Friday, March 27, 2009

Have a wonderful weekend!!

102!

Missouri, I didn't pick you and you've busted tons of brackets, but I think I am not alone in saying, WOW. Last night's game was fun and exciting and those last few points were amazing. Great work!!

"It made a waffle of my bottom"

Thus said Tennesee Williams of the giant wicker chair he was forced to sit in during the Drama Desk Awards (I didn't catch the date, but sometime in the 60's?)

Last night's Opening Gala of the Tennessee Williams Festival was wonderful. Joyful from beginning to end. The anecdotes, the memories, the laughter, Zoe Caldwell's mischevious face...this is what I love. It felt so good to simply be in a theater again, feeling pieces of myself wake up from a long, long slumber. It was wonderful to feel that joy.

E & A, thank you again so much!

(Note to self, must get James Grissom's book on TW when it comes out)

Wonder girl sets goal, works hard, perseveres and accomplishes breakthrough!!

Thank you, Dad, for the pumped up email!!
This is a great day.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Great days ahead

I am very excited.

The coming few days are going to be special. Tomorrow evening, we are joining E and A for the Opening Night Gala of the Tennessee Williams Festival. The show will feature Zoe Caldwell, Marian Seldes, Frances Sternhagen, and James Grissom. This will be my first trip to Le Petit Theatre and I simply cannot wait!

And then, Saturday night, Jessica and I are going to see the Houston Ballet perform Marie, thier new full-length classical ballet. It will be performed at the newly restored Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts, which just reopened in January following the damage it incurred during Hurricane Katrina. Jess and I are going to dinner beforehand at Murial's (the site of Dad's last birthday party!).


Two great nights! I am busy getting things done on my to do list so I can relax later and enjoy Thursday and Saturday completely!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Oh, yum


Last night I made roasted broccoli with shrimp for dinner. It was amazing. I highly recommend. (The only modification was cooking the broccs and shrimps separately, so we could each enjoy the dish as we liked. We also gave it a splash of soy sauce. It made the whole dish pop.)

(Photo from The Wednesday Chef)

I really, really miss this place!


There is a blog that I read, written by a girl who lives in New York. We've never met, and I can't even remember how I found her blog, but I love to read it, because I think that Kathryn is pretty cool and think that if we ever did meet in real life, we might be friends.

Last week, she wrote about exploring the boroughs of New York, and her recent trip to Williamsburg (NY, not VA). I used to live in Williamsburg, loved it, and decided to comment on her post and give her a tip about a restaurant there that I absolutely adore.

Well.

Not only did she and her husband and friends go there for dinner (yay!!!) but then she wrote an entire post about it!!!

I feel oh so in-the-know and just simply delighted by this. And my mouth is still watering from the recollection of what you ate. When I told my sister that you guys had gone to eat there, she immediately responded, "Oh, I want some of that rice and green sauce!" You are lucky, lucky people!

I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Kathryn!!

Monday, March 23, 2009

In Audubon Park,

Near Egret Island, with white swans swimming about, I saw five turtles sunning themselves on a rock.
It was lovely.

Friday, March 20, 2009

I am unhealthily attached to my computer right now

I don't know what little {blue} devil gets in me during March Madness, but I just love it. Like a magpie to shiny things, this tournament draws me in every year. Here it sit, blissfully watching SI.com refresh itself and deliver its scores to me. I only wish I was at home watching the games myself, but tonight and tomorrow, it's game time. How are you doing with your bracket?

Today, we are

I started the day out fabulously, with a run in Audubon Park with my two favorite girls. I'm tied for third place in my NCAA pool. And it's Friday! Hope you have a great one!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Life is a Cabaret


What good is sitting alone in your room?
Come hear the music play.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret.

Put down the knitting,
The book and the broom.
Time for a holiday.
Life is Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret.

Come taste the wine,
Come hear the band.
Come blow your horn,
Start celebrating;

Right this way,
Your table's waiting
No use permitting some person of doom
To wipe every smile away.
Come hear the music play.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret!

I used to have a girlfriend known as Elsie
With whom I shared four sordid rooms in Chelsea

I think of Elsie to this very day.
I'd remember how'd she turn to me and say:

"What good is sitting alone in your room?
Come hear the music play.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret."

And as for me, I made up my mind back in Chelsea,
When I go, I'm going like Elsie.
Start by admitting from cradle to tomb
Isn't that long a stay.

Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Only a Cabaret, old chum,
And I love a Cabaret!

Natasha Richardson was an iconic Sally Bowles. I listened to this album, and especially this song, over and over and over and over. I thought she was hugely brave, to take a lead in a musical on Broadway, when she had never sung before. She was magical. I loved her, looked up to her, learned bravery from her.

I am so sad for her family's loss of their wife, mother, sister, daughter.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Hey diddle diddle

To my little: I just bought your birthday present! I think you're gonna love it!

Today, I



Got to drive one of the company golf carts while escorting around a VIP. I briefly considered freestyling down St. Charles, but decided it would probably be a bit too conspicuous. Very, very fun!

