The Greatest Show on Earth: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
I think I’m supposed to start this blog with some meaningful reason that I went to the circus, but it was really just because I was scrolling on the Bon Secours website looking for upcoming events, and there it was: The Greatest Show on Earth.
I’m sure I went to the circus at some point as a kid. It’s one of those things I vaguely remember enough to know it’s not like “Oh, this will be my first time at the circus.” But I couldn’t tell you when I went or what I was, so it was time for a refresher.
I got somewhat close tickets because when I went to Pentatonix I was on the BACK ROW of the balcony, and swore from that point on I would commit to being in the “100s” sections for the rest of my life. The tragedy of trying to carry nachos and bottled water with the cap off up the steepest stairs ever built, shuffling through narrow aisles, and needing to take your jacket off are simply not what I call a good time.
Photo from Ringling Bros.
I knew the circus wouldn’t have the draw of large, exotic animals, so I was curious to see what acts would impress me the most.
Would it be the juggling, the comedy, the stunts, the dancing? Keep reading to find out…
I will say, although I have no problem with the absence of animals in the circus, the clowns really weren’t very clowny, and while I’m sure that’s to protect kids from being scared or whatever, it did seem a little off to just have guys in like, sparkly short suits.
Bring back the freaks.
Photo from Ringling Bros.
The show started big, bold, and bombastic with a musical number and all the performers coming out to greet the crowd. I might have been immediately emotional because whenever people come together and do great things, I just get a little weepy.
Throughout the night, Aria, the main host sang several musical numbers along with Stix, the show’s resident drummer to keep up the pep and pomp.
From what I remember, the show started with highwire stunts, juggling acts, skits, and impressive jumps on the teeterboards.
While these were entertaining, I didn’t know we were getting amped up for my favorite act of the night… The Double Wheel of Destiny.
Photo from Ringling Bros.
In The Double Wheel of Destiny, two side-by-side wheels suspend 30-feet above ground and perpetually rotate. The Navas Troupe acrobats have to keep up the pace, jumping through and between the wheels without falling or tripping.
Adrenaline is an understatement. I was completely on the edge of my seat, can’t-take-my-eyes-off these crazy stunts! You know when you drive over a big hill and your stomach floats for a second? It was like that, but for my eyes. So suspenseful, and so fun!! I could have watched The Navas Troupe jump between The Double Wheel of Destiny for like, the rest of my life.
Photo from Ringling Bros.
Soon after I regained my composure, trapeze artists appeared to do their thing, swinging and flipping from bar to bar. While trapeze is always cool to watch, it doesn’t enthrall me as much as I expect. I find it beautiful, and graceful, but not particularly awe-inspiring.
From there, there were more dancing and tumbling acts, until Wesley Williams “The One Wheel Wonder” rode the world’s tallest rideable unicycle (34.6 feet) around the stage! Simple act, but really entertaining to cheer him on as he wheeled on by!
Soon after, the “Freestyle Riders" poured in from every corner on their BMX bikes to perform exciting stunts and tricks. This ended up being my second favorite part of the circus, because they just zoomed and flipped around so fast! I was literally Googling “BMX shows” to see if that was a thing I could go to more often… But it seems like it’s just for the circus lol.
Photo from Ringling Bros.
As the circus neared its end, Skyler Miser made her way to tuck herself into the Ringling Rocket—the highly anticipated finale! All the previous acts came out to hype up the crowd, and as we counted down 5… 4… 3… 2…. 1!!! Skyler shot out at 65 mph through the air and onto a safe landing pad! You can see Skyler and my recap Reel of the circus here.
Overall I had an amazing time at the circus and would definitely go again! I also went to Cirque du Soleil soon after and… much to my devastation, didn’t love it. So comparing $30-$40 for great seats at the circus compared to around $140 for Cirque du Soleil… The Greatest Show on Earth wins by a landslide!!
