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Today's photo comes from an "Unordered Gift" we received, on our front porch...... We did NOT order this pair of single bed mattresses! They just appeared over an hour ago. I was at the back of the house, with the radio on, so I didn't hear any sound whatsoever. We found a tag on one of them with the name of the company that sells them. But no delivery address anywhere. We can't do anything until Monday, with the apparent company involved. Ho ho ho.

We just saw West Side Story, yesterday. Having seen the 1961 original on the big screen (for me it was 1972 in The Ginza, Tokyo/Japan!), and actually performed on stage as RIFF, in one of my 2 professional contracts, with Theatre In The Park/Under The Stars. The other was Fiddler on The Roof in 1975, as Perchik. I was taken how Speilberg managed to really make Bernstein's musical score ebb and flow, with totally new ways of presenting it visually. And I know that Stephen Sondheim was in on the production, before his untimely passing. And knowing most of the leads, as known NY stage actors, even though they are not 'household names' blah blah, they were all incredible singers and actors AND dancers! And the awesome group choreography ..... SWOON. I intend to get the soundtrack, soon. Promise. Do I really need to say SPOILER ALERT? ... Oh look. I just did. But the really nice Big Surprise is Rita Moreno as part of this revival of the classic film. Not saying any more but - this woman needs to be NOMINATED for an OSCAR as "Best Supporting Actress in a Film" ....fini. What number was usually played onstage as a big dream-y dance number, which finishes with a re-enactment of (what I called) "The Rumble-Death Ballet", became a solitary musical plea for good to finally conquer all. It's an amazing Original Performance by Moreno, the original 1961 Anita. She deserves the nomination, at least. P.S. The camera work really took me by surprise. Huge crowd scenes, interplayed with close up shots, all usually to the soundtrack of.... brilliant work. Honestly, I will say that this film worked somehow a lot better for me, than Les Miserables did.

^ Dare I say ..... it looks perfect! Made another cinnamon/raisin loaf for our neighbours next door.

Been a while. So be it. Helix Liseberg (Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden) TPR 2014 Scandi Tour

^ I'm not too sure, if I'll/we'll ever be able to come back to the U.S. But it's still nice to have the soundtracks of all the shows in Las Vegas. And beyond.

^ <drool> They all look incredibly awesome! How often do you make/eat pizza, anyway? Just curious. And do you have a favourite amongst all that you've created? They all look really wonderful. With my weekly visits across the street, that's basically one a week for myself. But homemade ones? Not likely. I would hire YOU to make up a few - but delivery charges would be a bit much, LOL. EDIT TO ADD: Just returned home (4:45pm) after my weekly pizza meal, and figured it easier to add it here to this post, unlike posting a new post, blah blah blah. They had three specialty pizzas available, and I chose the one called boscaiola, which roughly translates (in Italian) to "woodcutter". But if you capitalize the 'b' in it, then Boscaiola = lumberjack! It's true! Whatever the case, it was great with slivers of red onion adding extra 'spice' to it,. I would definitely have it again. A bit of Italian holiday decor... The boscaiola Pizza - really nice, and worth ordering again!

^ I didn't realize there was such a distance from SW:GE to ToonTown. Pathway-wise. Well, like you said, there could be another SW:GE attraction created and built, to then help build another pathway, from ToonTown.

^ Have a great time, when you're there! (Also knocking wood, for ya)

^ Ha! For one reason or another, it "feels/looks like" to me, the left side of Olympia Looping Coaster. Remembered from past experience on Olympia. Actually, the TPR 2010 Europe Tour. Dunno. It just looks like it, to me. In Germany, during a Beer Keg Opening Festival. Truth!

I feel very .....OPERATIC .... tonight. Me me me meeeeee......

Now listening to The Tenors ~ Christmas Together CD. They put a marvelous spin on that old Coke jingle "I'd like to teach the world to sing...." with a story behind it. Just love it. And their "Mary Did You Know?" is strangely freeky in how they musically unload all the future onto Her. But I still enjoyed it.

If you have a musicals fan in your Holiday Gift List, may I suggest this wonderful holiday CD put together and produced by the cast and crew of the 2019 TONY-winning musical, "HADEStown". I believe this might be The Very First Holiday album, produced by a Broadway company. Huh. The CD was released in 2020, but it's a really beautiful to listen to. https://www.amazon.com/If-Fates-Allow-Hadestown-Holiday/dp/B08KV81ZGX/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=if+the+fates+allow&qid=1639356139&sr=8-3 Available through Amazon.com

Listening to a great holiday album, featuring all of the cast from Broadway's HADEStown. It's really good, and uses the musical style of the musical itself, to frame some favourites. Honestly, I believe this is the first Holiday album to be made by a Broadway cast ... ever. https://www.amazon.com/If-Fates-Allow-Hadestown-Holiday/dp/B08KV81ZGX/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=if+the+fates+allow&qid=1639356139&sr=8-3 Available through Amazon.com

Author Anne Rice, who "breathed new life into vampires," has just passed away. She was 80 I believe my David has practically every book she's written, including those she wrote under another name. Just counted them. At least 27 books of hers! We even went to where things took place with "Interview With A Vampire," during our very first trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. David was like a kid in a theme park finding "all the places where...."

