The Day I Got Into the SNL Live Show - Hosted by Tina Fey!

This "day" started actually, on Friday morning. When I would look out my window and see what seemed like huge drifts of snow on 9th Ave. Oh, I really didn't want to go to work, it seemed like the rest of the Northeast was shutting down and I didn't like the feeling of being the only person foolish enough to trudge through the snow. But I went - and when I got there I realized no one else wanted to be there either, as none of us were getting much actual "work" done, and just as me and my work friend K placed our lunch order on seamlessweb, our HR person sent out a memo saying the "offices were closed due to inclement weather". Woo Hoo! Early Friday!! Now, that was great in and of it self - I went home, relaxed, played some Guitar Hero.

And that's when I started putting it all together, I realized that the weather was wreaking havoc on most of the nation's travel plans (a point the local newsman kept making before each commercial break). I also realized that Saturday, Feb. 23rd was the first SNL show back from the strike that lasted three months. Finally, I realized that with the crappy weather making it difficult for locals and tourists alike to wait/arrive for the show, and with the really short notice SNL would give their Lottery winners (picked every August), I realized I actually had a chance of getting in with standby tickets...

So I did it. I went to bed realllly early (9:45pm maybe?) and got up reallly early at 4:30 am. I drug a lawn chair and an umbrella (ella ella - sorry) out to 48th and 6th and I waited for two hours in the snow/rain until I got my number - 42. 42!!! Are you kidding? The first time I waited in line (for Brian Williams) I was number 35...

No way was I getting in at 42. But I did! Somehow I was actually the very last person they let up. A bunch of hopeful standbyees and I were waiting at the elevators for the go ahead when the page asked for numbers 39 and 40 (who were def not there as I very well knew). Finally he realized that and took 41 and 42 (me!) instead! I didn't see anyone else come after me. I was seated right smack in the middle of the seats above the ground seats you see in monologues, and I was right behind Meghan Mullaly. And I was sooooo excited. After the show Meghan talked to Darrell Hammond for like 3 minutes right in front of my seat...

But anyways, the show was amazing! Tina Fey was great, and Steve Martin and Mike Huckabee (random!) were there. I'm really glad I got in because it's been a dream of mine to see the show ever since I moved here. I'll definitely do standby again, only maybe next time I'll wait until it's warmer.

P.S. -I drink up your milkshake!!!

Harried Holidays

I feel like every year I try to get through the Holidays in some organized, peaceful manner. Sure I encounter lots of sporadic get-togethers and Christmas parties and I try to attend all of them, while still going about my daily routines, and running my life like I normally do. And yet, every year I end up missing out on stuff, and adding in things that I don't need to do, and then just completely giving up when it comes down to the wire.

For instance, this year I'm travelling home tonight and I wanted to make sure my room was clean and that I packed everything correctly. So instead of staying home last night and taking the time to do it right. I went out to a mini-reunion of sorts and didn't get home until 10:30 pm.
The night before I could've packed/cleaned but instead I baked cookies for my office - for no real reason (we weren't having a pot luck or anything). The night before that I was supposed to go out to a meeting of friends and I bailed to write cards and buy presents, which I did - but each night of the week I went to sleep at a very late hour, and consequently I am now running on a sleep deficit. Which is never good when I am on my way home to stay with my parents (yikes!)

I think I have everything packed that I could need though, and I did get through it! So now I am just looking ahead to all of the good things! My parents are puppy-sitting for one of my Mom's friends, so I will get to play with Jazzy all week :). Also we have our own dog, Pepper, who is just too adorable for words, and she loves me! So it should be great....add to that, I am expecting a Guitar Hero present for Christmas and it should be a Rockin' Holiday!

I'm sure I'll blog more in my boredom over the break, but in case I don't - Have a Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year!

Milk & Honey - A review

Last night I went out with my friend Bex and two out of town friends to a bar called "Milk & Honey". The buzz on this place was that it was semi-exclusive - you have to call to make reservations, and if the place gets too popular they change their phone number. Somehow my friend got the number and we all headed down to 134 Eldridge St. ( the door is unmarked).

