Valentine VIPs

A Valentine's Evening with Rockapella

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center

Napa, CA

My day started with realizing the shoes I wanted to wear today were in my car.  This wouldn't normally be a problem, but it was raining outside.  So that was fun, putting on my sneakers partly in the rain because I couldn't do it fully inside the car while sitting in the driver's seat.  No, I don't know why I didn't do this in the passenger seat.  I guess I was too much in a hurry to get to the airport before the thunderstorms started.  I was lucky enough to get a parking space very close to the shuttle stop, as it was also raining in Burbank.  Baggage check-in took a while because none of the kiosks were working, and they were checking in people manually, which seemed to take extra long because I was behind a bunch of high school kids on their way to Sacramento for a Youth In Government gathering.

I met Jenn at the gate and we sloshed our way through the rain to get onto the plane.  This is pretty much the only time I don't like flying out of BUR: when it's raining and we have no covered jet way to get onto the plane.  The entrance was wet and the flight attendant was trying to soak up the water with very thin paper towels, and it wasn't working very well.  Jenn and I sat on opposite sides of the row, and the woman between us didn't know that she had to put her carry-on luggage all the way underneath the seat in front of her, and also didn't even put on her seat belt until the plane already started moving.  I mean, maybe you should listen to the announcements?  So I was annoyed by her and played my game on my phone.  Also, I took this picture.  You wouldn't think by looking at it that we had a rough takeoff due to the storm.  I wish I had taken another picture a few minutes later because we saw really fluffy clouds at that point.  We didn't get to have drinks because of the turbulence, which was an extra bummer because it was Valentine's Day and the LUV airline was offering them for free.  I did get a cute tweet in response to my wishing the airline a happy day, though!

Storm? What storm?

Once we arrived and got the rental car, Jenn drove us to Cracker Barrel.  On the way, we saw Cal Expo, and I remembered that this was where they moved the CALIFORNIA letters that used to be outside Disney's California Adventure.  I got a glimpse of them as we passed, and Jenn said we could go after lunch (we were really hungry because we hadn't eaten breakfast).  I ordered pancakes because that's what I do at CB, because they are my favorite pancakes.  I bought a box of the pancake mix because I now have a cast iron skillet at home and I want to see if I can make them.  I also bought some stuff to add to the little Valentine's treat bags for the guys.  I refrained from buying this rocking chair, but I really like it!

Then it was time to go visit our letters.  Luckily for us, there was a break in the rain so we could take our time and take pictures.  It was also nice that nobody else was there and we didn't have a bunch of strangers in our photos.

I've missed you, CALIFORNIA sign!

I love my state.

At each entrance to the Expo, they had these golden bear statues.  They were kind of weird, but you know I had to take a picture while Jenn waited for a light that never turned green.  

Jenn: "Boo light! Boo light!"

I hope that's not a real bear that Midas touched.

We were then off to our hotels in Napa.  I had obtained my hotel through Priceline, a bed and breakfast called Hotel Napa Valley, an Old World Inn.  The clerk at the desk was very nice and gave me a tour of the place.  He showed me the breakfast area, which would not be in use during my stay due to the rain causing a lot of water to go into the basement.  Instead, we would have breakfast in the lobby and sitting areas.  I've never stayed in a bed and breakfast before, so the home-like atmosphere was a new thing to me.  My room had its own fireplace, which I turned on so that I could dry the clothes that were wet from my bag being out in the rain.  My suitcase does have a liner, but the outside is fabric, so the bag was probably sitting out in the rain on the tarmac for a while.  I also had a little porch, which I would have enjoyed more had it not been raining.  I finished unpacking and realized I only had a short time left before Jenn would be back to pick me up, so I got ready and prepared my Valentine's treat bags for the guys.

Thank you for the heat, Fireplace!

Private Porch

My cozy little room

Jenn got a little lost whilst trying to pick me up because the streets in Napa can be a little bit confusing, but we still made it in time to meet Weff at adhoc in Yountville, one of Thomas Keller's many restaurants in town.  The menu for the evening was a special Valentine's Dinner, and all meals there are served family-style, although they will accommodate groups wherein some members may not be able to eat every course due to dietary preferences/restrictions.  For instance, JeffEvs and I do not eat bleu cheese, so they placed that in a bowl on the side for Wendy and Jenn to share.  I can't eat a lot of cheese, so they brought half a cheese plate and half a fruit plate for that course.  I chose the wine pairing because, hello, we're in Napa Valley, and I like wine.  Oh, but you probably want pictures instead of all of these words.  Here you go.

