LUCKY GUY

On April 11th, I went to see Lucky Guy with two friends.  Hands down, this is one of the best plays I've ever seen.  Tom Hanks was stellar!!  While the tickets weren't cheap, they were worth every penny.  The entire cast was top notch and I'd see it again if there weren't so many shows out there. 

On a side note, I got to meet & get a picture with Courtney B. Vance.  He won for Best Performance By An Actor In A Featured Role In A Play, an honor which he TOTALLY deserved.  When the show was over, he was still crying and had me in tears. 

P.S.  He told me to "hurry up" while snapping this picture.  At least his wife wasn't in a rush.  She told me to take my time.

THE BIG KNIFE

On April 2nd, me, Stacey and Jill (#broadwaybuddy) went to see The Big Knife at the American Airlines Theatre.  Bobby Cannavale, Richard Kind and Chip Zien were great!! 

On a side note, I got to meet & take a picture with Richard Kind at the Tony Award after party.  What a nice man!!  That's not the first time I've heard that as several of my friends have met him before.  He deserved his Tony nomination for Best Performance By An Actor In A Featured Role In A Play.

REALLY REALLY

On March 26th, my #broadwaybuddy and I went to see MCC Theaters Really Really at The Lucille Lortel Theatre.  We "really" liked it!!  We spent $58 per ticket but found an offer for half the price after we had already purchased our tickets.  It was worth the money so it didn't matter.  Matt Lauria & Zosia Mamet were great!!  The supporting cast was really good too.  Overall, thumbs up!

YPC CHARITY-OKE (Benefiting Musicians On Call)

On March 21st, the YPC (Young Professionals Committee) of Musicians On Call held our first charity-oke fundraiser at Keats (842 2nd Ave).  Our MC & karaoke host Sean was fantastic.  We had a great crowd, Keats was nice enough to extend our drink special and even their staff donated money.  The show Forever Dusty was nice enough to donate tickets to a performance.  The best part of the night is that we raised $500 to start a new bedside program at a healthcare facility in NY. 

Way to go!!!

NY DRINKS NY - Astor Center

On Monday, March 18th, a group of us went to a wine tasting at Astor Center.  The event was called NY Drinks NY.  While we enjoyed ourselves, it was slightly too crowded.  The only plus is the event was in two separate rooms so at some points, you could be in a room with less people but that lasted minutes.  For $35 we got two hours of wine (200), cheese, charcuterie and hors d'oeuvres from the NY Wine & Culinary Center.

And the winner for all 4 of us was, SteamPunk Cider (seen below).  Brewed by Leonard Oakes Estate Winery.

THE RIDE - Times Square

On Sunday, March 17th, my friend Jen and I went on The Ride.  Jen was kind enough to invite me for this hysterical NY tourist adventure.  I would recommend this experience for a lot of laughs but at a discount price.  We were lucky enough to score $5 tickets but to pay full price is a total ripoff!!  I have zero regrets going as I learned a lot about NY!!

Terrior Wine Bar

A small group of us went to Terrior Wine Bar (439 Third Ave - Murray Hill) on March 15th for happy hour and ended up staying for at least 3 hours.  I have NEVER seen such a large drink menu before!!  We had a few small bites and a lot of wine.  I'd go back again and it wasn't all that expensive for NYC.

Wine List: http://restauranthearth.com/terrior/terroir_murraywine.pdf

Menu: http://restauranthearth.com/terrior/terroir_murray_menu.pdf

Megan Hilty at Joe's Pub

My #broadwaybuddy and I went to see Megan Hilty at Joe's Pub on April 23rd.  AWESOME!!  Although the show was about an hour, it was worth every penny and I would've paid more. She's fantastic!! 

Check out one of her performances from Joe's Pub:

"The Heart Of The Matter" - http://youtu.be/kMt-3iQ7S7Q

Josh Krajcik at Joe's Pub

My friend Kat and I went to see Josh Krajcik on March 4th at Joe's Pub.  I thought he should've won X-Factor but what do I know?  What a voice!!  We had the pleasure of meeting him afterwards and he couldn't have been nicer.

