegnarle come fare, che ti lascia senza fiato.
“L’uomo senza passato” è un film di un regista francese, Bourguignon, con un protagonista tedesco e cioé Hardy Krueger, e una ragazzina talentuosissima, Patricia Gozzi. Hardy è un veterano, che soffre di amnesia in seguito agli choc subiti in guerra, e vive una vita solitaria e malinconica. Un giorno incontra una ragazzina con la quale stringe un rapporto di amicizia. Lei è sola e ha bisogno di una figura paterna, lui è solo e ha bisogno di sentirsi utile e di voler bene a qualcuno. C’è tanta tenerezza in questo film, e malinconia. Per quanto solo a leggere di un’amicizia tra un veterano e una ragazzina molti subito possono pensare a risvolti poco piacevoli, qui non è mai in discussione l’eventualità che possa succedere qualcosa di male alla ragazzina. Kruger è un gran attore che rifiutò anche una nomination ai Golden Globe ai suoi tempi. La Gozzi a mio parere è tra le migliori baby star di sempre. Al suo attivo solo 6 film nei quali però è sempre formidabile.
“L’odio esplode a Dallas” è un film di Roger Corman con William Shatner prima che finisse sull’Enterprise. Shatner non è mai stato uno di quei attori per cui ci si strappa i capelli, ma è bello vederlo in un ruolo diverso da quello a cui siamo abituati. Questo film è bello perché ti sorprende, siamo dopo tutto in piena fase di integrazione razziale, che nonostante Rosa Parks o MLK era ben lungi dal verificarsi compiutamente. Questo film ti mostra un lato del razzismo violento e intenso con gli occhi dell’epoca, senza voler fare troppe morali o senza intenti puramente educativi. Qui c’è l’odio razziale, le croci che bruciano, le scuole per soli bianchi, l’incitazione alla violenza. È un film avanti per i suoi tempi.
“Il lungo viaggio verso la notte” è un’opera teatrale trasportata al cinema per la gioia di Katharine Hepburn che così poteva avere per le mani pane per i suoi denti. I personaggi sono solo 4, una famiglia che si ritrova e che si rinfaccia le cose, si racconta le cose, si scopre, si allontana e si riavvicina. È uno di quei drammoni familiari in cui quando un personaggio dice qualcosa per ferire gli altri, ti tiri i piedi dall’imbarazzo. Si segue naturalmente volentieri perché i 4 attori sono tutti di primo livello. Oltre alla Hepburn c’è il veterano Ralph Richardson, c’è Jason Robards e c’è Dean Stockwell che era una baby star a fine anni ’40 e che è riuscito ad avere una lunghissima carriera. Nei primi anni ’60 Stockwell sembra quasi il fratello minore di James Dean. Pare che sul set facesse freddissimo per cui Stockwell si aiutava con l’alcool, al che la Hepburn era indignata, ma quando lo venne a sapere gli regalò una coperta.
1963
Sono ben 289 i titoli che ho visto, con 57 a cui ho dato almeno 8. I miei preferiti in assoluto sono 8 e mezzo e gli Uccelli di Hitchcock, ma scrivo 2 righe su altro.
“Blow job” di Andy Warhol è una specie di documentario in cui vediamo il volto di un ragazzo e le espressioni che fa mentre fa sesso. I film di Andy Warhol per me sono veramente dei relitti di altri tempi. Certo negli anni ’60 Warhol era uno degli artisti di prima categoria, ma se parliamo dei suoi film e dei suoi documentari, non dei dipinti allora scusate un attimo. Ne ho visti un sacco e sinceramente non me ne importa niente se faccio la figura di chi non ha gusto o e non ne capisce, ma li trovo orribili, una lotta testa a testa con quelli di John Lennon e Yoko Ono, se è per questo. Mi volevo togliere lo sfizio di dirlo.
“Il servo” di Losey, invece qui si ragiona, c’è Dirk Bogarde che entra a servizio nella casa di una coppia che ha i suoi alti e bassi. “Sì signore, certo signore, come desidera signore”. Col tempo, studiata bene la situazione e i caratteri dei padroni le cose cominciano a cambiare. “Se proprio crede signore, come meglio crede signore, appena riesco signore”. Più la coppia scoppia più Bogarde inizia ad avere la meglio nel suo braccio di ferro psicologico col padrone e i ruoli fatalmente si invertono. Bogarde si mette bello comodo in poltrona, e che sia il padrone a mettergli le pantofole, adesso. Questo personaggio è rimasto come forse il più memorabile dell’attore inglese prima della fase Visconti.
“La ballata del boia” di Berlanga è il film che mi ha fatto dire “ok mi piace Nino Manfredi”. Per me fino a qualche anno fa era solo Mastro Geppetto, non è colpa mia. Invece negli anni ’60 Manfredi incarna l’uomo medio italiano meglio di chiunque altro. Tognazzi era uomo virile e dai grandi appetiti, Gassman era esuberante e pieno di cazzimma, Mastroianni era sensuale e fatalista, invece i ruoli di Manfredi erano quelli di persone che subiscono gli eventi, che subiscono il rapporto di coppia, che devono ingegnarsi per venire a capo delle cose. Era possibile immedesimarsi in Manfredi. In più era dotato di grande talento comico, anche nei ruoli tragici bastavano due espressioni per farti sorridere anche quando gli capitava di tutto, come in questo caso, in cui sposa una giovane il cui padre è un boia e per tradizione tocca al figlio ereditare il mestiere del genitore, quindi da un giorno all’altro Manfredi ora deve svolgere le esecuzioni dei detenuti, anche se non ha il pelo sullo stomaco. Divertente.
“I gigli del campo” è uno dei tanti film degli anni ’60 con Sidney Poitier che si afferma come icona culturale assoluta. Questa storia semplice vede Poitier giungere per caso nei pressi di un piccolo convento. La madre superiora convince Poitier a lavorare per loro, hanno intenzione di ristrutturare un po’, ma Poitier aveva ben altri programmi. Alla superiora non interessa un bel niente dei programmi di Poitier perché se è lì, vuol dire che Dio l’ha voluto lì. Ne vengono fuori tanti dialoghi divertenti, Poitier fa la sua espressione come per dire “che pazienza che ci vuole con questa”, la superiora Lilia Skala è bravissima e in tutto ciò Poitier si affeziona alle suore e trova anche il suo scopo nella vita.
Nella prima metà degli anni ’60 la tv era ormai nelle case di tutti gli italiani, i quali amavano gli sceneggiati, Canzonissima, Mike Bongiorno e il telegiornale. Abbondano i documentari che mostrano i vari aspetti dell’Italia del boom, un Italia ancora molto eterogenea ma per questo tanto interessante da raccontare. Si possono trovare in giro tanti documentari come “Fazzoletti di terra” in cui due contadini si costruiscono le loro terrazze per coltivare sollevando una a una delle grosse pietre a mano. Una vita passata a spezzarsi la schiena. Poi ci sono le interviste sui temi d’attualità ad esempio “In Italia si chiama amore”, e i docu geografici che mostrano le costruzioni di dighe, dei tralicci per la corrente, di sopraelevate e autostrade, che io trovo assolutamente affascinanti. Andavano poi i cosiddetti Mondo film, che erano documentari su temi scabrosi, in genere erotismo e pornografia (tipo “Mondo di notte”, ma affrontavano anche altri temi, per esempio era scioccante “Mondo cane”. Per quanto riguarda gli sceneggiati della prima metà degli anni ’60 vanno citati almeno “La cittadella”, “Il mulino del Po” e “una tragedia americana”.
1964
Il 1964 è un altro anno strabiliante per me. Ho visto 372 titoli tra film, corti, documentari, serie tv. Ho dato 8 o più a 65 di questi. Questo è l’anno della famiglia Addams e di Vita da Strega, è quello in cui parte la serie di Angelica e va di moda Sellers, Ursula Andress, Julie Andrews, Louis de Funes e Gianni Morandi. Bette Davis e Joan Crawford si dedicano al mystery con sfumature horror e diventano famose le sorelle Dorleac: una morirà giovanissima, l’altra ancora oggi è conosciuta in tutto il mondo come Catherine Deneuve. Antonioni gira il suo primo e bellissimo film a colori, Connery è alle prese con Goldfinger prima, con la Lollo e con Hitchcock poi, e la rana in Spagna gracida in campagna. Trionfo per i primi spaghetti western e per Leone, emerge la Sandrelli mentre in declino Doris Day. Classico dei classici per Loren-Mastroianni in “Matrimonio all’Italiana”. Insomma un anno di infinite squisitezze.
“Seven up!” è un’idea molto interessante: si tratta di documentare la vita di alcuni ragazzi a distanza di 7 anni. Il primo documentario esce quindi nel 1964, il secondo poi nel 1970 (14 anni), poi 1977 (21), 1984 (28), 1991 (35), 1998 (42), 2005 (49), 2012 (56) e 2019 (63 up). Con la regia di Apted, attraverso le interviste vediamo cosa è successo nelle vite di queste persone.
“La caccia” di Manoel de Oliveira regista portoghese morto a 106 anni, è un corto in cui due amici decidono appunto di andare a caccia, ma senza fucili, così niente di male può succedere. Quando si dice il caso: uno finisce nelle sabbie mobili, e sta all’altro amico escogitare il modo per salvarlo.
“La donna di sabbia” di Hiroshi Teshigahara è un Thriller nel quale un entomologo va a caccia di insetti in una zona desertica e finisce in una fossa nella quale c’è una capanna con una donna, che trascorre la vita a spalare sabbia, come in un supplizio di Tantalo, ogni santo giorno, per evitare di essere sepolta. L’entomologo è stato intrappolato lì affinché possa contribuire al lavoro della donna e trascorrere con lei il resto della vita. Come un insetto in trappola, l’uomo cerca in tutti i modi di scappare.
“L’uomo del banco dei pegni” è un film di Lumet con Rod Steiger, due garanzie insomma. C’è un ebreo che lavora in un banco dei pegni. Trascorre la sua vita a valutare gli oggetti che gli porta la gente, privato ormai di ogni emozione. Il suo giovane commesso non è niente per lui, i suoi clienti non sono niente per lui. Osserva gli oggetti, li stima al ribasso, ci mette l’etichetta e così passa la giornata. C’è una donna che prova a mostrargli segnali d’affetto: non è niente per lui. Quest’uomo respira, ma non è vivo. Pare che fosse uno dei ruoli preferiti da Steiger, attore dalle scelte molto coraggiose che negli anni ’60 spesso lavora con registi italiani, anche in piccole produzioni. Il film è pieno di sentimenti da scavare in profondità, che esplodono con violenza nella parte finale.
“Zorba il greco” è l’amicizia improbabile tra Anthony Quinn e Alan Bates. Quinn è Zorba, che non ha paura di niente e si butta a capofitto nella vita e nelle esperienze. A lui la gente piace, ci parla, ci ride e ci beve, si fa anche i fatti degli altri ma è generoso se serve, e comunque manda avanti la sua vita. È estroverso al 100% ed è un personaggio interessante interpretato magnificamente da Anthony Quinn, attore dalla lunga carriera. Alan Bates è gentile, preciso, riservato, discreto, riflessivo. Non si lancia, chiede permesso, è un tantino represso ma è un buon amico e una brava persona. Quinn adotta Bates e gli cambia la vita. Finiscono per conoscere una donna sola che è Lila Kedrova, che vive nel passsato. Mostra le gambe, si veste coi pizzi, finge una felicità che non possiede più, si comporta da adolescente. La Kedrova cerca ancora la vita e Quinn la accontenta. Questi personaggi così diversi raccontano una storia interessante. Memorabile la morte della Kedrova, con le vecchie del paese che vanno a saccheggiare la casa. Bates è uno degli attori più sottovalutati degli anni ’60 e ’70.
“Un giorno di terrore” è il titolo italiano di “Lady in a cage”, che forse è meglio, si tratta di Olivia de Havilland, che è una scrittrice che ha avuto un incidente e quindi è costretta temporaneamente alla sedia a rotelle, quindi si muove nella sua bella casa grazie a un ascensore che la porta dal piano delle camere al soggiorno e alla cucina. Il figlio va via per il fine settimana, ma represso dalla madre ha propositi suicidi, ebbene Olivia resta sola in casa. Purtroppo per lei va via la corrente quando l’ascensore è a metà, e così resta sospesa. Salire non può, scendere non può, saltare nemmeno, arrampicarsi non se ne parla. Suona l’allarme, ma nessuno sente. Non esistevano mica gli smartphone, qui si rischia di restare in ascensore molto, molto a lungo. Succede quindi che un ubriacone entra in casa e sotto gli occhi impotenti della de Havilland pensa bene di accumulare un po’ di refurtiva. Non contento, va a chiamare altri suoi amici, più delinquenti e spregevoli che mai. Capitanati da James Caan, questi teppisti metteranno a ferro e fuoco la casa della de Havilland che guarda impotente quello che accade. Bellissimo e dimenticato titolo che vale la pena riscoprire in onore della mega star di recente morta alla bella età di 104 anni.

