Kansas City Craziness!

Hi everybody!

Once again, it has been a couple of weeks since I've last posted- I haven't forgotten about this blog, I swear! And I will keep up my New Years Resolution of writing until the end of this tour! But alas, as I've stated before, the tour life isn't all glamour and excitement every step of the way. So, I will provide the highlights of the smaller cities, and have a little more fun writing about the ones where I had things to do!

Since visiting Houston, Texas, I traveled to three more cities: Bossier City, Louisiana, Dallas, Texas, and Kansas City, Missouri. I jokingly liked to called Bossier City "Bossy-er" City (it's actually pronounced "Bo-shur") because it looked so similar to my last name- I thought it only made sense that I, Shelby Bosse, got to perform in Bossy-er City! (Also, I really like puns and think I'm hilarious. I understand if you thought this joke was face-palm-worthy and you stop reading the rest of my blog.) I was only in Bossier City for a brief time, but got to spend Valentine's Day there. My friend Elmo and I got to surprise a local news anchor with chocolate and treats for the special day, and my company had fun giving each other valentines and sharing the love! Naturally, I picked out Frozen valentines that came with glitter tattoos- I mean COME ON, glitter tattoos?! I would've been foolish to deprive everyone of such awesome valentines!

Dallas was one of those cities that I wish I had more time in, because I believe it could've been a lot of fun. Our schedule was packed and didn't allow for much free time, so I didn't get to really see any of the city. But our venue was incredible- it was a theatre the size of an arena, and some incredible artists performed there previously! It was one of those venues that I'll remember for sure, and I was in awe that I performed on the same stage as great musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Katy Perry, and Maroon 5, just to name a few!

I spent the past week in Kansas City, Missouri, and I was surprised at how much this city had to offer. I had a few much-needed days off, and was able to explore some of the area. Our hotel was close to a beautiful park, shopping plazas, and a hip downtown area with boutiques and bars. Everything was in walking distance too, so I loved being able to see the city by foot! (Fun fact, I haven't driven a car in over two years, and I don't miss it for one minute!) To top it all off, the weather was initially GORGEOUS- I was able to wear sundresses and sandals in February! Kelsey and I got to do some shopping, check out some of the night life, go to the Newsies Musical screening, and I spent ample time in the park reading and playing my ukulele. My time in Kansas City was off to a great start!

All good things must come to an end, I suppose, and unfortunately the second half of my week in Kansas City was not as pleasant. After going for a wonderful and desperately needed massage last Wednesday, I got an awful allergic reaction, from what I believe was caused by the massage oil. Let me tell you, there's nothing like waking up in the middle of the night with your eyelids so swollen and red that you can't even open them! Better yet, I had publicities (a news appearance and a hospital visit) early the next day, and needed it cleared up fast. Talk about a television publicity nightmare! Luckily, it cleared up alright, but the fun wasn't over yet- going into the finale of our Friday night show, I lost my footing, tripped, and sprained my ankle. I have never sprained an ankle before (*knocks on wood so it won't happen again*), and there is nothing more miserable than the pain of not being able to complete a show. I mean, yes, my ankle physically hurt, but I hated spending the rest of the weekend away from my Sesame Street friends. I love spending time in my bed as much as the next person, but not when I knew I should've been on the stage! Luckily, I'm surrounded by an incredibly supportive and loving cast, so they made being away a little bit easier!

Now, I am hoping the worst is over, and I'm praying for a speedy recovery. We're off to Bloomington, Illinois and Louisville, Kentucky this week- fingers crossed that I will be back in shows and be able to enjoy some more of the upcoming cities! Until next time! :)

Signing off from the Street,
Shelby

City #41- Bossier City, Louisiana
City #42- Dallas, Texas
City #43- Kansas City, Missouri

#shelbyseesthestates

Elmo and I visited the Bossier City News Station on Valentine's Day!

A gorgeous sunset in Dallas, Texas.

Look, Dad! I've been on the same stage as the Boss!