TFL Garden Lettuce Salad:
celery, blood oranges, breakfast radishes
tfl garden cauliflower, blue cheese (on the side)
red wine vinaigrette
wine pairing: Kelly Fleming Sauvignon Blanc

Snake River Farms Wagyu Beef
New York Strip Loin
yukon gold mashed potatoes
english peas & carrots
peppercorn sauce
extra side:  Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese
wine pairing:  Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon

Cheese Board (goat cheese)
"looney-bin" crackers; cherry compote
Fruit Board
wine pairing: Domaine Hart Winery Chenin Blanc

They trust us to have our own milk at the table!

Meyer Lemon Tart
toasted meringue
wine pairing: Vietti Moscato d'asti

The entire meal, including the wine, was divine.  It's one of the best meals I've ever had in my life.  I'm glad I was sharing it with my foodie friends!  Look at the happy faces.

Between courses

Then it was time to go see the boys!  This was our first time to go to the Performing Arts Center at Napa Valley College, and it is a really pretty facility.  They had paper hearts available to decorate, but we did not partake.  Wendy had been interviewed for an article about Rockapella (!), so the very lovely Evy reserved us seats in the front row as a thank you.  WOW!  Wendy is famous and we are now VIPs.  I had been dreading the whole GA seating thing, and now we didn't have to deal with it.  I'm glad I'm well-connected.  :)

Evy thanked the audience for "swimming to Napa", and wished us a "Happy Galentines/Valentines Night".  Evy invited us all to sing along with Rockapella because we'd recognize the songs.  No, Evy.  NO.  I'm so disappointed in you.  She also mentioned that "Wendy and her party have gone to 100 shows", which sounded like we went to 100 shows combined instead of 100 shows each for a couple of us, but the audience was still impressed.  Vocal Music Workshop director Dave introduced his a capella group.  I remember seeing them at the Opera House at another Rockapella show.  

• Some Nights by Fun.
• Make This Place Your Home by Phillip Phillips
• Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)  by Steam

Great job, guys and gals!  They were spot on, and I could see how much they loved performing.  

Rockapella

The guys were wearing all black (Scott was wearing a turtleneck) with black sneakers and white accents on their preferred brands of shoes.  Scott does love his Pumas.  Each of them was wearing a paper heart!  Aw, we should have done that, too. They probably didn't have to design their own, though.

Rock Around the Clock

I got a wink from John.  Yes, John!  HI!!!  I also got a nice smile from Cal.  It was weird to hear John sing MItch's parts, since I'm used to hearing him sing Cal's parts.

Jailhouse Rock

Sing it, John!  As he sang "sing my blues away", Scott looked at me. Hi, Scott!   

Scott:  Napa love, Napa love, Napa love, I love a nap.

Scott talked about Vocal Workshop: When we started out, maybe there were a few Ivy League schools that had one (an a capella group), now you can see one in a middle school in Thailand.

He asked if anyone had seen Rockapella before, and upon hearing the Posse's cheers, he said to us, "Funny, I don't recognize you at all."  The audience laughed because the entire room now knew that we had been to 100 shows.

Jeff sampled his beat for us, and I guess he wasn't facing the way he usually does.  Scott:  "Ooh, Napa Love.  Can you turn it that way a little bit?  That's the love in Napa right there.  That's very tasty."

Dancing in the Moonlight

Whoa, is the key really low, like they brought it down a little for John's vocal register?  Scott does not wear socks with these shoes.

Bad, Bad Leroy Brown

Satisfaction

I think Cal and John started spelling a little early.  Maybe.  Oh, hi, Bryant!   John went into the audience during Another Saturday Night and talked to a couple instead of just one person, especially for Valentine's Day.  He told them, "Act like you don't know each other", setting up for Cupid so that the arrow would go through his heart.  It worked!  They're totally in love now.  Like they were before the show.

Moon River

I was not there for this song.  I had other priorities for which I cursed my mortal body.  

Scott feels like he is with his California brethren, because people back East think he's from California on account of his lovely golden locks.