Final Fantasy VI Novelization 20 & 21

Chapter 20
The dream was always the same. Terra found herself in a familiar place. Behind the control stick of her MagiTek armor. The burning rubble of a bell tower sat ablaze behind her as she continued her attack deeper into the city. Terra did as ordered, opening fire on the city and laying waste to any soldiers dumb enough to attack her. She would quickly dispatch them with her Ifrit Canon. As she stomped through the city streets, the buildings burned and crumbled all around her. She was surrounded by death and chaos as she laid waste to the city. Terra watched in horror as the destruction burned all around her.
But then the dream changed as the world slowly faded into darkness. Terra looked down and could no longer see her armor. She stood there. Alone in the void.
“Terra…” The voice whispered.
The gentle voice returned. That familiar beacon in an otherwise unfamiliar world. Terra tried to remember where she heard the voice. As if it were an itch in the back of her mind, an itch that was near impossible to scratch.
“Who are you?!” Terra screamed.
“Listen well, and think clearly.” The voice replied in the distance, and then it was gone. Terra ran in the direction of the voice. Her feet were moving fast. She needed answers, the voice had them. But she noticed that no matter how fast she moved, she gained no ground. The darkness faded quickly as Locke shook her awake.
“Alright, pal. Up and at, em’.” He said with his grin. “We got a long hike ahead of us, so eat something, and let’s get going.”
The mood was different for Terra as they journeyed South. She found herself finally being able to relax a bit as Locke and Edgar let their guard down. Though they received no escort, word traveled to the scouts. Patrols were roaming the lands and protecting the king as he traveled on foot with his companions. Her worries melted away as she found herself marveling at the beautiful sights.
Figaro was truly a bountiful land. Though her castle stood in the great desert, her countryside was not nearly as unforgiving. The weather was pleasant. The gentle sunlight beamed down on the grassy fields. The sun warmed Terra’s bones and calmed her spirit. Figaro’s snow-capped mountains looked picturesque, like from an oil painting. Not like those dreadful, sharp peaks of Narshe. Even the rains were gentle, warm and sweet. She made it a point to listen carefully to the world around her. The chirping of birds, the winds moving through the grassy fields, even her own breathing. They brought some peace to her frantic mind.
Edgar was leading the party to a remote hunting cabin that King Edwin had insisted on building for his queen, though she seldom used it. Edgar’s mother believed that sleeping outside and tempering the body to the elements was the only way a king should live. “It toughens up the blood” She would insist. Edgar would always secretly wish for a hot meal and a soft feather bed, and although he was too proud to admit it, his dad was the same way during a hunt.
Edgar caught himself chuckling quietly as he looked back on better times. The Knuckleheads were making chaos, causing a ruckus and making the castle their playground. The King was wise and good. The Queen, loving and strong-willed. “But those days are long gone,” he thought. He looked away as the smallest bit of sadness washed past his eyes.
The sadness was short lived when the sight made them stop dead in their tracks. They looked to the sky to see a massive ship sailing across the heavens. Her wooden hull soared above as countless propellers briskly spun. The ship was flying west towards the sea. Terra’s jaw dropped at the sight. Locke looked on begrudgingly while the king looked on with wonder.
“What is that?” Terra finally asked.
“That is The Blackjack, the flying casino.” Edgar said. “She’s one hell of a machine. The only one of her kind.”
“Yeah, but the Captain is a real piece of work.” Locke said before spitting on the ground.
“What do you mean?” Terra couldn’t keep her eyes off the ship.
“He gallivants around the world, living the high life.” Edgar explained. “He spends his days wandering, wooing women, and hosting high stakes poker games.” Edgar looked sullen. “I tried to buy into his last game and he said that I wasn’t rich enough for his blood.”
“But you’re a king!” Terra exclaimed.
“Indeed. That is what I told him.” He said with a sad look in his eyes. “But he assured me I couldn’t afford his price.”
“Yeah.” Locke agreed. “We’d never have a chance in hell of getting on board that thing.”
“What I wouldn’t give to get on board that ship.” Edgar said longingly. “I’d love to find out what makes her tick.”
“I wonder what the world looks like from up there.” Terra said hopefully.
They stood in silence as a warm breeze blew in their direction, as if to beckon them on.
Chapter 21
“Are you going to play or are you going to fold?” Commissioner Allyn asked as The Captain swirled his fine crystal wineglass. “You’re wasting my time, and my time is not yours to waste”. Setzer loved playing against The Commissioner. The Nikeah Trade Union always had plenty of money to burn, and its leader knew how to light a fire. Setzer quietly looked at his cards and placed them on the table as he took a long drink as he pondered his next move.
The Commissioner was on a hot streak. They had been playing for the better part of 12 hours and he was getting nothing but aces and kings. The Captain, on the other hand, was getting rags. Setzer Gabbiani hadn’t had a good hand all night as he quietly looked at his chip stack. He was short. In one bad hand, he could lose everything, even his fine doublet, quite possibly. The very thought excited him. Setzer looked at Allyn and gave him a cool smile.
“Impatient, aren’t we?” Setzer teased. “I didn’t know you were in such a hurry to leave my establishment.”
“I’m in a hurry to buy your vessel.” Allyn shot back. “I’m in a hurry to get this thing back to Nikeah.”
“That would be most unfortunate for me.” The captain responded before taking a sip of wine. “So tell me, how exactly are you going to take my wings from me?”
“You saw the bet. Five million gold pieces. From the looks of your stack, I’d say you have a couple of thousand at best.” He pointed out before taking a drag from his cigar. “Now, unless you just so happen to have 5 million, you’ll need to put something up. Now I’m sure that all of the luxurious finery you surround yourself isn’t worth that kind of money. But, I bet this ship is.”
“I wouldn’t take that bet.” Setzer said with a smirk. “She’s worth a lot more than that.”
“Not to me.” He snapped. “Five million is the bet. Your time’s up. Make a decision, what are you going to do?”
Setzer sat up from his seat and revealed the inside of his doublet. Just inside the coat pocket sat three bar room darts made of solid gold. He pulled one out and studied it. He played with the dart for a moment as he pondered. He looked to a dart board hanging on the wall to his right, then back to Commissioner Allyn. The look of tension on his face was almost comical to Setzer. Allyn may have been a man of leisure, but he couldn’t relax worth a damn.
“Well, I suppose I’ll let fate decide.” Setzer’s violet eyes met with the Commissioner's as he stared him down. In a quick flash, without aiming, he threw the dart at the board and it landed with a satisfying thud. A smile grew on his face as he kept glaring at Allyn. After what seemed like an eternity. Setzer looked over to see the dart sitting dead center in the double bullseye.
“Well, there you have it.” He said with certainty. “Looks like I’ll call you.”
Commissioner Allyn laughed heartily. “You are out of your mind, Setzer!”
Setzer shrugged. “Well, there is no point to living life if you’re not willing to gamble with it. Now, are you going to show me your cards, or should I just take your money now?”
The commissioner showed his cards. “Full house.” He said with a satisfied smile. “Jacks and Nines.” He chomped down on his cigar and looked at Setzer’s face. It showed him absolutely nothing.
Setzer sighed. “I am afraid I only have two pair.” He flipped over his cards. “Pair of deuces with another pair of deuces.”
The Commissioner's smile disappeared as the rage took over. His face turning beet red as he violently stood up. “You dirty little cheat!” he accused.
“Come now, my friend.” Setzer said as he leaned back comfortably in his seat. “You know I would never stoop to such low standards just to win a card game. Lady luck merely flashed me her grin, nothing more. Now, I am more than happy to give you a chance to win back your money if you desire.”
“Win back? No. I’m taking it back, alongside your ship, as payment for your cheating!”
“Sir, I have tolerated your blustering for the better part of 12 hours,” Stezter stated firmly, “I have taken it in stride as this has been a friendly game up to this point. However, if you continue to make such disgraceful accusations, will deal with you in an equally disgraceful manner.”
“I’d like to see you try, you son of a-”
Setzer picked up the 2 of diamonds and threw it at the Commissioner. Allyn laughed at the thought of being attacked with a playing card. Then he felt the side of his head start to sting. Then it started to bleed. Then it started to hurt. Allyn groaned in pain as he put pressure on the bleeding wound across his head. Setzer got up and walked over to him.
“Well, I believe that is enough excitement for one evening, wouldn’t you agree?” He said casually.
“You’re a dead man, Setzer Gabbiani. Mark my words.” The Commissioner Threatened.
“No, you mark mine.” He retorted. “I was able to disable you with the 2 of diamonds. That was one card. Now I’d like you to take a moment and imagine what I could do with the remaining 51.” That was exactly what The Commissioner did. He looked at his hand, he was bleeding more than he thought. The thought of what could happen turned his stomach. And that is when he noticed the friendly and playful demeanor of the gentleman gambler had disappeared, a cold and merciless look had taken over.
“However, I am more than willing to overlook this misunderstanding. After all, what’s a mistake between friends?” Setzer offered as he extended his hand. “All I expect is an apology.”
The Commissioner took his hand quickly and stood up. “Of course, I apologize. What I said was out of line. You played a fine hand, Captain”
“Think nothing of it.” Setzer said as he painfully tightened his grip on The Commissioner's hand. “Now, if you ever forget your manners in my establishment again, I promise you will spend the last moments of your life trying to fly. Have I made myself clear, Commissioner?”
“Yes. Perfectly clear, Captain.” Allyn responded immediately.
Setzer’s playful smile returned as he led the Commissioner out of the poker room. “Marvelous!” He exclaimed. “Let us retire to the lounge for a refreshment as I ferry you home. Are you still a rum drinker?” Setzer asked.
“I am.” Allyn replied humbled.
“Excellent. Shall I set a course for Nikeah?”
“That would be fine. Thank you, Captain.” Allyn said.
Setzer went above deck to the ship’s wheel. A crescent moon was shining in the night sky above the clouds as he steered his ship east towards Nikeah. He smiled as he felt the wind breeze through his long, silver hair. Setzer knew exactly what he was going to do to celebrate.
First stop: Jidoor for the appetizer.
It had been a long day and he needed a proper meal. Then a hot bath with a thinly rolled cigar. And to end the evening with a gorgeous woman and a good night’s sleep in his suite at the Silver Lantern Inn. Then after a glorious breakfast, off to his tailor’s to get fitted for a new doublet and maybe a new suit.
Second Stop: The Opera House for an evening of refined culture. It was opening night and Setzer was looking forward to the show. Aria de Mezzo Carattere was always one of his favorites. And a blonde goddess had been chosen for the part of Maria. Rumors of her beauty had traveled far and wide. He had to see if the rumors did her justice. He made a mental note to drop by the Jewlers in the banker’s district to pick out a diamond ring.
Setzer found himself in the mood for romance.