42nd Street and Broadway in Kansas City, MO- a little different than the one I'm familiar with!

A beautiful mural on the door to a carpet store.

The Broadway Cafe- I had a delicious iced tea here!

Another mural- the city was filled with them!

Another amazing sunset, and the house glowed just as brightly!

A President's Day protest in the hub of Kansas City- I was surrounded by so much love and peace!

The architecture of the buildings here was gorgeous.

A beautiful view from the bridge!

Kelsey and I visited a local ale house- a night on the town! (Not really. We rarely go out.)

Roommate love :)

I had a fun photo shoot in this vintage phone booth!

Another pretty mosaic- it reminded me of the sun in Tangled!

This staircase was incredible (and all lined with amazing tile work)!

Daydreamin' or something.

Naturally, a photo shoot by the fountain.

A modern day Belle reading from her kindle.

It was a jolly holiday with this fun little guy!

A Newsies pose by the Newsies movie poster- I loved the Broadway show, and I loved the screening just as much!

After a day of being out of shows, I captured this sunset from my hotel room.

Howdy from Houston!

Hey y'all!

Hmm. Even typing out phrases like "howdy" and "y'all" seem so foreign to me. As a New Yorker, I just don't think this southern slang will fit in my regular conversation! But visiting the south has been fun- I just spent the last week visiting the happenin' city of Houston, Texas!

You may be wondering (or not, I'm sure no one has even noticed), it's been a little bit since I've posted about some cities. I took a little hiatus, yes, but not because I forgot to write. Simply, I visited cities where absolutely nothing exciting happened or I was there for such a short amount of time. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Beaumont, Texas, were two cities on our itinerary where, to put it nicely, I had nothing exciting to write about. I didn't even take pictures in either place- I figured most people would know what a hotel bed, laptop with Netflix, and piles of food would look like. I know, I feel like I was slacking, but now I'm back, and actually have things to write about! Hooray!

I arrived in Houston a day after Super Bowl Sunday- I know die-hard sports fans don't mess around, but this was a whole new level of craziness! The people and the city were decked out in their Super Bowl best. I'm not a huge follower of sports myself, but it was neat to see how much one town was affected by one event. Our venue in Houston was even right next to where the Super Bowl was held- our company joked that Lady Gaga was actually the opening act for Sesame Street Live.

It was so refreshing to be in a city again, and have endless options of things to do! My days off were much needed and busier than I expected- I didn't realize how much there actually was to do in Houston. I got to experience some of the popular sites of Houston locals, like Buc-ee's and the Galleria Mall, and some tourist spots as well.

The Houston Zoo was the perfect spot to spend a free afternoon- especially when it was sunny, 80 degrees, and on a day when the zoo had free public admission! I've seen plenty of zoos, and this one ranked just as nicely. Most importantly, they had giraffes and soft serve ice cream; that's pretty much all I need to have a pleasant zoo experience!

Another one of my days off was spent at NASA exploring the Johnson Space Center. I've never experienced anything like it, and to say I was impressed was an understatement! If you ever find yourself in the Houston area, this is definitely a number one destination to check out. I don't know much about astronomy, spacecraft technology or history, but everything was explained at a level that was easy enough to understand. There was so much to take in, whether it was facts or visuals- I took a lot of pictures and definitely learned some new things! I wish I had even more time at the center- it's really a place to spend your whole day. I was absolutely blown away by the level of detail in the exhibits, and the massive size of the center. Seeing rockets up close and personal really puts into perspective how small an individual person is, and how so much wonder and beauty lies in our universe!