Paper Doll

Oh, no, wait.  Scott is wearing really short black socks.  As they sang "I'm through", Jeff kicked out his leg like he was kicking out the paper doll.  

What Lovers Do

Commercials

I love Scott's hip action on that last "coconut" at the end of the first Almond Joy jingle.  John got to do the Preparation H solo.  Hello, John's butt!

Scott felt a connection with someone in the audience and said, "I've gotta find out what's going on."  He looked at the edge of the stage and said aloud, "NO steps."  It reminded me of Steve's "That door is LOCKED!"  Scott's connection was with Marilyn.  As he was leading her to the stage, he said, "You've got your heart on," then clarifying with better enunciation, "You've got your hearT on."  I love Scott.  Marilyn talked a lot.  

Scott:  Marilyn, you've got a bit of a potty mouth!

Marilyn is from Napa, originally from Astoria, NY.  She kept talking.

Scott:  "Marilyn, you're saucy, I love you!" (Oh, THAT'S why he likes talking to me!)

He asked what she does here in Napa.  "As little as possible."

He asked what she did in New York.  "As little as possible, but in between, I was really busy."  Then she kept talking.

Scott:  That's a lot of history right there.

When Scott said that he knew she wanted to come up on stage because she can sing beautifully, she muttered something about making a fool of herself, then gave running commentary during the entirety of Stand By Me.  It was hilarious.

Ain't Too Proud To Beg

Scott shook his hair a lot.  When Bryant did his thang to Marilyn, she said, "No one ever does that to me." Yes, she was still giving running commentary.  I'm guessing it's a nervous reaction to all of the attention.  Scott tried to dance with her, and she started to leave the stage.  She was still talking at Scott when he tried to dance with her one last time.  (Yes, I meant to type "at".)

Bryant:  That was a fun one for me.  That's what I love about that song.  You never know what you're gonna get. 

Macklemore

I like the lining of John's shirt cuffs.

Bryant hawked the Rockapella items for sale.

Bryant: Jams Volume...

Jeff: What?

Bryant: One.

Bryant was 8 years old when he first saw Scott and Jeff perform with Rockapella.

Jeff: Fine, rub it in.

Jeff enters as his occupation on his tax returns "Shame".  "Pro-spitter".  "Prospitter".

Vocal Percussion Duo

Rock the Boat

We sang this song every day for 59 years...

Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego

During the break in the song, Scott asked Bryant for the beat.  He then asked Cal for the scratch.  He then said, "I'll just dance."

Encore

Rapper's Delight / Uptown Funk

Yes, THAT Rapper's Delight, by the Sugarhill Gang!  OMG, they are amazing at this song.  They don't rap it, they are singing those words.  It's crazy!  I freaking love it.  This needs to be on a recording so I can buy it and listen to it many, many times in a row.  It's not the entire rap (they pretty much cut out the introductions), but it's a lot of it.  I know I've heard them do this at another show, but I think that the more I listen to it, the more I love it.

Scott:  We're in Sacramento tomorrow night.  Let's go, Road Trip!  

Jeff pointed to the Posse.  

Up On The Roof / Wonderful World  (off mic)

Dangit, Evy.  

Meet and Greet

The line went pretty quickly, and I was still trying to get my treat bags in order when the guys got up from the table to take pictures with people.  I was, like, great, now I'm all a mess.  When they finished their picture, I was kind of standing in the area, and they started to walk toward me to say hi and give me hugs.  Oh, well, I'm good with that!  I gave them each a hug and fumbled for their respective treat bags.  I was having issues trying to find Scott's,so he just held out his hands, cup-like, until I could give him his.  It was adorable.  JT was busy with the money, so I left him alone as I talked to the guys.  I told Scott that I needed to tell him something when he was done talking to other people, because I was really excited about it.  That intrigued him, and John, too.
Scott:  I like your lipstick.
Sher: Oh, thank you! (now very conscious about my lips and wondering if there is anything showing between my teeth)
Scott:  It's sparkly!
Seriously, how can I not love talking to him?

Me with my sparkly lipstick and Scott with his treats

I asked John to sign my program, and asked him to draw a picture of himself because Mitch was pictured, and not him.  He laughed and obliged.

Hearts and Happy Face from Pella

I asked him how Cristina was doing, and a few days later on FB, he told me that she says hi to me.  Aw, HI, CRISTINA!!!  I told him that Cindy really wanted to be here this week because she loves his voice, and he smiled.    I said to him, "I miss your voice, but as soon as you danced, I thought, 'Oh, I miss watching John dance!'"  