Am very excited, as this might be the last first run movie we see, before "the New Year" begins. Nonetheless.... "West Side Story" newly directed by Steven Spielberg (his first movie musical!) and Tony Kushner ("Angels in America" scribe) involved ..... ...and I myself, played Riff in a 1977 production of the musical, at Theatre In The Park, Vancouver. Gotta love LIVE theater, y'know? We had to see this one, especially with all we knew were parts of it's re-creation. GO Rita Moreno! And a LOT of Broadway artists involved on screen, too! Mr. Spielberg, and his WSS cast. And (TRIVIA!) 'Bernardo' on the left there? It's David Alveraz, who won The TONY for Lead Actor/Musical, with his two companions of "Billy Elliot"... a three-way First!

Hmmmm. From the art concept, it has a "usual" lift hill in the framework. Quite the "Loop-de-Loop" I see. Tall and impressive. Hope the design works out, and the coaster is epic. EDIT: Just saw that "tilt" towards the queue from the station exit. Brilliant!

^I'm still wondering if they are going to create another entryway into Galaxy's Edge? From that point, I mean. Otherwise, "the new rumor" going around, is that with building a new show building for this Runaway Railway, there is the possibility that they are going to add an extra scene in this version. Anybody else read about this rumor? .... and .... Go Mickey! And .... From their looking at the "route" of the vehicles, the rumor source sort of figured, that what was called the "Alleyway" between Daisy's Dance School and the Factory, etc. would be where the new scene would go. Just a rumor, mind.

And I have to add this .... Our back yard (and back of the house) looks towards an apartment bldg, painted a not-great sort-of blue colour. Anyway, one of those living opposite us, put some lights in their window. And really, we're the only ones who can actually see it, outside! So nice of them to do this, LOL. My night photo skills aren't great, but it still looks .... interesting. A closer shot, and it turns into something else, LOL. Happy Holidays, Everybody!

"Several Years Later......" I wanted to post a photo of what we've done this Holiday Season, on the front of our house. Took me a bit of time to find any thread that I didn't have to repeat. Found this one. Jingle! We got a set of purple lights to drape across the front railing of the porch. Worked pretty good, Yes? EDIT: I didn't realize there was an actual year in the topic's title. Ho ho ho. A touch fuzzy, but you get the idea. A better pic will be taken later on. I hope.

I just discovered this TR, and it's a Ginger Snap Goody, Chuck! Did the coaster ornaments feature all their main coasters, or just a few? Just curious. Man, I wish I/we could go to something like this, locally. <sighs> Ah well.... Best Holiday Wishes to you and your closest, Chuck! Jolly Jolly!

A couple of musicals now have their Original Cast CDs released... Now re-opened on Broadway. An Off-Broadway gem. I saw this in 2013 in Vancouver. It's really great! And a couple of musicals' original cast recordings, to be released next year. The LONDON Original cast. And yes, they made a musical out of it! First revival of this musical on Broadway. But it opened in London first, not long ago. STILL TO COME: "Flying Over Sunset" An LSD-based Musical {truth} about three know people who never met each other, but "meet through their LSD Experience." I kid you not, And it was just reported, they are going to record the show, and release the CD in March. Fantastic! And I am really, REALLY HOPING for a Broadway Revival Cast Recording of "Company." They released the London Cast cd of it back in 2018, but I am hoping that with such a group of well-known actors in the Broadway version (...and still keeping Patti LuPone from the London gig), will yield their own Revival Recording. And remember this is the revival that "switched gender" of it's lead character, AND features the "Getting Married Today" couple. as a gay couple tying the knot! That's my Holiday Broadway Wishes.

Michael Nesmith, formerly of The Monkees. Aged 78. R.I.P.

December 8th - Back to the Cream Based Pizzas! This time, it's the 'Pancetta E Zucchine' pizza. Still great, a second time around. The sky looks nice some times, around sunset time. As written on La Menu. Only two other people here, right now. A bit later on, it got really busy with more arrivals. Trying to be 'fancy' with the oven's fire reflected in the front window. Ta daah! Looks great. Tasted even better! Last bites. And as usual, one slice for David.

I didn't try to ride it (for the credit) back in Sept.2016 (WCBash) 'cause it was just - too - small for me. Go figure.