Boy! I'll tell you what! Working a full time job and being a gigging musician ain't easy! I love this kind of problem - no doubt about that. But I am worn out! It is not easy to work 9-5 and then go straight to rehearsals that go until 10 or 10:30 at night. Only to go to sleep and quickly get up and do it again. The past week or two I have been playing more than usual, which I LOVE! I got a new gig with an opera company and it has kept me really busy for the past week. The show opens tomorrow and runs this weekend and next. Good times! The other problem I have run into is this: if I am working and rehearsing whenever I am not asleep, then when do I work on reeds and practice my part? Maybe I will have to practice on the subway on the way home. Maybe I could make a little extra cash that way?
Anyway - time to catch a few quick Z's.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
ZZZzzzz...
Bad news bears! I think I've developed an immunity to my favorite beverage and drug of choice - COFFEE!!! It seems that no matter how much I chug during the afternoon hours I just want to FALL ASLEEP. It's as if there is a magnet in my desk, pulling my head down, down...down...
This is not good! What can I do? Something stronger? Even more coffee? Go OFF of coffee for a week so it has an effect when I come back (oh how miserable that week would be and everyone would HATE being around me - and I would hate everyone and everything - bad idea). So what's a gal to do? Maybe I should give in and take a nap every afternoon! Those Spaniards are smart with their siestas. Yeah, I think that's the solution. Siesta. Think the boss will mind?
This is not good! What can I do? Something stronger? Even more coffee? Go OFF of coffee for a week so it has an effect when I come back (oh how miserable that week would be and everyone would HATE being around me - and I would hate everyone and everything - bad idea). So what's a gal to do? Maybe I should give in and take a nap every afternoon! Those Spaniards are smart with their siestas. Yeah, I think that's the solution. Siesta. Think the boss will mind?
Monday, March 15, 2010
On Broadway
Well, we are still having 'weather'. I was tricked by a few days of really nice temperatures and a bit of sun, but that all went away last weekend and we have been covered in rain since Thursday night. They say it is going to stop and be nice for the rest of the week. We'll see. Fingers crossed.
Last week was a fun week for me - besides the few days of warmth. What better way to give an early welcome to spring than to go to the theater! I had a very exhausting week, but not in ways that I should complain. After a weekend of playing my own concerts, Chris and I hit up the town and saw Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music on Broadway. It was one of those things we just had to do.
Starring Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta Jones.
I can't believe Angela Lansbury is still acting. I remember her from growing up and watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks when I visited Mama and Papa. I don't remember a lot about that movie (I should watch it again!) but I do remember Ms. Lansbury and her voice as she took the kids on some sort of adventure on their magical bed. Aside from that, I remember seeing many a Murder She Wrote - also starring AL.
Well, the musical was a real treat. The acting was great and there were several top notch singers. I like seeing a revival of an older musical like that - one that actually has good quality music. I can't stand the things that are being passed off as 'musicals' these days. Some of them truly stink and don't last more than a few weeks, but some of them become major tourist traps and stick around forever. They are more like dancing rock shows with cheezy arrangements than anything else - like do we really need a Spiderman the Musical, written by Bono? Then again, it is directed by Julie Taymor, who did Lion King on Broadway and the newest production of the Magic Flute at the Met, which I loved - so maybe I am interested... oh my... the conflicts... I think it was delayed until 2012, so I guess I'll have to wait.
Anyway - I saw A Little Night Music and it was great. I had a wonderful evening, sitting in the back of the theater, peering down at the tremendous performers on the stage. Angela Lansbury is fabulous and barely has to say anything to make me laugh. I'm glad I grabbed the chance to see her.
Last week was a fun week for me - besides the few days of warmth. What better way to give an early welcome to spring than to go to the theater! I had a very exhausting week, but not in ways that I should complain. After a weekend of playing my own concerts, Chris and I hit up the town and saw Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music on Broadway. It was one of those things we just had to do.