My favorite part of the past week was being able to meet up with my wonderful friend, Chelsea- we've known each other since we were about eight or nine years old, and we danced together for over a decade! I moved to New York almost two years ago, and she moved to Houston at roughly the same time. It's hard to believe time flies so fast, but it was about that long since we last saw each other! She was able to show me around town, I tried some amazing meals, and we chatted about home and where we are now- we picked up right where we left off! I have loved touring, but it's definitely hard at times. I often miss home and familiar faces, and it was so comforting to spend time with someone in the same boat. She was even able to attend one of my shows, which meant THE WORLD to me- there's nothing like knowing someone in the audience, especially in an unfamiliar city! I'm blessed to have made so many wonderful new friends on tour, but there really isn't anything like spending time with an old friend. So Chelsea, if you're reading this, thank you for making my entire week. I have always treasured our friendship and I always will, no matter where life leads us next. Our visits were a perfect pick-me-up along tour, and I'm so glad that our distance hasn't torn us apart. You are a beautiful friend, inside and out, and you'll always have a place to stay if you visit New York (or, if we're both in Buffalo, then that makes life so much easier and we'll be able to visit as easily as in our high school days)!

This past weekend was packed with eight shows, so my down time was pretty much just spent relaxing. I had a lot of fun earlier in the week, so I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. Houston was unexpectedly a city that I really enjoyed- plenty of amazing food and interesting things to do, fun times with friends, and all of our shows were crowded with enthusiastic audience members. I don't ever see myself living in the south, but Houston would definitely be a city I would come back to.

As usual, I'm not in one place for very long and it's time to move on- up next, Bossier City, Louisiana and Dallas, Texas! I'm turning into a southern girl (just kidding. I don't think that'll ever happen)!

Signing off from the Street,
Shelby

City #38- Cedar Rapids, Iowa*
City #39- Beaumont, Texas*
*no photos taken here- I'll have to rely on my memories!
City #40- Houston, Texas

#shelbyseesthestates

A trip to Buc-ee's with the adorable mascot statue!

A mural inside the Galleria Mall.

Shocking, I found the Disney Store- I wonder how many of these castles I've been to now...

The highlights of the Houston Zoo- the giraffes!

So close to hopping the fence and taking one with me...

I even took a picture with the fake giraffe- at least I could pet this one!

The entrance to the Houston Zoo at sunset.

My gorgeous dinner view- this sunset was unreal!

Many of the boutique shops had beautiful murals on the sides of the buildings- I wish I captured more!

Chelsea and I laughing about how the flash went off in this picture and it was blinding- great times and an even greater friend!

The entrance to the Johnson Space Center.

A model aircraft- it looks so small in this picture, but was actually larger than anything I've ever seen!

Waiting in line for the tram tour.

The MOCR-2 mission control room!

This building housed a replica of the ISS, or International Space Station, used for training new astronauts.

Blast off!

Touring the inside and outside of the Independence, a model aircraft!

I visited Mars and it was out of this world!

Kelsey and I posing for a photo opportunity at the front of the center- such an incredible day!

Hello again, Minneapolis!

Hi everybody!

When I began my adventure with Sesame Street Live last August, Minneapolis, Minnesota was the first city I visited- it was where I had all of the initial rehearsals to learn the show! It was crazy that now, about six short months later, I was back- but this time, to actually perform there!

My whole journey so far has felt like it's happened in the blink of an eye. I couldn't believe that I was back in Minneapolis, because it feels like yesterday when I began! Even though I had been there before, so much was different. I was staying in a different part of town, and the weather was a drastic change. No summery, sunny days this time around! The winter had it positive moments too- the snowy fields provided some pretty scenery for our road trip. I also tremendously appreciated the fact that our fancy hotel had another skywalk which led to a Dairy Queen, Starbucks, and a Target. Really, do you need anything else?? And I could get to all three without ever once crossing the cold!

I was also able to see a little more of Minneapolis this time around- it started last Friday with a trip to a local news station. I enjoy getting to see the behind-the-scenes of a television studio, and it's always a fun time to be able to promote the show with my favorite friends!