Writer's note: Yeah...been a while...
There really isn't much of an interesting story about why it's been almost half a year since my last post. Sufficed to say, life happened. Well...that and a move to the opposite side of the country. I have been working on the story on and off for a little bit, but nothing ever major. Because I got hit with a horrible case of burnout.
Then I started listening to Nobuo Uematsu's "Awakening" and the spark came back for a little bit. I wanted to switch things up as Setzer is one of my favorite characters in the game. I always had an interesting view on his character and I hope to explore that more now that I've gotten off of my butt and started to do some work once again.
But if I'm going to do that, I REALLY need to pace myself. So I'm hoping to do 2 to 3 chapters a month, hopefully more. I sincerely apologize for the delays. I really want to keep working on this. Thanks to all of you who were reading this since the beginning. I'm hoping to keep working with this story as time goes on, so thanks for sticking with it!

All Out Match Rankings (Finale)

A few days ago I rated every match confirmed on the All Out card based on expectations I had, and now that we are on the road to Full Gear it is time to reveal my thoughts on the matches and the whole event in general.

JOHN MOXLEY def MJF

This match was great match and main event quality. John Moxley proved he can wrestle good, without brawling on the outside, which they did a little bit but not to much. As for MJF he looked like a star, and will probably be the top guy in the next few years. I was also glad that the campaign storyline shit was dropped so they both could have a serious match. Anyway the finish was a little controversial so I say this won't be the last match we see from these two.

HIKARU SHIDA def THUNDER ROSA

This was another great match with both competitors looking great. Thunder Rosa had Shida showed some great technical wrestling mixed in with some very stiff attacks as well. Also this was the first time where I thought the women's title match was an important deal. It was also a good that they got the crowd back in the program after the previous match, and also proving that women wrestling can be as good, if not better than men's. In short this is a great move for the women's division going forward, and I'm looking forward to who Shidas next opponent will be.

FTR def PAGE-OMEGA

Again this was another great match. This was a much slower and more traditional tag match so that was nice seeing. FTR looked mean and dominant heels and seeing them being champions should be a nice change. They also told a nice story throughout. The part at the end was also decent because Kenny didn't go full heel, so it would be nice to see what will happen with Hangman and Page since their tag team reign is over.

YOUNG BUCKS def JURASSIC EXPRESS

At first the way the match was made, I thought it was going to be one of the lower ranked matches, but turns out this match was actually pretty good. It was nice to see the young bucks having a more serious match, and sort of acting like heels. And Luchasaurus and Jungle boy did some nice things as well, especially Jungle Boy. It was actually nice seeing Jungle Boy competing with the Bucks at the end, and although he didn't win he was positioned to be a star in the future.

LANCE ARCHER wins the CASINO BATTLE ROYALE

This was a fun match to watch. It was nice seeing Will Hobbs compete since I think he is arguably the best enhancement talent that AEW has presented he also looked great and got an elimination so it is possible that he will get signed, if he hasn't been already. I thought he also looked really professional when he covered Matt Sydal after his embarrassing botch. Speaking of Sydal he shouldn't be judged because of that and I think he is a talented wrestler, and I hope he recovers from it. Besides the surprises it was nice seeing Lance Archer winning and I will wonder how his feud with Moxley will go. It was also nice seeing some of the storylines being continued during this (ie best friends vs PnP, Darby vs Starks, ect.) Overall this was a fun match

NIGHTMARE FAMILY def DARK ORDER

The match was good and the story telling was great as well. Some people would of gotten upset with the Dark Order not winning, but I thought the ending was good because it showed that Colt wanted to earn a victory instead of it being handed to him. Although this match was good I think the TNT belt should have been defended instead. But besides that it was a good match.

ORANGE CASSIDY def CHRIS JERICHO

Orange Cassidy finally beat Chris Jericho 2-1 so it is safe to assume that this rivalry is over. This wasn't as good as the first match but it was better than the second so in short this match was okay. As I said last time the point of this rivalry was to make Orange Cassidy look like a star, and not just "the guy who puts his hands in his pockets" and believe it or not he didn't put his hands in his pockets once during this match so that's good, and I hope his character gets a little more serious moving forward. As for Jericho, at this point in his career he is being used right by putting more younger wrestlers over.

BIG SWOLE def BRITT BAKER

At best this match was okay, but it shouldn't have been the opener. Originally this match was meant to be on the pre show, but because people got upset, Tony Khan decided to move it on the main card. I'm not going to lie I was one of those people that were originally upset, but after this match, I can see why it was originally on the pre show. The match started out serious and dark with creepy things about the dentist office, then it became silly and goofy. Not to mention the fact that some of moves didn't look impactful whatsoever. There were some nice moments but it showed that the women's division still needs work. If you were however wanting this match on the card don't use it as the opener.

PRIVATE PARTY def SILVER and REYNOLDS

This was a pre show match so this was basically an appetizer before the main course. Silver and Reynolds looked great and I personally believe are underrated, and this match proved that they were more than just comedy acts. Private Party also looked good and I believe they have a bright future in AEW. I would of liked it if Silver and Reynolds picked up a win against Private Party since the Dark Order was going to lose later, but besides that the match was good.

JOEY JANELA def SERPENTICO

Serpentico is another enhancement guy that has impressed people, and since he and Luther have an official tag team name and is competing on a main event, it's safe to assume that he is signed. Anyway Joey Janela has had an interesting story in AEW from being a premier mid carder to now being a jobber, but tbh I wasn't really impressed with him anyway and shouldn't be a top guy in the company. Anyway this match was good for what it was, but I just liked the second match more.

NOT RANKED. MATT HARDY def SAMMY GUEVARA

I'm not going to rank this match because I believe it would be disrespectful towards Matt Hardy. Anyway what can I say about the incident that others hasn't. I respect Matt Hardy toughing through the injury and finishing the match, but I think the match should of gotten cancelled due to injury. I'm not going to blame any of the competitors for this since stuff just happens sometimes but I think the spot shouldn't have been planned. Matt Hardy should be in the same boat as Jericho which is getting guys over. He is older now so he shouldn't be taking serious bumps since he has already proven hes a great vetran, that's also not including the fact that he also has a family. In short the accident was unfortunate, and thankfully Matt didn't get hurt seriously. Anyway I believe AEW will take better precautions about some spots and have safter protocols in the future.

FINAL THOUGHTS
This pay per view was mostly affected due to the Sammy and Matt Match, but there were more problems besides that. The first one is a minor one but I think that the TNT title should of been defended, it is a title that is still new and needs some prestige, and I think excluding it from the card doesn't help it's case. Secondly even though Shida and Rosa had a great match, the women's division still has work to do. But I think the problem will get better when women like Ivelisse, Diamante, and Tay Conti get signed that will help, also I have seen improvement in their wrestling abilities and have seen better feuds forming (for example Anna Jay vs Brandi seems interesting.) I guess it will just take more time, and to note it wouldn't hurt hiring Serena Deeb since she has experience as a trainer. Finally there were just some botches that killed the momentum like the Syndal botch and Matt incident, and it's just unfortunate that those events happened. But besides those criticisms I found most of the matches to be really fun and enjoyable, and the Titles matches lived up to the hype around them. This was AEW weakest ppv, but it doesn't mean it was bad. Hopefully this is a learning experience for AEW and I think they will learn from mistakes they made, and full gear will deliver a much stronger show.
Rating: 7/10

The Forum After Party at The Century Bar and Grill at Hollywood Park Casino- October 11, 2019 Directly following the show. All are invited!!! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Details and sign up in thread!!!

HiHey EVERYONE!!!
While I AM STILL trying to work out some last minute details- Busses to the casino are STILL a possibility I am working on, with emails being traded as recently as yesterday I am happy to announce the FINAL details for the after party!
The after party will be held at The Century Bar and Grill at The Hollywood Park Casino.
The Century Bar holds 200+. If in the event of more people, we can spill over into other areas, and their lounge, Raise is adjacent to the Century. We can also enjoy any of the games and tables the casino provides should we chose to do so. (If anyone does, may The Fox God be with you for luck!)
Details-
Flyer for the event
Time and Place- The Hollywood Park Casino, 3883 W Century Blvd, Inglewood California
Directly after The Forum Show.
Venue Website and Phone Number-
Website- http://www.playhpc.com/dining
(Includes a "virtual tour' of the location)
Phone number- 310-330-2800
Food and Drink menu-
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10GG3wdmMnRS2vVd56z791yDz1nqPDfaB/view?usp=drivesdk
Drink and Food Specials - 11:30pm to 1 am Late Night Happy Hour:
$2 off draft beer or glass wine
$2 off all appetizers
$1 off all well cocktails
Directions-
Using Google Maps-
https://www.google.com/maps/diThe+Forum,+West+Manchester+Boulevard,+Inglewood,+CA/Hollywood+Park+Casino,+3883+W+Century+Blvd,+Inglewood,+CA+90303/@33.9518124,-118.340854,13z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m2!1m1!1s0x80c2b6545d4575cb:0xb1eeeaa0c8fa6906!1m2!1m1!1s0x80c2b65c71b04745:0x927abaf881cacd88!3e0
NOTE- Safety has been a concern regarding the area surrounding the Forum. It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that everyone take some type of Uber, Lyft, or cab to the after party, and ride sharing is encouraged!
Event Info- The Century Bar and Grill is an American Eatery, with standard fare at seemingly reasonable prices located just as you enter the casino. It comfortably holds 200, and we can spill over into the adjacent lounge if needed. It offers a late night happy hour. They are expecting us, will be playing a rock music program, and it should be a great place to gather after the show!
Facebook event page- please check in if interested or attending!:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1782820115358437/?ti=cl
After Party Sign in sheet-
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1M41nktmeAbi_NdtxrGHYJcUk1LJ_FdiFAECKH2budKQ/edit?usp=drivesdk
For the love of the Fox God, if you plan on attending, please sign up so that I may give a proper head count-estimate to the venue!
Now, for some sad news (for me)-
Due to work issues, and some real life stuff, I am SADLY unable to make it to the Forum or this party. So, I am going to rely on some of you to help ensure of its success. With that being said, I need some volunteers for the last minute work-
Volunteers needed!!
Day of the show- I need as MANY folks possible to hand out some flyers, and let everyone know about the party.
Handing out Flyers- If you can print out some flyers, and hand them out on line prior to the show, it would be a great help! You can use the above full color, or this black and white version . HTWingnut has also pit together this business-card sized template , which may be easier for some people. HT Wingnut also suggested printing a few full size color flyers, and (politely and neatly) posting them up around the venue as posters for the event. There are MULTIPLE entrances, so every little bit helps!
The Wonderful Journey Pops- Kmudametal will be escorting the Wonderful Journey Pops to The Forum!!! This will be their THIRD appearance at a concert or after party, with the first two being Legend S in 2017 and Innsbruck in 2018. Our idea was to set the Pops up at a table, take photos of them with the fans, and "LIVE TWEET" them at the party throughout the event. Kmuda can't do this alone, so if anyone can help him out, that would be very welcomed. Must have a working phone with camera and a Twitter account, and work closely with Kmuda regarding this. Safety of the Pops is also a concern, so known members or participants of the journey are encouraged. For anyone not familiar with The Wonderful Journey, or the Pops-
http://www.babymetalwj.com/
Check out BM Wonderful Journey (@BM_W_Journey): https://twitter.com/BM_W_Journey?s=09
Video slideshow- There is a possibility of accessing video for a slideshow throughout the event. All that would be necessary is someone to put something together on USB, (hopefully on a loop?) and run it. You would have to meet with staff on site at the party, give them the USB, and get it set up through them. If interested, let me know below, and I can DM you with info as soon as Jessica (events at the casino) gets back to me regarding this.
Liason with staff, assist with party-
If a couple people just check in with staff as we arrive, make sure all is set, and most importantly, HELP EVERYONE gather together, it is VERY useful. Believe me, I did this for The big party in Hollywood in 2017, and organizing this crew is like corraling cats, but it helps everyone find each other, and is a GREAT way to meet everyone!
MOST IMPORTANTLY- HELP SPREAD THE WORD!!-
Involved in other fan groups? Let them know!
Have a twitter and in touch with other fans? Tweet the party and flyer!
On Facebook? Share the event!!!
I've been posting about the event throughout the planning stages, but welcome everyone to join in- the MORE KITSUNES, THE MERRIER!!!
If you are attremding, please respond and say hi bellow.
If you can or want to volunteer, let me know in the comments-
And most importantly... HAVE FUN EVERYONE!!!
SEE YOU!!!
-BRIAN

