In the Winter Sunshine

Began a late morning with breakfast and brand-new episodes of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. "Daniel and Mom Make a Treat," but they're out of bananas for Mrs. Tiger's famous Banana Whirl frozen sorbet. It tastes equally good substituting fresh coconut as Mrs. Tiger reminds her son that it doesn't matter what they make, she still enjoys being with him. "Jodi Sleeps at Her Dad's House" introduces Jodi Platt's father and his cabin in the woods. She's disappointed when it rains and they can't have a camp out together, but he reminds her that they can spend just as much time together inside.

I had some errands to run before I met Dawn at 1 PM, so I left early. Though the streets and most sidewalks were clear, it was still windy and very cold. I called Uber. They arrived in 8 minutes and didn't take more than three or four minutes to pull up in front of the Target at Westmont Plaza.

Mainly went there for vitamins. Their entire vitamin section was buy one, get one 50 percent off. The sugar-free Vitafusion was slightly more expensive than Target's sugar-free women's multi-vitamin gummies, but also bigger and held more gummies. Also grabbed a soda and a box of Made Good breakfast bars, which are cheaper at Target than they are anywhere else but Walmart. Grabbed a tasty and warming Matcha Vanilla Latte at Starbucks for the short walk to the Haddon Township Library.

Returned that ADHD book, then browsed around the stacks until Dawn arrived. Though we applied for eight jobs, including market coordinator and many office assistant titles, I doubt I'll get any of them. I just don't have enough skills. There's too many other people out there who have far more skills and experience in office settings than I do. She found a Microsoft Office class at the Voorhees Library, but of course, it was on Saturday, one of the few days this week I actually work. I might hit that library this Friday anyway to see if they have any books or programs there that could help me.

It was past 3 when I finally made my way back to the Westmont Plaza for lunch. My original plan for today was the Bagel Shop, but they were closed by then. Ended up at Nick and Joe's Pizza instead. They normally would have been busy with high school kids by 3:30, but a lot of the teens must have gone right home instead of hanging out in the cold. Ate my slice of slightly spicy veggie pizza and slice of tomato-basil pizza in relative silence, other than the really sweet waitress/clerk.

Though it remained chilly by quarter of 4, it was also sunny, and the wind had died down considerably since the early afternoon. I figured I'd be fine walking home. It's only a 20-minute walk from the Westmont Plaza to the White Horse Pike side of Oaklyn. Besides, all of the roads and most of the sidewalks were totally clear. The snow was so light and fluffy, it simply blew away from many yards. 

Put on Gold Diggers of 1935 when I got home. I go further into the fluffy romantic comedy that introduced the anything-but-sweet Oscar-winning Busby Berkeley number "Lullaby of Broadway" at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Gold Diggers of 1935

Switched to Match Game '73 during dinner. Jo Ann Pflug came in for a lot of ribbing that week...or, more specifically, the sequined t-shirts she wore. Richard and Gene happily joked about her Camel shirt on one episode and her Navy-themed one on the next.

Finished the night catching up with Broadway cast albums I've bought and either never listened to, or only listened to once or twice. The Broadway Victor/Victoria is an example of the former. Julie Andrews may have turned down her lone Tony nomination, but really, she was the only great thing about this. Frank Wildhorn's additional songs are only so-so, and nothing like Henry Mancini's original score. Some of the other performances aren't bad, notably Tony Roberts as the gay singer who encourages Victor to become Victoria and Rachel York as the ditzy dancer girlfriend of the gangster who falls for Victoria, but this is mostly for Andrews fans and completeists.

Likewise, Redhead is mainly for huge fans of Gwen Verdon. Neglected Essie Whimple (Verdon) is bored working for her two stern aunts at their wax museum in Victorian London. She thinks life has passed her by, until their display on the murder of chorus girl Ruth LaRue catches the attention of LaRue's former co-workers and Scotland Yard. After she falls for the strong man at the theater where LaRue performed (Richard Kiley), she makes herself over into a fabulous redhead and lies about knowing who the murderer is to get his attention. It works too well, not only getting his attention, but the real murderer's as well.

No wonder this is seldom heard from today. Despite having an intriguing original premise, the songs are dull and about as 50's musical as you can get. There's random chorus numbers that have nothing to do with anything ("The Uncle Sam Rag"), two macho numbers for Kiley ("She's Just Not Enough Woman for Me" and "I'm Back In Circulation") and "I want" songs for Verdon ("The Right Finger of My Left Hand"). Apparently, the best thing about this was Bob Fosse's choreography and direction, including "Essie's Vision" and "The Pick Pocket Tango." Cute if you're a fan of Verdon or 50's musicals, nothing worth going out-of-your-way for otherwise.

The Threepenny Opera is all together sterner stuff. I have the famous 1956 Off-Broadway cast album with Kurt Weill's widow Lotte Lenya in her original role of Pirate Jenny. Other now-familiar performers heard here include Beatrice Arthur as Lucy, Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Peacham, Jo Sullivan as Polly, and John Astin as one of the singers in "The Wedding Song" and "The Army Song." This is probably best-known nowadays for introducing American audiences to Lenya and what became the jaunty standard "Mack the Knife."