just in case you need it...

Martha Stewart's gravy recipe (courtesy of Yahoo! Food)

Recipe Provided By: Martha Stewart
See more fromMartha Stewart on Yahoo! Food
Average (109 Ratings)

Ingredients
YAHOO.Food.sprites.preload('ingredients-heading')
5 whole black peppercorns
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small stalks celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 quart water
3/4 cup dry white wine or turkey stock
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Nutrition Info
Serving size: 4 cups
Calories: 40 kcal

Carbohydrates: 2 g

Dietary Fiber: 0 g

Fat: 2 g

Protein: 0 g

Sugars: 0 g
Cooking Directions
Trim fat and membranes from giblets. Rinse giblets; pat dry. Add giblets and neck to pan with turkey. Roast until browned, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
Make a bouquet garni: Tie peppercorns, thyme, parsley, rosemary, and bay leaf in a square of cheesecloth. Set aside.
Make the stock: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vegetables. Cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 7 to 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium; add giblets, neck, bouquet garni, and water. Cover, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, until reduced to about 3 cups, 50 to 60 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a clean medium saucepan. Keep stock warm over medium-low heat. Roughly chop giblets; shred meat from neck with a fork. Set aside. Discard other solids.
Transfer turkey to a large platter. Reserve 3 tablespoons drippings from pan. Pour remaining drippings into a gravy separator; let stand until separated, about 10 minutes. Discard fat.
Deglaze roasting pan: Place roasting pan over 2 burners. Add wine; bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits on bottom of pan. Reserve deglazed liquid.
Make the gravy: Put the reserved 3 tablespoons pan drippings from turkey in a medium saucepan; cook over medium heat until hot. Add the flour, whisking vigorously to combine. Cook, whisking constantly, until fragrant and deep golden brown, about 9 minutes. Whisking vigorously, slowly add hot stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
Stir in reserved deglazed liquid and separated pan juices. Add giblets and neck meat. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the gravy has thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, about 20 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a saucepan; discard solids. Keep gravy warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.
Yield: 16 servings (Serving size: 4 cups)

the old neighborhood

I grew up (and still live in) a small community outside of Chicago. I live on a busy street - when I was growing up, there were no kids my age living in the houses around me (although my kindergarten teacher lives next door to me!). A few short blocks away, though, on the street where some of my best friends in the universe live, is a neighborhood somewhere out of 1950s fiction. Kids the same age, growing up together, going to school together, parents getting along and being neighborly. They have neighborhood holiday parties and gift exchanges, and a yearly block party on the street.

Since I am friends with many people who live (and lived) on this block, I became an adopted member of what we affectionately refer to as "the Neighborhood." There is a lady I have come to think of as the Neighborhood Mom - I will call her Diane (cos that's her name). Year after year, Diane welcomed all of us into her home - the holiday party was at her house, and in the summer, the barbecues, jello-shots and pinatas of the block party were set up in front of her house (next door to my best friend's house). Diane was a warm, welcoming, wonderful hostess - a confidante, friend, and cool lady. She once went with us to an Edwin McCain show - just us girls.

Those are some of my memories of this great lady, who we lost too soon this past week to a very aggressive form of cancer. You will be missed.

Salome...

Salome last night was, well, interesting. It was one act, and lasted an hour and 45 minutes. The staging was sparse - not as sparse, mind you, as Iphigenie, although I don't think you can get any more minimalist than that. Fortunately, there was no chalk writing in Salome, or anyone throwing sponges at the walls for unintentional comic relief. The stage was big and bright and airy - there was an upper level that the cast would occasionally go running around on (and you could see it move. very creepy. when ever someone was to close to one of the edges of the suicide balcony, i held my breath....). The beginning of the opera was a little bit confusing to me - people on stage not clearly identified, a random page girl was wandering around during some of the scenes for no apparent reason, and one of the characters suddenly dropped to the stage without explanation (so I was sitting there thinking, 'wait... is he dead? how did he die?' etc).

Overall, though, the cast was tremendous. Of course, I was excited to see and hear Deborah Voigt. She came out in the first scene and looked simply stunning. I knew she'd lost lots of weight, but really? WOW. Gorgeous. And the voice was absolutely amazing, as she coveyed all the depths of Salome's youthful longing for John the Baptist. She was definitely the highlight of the production - even when she was talking to a decapitated head. Creepy.

Supporting cast were also outstanding - Alan Held as John the Baptist, Kim Begley as Herod, Judith Forst as Herodias.

Afterwards, while waiting in line in the restroom for a turn at the paper towel dispenser, a friendly patron turned to me and said "That chick was totally whack." Yes, indeed, and well summed up.

A Night at the Opera

Tonight - a trip to Lyric Opera to see Deborah Voigt in Salome. I've seen her do a recital of lieder and again as Ariadne (several years ago as one of my operatic birthday treats, as a matter of fact) and now I will get to see her do the dance of the 7 veils... Reportedly, she does not do the full monty, like Karita did in the Met's Salome a few years ago. Chicago audiences just don't do nudity - people flipped out at the thought of some topless extras in Rigoletto last season, and they had to get rid of those scenes entirely.

More to come...

Just Finished Reading....

You wouldn't think that growing up in rural Iowa in the 1950s would be exciting enough to fill a book, but Bill Bryson, author of In A Sunburned Country, Notes from A Small Island, and I'm A Stranger Here Myself, among others, manages to turn the story of his childhood into a interesting, lively, page-turning read. I finished it in about 24 hours. It is laugh out loud funny in parts, also partly nostalgic for an era long gone - a time of optimism and a feeling of anything's possible, a time of growth in this country, a time where communists lurked around every corner, and people thought teenagers were mentally disturbed due to the influence of rock and roll music. I was born in 1978 and by the end of the book, even I was sad for all the things that used to be, that the book so vividly describes.

Oh, Patti...

What can I say about seeing the object of my latest diva obsession - Ms. Patti LuPone - in concert last night at Symphony Center? Wait - I know. She was, in the words of my friend Heidi - "Like buttah." That's right. She was like "a big stick of buttah." She brought some genuine shiksa-peal to the JCC benefit - along with that powerful voice and vibrant personality and humor. Mom and I helped The Patti round out the Italian-American paesana contingent in the hall that evening.....

I dragged my mom along and we had some fairly decent seats. I had ordered "periphery" and hoped for the best - we were in the Orchestra Section Row Q, smack in the center. Not too bad! The people around us, for the most part, had no idea who Patti LuPone was. My suggestion vis-a-vis that situation is to have a poll - those of you who have no idea who she is must immediately move yourselves back to allow her fans to bask in the warm glow of her presence from your primo center seats in the first several rows. Yeah, like that's gonna happen. Whatever, anyway.

She sang all the great songs I never thought I'd get the chance to hear her sing live - Meadowlark, Don't Cry for Me, Argentina.... some Sondheim, some Stevie Wonder.... it was a great show. Wow. I mean really, wow.

And that scream of "We looooveeee youuuu, Patti!" that I heard at the end of the show? It came from my mom.

It occurs to me that I have been raking up plenty of "Patti Points" this past year - I've seen her off and on nearly every month since April (April for Sweeney, July for Sweeney, August for Gypsy, September for Sweeney and November for this). What am I gonna do without my live Patti fix?????

Cower, Brief Mortals....

She's coming.......

remembrance...

Prayer to St. Peter

Let them in, Peter, for they are very tired

Give them couches where the angels sleep

And light those fires

Let them wake whole again, to brand new dawns

Fired by the sun not wartime's bloody guns

May their peace be deep, remember where the broken bodies lie

God knows how young they were to have to die

Give them things they like

Let them make some noise

Give dance hall bands, not golden harps

To these, our boys

Let them love, Peter - for they've had no time

They should have bird songs and trees, and hills to climb

The taste of summer and a ripened pear

And girls sweet as meadow wind, and flowing hair

And tell them how they are missed

But say not to fear

It's gonna be all right

With us down here...

- Anon

There's No Place Like London...

I see a trip to London in my future!!

Patti LuPodcast...

Chocolate break! Time for a snack and listen to Patti...

http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/issue/article.aspx?id=1866&issueID=80

Whatever Happened to Recess??

I don't know what I did back in the day, with my teenage angst, but it never was anything like this http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/118363,school103106.article - yes, that's my alma mater, the hotbed of criminal activity. I think metal detectors can't be far behind....

Sigh. These kids today.
(now I feel old).

Happy Halloween!

Carve a pumpkin here.... no mess...

http://www.cubpack81.com/images/carve_pumpkin.swf

Let's Sing a Round...

In honor of the time change today: A round from Elizabeth Gilpatrick's book Sing with me! Learn with me!

Spring ahead, fall behind. Keep the seasons well in mind.
Keep your clocks and watches humming; daylight savings time is coming.
Spring ahead, fall behind. Keep the seasons well in mind. etc etc etc

I feel like I've been up forever. Have nothing useful to show for it - aside from my beautiful cinnamon streusel muffins, that is. Watched the Bears (7 and 0!) and read a book (Terry Pratchett's The Truth - god, I wish I could write like that man. I bet his mental universe is a fun place to visit...) And that's about it. No crafting or much of anything else. Now am in the Sunday Night slump - not wanting the weekend to be over already, in serious denial about having to go back to work tomorrow. EEEEEK.

On the plus side, I have a few more operas in November (Salome and Romeo et Juilette - at least. Am switching some tickets around so there may be more). AND, according to my chocolate Patti-Countdown Calendar, 17 more days until the concert at Symphony Center! I haven't had today's candy yet, maybe for dessert....

Feeling the Burn - It Must be Sunday

So I was at the gym this morning. I say that like it's a big fabulous Bally type place, but it's not - it's just the workout facility at the community center. I only go once a week at the moment anyway, and it's just 6 bucks each time. Usually I am the youngest person there, and one of the only women (sounds nice, huh? unfortunately, the men working out there are usually of the older persuasion, huffing and puffing away, lifting weights (!) playing racquet ball and suchlike.)

