A long time ago, back in the days of newspapers and before there was the internet, there was a couple who would go out to eat and then write about it for the newspaper. I enjoyed the reviews because they went places that I had never heard of or that I wouldn’t normally go. As a teenager and young adult, I thought that they must be very glamorous.
As I kept reading, I realized they went to the same restaurants often and they loved everything they ate. As I got older and more cynical I decided that they were probably getting free food in exchange for nice comments.
When I began to write reviews for Broadway World years ago, I decided I wanted to buy tickets and come in unannounced and leave unobserved so as to stay objective. I was encouraged by the BWW people to get free tickets since that was the only compensation that I would receive. I occasionally accepted a free ticket when theatres invited me and it was something I might not have gone to otherwise, but mostly I bought a ticket, slipped in and then slipped out.
For a time after I left BWW, I thought about the idea of starting a site where I would go out to eat and then to a movie, concert or show and write up a review of the night. I could see myself researching what was happening in the area and putting together ideas for a night on the town to help people know what was going on in the area. It seemed like a fun idea, but it also seemed more than I could really do alone.
It just always amazed me when I would talk to people outside of my theatre circle and they had no idea there was any theatre at all in Birmingham, much less the huge variety and the many places where theatre was thriving in the area before the pandemic. Sometimes people would have heard of Red Mountain Theatre or maybe Virginia Samford, but the wonderful small theatres that do more intimate or interesting shows were totally unknown to the average person. There were lots of people I would tell that I wrote reviews and they assumed I traveled to do that job because they thought there was nothing in Birmingham to review! I would really blow their minds when I would tell them that once I had reviewed 7 different shows in one week in Birmingham!
I think as a theatre community we live in a bubble, doing our “art” and not realizing that we need to be out in the community more, letting the world know what we are doing. With the way the internet keeps us seeing only what we are interested in, it is hard to get someone who doesn’t know there is theatre in town to see what we share on our own pages and our own group sites.
Of course, times have changed and many theatres are just now emerging from the shut downs of the last year. Other theatres are not quite there yet or lost their spaces during the year off. As the theatre community reemerges, it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.
I have been fortunate the last two weekends to eat in a few incredible places. I have seen how the restaurant industry is trying to do the right thing and follow ever changing rules and protocols while doing their best to stay in business.
During our anniversary meal last night, I began comparing the “fancy” meal we had in downtown Macon a couple of weekends ago with the one we were enjoying in downtown Birmingham. At one point I began trying to guess the mystery ingredient in one of the dishes and finally just asked the waitress. When I told her my guess, she confirmed my suspicions and seemed impressed that I could pick out the flavor buried under all of that cheese.
I remembered then how much I had enjoyed the restaurant reviews of days gone by and how much I missed going out with my girlfriends at the beach where we would eat meals and try to figure out the recipe. I remembered how much I enjoyed nights out and about, eating a special meal and then attending a live event. I thought about the idea I had years ago and how now might be the time for me to be the one who ventures out and then reports back to everyone about what I am finding.
As the world begins to return to whatever our new normal might be, I think I would like to write about the places that are also returning. To share my observations of the safety, the service, the food and the atmosphere. To share what plays are coming and what I go out and see, what I eat before the show, where I have drinks afterwards.
All of those years ago, Tim and I joked that we could be the new “Dennis and Bunny”, the couple in the newspaper who wrote the restaurant reviews. He and I have very different tastes in food, so we usually order totally different things. It always made me think that we tried a huge variety of the menu when we went out and maybe we could share our thoughts.
Again, like when I wrote reviews, my opinion is only that. And I don’t claim to be an expert in anything, but I have studied theatre for almost 60 years, have cooked for about 50 years and do like to share my thoughts.
I don’t want this blog to become the place for these reviews- this is my place to share my experiences and ideas about anything and everything. It is where I muse about life, faith, friendship and the world in general. I think I want a different place to write about what is going on in Birmingham.
I also don’t want the pressure of having to go certain places on a schedule. Too many things in my life have had the joy sucked right out of them and I refuse to let this become a burden instead of a treat! If I write when I go instead of going because I have to write, there may be fewer entries, but they will be better.
I have been writing something else, something that is private for now, that has been a very emotional experience. To be able to write something more fun and superficial seems the right thing right now. And if it helps a restaurant or a theatre get out the word that they are back at it, then I would love to be able to do that.
The one thing I will struggle with and probably won’t do is take pictures of food. I just can’t bring myself to do that and anyway, I am a terrible photographer! I have tried to say what I have to say here without many pictures. If a picture paints a thousand words, well I am the thousand words type!
Although I don’t normally pay too much attention to the comments or any feedback,(that’s usually just asking for trouble!) I would love to hear if this is something anyone might enjoy. And I will need my theatre friends to let me know what they are up to. I can’t be everywhere and I hope that soon there will be a lot more going on! I will need whatever information that you want to share.
Let me know what you are up to and what you think. I might actually pay attention to what you tell me. But I don’t make any promises!