If you went to the circus, I’d love to hear about it! Let’s connect on Instagram, and you can let me know what else I should check out in the Greenville area. 🤡
Voyage Music Festival
I’ve been a Khalid fan since the debut of “Location” and followed all the hits since then. When I found out he was coming to Simpsonville the same weekend that I turned 30, I RAN to buy my ticket.
And I didn’t skimp either. As someone who will take any and every excuse to treat myself, you can believe I splurged for this one with the highest level I could!
Because I’m a music person and this was a huge birthday gift for me, I was pretty adamant about going by myself. I had friends ask about my birthday plans or offer to go with me, but when I said “are you a Khalid fan?” and they said “well, idk” it was a hard no. I don’t enjoy trying to convince someone how big of a deal one of my favorite artists is and would rather just be with people who are having a good time already. So that’s exactly what I did! 1000% worth it.
The Super VIP ticket included access to the main stage (FRONT ROW) and seating area, Noonshine private lounge, IV drip stations, exclusive VIP entrance, private restrooms, and full bar—all beverages included all for about $250.
Photo from Reddit
Photo of @madds by @imryanschmidt from @voyagemusicfest
Because I was going to this festival soon after my “notorious ankle sprain of 2023” (literally still recovering) I wanted to make sure I got a good seat and arrived an hour and a half too early… Like before they even opened the gates. So I sat in my car and doom scrolled the socials while the time passed. When it was closer to event time, I went to the Super VIP entrance, which was ironically the longest line considering all the overly eager fans like me were ready to go. General Admission people showed up much later and had like 8 other gates to go through.
Once I was in I took inventory of the food, hot air balloons, merch, bars, and all the things before finding where I’d sit.
The first day started with Madds on the main stage getting the party started. I checked out the Noonshine lounge, got some photos, went to the restroom, and grabbed a drink.
Bryce Vine took the stage first and I remember thinking he seemed fun. He brought such a contagious energy, and then started singing “waste your time with me in California” from his song La La Land and I was like “THIS IS HIM????” and was completely captivated from that point on. He kept the energy up the whole time and ended with Sour Patch Kids which also had me singing at the top of my lungs and boppin’ on my sprained ankle. He could’ve kept going for the whole rest of the night and I would’ve had no complaints! He’s definitely a full-fledged entertainer and I’ve added several more of his tracks to my favorites and kept up to see when he’ll be in concert close by. He was hands down my favorite other than Khalid, so the show started off strong.
Photo of @brycevine by @imryanschmidt from @voyagemusicfest
Mike was up next and seemed to pull a big crowd. He had us out of our seats, but I didn’t know his music quite as much. With plenty of “hey, how are ya’s” and pulling his dad onstage to chug a beer, Mike seems like a guy who’s always down to have a good time with the audience.
Last for day one was Quinn XCII who I was really excited to see. I’d been jammin’ to his song “Stacy” for quite a while and his performance could not have been a better way to end the first day. His performance pulled out all the stops and I ended up adding several more of his tracks to my favorites after the show!
There was also a Silent Disco for both days, but I stuck to the live stuff. I considered the hot air balloons, too, but ultimately decided to stay on land and splurge on giant pretzels and pizza instead.
Photo of @justmike by @imryanschmidt from @voyagemusicfest
Photo of @quinnxcii by @imryanschmidt from @voyagemusicfest
Photo of @ardenjones from @voyagemusicfest
Photo of @thisisarizonamusic from @voyagemusicfest
Photo of @teddyswims by @imryanschmidt from @voyagemusicfest
Arden Jones started off day two, but I missed some of his set since I arrived a bit later. From what I remember, it was a good start.
Arizona gave classic retro energy with his mustache, white tee, and jeans and brought the rockstar vibe to his whole set. I actually decided to play some Arizona in the background while I write this and really enjoyed it. He was new to me at Voyage, but I could see myself listening to his music while I work.
Teddy Swims came on after and completely took my breathe away with his vocals and live performance! A lot of people were there for him and I could totally see why. He sings with so much soul, and if he was in the area again, I’d be down to go.