Check out two of his Joe's Pub performances:

"One Thing She'll Never Know": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHqL67hzjmE
"Wild Horses": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzq7Xpxm5sU

HANDS ON A HARD BODY

A large group of us went to see Hands on a Hard Body on March 6th.  I LOVED IT!!  Apparently, the critics and a lot of New Yorkers did not as the show closed on April 14th.  We sat front row and tapped our feet to each and every song.  Amanda Green (composer & lyricist) and Trey Anastasio (composer & orchestrations) did a great job!!  We were all baffled when we had heard the show was going to close and we had planned to see it the last week of April.  The songs were FANTASTIC!!  I will most certainly purchase the cast recording.  Norma Valverde was my favorite female performer and I really liked Sutton Foster's brother Hunter Foster and Keith Carradine.  Jacob Ming-Trent had a wonderful voice as well!!

CINDERELLA

Me, Jen and my #broadwaybuddy Jill went to see Cinderella in late February.  We were super excited to see Laura Osnes in action.  She did not disappoint.  She was a typical fairytale princess with a beautiful face and lovely voice.  However, we were totally bummed that this version of Cinderella did not have the classic songs.  I guess we should've done our research!!  The fairy Godmother played by Victoria Clark was my second favorite role and I rather liked one of her stepsisters played by Ann Harada.  I would recommend this version for children and families.  The kids laughed up a storm!!  If you're going to spend full price on a ticket, I'd go to Lion King!!  I can't thank Audience Rewards enough for our discount tickets.  It pays to play trivia every week to earn points!!

Nicoletta - East Village

I had been passing Nicoletta (160 Second Avenue) on my bus ride downtown for months.  I finally ate here after seeing Emeli Sande at Webster Hall.  It was well worth the wait!!  In fact, I went back 4 days later to have dinner with friends.  The pizza is worth every calorie and the salads are great.  On Thursday, we shared the tartufata and their salad special.  On Monday, three of us split the tartufata & calabrese as well as a salad and brussel sprouts.  DELICIOUS!!  For people that are gluten free, they've got g-free pizza.  Plus, it's open till 3AM on Fridays & Saturdays.  Enjoy!!

Idina Menzel at Carnegie Hall

After a hurricane and a snowstorm, Jill and I were finally able to see Idina Menzel at Carnegie Hall.  She was brilliant.  Having been lucky enough to see her a few years ago, I knew we were in for a magical night.  She sang such hit as "Defying Gravity", "Take Me or Leave Me", "What I Did for Love", "At the Ballet" and "Roxanne".  She laughed, she cursed, she told personal stories and she just exuded life.  I can't wait to see her again!!!
Check out a performance here:

Emeli Sande at Webster Hall

Jill and I went to see Emeli Sande at Webster Hall on January 17th.  FANTASTIC concert!!  Her voice & look are powerful, sexy, fresh and fun.  I liked every single song and she had some major fans in the audience that sang along & danced to every song.  Keep your eye on her!!

Here's an acoustic version of my favorite song ("Next to Me") as well as her most popular hit:

Aly Tadros at Rockwood Music Hall

Aly Tadros performed at Rockwood Music Hall on January 15th.  What a show!!  I had previously heard Aly sing at a YPC (Young Professionals Committee) event for Musicians On Call and everyone fell in love.  Her voice is mesmerizing.  The show at Rockwood was a free CD release party but I would've paid full price!

Here's her song "Sweet On Me":

FOREVER DUSTY

I went to see Forever Dusty all by myself two weekends ago.  It was my first show alone and not only did I get an autograph, I got a picture with Kirsten (see above).  I only paid $20 for my ticket having arrived 20 minutes before the show for Off-Broadway's 20at20 promotion.  My seat had a partial view of the stage but there wasn't anyone next to me so I was able to see perfectly by leaning forward.  Kirsten Holly Smith (Dusty) was wonderful and and Christina Sajous (Claire) was magnificent!!  Legendary songs such as "Wishin and Hopin", "Tell Him", "The Look of Love", "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", "Son of a Preacher Man" and "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" were all part of the show.  Superb voices!!!