I was in the locker room and the handle on my locker wasn't closing correctly. Part of the handle slides into another part, and there's a little place where you can slide a lock through. But it was stuck, not letting me slide the lock through. This lady comes up to me and says, rather condescendingly "Do you want me to show you how to do that?" Like I'm very very young and therefore very, very stupid. "No thanks," sez I, "I will just move over one." So I'm shifting my stuff into the next locker and she's playing with the door to the broken one like I must be VERY thick to not have caught on to this mechanism. And then she says (accusingly) "Was it like this when you got here?" Like I'd some how managed to break it! I played dumb (because if you do, they never suspect you could be up to something) and was just like, "Oh, I just got here," etc. Then I gave her a sweet (!) smile and went off to do my workout.

Why do people think they can talk to other people like that? Is it because I look like I'm 12? Actually, we were at the farmer's market the other day and picking up the last honey crisp apples of the year - and they have honey crisp CIDER. OMG. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. The guy at the stand says "Oh, yeah, the kids usually like it, because it's sweeter. Uh. Not that you're a kid..." And I said "I'm 27, but thanks." And he was so embarassed. He thought I was like 16. I just said thanks. Maybe it's because I'm blond? Who knows?

Anyway. Have been feeling domestic lately - made lasagna for our dinner last night and baked this morning. Don't know where that came from. Fun times though.

Not much else planned for today - but going to watch Da Bears! Wooohooooooo!

"Happy Journal"

My boss told me once that I should keep a "happy" journal - record things every day that made me feel good about myself, or about life in general. I don't remember now why we were having that conversation, but I did kind of keep a little happy journal. After the week I had, I think it is important to highlight some happiness:

1. Saw Susan Graham in Iphigenie en Tauride at Lyric Opera. Susan Graham is enough to make the happy journal all by herself. She's amazing. The production was dark and labeled a 'psychological thriller.' If they say so. I just found it greatly diverting indeed that the chorus wrote "Iphigenie" "Agammenon" and "Clytemnestre" on the walls in chalk in big letters, then threw wet sponges at the walls to make them run. It wasn't supposed to be funny, but it kind of was. Oh, dear. Then Susan dramatically washed the "Iphigenie" off the wall during an instrumental interlude. Did not see where she would have kept a wet sponge on her during that scene.

1.5 We thought we'd be so crunched for time Monday night, I left work early and everything. We took the expressway and got there before 6:00. So we hung out in Cosi and had some dinner and got caught up. My mom is awesome.

2. Watching Dancing With the Stars. Nothing like watching pointless tv to take one's mind off one's hellish work week. I love love love Emmitt Smith. And I liked Jerry Springer, too, but alas, his time on the show has ended.

3. Ditto America's Next Top Model. Even though my fave was voted off last week (AJ), it's such a fun show. Meeeeee-OOOOOWWWWW.

4. Learning how to change the waste toner cartridge. (Hey, it's the little things!)

5. Our value awards ceremony at work. it's always fun to get everyone together, especially when there's wine. I didn't get any awards myself (except for my 5 year service award) - could this be because the values I embody most are impatience and wanting to staple things to colleagues/or clients heads when they're being silly and unreasonable? But two of the people I work closest with did get recognized and deservedly so. Sometimes I am so proud to work with these people (that's of course when I don't want to throw myself out of the window!).

6. Our friday morning meeting. more fun, more laughter. if it wasn't for these clients, i'm telling ya. our jobs would be so much more pleasurable.

7. My little countdown to Patti's concert calendar. I was bored one day (and procrastinating, of course) and so I used my left over Basic Grey paper from last year's Blitzen collection and a binder ring, and some chocolate... Voila, a chocolate Patti-advent calendar. With pictures and
"clever" song lyrics written on each little page. Sometimes I scare even myself. But it's cute, really. AND it makes me happy.

8. Speaking of Patti - new Rambling posted on her site(www.pattilupone.net) , and new Ask Patti's, too.

9. the 6 cd changer in my car. Seriously? I love that thing. I can put in Renee's Homage CD, the new Grey's Anatomy soundtrack, some Audra, some Patti, and I have a great ride wherever I'm going.

Last but not least...
10. Just bought my ticket to New York in February, Jet Blue had a deal but I had to book today. Woohoo! I already have my Met ticket to see Renee and Dmitri NOW, I just need to figure out what show's I'm gonna cram in the few days I am there. Company? Oh, I think so.

It's Friday!!!! I hope next week's better than this one was, although that's not really saying much....

Now that it's getting cold...

"She wants a pina colada in a pint glass
She wants to be where the summer won't stop
She wants gin clear water and milk white sand
a sunburned nose and a drink in her hand
with a pink umbrella on top!"
-Gaelic Storm "Pina Colada in a Pint Glass"

Yesterday's News...

A few odd stories in the Chicago Sun Times yesterday. I swear, I'm not making any of this up (www.suntimes.com)

-The Re-Burial of Juan Peron (ummmm.. why?)
-Guy makes life size rosary out of bowling balls on his front lawn

And, my personal favorite:
1 in 8 don't know Alaska is a state

October 18, 2006
JUNEAU, Alaska -- Alaska's governor wanted to find out what the rest of the nation thinks about his state, so he commissioned a poll.
The results show Americans love Alaska, but don't know a whole lot about it.
More than half the nation thinks most of Alaska is covered in ice and snow year-round. (Actually, just 5 percent of the state is.)
And one of every eight Americans believes Alaska is a separate country or else doesn't know that it's a state. AP

Can Anyone Tell Me Illinois' State Flower?

In honor of the upcoming elections (the only downside of watching a whole lot of tv, aside of course from the slow shriveling and dying of a number of brain cells due to the watching of stuff like The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, and America's Next Top Model, is having to sit through all of those !@#&$*%* political campaign smear ads.) I am posting a little game from my page-a-day "America" calendar (by Jon Stewart.)

Ready?

Classroom Activities:
Find out each representative's "porn name" by adding the name of the largest city in their district to the name of their state flower!

Example: Ben Chandler, D-KY = Frankfort Goldenrod

Endless hours of entertainment. I'm tellin' ya.

Operathon!

It's that time again! Tomorrow, I will be down at the Civic Opera House, volunteering at Operathon. It's Lyric's radio fund drive, and stars from the productions and other notables are on the air on WFMT all day. There is a gift shop (www.lyricopera.org my favorite is the Fledermaus bat puppet. But there is a whole swell range of Lyric stuff you can buy to help the chapters raise money for Lyric.)



I don't know what I'll be doing tomorrow - in the past I have helped escort the special guests to the radio room (including some of the cast of Susannah, Ed Pashke and Studs Terkel) and (those of you who know me will laugh at this one) being put at the accounting table to tally up the gifts. Ha! Me Ms. No Mathematical Skills Whatsoever. Just call me Ms. CPA (not). I met Jane Eaglen that year, though, so you never know.

According to the handy Lyric email they sent me today, the cast of Ifigenie will be around, so maybe I will glimpse OFMS, AKA Susan Graham. In addition to that, they always feed their volunteers well, and you never know who's gonna be around over there. So it'll be a fun day, and I will get to wander the halls like i did as an intern and pretend i belong at lyric. (sniff!)

Happy Birthday, Dear Heidi!

So, Heidi's birthday was on Monday, but we took her out for her activity last night. We went to The Melting Pot, and excellent fondue place in Buffalo Grove (but with locations all over the place). The girls had taken me for a chocolate fondue at Ethel's for my birthday last year, but that was the only experience I'd had with it. I'd not done actual food and was excited (and a little nervous, admittedly) at the prospect.

Jane, Kim, Amy and I blindfolded Heidi and drove her to Buffalo Grove, where we were joined by Beth. We presented her with her joint gift from all of us - the pink Razor phone from Motorola. (Oooh, I am so jealous. I have a vair crappy phone and that Razor is just so gorgeous. And pink.) She loved it, of course. Then we turned to the matter at hand - deciphering the menu which was complicated and kind of overwhelming. Fortunately, Amy had been there before and made very helpful recommendations - otherwise I think we'd seriously still be sitting there, staring at the menu going "But how do I??? What do I??" Choices, choices, choices!

We started with the CHEESE. One cheddar, one Swiss, in which we dipped a variety of breads, veggies and apples. Then came the salads (no fondue activity with these.). AND THEN came the actual food. We'd gotten a special type thing that involved beef, pork, chicken, vegetable ravioli, and veggies. We'd asked for two cooking styles - coq au vin and a boullion. I was kind of nervous about sticking skewers of raw meat into this steaming hot liquid, although, truth be told, I'd originally thought you'd stuck everything in cheese, so I was very confused about how this thing with the beef was going to work. I guess I thought fondue JUST involved cheese and bread. I did not understand how you were meant to make a meal of it. How wrong could a person be?? It took a matter of minutes for the things to cook, and we all kind of asked each other - does that look done to you? What do you think, etc?

We stuffed ourselves silly - and I am still here, typing this and not sick, so I am reasonably sure that everything I ate was actually cooked and done and no food poisoning occurred. Well done, there. Dessert was the piece de resistance - chocolate fondue! We had a milk chocolate and a white chocolate with amaretto in which we dipped strawberries, pineapples, bananas, pound cake, marshmallows rolled in graham crackers, marshmallows rolled in oreos, cheesecake, and.... wait, I think that's all. We got on a total sugar high, and I seem to remember lots of raucous laughter, convesation and a rousing rendition of "She Don't Wanna Be Here" - from last week's episode of "America's Next Top Model" (whhooooo hooo - buh bye, Monique!) . Surprisingly, we didn't get kicked out - the wait staff was wonderful and helpful and nice. They must be used to people having sugar highs in their establishment.... I think, though, we scared the table full of very dressed up high schoolers on their way to homecoming that were sitting behind us. Oh well...

New Link!