JUST GOT OFF the NCL Bliss - My personal impressions (long)

Of course, the first disclaimer is “we all have different interests and likes.” We were excited to sail aboard The Bliss based on many good reviews. I was a little hesitant because of the size and number of passengers. We just returned from the 7 day Mexican Riviera cruise. Weather was meltingly hot and humid in Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. Cabo was quainter than we expected.
The good stuff - and it’s almost all good! Large ship, very clean and easy to get around (walking) and navigate. Beautiful art. Fantastic chandelier at Ocean Place atrium! Nicely appointed.
We had a balcony room, which was just fine. The closet is facing the sofa and it was quite awkward to access the hangers. I mean, there was 6” between sofa and closet door. Haha, we moved the bed down just a bit so we could squeeze in. There was room for summer stuff, but it might be tight to stow jackets and heavier clothing if you went to Alaska.
The bathroom was great. The glass enclosed shower was really a nice touch. There was also a little coffee maker in the room, which we used often. We had a mid ship location, slightly forward, and it was not far from elevators except.... (see cons).
We did not partake of any. speciality dining. The Local is open 24/7, and great for light meals. The Korean chicken wings were fabulous. The service was very nice. You could sit “outside” the restaurant, around the atrium, watching things happen, and they would bring you your food.
Taste and Savor main restaurants were very good with very good service. We usually booked a reservation to avoid any wait. After all, there are a LOT of people on this ship. It wasn’t five star dining (i.e., when the waiters come to your table and lift off all the domes covering your food at once, etc.), but we liked it. The appetizers are small, so don’t hesitate to order more than one.
The Manhattan room is larger and a bit noisy. We had the misfortune to go on a busy night with not many table choices. We were sat next to a table of 12 kids (parents were at different table). They were not bad kids...but they were kids, talking and doing all the stuff we all do. I mean, any party of 12 might be a little crazy. However, it took any quiet elegance away from the experience.
The Garden Cafe is their buffet and breakfast is insanely crowded. We loved the Indian food, the soft serve ice cream, the omelette station. Really, things were quite edible. There is free Iced tea, coffee, lemonade and water.
Gem of the ship: The Observation Lounge. This is truly an island of tranquility amidst a lot of action. It’s a large area, with great lounge chairs, views, and ambience. The PErFECT quiet space. Also, Suzanne Jade is wonderful at the Piano!!
The Bliss theater is huge. Get there at least 15 minutes early to obtain a good seat. You need reservations for “Jersey Boys” so do that prior to departing if you can. They also had a production called “Six” which was lots of fun~! They say it will be going to Broadway in the future.
Casino: pretty large with a LOT of slots. Most table games were 10.00 minimum, which meant we weren’t gambling.
If you like pools and slides, you have come to the right place. The kids (of all ages) loved it. There is also “Spice H20” club which is more adult, if you don’t want quite so much frenetic action. The crowd tends to be younger and livelier than on other cruise ships. However, it wasn’t “spring break” antics! Just happy people. Most were super polite and we had some good laughs - especially about the elevator waits.
The hot tubs were plentiful even on busy days. Surprise!
The Gym/fitness had plenty of treadmills but not much more in the way of exercise activities. I think one cardio class that was maybe held there. I do my own thing, but if you are looking for a lot of organized classes, forget it. Bring your own water to center or sip from the fountain. I didn’t try the Thermal Suite, which is a big upcharge. Based on the crowds everywhere else, I’m glad i didn’t. I have a feeling every lounge chair would be booked. That’s not tranquility to me. (Save that for the Haven Lounge, which i’m such is quite refined).
“The Waterfront” was nice to walk around during the day. It wasn’t crowded at all, so we sat there, looking out on the ocean, on one of the days at sea. Peace!
We found the staff to be friendly and accommodating. Our room steward, Roel, was so sweet. We aren’t demanding, but he learned our schedule so when we went out, our room was quickly made up. Thank you, Roel!
Take ten steps in just about any direction in a public area and you will find a very nice bar. I had two drinks on the vacation. They were each 13.30 with the tax and auto tip. A lot of people purchase the unlimited drink package. Keep in mind, even if it is a “free at sea” perk, the gratuities and tips are NOT, and they add up to at least 200.00 dollars - maybe more. - and everyone in your room has to purchase it.
I liked that the smoking area in the Casino was closed off with glass doors.
If you like to be casual, you will LOVE this cruise. There really is no real dress code. People wore shorts and flip flops everywhere except, i believe, in the uber fancy ocean blue restaurant.
The “Cons” I’m going to start with the very worst thing that happened on the ship. The debarkation. I know, it’s always a drag, but this one was a REAL drag. People left their rooms and hung in the stairs well before it was their turn, creating a nightmarish traffic jam everywhere. There were ZERO elevators to take. We survived, but pity anyone who is even slightly handicapped. We literally stood in a roped off line that wended all through the ship, two persons wide: through the casino, restaurants, down the hall, make a turn, etc etc. etc. It took us over 1 3/4 HOURS to debark, and we were carrying our OWN luggage. Customs was a bit slow, but NOTHING compared to (what i felt) the haphazard and thoughtless way to make guests feel like cattle as they departed their vacation. Standing for THAT long, without able to use the restroom, get something to drink, even sit for a second - the absolute PITS.
The obvious solution is to pay through the nose and book “The Haven” where there is preferred treatment. We couldn’t afford that, but, really, that’s the thing to do on this ship.
Disorganized entertainment listings: Using the NCL app, it said that “The Beatles” at the cavern was SOLD OUT. Not “first come, first served” - which is how it really is!!! We finally caught on, but it was very misleading and even the box office wasn’t clear. She said, “oh it’s sold out but you have a waiting line.” No, it’s first come, first served, and maybe a waiting line for people who don’t get in. I have a feeling this also applied to the Social Comedy club and that we missed out, thinking that it WAS sold out.
We didn’t find that many activities to do that we liked. That is just personal. Also, many featured things like “Deal or No Deal” have to be bought into, in order to even get a chance to play. It seemed that we were being nickel and dimed all the time. Some folks would say, “Well, i just pay for what i want and don’t overpay.,” Well said, but i like a more inclusive experience, I think.
Excursions: Glad we didn’t do any based on the crazy crowds that lined up. However, we walked to the marina in Cabo San Lucas, and you can easily grab a little boat trip out to Land’s End for 10.00 - that’s right, 10 bucks - per person. It was really fun and lasted about 45 minutes.
TV selection. I guess this is a cruise ship problem. There were few things to watch on TV. We like to chill in our stateroom in the afternoons, so it would have been nice to grab a movie or series. We saw one only (A STar is born).
Crowds crowds crowds. This wasn’t just our observation. The place can be a madhouse after the end of any show. People crowd the elevator areas and it’s very difficult to get a lift during some hours. VERY difficult. During the “next” cruise presentation, NCL said that except for one ship, future ships were going to be a tad smaller. I wouldn’t rule out a smaller NCL ship.
I didn’t like that they were always pushing the sale of some lotto ticket and chance to win money for the cruise. Like, before just about every show or presentation.
Shopping: o.k. Not as many high end watches (if ya care) or other souvenirs. I’ve seen more on smaller ships. Just saying...
Rooms: our end tables were 6” wide - that’s right, SIX INCHES - and everything kept on falling off. There were nice USB ports on the lamps. I didn’t find myself sitting on the balcony, BUT it was very fun to have when arriving or leaving port, or to grab a wonderful sunset.
In conclusion, this was a very fun cruise for us, and we enjoyed the entertainment, but didn’t find that many other activities to draw us in. (The game shows were held in the very active, noisy Atrium, so they weren’t as engaging as they would have been if held in a smaller club or bar).
All in all, I enjoyed my cruise on the Bliss. I don’t think i would sail her again because the crowd size and constant “pay for this” mentality that left me feeling a little disenchanted. It’s partly our fault, because we aren’t into go-carts and laser tag, which many adored. I think we prefer more of a classic shipboard atmosphere. It was GREAT that it wasn’t stuffy, but sometimes we missed certain traditional things.
Also, the disembarkation was really really awful. They need to spread it out or find ways to manage the hoards better. People totally lost their civility, getting in line 1 hour before their “color” was even called. They packed the elevators and stairwells, preventing an organized exit. This made things almost dangerously crowded and difficult. Then again, pay for the upscale “Haven” and i bet it was an entirely different animal. But one still might venture out into the huddled masses (which is how I felt) and then, ugh, very crowded. They need to explain how the smaller clubs work on the ship (first come, first served) and not say “This is sold out” on the activities app. That was really annoying! I loved ditching the “formal nights” and that nonsense. I like “freestyle dining” although it is still wise to book a table if you also have other evening plans. If you can afford it, “The Haven” is the way to go. It will give you a respite from the crowds as well as a lot of priority perks (including disembarkation). I personally would book a smaller, more upscale ship if i were going to spend that money, BUT if I had teens and pre-teens, might consider this ship because of the water features, laser tag, and track.
This is especially good for young adults and families, as there are singles cabins and plenty of music venues as well as that super water park and scary slides!

