No Saints Lane

A play about Skagway.
Written by someone who has never been there.
Inspired by the stories my best friend shared about her summers there.
It stars some of the most incredible actors I've ever seen perform.
I wish I could see it.
I wish Perseverance Theatre would produce it.

Photo courtesy of Coeurage Theatre Company

Spirit Bear

Friday night was the opening of Perseverance Theatre's The Blue Bear. The play is based on the book of the same name by Lynn Schooler.  It is a story of the friendship between a nature guide and wildlife photographer, as they search for the ever elusive blue bear or "glacier bear" as it's more widely known. A glacier bear is a black bear, but has a unique silvery white color. It's not a polar bear, but rather a glacier bear. These bears are incredibly rare, and you could live in Alaska your entire life, and never see one. In the end of the play, characters never find a glacier bear, but it's their friendship that was most important. The production was incredible, and one of the best plays I've seen at Perseverance.

The Spirit Bear

What was especially fun for me, as I was watching the play, was that I have actually seen one of these rare glacier bears. It happened a couple of years ago, while I was working in Skagway. I knew this particular glacier bear existed in the town, because it was already protected by the Department of Fish and Game, and it was known as The Spirit Bear.

Photo courtesy of Skagway News

It was nearing the end of the summer, and I was driving up to my friend's house on the side of the mountain. I saw what I thought was a huge dog walking toward me on the other side of the road. I slowed down, and realized it was a bear. And not just any bear-it was the Spirit Bear. He crossed in front of my car, stopped to look right at me, and then climbed up the side of the mountain. It was so alarming to see a bear, but most excited because it was the Spirit Bear. I was so affected and delighted by this encounter, and reeled from it for a few days. Sadly mere days after this spotting, the Spirit Bear got into someone's rabbit patch and was shot and killed. The town was so disturbed by the killing, they held a memorial service and even tried to have the shooter charged with animal cruelty.

The following summer, I lived in a cabin in the woods and heard something strange outside. Like a dying, hungry bird. I looked outside and saw a small, brown, black bear run across my front yard. I could hear it grunt with each stride. I was incredibly alarmed and afraid, but just after the bear crossed into the woods it came right back out with a little greyish white cub happily trotting behind. I guess that weird sound was the cub crying for its mama. I don't know if that little grey cub grew up to be a glacier bear, but I feel blessed that these little creatures have allowed me to witness a bit of their lives. One of the many reasons I love it up here.

xo
A

The District

After almost a full day of traveling, we made it to our final destination in Washington DC. We were so lucky to get to stay with my mom's cousin, Sally. Sally is an incredible woman, who lives in a beautiful part of DC, mere blocks away from the National Cathedral.

The National Cathedral

Sally said we should check it out, and so we wandered down the street to take a look. We only thought we'd be there for a few minutes, but the building sucked us in for hours. It was gorgeous, and vast, and mysterious, and we were even spoiled with an organ demonstration. A truly unexpected treat.


Hand-stitched prayer kneeler from the National Cathedral

The Space Window

Every stained glass window in the cathedral was unique, and this window was our favorite. This photo barely captures it's impact. We learned that it even holds a real moon rock.


Jen, Gravy, and Me

The rest of our time in DC was filled with Gravy, Jen, and the Smithsonian. We ate lunch in the American Indian Museum cafeteria, which lived up to it's incredible reputation. Although, the Alaskan salmon was gross. They really can only do it right up here in the north. 

Painting of a royal dog in the National Gallery

Crocheted coral reef in the Museum of Natural History

I was obviously smitten with the crocheted coral reef. I even spotted some small knitted portions. I wish I could have been a part of this awesome project. Oh well. Maybe they'll have a knitted reptile exhibit someday. I'd be all over that one.

Main rotunda of the Museum of Natural History

The Washington Monument

Gravy & Jen's home in Fairfax

We ventured out to Fairfax, VA to check out my brother's digs. I was very impressed by there awesome house and quaint little town.


The Library of Congress reading room

Michelle Obama's inauguration gown at the American History Museum

Julia Child's kitchen at the American History Museum

Mammals at the Natural History Museum

We were incredibly impressed by the taxidermy work in the mammals section at the Natural History Museum. I think I looked at every single one. They were posed in such unique, specific ways, that they really looked alive.

peek a boo

Jeff and the Hope Diamond

We knew we couldn't miss the Hope Diamond. Even though all of us remember seeing it as teenagers, and being fairly unimpressed. It has since been put into a new setting, and the display is more accessible. I still think it has a bit too much hype for its size, but I was impressed with the rest of the gems section of the museum. Jeff, Jen, and I were so captivated by all the sparkles, we didn't realize it was closing time, and we were herded out of the museum.


The Hope Diamond

Our final moment of fun on our adventure was dinner with Sara, Sara's husband-Jeff, and Charity. We ate at an amazing Indian fusion restaurant and laughed and barely caught up on each others' lives.


