The Chattanooga Girls Choir

Day 6
Sun., June 25

Our last day in L.A.! The girls had their last performances of the tour this morning, singing three songs for the two services (8:30 and 11:00) at Los Altos United Methodist Church in Long Beach. The church was very welcoming and VERY appreciative, especially since their own choir was on tour in Australia. However, they unfortunately had to apologized for their broken air-conditioning, especially on an unusually warm and humid day. Still, in spite of being rather hot as well as tired and slightly hoarse from screaming on the Disney rides last night, the choir pulled it together for two good performances -- though there were some sleepy nodding heads during the sermon, particularly on the second time around. The church invited the choir to join them for doughnuts and juice in between services, and the girls got to socialize and be young ambassadors again.

As soon as the second service was over, the girls headed back to the Radisson. The older girls (Grace Moore Singers) stayed at the hotel to work on their "senior skit", but the other girls changed quickly into bathing suits (with T-shirt and shorts as a cover-up) for a quick trip to the beach. After a brief stop at a Carl Jr. (kind of like a Hardee's, only with more choices) to pick up a lunch for the bus ride, the choir was on its way to a beach near Huntington Beach, where the girls played in the cool ocean water and generally had a wonderful time. After only 50 minutes (just as well for some of our girls who were slightly sunburned already), it was time to pack up again and head "home" to shower and dress for dinner at Tequila Willie's, where the entertainment would feature the jazz/swing band of our tour guide, Mark Hix. (Each room of four girls had just one hour to get ready!)

Miracles! All the girls were ready on time! We drove about 45 minutes to the restaurant, and when we got there, we were allowed to shop for about 45 minutes in the adjoining mall while the band got set up. When we arrived back at the restaurant, we found that we were having a private buffet party on the shaded patio, with Mark's 15-piece band playing just for us. They were great! They performed mostly big-band music with occasional jazz, but they even played the theme from "Titanic" because Mark had overheard some of the girls singing it on the bus. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the buffet of Mexican food, too -- a lot of girls discovered they like cheese enchiladas and fajitas!

When we returned to the hotel, all the girls returned their uniform dresses and the choir shirts they had borrowed to Pat, our wardrobe person. They also began packing, so they'll be ready to have breakfast and leave the hotel very early tomorrow morning. But the best thing that happened tonight was the senior skit.

Story continues: (added next day)

The Grace Moore girls told everyone to come to a meeting room downstairs at 9:15 pm (in PJs, if the girls wanted). After everyone was seated, Chaya (in a very strange accent) began to tell us the life story of "Eduardo Pooey" and how he came to direct the "Chatta-vegas Ladies Ensemble". Playing the character of Eduardo was none other than bold and beautiful Jennifer, dressed in a Huey-ish hat and sporting a mustache. She also announced each section of the skit by singing the title in a dramatic alto voice. Other characters in the skit included a lovely waitress, played by our tour guide, Mark (in a Grace Moore uniform!); the first love of Eduardo's life, played by Carol; the spunky woman who became his wife, played by Elizabeth; and directors Mary Goetze and Mary Blakely, also played by Elizabeth and Carol. Lisa was in charge of chiming the glockenspiel at key points, at which point Mr. Huey was required to read the next card in a stack he was given. Each card had a "Hueyism" on it, such as "I'm from Louisiana. If you're not lookin' at me, you're not listenin' to me." or "Do you trust me?", and the girls had found the perfect points to insert them in the storyline. By the time the skit was done, we were all exhausted from laughing so hard! The two senior Grace Moore girls then distributed awards to all the other girls, based on funny or unusual things that they did during the tour. Several chaperones also got awards, and the girls gave Chitra and Chandra a glass plate with their names etched in it, Penny Tullock a china teapot for one, and Mr. Huey a jacket and a clip-on ear hoop! They also had cute California "tacky tourist" T-shirts for all the girls to wear on the trip home tomorrow. The evening's entertainment was a wonderful end to a wonderful tour. Thank you, Grace Moores!

--------------------- (Lots of photos today!)

The touring choir performs for the last time at Los Altos United Methodist Church.

Betsy, Johnna, Krystal, Brandy, and Jackie at the church reception.

Sarah, Amanda, Meredith, and Katherine do the "Huey chain backrub" at the church reception.

The choir frolics in the Pacific Ocean.

All dressed up and ready for the final dinner of the tour.

The choir enjoyed a delicious Mexican buffet while being entertained by Mark's 15-piece band.

Sally, Ashley, Sarah, Jessica, and Melanie proudly display the stunning (?) hairstyle they created for Mrs. Chandler!

Ed Huey and his alter ego, Eduardo Pooey (Jennifer)

Our tour guide Mark was a stunning (but crabby) waitress in the Grace Moore skit.

Ed Huey (and everyone else!) thoroughly enjoyed the skit.

The cast of the Grace Moore skit: Lisa, Jennifer, Chaya, Elizabeth, Carol, Mark's son, Chetna, and Mark

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