Two Friends were up next with THE most larger than life performance of the show with quite a few saxophone and dance breaks. I think there was the most enhancement during their set like smoke machines and beach balls going everywhere. I don’t remember much else other than it was just party, party, party with Two Friends onstage, perfect for queueing up Khalid!
Photo of @twofriends by @trahancreates from @voyagemusicfest
After all the hype, the lights went down in preparation for Khalid.
Me and my sprained ankle scooched up as close as we could to the front, ready and waiting for Khalid to be like “Wow, you got so close, I’ll have my people invite you backstage!” (In a fan way, not a groupie way, don’t be gross.)
I made my way as far up as I could with everyone else as crazy as me, and stood patiently waiting.
After a few minutes of hype and a drumroll, KHALID flashed in huge letters across the screen. We all lost our minds, and then heard “Sorry if it's hard to catch my vibe, mmm” from “Love Lies” sung through the microphone.
THERE HE WAS, dancing out on stage in a tan linen outfit, later followed by his crew of backup dancers. He walked RIGHT OVER to my side to the point of EYE CONTACT and took his time serenading us before walking around to serenade everyone else, too. (Check out VoyageMusicFest on my Instagram highlights.)
A few people threw friendship bracelets on stage that he caught and put on (A DREAM) and while I hadn’t come prepared with a customized friendship bracelet, I shot my shot at tossing a beaded bracelet on stage that… security grabbed since Khalid didn’t see it. Better luck next time.
He sang all the favorites and while the completely delusional side of me wanted to stay up there the whole time for a chance to shake his hand or get my jacket signed, my ankle was throbbing and it was time to sit down.
Photo of @thegr8khalid from @voyagemusicfest
I went back to my seat and spent the rest of the evening in pure bliss and enjoyment of listening to Khalid, and celebrating the best birthday ever.
If we ever have another festival like Voyage, I’ll be first in line for tickets again!
That being said, while the music and most of the experience was completely worthwhile, I always aim to give a full picture of the experience. The Super VIP ticket was completely worth it for the front stage access, although I think VIP included that, too.
I also jumped for Super VIP since drinks were included, but the lines at the VIP bar were so long I think I could’ve been better off going VIP or GA for that, too. The VIP bathrooms were great, so if that’s a priority for you, it can definitely be worth it to upgrade. The Noonshine Lounge seemed kind of pointless at first, but it did offer relief from the sun during the earlier parts of the day. I didn’t do any of the IV stations so I can’t speak to that. and my only other observation was that the VIP entrance wasn’t much of a “fast lane”.
Overall, getting to see Khalid was completely worth the splurge and as someone who’s not much of a country fan (#sorrynotsorry), I’m SO glad to see more things like this coming to the Upstate.
I’d go again in a heartbeat!
Were you at Voyage? I’d love to hear your experience, too! Send me a message on Instagram and tell me all about it. After all, I’m only one #gvlenthusiast.
TRee House Cafe & Studio
What do yo do when all of your friends have toddlers but it’s too cold to go to the playground at Swamp Rabbit Cafe? You head to TRee House Cafe & Studio for an indoor adventure of painting!
I’ve been to TRee House a handful of times to enjoy their delicious chai lattes (they just do something different), grab breakfast, or settle into a nook to work or catch up with a friend.
I always wanted to have the painting experience they offer, but never had a specific reason to don the smock and get down to it until… it was too cold to go to Swamp Rabbit Cafe with my friend and her toddler!
I want my whole house to look like this.
Photo from Lucas S Geer on Google
We arrived on a Saturday morning and started looking at the “pick what you want to paint” section. They had a great assortment of canvas sizes, wooden toys, and other home decor items to choose from.
Other families were doing the same thing and we kind of collectively ended up asking a server “So how does the painting work?”
We could tell she gets this question a lot lol. She explained we choose what we want to paint and purchase the item when we order. The three of us picked out a wooden toy snake, a school bus, and a boxcar to make into our own colorful creations.
