On The High Line

What once was an elevated train line, hauling cargo of meat, milk and produce to the industrial packing districts of lower west Manhattan, became a dilapidated strip of self seeded gardens, a haven to drug dealers and the homeless when it stopped running in 1980.
A long time dream of many New Yorkers, the newly refurbished and beautifully designed High Line Park opened in June this year.
Designed by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the park is a beautiful testament to all the New York is.

And it has quickly become my favorite new place in New York!
Just after it opened, a group from my church took a Monday night to explore the new gem in the Meat Packing District. Led by my dear friend Seth, who happens to be a volunteer park ranger there, we explored and
I fell in love!





Mr. Dan Duran, taking in the general splendor.

Boys take photos too.

Mr. Seth Hill, himself giving us the deets!



Racheal listens intently. . . there will be a quiz later.

Jeff loves the park too.

Look, I'm wearing the same shoes as the sleeping man!













That's the Empire State Building there in the distance.

Nothin' like a double sunset!





On this balcony, Renegade Cabaret puts on spontaneous free shows in response to the newly opened park! She throws out her chinese laterns and an amplifyer and sings to her heart's content! Wish I were there on a show night!


Afterward, we stopped into the Hotel Chelsea and snooped around at some of the crazy art there! Long term residents in the past included Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Sid Vicious. . . to name a few.

The Marvelous Ms. Maye | Broadway Legend

The first time I met my darling grandparents as an adult, it was in NYC where they regularly came to visit with friends. In September of 2007, I was lucky enough to be introduced to their darling dear of a friend, none other than the Broadway and Cabaret Legend, Marilyn Maye.
Over the years, as I've gone to her concerts, she has been a huge supporter, doling out invaluable advice, and inspiring me with her incredible ability to thrill a room!
This year, at 81 years old, she won the MAC Award for her brilliant cabaret,
and just 2 months ago, I made my way to the Metropolitan Room to see her do it again!
She sang the songs of Johnny Mercer, introduced me to the sold-out crowd in the company of Broadway and tv stars such as Joel Grey and Jason Graae, and hugged me to love after the show.
I feel so lucky to have her influence!
Thanks Granny and Grampa for the introduction!

Marilyn and Me!



This photo makes me giggle! Marilynn and Bob were having the giggles, and Granny and I just wanted in on the comedy! Such a brilliant display of their personalities!

Grampa Bob, Me, Granny Nikki and Vernon just after the show!

At Dinner at Olive's the next day.

Vaudeville Video # 4

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

Proving me wrong!

I am home sick today, and so have been catching up on my favorite photography blogs.

After my last post, I am happy to report that
I have been proven wrong.

Here are two photos that prove to me,
it's not textures that I hate,
it's just how some people use them that drives me crazy.

These two are truly Art!

Thanks you so much for putting me in my place!

Coveting

Coveting best friend, Jeshi's sexy golden locks on the red carpet. . .
(best friends since 10th grade when the first time we had lunch together, she turned to me with her Seventeen Magazine and asked, "Wanna take a quiz? It's on 'How to know if you'll be Best Friends Forever.'" BFF's ever since. )

I've tried to get this hair color so many times, and the stylists never even come close. And I don't think my hair has ever been that long!

PS- Jess is an insanely talented makeup artist, who has some incredibly exciting projects in the works! Check out her super fabulous blog on beauty! http://makeupmemoirs.blogspot.com/

Photography Peeves

I follow a lot of different photography blogs, and am constantly looking around at photos to continue to learn, glean, and feel inspired.

But, sometimes, I just plain get annoyed.
There are some trends in photography these days which just plain drive me crazy.
Especially when it not just hobby photographers committing these crimes!

Here is a small list of things that are making me nuts in the photo world, along with some tragic examples!

I'm so sorry if you are one of the photographers of these photos.
My opinion is just my opinion. . .
please don't take it too personally.

Peeve #1
The "Just slightly out of focus" Shot
When checking out fellow-Kat's fabulous new blonde do, I was shocked that the main image on her site was this blurred beauty. Not only is she out of focus, but she is overly pale faced, man-handed, with a strange Igor-like hunch. I honestly think Kat McPhee is one of the most beautiful woman of all time, and though from a distance this is a cute shot, I just don't get why this image is worthy of album cover status.
You tell me.