Supporting Our Community During Our School Closure

Things to Do This Week in Phoenix (April 29 - May 05)

Week of: April 29 - May 05
This is a weekly thread of some of the goings-on in and around the Phoenix metro area. Feel free to subscribe to our public Google Calendar of meetups and events as well.
This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list. Such a list would be large and unwieldy. If there is an event that you don't see posted here, please add a comment below. In the comment, include the event, date, time, cost (if any), and location. A brief description would also be dandy. Please upvote people who share good/interesting events, even if it may not be something you will attend.
Don't see anything of interest? Click on any one of the dates to be taken to a comprehensive listing of events for that day over at the Phoenix New Times' web site.
If you organize or know of a meet-up that you'd like to promote, please PM the mods and we'll look into getting it added to the calendar. We'll post these events up to six weeks out. At that point, we ask that you ping us again. This just helps to ensure that the events stay fresh and no defunct events appear on the calendar.
With that said, the moderators of Phoenix (including but not limited to their families, friends (ha!), pets, and possessions) are not responsible for errors in these listings. Please take the time to verify the date, time, location, and cost of an event before you head out.
Monday April 29

🎥 Film
- Grave of the Fireflies (Subtitled) @Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Tempe, Tempe 7:00PM ($7.00)
🎵 Music
- Story of the Year, Dead Rabbits, Ella Kaye @The Van Buren, Phoenix 8:00PM ($25.00)
- Thor @The Rebel Lounge, Phoenix 8:00PM ($18.00 - $20.00)

Tuesday April 30

🎤 Comedy
- Zack Lyman Live @The Rebel Lounge, Phoenix 8:00PM ($10.00)
🎥 Film
- Porco Rosso (Subtitled) @Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Tempe, Tempe 7:00PM ($7.00)
🎵 Music
- An Evening with Jon Anderson @The Van Buren, Phoenix 7:30PM ($35.00 - $125.00)
- Anomalie Live: Métropole Tour @Valley Bar, Phoenix 8:00PM ($13.00 - $65.00)
- Omar Apollo @Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix 8:00PM ($15.00 - $18.00)
- Passion Pit: Manners 10th Anniversary Tour @Marquee Theatre, Tempe 8:00PM ($35.00+)
🎭 Theater
- Wicked @Gammage Auditorium, Tempe 7:30PM ($39.00+)

Wednesday May 01

🎵 Music
- Sawyer Fredericks @Valley Bar, Phoenix 8:00PM ($20.00 - $23.00)
- Shallou & Slow Magic: Into the Wild Tour @Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix 8:00PM ($18.00 - $22.00)
- The Midnight, Violet Days @The Van Buren, Phoenix 8:00PM ($20.00 - $23.00)
- Yngwie Malmsteen @Marquee Theatre, Tempe 8:00PM ($30.00+)
🎭 Theater
- Wicked @Gammage Auditorium, Tempe 7:30PM ($39.00+)

Thursday May 02

📖 Books/Reading
- GET LIT: Talk Writing in the Reading Room with Four Chambers Press @Valley Bar, Phoenix 7:00PM
🎤 Comedy
- Orny Adams @Stand Up Live, Phoenix 8:00PM ($22.00)
🎵 Music
- Robin Trower @Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix 7:30PM ($35.00+)
- Slayer @Ak-Chin Pavilion, Phoenix 6:00PM ($29.50+)
- TECH N9NE's Up It Goes Tour 2019 @Marquee Theatre, Tempe 7:30PM ($40.00+)
- The Faint @Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix 8:00PM ($25.00 - $38.00)
🎭 Theater
- Wicked @Gammage Auditorium, Tempe 7:30PM ($39.00+)

Friday May 03

🎨 Art
- First Friday Art Walk @Downtown Phoenix, Phoenix 6:00PM
🎤 Comedy
- Hal Sparks @Stand Up Live, Phoenix 10:00PM ($22.00)
- Nate Bargatze @Tempe Improv, Tempe 7:30PM, 10:00PM ($27.00+)
- Orny Adams @Stand Up Live, Phoenix 7:30PM ($25.00)
- Vir Das @CB Live, Phoenix 7:30PM ($25.00)
🎵 Music
- Beach Fossils w/George Clanton @Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix 8:00PM ($25.00 - $40.00)
- Celtic Woman @Orpheum Theatre Phoenix, Phoenix 7:30PM ($45.00+)
- Lee Ann Womack @Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix 7:30PM ($48.50–$53.50)
- Mariachi Vargas @Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix 8:30PM ($30.00+)
- NCT 127 World Tour Neo City: Phoenix - The Origin @Comerica Theatre, Phoenix 8:00PM ($72.00+)
- The Motels with Bow Wow Wow and The Untouchables @BLK Live, Scottsdale 8:00PM ($23.00+)
🎭 Theater
- Wicked @Gammage Auditorium, Tempe 7:30PM ($39.00+)

Saturday May 04

🚘 Cars
- Viva Vee Quiva Car Show @Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino, 9:00AM
🎤 Comedy
- David Sedaris @Orpheum Theatre Phoenix, Phoenix 8:00PM ($29.00+)
- Hal Sparks @Stand Up Live, Phoenix 9:30PM ($22.00)
- Orny Adams @Stand Up Live, Phoenix 7:00PM ($25.00)
- Vir Das @Tempe Improv, Tempe 7:00PM, 9:30PM ($25.00)
🎡 Fairs and Festivals
- 2019 African Festival @North High School, Phoenix 10:00AM
🎵 Music
- Broncho @Valley Bar, Phoenix 7:30PM ($15.00 - $18.00)
- Slander, Wavedash @The Van Buren, Phoenix 9:00PM ($32.00 - $40.00)
🎭 Theater
- Wicked @Gammage Auditorium, Tempe 2:00PM, 7:30PM ($39.00+)

Sunday May 05

🎤 Comedy
- Cinco de Mayo Starring Jerry Garcia @Stand Up Live, Phoenix 7:00PM ($15.00)
- Vir Das @Tempe Improv, Tempe 7:00PM ($25.00)
📛 Community
- Phoenix Game of Thrones Viewing Party @Verdura, Phoenix 7:00PM
  We will be screening the final 6 episodes of Game of Thrones at Verdura, a trendy, brand new vegan restaurant, at 7pm every Sunday, starting April 14th. The address is 5555 N 7th street, Phoenix AZ. I will try to give a little wiggle room to make sure everyone gets to watch, but please try to make it there by 7, if for nothing else to make sure you have a good seat.
  Everyone needs to be on their best behavior, since we are guests. I encourage everyone to buy at least one drink, an appetizer, anything to show our gratitude. There will be Game of Thrones themed drinks and food as well!
  If anyone needs to carpool, feel free to discuss it in the comments, we want you all to be there.
  This is going to be a blast, and an extremely unique, unforgettable experience. I can’t wait to see you all there, to laugh and cry and scream with you and celebrate this last season of one of the most amazing shows of all time.
  Valar Morghulis!
🎡 Fairs and Festivals
- Cinco de Mayo Phoenix Festival @Downtown Phoenix, Phoenix 12:00PM ($10.00)
🎵 Music
- Hayes Carll @Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix 8:00PM ($20.00 - $30.00)
- Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers @The Van Buren, Phoenix 1:00PM ($32.00 - $62.00)
- The Cactus Blossoms @Valley Bar, Phoenix 8:00PM ($15.00 - $18.00)
🎭 Theater
- Wicked @Gammage Auditorium, Tempe 1:00PM, 6:30PM ($39.00+)

Weekly Events Thread 12/30/19 - 1/5/20

Please, feel free to add any events below! Check out the Events Calendar and Visitor's Guide for more info!

Looking to meet up with people? Check out Meetup St. Louis.

New Year's Eve Events

Ballpark Village
- Ballpark Village is ringing in this New Year with added entertainment featuring the region's best DJ's along with the Pop 2000 tour hosted by Chris Kirkpatrick of *NYSNC with performances by O-Town, Ryan Cabrera & LFO's Brad Fischetti.
Brennan's Work & Leisure
- Brennan’s Work & Leisure and Anti-Agency invite you on a space odyssey to celebrate the New Year, 2020.
- Once aboard the ship, enjoy a premium bar selection, heavy appetizers of the future by Chef Josh Galliano (Companion Bakery, The Libertine) and interstellar desserts by Pastry Chef Tai Davis. Groove to the night's soundscape provided by DJ Black Guy, then step into the Zero Gravity Live Feed Photo Booth to send evidence of your journey back home.
- All passengers must report to the orbiter near midnight for a live music performance, projection show and champagne toast to the New Year. Dress: modern cocktail attire / space shuttle launch
Casino Queen
- Casino Queen invites area residents to partake in one of St. Louis’ biggest parties of the decade during its New Year’s Eve celebration on Tuesday, December 31. Guests will enjoy a specialty buffet, live DJ cranking out the tunes on the casino floor, a countdown to midnight with party favors for all and exclusive prize giveaways throughout the evening.
Chase Park Plaza
- Dress to impress for 7th Annual New Year's Eve Ball at The Chase Park Plaza. The celebration takes place in the legendary Khorassan Ballroom and will feature musical performances of DJ Greasy, Lamar Harris & The L, and a Frank Sinatra tribute.
- Also, the event will have a premium open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, a balloon drop, and a champagne toast at midnight.
Downtown NYE Bar Crawl
- Take your tribe into the New Year at the 2020 NYE (New Year’s Eve) Bar Crawl taking place Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at many locations in St. Louis
- Washington Ave Venues (List Can Change)
  - Lucas Park Grille (1234 Washington Ave)
  - Flannery's (1324 Washington Ave)
  - Rosalita's (1235 Washington Ave)
  - Hair Of The Dog (1212 Washington Ave)
  - 314 The City Bar (1137 Washington Ave)
  - Missouri Bar & Grill (701 N Tucker)
  - OveUnder (911 Washington Ave)
- The Landing Venues (List Can Change)
  - Big Daddy's Landing (108 Morgan St)
  - Morgan Street Brewery (721 N 2nd St)
  - The Lou Eats & Drinks (710 N 2nd St)
Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House
- On New Year's Eve, Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House will host live music of all genres beginning at 6 p.m. until 12:45 a.m. The restaurant's full menu is served until 10 p.m. with a complimentary appetizer buffet from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and a champagne toast at midnight. No cover; cash bar. Tuesday, December 31, 6 p.m. to 12:45 a.m.
From Skybar & Union 30
- Your evening begins with a three-course, prix fixe dinner at the swanky Union 30 restaurant in Hotel Saint Louis, where options include a 30-ounce tomahawk ribeye, a 24-ounce dry-aged sous vide pork chop, or king crab legs. The $125 price includes admission to the NYE Blast at FORM Skybar on the 14th floor, which will host the Kim Massie Band, an open premium bar, and an appetizer buffet. There’s no charge for the prime view of the fireworks show at Kiener Plaza
Four Seasons
- In one of the most picturesque locations in all of Downtown St. Louis, meet us in the exclusive Sky Lobby to ring in the New Year. Recreating the eclectic energy of New York City, join us to watch the ball drop under the stars at midnight and move your feet to Spanky's Dueling Piano!
Gateway Arch Riverboats
- Ring in the new year with a view of the magnificent St. Louis skyline at this party cruise hosted by the Gateway Arch Riverboats. Featuring an elegant three-course dinner, open bar, DJ entertainment and a midnight champagne toast, the fun kicks off at 9 p.m. Reservations required.
Helium Comedy Club
- Ring in the New Year with an evening filled with laughter courtesy of Ryan Niemiller! Skip the chaos of the bars and enjoy a special night with food and drinks from the comfort of our restaurant, bar, lounge, and showroom.
Hollywood Casino
- Put a little Great Gatsby in your New Year’s Eve celebration with the Roaring '20s New Year’s Eve party at Hollywood Casino.
Hyatt Regency
- Ring in the new decade with two ballrooms with live music and fun at Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch’s Ultimate New Year’s Eve Party. The celebration will include a delicious dinner buffet, an open bar, photo booth, party favors and live music throughout the evening from Groovethang and Broseph.
The Last Hotel
- Celebrate the last day of 2019 at The Last! Join others in the Lobby Bar + on their fabulous Rooftop and toast to the New Year in style.
Molly's in Soulard
- Get ready to party! Molly's In Soulard has one of the THE BEST New Years Eve parties in STL. They've got: 5 open bars, Two balloon drops, Champagne toasts, VIP buffets, VIP tables, and cabanas
POP & Baileys' Chocolate Bar
- One of the more appropriate places to ring in the new year and decade is POP, Dave and Kara Bailey’s bubbles bar and restaurant in Lafayette Square. This year, POP and Baileys’ Chocolate Bar (located upstairs) have teamed up to provide an all-inclusive celebration on December 31. The all-inclusive celebration begins at 9 p.m. Food stations include appetizers from POP and specialty desserts from Baileys’ Chocolate Bar. Tickets include beer, wine, bubbles, and cocktails, including chocolate martinis and dessert cocktails.
Powell Symphony Hall
- Music Director Stéphane Denève and the SLSO bring 2019 to a close at the BMO Wealth Management New Year’s Eve Celebration. Enjoy an evening of music and surprises at St. Louis’ best-kept secret. Bring family and friends together for this musical celebration you’ll remember throughout 2020.
Tin Roof
- Out with the old and in with a new decade. Celebrate with Tin Roof at their NYE "End of a Decade" Black and White Ball. Dress up in your best or come as you are and catch the best live music and DJ's around.
Westport Social
- Celebrating NYE at Westport Social means you can play like a kid while partying like an adult. For just a $25 cover, guests can play the full range of games at the Westport Plaza watering hole while also indulging in a balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight and dance to live music.
Wheelhouse
- Another year in the books and there’s no other holiday party like Wheelhouse NYE. And nothing is better than closing out 2019 and starting 2020 with you, your closest friends and WH doin’ what they all do best, wild out.