At the counter, we also ordered breakfast and I got the to-die-for chai. They also serve smoothies, hot drinks, sandwiches, tons of breakfast foods, and more!
From there we chose a table, sat down, and in just a few minutes a server brought out all the paints, brushes, and smocks for us to get started!
I know taking kids out can be stressful sometimes, but if you’re a mom who doesn’t want to invest and store a lot of crafty things in your house, and deal with the mess, TRee House Cafe & Studio is a great option to let your little artist shine.
My friend went with a “Ms. Frizzle-esque” interpretation of a school bus for her painting, I went full striped color scheme for my boxcar, and her daughter helped us all conceptualize and meditate on the meaning of life with a speckled snake.
Are you really friends with someone if you haven’t painted together?
Just imagine a snake this much bigger than a school bus…
We painted to our heart’s desires and let our toys dry while we finished our food and beverages.
Once we were done they gave us a box to safely transport our masterpieces home, and we went on our way!
If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to let your creatively flow, I highly suggest taking a friend (or just yourself!) to TRee House Cafe & Studio. Or if you just want to try the chai, it’s worth it!
I don’t find myself in Traveler’s Rest often, but when I do, it’s always worth stopping into TRee House Cafe & Studio.
Thanks for having us!
Bestie cars.
VROOM VROOM!
2020 Year In Review
It’s been a year. We’ve all had different versions of this year. Amid the pandemic, we faced unique challenges and for some, unique opportunities. This reflection is bittersweet. I’m so surprised by what this blog has become, yet missing the way it started. This time last year I took a staycation to shop around Greenville and make content to launch on January 1. This week, I’m barely going out.
I was going to write about restaurants, boutiques, experiences, all local to Greenville. And yet looking back I only have a handful of posts on those topics! Instead, 75% or more of the content on this blog is about our community’s facing the music of abrupt shutdowns, uncertainty, and racial tension.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of the strongest entrepreneurs I know. Some of which I never even planned to meet. Thank you for being here, and thank you for what you do.
Without further ado…
Most read
Faces of black biz: bobby’s BBQ
Congrats on 439 views!
favorite food
Topsoil kitchen
Rated by yours truly, Topsoil Kitchen was the most delightful restaurant I tried this year during our stay at Creek Walk. So much to offer!
FAVORITE find
rockerbelles
Again, rated by moi, Rockerbelles is hands down the most unique boutique in this town. I may not have a ton to show for it, but my absolute favorite pieces have come from here!
FAVORITE FUN
Creek Walk Tiny Home Community
Oh hey, it’s me ranking stuff again. This was by far the best experience I had this whole year. I know this isn’t your typical “go do the thing” thing, but I will forever be grateful for the opportunity for this getaway in Travelers Rest.
Someday I hope to have funding (and not a pandemic) to host an awards show. Although I might be the only one cheering from the couch, every small business in Greenville deserves a standing ovation for making it through this year.
I can’t wait to explore and get to know you better next year and the years to come!
An ode to Greenville, and where it all began…
I used to consider my hometown Greenville, SC a small town. Though not delightfully quaint like Stars Hollow, it was simple enough. Everything being within a five minute drive allowed for some city-life, but it certainly didn’t match the hustle and bustle of close by cities like Atlanta or Charlotte.
As most teenagers, my friends and I lived at the mall on weekends until we discovered the trendy boutiques downtown. Parking was a little difficult, but not bad, and we made every moment worth it. There wasn’t a store on Main street that we didn’t visit weekly.
With new restaurants and stores popping up at every corner, my small town starting picking up traction. As more and more businesses saw a thriving customer base evolving here — my joy found in simplicity turned cynical with no remorse.
Parking became nearly impossible, the boutiques got more and more expensive, and we got a Lululemon. My little town was on several top 10 lists, which only added to the problem. Not only did our population grow, but we got tourists, too. Are you kidding me? My town got tourists? Not sneakers and fanny pack tourists, but weekenders and foodies and bloggers flocked to every new restaurant and bed and breakfast that popped up.
