Ginny from the Blog

I spotted this sign at Aquarium Outfitters, an awesome pet shop in Wake Forest. It made me smile. If you’re ever looking for something random to do, take a drive out to Wake Forest to go to this pet shop. I stumbled upon it last year when I was in Wake Forest researching stories for MyNC.com. It has a huge snake and fish collection. No dogs or cats, but lots of birds and mice. It’s a fun find.

Also, I stopped by this cool new vintage shop in downtown Wake Forest that has only been open for a week. Of course, since I was in Sunday stroll mode, I didn’t jot down the name of it. But it’s not hard to find (there’s not much on the main drag in downtown Wake Forest). The prices were really good and there’s even a meeting space (complete with bright yellow and green retro chairs) that the couple is letting the public use for free. If anyone knows the name of the shop, please post it in the comments so I can update my blog.

Don’t get mad at me if you’re a fan of “Fiddler on the Roof,” but I thought the musical was for old people. Seriously, I saw the commercial on TV saying it was coming to Durham Performing Arts Center — with women swirling in their prairie skirts — and thought its target audience must be women in their 90s who longed for a simpler day. Still, I’m a huge musical fan, so I had to see what it was all about. And last night my mind was blown!

It was incredible. The lead character is Tevye, who is played by Chaim Topol, the same guy who played the role on stage in the 1960s and in the 1971 film. I didn’t think this was a big deal until I saw Topol on stage. That man owns the role. (He’s the guy in the center of the photo above. The pics were taken by Joan Marcus).

For a full review, check out the write-up by N&O reporter Jim Wise who says:

Almost 40 years later, Chaim Topol (who goes by just “Topol”) remains a master of timing and expression, using them to simultaneously convey humor and fatalism. He speaks, sings, dances, advances and recedes — always master of a role that could lead a lesser man to ham it up.

That he does it in person in a 2,800-seat hall speaks to the magic that endures undiminished in an age of whiz-bang electronics. This is, after all, an old-fashion musical with characters and stories augmented by lyrics you can make out through the amplifiers.

I hadn’t planned on telling you my take on the performance, but I was so impressed that it stuck with me when I woke up this morning. I was humming the music while I was getting ready for work this morning.

The music is funny and catchy. I had no idea that Gwen Stefani’s “Rich Girl” song was inspired by “If I Were a Rich Man.” And I truly believe Topol rocks that song way more than Stefani. His foot stomping and “yubby, dibby, dibby, dubs” were so fun to watch. I’ll have Topol’s version stuck in my head for days.

I’ve never seen a show on Broadway, so I’m not accustomed to seeing such gorgeous sets. But the set and the lighting last night were breathtaking. It was a beautiful display of sunsets and sunrises, moving trees and houses on wheels.

But there was one scene that will forever stick with me and makes the entire musical worth seeing. It’s a dream sequence, where Tevye (Topol, the lead guy) is making up a dream to convince his wife that their daughter should marry someone else. Anyway, in the middle of this well-choreographed and hilarious scene a GIGANTIC “woman” more than 10 feet tall walks on stage. (The photo below is actually not of the same “woman” I’m describing … sorry if this confuses you).

Upon closer inspection, you can see that it’s actually a man (Sean Patrick Doyle) on the shoulders of another man. The duo, hidden by a long, long dress dance in sync. The entire scene is remarkable and makes me wish I could watch it again.

If you go to the show (It will be in town through Sunday), let me know if you loved it as much as I did.

*UPDATE* My coworker, Josh Green, got to interivew Topol Wednesday afternoon. Thought I would share the clip so you could hear how amazing his voice is:

My Saturday plans have been crushed with the rescheduling of the Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Forecasts of rain and chilly temps prompted them to push it back to March 21.

So I figured it was time to see what else was going on this weekend. Here are some events that should keep you dry, warm and entertained:

* Artistic bailout. Go see the Bailout Biennial exhibit at Golden Belt in Durham. The exhibit features 57 works by 26 artists all center on the messed up economic situation we’re facing and the scandals and greed that got us there. Not only is the show worth checking out, but so is the venue. Golden Belt is a restored historic textile mill that is simply gorgeous. Here’s a snippet from an N&O article about the show:

The staging could hardly be more spare; the works are arrayed around a vast second-floor room with tall windows and high ceilings. The show is remarkable not only for the variety of media it includes — painting, photography, sculpture, installation, audio — but the variety of perspectives and approaches the artists took. Some of the works are subtle, others distinctly less so, and some offer no easy or obvious interpretations.

The exhibit is scheduled to end Sunday. So this is your last chance to check it out. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

* Political theater. Can you believe the Iraq war started six years ago this month? Carolina Theatre is marking the anniversary with a one-man show by ex-soldier and playright Kenny Carnes. “Pieces of War” starts at 8 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $24.

* Hang out with some live alligators and sea turtles. Saturday is Reptile and Amphibian Day at the North Carolina Museum of Natural History. The 16th annual event will feature hundreds of live creatures. Best of all? It’s free. It’s from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Just don’t snicker about the theme “Extreme Herps” in front of your kids (they mean Herpetology, of course. Geez, I can be immature sometimes).