Anheuser Busch Brewery Lights
- November 22, 2019 - December 30, 2019
- Brewery Lights is a family-friendly event, open to all ages at no cost. Guests can attend every Friday through Sunday, from 5 to 10 p.m.
- Join others when they Flip The Switch on November 22nd with St. Louis Blues Captain, Alex Pietrangelo.
- Witness and experience the magic of more than a million twinkling lights during the 34th annual Brewery Lights at the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery! Guests are invited to stroll down Pestalozzi Street to marvel as the brewery is turned into a remarkable holiday experience with something for everyone, including a Kids Zone.
Candy Cane Lane
- December 2019
- Every holiday season, the neighbors of this Saint Louis Hills street transform this ordinary lane into a winter wonderland that most of St. Louis knows as “Candy Cane Lane.” Hundreds of strands of Christmas Lights are strung, inflatable snowmen and Christmas trees are blown up, wreaths are hung, and even sand displays are made. Every year, hundreds of family-packed cars drive down Candy Cane Lane to see the wonderful Holiday sights.
Disney on Ice Presents: Celebrate Memories
- January 2-5, 2020
- Your favorite Disney stories come to life at Disney On Ice presents Celebrate Memories, coming to Enterprise Center January 2-5! Sail along with Moana on her high-seas adventure and dance with Woody, Buzz and all the Toy Story friends. Feel inspired when love wins in Frozen and dreams come true for the Disney Princesses. Share the excitement and make new memories the whole family will treasure forever!
First Fridays at the St. Louis Science Center
- January 3, 2020
- Learn the real science behind science fiction and mingle with others interested in the geekier side of life. Each month, First Friday features a different theme, hands-on activities, pub-style trivia, engaging presentations, photo opps for showing off your costume, and food and drink specials.
Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden
- November 23, 2019 - January 4, 2020
- Garden Glow features a million lights surrounding visitors with a spectacle of unique installations amid some of the Garden’s most iconic locations. Enjoy interactive photo opportunities, traditional holiday music and festivities, delicious food and drinks and more as the Garden is transformed around you into a winter wonderland.
- Santa will visit Garden Glow from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday nights from November 25 through December 17. (Note: Garden Glow is not open on Dec. 9.)
History Made: St. Louis Blues Exhibit
- Running until January 26, 2020
- History was made on June 12, 2019. It’s a date that will forever live in St. Louis sports history. On that day, the St. Louis Blues hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time. On Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, the Missouri History Museum, in collaboration with the St. Louis Blues, will open History Made.
- Featuring more than 20 artifacts on loan from the St. Louis Blues from the historic playoff run and the Stanley Cup Finals, History Made tells the story of the underdog team that took home the NHL’s highest honor and united its community in the process.
Holiday in the Park at Six Flags
- November 23 - January 1, 2020
- A dazzling winter spectacular featuring more than a million glittering lights, holiday entertainment, delicious seasonal treats, visits with Santa and many of our popular theme park rides. Combine holiday traditions with a thrilling family experience that is uniquely Six Flags.
- Six Flags St. Louis extends its season and will be open weekends and select weekdays from November 23 through January 1, 2020 for this one-of-a-kind magical event.
- A unique mix of holiday cheer with some of your favorite coasters & thrill rides makes Holiday in the Park a family tradition like no other. Meet Santa Claus in the North Pole or jump on Mind Eraser or Roar for a mid-winter rush. Then you can roast marshmallows near a cracking wood fire before you catch one of our many holiday shows.
Holiday Spirits Holiday Pop Up Bar
- November 29, 2019 - January 9, 2020
- Looking for somewhere new to get your party on this Holiday Season? For just a few weeks only, Oaked will be providing the very best in holiday-themed libations, good food, and an immersive atmosphere.
- Housed in a historic brick building with almost 6,000 sq. feet of space (excluding the outdoor heated patio & bar), featuring 3 bars, and 2 levels of fun. Once inside, you’ll be transported to a Winter Wonderland and treated like family. Santa Claus will be on hand to spread holiday cheer and greet our guests as they arrive.
- Oaked is located at 1031 Lynch St. St. Louis, MO 63118
Kwanzaa: Festival of the First Fruits at the Botanical Garden
- Kwanzaa is a Swahili term that means “first fruits,” and this contemporary African-American holiday centers around the feast table of the harvest. A Kwanzaa ceremony highlights a day of storytelling, craft and jewelry displays, and authentic African drumming and musical performances.
The Loading Dock Ice Rink in Grafton, IL
- November 23, 2019 - March 8, 2020
- It’s that time of year! The Loading Dock Bar & Grill in Grafton is gearing up for the Grand Re-Opening of their Ice Skating Rink on Saturday, November 23rd. Each November The Boatworks is transformed into a Winter Wonderland offering ice skating, s’mores tables, and a full menu and bar, that is sure to entertain adults and kids alike.
- The rink will be open Friday, Saturday, & Sunday through March 8. 2020 with extended hours during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Special events this year include a visit from Santa and a New Years Eve party.
Miracle Christmas Pop Up Bar
- November 25, 2019 - December 31, 2019
- Venue: Small Change 2800 Indiana Avenue St. Louis, MO 63118
- Miracle is a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar that serves holiday cocktails in a festive setting. With kitschy holiday décor, professionally-developed cocktails and the nostalgic energy of the best office party you’ve ever been to, Miracle is sure to get even the grouchiest grinch in the holiday spirit.
Polar Express Train Ride
- November 29, 2019 - December 30, 2019
- Guests will take a real train ride from St. Louis Union Station to the 'North Pole' and discover the magical journey of one boy's search for the real meaning of Christmas. The Train Ride departs from St. Louis Union Station for a 45-minute adventure to the North Pole. The train ride is promised to be filled with magic, songs, and cheer.
Soulard Farmer's Market
- Wednesday - Saturday
- 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Soulard Farmers Market is located at 730 Carroll Street in St. Louis, Missouri, a half mile north of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The market is open Wednesday through Saturday, year round. They feature locally grown and shipped in goods, including: produce, meats, cheeses, spices, gourmet kettle corn, flowers, baked goods, and general merchandise. There are also several different eateries that have many food options, which allows customers the convenience to grab a quick bite to eat and a drink while shopping.
Steinberg Ice Skating Rink in Forest Park
- November 15, 2019 - March 1, 2020
- Steinberg Skating Rink is the largest outdoor ice skating rink in the Midwest, offering public skating all day, everyday—including all holidays. Your skate admission is valid for all day. You may arrive at anytime during business hours & skate as long as you like.
Up on the Rooftop Holiday Pop-up Cocktail Experience
- November 29, 2019 - December 31, 2019
- Go "Up on the Rooftop" for a whimsical holiday cocktail pop-up experience with extreme decor and delicious seasonal drinks, small plates and more. Three Sixty at the top of the Hilton at the Ballpark overlooks the downtown lights and the glowing Gateway Arch. Cozy indoor spaces and outdoor patio fire pits.
Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo
- November 29, 2019 - December 30, 2019
- Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo offers a chance for you to stroll through an enchanting holiday experience.
WinterMarkt at Urban Chestnut
- November 30, 2019 - December 21, 2019 (Saturdays Only)
- Usher in the holiday season with a “traditional” European WinterMarkt at Urban Chestnut’s Midtown Brewery & Biergarten. Eat, drink, and be merry with local vendors on hand for holiday shopping
Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park
- November 22, 2019 - January 2, 2020
- 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Enjoy a stroll through more than one million twinkling lights at Winter Wonderland. Tickets are $6, not including MetroTix fees. Pre-registration is required. Dogs on a leash, cameras, strollers and wagons are all welcome. Desserts, hot chocolate, and other beverages will be available for purchase. Also, be on the lookout for a special visitor from the North Pole until 8:45 pm!
Winterfest at the Arch
- November 23 - January 26, 2019 (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays)
- A favorite St. Louis winter tradition for all ages, the fourth annual Winterfest, presented by Bank of America and World Wide Technologies returns to Kiener Plaza and features a community ice rink, a Winter Market shopping district, reserved Igloo seating with Sugarfire table service and more exciting events than ever before.

Sporting Events This Week

Attractions Around the Area

Recurring Outdoor Activities

Big Muddy Adventures – STL Riverfront Adventure
- Big Muddy Adventures was established in 2002. They are the first professional outfitteguiding company providing access to the wild wonders of the Middle Mississippi and Lower Missouri Rivers.
Hidden Valley Zip Tour
- ZipTour zip lines take about 2.5 hours to complete. Tours run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Riders are assigned to tour groups which are escorted through the course by two safety guides.
Hidden Valley Ski Resort
- Running until March 1, 2020
- Always check the Snow Report before coming out to Hidden Valley for updates on snow and tubing conditions. Skiing, snowboarding, and tubing are weather-dependent activities and conditions and hours are subject to change without notice.