And don’t even get me started on the restaurants. At first it was nice, but as my town continued to grow, rent in downtown spaces rose higher and higher. This means restaurants pop up only to shut down a couple years later due to expensive rent and not enough business. Because of this, I basically refused to go to anything new. I thought, what’s the point? By the time I make a reservation it will be closed.
My growing city put a damper on more than just my social life. It followed me to work! With career ambitions in tow, I’ve worked downtown for the last few years. It’s the place to be. But depending on parking garage availability, it can be a real problem. My first real job moved to a small office building that had 6 parking spots for visitors. They were always full, and there wasn’t a parking garage near that had any availability. We moved our cars every two hours to avoid parking tickets, but as my city kept growing, even that wasn’t feasible. I could easily spend 15 minutes of paid working time just trying to find another spot.
I found out later that technically, we weren’t even supposed to do that in the first place. Our municipal law stated since 2006 that cars should only be parked in a 2 hour zone once per day. They let it slide for years, but started enforcing it when there was heavier traffic during business hours. Thanks, tourists. So, I began receiving parking tickets. Daily. They started small, but the more you get, the higher the price even up to $50. Now, this is in light of the fact that we were unable to pay for garage parking near our building. They were all full and we were out of options. My amazing company graciously paid for each ticket, but it was still a ridiculous hassle. Each time I went to parking services, the activist in me retaliated “I live here. I work here. I can’t even throw money at the problem for it to go away. I will continue being ticketed when I park my car to go to work. What do I have to do? Talk to the Mayor?!”
Thankfully, near the end of my time with that company, we got a contract with another business nearby to use their parking lots. Since then, I’ve worked at businesses that were attached to parking garages, or have their own private lot. That being solved, my distaste for my growing city was still brewing strong.
I still refused to go downtown for dinner, for shopping, or for a walk in our lovely park. I stuck to the outskirts by regular-ing places like Fu of Kyoto, El Molcajete, and Panera Bread. I had my routine far from downtown, and I stuck to it religiously. After about four years of that, I got bored. Imagine that. New restaurants downtown were still closing, but I started getting a strong sense of missing out. I thought “Man, now that it’s gone I can never go. I should’ve tried it while we had it.” I used to think I had been there, done that with everything in Greenville. And if I hadn’t done it, in my cynicism I had decided it was too pretentious anyway. I focused on what I perceived as negative so much, that I dismissed it as “below me.” We have award-winning food, Broadway shows, a bike trail, and free yoga downtown in the park? Who do we think we are? This is not my simple town.
Enter Anastasia, The Broadway Musical. It was showing at our local theatre, the Peace Center and I just had to go. I didn’t care how overrated I previously thought the Peace Center was. I had to go. My favorite childhood story was about to be bursting on stage and I was going to internally sing my little heart out with every fiber of my being. I bought tickets for the very back row and have never been more excited in my life. The show was incredible, captivating, and one of the best experiences I’ve had in my town in a long, long time.
Somehow, this experience opened my eyes to everything else around me. I had tried something new in my growing, touristy town and I loved it. If I had been in another city, I probably would have thought their theatre was awesome and considered moving there. Here this was in my town my entire life and who knows how much I missed out on. I decided to try more new things. I was sick of Panera, so I went to the Swamp Rabbit Cafe. I went to Crepe Du Juor, D’Allesandro’s, Mr. EggO Little India, and Otto Izakaya. I went to another play at the Warehouse Theatre. I’m ready to explore and fall in love with my city again. I’ll be a tourist, trying every new thing before it closes. I will get involved in the art shows, the overpriced lattes, the pretentious food. And I will be your ambassador for the other cynics, like me. You really proved me wrong this time.
I love you, Greenville. Thanks for being my place.
To read more about Greenville, visit https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/2018/04/29/outsiders-discover-city-greenville-has-joined-many-top-10-and-best-lists/534856002/