With JKB After Too Long a Time

Scott turned back to me to find out what I wanted to tell him, and I told him and John that I attended the Grammy tribute to Motown's 60th anniversary the other day, and Stevie Wonder sang a bunch of songs.  They were awed, and Scott asked me what songs Stevie sang.  (Scott is heavily influenced musically by Mr. Wonder.)  Luckily for me, I had jotted this down for myself and memorized the list so I could rattle it off to him, except for the one that I didn't know the title:  

• Sir Duke
• My Cherie Amour
• Higher Ground
• Isn't She Lovely
• Superstition
• Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer
• Signed, Sealed, Delivered

I also told them that I went to Puerto Rico to see Hamilton.  It's been a busy couple of months since I last saw them!  I said I was a mess of tears as soon as Lin-Manuel took the stage.

Scott:  I know people that saw it and just lost it.

Yeah, that's me.

Jenn told Scott and John about something at work, and Scott made a face of disapproval when he realized where she actually worked.  I tried to defend her by telling him she had similar political views to his.  He was clearly still not happy about it.  It was hilarious.

John said that he had a couple of months to learn the new parts.  He did an outstanding job of learning them!

Bryant said that Hannah would be landing in an hour so she would be joining him soon in Napa.  Jenn talked to him about their gorgeous wedding pictures.

Weff had told Cal where he could get fish tacos, and he told them that he couldn't get fish tacos because his flight was canceled and he had to go into San Jose, but he did get to go on the Golden Gate Bridge on his way to Napa.  Then he left, and I was disappointed that he wouldn't be there for the group picture. 

I had seen on Instagram that JT had gone to New Mexico.  He said that he lived there when he was in grade school, and it was nice to go back and see the art and eat good Mexican food.  He didn't like spicy food when he was little, so his parents would get a babysitter to watch over the kids while they went out for Mexican food.  Now he loves it, though.  I asked if he was there for anything in particular, to which he replied, "I take vacations, too!"  I never said you couldn't take a vacay, JT.  I was just curious.

Somebody brought up the fact that they couldn't believe Bryant first saw Pella when he was 8 years old.  

Wendy:   We could be your parents.

Bryant:  Yeah, you could!

JT:  He just keeps on rubbing it in, how old we are.

Bryant: It's my favorite game!

Then Cal returned, and we tried to get everyone together for our group picture.

While I was waiting to take pictures with the guys, Bryant and I took one of just us, and he used my head as an armrest. 

Sher: He's so tall!!

Oh, wait, Cal's there, too.
  I guess I'm still looking for the rest of the guys?

Finally, the guys got their acts together to take the group picture because Jenn pretty much played Cat Herder.  I laughed and said, "I'm usually the bossy one," and JT laughed, too.  

Pella and the Posse

I couldn't find my hat, so I asked if I could go look for it by our seats.  It was already locked, and a kind employee helped me get inside, but it wasn't there.  Meanwhile, the guys were still kind of hanging around, so we all left the building together, and said bye to the guys as we all walked toward our cars.  Cute!  I couldn't find my hat in the car, so I tried to call the restaurant, but they were already closed. 

When Jenn dropped me off at my hotel, I decided to partake in the amenities, and, after forgetting at first where I was supposed to get the hot water (Do I microwave it?  Isn't there hot water already?), I made myself some decaf French Press coffee.  The coffee was delicious, especially with the hazelnut-flavored creamer.

Coffee and Tea Pantry
The coffee was already in the pots.

I also got snacks that were left out for the guests!  

Chocolate-dipped Cherries

Brownie Bites

I left a voice mail message for the restaurant about my hat, and also sent them an email.  They wouldn't be open for reservation calls until 10:00 am, and they don't serve lunch, but I hoped that I'd be able to find someone there the next morning anyway.  I ate my snacks as I watched "Love, Simon" on TV, clothes still drying by the fireplace, then blogged a little bit before falling asleep.

It was a much better Valentine's Day today than the last one I spent in Napa because this time, I wasn't sick and putting myself in quarantine in my hotel room.

Thank you, Pella and the Posse, for a wonderful day, rain and all!

My Funny Valentines

Next up:  Pella in Sacramento