Author: Rocky Tripaldi
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Cupcakes are the sliders of…
Cupcakes are the sliders of cake. #cupcakeTruth
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Checked in at Hotel Providence
Checked in at Hotel Providence.
Happy 10 years for Joy and Jesse.
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Checked in at West on Centre
Checked in at West on Centre.
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Happy birthday sushi
Today has been a stellar birthday. I’m thankful for my great friends and family. Thanks for your birthday wishes. Here is a pic of some fantastic sushi we had at Genki Ya in Brookline, MA. A bit far to travel for my Maine peeps, but certainly stop by if you’re in the vicinity. Yum!
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Checked in at Harvest Co-Op
Checked in at Harvest Co-Op.
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Checked in at The Garment District
Checked in at The Garment District.
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Checked in at Genki Ya
Checked in at Genki Ya.
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Our first camping trial was a success
Megan and I completed our first camping trip today. We spent a night at a campground 2 miles from our apartment. Our goal was to get our new tent out its box and make sure we could set it up. Also, as it had been a while, I wanted to make sure I could still light a fire. Success! The tent was easy and breezy, and I made us breakfast on a campfire!
A few folks have expressed curiosity at our sudden interest in camping. Why are we doing this?
- It’s a cheap way to travel.
- As a programmer who sits most of the day on my bum in front of a computer, I need some downtime that gets me moving in the great outdoors.
- Car camping is a gateway drug. I hope to learn some real survival skills, and car camping is a good first step for someone who grew up in comfy suburbia.
Our end game is to move to Denver. After living all our lives in New England, we hope to climb to the top of it before we fly away!
Before I sign off, here are two quick gear reviews. This first peice of equipment, the Camp Chef table, is a hybrid between a food preparation table and a portable pantry. There is a great episode of Parts Unknown, where Bourdin visits Quebec and meets some chefs who manage to prepare gourmet meals in the wilderness. Megan and I plan to do the same, and this table will help us get there. We’ll post some pics of our creations over the summer.
Next, our tent, the Midori 3 by Eureka, was a gift from Papa John. It is a solid couples tent. It is roomy, easy-to-assembly, and very breathable. We extend a big thank you Papa John, who is currently touring the country with just his motorcycle and tent! I believe he is at Glacier National Park today.
Ok, that is all for now. I’m sure I’ll talk your ear off again after the next camping trip.
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Cool Designs for PortFringe 2015
Here are two flyers, hot off the presses for PortFringe 2015. Both were lovingly crafted by Allie Munier. Yours truly will be starring in I Can’t Take You Anywhere, alongside my wife. We will be playing a quarreling married couple. If you like these flyers, then you should obviously come see the plays. ( I’m writing this post from a campground by the way ).
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Checked in at Pleasant Hill Disc Golf
Checked in at Pleasant Hill Disc Golf.
Join us for the back 9 if you’ve got the yarbles.
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Checked in at Automattic East
Checked in at Automattic East.
Stop by and challenge us in ping pong.
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2015 Portland Fringe Festival
For the past seven years I’ve supported my wife, Megan, in her whole-hearted devotion to the difficult art of play making. This past year, I’ve been joining her onstage and backstage occasionally. I’m thinking about changing my title from Rocco Tripaldi, Theatre Husband to the slightly elevated Rocco Tripaldi, Frequent Collaborator.
As I move forward in this endeavor, a quote from the legendary comedian, Groucho Marx comes to mind: “I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member”.
I learned today that a play that Megan is a part of earned over $1000 in crowd funding to appear in this year’s Portland Fringe Festival. When I heard this news, I initially thought that it seemed excessive to solicit donations for Fringe, which is essentially a way to test out new work. Megan reminded me what Fringe is really about. The festival, like most other theatrical events, is competitive. The artists involved don’t simply want to test out their work, they want to take it to the next level. Sometimes you need to make a big impression to achieve that.
Friends in Portland, friends in Boston, friends in New Hampshire and Rhode Island: come see PortFringe. Come especially if it’s been over 5 years since you’ve seen a play. Come as an excuse to visit us and visit Maine. Come to see great artist striving for bigger spotlights!
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The definition of polarizing
Richard’s parents will do anything for their baby… and so will Paula’s. That’s why they’re working two jobs.
This keenly drawn ( animated GIFs! ) comic strip is what you might see if you looked up “polarizing” in the dictionary. It is perfectly split down the middle, telling the story of two people from different classes. The real fun begins in the comment sections, demonstrating how certain issues can cut the world ( and the internet ) in two. Enjoy!
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Taking New Steps
In New England there is a strange sociological phenomenon that is worthy of investigation. If, for example, a friend asks you to come to their home to visit, it is likely you’d say “no”. BUT, if on the other hand the same friend asks you to come help them, you’d likely say “yes”. That is the Yankee way.
Today with very little notice, I helped my pal, Chris, build this awesome staircase:
That’s me, with the plate, sitting on a stone wall and staircase that i helped to build. There are not many communities in America where a person will go, with very little notice, and help a friend with an unknown project. I’m proud to be a Yankee. Need help with something, give me a call! Here are a few more photos of our awesome effort:
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Kicking off a summer of new adventures
This summer, Megan and I are trying something new. We are hiking, with a goal of climbing Mt. Katahdin in September. This past weekend we started out small with Bradbury Mountain.
A few intermediary hikes we have planned between now and then are Mt. Monadnock, Mt. Washington, and Mt. Kineo. Can you recommend any others?
Megan on Bradburry Mountain. 
Our hiking boots now. I wonder how they will look at the end of the season?