I just found Marian Keyes' website www.mariankeyes.com and have spent the last half hour reading her newsletter and giggling. She's one of my favorite authors. Truly. I've been reading a lot of her books lately - I found one I had not read (The Other Side of the Story) for some reason and brought it with me on the last trip to NYC. Don't know why I hadn't read it before, it was really good AND I got it free with the B&N gift card I got for participating in the last professional development call. (Yes, we have to BRIBE people to participate in these things. But you know, whatever works).

I have to stop blogging and do some actual research for this thing I'm supposed to be writing. I didn't think I was SUCH a procrastinator, but in fact, I am. Who knew? I have a long weekend for the holiday (had someone ask 'What holiday?' Come on! It's when our figlio, Christopher Columbus discovered America! Sort of. Anyway, shout out to the paesan and all that. AND we get the day off! I don't care what he did or did not discover if it means I get the day off!) and plan to get my s**t together. Really.

So ciao ciao for now and go check out Marian.

It's A Miracle...

Can it be? Can it really be??? We are actually getting a "Live From Lincoln Center" performance actually live on the same date, at the same time, as the actual action?? So it is, in fact, Live from Lincoln Center? Not "Two Weeks Ago" From Lincoln Center??

According to not one, but two count them two tv guides for next week, "Audra McDonald and Friends" will actually be on WTTW channel 11 next Thursday the 12th at 9:00!

Happy news, indeed...

La Diva Renee...

Well, what can I say? As usual, it was an absolute joy to see Renee - it's been a while since she's been at Lyric singing anything (teeny tiny appearance at the 50th Anniversary concert in 2004, last time seen in a role was Thais in 2003!) and it was the perfect combination - my favorite diva in one of my favorite places in the city. Being me, I wanted to leave at 5 - ideally, I would have been hanging out at Lyric all day long, of course, kind of lurking around the building, maybe having some McGriddles across the street in McDonald's, visiting the development peeps on the 8th floor, saying a quick hi to the crazy guys in Wolf Camera, etc etc etc.... We had to take Lake Shore Drive into the city... The Drive is great, but getting there SUCKS. I have this crazy fear of being late and missing curtain. I mean, what if???? And they don't let you in, and you'd have to watch on a screen in the foyer.... I've never been late, knock on wood, but I always have this fear... It only took about an hour to get down there, but we were there with plenty of time to spare.

Seats were decent, on the main floor HH, on the left side. We kept an empty seat next to us, just in case Sarah or Sally decided to fly in from NYC to claim it. Or maybe the lady next to me didn't want my coat touching her, so she left a buffer seat between us. Who knows? The orchestra was on the stage, rather than in the pit, and Sir Andrew Davis had the baton. Can I just say - since he's usually in the pit, I've never had much chance to watch him - he's a very dynamic conductor and he's got, like, completely fabulous, happy and musical hair. He'd move, and it would move right along with him. He must get it especially cut to do that. Lots of conductors have similiarlfy fabulous hair, and I wonder if it's part of the jd? When you become a conductor, you get a plaque that says 'Maestro' the regulation baton, tail coat and number of a hair dresser to be sure that your locks have movement??

Sorry. On with the show. Program highlights for me - for the orchestra, I loved the overture from La Forza del Destino - the opening strains get me every time. Sighhhh. LOVE IT. Then there was the beautifully sung letter scene from Eugene Onegin which made me really excited that I've got that ticket for February. Also really liked the Gounod piece from Mireille - simply breathtakingly beautiful. For some reason, there was a change in song order from the printed program - but I couldn't hear what they were saying about it, either. There was a very, very very long orchestral interlude (during which I began the above speculation about Conductor Hair), the final scene from Capriccio, and then the show was over. The crowd was very very subdued. They applauded very politely. There was a standing ovation, started by yours truly and someone in the middle of the floor. Was it past their bedtimes or what??? They perked up considerably for the encores which included "O mio babbino caro" "Adieu, notre petite table" and the Song to the Moon. Before Adieu, Renee explained that a friend in the orchestra had asked in rehearsal if she was wearing two gowns for the concert. She'd said no, and had the Volpe gala dress flown in because she was suddenly afraid we'd get bored with her clothes. She said that in Manon, Manon has to make a choice - and she choses clothes and money over true love. She sings the song to the little table and is full of sentimentality, although, "Not enough to make her stay."

She also told a little background story before Song to the Moon, how it is the story of The Little Mermaid, and that Rusalka, in her "seafoam form" had embraced the prince, and was now appealing to the gods to intervene on her behalf. And then she sang the song... gave me chills, honestly. I have not heard her sing that one live since 2001.

Then, of course, to the backstage! We went back there and a guy was in the vestibule (not Mr. Sunshine who'd been so polite and helpful post Rosenkavalier.) He asked me who I was there to see, and I told him, and he asked "Are you on a list?" I said yes, and he seemed surprised. So he checked, and I had brought the email from Alison (aka SuperGirl. Seriously.) with all of our names on it. He started printing out little backstage pass stickers, then decided screw it, and just told the bouncer type person guarding the door to let me and my party back. So we were back there, all present and accounted for - we went to Find Our Diva. She came out of her dressing room and was talking for a bit with the people ahead of us. Amelia and Sage were both there, too. Renee chatted with both my mom and me, and posed for a picture. And I got a hug. :) It was a fantastic evening.

The Patti LuPoser...

http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Photo_Op.aspx?ci=538221

So. I know she's a fan. I know she loves The Patti. I know this was Lonny Price's idea.
I KNOW.

But I don't know what I think about this whole thing. I am very on the fence. And it happened to be troubling me all day, so I thought I'd talk about it. And basically talking about it involves... yeah. I don't know.

There ya go. Talk amongst yourselves. I've got a DIVA to beautify for.

Mental Health Half Day (or, I love a parade part 2)

Can a fresh, zenlike state of mind really be achieved in a half day off work?? I left the office at 12, and grabbed a quick lunch. It's a little chilly today, but the sun is shining.... It's one of those days I used to enjoy back before I had my car accident... gorgeous day, windows open, music blasting.... just wanted to enjoy the day and drive around. (With gas under 3 bucks again, this is a less expensive endeavor than it was over the summer.)

Stopped at Niles West to say hello to my favorite IRC staff members, and lo, it was homecoming! So I went and watched the homecoming parade. When I was a senior, I was actually in the parade, on the choir float. We actually MADE a float, with chicken wire and everything. The theme of the dance was.... well, hell if I remember what it was, but our float had the emerald city and we all dressed up like the wizard of oz. We didn't even WIN the stupid float contest (and we were the only REAL float! the others were pickup trucks with signs on them. seriously!) We weren't on the float for the judging and I think they didn't understand what the thing was suppsed to be. Hello?? Emerald city!!

Where did that come from?? Sorry. We were talking about achieving zen in a few short hours. Went for a manicure - which is a great way to relax while someone else makes you look pretty. My manicurist is really nice, and she likes to chat - she tells me all sorts of stuff. Last time she told me all about how her mother died because she'd gotten pregnant again and had to get a quickie abortion in a back alley somewhere. And keep in mind, this was only the second time we'd met!! Today, she told me about her boyfriend (who really sounds like the cable guy from Seinfeld... the one who puts cable in different rooms? On the down-low? The opposite of legal?). Oh fun times indeed. I should have gotten my hair done too, in preparation for the Divine Diva outing tonight, but I didn't think of it. Drat. So my hands look fantastic, but my hair, as usual, looks like crap.

So it's been a great afternoon. Every so often I want to jump up and down, singing "I'm not at Wooo-rkkkk right now!! I'm not at woo--rrrkkk right now!" But don't worry. I'm at home and not singing and dancing in public. And the best is yet to come - Renee!!! Am killing time before getting ready...........

More tomorrow......

What's that smell?

No, it's not the office fridge... Ohh, I know what it is. It's my pants. I think they're on fire.
Okay, okay, I didn't LIE about the film festival. We had tickets. We were gonna go. But at around 4, my friend calls me, from work. She's not feeling well, there's the beginning of a migrane starting, she didn't want me to trek down there (ticketless) and not have her end up going. She was feeling badly enough that we didn't end up going at all. Truth told, I wasn't feeling that great either, and I didn't mind sitting at home, watching Grey's Anatomy. (That Meredith. Does anyone else just want to slap her silly? Why can't it be called "O'Malley's Anatomy?" Ohh, that sounds kinda dirty.... Ah.... That's another post. I digress.) If there's something coming on, I'd rather rest and not risk anything coming between me and seeing The Diva.

That's right. Ms. Renee Fleming, live and in person TONIGHT (in about 3 hours) at Lyric Opera of Chicago (www.lyricopera.org) So, even though I was excited about seeing the movie, it's really all good.

I think...A Film...

Going here tonight to see "Stranger Than Fiction" with Emma Thompson, Will Farrell and Dustin Hoffman. I've never been to the film festival before, despite the fact that it is fairly conveniently located, so that will be fun. AND, I love all of these actors, and the movie sounds cute (got 3 stars in the Chicago Tribune today... www.chicagotribune.com)

She Was Swell...

Continuing my coursework in Divas 101 (for my major of Broadway Studies, naturally), I attended a Bernadette Peters concert last night. Even though I had glimpsed Ms. Peters at Broadway Barks a few years ago, I had not had the pleasure of seeing her live... until last night.

I had been aware of Bernadette before, but it was not until recently that I began paying more attention to what she's done, listening to her cds and watching her dvds (again, thanks to the tutelage of my most excellent teachers.) I really found myself liking her voice and admiring her acting skills (like in Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George) and of course, the hair. (I wonder what shampoo she uses?? hahahahhaha.)

We had an eventful drive to Naperville (inadvertantly blew through an IPass Lane - but the IPass is in the other car.... oops. Now we are toll-way scofflaws!) but managed to find the North Central campus and parking and the building and Kari without any trouble. Even claimed the tickets without any trouble.

