Aline and I really enjoyed CBC’s television production of How do you solve a problem like Maria? last year and tonight we went to see the theatrical show the Sound of Music at the Princess of Wales theater in Toronto starring the winner Elicia MacKenzie in the lead role.
We lucked out because the run actually ended the week before but was extended one final week with all tickets half price so we had dress circle center tickets for $50 apiece.
We both agreed we probably would have enjoyed the runner up Janna Polzin in the role instead but it was a great performance nevertheless. The singing was excellent. Loved Australian Simon Burke as Captain Von Trappe. The kids were polished yet amateurish. The set was magnificent. The rolling mountains, the trees, the monastary and the Nazi germany theater all jumped out at you. It was also neat to see some of the CBC Triple Threat competitors in the cast.
The outing was a little Xmas treat for ourselves and our first night away from Sam ever. Aline teared up as we talked about it on our way downtown. I hope he was OK. My mum probably stuffed him full of Cream of Wheat so that he’d sleep through the night. Hazel was probably in heaven with a little more quality Grandma Sue time.
We stayed at the Super8 motel in Toronto on Spadina. Not the classiest hotel but it was clean, non-smoking, cheap, included a simple breakfast and near the theater and Kensington Market. As an added bonus our window view was of the inner courtyard of the mall. We remembered to close the curtains! Aline’s favorite memory will probably be having a shower without an audience for the first time in three years.
For dinner we went to New Ho King restuarant in Chinatown. For appetizers we tried an egg roll, spring roll, fried won tons and a stuffed crab claw – which I particularly enjoyed. It was kinda like a pogo stick – a crab claw surrounded by soft crab meat with a crusty bread crumb herbed batter. For our mail meal we ordered beef with satay sauce, beef with pineapple in pineapple boat and fried rice. It was way too much food.
Friday, we strolled about Kensington Market and spent a little money on some fresh food. Aline bought some cheeses, I picked up a red grouper and pink snapper at a fish monger for supper, we bought a few spices, and we spent some time at a cooking bookstore called Good Egg and a kitschy gift store called Blue Balloon where we found an egg-laying chicken replacement for Hazel.
For lunch our noses led us to the Big Fat Burrito where we tried the the Yam and Pulled Pork burritos. Yum!
It was nice to get away for a night and be able to browse and wander through a shop without worrying what the kids were going to get into next.