Starring Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta Jones.I can't believe Angela Lansbury is still acting. I remember her from growing up and watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks when I visited Mama and Papa. I don't remember a lot about that movie (I should watch it again!) but I do remember Ms. Lansbury and her voice as she took the kids on some sort of adventure on their magical bed. Aside from that, I remember seeing many a Murder She Wrote - also starring AL.
Well, the musical was a real treat. The acting was great and there were several top notch singers. I like seeing a revival of an older musical like that - one that actually has good quality music. I can't stand the things that are being passed off as 'musicals' these days. Some of them truly stink and don't last more than a few weeks, but some of them become major tourist traps and stick around forever. They are more like dancing rock shows with cheezy arrangements than anything else - like do we really need a Spiderman the Musical, written by Bono? Then again, it is directed by Julie Taymor, who did Lion King on Broadway and the newest production of the Magic Flute at the Met, which I loved - so maybe I am interested... oh my... the conflicts... I think it was delayed until 2012, so I guess I'll have to wait.
Anyway - I saw A Little Night Music and it was great. I had a wonderful evening, sitting in the back of the theater, peering down at the tremendous performers on the stage. Angela Lansbury is fabulous and barely has to say anything to make me laugh. I'm glad I grabbed the chance to see her.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Here we go again...
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect. A significant winter storm or hazardous winter weather is occurring, imminent, or likely, and is a threat to life and property. Stay vigilant for severe weather.Thank you weather.com. I'll stay vigilant, but this better be the last time.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Food Psychology
Eggs. I've been thinking about writing about eggs for about a year now. And as I sit here, finishing off my dinner of a spinach feta cheese omelet, I think now is as good a time as ever to address the issue. The reason I was going to write about eggs a year ago is that a year and a few months ago I started eating them. For the 27 years before that, I wouldn't touch them. I couldn't. I tried several times throughout my life, but I just did not like anything about eggs. People thought I was nuts "how can you not eat eggs???". Of course I would eat them in a cake or if they are an ingredient to something bigger, but plain old eggs...couldn't do it.
Breakfast in Jamaica includes eggs with toast and fresh fruit.
Then a couple of years ago I decided that maybe taste was psychological and we could convince ourselves to like things. My two big things that I didn't eat my whole life were eggs and tomato (excluding pasta sauce, ketchup, etc.). I don't know why, but I never liked them. So I started with the tomato as my project. I don't remember how I tried it first, but maybe it was a little bit on a sandwich. OR possibly a Caprese Salad which is just tomato, fresh mozarella, and fresh basil drizzled with basamic vinager and olive oil. Now how could I possibly not like that? I loved the idea of it. I had to stick mostly with the out of season, dry, few-seed variety. Those fresh from the garden summer tomatoes must be great, but not for me. Slowly but surely, I included the tomato into my diet and lo and behold I started liking it. Instead of picking it off a sandwich, I would ask for it. I guess I aquired a taste. Success. Next.
Back to the egg. Again, I am a little unclear about the first steps. They definitely include the fact that I had some really cool devices to cook eggs in, such as Boiley. I had to eat eggs occasionally just so I could use this stuff. I also really wanted to like eggs because they are full of protein and I felt like my breakfasts usually wore off by the time I got out the door. Somewhere along the line I realized that if you scramble eggs up quite a bit and add a lot of good stuff to them- similar to that out of season tomato - they really don't have much taste. Enter the ham and Swiss cheese scrambled eggs. Not bad at all. THEN there was the NYC bacon egg and cheese sandwich. Similar to the Caprese Salad - there is no way that I couldn't go for that. The gooey cheese and crunchy bacon masked anything too 'eggy' for me. Toss that on a roll or everything bagel and you are good to go. Delicious. SO... I started going to the diner and trying things like omelettes (fully loaded) and found I could not only handle these guys, but I actually started liking them! So here I sit, eating them by choice.
There are rules and baby steps that I am taking with these foods. I am not going to run out and eat a soft cooked out of an egg cup. And my scramble/omelet needs to be pretty well done. I can't have it getting 'boogery' on me. I think after all this time it's about the texture. I grew up around the sunnysides and I'm really not excited to try them today. What's that gooey stuff running all over the plate? Dad says that's the best stuff and you soak it up with your biscuit, but I prefer my egg to soak itself up in the pan and my biscuit to soak up some gravy.