Go see it if you get a chance!! 

THE HEIRESS

My #broadwaybuddy (Jill) and I went with three friends to see The Heiress on January 8th.  After waiting months to see this play, when we got there we realized that Jessica Chastain wasn't performing this night but the play itself was so enjoyable it didn't matter.  David Strathairn (Dr. Sloper) was fantastic and I really enjoyed Judith Ivey (Lavinia Penniman).  Dan Stevens (Morris Townsend) & Mairin Lee (understudy Catherine) were very good too.  Unfortunately, it closed on February 9th.

 

Blue Ribbon - Midtown West

A group of us went to Blue Ribbon (308 West 58th Street) sushi a couple of weeks ago and it was DELICIOUS!!  While it wasn't cheap, it's worth it if you truly love sushi. 

Shecky's Girl's Night Out

Katharine and I went to Shecky's Holiday Night Out for some last minute shopping before the big day!!  I love going to these events.  Not only are there great & unique vendors, there's free booze, a lot of free products in the goodie bags and the music the is always great.  Usually I go to this event at the Puck Building but this year it took place in a loft (82 Mercer).  Guests were able to get their makeup done, have an eyelash consultation and get their nails done.  I know I walked out of there with a new wallet, six necklaces, two bracelets and a pair of earrings.  HAPPY SHOPPER!!  Can't wait till next year!!

City Crab - Gramercy

Katharine and I went to City Crab (235 Park Ave South) to watch Sunday football.  Random but smart!!!  We were both craving seafood and our favorite spots don't have TV screens so I had remembered that City Crab has several TVs and a nice large dining room.  We had half price martinis, half price oysters & mussels and a few other 1/2 price lite bites.  How can you complain?  Any place with half price anything is a place I'll go back to!

Pigalle - Times Square

Pigalle (790 8th Ave) a French brasserie is always a good spot to get a small bite to eat or a drink before a show.  We go to this bar often and rather enjoy it.  Check it out if you're in the neighborhood for a show.

To check out the menu, click this link: http://pigallenyc.com/menu.aspx?mid=306

Chicago at B.B. Kings for Musicians On Call

On November 19th, the legendary band Chicago graced the stage at B.B. King Blues Club for a fantastic & thrilling live show.  This was the second year in a row that Chicago performed a benefit concert for Musicians On Call and it was every bit just as amazing!!  Guests and sponsors of the event enjoyed an open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, an auction of two signed guitars and a killer concert.

For more information on this event, check out this link: http://www.musiciansoncall.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5661

Stella Artois Tasting Table Event

On November 15th, Kat and I rushed down to Broome Street to go to a Stella Artois Tasting Table Event.  I loved every second of it from the space, the size of the crowd, the food, the beer, the service, the kitchen, the music and even the bathroom was nice.  For less than $60, we had three hours of eating & drinking.  We munched on everything from an array of meats & cheeses, short-rib sliders, pastrami turkey Reubens, scallion latkes with caviar and let's not forget unlimited amounts of Stella and dessert.  The servers were beyond friendly and explained everything we were offered.  I can't wait for the next one!!  Here's a link to check out  #TastingTable.

AKA Doc Pomus - Benefit for Musicians On Call

On November 27th, Musicians On Call hosted a screening of AKA Doc Pomus At Tribeca Cinemas.  It was a super successful benefit having raised over $13,000!!  This film was near and dear to my heart as I grew up listening to all of these songs with my father.  I shed a few tears at the very end because this man lived in the shadow of some of the greatest rock & roll songs of all-time.  I had no idea he was behind hits such as "This Magic Moment", "Save the Last Dance for Me", "Sweets For My Sweet", "Viva Las Vegas" and "A Teenager in Love".  I almost fainted when Ben E. King spoke to me and I got a glimpse of Lou Reed as well.  If you're a true music lover, I recommend seeing this documentary!!

To read more on this wonderful event, check out this link: http://www.musiciansoncall.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5665.