Can I just sidebar here for a minute and say what a total mess the ticket buying experience was? A waiting list and everything... Then, I got the tickets while pretending to be Sarah but gave MY credit card number - and they didn't even ask about the name on the credit card or anything. Nice to know it was just that easy. And then, I picked up the tickets and they just handed them over... I'd been worried they'd ask to see the credit card. But no. Here you go and enjoy the show! Well, thanks, guys... What's with these colleges? We had similar difficulties buying tickets at Dominican. And they had NO excuse, as they put on these shows every year.....

We now return to the regularly scheduled post.

Bernadette was fantastic. She looks completely amazing anyway, but last night she was stunning in a (what I am sure was) Bob Macke dress. She sang everything from "Let Me Entertain You" to tunes from South Pacific, Mack and Mabel, Song and dance, and OF COURSE music by the master and "our national treasure" Stephen Sondheim. She lounged on top of the piano for a smokin' hot "Fever" and sang "O Shenendoah" with just the piano. There was no intermission (good thing too. I'd been planning my escape route to the teeny tiny restroom and saw a long wait in my future.)

The whole second part of the show was dedicated to SJS, and she sang "Children Will Listen"
"No one is Alone" "Not a Day Goes By" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy." One of my favorites was "Being Alive" - I just love love love love that song, and she just belts it out. She is, in fact, very versatile - she surprises you when you're not looking for it, with her range. All of a sudden she goes high, and it's like WOW. There's a lot of power there, and she just went for it. Brava.

THEN, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, it did. She made like she was leaving the stage, then came back and said, "Let's talk about Gypsy." We can talk about whatever you want, Bern. I was hoping she'd do "Some People" but she gave us one even better.

She did Rose's Turn - Oh. My. God. When I was prepping for going to see Gypsy at Ravinia this summer, I listened to Bernadette's recording non-stop. Sarah showed me the Tony awards clip where Bernadette performed Rose's Turn and brought the house down, and I was thinking, Damn, I wish I could have seen her. She gave a little taste of what her Mama Rose was like, and it was phenomenal. Like, Phuh-Nomenal. WOW.

She didn't want to leave it on that note, so she sang "Count your blessings." We were on our feet. It got the Mama Caruso stamp of approval. She sez to me as we are putting on our coats, "She was wonderful." And I'm glad. I mean, I was pretty sure she'd enjoy herself, but I didn't want to have dragged her out to Naperville only to have her not enjoy it.

We weren't going to wait by the stage door - we had a long drive back, but suddenly, I really just wanted to. So we stood out there with a handful of other people (including the Karens). There were three really amusing high school age fans out there - very loud and chatty and bursting with excitement (I am sure everyone knows the type I'm talking about here.) They took pictures of Bernadette's limo, pictures with her limo driver, and then, he opened the door to the car and was letting them look inside. So they took pictures with the three of them hovering around the open limo door AND pictures of the limo interior. The driver offered to let them sit in it for ten bucks, but none of them took him up on it .It cracked me up. Aw, just too cute. We even had "spies" from inside coming out to give us Bernadette movement updates ("Okay, so she just went upstairs to the meet and greet....") Finally she came out - the driver had said she wasn't feeling well, and that he was surprised she'd stayed as long as she had. She signed things and took pictures, then piled into her limo and was off. I was happy to have basked in the warm glow of her presence for a few extra minutes and my mom and I headed off for our long drive back home.

I am happy to report that we paid all of our tolls on the way home and did not get lost at all (which believe me is a crowning achievement).

A big huge shout out and thanks to Sarah for being so quick on the uptake and getting on the ticket waiting list and THEN allowing me to use her name to procure tickets even though she was not able to come. We missed you! Also, it is because of Sarah that I even wanted to go in the first place, and now I seem to have acquired another diva. Thanks for that, too. My ticket vault manager and my banker (not at B of A, in case anyone was wondering... I go to Chase) would like to have a word with you, by the way....

my life has suddenly become more complicated

and i am not talking about the tuesday night tv schedule here, either (but i mean, really. what's a TiVo-less girl to do? sorry, sorry, i digress). It was a long, long day at work. i completed a totally hellish proposal that i've been working on in fits and starts all week. if we don't get this one after all this, i'll.... well, i'll be relieved actually, since i have no time to deal with the clients i've already got, never mind suddenly acquiring new ones.

funny moment this morning though. we're all sitting around doing our work (or something), and suddenly: WHOOSH and crackle crackle crackle crackle, like someone's turned on a tv to the static channel. It's coming from the vents. I stood up and kind of hovered by my desk. i noticed my colleagues hanging around, all of us like what the hell?? then, as one person, we all move towards the sound of the noise. Not very bright, since we didn't know what it was or where it was coming from. Toxic gas, maybe, or perhaps an imminent explosion of the copier? We all decided it probably wasn't a good idea to get any closer, so we all hung out in the corridor wondering what to do. Naturally, "coffee break" was the idea that won out and a bunch of us left the office for a little bit. It was so gosh darned noisy in there (and COLD) who could work in those conditions? That was the story, anyway. In the end, someone from the building came to see what was going on and the noise stopped and we all got back to business. Coffee break is over, guys. . Never a dull moment, anyway.

This week's been nuts, but i was able to be at my desk without being on the phone or running around by the copier (which might be ready to explode) and that meant i finally had the chance to listen to some music at my desk and i was listening to Audra's new cd, which i like a lot. I DETEST John Mayer and his little whiny whispy voice that sounds like he's restraining his throat - it's got this weird, almost masked sound, and I keep waiting for him to bust out and SING already, but he never does. Anyway, he's got a lot of good songs, and I've tried really hard to like him, but I just can't do it. But I hope he and Jessica are very happy together. Whatever. I only bring him up because Audra does a great version of 'My Stupid Mouth' on her new cd and I think it's my favorite track on the disc.

On to the afternoon. Out for lunch, more work, etc etc etc. And then - I had to get in my car and go down to school. It was the first time this particular car traveled that particular route. (Kind of weird, and I still get behind the wheel and say a little mantra of 'please don't let me get hit today, please don't let me get hit today.') But hello, I hear you asking, didn't you graduate? Well, I'm still writing my thesis. For a long time, I've been like, "Oh, I've gotta do my thesis." In a kind of distant way, like, oh yes, I'm writing my thesis. I've got it all planned. I've got a proposal. I've got a committee. The committee's got the proposal, you know. It's in committee. And now comes the realization: I've actually got to write the thing. Sounds obvious, I know, but I just wasn't prepared for that. As my favorite author Marian Keyes (more on her later someday) said in one of her books, "I don't live in fantasy land, but I am a frequent visitor." I was just going around, lalalala, off in the happy Land of the Divas (like the Valley of the Dolls, but with better music) and suddenly - reality check. Gawd, I hate when that happens.

Met with my advisor today, and he actually did some advising. Uncharacteristically helpful, he was, but this is more important stuff than the other stuff I'd talked to him about in the past. Maybe this is the beginning of a whole new relationship. One where he actually does some advising. Sometimes I wonder how colleges even function with the amount of crap that really goes on. Seriously. We mapped it out, and now I've gotta do research. It's supposed to be finished in June (insert hollow laughter here.) we'll just see about that. It's going to be about audience development in symphony orchestras, and I'm going to talk to people at actual orchestras and see what they're up to. I'm gonna rope some people I work with into helping me out with their connections. Oh, I've got plans for some of you (begins with The and ends with 'eg'.) Naturally, I will come over here and bitch my head off about it so there will be lots of writing to look forward to.

Oh, and in other news, I've decided to take up tap dancing. No, really. Stop laughing (Sarah). I can't do the voice class this time because of a time conflict, but I really really wanna dance. And you know what Audrey Hepburn says in that Gap ad "If a girl wants to dahnce, a girl wants to dahnce!" So I'm signing up. I'm sure lots of writing will come out of that, too (since I've never danced before in my entire life. even as a little girl.)

Stay tuned. It's gonna be an interesting couple of months coming up...

The Talented Ms. Peters...

It's only Wednesday, and I am looking forward to the weekend... I am seeing Bernadette for the first time!!


Then, I PROMISE I will talk about it a whole bunch.

It's All About The Voice

This evening, as my mom and I were sitting around the kitchen, watching Dancing with the Stars (as a former Cowboys fan, I just LOVE watching Emmit Smith dance! Yeah!) when a preview came on for some movie with (the lovely) Hugh Jackman.

Sez I: "I love Hugh Jackman."
Michael Caine is also in the movie, and we watched the preview for a bit (see how I don't even know what the name of the movie is? Too busy swooning over Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale.

Sez my mom: "I love Michael Caine." Pause. "I love his voice."
Then I say, "You know whose voice I really love? Alan Alda." (strange but true.) We both considered this statement, were like, "Huh." and went back to watching the show.

I guess I really get drawn by a voice - there are so many examples where I like listening to a singer or an actor just because of their voice, the emotion there, the tone, just the sound. I am sure that says something, somehow, some important message about something, if I could only be bothered to figure out just what it means... I've always been stirred by a powerful voice. Usually, I also find I am interested in unusual voices.

Since then, I've been thinking of other actors whose voices I really love.... I know several people who will kick me out of Diva School for admitting this, but I not only own the Phantom of the Opera movie and the soundtrack, I've got "Music of the Night" on my iPod so I can have the yummy Gerry Butler sing to me whenever I want.... (It's a horrible movie. I admit it. ALW is completely on the Dead list. But it is very very nice to look at. ) So Gerry's on the list... Hmmmm. I know there are others. I am a big sucker for the English family of accents - too.

I am sure there are more that I am not thinking of right now and I am kind of on a rambling spree, so I will shut up and go to sleep now. Tomorrow is another day to ponder those great voices....

Time for a Mental Health Day?

Today's Horoscope: "Today is a -2. Your cat will wake you up at an ungodly hour by throwing up all over the place. At work, everyone will throw stuff at you, without giving you sufficient time to complete the tasks, assuming that you have the power to do 20 things at once, AND the office kitchen will have acquired a funky smell, the source of which is unkknown. And nobody's gonna clean it out.... Really, just don't get out of bed today."

Okay, so it didn't really say that. My plan is to take a 'Mental Health Day' next Friday and spend the day in preparation for The Diva. Behold, the healing power of Renee.