I have to say - for as pretentious as this place could have been - it was surprisingly not so. And they made an awesome drink that I love to order but rarely do, because, for all it's simplicity - no one ever gets it right. It's called the Bee's Knees and it's made with the following ingredients:

2 oz gin3/4 oz honey syrup1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

So it was really great! I totally recommend this place- it's a little more expensive than normal but it's a nice place to have on reserve for a 'special occasion'.

Looking Forward to Christmas and New Music!

So wow, it's Christmas time again! I love, love, love this time of year. I really like Christmas songs so I will be putting my iPod on Holiday repeat!

As I posted last time, I'm working at Music company now, and I've been walking to work everyday because it's almost as fast as using the trains when you factor in wait time. Thus, because of all my above-groundness, I've really been noticing all of the decorations this year. They just lit the Rock Center tree on Wed. night and the city is in full xmas swing now!
Speaking of the Rock Center tree lighting... did anyone else notice Natasha Bedingfield skip a verse of Holy Night? She missed her cue and came in early at the end of the song and she quickly looked back to the pianist and he started (almost seamlessly) playing the part that she was on. It was kind of rough.

Anyways, I am looking forward to the Holidays, My company has a winter recess where they close down the office for the week between Christmas and New Year's so I am definitely going home this year. I can't wait!

Favorite New Song of the Week:

As You Wish by Aquaduct -
Pleeeeease, I beg you for my life,
For true love waits,
You see I must survive,
Good nite, sleep well, (I've got work to do)
I'll probably kill you in the morning.

But for tonite (pleeease)
I beg you for life,
For true love waits,
You see I must survive,
Good nite, sleep well,
I'll probably kill you in the morning,
But for tonite...

As you wish,
Hearts and candy glitter and gold, is what
I'm dreamin' of.
As you wish,
Reeses peanut butter cup, is what
I'm waitin' for,
As you wish,
Certainly upon my return, my love won't be ignored.

To the vein,
First I'll cut your feet of and then,
the hands above your arms.
To the vein,
Next you'll lose your eyes, it goes, every thing,
it has to go.
To the vein,
Except your ears, you wanna hear people scream:
"Dear God what is that thing?"

Their Myspace page is here.

Gator Basketball Begins (Began...)

I haven't had a chance to watch any games yet - but my Dad has given me some pretty good play-by-plays. I've been thinking of buying ESPN's Gameplan, but I'm not sure if I'll use it enough to justify the extra $40 dollars.... I did catch the Ohio State v/ UNC game last night - I still hate Hansborough :) . And I'm looking forward to league play...

Favorite Song Lyric of the moment: "Of course I've had it in my ear before" from Lust for Life by Iggy Pop

Musings from Mid-November

Ok - I kind of hate those blog posts that start - "I know I haven't posted in a while - but I've been so crazy!!". And I don't even feel like it's been that long, I post on average, once or twice a week. It's been two weeks since my last post, so I'm not too far behind. Plus, I recently discovered that no one really reads this - so who cares?! Actually, that discovery (that no one reads) is kind of freeing. The whole point of blogs (I've thought) is that you can post your feelings anonymously - and so "the world" gets an un-censored 'you'. Blogs to me have always been a way to vicariously live another life almost. Or at least to feel solidarity if me and the blogger are leading the same crappy life :) .

Anyways, I haven't posted recently not because I was 'so' busy - it was just that I didn't really have a 'set' topic and felt all this lame pressure to post something fun. No more! I'm gonna post what I would normally post in my journal/diary from now on. Plus maybe some mini-reviews of musicals from 1929.

So let's get started!

Last night I went to Haru with my friend Lo (it was her Birthday). I was feeling sick though so I didn't stay long. It was fun - I found out Lo's boyfriend thinks I hate him (for no reason! - I like him I swear!) , and that sometimes I'm funnier than I intend to be. Lo and I were at the bf's apt. one day (he was out golfing), we were baking pies and watching "The Flight of the Conchords" and it was a great day. When the bf came home he looked tired and he went straight to the bathroom for a shower. I just thought - if it were my apt. and I was tired and sweaty and I don't get to see Lo that often, I would want Lo's third wheel friend to leave! :) I mean I thought I was being polite, and nice even, but he thought I didn't want to hang out with him. Oh well, I'm going to try extra hard next time I see him to assure him that I do not dislike him at all!