To watch a clip on this movie, watch below:

MURDER BALLAD

Jill (#broadwaybuddy) and I went to see Murder Ballad at Manhattan Theatre Club on November 10th.  It was so good that I called up and got tickets that same night for another performance. Will Swenson (Hair & Priscilla Queen of the Desert), Karen Olivio (In the Heights), Rebecca Naomi Jones (American Idiot) and John Ellison Conlee were all equally FANTASTIC!!!  The music & vocals were the best part of the show and I loved that they performed literally in your face.

If you want to hear a little teaser, watch the video below or click on this link for another taste.

JERSEY BOYS

On November 6th, I went with my childhood best friend to see Jersey Boys.  Even my parents saw this
show before me and I see A LOT of Broadway shows. We loved it!!!  I would've loved to see have seen the original Broadway cast but I thought this group was amazing.  Being a Jersey Girl, I was so excited to hear the names of so many towns, restaurants and people that I was familiar with.  The music was PHENOMENAL and the dancing was on point.  This show was worth every penny!!  If you're looking for discount tickets, check out this link:

BroadwayBox: http://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/jersey_boys_musical_nyc_tickets.aspx

Check out a performance from the Tony Awards in 2006...sounds just as good live!!

PETER AND THE STAR CATCHER

On August 7th, Jill (#broadwaybuddy) and I went to see Peter and the Star Catcher and we loved it!! Each and every Tony Award was well-deserved.  I can't say enough about it and I'm so happy that it'll just be moving theaters and not disappearing for good.  Matthew Saldivar (Black Stache) and Adam Chanler-Berat (Boy) were my two favorite cast members.  The costumes & set were great.

I highly recommend this show!!  It's for people of all ages as it'll have kids & adults laughing out loud.  Beginning March 18th, you can catch it at New World Stages!

DOG FIGHT

On August 15th, a group of us went to see Dog Fight with Lindsay Mendez.  I've seen Lindsay perform at least a half dozen times and she's amazing!!  I knew if her name was tied to the show that I'd end up loving it and I did.  I had never seen the movie version but I was familiar with the storyline.  The cast was terrific and who can complain when you're sitting 4th row.  I didn't want it to end!!

People Mag's Sexiest Man Alive Party

On November 14th, Alicia and I went to the Dream Hotel for People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive party.  I love these events!!  How can you complain about an open bar with top shelf liquor, tasty food, good music and a good looking crowd?  And, it didn't hurt that Jordin Sparks was there with her man Jason Derulo.

BRING IT ON

Bring It On was the shock of the year for me.  I went in with only negative thoughts and came out loving this show.  Could it have been that my #broadwaybuddy Jill hooked us up with near front row seats?  Could it have been the high flying stunt?  Could it have been the songs (Lin-Manuel Miranda)?  Or, the fact that Neil Haskell from So You Think You Can Dance and West Side Story was in it?  I'd say all of the above.  This show was beyond fun!!  I recommended it to so many friends and all who went reminisced on love & high school but truly appreciated the show.  My favorite cast member was Bridget played by Ryan Redmond.  We're going to see a lot of her off and on Broadway.  She was freakin hysterical.  Adrienne Warner who played Danielle had a great voice and fit the character perfectly.  Having dawned the uniform back in middle & high school, it brought back a lot of memories.  Unfortunately, it closed on December 30th but I'm really happy that we went to see it.

IF THERE IS I HAVEN'T FOUND IT YET

On September 18th, a group of us went to see If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet.  It was great!!  I'm not going to lie, Jake Gyllenhaal was the main reason we went but we were not disappointed by the show itself.  Annie Funke (Anna) played the perfect roll of a bullied overweight teenager whose parents pretended like nothing was wrong in their daughter's life.  Props to the creative team!!  Rain, water, floating objects...brilliant!

Alabama Shakes Concert & Ardesia (Hell's Kitchen)

On October 4th, I went to see Alabama Shakes with my friend Kat.  We made a little pit stop at Ardesia for a few glasses of wine and some food before the show.  This band is TOP NOTCH!!  I can listen to their album from front to back.  The lead singer (Brittany Howard) has a voice like no other.  It's raw, gritty, powerful and simply AMAZING!!  Terminal 5 ate every bit up as did I.