Back to the egg. Again, I am a little unclear about the first steps. They definitely include the fact that I had some really cool devices to cook eggs in, such as Boiley. I had to eat eggs occasionally just so I could use this stuff. I also really wanted to like eggs because they are full of protein and I felt like my breakfasts usually wore off by the time I got out the door. Somewhere along the line I realized that if you scramble eggs up quite a bit and add a lot of good stuff to them- similar to that out of season tomato - they really don't have much taste. Enter the ham and Swiss cheese scrambled eggs. Not bad at all. THEN there was the NYC bacon egg and cheese sandwich. Similar to the Caprese Salad - there is no way that I couldn't go for that. The gooey cheese and crunchy bacon masked anything too 'eggy' for me. Toss that on a roll or everything bagel and you are good to go. Delicious. SO... I started going to the diner and trying things like omelettes (fully loaded) and found I could not only handle these guys, but I actually started liking them! So here I sit, eating them by choice.
There are rules and baby steps that I am taking with these foods. I am not going to run out and eat a soft cooked out of an egg cup. And my scramble/omelet needs to be pretty well done. I can't have it getting 'boogery' on me. I think after all this time it's about the texture. I grew up around the sunnysides and I'm really not excited to try them today. What's that gooey stuff running all over the plate? Dad says that's the best stuff and you soak it up with your biscuit, but I prefer my egg to soak itself up in the pan and my biscuit to soak up some gravy.
For now I am really kind of enjoying the egg experiment. Now that I know how I like to use them, it is fun to think up different things to put in my omelet. I'm actually getting really into the breakfast menus, never turning my back on the syrupy things, but taking a look at the world beyond them.
Breakfast in Jamaica includes eggs with toast and fresh fruit.
Friday, February 12, 2010
slushy, snowy, slippy, slidey
What a week! We've had snow and slush and all kinds of messiness. Plus I had rehearsals all week! I've been playing a lot and it's great! Tonight I am playing with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra. We are celebrating Abe Lincoln's birthday with an All American program including Rhapsody in Blue and Appalachian Spring - two favorites! It is a lot of fun to play these pieces and I'm looking forward to our concert tonight at Symphony Space!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Special Delivery
Wait, wait, wait...have patience.... That's what us single ladies have to do. Always waiting for Mr. Right to come along. Well, today a major step was made. Something showed up that could have some major implications on life as I know it. See, the problem in the past is that I always had to wait and see what was given to me. I had no control. I could seek instruction and assistance from others, but didn't have the tools to make it happen on my own. Not having the mold for the perfect man I was left with little hope.... until today. Out of nowhere, he showed up. At my front door. I now can have the man of my dreams at my fingertips in a matter of minutes. This could be life changing. He has arrived...and just in time.
Friday, January 29, 2010
A sequel...
In honor of my original post, MEN, from exactly one year ago, I give you...
For this past Christmas, I decided to make a little more permanent of a man for my dear sister. Of course those gingerbread men are fun and biting their heads off will never go out of style. I honestly look forward to the day I have a teenage daughter going through her first heartbreak. I can put my arm around her and lead her to the kitchen, comforting her with the words "let me show you how to deal with this". I will teach her a valuable lesson in making men, decorating them to relieve her frustrations, and the final step of enjoying every last bite.
I digress...
THIS past Christmas, I came across the absolute best pattern ever on the web and decided it was time for me to be a little creative and crafty. I pulled out the old needle and thread and whipped up a man for the new decade. A man who
will come back, year after year. A man who likes nothing more than hanging around - just being in the room with his lady, or waiting for her return. It doesn't bother him. He doesn't say a word and never gets in the way. This kind of man is just the kind that pops into our minds throughout the year and we look forward to the day we can help bring him out of his box and spend some quality time together. This man is guaranteed to bring a smile to his lady's face. But be careful, your girlfriends might want to steal him for their own. I must admit I thought about keeping him for myself instead of giving him to my sister. He is quite irresistible...maybe he has a cute older brother???