* Get your comedy on. You know I’m a big improv fan. If you’re in Raleigh on Saturday night, check out the return of the Super Sparkle Showcase at Comedyworx. The talent competition is supposed to be hilarious. Or if you’re closer to Carrboro Saturday, head over to DSI Comedy Theater for the “Best Show Ever” — a comedy showcase.

The Super Sparkle Showcase starts at 10:30 p.m. Saturday and costs $10. The Best Show Ever starts at 9:30 p.m. and costs $12 (or $10 if your a student, in the military or a senior).

* Look at the stars. The Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill has several shows scheduled this weekend. Admission is $6 for adults and $5 for children. Though there are discounts, including this $1 coupon for Sunday shows. News & Observer subscribers can get buy one, get one free admission using this coupon.

As always, there are plenty of other events worth checking out around the Triangle including the Bishop Allen concert at Local 506 Saturday, the craft fair at the State Farmers Market, the Hillsborough Street Renaissance eco event in Raleigh, Art After Dark at the Ackland Art Museum and more.

If there are other events we should know about, please share in the comments section.

Happy chilly, wet weekend!

Trips to Biscuitville have become a staple in my Sunday brunch routine. I’m hardly a biscuit connoisseur, but I’ve got to admit that the North Carolina biscuit chain has got it going on. They’ve got Texas Pete, awesome sausage patties, strong coffee, and — of course — tasty biscuits. And the Honey Buns deserve their own fan page on facebook. Breakfast for two costs about $10.

On Sundays, I take my copy of the News & Observer with me and sprawl out in a booth with my biscuits and boyfriend. Sometimes we’ll go on Saturdays too. Another huge Biscuitville brunch perk is there’s rarely a wait. I get impatient waiting for a table for Sunday brunch (unless you give me coffee like Elmo’s does).

But I know there are better biscuits out there. Somewhere in the Triangle, there’s a fluffy, golden biscuit that’s waiting to woo me. Help me find that place.

Tell me what restaurants you think have incredible biscuits (or biscuits not worth wasting my time on). I’ve had the biscuits at Elmo’s and Flying Biscuit, and I like them both. But certainly there are other locally-owned places that I’ve got to try.

It’s time for another 30THREADS blogger bash. And this one promises to be the best yet because it’s being sponsored and hosted by Durham Performing Arts Center.

The DPAC will open its doors to Triangle bloggers and 30THREADS users for a social bash on Thursday, April 9.

If you haven’t had a chance to see the new theater in downtown Durham, this is your opportunity to explore it, eat some food, sip on a cocktail and socialize with other local bloggers. I’m told by Rachel Gragg (the theater’s social media go-to person) that we’ll even be able to get up on stage and take photos.

Here’s what you need to know:

Who’s invited?

Any Triangle-area residents who blog. It doesn’t matter what you blog about. This is a chance for us bloggers to put a face with our blog names and socialize. Also, if you don’t blog but you read 30THREADS, Ginny from the Blog or other local blogs, then you should come too. Local Flickr users and tweeps are invited too.

Never been to one of our blogger bashes? Bring a friend or a date for comfort. Here’s a recap of what went down at the last 30THREADS blogger bash.

When is it?

The event will start with a happy hour (cash bar) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9!

It will officially run from 7 to 9 p.m. April 9.

Where is DPAC?

It’s in downtown Durham beside the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The exact address is 123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC.

What else?

The event is scheduled a week before “Legally Blonde The Musical” kicks off, so Rachel plans to give away tickets to the show. The event will feature other Legally Blonde treats too. And there will be free food, a cash bar and free ticket giveaways. Rachel also plans to give tickets away to Kathy Griffin and possibly more upcoming shows. She’ll have a better idea once it gets closer to the event.

Why is DPAC sponsoring the event?

I met Rachel over the summer to talk about Twitter. Since then, she’s had a lot of fun tweeting about DPAC events and checking out local blogs. So when I mentioned to her that 30THREADS was looking for a place to host its next blogger bash … She suggested we have it at DPAC. Here’s what she wrote:

“DPAC wants those in the social media community to realize the dedication we have as a new performing arts theatre in the Triangle to bring something for everyone to the area.  We are devoted to customer service and making sure that anyone and everyone that walks in the door has a positive experience.  We also want to make sure that our followers and supporters know us and are aware of all our upcoming events. We want public feedback, we encourage suggestions, and most of all we are glad you are here!
Come hang out, enjoy appetizers & wine, stand on the stage, and even win tickets.”

If you have any questions about the bash, let me know. If you plan to be there, drop me a note in the comments section or RSVP on facebook.

It snowed in North Carolina overnight. And since everyone else seems to be posting their snow photos on their blogs, I figured I would join them. Here’s my snowy back porch scene:

But of all the snow entries I read today, none were as interesting as the post made by Durham resident Sonja Foust. She woke up to a car filled with snow. Here’s what happened.