Monday, March 16, 2009

What I miss about New York

Walking down the streets
Tiny moments of absolute silence, so rare and so amazing
The musicians in the subway stations
The catwalk in the Union Square station when you’re walking over the uptown 4/5/6 section
The subway
Window shopping while you walk
Lower Fifth Avenue. Newsroom Café, Club Monaco, Anthropologie, Sephora, Innovative. A lot of good things are in the neighborhood.
How you can literally walk from one end of the island to the other
Looking up the avenues and seeing all the stop lights changing color together
Looking across the streets and seeing the sun set
The temple
Lincoln Center, the ballet and the opera and the theatre
All the theatre, everywhere
The Met and its creaky floorboards on the 2nd floor hallway
The Frick
The Garden Court
The Rockefellar Christmas tree
Treats from Dean & Deluca while waiting for the tree to be light - 2 years!!!
Times Square
The movie theatres
The Subway by my office and the guys who worked there and would let me pay later if I didn’t have the cash
The Spanish rice and beans
The $7 manicures and $12 pedicures—and that I could walk one block to get the mani/pedi during lunch
Reading in line at the library
Spring
Summer
Winter
Fall
Central Park
Bryant Square Park
Washington Square Park and walking around NYU
NYU
Falaful
Sushi
Orange Japanese dressing
Eating with chopsticks
Jamba Juice
Chipotle, my manna of life
Eating McDonald's late at night at the 24-hour McDonald's on Fulton and talking about everything
The Westside highway and the jogging path on the pier
75 West - Sid, Anowar - I miss you guys!
Somehow, I even miss 33 Gold
Walking in the rain, wearing great rain boots
Walking in the snow, wearing great rain boots and a big poofy parka
Walking in the sunshine
Learning that all weather is good weather, as long as you’re properly attired
Riding the LIRR to the beach
Running into friends I haven’t seen in years, while I am walking down the street
Taking cabs to church
My ward
Cafeteria
Jane
Really really good pizza
Walking by the Plaza and Bergdorfs and remembering….remembering
Laughing on the inside as I walked past Abercrombie on Fifth and smelling the cologne…a block away and outside
Walking through Tiffany’s
Browsing for hours in Barnes and Noble
Sitting in Union Square late at night, watching the skaters
The Virgin Megastore
The Christmas bazaar in the red and white striped tents
Learning where (nearly) all the public restrooms are
Exploring Brooklyn and all the funny subway lines that go unusual places
Every roommate I’ve ever had—no matter the terms we parted on, I really enjoyed the time we had together and I remember you happily
My amazing, amazing friends
My wonderful job at Innovative
My awesome, awesome job at the AAMD
My truly, insanely, heavenly, wonderful bosses. Ladies, I miss you more than words can say.
All the dreams I had when I was in New York
Everything

I miss everything.

But, you know? I’ve realized, over the last seven months as I’ve been here and missed there (and managed to fall completely in love with here) that even though I miss New York so much that my insides ache and I when I talk to friends there I feel a blinding jealousy that they’re there and I’m not….I’ve realized how lucky I am. I am so lucky that I had a college experience and a life in New York worth missing. I am so lucky that I have amazing friends worth missing. I am so lucky that I’ve had two life-changing jobs worth missing. I am so lucky and so grateful for all of it. Even the missing of it part, because it helps me live here, in the moment, and love it that much more, because I know how lucky I am to be as happy as I am right now.

Weekend + Today

It was a quiet weekend for us here in NOLA. Rain, naps, snacks, etc. The most exciting was when we took Tulip to the doggie beach at the Levy and after much flirting with the water’s edge, she finally took a flying leap into the (slightly) deep end and SWAM!!! We were so proud of her. She was rewarded with a nice warm bath, as that Mississippi water is noxious. She hates baths very much, so it was a real treat for all of us.

Now it's a quiet, rainy Monday. I think I'm going to go peruse SI.com and learn all about the teams I want to pick for my brackets. I love March Madness!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Sickly....sniffle cough cough

I'm sick. Bleccch.

To paraphrase from Fifi Lapin, "I've got the dreaded lurgy... {cold} and pinkeye..."

No good.

I was home yesterday, back at work today, and am so, so, so glad it's Friday.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Whooo loves ya??

Last night we channeled our inner Marthas and made the most amazing cupcakes. We made the batter, made the frosting, bought a pastry kit, studied the picture our mama sent us, found the candy bits, and then made our owl cupcakes. It took some practice, but by the fourth owl, we were on a roll and owl-making experts. I think they turned out super super cute. Don't you??


Yes, the little owlies are in the freezer....there was an unforseen "mudslide" of the frosting that kept happening. After a few minutes in the freezer, everything was dry and good to go!! I hope all the lucky recipients enjoy!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Thank goodness we didn't name her Athena


Last Saturday we met Zeus.

Yesterday we met Apollo.

Two of the most spectacularly huge dogs I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Both black labs, both *over* 100 pounds. (Zeus clocks in at 120!) Both (I swear) over 4 feet tall. Both owners cooed over Tulip and then said, "Ours was the EXACT SAME SIZE as her when he was 14 weeks old!!"

Every night before we go to sleep, I whisper into Tulip's ear, "Forty pounds. Fifty at the maximum!"

She's going to keep up her end of bargain, right?

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

It was amazing!


Getting ready for the show to start...


The crowd begins to go wild.....



Pandemonium is increasing......!!


She's almost here........!!!!!


IT'S BRITNEY SPEARS!!!!

The concert last night was so much and Britney did a great job. I don't think anyone loves her more than Louisianans, and she sang and danced the night away with us. What a great night!
And for the record, Hit Me Baby One More Time is still an awesome song!!!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

OMG! It's B minus 4 hours!!!!!





Oh, Britney Spears. You crazy girl with the crazy dance moves and irresistably catchy tunes. We bought our tickets months ago. The concert night is finally here!!!!