MEN, PART II
For this past Christmas, I decided to make a little more permanent of a man for my dear sister. Of course those gingerbread men are fun and biting their heads off will never go out of style. I honestly look forward to the day I have a teenage daughter going through her first heartbreak. I can put my arm around her and lead her to the kitchen, comforting her with the words "let me show you how to deal with this". I will teach her a valuable lesson in making men, decorating them to relieve her frustrations, and the final step of enjoying every last bite.
I digress...
THIS past Christmas, I came across the absolute best pattern ever on the web and decided it was time for me to be a little creative and crafty. I pulled out the old needle and thread and whipped up a man for the new decade. A man who
will come back, year after year. A man who likes nothing more than hanging around - just being in the room with his lady, or waiting for her return. It doesn't bother him. He doesn't say a word and never gets in the way. This kind of man is just the kind that pops into our minds throughout the year and we look forward to the day we can help bring him out of his box and spend some quality time together. This man is guaranteed to bring a smile to his lady's face. But be careful, your girlfriends might want to steal him for their own. I must admit I thought about keeping him for myself instead of giving him to my sister. He is quite irresistible...maybe he has a cute older brother???
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Slow Cookin'
Right now I am whipping up a pot of my favorite white bean chili that I mentioned before. I am at the part where it simmers for 20 minutes, so I thought I would take the opportunity to write. I have such a hard time staying on top of things like cooking and my blog while I am working full time. I've had the job for almost 6 months, but I still don't know if I am used to the little amount of time I have for myself during the week.
This past week was especially busy because I had rehearsals in the evenings after working all day. Sometimes it was hard to focus as rehearsal went later into the evening. My brain wanted to shut down and go to sleep! Anyway, I am glad to have this night off and have the chance to make some soup to eat this week.
Lately I have discovered an exciting new way to cook! I got a crock pot for Christmas and have used it the past two weekends. I still can't get over how easy it is and how good it turns out! I don't know how much crock-potting I will do in the hot summer, but there is nothing better in the winter than a nice roast or stew that simmers and cooks all day. The first thing we made was a beef pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Yummy... it was so delicious. At one point I was nervous because it looked pretty gross through the glass top of the pot. But at the end of the day I had an amazing meal that was hot, juicy, and tender. The next weekend - this past Saturday, we got a pork shoulder roast and made pulled pork out of it. I can't get over how well it turned out. I've been eating pulled pork sandwiches for a few days now and must admit I need a day off, but it is REALLY GOOD. I put the barbeque seasonings in the crock pot, along with ketchup and apple cider vingar, so the meat absorbed all that delicious flavoring while it cooked all day. Throw everything in the pot, go out for the day and come home to a nice home-cooked meal. I love it! Not to mention how much money it saves to have those leftovers for lunch instead of going out to eat. It's a win-win situation.
Time to puree the bean mixture for my chili... bon apetite!
This past week was especially busy because I had rehearsals in the evenings after working all day. Sometimes it was hard to focus as rehearsal went later into the evening. My brain wanted to shut down and go to sleep! Anyway, I am glad to have this night off and have the chance to make some soup to eat this week.
Lately I have discovered an exciting new way to cook! I got a crock pot for Christmas and have used it the past two weekends. I still can't get over how easy it is and how good it turns out! I don't know how much crock-potting I will do in the hot summer, but there is nothing better in the winter than a nice roast or stew that simmers and cooks all day. The first thing we made was a beef pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Yummy... it was so delicious. At one point I was nervous because it looked pretty gross through the glass top of the pot. But at the end of the day I had an amazing meal that was hot, juicy, and tender. The next weekend - this past Saturday, we got a pork shoulder roast and made pulled pork out of it. I can't get over how well it turned out. I've been eating pulled pork sandwiches for a few days now and must admit I need a day off, but it is REALLY GOOD. I put the barbeque seasonings in the crock pot, along with ketchup and apple cider vingar, so the meat absorbed all that delicious flavoring while it cooked all day. Throw everything in the pot, go out for the day and come home to a nice home-cooked meal. I love it! Not to mention how much money it saves to have those leftovers for lunch instead of going out to eat. It's a win-win situation.
