63. Go to the Russian ballet

When I put go to the Russian Ballet on the bucket list back in 2001, I really meant to see it in Russia. Who would have thought I would actually see it in Appleton. I picked up a FAN pass to see Cinderella Ballet at the PAC performed by the Russian National Ballet. I've never been to the ballet and thought this would be a good opportunity to go. I never even realized "go to the Russian Ballet" was on the original bucket list until later. I categorized it under European Highlights which since I'm not planning on going to Europe any time soon, I usually skip that section when reviewing my list.

I know the story of Cinderella.. who doesn't?? However to see it performed live at the ballet is an unique experience. The story line follows the tale of Cinderella to a extent but it is done entirely different. She still has a wicked stepmother and stepsisters along with a fairy godmother. There is still a ball and a prince and lost slipper. But there are several other twists to it such as foreign dignitaries who perform at the ball. Disney may have ruined the whole Cinderella story by adding mice and pumpkins...

The other thing I forgot about the ballet, at least initially, that it's all classical music for the most part and there's no talking or narrator. The movements tell the story. It was very graceful and intricate. I was on the edge of my seat most of the show trying to follow the story.

The ballet was very well done. The gracefulness and stamina of the dancers is amazing to watch. I have a DVD of the NYC Ballet work out so I recognized some of the movements but they were way more graceful and skilled that I would ever be.

Musicals and plays are still my favorite form of theater but the ballet is not bad. I would definitely go again especially since see The Nutcracker is on the bucket list.

A visit with Roger Rabbit and Daffy Duck

I picked up a FAN pass to see the Roger Rabbit Exhibit at the Trout Museum of Art. I knew Danielle really wanted to see it. I'll be entirely honest, I'm not a big Roger Rabbit fan. I could never get into the movie.  However, the exhibit sounded pretty good even if I wasn't a fan of the movie mainly because you got to see the actual artwork from the film.

Let me tell you, I appreciate the movie a whole lot more. Some of the animation cels were very details while others were quite simple. It all depended on the scene. We only saw a minute portion of the cels but I can't even fathom how many thousands of cels had to be created to make the full length movie.

I either didn't realize it or forgot how many other cartoon characters were in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It was like Disney and Warner Bros both wanted to leave their mark on this mixed media film (live action and animation). Being able to see the cels of both Disney Characters and Loony Toon Cartoons was unexpected but it totally made the trip even more satisfying. 

The movie was playing upstairs and I'll be honest the part we saw (the bar scene) was very amusing. I might just have to go to the library pick up a copy sometime just to see if I can watch the entire thing without getting now I know how it was made.

Besides the Roger Rabbit cels, the second floor contained Loony Toon animation. This alone was worth the price of admission. I may be a Disney girl at heart but I still love my old school cartoons. Just to be able to see some of the cels from the cartoons of my childhood was priceless.

This was one of the better exhibits I've seen at the Trout -- ranking right up there with the Dr. Seuss exhibit. I would have totally paid the $7 admission charge to see the exhibit if I didn't have the FAN Pass. The exhibit runs through the end of August so if you are in Appleton and want to check out old school cartoon animated cels, I would highly suggest a stop at the Trout Museum.

Getting Crafty -- Wine Bottle Planters

I picked up a FAN Pass to make a wine bottle planter at the Bergstrom-Mahler glass museum. I saw the event on Facebook and wanted to go but didn't want to spend $15 to make one. Danielle and Gavin joined me.

Technically we "made" a wine bottle planter but it really wasn't worth the $15.


First we picked out our wine bottle which was already cut in half.

Then we sanded the edges to make the smooth and inverted the top of the bottle into the bottom.

Finally we added a piece of screen with a string, some dirt, and planted a couple of seeds.

And then you took it home. Let's see how long I can keep my beans alive....

Basically they gave you a cut wine bottle you filled with some dirt... for $15. I can get a whole lotta potting soil, seeds, and pots for $15. We didn't even get to decorate the bottle. I was hoping to make a fun design on the bottle with glass pieces so it would be some funky planter outside my apartment. Heck, I'd even taken paint or even Sharpies. It really was kind of boring. I get it was a make and take but it was seriously lacking creativity. Next year, I'll let someone else have the FAN pass.