countdown

The countdown begins to Thursday afternoon. I am heading home to Ohio for both Easter, and a birthday party for my gorgeous nephew. I am in shock that he is already one-years-old! I really can't wait to get out of the city, and back to the wonderful simple Ohio life. I will listen to birds chirp instead of subways and gun shots. What more can a girl ask for?

shuffle...step....hop....flap....collapse!

As I believe I have rambled about ad nauseum on this site, my real dream is to become a singer/actor/performer. The whole point of getting this new job was to be able to focus on preparing for this career, and I am happy to say that it is all actually starting to come together. I had my first voice lesson in about six months on Wednesday night, and it was amazing. My voice teacher rocks, and it just felt good to sing a little bit. Last night, I took my out-of-shape bod to a tap dance class. It was plain fun. I had almost forgotten how much I enjoy it! I mean, I am no Savion Glover or anything, but I was able to do almost everything, and didn't drop dead of a coronary! (knock on wood...) Monday night, I am meant to take a ballet class. Of course, my body is so stiff and sore today, I will have to see if that is even going to be possible.

photo credit: www.andreaharner.com

i'm going out....i want the world to know...

Tonight, I am off to a screening of BLADES OF GLORY. Yes, people. I am barely embarrassed to tell you that I am super-geeky excited to see it. I mean, for starters, Will Arnett is in this movie. Will Arnett is a refugee of the amazing-now-sadly-cancelled TV show ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Seriously, it is one of the best TV shows, like, ever. And I should totally know as I am a TV whore, and have seen almost all of them. Speaking of whorish ways, the new series THE TUDORS will start on Showtime this weekend. It looks fabulously trashy, and stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII. (Insert never-ending song here.) I actually have Showtime right now because it was a special gift from Time Warner to me for moving and keeping their services. So, I should be able to see the first six episodes, and then will have to turn off the channel so I don't have to pay for it. I guess I will watch the rest of the episodes on DVD. Now that I think about it, that is actually kind of annoying. Hm....

photo credit: www. blogebrity.com and www.blogorrah.com

why?

Why is it always so hard to find exactly what you want in clothing? Seriously. I don't think that I am being particularly demanding in a quest for a black, cotton, a-line skirt for this summer. I mean, this should be a general staple of one's wardrobe, and yet, I can't find it anywhere. Why does everything always have to be so damn complicated?

Urgh.

photo credit: www.willzhead.typepad.com

best....news....ever!

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are returning together in a new film. I can't tell you how happy this makes me in my soul! Kate is back to work after a year off, and working with the recently-always-fabulous Leo. Bonus: The movie is directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty), husband of Kate. Hooray! Whatever night that comes out in 2008 or 2009...I'm busy.

photo credit: www.discoverkate.com

slim pickings at the movies

I realize that a couple of weeks ago, I waxed poetic about how the spring is no longer where they send movies to die. Well, I might have been wrong. Last weekend, this weekend and next weekend all look like pretty slim pickings. (Although, NYC does get more releases than most towns, I am actually heading to Ohio next weekend, and the wide-release films looks like they suck. On Sunday, I decided to head to the movies after returning from singing in a wedding in PA for my lovely friend Alana. I checked out I THINK I LOVE MY WIFE starring and co-written by Chris Rock. Although it was an okay movie, it was not laugh-out-loud....and any movie with Chris Rock in it should be. There were some fun moments, and actually had an interesting look at what marriage can become. I mean, how do you balance it all? Can you have a family, have a career, and still have passion, and not fall asleep at 9pm? I barely get through the day, and I am not even dating right now. I don't know.....I needed the movie to be ridiculously hilarious, and I mostly feel like I could say that when I watched it, I wasn't necessarily sad.

Movie number two on Sunday was SHOOTER starring Mark Wahlberg. I actually liked the first 2/3 of the flick, but it really lost momentum at the end. I mean, I am all for a kick-ass revenge story....kill anyone who is not on your side....but this flick was really gory, and got a little out of hand. I know, what could my expectations have been going in? I just mean that if you are questioning the end of the flick saying it seems kind of extreme, something has not worked in the kick-ass adventure. I am intrigued by Kate Mara who played the love interest. She has popped up in different movies, and always does a nice job.

I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I would like to see BLADES OF GLORY. Don't judge me!

photo credits: www.movieweb.com

sunshine

It was in the 70's today, and absolutely gorgeous out. I ate my lunch outside, watching the students stroll by in shorts and flip-flops. It was that one perfect spring day when the sun was shining, you could feel the heat in the air, and there was a breeze. The high this weekend is in the low 50's. Damn. I was looking forward to packing away the heavy coats.

going to the theatre for some romance/romance

On Saturday, I took myself to Penn Station, and made my way back to Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ to take in their current production of "Romance/Romance". A darling boutique musical, the show consists of two one-act stories about love, betrayal, and (of course) romance. Well cast, this show really sings. It was a lovely afternoon in New Jersey, and I strongly recommend that you run out there and check it out before its April 1 closing date.

