Bring on the Music, Bring on the Fun!

How does a single girl fill up her weekends in NYC? My way? With as much fun as possible and utilizing as many of NYC's resources as possible!
First stop? A matinee of Xanadu with Jason and Devon. Jason and Devon had already seen it from a seat on the stage, but this was the first time they were seeing it from the audience view.



I know...the movie, although now a cultish classic, was grade B. The Broadway show? FUN! It had the entire audience laughing over and over again. Really, isn't that what you want on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon?
Thanks Jason for suggesting it as a show I "Needed to see at this time in my life." You were dead-on right. Kerry Butler did a wonderful job in Olivia Newton John's role...and a grand job picking at the silliness of it all. Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa did an equally great job keeping the witt and puns rolling through the show. If you want a silly, funny and absolutely NOT serious show...check out Xanadu.
After a tasty bite of Thai food I dashed home to wrap up a few things before dashing downtown to an unexpected invite for dinner at Lucien with Hiromi and her friend. Lucien is a lovely old French spot on !st avenue and 1st Street on the Lower East side... in other words...it's in no man's land. I taxi'd there as fast as I could and met Hiromi just in time. The food at Lucien was quite good. The Loup de Mer Chilien avec Julienne de Légumes (Chilean seabass with julienne vegetables, court-bouillon) and Escargots de Bourgogne (Snails, Burgundy-style) were lovely, as was the Michel Redde Sancerre (2002) and the Chateau Les Tuileries (2002) Sauternes.

What's next? On to Rockwood Music Hall to hear some live music!! No cover. Good music and a suprisingly well mixed sound.

We started with Johnny Marnell -- wonderful!

Johnny Marnell at Rockwood Music Hall Ricardo Rodriguez Bass


Really a great band -- pop on over to the My Space link (click his high lighted name) to hear a few of his tunes!!! I was so wrapped up in the music that I got ZERO photos of them performing. Instead here's a photo of Hiromi and I. :-)
I REALLY liked the song Johnny sung with his female back-up singer (below), Irina Perez, aka Ming, where she had more of a front-woman role. Hopefully Ming's website will be up soon.
A very talented band!

Johnny Marnell featuring Ming on Vocals / Ricardo Rodriguez Bass


Thanks to Linda for suggesting we go listen to Johnny Marnell!

The next band was fun too...I have photos of them...but can't recall their name!!!

All lovely ways to spend a Saturday. Thanks all for coming out to play!