Broadway Week - Waitress

I've had my eye on the show Waitress since the early part of the summer. Sara Bareilles wrote the music and lyrics - I have always liked her! And I really enjoy the Keri Russell movie that comes on TV from time to time. I knew it would be a fun production to see on the stage.

Over the summer, I also started Erin's Book Challenge and chose Sara Bareilles' book Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song as my music category selection. I loved the book. She began each chapter with the lyrics from one of her songs and tied that song into her journey at that point her life. It was really interesting and well written. And the last chapter focused on her work with Broadway, specifically on the show Waitress. I knew I had to see the show after finishing her book.

I grabbed a matinee ticket for the following week and was thrilled from start to finish. The show was full of one-liners and comedic scenes, but also carried the full weight of an abusive relationship and all the unfulfilled feelings that brings to life. I thought it was neat how the band was incorporated as part of the set in the diner scenes with the piano top serving as a counter - very creative! And the cast is extremely talented. You will laugh without a doubt many times. The performance really surprised me, but in the best way possible. I enjoyed every moment!

Have you ever seen the movie version of Waitress? 

What were your thoughts?

Andrea :)

Garth X 2

Seeing Garth Brooks perform in concert wasn't on my bucket list, but I'm not sure why not. And after seeing him play Yankee Stadium two nights in a row earlier this month, I kinda want to add it.  Just to have a reason to go again.

Yes, it was THAT fantastic!  I knew the lyrics to every single song from Standing Outside the Fire to Unanswered Prayers to Callin' Baton Rouge to Papa Loved Mama.  It was pure bliss...times 2.

We grabbed tickets right away when they went on sale, but as the concert date drew near we discovered we could have gotten MUCH better tickets for FAR less the price. It was worth every penny so when we met up with some friends after the show, a trio of us decided to give night two a shot.

Megan and I were the only two that ended up being able to make night two a reality.  And boy were we in for a treat.  We managed to snag $60 tickets just a few rows back from the stage.  AMAZING!!

Unfortunately, the show was delayed 3.5 hours due to thunderstorms in the area...but we eventually made our way back to the seats and loved every second of the performance even if we did get a bit soaked in the process. Garth certainly made it worth the wait!

Trisha Yearwood did a short set in the middle of the performance and I loved it nearly just as much.  She sang She's in Love with the Boy and How Do I Live - and totally rocked the place both nights!

I would have gone the next night if I had the option.  The show was wonderful.  Garth is not only a talented artist, but also puts on a fun high energy show!  I absolutely didn't want it to end!  Until next time, Garth...

Andrea :)

DCX World Tour!!

The soundtrack to much of my high school and college years fell into the genre of country.  And a bit of Eminem.  You know, to keep things real.  But seriously, I loved so many popular country artists during that time of transition and new opportunities.  There were so many that I kept on repeat - Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Lonestar, LeAnn Womack, Rascal Flatts, and the Dixie Chicks.

Needless to say, when I heard the Dixie Chicks were planning to go back on the road I knew I had to be there.  I have never been a big concert fan, but so many of their songs are burned into my memory because they are associated with such meaningful moments in my life.  I'll never forget singing my heart out to Wide Open Spaces as I drove to college for the first time by myself.  And I can't possibly forget the time me and my best gal pals from church decided we should make our own Goodbye, Earl music video at a sleepover one night.  Such precious memories for me.

The concert added another great memory to the list.  It was terrific.  I fell off the Dixie Chicks wagon prior to their final album so I wasn't as familiar with the songs they played from it, but otherwise I absolutely loved it.  I remembered every word to those old songs.  It all just came flooding back to me.  So many feelings and emotions washed over me as I sang from my soul with thousands of other attendees.  It was truly wonderful.

What is your most magical concert experience?

Andrea :)

Five on Friday!

I am SO excited to finish the week and begin another wonderful weekend of fun!!  June has been jam packed for us already so let me catch you up on the adventures...

-ONE-

As you saw yesterday, we've been watching plays like crazy.  We've taken it a bit slower with the musicals - mostly because Chris isn't as big of a fan of them.  But also because they are much more difficult to squeeze in on a weeknight.  And our weekends have been crazy full of fun outdoor adventures like running!  Back to my point though - the plays!  Since we'd seen so many this year, we thought it would be fun to attend the Drama Desk Awards this past Sunday.  It was definitely an interesting experience.  We had lots of laughs and enjoyed hearing the strictly timed acceptance speeches - 90 seconds is a lot longer than I thought!

-TWO- 

Chris ran another NYRR 4-miler on Sunday.  And he now has a new personal best!!  I'm so proud of how great he is doing with running!  He managed to run back-to-back races last weekend since we had the inaugural LIC Run the Waterfront 5k together on Saturday.  We are gearing up for our big race of the summer next weekend when we take on the Queens 10k together!

-THREE-

We escaped the hustle and bustle of the city after our 5k last weekend when we drove up to Baldwin Winery in the Hudson Valley.  They were having a Strawberry, Wine, and Chocolate Festival.  I was sold when Chris said the tasting included a chocolate covered strawberry, but we got a whole plate full of tasty treats to enjoy while we tried various wine samples.  Definitely a fun way to spend the afternoon!

