If You Can Find Me, I'm Here

Kicked off an absolutely gorgeous day with lemon coconut pancakes and farm market strawberries for breakfast. I was going through my book of hand-burned CDs when I found two I got off a CD set from the Haddon Township Library. Mandy Patikin Sings Sondheim is a live concert recorded at Philly's Prince Theater in 2002. It uses songs from various Sondheim shows to tell what sounds like the story of a songwriter, from the beginning of his career to his retirement with his wife and children in a rapidly-changing countryside. It's a long concert, but there's some great songs, including two from the TV musical Evening Primrose ("If You Can Find Me, I'm Here" and "When?") and one from the Dick Tracy soundtrack ("Live Alone and Like It") that just don't show up that often.

Since I enjoyed the concert, I switched to my favorite Sondheim show Follies while using the last of the coconut for coconut macaroons. Two couples regret their life decisions and try to make changes while attending showgirls' reunion at a theater that's about to be torn down. While I do have the original cast, the one I listened to was the more complete Papermill Playhouse recording from 1998. It's worth it for Ann Miller singing "I'm Still Here," if nothing else. Donna McKechnie also gets to ladle into "In Buddy's Eyes" and "Losing My Mind," and I love Dee Hoty's searing "Could I Leave You?" and Kaye Ballard's hilarious "Broadway Baby."

As soon as the coconut macaroons finally came out of the oven, I went for a walk. It was too nice of a day not to! While slightly warmer than yesterday, it remains cooler than average, breezy, and sunny. I ended up going past the school and around to the back - the school yard doubles as a park. There were huge white blocks stacked on top of each other on the driveway. They read "roof materials"; looks like the school's roof may be getting repaired. Lots of kids in the park, too, including some at the playground.

As I strolled back towards Kendall Boulevard, I noticed a pair of boys strolling along, one of whom seemed familiar. My nephew Khai was out walking with a buddy of his. His must have gotten tired of him being inside. The boys and I ended up on West Clinton. They got gum balls out of the machine on the counter at Phillies Phatties, while I checked the menu at The Square Meal. As a restaurant that specializes in low fat and "sustainable" food, they may be one of the only places I'll be able to eat at once outdoor dining opens tomorrow.

Worked on writing after I got in. Richard, Charles, and Lee need to find Queen Betty and figure out how to get her out of the ballroom undetected. Lucky for them, Orson (still in his troll form) shows up with Gary Scarlet and Little Red Sarah Hood to wreck havoc. The fairies jump in to help.

Broke for dinner at 6. Opted to keep things simple tonight with roasted split chicken breasts and peas and squash leftover from last night. Oh, yum. The chicken came out perfectly, juicy and tender. Felt nice to be able to have baked chicken in June without turning my apartment into a sweat box.

Hooked On Classics ran during dinner. Finished out the night before a shower with organizing and clearing out records. Among the many rock collections I couldn't bring myself to get rid of was a two-disc set from WIBG in Philly. Though they're now WNTP, a talk-radio station, in the 1960's and 70's they were one of Philly's premiere homes of rock music. I enjoyed songs like "Judy In Disguise," "Incense & Peppermints," "Cherry Cherry," and "Cherish" as I pulled out more albums to donate to Goodwill eventually.