Recurring Events on the Mississippi River

Gateway Arch Events

Comedy This Week

Live Music This Week

SoFar St. Louis
- Experience the Gateway to the West with Sofar! From The Grove to Cherokee Street to The Loop, they're reimagining live events through curated, secret performances in intimate settings. Come mingle with touring acts, local and international artists, fellow music lovers and our imaginative hosts.
St. Louis Symphony Concert Calendar
- Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 140th year with the 2019/2020 season and its first with Music Director Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world's finest orchestras, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections – all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
This calendar includes the following venues.
- Blueberry Hill Duck Room
- Delmar Hall
- Halo Bar
- The Pageant
Other Live Music Venue Calendars

What's Happening in CT 12/13 - 12/15

Friday, December 13th 2019:

Chocolate and Wine Pairing, December 12 - 13 Come in anytime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and taste five award winning estate red wines paired to perfection with five specialty chocolates. Reservations are only required for groups of six or more. 11am-4pm, $20 Sunset Meadow Vineyards, 599 Old Middle St. Goshen, CT
Northern Lights, December 12 - 14 Mystic Aquarium lights up during Northern Lights… A sea of lights leads the way through a mesmerizing journey along the Aquarium’s outdoor pathways. See Arctic animals in a whole new light – quite literally – as you stroll to theatric music in search of hand-crafted lanterns that bring Arctic animals to life! Snap selfies and meet the Snow Sisters every Thursday, Father Christmas on Fridays and Petey the Penguin each Saturday. Plus, stop by our Send a Wish Upon a Star station to write notes and wishes to the men and women serving overseas this holiday season. An alfresco experience unlike any other, Northern Lights is sure to be a new family tradition, a truly romantic date night and Mystic Aquarium’s biggest holiday event yet. Pulling inspiration from the most spectacular natural light display there is – the aurora borealis – Northern Lights is sure to be just as magical and inspiring. 6pm-9pm, General admission $15, members $12, children (2 and under) free. Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT
An Improvised Christmas Carol, December 12 - 22 Come see a hilarious retelling of Charles Dickens's Christmas classic twist! This show combines your suggestions with the improvisers’ imaginations to create a performance of A Christmas Carol like nothing you have ever seen. What if Scrooge owned a pet store? What if the Ghost of Christmas Past was a Film Noir detective? What if Tiny Tim wasn't so tiny? Come find out and see how your suggestions tell an all new tale of how Christmas can (or can't!) change Ebenezer Scrooge's life. Thu.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m., Adults $15, children $10 Sea Tea Comedy Theater, 15 Asylum St. Hartford, CT
38th Annual Santa's Workshop, December 13 - 23 Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, elves making toys, set in a log cabin with decorations and music, and a fire in the great stone fireplace. 3pm-5pm, FREE Wickham Park, 1329 West Middle Tpke. Manchester, CT
Polar Pajama Party, December 13 - 14 Start or continue your holiday tradition here at the Connecticut Science Center. Put on your PJs and join us for a wintery-themed evening of entertainment for the whole family in celebration of the Season of Science! There will be games, prizes, holiday crafts, cookie decorating for the kids, and special appearances by the Gingerbread Man, Rudolph, Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. Visitors can also join Jack Frost for the annual “Elf Drop.” Plus, don’t forget your tickets to see the Polar Express in 3D, showing at two different times during the party. Everyone can enjoy a free child size Froyo or Hot Chocolate. Members Ticket Sales Open on Monday, November 4. Non-Member Ticket Sales Open on Monday, November 11. 5pm-9pm, Members $5, Non-members $18, Movie: $5 Connecticut Science Center, 250 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT
"The Treasure of Christmas Island", December 13 - 22 A comedy-adventure of pirates, heroes, mermaids and dames in the tradition of an English Panto! Panto: A traditional fairy-tale farce for both adults and kids, with broad characters, jokes, local references, audience participation, songs and more! Performances: December 13-15, 20-22. Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m., Adults $20; seniors, military $18; members $15; children (12 and under) $8. Donald L. Oat Theater at Norwich Arts Center, 62 Broadway, Norwich, CT
Festival of Lights, December 13 Come and stroll through walkways brilliantly lit by thousands of luminaries. With live entertainment and complimentary treats, there's something for the entire family to enjoy. 5pm-9pm, FREE Olde Mistick Village, 27 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT
27th Annual Plainville Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Stroll, December 13 The Plainville Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 27th Annual Plainville Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Stroll. The event includes holiday caroling, the lighting of the Town tree, visits from Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and horse and buggy rides through downtown. Refreshments will be made available. Please also visit our local downtown merchants as they will be hosting special offers and raffles throughout the night and weekend. 5pm-8pm, FREE Plainville Fire Department, 77 West Main St. Plainville, CT
Kids VR Night, December 13 Drop the kids off at Xperiment Virtual Reality and enjoy a night off. We provide the snacks, drinks and the fun as well as some education into the mix. The kids have a fun Friday night playing VR as well as robots, and other STEM activities while you get time to yourselves. Your kids are guaranteed at least an hour of VR gaming time (more depending on availability). Limited spaces available so reserve now. Payment is required to hold your reservation. 6pm-8pm, $40 advanced, $45 at door. Xperiment VR, 100 Hawley Lane, Trumbull, CT
All Star Christmas Show, December 13 Artists appearing in the show include Goo Goo Dolls, Hanson, Andy Grammer and Dean Lewis. 7:30pm, $35-$65 Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd. Uncasville, CT
Nickelodeon's Double Dare Live!, December 13 Double Dare Live Standard VIP Experience ticket includes a special photo opportunity with the iconic Double Dare Pick-it “Nose” obstacle prop presented in a private space at the venue with the Double Dare Live backdrop, and a VIP tour laminate. Double Dare Live Deluxe VIP Experience ticket includes a special photo opportunity with hosts Marc Summers and Robin Russo in a private space at the venue with the Double Dare Live backdrop, a VIP laminate, and a unique souvenir. A photographer will be available if the purchaser does not have a personal camera / cell-phone camera. The DD VIP Experience (both Standard AND VIP) purchasers must arrive at the theatre at 6:30pm. 90 minutes in advance of the 8pm show start time. Proceed to the check-in table and pick up the DD VIP packet. Each adult and child in a group must have a DD VIP Ticket. Patrons will be directed to the photo opportunity which ends 30 minutes prior to show start time. Latecomers risk missing the opportunity, and no refunds will be issued if the purchasers are late. Must have separate ticket for the show. On your mark, get set, GO! The messiest game show on television is now the messiest game show on the road. Double Dare Live is coming to your town and will bring all the action and excitement of Nickelodeon’s hugely popular television show to the stage. All the Slime soaking, pie plastering, and booger busting will be hosted by the Double Dare legend himself Marc Summers! Bring your whole family to the show you loved as a child. You might even get chosen to compete to win by answering brain-bending trivia questions, complete messy physical stunts and even run the legendary obstacle course! 8pm, $32-$69 Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd. Mashantucket, CT
Holiday Ho Ho Ho: Burlesque & Drag with Dirty Dixie Normous, December 13 A night of the best in holiday bawdy burlesque and drag entertainment! World class burlesque and drag with your host, Dirty Dixie Normous! A night of unspeakable fun! 9pm, $25-$30 Bijou Theatre, 275 Fairfield Ave. Bridgeport, CT

Saturday, December 14th, 2019:

"The Nutcracker", December 14 - 15 It would not feel like the holidays without the timeless joy of The Nutcracker, and as part of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory’s 50th anniversary season, the prestigious Torrington institution will unveil an exciting new production of The Nutcracker this year. Audiences will be dazzled by this reimagined full-length ballet, complete with new sets, costumes and choreography. All dance roles features trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, along with cameo roles performed by children from The Torrington School of Ballet. These aspiring artists come from all over the country to hone their craft and develop their artistry at The Nutmeg. The mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer will once again be played by accomplished European stage actor Thomas Evertz. Originally conceived by Sharon Dante, this production features choreography by The Nutmeg's faculty, led by Artistic Director Victoria Mazzarelli, and is set to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s musical masterpiece. Additional coaching is provided by Timothy Melady, Susan Szabo, Eleanor D’Antuono, Denise Warner Limoli, Joan Kunsch, and Alexei Tchernichov. Melady, The Nutmeg's Ballet Master, has led the production team responsible for bringing to reality the vision of Mazzarelli and scenic designer Roger LaVoie. Additional members of the design team include costume designers Susan Fazzino, Janessa Urwin and Susan Aziz; lighting designer Brian Sciarra; set construction by American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA; and painting by Roger LaVoie Designs/TSDesigns. Performances of The Nutcracker at Warner Theatre in Torrington are December 7 and December 8. Call The Warner Box Office at (860) 489-7180. Sat. & Sun. 12:30 p.m. & 4:30 p.m., $46-$71 The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT
Happy Hole-A-Days, December 14 Mayor Erin E. Stewart, Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Patrick Dorsey, and Stanley Golf Course are pleased to announce that the driving range at Stanley Golf Course will be open seven days a week throughout the winter months of December, January and February from 9 a.m.-5 p.m In addition to the driving range being open all winter, Stanley will also see the return of two popular special events from previous years. Happy Hole-A-Days will return to Stanley Golf Course on Saturday, December 14, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The event will be hosted by ESPN radio personality Rob Dibble and will include free buckets of balls, complimentary appetizers and beverage specials by Back Nine Tavern. Prizes will include restaurant, retail and pro shop gift cards along with the chance to win a 2020 season golf pass valued over $1,300. Back by popular demand, buckets of luck will also be returning to Stanley Golf Course in January and February where golfers can purchase buckets of balls on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays between the hours of 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and enter themselves in a raffle to win lots of great prizes including a drawing for a 2020 season golf pass. 11:30am-1:30pm, FREE, Stanley Golf Course, 245 Hartford Rd. New Britain, CT
Jerry Seinfeld, December 14 Entertainment icon Jerry Seinfeld’s comedy career took off after his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1981. Eight years later, he teamed up with fellow comedian Larry David to create what was to become the most successful comedy series in the history of television: Seinfeld. The show ran on NBC for nine seasons, winning numerous Emmy, Golden Globe and People’s Choice awards, and was named the greatest television show of all time in 2009 by TV Guide, and in 2012 was identified as the best sitcom ever in a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll. Seinfeld has also starred in, written and produced movies (Comedian, Bee Movie), directed and produced a Broadway hit (Colin Quinn Long Story Short), and even wrote a best-selling book (Seinlanguage) and a children’s book (Halloween). Seinfeld directed the off-Broadway production of Colin Quinn: The New York Story and the Netflix stand-up special. Seinfeld’s latest project is the Emmy nominated and critically-acclaimed web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee which has garnered over 100 million views, and which the New York Times describes as "impressively complex and artful" and Variety calls "a game changer." Most recently, Seinfeld has been performing at the Beacon Theatre as part of his residency entitled, Jerry Seinfeld: The Homestand. He recently made his Netflix debut with the original stand-up special Jerry Before Seinfeld. 8pm, $82.50-$150 Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd. Mashantucket, CT

Sunday, December 15th, 2019:

Miss America 2020, December 15 - 19 The competition follows 51 compelling candidates as they compete for life-changing scholarships to be used to continue their efforts towards community service and education. The show will continue to highlight a diverse group of young students and professionals who are advancing the message of female strength, independence, and empowerment through their efforts in the areas of scholarship, talent and social impact. The Miss America Organization has ushered in a new era of progressiveness and inclusiveness, led by an all-female leadership team. Times vary, $75-$100 Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd. Uncasville, CT

Find more things to do here!