Bonus: The main couple are married in real life, and have both starred in Broadway shows!

photo credit: www.papermill.org

lovely film

On Sunday morning, I dragged myself out of bed, and headed down to the 42nd street AMC to see THE NAMESAKE. Directed by Mira Nair, this film was lovely. Simple, sad, sweet, it tells the story of a young man, and how he was given the name that he hates. Kal Penn finally has a part that he can sink his teeth into, and he does with fabulous results. What I really loved about the movie is that it was just as much the story of how his parents came together as it was about their son. I couldn't help but think, who are your parents? What is their great love story? How did they meet...what was their inside joke....what was their first fight about? Gogol's parents were put together basically through an arranged marriage. They were introduced by their parents who sat their listing their attributes seemingly to convince the other family that this is someone they would want in their family. By the time the story comes to Gogol, I could have happily walked out of the theatre, fulfilled by what had come before...but on it goes, and it doesn't disappoint. This film is a quiet film. There are no explosions, no stand-up comedy routines. It is just a look at a family, their story, and what a lovely story it is.

Final thoughts: You don't have to necessarily see this on the big-screen, but it should go on your must-see list. Chocolate goobers and kleenex recommended.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

sweaty, sassy, campy fun

I heart Gerard Butler. I have hearted him for a long time now, and I can think of no better way to spend a Friday night than watching him run around in a leather speedo, fighting for honor and glory on the IMAX screen. My roommate allowed me to drag him to see "300" on the IMAX, and it was good, not-so-wholesome fun. Mr. Butler was his usual fabulous self, in said leather speedo, kicking a** and taking names. I am not sure if this film was meant to be campy, but I sat in the theatre just enjoying the visual orgasm this movie was. Not only was there Gerry, but a group of 300 incredibly gorgeous, sweaty men pounding the crap out of their enemy, fighting for their land, their glory, their children. The fighting itself was pretty gruesome, and to be honest, I didn't watch all of it. However, it was innovative, dark, and interesting to watch. The music rocked out at the appropriate times, and the visuals were, for the most part, stunning. The woman who played his wife did a nice job...I didn't love her. She had one speech in particular that I just wished she had done differently. However, they had great chemistry together.

Final thoughts: I thought it was campy fun, and worth the price of admission. If you heart Gerry Butler, or are an 18 year-old boy, you will probably like this movie a lot. If you are interested in seeing it, check it out on the big screen.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

some upcoming movies to note....

This spring, there have been a surprising number of decent to good movies released. (This is usually the time of year where they send movies to die....) Two previews that have caught my eye:

WAITRESS
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/waitress/trailer/
Starring Keri Russell as a pregnant waitress who makes unbelievable pies, and is stuck in an awful marriage.

PENELOPE
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/penelope/trailer/
Christina Ricci plays Penelope, a girl born with the nose of a pig, and the fairy tale of how the spell is broken. Co-starring and produced by Reese Witherspoon.

They both just look so fabulous!

69!

Pervert....I know what you are thinking...and my father's a minister!!

That is the high temperature in NYC tomorrow. Hooray for capri pants...boo for having to shave the legs.

another great weekend in the city

I have had yet another lovely weekend in the city.

On Friday, the roommate and I headed out to dinner at a new Mexican place called Blockheads on 50th and 8th. Yummy food, fabulous 80's music, but so loud...we could barely hear one another. I am excited to go back this summer though when they have tons of patio seating outdoors. What fun to do frozen $3.50 margaritas on a hot summer night! Then, off to the New York City Opera's performance of MADAMA BUTTERFLY. This was actually the first time I have been to the NYCO, and we decided to go because it was a special promotion where all seats in the theatre were $25. The cast was good, the costumes beautiful, but the lighting of this show was the true standout. It was such fun to go back and revisit the classical singing roots on a Friday night in the city.

On Saturday, after waiting four hours for the Time Warner guy, I headed down to meet the roommate again for dinner with his friend. After going to try to buy tickets to the new Mira Nair film THE NAMESAKE (they were sold out) we wandered around the East side in search of food. Outside of Bergdorf Goodman we saw none other than Lucy Liu...who is absolutely stunning in person. After an okay dinner (can't remember the name of the place) we tried to get tickets to ALTAR BOYZ (sold out), TARZAN (no student tix), and any movie at the AMC 25 on 42nd Street (everything sold out), we headed home and watched Grey's Anatomy on DVD. It was so nice to be home in the pajamas!