After the news visit, my favorite part of the weekend was going to visit the Children's Hospital and Clinic of Minneapolis. I admit, these visits can also be difficult emotionally- many of the children I've met have life-threatening illnesses and spend most of their time in the hospital. No one deserves to live like that, especially the kids. It absolutely breaks my heart to see someone so young go through so much, and I'm always amazed at how they manage to smile through it all. I know visits like this can be hard, but it is also one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. This hospital in particular will always have a special place in my heart. The hospital has their own small television station, which broadcasts bingo, games, and special events to the Minneapolis location and the partnering hospital in St. Paul. I was able to be a part of a special event with my friends Jenny the Music Teacher, Elmo and Cookie Monster- we got to have storytime and songs with the children! Some children, parents, and staff were physically able to attend the event (the room was set up like a talk-show studio) and the others were able to watch us on tv. The studio even had a green screen which was able to project large images of the stories we read, so kids watching from their own rooms could see the pictures just as well as the kids actually in the studio. I'm getting emotional even while writing this, because I can't help but look back on this time with smiles and fond memories. I know I'm not a doctor, and I don't have magical powers to cure every one of the children. I wish I did, and an experience like this truly puts everything into perspective. You never know what someone else is going through, and sadly enough, someone is going to have it harder than you. I believe that great healing can be made through laughter and joy, and being able to bring that to the children through songs, dances, and stories is one of the best things I've ever done. As a performer, there is nothing more humbling or satisfying knowing that you made a difference in someone's life, even if it is just for a short moment. I thank God every day that I am healthy and able to do what I love, and creating memories with others who really need a smile is immensely gratifying.

I was able to find the video of our special event- check it out, and I hope it makes you smile as much as I did!
http://childrensmnstarstudio.org/2017/01/27/cookie-monster-and-elmo-01-27-17/

I still had more of Minneapolis to see- I got to spend a free afternoon exploring the Mall of America with some of my good friends! Finally, after years of wondering, I could explore the mall just like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen did in their "You're Invited: Mall Party" VHS I once had. Yes, it was awesome, and yes, I was super jealous that I was not physically invited to their extravagant mall party. I knew this mall was huge, but this was larger than I could've imagined. This mall was so ginormous that some stores had multiple locations within one mall! Of course, I hit up my childhood favorites like the American Girl Store, and the Disney Store...let's be honest, I'm a big kid at heart! Though I didn't go on any of the rides, I checked out the theme park in the mall. You had to pay for each individual ride, but I enjoyed watching my friends do the Zipline and the rope course! I only spent one afternoon in the mall, but you could've easily spent a whole day or two there- I know my wallet wouldn't have appreciated that!

Since Sesame Street Live's home office is located in Minneapolis, my touring company got to visit with them as well. They hosted an amazing social hour at a hip, local bar- it was such a nice welcome back into the city! Many of the home office employees came to our shows that weekend as well, so it was fun to see some familiar faces in the audience. Though our venue was a little small and toasty, the theatre was beautiful- I wish I took some pictures of the inside, but I enjoyed posing in front of the fancy marquee!

My time in Minneapolis flew by just as quickly as it did last time, and I enjoyed it just as much! My only complaint was that the Dairy Queen had ridiculously annoying hours and was never opened when I needed it to be. Seriously, why is an ice cream place open at 10:00am on a Monday but not at 7:00pm on a Saturday?? Who decides these things?! Alright, my rant is over, and it's on to the next- I'll spend a hot second in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the rest of the week in Beaumont, Texas! Warmer weather, here I come!

Signing off from the Street,
Shelby

City #37- Minneapolis, Minnesota

#shelbyseesthestates

Some pictures from our story time at the Children's Hospital!

This green screen was the coolest!

The theme park section of the mall!

Loving American Girl as much as I did when I was eight.

There was a huge Lego store, with incredible displays on top!

Shocking, I found the princess castle. Not featured, the video of me serenading the store while "Let It Go" was playing. 

And of course, another one outside of the Disney Store!

For my sister- yes, there was a Jimmy Neutron themed ride!

Ramiro and Jeff on their way to climbing the rope course and doing the Zipline across the theme park!

Jeff, Ramiro and me- I had such a fun day with them! #rammies

The sign says it all!