- - - - - - - - - - -
How about a newly released movie! Check out these in a theater near you! ^{Some in select theaters/times/dates/etc...}

Jumanji: The Next Level
Black Christmas
Bombshell
The Body
Kitten Party
Cunningham
Mob Town
The Death and Life of John F. Donovan
Seberg
Windows On The World
First Love
Spiral Farm
Hanukkah
The Broken Butterfly

Recap!! (budget & rsvp breakdown, schedule, photos, after thoughts)

Date: Sunday, 12/2/2018
Location: Seattle area
Total cost: $25k
I love a good brain dump after the end of a long-planned event, so I spent this evening going over all the little details before they start to fade. I'm mostly writing it all down to help myself remember and help friends and family plan in the future, but hopefully some of you will find this enormous wall of text useful as well :)
PICS: https://imgur.com/a/7cRjN19
Stationery: https://imgur.com/a/sgpiWZF
RSVP breakdown:

Invited	154
In-state	113
Out-of-state	41

Yes	117
In-state	101
Out-of-state	16
No-show with notice	4
No-show no notice	4

No	37
In-state	12
Out-of-state	25

Budget Breakdown:
Venue (incl. coordinator, cocktail hour, dinner, drinks): $14,445.77

Room rental: $1,500
Food: $4,959
Drinks: $3,275
Staff/gratuity/tax/other: $4,711.77

Photographer: $3,379 (8hrs of photography, high-res photos)
Flowers: $403.30
Cake: $554.53
Nails: $75? (Spa pedicure, Shellac french manicure with accent nail art)
Hair: $45? (We switched from full updo at the trial to half-up/half-down the day of, and she gave me a friend discount so I don't remember the final total, sorry!)
Makeup: $140 (Included trial run, false lashes, touch-up kit, friend discount)
My Outfit: $1600?

Dress: $700
Alterations: $400? (replaced zipper with corset back, hem, 12-point bustle)
Shoes: $120
Accessories: $ 40?
Tiara: $150?
Veil: $90
Cape: $59.30
Muff: $29.99 (probably could have made two muffs with that much fur, but wanted to leave room for error)

Bridesmaids x5: $157.59 each (They bought their own dresses and shoes, and added on hair and full face makeup if they wanted)

Makeup: $50
Muff: $9.67
Capelet and pin: $15.92
Gift box: $90? (decorative box, dice bag with their gamer handle embroidered, assorted dice, tin of tea, peppermint chapstick, old fashioned ornament, wine or cocoa mix (for those that don't drink), pajamas)

Stationery: $580.19 (basicinvite.com, used 20% off codes on all orders)

Save the Dates x75: $106.59
Invitation suite x80: $357.76 (invite, details card, rsvp card and pre-stamped envelope, belly band)
Thank you cards x80: $115.84

Wedding rings: $1,200? (both white gold bands with extended warranty, free repairesizing/redipping for life)
Miscellaneous: $1,200?

Guestbook ornaments: $130?
Name cards: $90 (bought a template on Etsy, had them cut and printed at FedEx)
Signs: $13.96 (Welcome table, cocoa bar, 2x bar menu. Printed on cardstock, put in cheap standing frame)
Favors x150: $689.70 (Customized Adagio tea tin and 2 Dilettante chocolates in a silver box with a bow)
Centerpieces x17: $170.94 (Greens, ornaments, and twinkle lights in a glass bowl)
Sand ceremony supplies: $46.83
DIY Photobooth: $90? (already owned the iPad. Bought a tripod, iPad attachment, some props, and a photobooth app)
Bubbles for grand departure: $50.94

Not included:

My engagement ring
Beach house for bridesmaids the night before
Hotel rooms for groomsmen and family the night before
All honeymoon/travel costs
Rehearsal dinner (covered by groom's parents)

Schedule
Day Before:
12-12:45pm - rehearsal at venue
2-4pm - rehearsal “dunch”
4pm onward

Groomsmen hung out at the casino (where they were staying)
My parents met and had dinner with the late-arriving out of town guests
Me and the bridesmaids hung out at the house we rented next to the venue. Harry Potter marathon in matching pajamas ensued.

Day of:
8:30am - Hair and Make-up artists arrived at the house.

Harry Potter marathon continued while everyone took turns getting hair and make-up done

10:00am - My mom arrived with donuts, joined the line for hair and make-up
11:00am - My dad arrived with sandwiches for lunch
12:30ish - Photographer arrives for getting ready photos as hair and make-up is wrapping up.
1:00pm -

Everyone at the bridesmaid house is driven over to the main venue building (the Atrium) to get dresses on and prepare for first look.
Groomsmen arrive at the venue, get ready in a separate building (the Lodge).

2:00pm - First look photos, photos with wedding party
2:45pm - Photos with family
3:30pm - Bridesmaids hide in dressing room in the Atrium while guests arrive
4:00pm - Ceremony in the Atrium
4:30pm -

Move guests to the Lodge for cocktail hour
Bride, Groom, Maid of Honor, Best Man, Officiant sign marriage license in a separate room
More bride and groom photos

5:00pm - Bride and groom join cocktail hour
5:30pm - Move everyone back to the Atrium for dinner, bride and groom introduced
5:45pm - Dinner service begins
6:30pm - Toasts (best man, maid of honor, father of the bride)
7:00pm -

Cake cutting
Couple’s first dance
Father daughter dance
Mother son dance

8:30 - Grand departure
What went well:
Bridesmaid dresses: The girls used Azazie and were extremely happy with them! Each picked a different chiffon dress in the same color (dark green) and they turned out exactly how we hoped!
The vendors: 10/10 stars for every single one of my vendors. All of them went above and beyond my expectations and were absolutely fantastic to work with. All of them were on my venue’s preferred vendors list, except hair and makeup who are friends of mine from high school that started a HMU business together.
Going to the venue’s open house: One of the venues we were considering has an annual wedding open house. We made last-minute plans to go, and it was the best planning decision we made. We were so thrilled with the venue we put our deposit down on the spot. We got a chance to try all of their entrees and appetizers, and some drink samples. We got to meet lots of vendors who were already preferred by the venue, and we found our photographer, baker, and florist there that day!
First look: I had always wanted my husband to first see me in my dress as I was walking down the aisle. But having been at weddings where guests had to wait 2-3 hours for photos to be taken between the ceremony and reception, I opted to get photos out of the way beforehand with a first look. It was still every bit as wonderful as I had imagined, and it just made the timing work out so smoothly. And, I had the added bonus of a partial outfit change between the first look and the ceremony - he never actually saw my full dress (or my veil at all) until I walked down the aisle, thanks to:
The Cape!: I knew that I was signing up for a couple hours of (hopefully) outdoor photos, in a strapless dress, in December, in Seattle. Even in the best weather scenario, it was going to be cooooldddd. So I got a navy blue cape and (faux) fur muff to keep warm during the outdoor bits. I was very comfortably warm the whole time, it looks awesome in the photos, and it mostly kept my dress a surprise until the actual ceremony (where I took the cape off and put on my veil).
The Bridal Buddy: OMG. One of my bridesmaids got me this as a shower gift. I cannot sing its praises highly enough. I was able to put this delightful contraption over my form-fitting slip and under the actual dress. It took 2 bridesmaids to help lift my dress and find the arm holes, but once the dress was skooshed in and the neck hole cinched up I was free to go to the bathroom ALL BY MYSELF. As an extremely shy person this was a priceless freedom to me. It felt extremely secure when “in use”, I never worried about my dress falling into the toilet. It didn’t show under my dress at all, I completely forgot it was there the rest of the time. I swear they’re not paying me anything, I just really loved this product!!
Shellac manicure: Totally worth the cost. Got them done 3 days before the wedding, and they held up beautifully for over 2 weeks! Zero worries about scratching or breaking them!!
Early rehearsal dinner: I was a little disappointed that my MIL had scheduled the rehearsal dinner so early, but I’m SO glad she did. I was able to enjoy it without worrying about how late it was getting, and then I had plenty of time afterwards to spend with my bridesmaids at the house while still getting to sleep at a sane-ish hour. I figured we would get hungry later in the evening after eating so early, but we just ordered pizza at around 8pm and it was PERFECT.
Guestbook ornaments: I made another post about this earlier. I was SO HAPPY with how this turned out. I expected people would just sign their names, but most people got super creative with decorating them!!! I got a spray polyurethane to seal the wood and protect the writing (thank you so much streetbirds for the advice!), and the ornaments signed by the band made it onto the wedding tree and back home unscathed!
Hot Cocoa Bar: I was disproportionately excited about this. It was one of the first wedding ideas I had, and I was worried about the venue doing it justice (I wasn’t allowed to bring any outside food or drinks, besides a cake by an approved bakery) but it was PERFECT!! It wasn’t just powder packets and hot water, they had real melted chocolate in milk, and all sorts of fun toppings!! I got SO many comments on it!!!
No kids: There were a LOT of guests, mostly extended family, with young children. I had a very particular vision for the ambiance of the event, and the unpredictability of two dozen young kids was just not what I wanted. I communicated this as early as possible to everyone with children, and only 2 couples (both with ~2 month old newborns) were unable to make it due to this decision. My MIL shielded me from most of those conversations, but everyone was very understanding.
No DJ, no dancing: I’ve never been into dancing. I’m that person who tries to find another non-dancer to talk to while desperately trying to not get peer-pressured into awkwardly bobbing around on the dance floor to music that triggers awkward memories of Jr. High school. I had a first dance with my husband, a dance with my father, and he danced with his mother. Otherwise all of the music was a Spotify playlist of relaxing holiday music. I pay for Spotify premium so I was able to download the playlist onto my laptop (and a couple of old phones as backups), and that worked perfectly! I was worried that people would get bored without the dance floor, but people were perfectly happy to chat, play with the photo booth, play with the coco bar, explore the venue, and enjoy the liquid entertainment we provided ;)
What I’d do differently:
Read the ceremony script beforehand: I can’t believe this never actually occurred to me beforehand, but it legitimately didn’t! My husband’s grandfather has officiated all of the grandkids' weddings so far, and having been to most of those weddings I always thought the ceremony was beautiful and exactly what I would want. Which it was for the most part... the only real problem I had were a couple of very hetero-normative/cis-normative comments (“God made us male and female”, stuff like that). Fortunately my LGBTQ+ friends in attendance confirmed that they brushed it off as “religious grandpa doing his thing” and not something I'd asked for or approved beforehand, so it wasn’t really a problem. Just something I would have liked to tweak in advance if I had thought to ask!
Schedule our grand departure earlier: We had initially planned on having our departure at 9pm, but I was noticing a lot of people starting to trickle out around 8:15. A lot of people had work the next morning (it was a Sunday night), others had a ferry to catch (which was leaving at 8:45), and I was worried that there would only be like 10 people left to blow bubbles at us!! So we ended up leaving at around 8:30. There were plenty of people still there, this allowed more time for cleanup before our time at the venue ended, and we ended up making the 8:45 ferry with a bunch of our guests!
Bridesmaid robes: I never understood why it was so popular to get matching robes for getting ready together. Particularly the lightweight satiny robes I always see in pictures. I’d never wear it again, and I doubted any of my bridesmaids would, so I got us matching pajamas instead since we were staying together the night before. Until I realized...you wear a robe so you don’t have to pull a shirt over your head and mess up your hair and makeup!! DURR. I ended up having to ask everyone to make sure they brought a robe or button-down shirt for getting ready (and ironically one bridesmaid got to re-use her robe from another wedding). It worked out fine anyway, though the robe I brought was a heavier bath robe which did get uncomfortably toasty after a while.

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