On Sunday, I woke up early and headed down to 34th street to return some stuff to Macy's and to see the fabulous film, ZODIAC. This movie was so great. Thrilling, dark, funny, upsetting, stylistically stunning and ultimately never resolved, this film, based on the still open serial killer case in California is compelling to watch. Jake Gyllenhaal is adorable...I think I love him, as he plays the clean-cut guy who writes the book about the case. (His character is an eagle scout....I love it! For the longest time, I wanted to marry a man who was an eagle scout!) Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey, Jr. both turn in interesting performances as men tortured by this case. This is a must-see for those who love a good thinking-man's psychological drama. After a quick lunch at Chipotle's, I wandered over to a nearby electronics store and got my first LCD TV! He's 26 inches, and gorgeous!! I couldn't be happier about the whole business! Of course, I didn't really need another incentive to stay home and watch TV...but I got one!

photo credit: http://www.online.wsg.com/, http://www.images.askmen.com/, http://www.amazon.fr/, www.movieweb.com

it's all about me!

Friends, this weekend I made it all about me. I did what I wanted, when I wanted to, and said "screw you" to denying myself anything. It was lovely and perfect.

FRIDAY
After work, I walked down to the movie theatre (50 blocks away) basking in the sun, and the fifty degree weather. I headed to the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas on 64th street, this fabulous Indie movie-house that has the BEST popcorn in the city. I took in a sweet French film called AVENUE MONTAIGNE. This darling picture takes place on a street in Paris, where there is a theatre, auction house, concert hall and bistro. One night, there is an event taking place in all three venues, and a young woman is hired on as extra help at the bistro. We meet incredible men and women as this waitress finds her way in Paris. It was funny, sweet, and poignant. J'adore.
After the film, I headed to Le Monde, a restaurant at 113th and Broadway that I found with my mother while she was in town. It is very European, and their desserts look divine. I munched on a potato tart and salad, and read my new book. It was the perfect way to end my Parisian evening in the city.

SATURDAY
Sunny. The new bedroom is incredibly sunny. Awoken by the beams sneaking around my curtains, I got out of bed and started my day earlier than I would have liked. On a whim, I headed downtown and got in line for a student rush ticket of TARZAN on Broadway. I have wanted to see this show for a long time...for $20. I liked it more than I thought I would, and it is a true Disney production....amazing special effects. I thought the first act was much stronger than the second, and sadly, there was an understudy in for one of the main parts who seemed to really be struggling. These actors are incredible athletes as they suspend and repel their way around the stage. Many of the costumes were lovely, especially a butterfly that makes an appearance at the end of the first act. For $20, it was totally worth it.
After the show, I walked uptown and sat across the street from the Metropolitan Opera House and waited for my partner in crime to finish a film audition. We continued walking uptown and had our dinner at current favorite French Roast. We then wandered over to the 84th Street Loews and watched the British film STARTER FOR TEN. A romantic comedy, James McAvoy is charming as our flawed-yet-lovely hero. This film takes place in the 80's, and it was fun to revisit some of the couture of the time, as it were. Sweet, funny, and at times painful, this film seemed to get it right with the awkwardness of not only finding your way at school, but trying to connect with people somehow. Not necessarily one you MUST see on the big screen, it is definitely worth adding it to your Net Flix list.

SUNDAY
Once again, the sun was shining, so I decided to get up and make some eggs. Then, out the door I went for a $6 AMC movie. This morning, it was BREACH starring Chris Cooper, Laura Linney, and Ryan Phillipe. This was a great film. Compelling, dark and fascinating, this film takes a look at the greatest known spy in the history of the US Government and how he was brought down in 2001. Great performances were turned in from all of the leads....Laura Linney is someone that I follow a lot of the time. She does great work, and does not apologize for expecting the audience to be smart. Chris Cooper is fantastic....and disturbing. Plus, Ryan Phillipe is fun to look at, and does a nice job. This is one to see...once again, you can add it to the Net Flix list.
I headed to Macy's next and found some dresses to wear for my friend's wedding. I am actually singing, and now am trying to figure out which one I will wear, and which one I shall return. One dress was $169, and the other was marked down to $22! Sadly, I am leaning towards the one that was $169. Urgh!

So, the weekend was perfect, and now I am back at work starting week seven. I can't believe it has already been that long. Now, it is just four days until next weekend, and another trip to the movies. Actually, Richard and I have tickets to the New York City Opera on Friday night. In all the years I have been here in the city...I have never been.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com and www.playbill.com