OH Oahu I Love You

The best of nature, a stunning coastline, and brilliant beaches contrasted with the best of city life in Honolulu. We rented a jeep to circle the island (not the first time I have done this nor will it be the last) because it is the best way to take in Oahu beauty. We went back to the Northshore, ate the best shrimp on the planet and ended the day at Waikiki beach.

this is where I began my love for seafood ten years ago!

YUMMMMMM

SO Handsome...

Christmas Movies

Watched Love Actually last night with the cast in the theater. LOVE this film! I think next week will be Elf, 

and the week after that will be a It's a Wonderful Life. 

We will have to fit in Christmas Story at some point too. I pretty much cry at all of these movies and love every moment. Bring on the sentimental Christmas tears!

CD Cover

Jason Campbell Photography is on somewhat of a hiatus at the moment but he dusted off his camera to take some very cool pictures of a certain soprano. He did such an amazing job as always so she is having a hard time deciding which one should be her cover/flipside/cd imprint. If anyone who may be possibly reading this has any input she would surely appreciate it! She thanks you in advance for your time!

 This is the idea with text:

Thanksgiving 2011

...was a kind of a bust. It’s ok though because I am still thankful and that’s the point right? Thankful to have a job performing and to be doing just that on Thanksgiving day was not too bad, but definitely did not feel like Thanksgiving with all the fixings. I did two shows, a rehearsal and ate a wrap instead. I am REALLY looking forward to making up for it by spending Christmas with my family who have been approved to come onboard for the Hawaiian cruise! Thankful for that and thankful for the guest staterooms with balconies we have been approved for. So glamorous!

I am also immensely thankful to hear some positive news about the cancer my best friend Jaimee’s mom Mrs. P is fighting right now. Most important thing to be thankful for is health and especially hers at this time.

Now I will show you what I did on Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for white spandex with gold sequins.

And The Envelope Please...

Tonight's show... The Envelope Please. A smorgasbord of award winning Film, TV and musical theater music. I sing everything from Judy Garland to Celene Dion and back again. It's one of those shows that with the costume changes you feel like you are being shot out of a cannon from the minute you step onto the stage. But they say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I concur.

Sooner or Later from Dick Tracy

Danger Zone

The Man that Got Away-A tribute to Judy Garland

Back on Board

Back to my home away from home. Gets harder each time as I fall more in love with Mr. Jason Campbell, but I am glad I have my very close friends here to keep me company to distract me from my sorrow and make me laugh very hard... constantly. This is a good portrayal of our state of being most of the time:

First cruise: Traveling though one of my favorite states with ports in Santa Barbara, San Fransisco, Ensenada, San Diego and LA. Happy Thanksgiving week everyone!

Don't Cry for me Argentinian Tapas

Alma 33 in the west village was our Groupon date night activity. I wore my leather jacket I had made in Argentina by accident (or was it?) even though it was a lovely unseasonably warm and beautifully balmy evening out.

On the menu for the Campbells:    
Pintxos De Entraña steak skewers with chimichurri

Tabla De Embutidos selection of cured meats with pickles and olives		Tabla De Quesos selection of cheeses with homemade confit and jam

Calamares A La Romana fried calamari with salsa alma 33 (salsa chimichurri & spicy marinara sauce) Tartara De Ternera prime hand-cut beef with reggianito chips, quilmes foam and raw quail egg

All that and two glasses of Argentinian Malbec and we were feeling like we were back in Argentina again!

goofing off in buenos aires...

J'adore le cuisine de Satis

Satis Bistro 

Got to love finding another little gem in our new hood especially when it comes in the form of a tapas french restaurant where you can bring in your own bottle of wine.  The brunch menu was pretty perfect on this crisp fall Saturday afternoon.

I appreciate a bistro with ambiance and immediately started stealing ideas for our little piece of heaven that we continue to renovate.

 Love the rustic angled mirrors, vintage cluster of mismatched picture frames, canvas pillows, and chandeliers.

Our food of choice:

The poached eggs focaccia crostini served with basil hollindaise sauce and candied orange ricotta stuffed french toast.

YUM!