Time to puree the bean mixture for my chili... bon apetite!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
CHRISTMAS!
I know w
e are well into January now, but I do want to take a minute to say how nice my Christmas was this year...or this past year...2009. I am so glad I got to take a few days off work and get away to West Virginia. As I mentioned before, getting the entire family there during the wintery December days was a bit of a challenge, but eventually did work out. A few days late and many reroutes later, Ben and Jen made it from Montana with my new little nephew, Joel. Meeting him for the first time and being able to be around him on his first Christmas was an absolute delight. He is the cutest little thing. This is a picture of 
when I first met him at the airport. The poor little guy had just had quite a time with his trip, but he seemed to do pretty well. We even had to wait around for luggage to arrive on a different flight. He didn't even cry (he saved that for the car ride home! Yeah!) He spit up a bit on Stacy, but not on me, so I guess he liked me. Not that he didn't like her, but he just respected me more, right? I am the 'elder' sister and he may have learned to 'respect the elder' or something like that. Well anyway, I managed not to get spit up on and I don't mind that at all.
Besides baby fun, Christmas was really nice because of all the normal things...like making men with Stacy. That's always an enjoyable tradition. The stories we tell and quotes we come up with as we roll out, cut, create, and bake our guys get better with each passing year. Mom tried to give us some tips on how to help our men hold together when they started falling apart. She had some good ideas, but it ended up being quite a messy batch regardless. Maybe better luck next time...
e are well into January now, but I do want to take a minute to say how nice my Christmas was this year...or this past year...2009. I am so glad I got to take a few days off work and get away to West Virginia. As I mentioned before, getting the entire family there during the wintery December days was a bit of a challenge, but eventually did work out. A few days late and many reroutes later, Ben and Jen made it from Montana with my new little nephew, Joel. Meeting him for the first time and being able to be around him on his first Christmas was an absolute delight. He is the cutest little thing. This is a picture of 
when I first met him at the airport. The poor little guy had just had quite a time with his trip, but he seemed to do pretty well. We even had to wait around for luggage to arrive on a different flight. He didn't even cry (he saved that for the car ride home! Yeah!) He spit up a bit on Stacy, but not on me, so I guess he liked me. Not that he didn't like her, but he just respected me more, right? I am the 'elder' sister and he may have learned to 'respect the elder' or something like that. Well anyway, I managed not to get spit up on and I don't mind that at all.Besides baby fun, Christmas was really nice because of all the normal things...like making men with Stacy. That's always an enjoyable tradition. The stories we tell and quotes we come up with as we roll out, cut, create, and bake our guys get better with each passing year. Mom tried to give us some tips on how to help our men hold together when they started falling apart. She had some good ideas, but it ended up being quite a messy batch regardless. Maybe better luck next time...
Monday, January 4, 2010
A Brand New Year!
Happy 2010 and welcome to it! The past few weeks have been a ride, that's for sure, and I have a lot of catching up to do. I went home to West Virginia for Christmas week and then came back to New York for New Years week. Stacy came along with me and we tore apart the city, as usual, despite the roaring winds and arctic temperatures. I also feel like I have been eating nonstop for at least a month. I am best described as 'feeling like a blob'. I guess that is what the holidays are for, right???
Anyway, I guess things are heading back to 'normal' now as Stacy left this morning. I always say that things will get back to normal someday, that things will calm down and slow down pretty soon...but do they really ever?
Delicious salmon from L'Express French Cafe
And the 'meal' that welcomed in 2010:
Anyway, I guess things are heading back to 'normal' now as Stacy left this morning. I always say that things will get back to normal someday, that things will calm down and slow down pretty soon...but do they really ever?
I have lots to chat about, but for now how about the last meal of 2009:
Delicious salmon from L'Express French Cafe
And the 'meal' that welcomed in 2010:
Chocolate Pizza a la Max Brenner....but of course.
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