Reasons Why I *Heart* Fall

This is why I am looking forward to fall this year:
1. The fall wardrobe: cute jackets (and we all know how I have a 'thing' for jackets!) and boots!
2. Sleeping with my comforter
3. Being able to dismantle my fan trifecta until next summer!
4. Weather - not too hot, not too cold, and NO SNOW
5. Starbucks Seasonal Coffee - Hellooo, toffee nut latte!
6. The Return of The Honey Crisp Apple.
7. New fall tv lineups....

I am sure there are more... but for now, I am enjoying my FIRST Honey Crisp apple of the season...

Ewwww....

Eat a roach, be first in line at Six Flags in Gurnee
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GURNEE — Why wait in line when you can just eat a cockroach?That's the question Six Flags Great America is asking its thrill seekers during its Halloween-themed FrightFest. The amusement park is daring customers to eat a live Madagascar hissing cockroach in exchange for unlimited line-jumping privileges.

The promotion, which has Lake County Health Department officials shaking their heads, starts Oct. 7.Anyone who chows down the entire 2- to 3-inch horned cockroach gets a pass for four people to cut to the front of ride lines through Oct. 29.Park officials insist it's safe to eat the crunchy critters, but health officials are cautioning participants.Consuming live roaches might increase risks of gastrointestinal illness and allergies, according to Bill Mays, Lake County Health Department's community health director.Cockroach eaters will have to sign waivers and still pay admission fees, said Six Flags spokesman James Taylor.The bug buffet continues with a cooked roach eating contest Oct. 13 — Friday, Oct. 13.Taylor says he's hoping someone can beat the 2001 Guinness Book of World Records feat in which a British man downed 36 cockroaches.``I've heard people say, 'Wow,' 'Ew,' a lot of one-worders,'' Taylor said. ``A lot have said that they wouldn't eat a cockroach, but they sure would like to see someone else do it.''

Do they really think this is going to work??? Seems a little desperate to me. I've never been to Great America. I have no opposition to it, or anything, but I AM a wimp, and so it just seemed like kind of a waste of money to go and play skee-ball or ride the merry-go-round or what have you. Anyway. I wouldn't eat roaches for anyone - lest of all to jump a line at Great America. You'd have to give me free admission for life, or something...

All McBreakfast, All the Time

At her concert at Ravinia a few Sundays ago, Audra McDonald shared a story with the audience. It was a total non-sequitor, and she admitted she didn't know why she was sharing it with us. All she knew was that it had been bouncing around in her head for a while and, following the logic that the best way to get something out of one's own head is to put it into as many other heads as possible, told us the following:

A friend of hers was at a McDonald's in New York. "I'd like McGriddles, please," he said to the girl behind the counter. Wordlessly, she shook her head. Maybe she hadn't heard him? "I'd like McGriddles, please," he said again and again, she just shook her head. "Excuse me," he said, starting to get angry, "I'd like to order a McGriddles!"

The counter girl sighed and looked at the clock "You wan' McGriddles, I wan' McGriddles, all these peoples wan' McGriddles," she told him. "But not after 10:00!"

Apparently this happened a lot - that it could be two minutes after 10, and not a single McGriddle or Egg McMuffin could be sold. McDonald's is now thinking about serving McBreakfasts all day. This story was in the Sun Times today www.suntimes.com (go and read some news, it's good for you) and it made me think of Audra's story.

But I don't WANNA be a pirate...

Ahoy! (who you callin' a hoy??) It's National Talk Like a Pirate Day! Arrrrrrghhhh!
Don't believe me? Well, it's true: www.talklikeapirate.com


Yohoho and a bottle of rum!
Savvy??

That's all I've got... now we need National Dress Like a Pirate Day!

Awww, yeeaahhhh!

Ah, the fall tv season! How do I love thee, let me count the ways...

Last night was the premiere of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), but I didn't watch the full 2 hours. Needed to watch House. After I got past the name of the small boy who was the focus of this week's episode (Clancy!?!?! Didja ever?? Why would you name a child - even a fictional one - Clancy!?!? Of all things! It's no "Pilot Inspektor" (what is??) but it's up there as One of The Worst Names Ever. Now I've lost the flow of my original sentence!) it was a very very good episode. I have loved Hugh Laurie since I saw him in Sense and Sensibility. Watched him in "Peter's Friends" and the comedy show he did with Steven Fry (or Stephen Fry? Don't remember now) and I even read his book. Whoever decided to give him a series is a complete genius. It's a great show - zippy writing, appropriate levels of medical stuff (really creepy and bizarre interesting medical stuff, too) but some character stuff happening too. Sometimes I think the House doctors should meet the Grey's Anatomy interns... House would have lots of fun with them, I am sure...

And then.... Dancing with the Stars. They use "stars" in the loosest sense of the term. This season we've got Jerry Springer, a former Miss America, Vivica A. Fox, Joey Lawrence... I love it all. I love the ridiculous costumes and the cheesy music and the HOUR LONG results shows. I really love the judges. Bruno always says the funniest things, and sometimes even Len gets a little dig in. I am not sure why all these shows decided they all needed a narky British guy as a judge, but he's just perfect. A dapper and more polite Simon Cowell. And I don't think Simon dances! I didn't see the performance of the two that got booted this week, so I wasn't terribly upset that they got cut. I already have a few favorites though. That's just the way it goes...

Next week is the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy and it looks like lots of fun....

Get Your Dance On...

Since American Idol has become officially Dead to Me, I have turned my reality tv attention to America's Next Top Model, and Dancing with the Stars. Totally mindless entertainment, complete guilty pleasures and so much fun.

So get your dance on!
http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancing/

Awesome Audra

Went to Ravinia last night for one of the final performances of the summer season - Ms. Audra McDonald. It was my first time seeing Audra, and she was tremendous... but before I get to that...

The rest of the evening is a story in itself. Mom and I turned up at the Park WAY WAY too early. It was a gray, cold, rainy evening, and although it was almost 5:30, the parking lot was nearly deserted. Not even an attendant on hand to collect the money. So we parked free. As I said later, we could have set up shop ourselves and collected parking money and no one would have known the difference. Just a thought... So, we thought we'd grab a bite and sit in the cafe until showtime.

Well, it would have worked out fine, had the cafes been open. All of them were closed except for one kiosk at the front. We got some "hot chocolate" (really just hot flavored water) and panini and went back into the car. It felt like a stakeout - the two of us hunkered in the car, watching people and making up amusing little stories about them to pass the time.

Took a brief turn around the (mostly empty) lawn. There were a few (foolish) souls out there. Honestly. If I'd just had lawn tickets I would not have gone. Too cold, and wet to sit on the ground. If it had been in the pavillion, you could at least go and crowd around the edge to see the show. But Audra was in the Martin Theater, and so the lawn people couldn't even peer in to see her. I would not have been on the lawn last night for anybody. Not even Patti or Renee. Apparently the love knows bounds - however, the love also leads me to buy early and often for those two, so I would not have been stuck on the lawn in the first place!

Anyway. Audra came on - I didn't know what to expect, I just knew I liked her voice - and she did not disappoint. She sang an ecclectic program - Laura Nyro, Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, John Mayer, and in between songs was chatty, and funny and charming. I really liked her and so did mom (a relief because I dragged her there and made her sit in the car and have a subpar dinner... some night out!).

Will definitely be checking out her new album....

Always Remember...

September 11, 2006

Ticket Vault Review...

A look ahead at what we've got to look forward to:

Tonight - Audra McDonald at Ravinia (my first time seeing Audra!)
September 30 - Bernadette Peters at North Central College (well, hopefully, anyway)
October 6 - Renee Fleming Subscriber Appreciation Concert at Lyric Opera
October 14 - Operathon - everybody tune in to WFMT!!
October 23 - Iphigenie with Susan Graham at Lyric Opera of Chicago (happy belated Susan Graham day!)
November 6 - Salome with Debbie Voigt at Lyric
November 13 - Il Trovatore at Lyric (Most likely will be changed due to:)
November 14 - Patti LuPone "Coulda Shoulda Woulda" at Symphony Center - JCC benefit
November 27th - Romeo et Juliette at Lyric
December 18 - Fledermaus at Lyric

Lusting after these tickets for this year: Into the Woods at the Marriott Lincolnshire and The Pirate Queen...

January 29 - Turandot at Lyric
February 17th - Renee and Dmitri in Eugene Onegin at the Met
(will hopefully also score tickets to some other shows while in NYC, desperately wanting to see Company and A Chorus Line...)

February 19 - Cosi Fan Tutte (possibly subject to change, depending on NYC itinerary.) at Lyric
March 5 - Carmelites at Lyric

Hmmm. We will need to get working on the spring.... Mental note to self: need to sweet talk the banker!

A Red Letter Day

Yesterday's horoscope was an 8 and make no mistake about it:

- It was good foodwise: french vanilla coffee in the AM and a chipotle burrito bowl for lunch
- I (finally) got a thesis committee (ALLELUJAH!)
- I (finally) overcame my writer's block and shot off some emails I'd been meaning to send

AND

- I got tickets to see Patti in November!!! It is for a JCC benefit, and this now means I will be getting solicitation materials from them until the day I die (or move house) but whatever!

God That's Good!

So, here it is. The long awaited Sweeney post. I had JUST gotten into the writing flow and I got kicked offline (thus the valuable lesson of the previous post). Now I have to reconstruct what I said before, after spending too much time ruminating over just the right words to express my thoughts about the last Sweeney. I finally realized that there is never going to be a good time to sit down and write, the words are never going to be perfect. So, sez I, what the hell? (it really IS the answer to many of life's most difficult questions...) It may not be perfect, but here goes.