Me, Sara, & Charity

But it was a perfectly delightful end to an exhilarating vacation. Now Jeff and I are fantasizing about a vacay to a hot, sunny beach where we don't have to do anything.

Happy Sunday

alli

Ivy

After our days in NYC, we took a bit of a jaunt over to Connecticut to explore Jeff's old stomping grounds in New Haven. I was so looking forward to Yale, because I only had the caricature of the typical Yale co-ed. While there were some typical ivy-league, secretive, haunted, snooty elements to the campus-the architecture, history, and lifestyle totally out weighed the silliness. 

Proof I went to Yale.

As soon as we stepped off the train, we went straight to a Yale hockey game. I was especially excited, because, really?  Yale sports?! I thought there was only crew and polo. 

The Yale Bulldogs

But I was so mistaken. The Yale hockey team is ranked number one, and they dominated Holy Cross.

Jeff inside "The Whale" arena

We were, once again, spoiled with delicious food in New Haven. Since we were only in town for a day, we just ate and ate and ate and never allowed ourselves to get full.

Pepe's Pizzeria

Pepe's Pizza is considered one of the first pizza joints in the nation, and even has the original coal fired oven. Jeff is always claiming this place has the best pizza. I was skeptical, but after eating there, I am totally convinced. We had a white clam pizza, which was absolutely incredible. I took a bite, gave Jeff a confused look, and said, "Wo. This really is unbelievable."


Yale

We spent the day exploring the campus, meeting up with Jeff's old friends, and enjoying a cold, sunny, winter day. 

Yale Cabaret Theatre

Jeff was the Artistic Director of the Yale Cabaret for a year. The building was formerly George W. Bush's fraternity.

Yale Rep

Jeff's old apartment building

A particularly fascinating part of the Yale lifestyle are all the secret societies. Mostly for rich undergrads.

Skull and Bones secret society.

I was told by many that the must see at Yale is the Rare Books library. The building is built with remarkable translucent stone.

Jeff, checking out an original book of bird drawings by John James Audubon

All of the Rare Books

I was continually aware of the white men at Yale. It seemed like all the buildings were named after white men, and all the students I was seeing were white men. Yale, as a whole, is struggling to seem more diverse. The sculpture called "The Women's Table", displays the number of women admitted to Yale and the corresponding year. The women of Yale still only make up a fraction of the student population, but they really have come a long way.

The Women's Table

I'm standing at The Women's Table, because, ya know, I "went to Yale."

More proof that I went to Yale. ;)

The main hall of the Yale Library

The Yale library was especially creepy. There were rooms full of old, empty card catalogs, hidden passageways, old telephone booths, small courtyards, and vast study rooms.

Card catalog drawers

I guess for a college established in 1701, the buildings are bound to be extra creepy.

Study room

Even though the buildings seemed haunted and mysterious, I could understand why one would want to study there. I was extremely impressed.

I was impressed...even though I didn't see any young men in letter man sweaters and short pants.

xo
Alli

The Big Apple

After driving for ten hours overnight from Detroit to New York City, Jeff and I almost immediately hit the streets.

Rockefeller Center

Fifth Avenue

 Jeff and I have never spent time together outside of Alaska, so I was a bit worried we'd have some travel together trouble.

Deliberately Dior

But he was the perfect travel buddy.

St. Regis Hotel

 We didn't stay in a fancy hotel, but we did stay with Jeff's Yale buddy, Emily. And it was almost better than the St. Regis.

Jeff & a local bakery window

 We were immediately blown away by all of our food options. Coming from a tiny off the grid town, we felt obligated to eat all the good food we could afford. The yelp app on Jeff's iPhone guided us to the least expensive and best reviewed spots in town. We were continually completely delighted.

Jeff at "Egg" in Brooklyn

The best macaroons in the city

We didn't see any Broadway shows or plays. This was mostly due to our limited budget, but also because we were there the week after Christmas. Most theatres were dark, and Times Square was too overwhelmed with tourists to be bearable. 

The Metropolitan Opera

We did, however, score $20 rush tickets to see Pelleas and Melisande at the Met. It was my first opera. It was four hours long with two intermissions, and the guy sitting next to Jeff was snoring from the moment the mezzo belted. But it didn't matter. It was so glamorous and captivating.

All dressed up for 2011

 We did not go to Times Square to watch the ball drop (thank goodness!). Instead, we rang in the New Year at the Bootleggers Ball in Brooklyn.

Jeff and his girls

 We dressed up like prohibition era speakeasy hoppers, and giggled and danced the night away with dancers, aerialists, an awkward Russian band, and an awesome late night band with a real string bassist.

Midnight

Best New Years party ever.

Happy Emily. 

Happy 2011.

Happy New Year.

When do we stop saying "Happy New Year"? 

xo

Al