I've attached a video of their most popular song "Hold On".  Please check them out!!

WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF

My #broadwaybuddy Jill and I went to see Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf? on October 16th and it was wonderful!!  I read the book years ago and I know there have been a few productions of this show, but I'm happy that I waited to see this particular cast.  By far, Tracy Letts (George) was my favorite part of the whole production.  I sincerely enjoyed the entire cast but Tracy blew it out of the park.  Amy Morton (Martha) was great.  I had seen her previously in August Osage County.  Carrie Coon (Honey) had me cracking up with her drunken antics.  It ends on March 24th so go see it!!  If you need a discount, check out these links:

BroadwayBox: http://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/whos_afraid_of_virginia_woolf_nyc_tickets.aspx

TheaterMania: http://www.theatermania.com/broadway/discount-tickets/whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf_180600/

ANNIE

On December 13th, my #broadwaybuddy and I went to see Annie.  I was sooooo excited to see this show as it was my absolute favorite as a child.  In fact, "Tomorrow" was the first song I taught myself to sing after watching the original movie a million times, I'm adopted and my mother bought me a porcelain black Annie doll.  This production was a lot of fun even with an understudy as Annie.  My favorite performer was Anthony Warlow as Daddy Warbucks.  I wasn't thrilled with Katie Finneran but I didn't think she was as bad as her reviews.  I guess I'm just used to Carol Burnett's brilliant comedic timing.  The orphans were adorable and I commend the kids for owning the stage.  I recommend this heartwarming show for kids of all ages.  To get cheap tickets, check out this link:

BroadwayBox: http://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/annie_nyc_tickets.aspx

Dave Matthews Band & The Lumineers

On Friday, December 12th, three of us went to Barclay's Center for the DMB & Lumineers show.  Honestly, not too many people were into The Lumineers but I couldn't wait to hear them.  I was shocked by the amount of people talking, drinking & texting.  I stood the entire time, sang along and dance.  Right before DMB went on, my friend was able to get us into a box and we were literally on top of the stage (as you can see from my picture below).  I've seen DMB too many times to keep track and I'll continue until they stop touring.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

On Friday night, Jill and I went to see Grace Potter & The Nocturnals at Beacon Theatre.  Can you say girl crush?  This girl was fantastic.  Her voice was sick, she looked amazing, her energy was a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 and you could feel her love for her music.  I would pay to see her a million times!!

NEWSIES

My #broadwaybuddy Jill and I went to see Newsies on August 31st.  We waited for what seemed like forever to see this show.  Our seats were pretty high up but they were perfect.  A good amount of the acts take place on top of "rooftops" and we thought it was a great vantage point.  GO SEE THIS SHOW!!  The dancing and songs are fantastic.  You don't have to see the movie to understand what's going on.  We were lucky enough to see Jeremy Jordan before he left to film SMASH.  Plus, some of our favorite So You Think You Can Dance dancers were in it so we loved it.  It's well worth every dime and you can get discount tickets using using these sites:

BroadwayBox: http://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/newsies_nyc_tickets.aspx

TheaterMania: http://www.theatermania.com/broadway/discount-tickets/newsies_187804/

YPC Volunteer Spotlight Series

On October 25th, the YPC (Young Professional's Committee) of Musicians On Call hosted our second Volunteer Spotlight Series at The Living Room.  We had a packed house for a wonderful cause...bringing the healing power of music to the bedsides of sick people.  The Living Room was nice enough to give us the space for about two hours for free so we can't thank them enough.  What a great night!!

**If you'd like to help save this venue, please click on this link:   http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/livingroom

P.J. Clarke's Sidecar - Midtown East

My friend Alicia and I often frequent Sidecar at PJ Clarke's (205 East 55th). We sit up at the bar, order short ribs, oysters, fries and wine.  Jessie is a great bartender and we love chatting with her!!  In fact, we just got out membership cards and look forward to many more nights at this Midtown East establishment in 2013.