-FOUR-

Earlier this week, we trekked out to Citi Field Stadium to see Beyonce perform her Formation World Tour.  To be frank, we were quite disappointed.  I was completely amazed when I saw her perform up close and personal at Super Bowl a few years ago, but she just didn't have the same appeal this time.  It seemed like her moves for every song were exactly the same.  And there was just a real strange feeling surrounding the whole experience.  Maybe I should have anticipated that I wouldn't love it since I am not really a fan of her recent work, but I still had high hopes for her performance factor.  She did manage to impress me with the final dance set done in a shallow pool of water - that type of entertainment was what I had hoped to see all night long!

-FIVE-

I shared with you our Date Box experience in May recently.  Well, the next date box that arrived was equally as fun - and we've only managed to make it halfway through the date!  The date box included a CD to learn some fun dance moves and a competitive card game, but we dove in for the make your own ice cream portion first.  We have plans to finish the rest before the end of the month, but we sure did have fun making (and eating) our ice cream!

What have you been up to in June so far?

Andrea :)

Super Bowl XLIX - The Halftime Show

Super Bowl halftime is always a highlight of the night.  Always.  It is a made for TV show.  Sometimes those elements that appear so vividly on the TV screen don't come through in person.  This was certainly one of those shows with lots of special effects.

In the end, Katy Perry's performance received mixed reviews.  And, unfortunately, we didn't have a clear view of two of the most talked about portions of it - the sharks and Missy Elliot!

Patiently waiting (finger light ready) for the show to begin...

We were sitting in the endzone where she began the show with her walk in on the massive lion.  Pretty impressive...both in person and on TV.

We were in good position to enjoy the Lenny Kravitz guest appearance, but then lost track of most of the rest of the performance.

We were on the wrong side of things to have a full understanding of what was happening with the swimsuit/shark sequence.  Though from watching it later on TV, I'm not certain we missed too much there.

I was SO upset when we weren't able to really see the Missy appearance though.  Initially, it was very unclear exactly where they were from our section.  Didn't keep us from THOROUGHLY enjoying this portion of the performance though.  What a great little interlude!!

The ending with the fireworks was neat, but very much anticipated.  It was super brave to be up on that shooting star.  I would have been a nervous wreck up there.  Very neat way to end the show.

The part that just totally blows me away about the halftime show is the part that the TV viewer doesn't see - the set up and breakdown.  Truly incredible how quickly it happens...and how many people it takes to get the job done.  The pictures can't really capture it, but it definitely gives you an idea of the scope of the show.

Were you a fan of the show?  Which element did you enjoy most?

Andrea :)

Songs in the Key of Life

Great isn't enough. Amazing is inadequate. Phenomenal doesn't quite cover it either.

Experiencing Stevie Wonder perform his Songs in the Key of Life album last weekend proved to be a highlight.  Of the week.  Of the month.  Of the year.

The performance was unlike any other I had ever attended.  There was no opener.  There was no pomp and circumstance.  There was just music...and Stevie.   Song after song...it just got better and better.

I loved every moment of the night.  The instrumentals were wonderful.  India Arie - the perfect addition on a handful of songs.  The atmosphere was simply divine. Oh, and Stevie is hilarious!  Super funny man!

Definitely worth the last minute trip to Philly the weekend after we returned from our honeymoon.  We were tired on Monday morning, but we wouldn't have traded the night for anything!  Plus, we got to hang out with some friends and their kiddos as well as run the Rocky steps and grab a quick cheesesteak while we were in the area.

The tour is only hitting 11 cities and runs through the beginning of December, but if you are anywhere close to where he will be performing, GO!  I promise it will be an unforgettable night!  We can't stop talking about how much we enjoyed it!

Andrea :)

Indescribable

One night last week, I went for a run in preparation for one of my many races.  I had a particularly good run even though I didn't cover too many miles.  As I was heading back to my apartment, I hear Avalon's Indescribable on Pandora.  For some reason, the lyrics really spoke to me.  I even posted to Facebook about it, which I rarely do.  Anyway, I just wanted to share the lyrics with you.  This is a great song!

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea,

Creation's revealing Your majesty.

From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring,

Every creature unique in the song that it sings. All exclaiming...

(Chorus)

Indescribable, Uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God.

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees and we humbly proclaim,

You are amazing God.

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go,

Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow?

Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light,

Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night?

None can fathom...

(Chorus)

Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light,

Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night?

(Chorus)

Incomparable, Unchangeable,

You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same.

You are amazing God.

As I was listening, I looked up into the night sky only to see ZERO stars, but for some reason that was even more of a reassurance to me that God is in total control.  I've always been upset that you can't see stars in NYC (well, outside of on Broadway of course...haha).  Seriously though, it has always made me feel strange to look up into a totally blank sky.  According to Yahoo! Answers, it is due to light pollution...and there is definitely a lot of that in NYC, especially where I live.  I guess the good news for a traveller like me is that the stars (along with a lot of other great people and fun places) are available just a short bus/train/plane ride away for now.

Andrea :)