Team Sweeney (myself, Kari and Sarah, AKA The Most Fabulous Women on the Planet) reported to the O'Neill twice last week - a rainy Friday night (with our umbrellas, but sadly not with our sexy farmgirl hats...) and then Sunday for the main event. We had front row seats. I was over the moon (thank you, Sarah!) to be so close. Best behavior required, of course. No eating, sleeping, slouching, fidgeting, or passing around our bottle of JD (haha, just kidding) or else you risk Incurring the Wrath of The Patti (and no one want to do that). The atmosphere in the theater was supercharged. It seemed as though most of the audience had been there before and wanted to be part of the last night, and everyone was full of anxious anticipation. Our hearts were aflutter. We got The Front Row Talking To - I couldn't reach the stage with my feet if I tried - legs are too short. Turned around and saw, standing casually at the back of the theater, Stephen Sondheim himself, looking out over the audience, taking in the scene. Breathing the same air as the Master. We all looked over at him, not too subtlely, either... Made ourselves turn around and face front. Showtime.

Darkness.

The cheering started the second the lights went out, and continued as the curtain opened and a small light came up, revealing the cast, in their places, for the final time. Door slams. Straightjacket removed. Violin in place. Music starts, and we were attending the tale once again.
The cast gave us 110% and the first act saw many of us up front crying (and a few people having some kind of weird fits behind us, but whatever). I will remember so many little moments from the show, from that night.... here are just a few...

- Michael's first entrance, rising up out of the coffin... the first time I saw the show, it was that moment he started siniging that first grabbed my attention. It got a HUGE round of applause, too right!

- Patti with her tuba. Kills me. Just kills me. Worth the price of admission alone. Seriously.

- Lauren Molina, as Johanna, sitting on top of the coffin, cello-ing away, while Antony is on the ladder behind her singing, "I feel you, Johanna..." Her head thrown back, a serene smile on her face, the picture of innocence and joy. One of my favorite moments.

-Another perfectly staged scene - "Kiss Me" Beadle, Judge flanking Sweeney (Michael with Pirelli's hat on at a rakish angle) and Antony and Johanna at the front of the stage. Michael's expression made me lose it completely. So sad... sigh....

- Patti at the bells, also looking so sad. Good thing I brought my kleenex. Didn't start hyperventilating like the girls behind us though... I mean, really.

-Sitting close enough to reach out and touch them (but didn't obviously) and craning my neck to see up at them, occasionally catching Patti's eye and holding eye contact. BRILLIANT.

- A Little Priest: such a great example of how well these actors worked together and played off each other. Funny funny funny.

- By the Sea one of my faves, especially as Patti plays with all of the weaponry. It is the perfect foil to such a sweet little song. She's so cute....

I could go on and on and on about how much I LOVE Patti and Michael (couldja tell?) but it is now time to give the other cast members a shout out:

- Mark Jacoby was always so perfect and creepy as Judge Turpin. It takes some skill to be that creepy. Each time I would sit there and think, EW, you dirty old man! Great voice, too.

- Alex Gemignani always had perfect delivery. I would see Les Mis again (!) just so I could go and cheer him on.

-John Arbo only had a handful of lines, but had one of my favorites in the show "Shoot and I WILL stop!"

- Diana di Marzo, had a way of fading into the background, but she was always so SOLID and held her own in those final scenes with Patti and Michael.

- Donna Lynne, so so funny as Pirelli (To shave-a de face!!) too bad she's the first to go...

And Mano... oh, Mano... funny and appropriately twitchy as Toby (Lawks, look at it now!)

Curtain call came and most of the cast was crying - that's okay, because so was most of the audience. Roses came showering onto the stage for Patti... Sarah captured a perfect little video (because she is TRULY a !@#$*& Rock Star!) that I must have watched several hundred times since the actual night.

I saw the show 6 times total. And okay, maybe it's not 40 (but gimme a break. I just "discovered" it in April and I live in Chicago. I had a lot of catching up to do!) Each time I saw it, it was like a new experience. Each time I saw it, it managed to capture my mind, my heart and my imagination. Michael said it best when he said it would be "An evening I'll never forget."

Me either.

A Valuable Lesson...

Always save your posts as drafts.
Always save your posts as drafts.
Always save your posts as drafts.
Always save your posts as drafts.

All Good Things Come to Those Who Can...

I am still working on my post about Sweeney... but in the meantime....
Dontcha think some flowers, pretty daisies might relieve the gloom???

Oh, Sweeney...

More to come...

Leslie & Leigh: Rockin' the Roadshow

Yes, I admit it. I love the Antiques Roadshow. Just to be clear: I don't actually like antiques, or antiquing, or collecting antiques, or what have you. I am allergic to dust and mold, for god's sake. The idea of wandering around an antique mall, looking for silver teapots is my idea of hell on earth. But somehow, there's something compelling about other people's junk.

I can just see a "Best In Show" -esque mockumentary about an antiques appraisal show - hell, if I was a little more with it, I would write it myself!!! I love watching people bring their treasures to some convention center, hoping they will get told they've really been sitting on a fortune. I love looking at some object and thinking "That thing is completely hideous. I bet it's worth 2 bucks" only to find that this thing is really worth several thousand dollars. Shows how much I know. In a twisted kind of way, it is also kind of fun to watch the appraisers tell the expectant person that really, they totally got ripped off, and the vase they thought was ming was really made last Tuesday in Jersey. Really, this show provides an endless source of entertainment.

But truly, my favorite part of the roadshow are these guys:

Leigh and Leslie Keno - furiture appraisers extrordinaire. You KNOW if one of these guys shows up to poke and prod at your piece, you really ARE sitting on a fortune. They do not appraise just any pile of wood. Last night, the show was on from Houston (an old episode) and the very first piece was an old desk with all kinds of hidden compartments. The Keno present could barely contain himself while the lady rambled on about where they'd gotten it, etc. He jumped right in, gleefully whipping out drawers, examining hinges and hardware, touching the wood adoringly. I thought he was about to start dancing around, he was so delirious about this thing. They are known for pulling out drawers and pointing out wood grains and suchlike, and once, one of them ripped open the covering on a sofa. That was one for the books. They don't always appear, but like I said, when they do, the piece is usually worth a whole pile of cash.

Emmy Twaddle

I was not going to watch the Emmys. I pooh-poohed them. Oh, I pooh-poohed. But I like Conan and I actually like awards shows, so I was sucked in. Like a demented moth to a flame... You will notice most of these observations are more to do with the commercials....

Observations from the Emmys:

1. Loved the bit with Bob Newheart - can just see the Free Bob t-shirts now!
2. Does it bother anyone else that the show "Friday Night Lights" is on Tuesdays? Or is it just me?
3. Funny funny "My Name is Earl" writer, no-thanking people ("No thank you, Mr. McAdoo!") Note to self: watch My Name is Earl. If that guy writes it, it's good stuff.
4. Barry Manilow is officially on the Dead to Me List. He looks like an ALIEN. Was it really necessary for him to be there? Plus, he is a BIG JERK in real life. I have a story. He's a bigger diva than some divas I could name.
5. LOVE Jon Stewart. Want cable so can watch the Daily Show, the Colbert Report and Entourage. Sigh
6. For once, a clever way to introduce the accountants... vair funny. Conan is a great host.
7. There's a director named David Nutter. Love it. I might even "lurve" it.
8. George Hamilton's commercials (he knows about being toasted. hahahaa)
9. Hugh Laurie, why weren't you nominated? I officially LURVE you. "Poof! Cinq!"
10. Candace Bergen, what were you wearing??
11. New Target ads - "parlez-vous tar-jay?" And my oh so clever "voulez-vous tar-jay avec moi?"
12. No Emmy for Chris Meloni....
13. No Emmys for Hugh Laurie, House, or Grey's Anatomy. What gives?? See why I didn't want to watch?
14. "I LOST TO BARRY MANILOW!" - Steven Colbert.
15. But cheers for Helen Mirren, Kelly McDonald and my writing GOD Richard Curtis. Oh, how I lurve him.
16. 24 as best drama? Honey, I don't THINK so!

Better luck next year, I guess....

If the shoe fits...

Whoever said, "Money can't buy happiness" has clearly never shopped a good sale. I have been pining away this whole past week for a gorgeous pair of boots in the shoe shop on Church Street. I know, I can hear you saying "It's 90 degrees out, and she's looking at boots??" But, here's the really great thing - they were ON SALE. Monday I went and looked at them. Fingered them longingly. Walked around the store with the single display boot. But I convinced myself that I didn't need a(nother) pair of boots, I have a trip coming up next week (and could buy LOTS of great boots in NYC), and a diva "habit" to support, etc etc. Plus, they didn't exactly have my size. I've been buying 7 1/2 s lately, but that only really works for dressy shoes. I guess it depends on the shoe. Anyway, I convinced myself not to buy them and then spent the rest of the week thinking about them, planning outfits around them, etc. Not quite dreaming about them, but just about.

So then today, I decided to visit them. Try them on and see. If they didn't fit, well obviously, it wasn't meant to be. I'd waited too long and the ones in my real size weren't there anymore. I went in, and tried on the display 7 1/2 boot. Of course, I asked the guy for its mate. They fit fine.... I am not going to be spelunking in them, or taking long walks in them (like I'd do that anyway??) so they will be fine.

PLUS, and here's where the happiness bit comes in - originally they were priced at $119.95 and I got them for 36 bucks. Aside from the over-earnest sales guy (who insisted on calling me a "guest" - I just hate when stores do that) it's seriously like the happiest I've been in, oh, about two weeks.

The Return of the Working Stiff Dinner

Right when we graduated college and started in the Big, Scary World of Work, my friends and I started a weekly tradition of gathering for dinner and commiserating/bitching/etc about work. We called them the Working Stiff Dinners, and they are about to be reinstated! Since we are all now gainfully employed again (although I have been gainfully employed and then some lo these 5 years...) we are going to start the dinners again. It is always fun to reconnect and unwind with a drink and some friendly chatting...

SundaySundaySunday

Enjoying a lazy weekend. Yesterday, I just chilled out and read the new Meg Cabot (I mused to my mom as we browsed the shelves in the library that maybe, just maybe, I should read something intelligent for a change... but whatever. The book was called "Queen of Babble" and it was predictable, but fun. A beach read, had I but been near a beach. I finished the whole thing. I will read something deep and more meaningful later. Maybe in the winter?).