Also last night it was me, Lo, Lo's roommate Tiff, our friend Kyle, and two other fun gay boys. So we were all drinking our little pomegranate martini's and having a pretty good time. More people were on their way and I was feeling not so good so I was about to leave, and I look over at Steve who has what looks like a date book out and he is organizing his business cards. John, across from me, looks over at Steve and goes "Who do you know at Men's Wearhouse?" and I looked at John and with a wink I said "Who doesn't he know??!" and John just busted out laughing! I was really surprised my little quip hit so hard. But he was so tickled. When he could, he asked do you know something I don't? Or were you joking? And I was like, no no! Just a joke. But it was really funny....also, while typing this I just now realized it is wear and not ware - house - which makes perfect punning sense - I just never paid attention. I feel like Jessica Simpson.

More later
xoxo Gossipgirl Lynn!

An (Almost) Perfect Night.

So, I don't know if I've told you about my love of music, but I love music. Some days the discovery of new music occupies me for hours. I go from new bands, to their new/well-known producers, and then to the producers new albums and so forth. It's quite a time-consuming little loop. Anyways, I say all this to preface this next admission, which is that I am a big fan of John Mayer's music. I've liked him for a long time, and saw him for the first time in 2001 in a tiny little whole-in-the-wall bar in Gainesville, FL (Go Gators!) for free. I definitely thought he was pretty good then, and his recent forays into blues and with the John Mayer Trio have only strengthened my opinion of him. So I'm a fan I guess a more succinct person would say.

Last night, I had tickets to go see a free screening of "Walk Hard" and I was really looking forward to it! It's the newest movie out from Judd Apatow ("Superbad, Knocked Up") and I had invited some friends to join in the funny. Then, about an hour before I was to head over to the movies, my friend Lo asked me a) what was I wearing and b) did I have plans? I told her I was wearing jeans and that I was going to see a v. funny movie! To which she replied that she had an extra ticket to go see Cyrano de Bergerac in an hour and if I wanted to come I should hurry home and get changed! Luckily I live near the Theatre District so quickly accepted and then ran around town like a crazy person.

I had to hurry to the 42nd St. Movie Theaters, give my friends my ticket/flier thing, run to my house, change into "nice clothes", and then run to meet my friend at......Opening Night!!! Awesome- and I had no idea! Of course, Lo thought I knew that that was why she told me to dress nice. So anyways, we met outside and proceeded to walk past the red carpet where Ben Affleck (!) and David Cronenberg where being interviewed. There were tons of other celebs (Maxwell, Kathie Lee Gifford, Glenn Close, etc.) there too but I only saw those Ben and David. Now, I've been to a couple of openings before but this one I was really excited about. I love Jennifer Garner (I'm a big Alias fan) and I adore Kevin Kline as well - I once served him a latte at the Starbucks I used to work at! We go way back. Also Cyrano is a great play, and I've been lucky enough to have had to study it in both French and English so it's one that I know well (I feel like I enjoy familiar plays more). I was pretty hyper the whole time, and the show was great! It was really funny and well-paced, the sets were stunning, and I thought Jennifer was enchanting. However, If I'm being completely honest, while I really enjoyed watching her performance, it was a little inconsistent as far as tone and dialect go. Although when Lo and I talked about this she thought that a lot of that could be due to the directing (and she's the Theatre expert!). As far as everyone else- I thought Kevin was a-mazing!!! Really. I'm getting teary right now remembering his last few scenes. And Chris Sarandon was very amusing as well (he was the evil prince from Princess Bride!) and he plays the evil Comte de Guiche here (always evil!). And I don't know about you - but the entire cast of the Princess Bride will always have a special place in my heart. All in all, it was a perfect night!! Almost.

As soon as I got out of the show I realized I had a text message from my friends who went to the movie. It said: You're going to be so pissed but John Mayer is here. Me: Damnit!! Why fate, why??!!

I mean in reality my night was totally great and I would've gone to Cyrano even knowing that one of my favorite musicians was at that movie screening. But still. Couldn't they have just gone to the movie and not have seen anyone I would love to meet? Anyways, after that I met my friend C at the W bar for drinks and then went home shortly after....it felt like a very "New York" night (and I normally cringe when people use that expression). Anyways, If you're thinking of seeing a Broadway play, I do recommend Cyrano de Bergerac!

and if you want to know about "Walk Hard"? Ask John Mayer. Who knows, he probably blogged about it!