Poppies and Babies

Happy Veterans Day to Ron, and all who have and are serving in our Nations' military's.

And on a completely different note...Beth is having her baby RIGHT NOW!

On 11-11-11 and he will be his grandparents 11th grandchild! How exciting for Beth and Adam and all of us that watch from the sidelines and say....HOW DOES she do it????

 And she can cook too...

http://bethandadamtait.blogspot.com/2011/11/time-for-baby.html

Butter By Nadia

Oooooooh mi gosh. I was going to post about this designer anyways, so this timing is perfect. Nadia Tarr is a former dancer/choreographer turned clothing designer and all of her convertible clothes show it. The fabric is so lush, the lines are flattering on every body type (one size fits all) and they are also maternity friendly! 

Quick ladies get to the fancy flashy friday site and buy this convertible top that flips upside down and turns into a dress. Flips upside down!!! Do any of your clothes do that? I think not! It is amazing, so comfortable and you will love it I promise. Here is her full webpage too if you want a ball gown instead. 

http://www.shopbutterbynadia.com/

A convertible ball gown? Yes please. I am addicted to Butter.

On the ferry with Jerry and Touristy fun

Took the New York Waterway for the first time with Jason's friend Jerry Stiller. 

Jason worked with Jerry on the movie he did last spring...what's that you say you don't see him? He's in the back, last row, behind the last row, and he's not the one wearing a hat. Go ahead and groan, it's my blog.

As you can see Jason and I observe downtown with excitement...

To get to Lombardis, the first pizzeria in the USA 

and the greatest rice pudding boutique ever. 

Are there other rice pudding boutiques? I don't know but this one is pretty bodacious. I'm so excited to bring back the word bodacious.

Amen to the Rice to Riches motto for life:

We pretty much always do this day of activities when we have visitors so.... COME OVER!!!

Anything Goes-understudies are Delovely

I have put off seeing Anything Goes on the Broadway throughout my entire vacation so I could see it with Mama Mo for the following reasons.  
A. We are pretty much obsessed with Cole Porter.  
B. She has seen me in Anything Goes playing both Reno Sweeney and Hope Harcourt (not to worry it was not in the same production) And...
C. We saw Sutton Foster in her star is born musical moment, Thoroughly Modern Millie before she even won her first Tony award. We were revved UP.

Wellllll...as the little white paper understudy inserts fell out of our playbills we realized that neither she nor Joel Grey were performing that night. It's always a bummer to not see the original cast (we are spoiled) but I was SO happy to see a friend of mine and respected fellow Firesider take on the title role.  The Fireside legend Tari Kelly was FABULOUS and I was in awe of her and the whole cast of this wonderful, true classic musical. (The Fireside was my first equity theater job-great place...I will always have a soft spot in my heart for it.) I saw people returning their tickets before the show started and I could not help but think...is this not what happened to Sutton? plucked from the chorus and into stardom? New Yorkers are spoiled!!!
Main note: Go understudies.  Support them. They are overworked, underpaid and most of the time have to fill very big shoes.
Side note. BRING BACK TAPPING!!! That was a belted side note I apologize, but very necessary.

A Pumpkin Patch Tablescape

I always called my best friend's family the "Pumpkin Patch" because as an only child I did not understand the concept of more than just yourself to talk to, play house or fight with. Yes, I may have fought with myself from time to time. So anyways, I actually got to spend Halloween eve in the infamous Pumpkin Patch with loads and loads of perfectly placed pumpkins on every surface and shelf. I mean, check out that table-scape fully equipped with muffins, chai, local wine and pumpkin candles.  These ladies really know how to celebrate the annual harvest. We take out a box of my Baba's favorite candy, junior mints, to celebrate her and have sentimintal momints together. Love these women.

Happy Birthday my Pretty Popsicle!

CLOC Popsicle day circa July summer 2000. We were young and innocent then. It was a time when all we wanted out of theater was to cool off in between a matinee and a night show with a flavored popsicle. Ah the simple life. Fast forward eleven years and you can see how this girl has become quite the star in the opera world. So proud of her always and proud to call her one of my dearest friends. 

Happy Birthday Mo! I love you!