Hello and welcome to the post about my LA trip! Note: This will be a little different from the usual post, because there’s a lot of visuals in the video that doesn’t come across here in text, but I wanted to at least have some sort of transcript.
The two clips that opened the video were the only two clips I got in the Bay Area, where I was a couple days for work. The trip to LA was mainly because I had work at the end of a two-week span, but since I’m already down there, why not have some fun? The first few days in LA, I didn’t do much of anything, I was on a semi-vacation after all.
I decided kind of last-minute to get a ticket to ASL Cabaret, which was celebrating five years. I thought hey, when will I get this opportunity again? The total cost at the end of the night hurt me deep, deep in my soul, but it’s fine. I enjoyed myself and that’s what counts, right? Right?
Below is a sampler of what songs were sung/signed at ASL Cabaret. (I would really suggest watching the video for this!)
Muddy Waters – Big River, performed by Anthony Natale
♪ And I got a need to climb upon your back and ride
Look out for me! (Look out for me!)
Oh, muddy water (oh, muddy water!)
Your mysteries are deep and wide
And I got a need for going some place ♪♪
Uninvited – GrooveLily, ASL Duet by Raquel McPeek and Kristina Meyering
♪ And all day long I have been waiting with my door ajar
So when the royal mailman brings my invitation he’ll know me
He’ll have something to show me
I will not be forgotten
I will shake my fairy fist ♪♪
John Maucere story
I know Lauren’s giving me a look, I’m using a swear word for the first time in life? But anyway. I was like, no way. Saturday, all day, in New Orleans– Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm for ALL DAY. I was so nervous, hmm hmm. What to do!? Walking along a tunnel, and once we exited, the whole huge stadium was visible. 90,000 people all around. Walking along, heart beating fast–
Magic to Do – Stephen Schwartz, performed by Anthony Natale, Josh Castille, and TJ Forsberg
♪ Join us, leave your fields to flower
Join us, leave your cheese to sour
Join us, come and waste and hour or two
Doodle-ee-doo
Journey, journey to a spot ex-
Citing, mystic and exotic
Journey through our anecdotic revue
We got magic to do just for you ♪♪
The Seven Ages of Man – Performed by Justin Jackerson
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon
The Dark I Know Well – Duncan Sheik, ASL Duet by Treshelle Edmond and Raquel McPeek
♪ "Child you're a beauty"
"God, it's good to lovin', ain't it good tonight
You ain't seen nothin' yet, gonna treat you right
It's just you and me " ♪♪
All That Jazz – Closing performed by Josh Castille and ensemble
♪ And all that Jazz
No, I'm no one's spouse
But, oh, I love my life
And all that Jazz!
That Jazz! ♪♪
Hope you enjoyed those little glimpses into ASL Cabaret! Around that time, a friend of mine told me about a used bookstore in NoHo (North Hollywood), that’s the area I was staying in, called The Iliad Bookshop and of course I had to go! I left with three books, of course.
I knew I had to take the opportunity and check out bouldering gyms while I was in LA, because it’s a Thing™ there! I was able to go to two, Verdigo Boulders in Burbank and Hollywood Boulders in, well, Hollywood.
Sidenote – at the bus stop, I saw a poster for Adam Ruins Everything and knew I had to take a picture with it. I mean, come on! (Context: people have often said that I look a lot like Adam Conover, with my glasses and beard.)
The next paragraph is me talking while out and vlogging, so the wording is a little strange.
I feel like I haven’t really vlogged much of my time here, because yeah, I didn’t really go out as much as I would’ve liked. But also, I had work come up, I had rehearsals, I had class. Things coming up that I had to stay in to work on. Right now, I’m in downtown LA. This is the Grand Park, you can see here. And I will be going to the Broad museum soon. And just exploring downtown LA for the day, afternoon.
Of course, I HAD to go to The Last Bookstore! Shockingly, I resisted buying anything. Part of it was, I already had a few from Iliad, and I wasn’t even sure if I even had any room in my bag. (I was able to fit everything. Barely.) As my time in LA neared an end, I did the tourist thing and went to Universal Citywalk with a couple of friends. Near the entrance, one of the first things, was a whole Wizarding World shop, and of course I nerded out for a while there. And typical, I didn’t get any decent pictures. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
As all good things must come to an end, so did my time in LA. I had a wonderful time there, both by myself and with people. I look forward to the next time I visit!
But was I able to get back into the rhythm of home as soon as I got back? No. No I was not. But that’s a story for another video! Got ya with that one didn’t I? I’m horrible I know, but I will try to get it out soon! That’s all for today. If you actually watched (read) it this far, you the real MVP. I will stop talking, just finish this post.
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