Peeve #2
The "doesn't this awesome texture make my photo look artistic?" shot
One of the big trends in photography right now is the use of textures. This is a thing that you do in Photoshop to make a photo seem aged, or "artistic." In some places, it can be very very effective. But most of the time it just makes a photographer look like they are trying way too hard to be cool. It especially drives me nuts when used on a portrait. . . often making a beautiful bride look like she has 80 year old pock-marked skin. If one is going to use a texture, at least have the courtesy of erasing it from any area of the face! Sadly, these example shots are taken from two of my favorite photographers out there. Truly truly tragic!

This poor girl. . . singing what is sure to be a lovely song, might as well as had mud on her face, right?


This fantastic shot just seems so overdone with all that texture, especially when it crosses onto her dress.


Here's a non-texturized shot from the same photo shoot. Absolutely stunning right?


Peeve #3
The "I shot this wedding in 1974" treatment
Yet another doozy of a photoshop trick is the aging and vintaging of a photo. Often times this involves Peeve #2, texture, but frequently involves nothing more than sapping the color, adding some tarnish and saying voila! In and of itself, not a bad look. . . What makes it bad is that everyone is doing it, and I think the trend has passed. It's one thing for a editorial photoshoot on Woodstock, it's another when it's used on a wedding shot in Connecticut last month.

Note, the blotchy looking skin & the awesome torn edge of the photo. Such a beautiful bride, well composed photo with great clarity in the eyes, and soft blur of the background. . . Wouldn't this just have been lovely in plain old sepia or black and white with out all that vintaging?


Peeves #4, 5, 6
Don't even get me started on Polaroids, Dianas, Holgas and other plastic toy cameras.
I said Don't!

Okay, that's all my ranting for now.
Please call me out on my incorrectness if you disagree.
For the record, I too have been a victim of these heinous photography crimes, though I am starting to see the light and learning the error of my ways! I hope you can forgive me. And I hope you if you are a photographer, you follow suit. I also want to reiterate that the photographers who took these photos are brilliantly talented and inspiring photographers, and I'm sorry that I had to make an example out of them. Really, I wish it weren't so.

What are your Photography Peeves?

Vaudeville Video # 3

Here's the latest video sneak peak! Enjoy!

BTW- Did I metion that Sept 9th, I'll be in NYC for our big press conference at The Beacon?
We'll be doing a little number, decked out in our sparkles, and announcing the official title of our show! So, exciting!!

Ellipse | I'm already obsessed!

Make-Up Madness

Had my first makeup test on Thursday.
Can't show you any picks of my makeup, cause it's super duper top secret!
Eleni, Cirque du Soleil's brilliant makeup designer, told me I reminded her of Carol Burnett.
Especially the faces I make. . .

I'll buy that for a dollar!!

I long to be as funny and brilliant as her!
Strangely. . . I actually see the resemblance!
What do you think?

I think the middle one is the most like me!
Compare it to this snap shot of me looking confused the other night!





The rest of these photos give a sneak peak at the process, and are super top secret!!!

Socialnomics. . . the way it is.

I found this video via the darling [B]ecker, who is to my knowledge, the reigning king of photography branding and social networking!
I find it funny when people downplay and ignore the power of social networking.
This video vividly points out a paradigm shift in our world of media.
Take a look!

May the Schwartz be with You! A Charity Event!

In the middle of April, I took a quick trip back to New York (I was home in Seattle) to perform in a charity event with some dear friends.
Lovely friend and wonderful support, Carol deGiere brought us all together to perform works from the Stephen Schwartz catalog. If I haven't told you before, Carol's incredible book, Defying Gravity, chronicles the life and works of lovely Stephen, and I have had the honor of performing at various events in support of this book.
Buy the book here and see what you've been missing!
The event was directed by Mr. Morgan LaVere, and performed at Don't Tell Mama's.
Here are a few snaps from the night!

Fellow Japanese Elphie, Lara Janine!



With the sweet (and tiny!) Carol deGiere.

Getting ready to go on! Carol, me, Carole Demas and Dale Soules.

Lara, Carol and I with the glamorous Teri Ralston.

One last group shot!

The adorable Treats, who performed a hilarous take on Popular! So clever!

Friend support!

Our biggest WICKED fan! Who happens to be the daughter of one of our cast.

Curtain Call!