In April of 2023, I packed enough clothing and kit gear to last half a year to work on "The Really Loud House" Season 2 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is a live action children's show for Nickelodeon based on a cartoon. An estimate of how long the shoot might last was into October, but we all went in knowing there was the possibility of a strike.
The lovely costume designer Chris Field hired me as associate costume designer. As it turns out, I exited far earlier than expected due to a back injury, but got to see the beautiful skies of New Mexico in the moments I wasn't in fittings or at work. The strike eventually shut the show down at some point after I left.
A non-costume highlight of my time there was visiting with a possible doggie daycare provider for my pooch who lived on family land with a bunch of chickens and bunnies. He and his father were building a sizable greenhouse. It was quite a different life than the ones we experience living in bigger cities!
Ain't nobody here but us chickens! (The bunnies were in a different compound and laying low).
The greenhouse that was being built.
A little Airstream action.
Sunset view from my hotel window...
There's a little mountain range to the east...
Trailerland
Sunset from trailerland...
Sunset from the supermarket parking lot...
The bus of a team staying at my hotel...
Hot air balloons are a "thing" in Albuquerque.
Most of Albuquerque seemed comprised of strip malls,
but the skies give you big sweeping views.
The biggest highlight was visiting with dear friends who've retired to Ohkay Owingeh, a more rural and nicer part of New Mexico north of Santa Fe. Got to meet some goats belonging to their neighbor!
For the fun of it, we fashioned a wig for my dog out of a faux fur swatch that came from a costume for "The Really Loud House".
My "pocket lion" wearing a toupee!
The show is apparently quite popular and has a nice cast and crew. Wishing them all the best whenever they pick back up and in their future endeavors...