Today, I made up for the lazing about of last weekend, and resumed usual activity - the gym. Me and all the older male population of our village, feeling the burn in Morton Grove's "Club Fitness". I was by far the youngest person there. And certainly the youngest woman. Still, it's only 6 bucks per day to go, and it's got everything I need for a productive and energetic workout. Feel the burn, baby.

I decided to go to Archiver's and scrap today. I have these things I am making for my next trip to New York in a week or so, and I wanted to get them done today. It took me much longer than I originally thought it would. Once I had all my stuff spread out on the table in front of me, the task just seemed so huge and daunting. I packed up at around 3 (having been there since 11) and still had to run somewhere else for some more supplies. I finished what I wanted to get done, though, so that's something. I haven't done an actual large page in a very long time. I prefer doing cards, shorter time, and you can use the result right away. I have a ton and a half of stuff though, and many many ideas so as soon as i have a minute, I am going to get down to it. STILL undecided about going back there to work. I kind of LIKE having my weekends free. I have put off the decision making until after New York...

Had my iPod (the best purchase I ever made. seriously) with me at the gym and while I was working out. On my playlist today - a little U2, some Train, and my divas, Renee and Patti. When I am working out, I like a good beat. When I am working at the office, or being crafty, I let the iPod choose the music. It's like it knows me...

Ain't No Sunshine...

Yuck. What a horrible day here. It's all rainy and dark and humid. Was it only a week ago tonight (a week ago at this very time) that we were meeting up in giddy anticipation and sharing our picnic?? Well, I am glad we had beautiful weather last weekend, no rain on our picnic (what would we have done? Eaten in the car? Elbowed aside the old, North Shore types for space in the cafe?)

I left off before on Sunday.... so let's see... I thought really hard Sunday morning about following the usual Sunday routine. This involves going to the gym, feeling the burn, etc. I didn't do that. I got up at the usual time and checked email instead. Funnily enough, Patti happened to be on CBS Sunday Morning - it was as if they knew! I couldn't just leave and go work out - what if I missed her? The rest of the day followed that kind of aimless pattern. I hung around and did not a whole lot of anything. Still basking in the glow, in the happy bubble, etc etc. Made myself leave at around 4:30. Still got there ridiculously early, but whatever. We all gathered, in our spot, for our final picnic. Got to meet Ravinia Bob, and Gator, and Jamie and Billyboy, and had a really lovely time. It's really nice to be able to talk about music and theater, and Patti, and Bernadette, and Renee, any other diva you can think of with people who just get it. It happens so rarely for me, so it was really a treat. I've got a lot to learn, but fortunately, I am learning it from the masters.

Show time. I was in a box (oooohhhhhh) but really, nothing could top our seats Saturday night. I settled in the box, on the lookout for Someone With Fabulous Hair (AKA our Governor) who was rumored to be in the audience that night. Didn't see him. Took the seat in the box closest to the left aisle, so I could watch Patti's first entrance.

Some highlights:
- The first entrance. I'd been there all three nights, and I was still kind of like "oh! there she is!" when she entered. all of a sudden, she just kind of materialized and made her entrance. got me every time i heard her yell, "Sing out, Louise!"
-The thing with the plaque before "Some People." It was crooked, and she tried to fix it. Fell again the second she moved away. She stopped, glared briefly at it and ripped it off the wall, all without missing a beat in the scene. Also loved the "Gooodbyyyeee to Blueberry Piiiieeee!"
-Weird people in front of me one of whom was listening to headphones the whole first part of the first act. And his wife who never applauded. Okay then, if you're not gonna enjoy yourselves, at least trade seats with me... they had the front part of the box.
-People in nearby box who were talking about Wicked. Honestly, what's the fascination??
-Everything's Coming Up Roses.....

Intermission - successfully made the dash to the restroom all 3 nights. For that, there needs to be some kind of prize. Also, was able to move to another box and be with Noah and Sarah. Kari was a row ahead of us, so we were together. Perfection, better seats than I'd had before, right in the center.

It occurred to me, sometime in the second act, that this was the best, most perfect night I've had in a long long time. It all came together. On a beautiful, calm, cool, clear night, I sat, sharing this great moment with these good friends, with a truly remarkable star on stage singing a role that fit her like one of Gypsy's gloves.

UPDATE (Sunday)
Right, so as per above, I was sitting there, perfectly happy and content. A week ago RIGHT NOW. I think it's funny that this has had such an impact on me, that I am sitting here a week later... and I was just in the audience. I can't imagine having to get all the way into a role like this in such a short time and then have to jump back into something else. Patti's mental universe must be a fun place to be, sometimes...

Anyway. Post show, we headed over to the stage gate to Wait for the Diva. And we did not wait in vain. Despite the fact that she was on her way to the cast party, she did emerge and sign autographs and stuff. It was the perfect end to a lovely evening. Being me, I couldn't string two sentences together in Her presence (I think I managed "Thank you, Patti." But who really knows?)

SIDEBAR
Before I conclude this - I would just like to ask - Where the hell was I before this? Why did it take me so long to find Patti, huh?? This was her sixth time at Ravinia (I think?). I missed so much. Why didn't anyone TELL me? Would I have listened? Maybe I just wasn't ready. Who knows, but I'm bitter. I suppose it is better to have loved late than never to have loved at all, right?????

Sorry about the venting - but honestly. I could just shoot myself when I think I missed Sweeney, and A Little Night Music, and Passion, and Anyone Can Whistle, and Coulda Shoulda Woulda, and Sunday in the Park.... If there's anybody else I need to know about, can someone just please tell me?? I promise I will listen to you.

Anyway. It was a beautiful weekend, and I am still basking in its afterglow, a full week later. It was lots of fun to see everybody, meet new friends, and just enjoy the moments. This summer's been full of ups and downs for me - but these past few weeks at Ravinia have been absolute highs. Thanks to everyone who shared them with me.

Pattipalooza - The Weekend that Was

Would anybody believe I've been rendered speechless? Certainly not the people I work with - thanks to several very public (ahem!) announcements about my weekend plans - everyone in the office knew what I was doing. Because of this high-level office teasing, they've all been asking me what it was like to see Gypsy (all those times) and about The Patti. What am I going to do, not tell them? (Although one of my colleagues didn't know Evita. She said "You mean that thing with Madonna?" NO! NO! NO!) Especially not my colleague Karen, who has had to put up with all manner of diva gushing at lunch time (first Renee and now Patti... I really should buy that woman some chocolate). And absolutely not my immediate family and friends, whom I dragged out with me Monday night (because I couldn't bear to be alone!) and get the blow-by-blow of the weekends events. In great detail. I bet they were WISHING I'd been rendered speechless...

But when the time came to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, as it were) I found myself unable to articulate the way I was feeling. My thoughts are still unorganized, the music swirls in my head, all sung in that unmistakeable voice. I've been living in a happy, Patti filled bubble these past few days. My head and heart are full and content. I don't know what else I can say that has not already been said, or how I could say it any better. But I am gonna try.

What, I wondered, will I do with my evenings now that I don't have to think about getting into the car, driving up to Ravinia, finding a good place to park, plan a picnic dinner, find my "peeps" and get ready to enjoy the show? What will I blog, if I don't have to think of a quote to stick up, along with a weather watch?? Well, I will tell you what I've been doing with my evenings - watching rubbish on television, that's what. Yesterday I found myself staring, oddly hypnotized by "So You Think You Can Dance" Clearly, it's time to burst the bubble.

Some impressions of the weekend:

FRIDAY
Let the games begin. I just remember feeling anxious excitement. The kind of excitement I had as a kid when I was waiting for Christmas. The blog countdown reminded me of eagerly opening advent calendar windows --- oooh, new idea for next year's show! An advent-style chocolate countdown calendar! LOVE IT! (or LOVETT....) Is it horribly inappropriate to celebrate the coming of The Patti in the same way as one celebrates the coming of Baby Jesus?? Historians will argue...So that was the excitement. The anxiety comes because I take my divas very seriously and I was anxious for the performance. I wanted all to go well, and for our Diva to do well, too. At any rate, I was bouncing off the walls before I had my coffee, and to just make it more lively, I had my coffee too! So I was lots of fun. Not very productive, mind you, but lots of fun, at the office that day.

Pleased to report - gorgeous weather, good parking spot in the Ravinia lot, safe arrival of Noah and Sarah, beautiful picnic.

Performance details - seats were row R left side. I was next to an older gentleman, on his own, who was friendly and chatty and not in a creepy way (he told a funny story about being on an elevator and having somebody whip out their cell phone and announce to their loved one that they'd just passed the 7th floor and would be home soon.)

Let me first say. Seeing Patti, like seeing Renee, is enough in and of itself to make me excited. They don't even have to sing, I would be happy just having either of them stand there. Sing the phone book. Recite poetry. Do a dance. Whatever. I am just pleased to be in their presence. The second Patti made her first entrance - marching down the left aisle, saying "Sing out, Louise!" I knew I was gonna be happy. However comma, Friday night was not her best night of the three. The singing was hesitant and she was just not "on" - and I have seen her BE "on" and I was waiting for her to unleash that ferocity. I think it got stronger - the second act saw her on more solid footing, IMO, and I thought she owned "Rose's Turn." We left the park that night feeling a little underwhelmed (can you ever just be 'whelmed?' I think you can in Europe...) but optimistic. tomorrow was another day....

SATURDAY
After a little bit of ticket adventure and an early morning jaunt to the Ravinia box office to do an exchange and an upgrade (ROW D!) I was off downtown to do a little riverside sightseeing with the gang. Then we had a cheese pizza Heidi would have been proud of (The thick Giordano's crust was definitely not much more than a vehicle for about 10 pounds of cheese) before heading back to Ravinia for night 2. Being me I stressed because of the traffic, but I needn't have worried. I got there, parked, and found Beth. The stage was set for another great evening.
The seats were FABULOUS. To think I'd almost let those jokers talk me into taking a Row Q seat. Hello?? Row D on the left. PERFECT. Thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I love being able to SEE stuff. Especially when it's The Patti on the stage. Luckily for all of us, they sent the Patti imposter who'd shown up the night before home packing. The REAL Patti LuPone was in da house Saturday night, and the second she started singing "Some People" I knew she was back in business. (YESS!) More highligts - for me, the sound of her voice singing "Goodbyyyeee to Blueberry Piiiiieeee!" her stage mothering during one of the acts (gosh, she's funny), her "everything's coming up roses" there were so many moments during it i keep replaying in my mind. AND I could swear she looked right at me at one point during Rose's Turn when she was on our side of the stage... Chills. This is probably because she'd blown the roof off - kicked it's butt all the way to the lake and stood on the shore and laughed manaically as it hollered "help." We went, post show, down to the stage gate to see what we could see. On duty was the Cranky Security Guy who had shown no mercy the previous weekend at Renee's concert. He really is like a bouncer, that must be why he got the job, maybe. Eventually Patti came and talked to the adoring mass. She stood inside the gate and talked a little bit (Sarah's got a great little clip on her blog. You know what I am like with the linking. Go to the link on the side and listen to it. Some fool asks her if she saw Wicked. Um... No, honey.) And then she was gone again. It was with happiness (for all) and a little bit of soreness (for my poor friend Beth) that we left the park again.

Sunday - The Grand Finale - Coming Soon...

Tonight, tonight....

"Curtain up. Light the Lights."

It is 6:15 am, and I am already eagerly anticipating the evening ahead. Bouncing off the walls and I haven't even had my coffee yet (!). Lord help us all. Wonder how much productive work I will be able to get done today?

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow!

One Day to Go!

"Wherever I go I know she goesWherever I go I know he goesNo fists No fights No feuds And no egosAmigos! Together!"

Countdown Day 2

2 days away! 2 days away!

"Let me entertain you! Let me make you smile..."

Did I mention? 2 days away!

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda, Gonna...

List of things I need to be doing, but have been putting off/ignoring/backburnering/whatevering....

1. Registration for Fall Semester. I need to get to work on this thesis project... I will, I will, I will!!

2. Going back to Archiver's. *Sigh* It seems like not too long ago when I was working two jobs, going to school and interning. I'd go to work, go to class, work in the evening, work on the weekends... Since I interned at Lyric (the Land of Magical Happiness - I am convinced nothing bad can happen at the Civic Opera House. I love that place.) I left the Big A, because I thought (rightly) that working 2 jobs, class and the internship would make my head explode. I keep saying I'll go back, but honestly? I like coming home after my long day at work, and having my evenings to unwind. I like having time on the weekends to see my friends, or do whatever. Nothing at all, if I want. Do I really want to spend my free time working retail? Is the only motivation the extra money and considerable discount? So I keep saying I will work it out after Gypsy... I guess we will see...

Those are the big two.... There are things I'd LIKE to do, that I just can't find time to. Or, like, it seems a good idea at the time, but then I get home and want to start, but I just can't get motivated...

3. Knitting. I tried and I just couldn't do it. It annoys me no end that I can't do it. I just don't have the patience. Despite the fact that I got that book called "Stitch and Bitch" - can't do it. I am a lefty and I can't even do a row. Very very very upsetting. But then I read Emily's Musings and just really want to try. I won't come as near brilliant as she is, but maybe I could make a lovely muffler or two... The Stitch and Bitch book has a sequel - "The Happy Hooker" about crocheting. I suppose I could also try and teach myself to crochet. But then I just know I'd start making things that nobody wants (crochet mousepads! crochet hats! crochet toilet paper covers!) and people would mock me, not like they don't already...

4. Going to The Gym More than Once A Week. I used to go every single day. That's right. Every day, when I was at Loyola. I'd go and stair master for a good 30 minutes before dinner. Now I go on Sunday mornings. That's it. I need more exercise. I need to suck it up and start a new routine. 21 days to become a habit, quoth Steven Covey....

5. Scrapping. I've got all this stuff. So much paper. And, of course, when I sit down to do a project, none of it is exactly right, so I go off and buy more stuff. The Curse of the Big A. Working around too much temptation and the "I can use that for something" school of buying supplies. Partnered with someone who believes firmly in the power of retail therapy is a dangerous combination indeed. In addition to all my supplies, I've got pictures and stuff to scrap. Just can't sit down to get it done. Plus, there's a lot of pressure from coworkers and magazines.... to be creative... I feel like my layouts aren't up to par with those. I know, it's only me who is going to be looking at those...

This suddenly turned into summer resolutions, or something. I guess I will see how good I am about actually getting any of these done... Y'all will be the first to know....

An Event - with a Capital E!

From Reuters:

LuPone takes a brief break from "Sweeney"Tue Aug 8, 2006 2:16 AM ET
By Robert Osborne
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Patti LuPone is briefly out of Broadway's stunning "Sweeney Todd," but playgoers at the Eugene O'Neill are in good hands.
The juicy role of Mrs. Lovett is being played this week by Tony winner -- and this year's Tony nominee for "Souvenir" -- Judy Kaye, who'll be holding forth with Michael Cerveris through Sunday's performance.

LuPone will be back August 15. At the moment, she's in Chicago prepping for the August 11-13 staging of the Sondheim-Styne-Laurents musical "Gypsy" at the Ravinia Festival with a cast that includes Jack Willis as Herbie, Leo Ash Evens as Tulsa and Jessica Boevers in the title role. Lonny Price directs; the esteemed Paul Gemignani will be there, conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. LuPone as Mama Rose? As exhausting as it sounds, it also promises to be an event with a capital E, a magic mix of performer and role.

When she returns to "Sweeney," LuPone will have just three more weeks of baking meat pies on Broadway. "Sweeney," as previously announced, ends its run September 3, having played 349 performances and 35 previews.

Countdown Day 3

"You'll be swell! You'll be great!
Gonna have the whole world on a plate!
Starting here, starting now, honey,
everything's coming up roses!!"

Countdown Day 4

"....I'd get all these hair ribbons out of my hair,
and once and for all, I'd get momma out, too!"


Weather report...
In the 80s and looks like it will stay that way!

Time to Scrap!

Nothing like a lazy Sunday afternoon to do some crafting. It has been a while since I've done any actual scrapbooking (like on 12x12 pages, in one of several books, full of pages that are mostly - but not quite - done. There is always something to add, journaling, or little touches.). I went through my scrap stash the other day, and geez, do I have a lot of stuff. I've started getting things strictly on a project-by-project basis. What?!? Buying things I will actually USE instead of going "ooooh, this is pretty. i can use this for... something...")? Amazing.

Anyway. The creative juices were flowing - actually since Friday, when I did some cards. I always make something to give to Renee when I see her, and so I did something for her... Why is it that I always have these great ideas in my head that don't turn out AT ALL when I actually try to do them?? And, being a lefty, I can't cut to save my life. Even with a paper trimmer. No wonder one of my favorite techniques is tearing. Nobody cares then if your edges aren't straight. I finished the ST cast explosion book (better get it to them fast, before the show closes...) and am working on some surprises... It's fun though, to have nothing else to do but be crafty. I don't have a lot of space to work in, here in my room, so I spread out on every available surface, so usually the place looks like it took a direct hit. Still, tomorrow it is back to reality, and WORK, bills, and talking to the insurance company (EEEK!). Nice to spend a day just being creative.

Countdown - Day 5

"Extra! Extra!
Hey look at the headline -
Historical news is being made!
Extra! Extra!
They're drawing a red line around the biggest scoop of the decade!
Pre-senting! In per-son! That 5'2" bundle of Dynamite...."

Go to www.suntimes.com - story about The Patti's Mama Rose. If you can grab a physical copy of the paper, it's on page 15D. The Chicago Tribune, sadly, has joined the list of Things That Are Dead to Me, as they have no Gypsy coverage this weekend at all. You've got another week, Tribune, to get back into my good graces, and off the Dead List.

Countdown - Day 6

"Bright lights! White lights!
Where the neons glow!
My bag is packed, I've got my act,
So all aboard, come on, let's go!"

Renee!

I haven't seen Renee since April, and am going through serious withdrawal. I am excited that my first outing to Ravinia this summer will be to see My Favorite Soprano. The weather has gotten a little better. I mean, 80s aren't a bed of roses by any stretch, but I will take them over sweltering, sultry 100s. Nobody likes a sweaty audience. Nobody likes to BE a sweaty audience, but Renee is worth it. I really have braved all kinds of elements for her. Heat, snow storms... I'm like the postal service, in the form of an opera fan.

Gypsy Quote O' The Day

Day 7
"Gosh it's 'mooosic' to my ears! She's so 'mooosical'!"


Weather Report
Sun Times Weather Word: "No Sweat!" In the 80s today, and tomorrow for Renee's concert. Not great, but I will take it. Hoping it will stay that way thru next weekend!

Gypsy Quote

Day 8
"Oh no, you won't.
No, not a chance.
No arguments,
shut up and dance."

- You'll Never Get Away From Me

Weather Report:
Sun Times Weather word: "Brrr..." our high today? In the 70s!

Gypsy Quote of the Day

Day 9

"Little fish, little fish
Do you think I'll get my wish?"


And, of course, the weather... still in the 90s. Feels like 100. Someone (you know who you are!) please send me some rain!

Some Gypsy and Some Weather

Gypsy Quote (Day 10)
"Have a Goldstone, Mr. Eggroll, tell me any little thing.
Have some fried rice, Mr. Soy Sauce, have a cookie, have a few!
What's the matter, Mr. G? Have another pot of tea!
Mr. Goldstone, I love you!"


Weather report: 97 degrees in the MG, with a "feels like" temperature of over 100! The Sun Times (www.suntimes.com) weather word for today is "Suffocating" Hoping for "vicious storms" tomorrow and Thursday...