Legally Blonde the Musical

Our first show for the Broadway season was Legally Blonde which was pretty much the same as the movie, but with music and singing. For dinner we decided to go to the Columbus Fish Market. Not a new restaurant to us, but a favorite and always delicious.

Caitlin and me before the show started

Marker of Senior Citizenhood

Anyone who knows me well knows I love musicals, Broadway and theater. So when I heard last summer that Les Miserables was coming to Columbus through Broadway Across America, I knew I had to go. I've only been waiting most of my lifetime to see it. Then I looked at the other shows included in the 2010-2011 season (Legally Blonde, Rock of Ages, Mary Poppins and Jersey Boys) and decided I want to go to most of them. So my roommate Caitlin and I bit the bullet and got season tickets. We decided that we were going to try nicer restaurants around town before each show and be very cultured this year.

Hugh Panero

I know I'm a little behind on my blogging, but I'm going to attempt to catch up. Last year, my friend Kristin (who is a season ticket holder) gave me a pair of tickets to go see the Columbus Pop Symphony's concert "Broadway Rocks". It featured four Broadway soloist and of course, Broadway music. It was amazing and I was in awe of one of the male vocalist's voice. After I got home, I hopped online to find out about Hugh Panero and joined his fan page on Facebook and bought a couple songs on iTunes. A couple days later I got a notice on my news feed that Hugh would be back in Ohio, up in Cleveland doing another show. So I called my friend Katie and asked her if she wanted to come up with me and she said yes. I went back and forth about contacting the girl who ran the fan page on Facebook about going backstage to meet Hugh, but in the end I decided what the heck?! She responded and said that she would forward on my email to Hugh and then instructed me on what to do when I got to the theatre...write a letter to Hugh, give it to the head usher and ask him to pass it on and hope for the best. The show was great and Katie and I got fabulous seats. After the concert, we followed the head usher to the "sneak door" and met Hugh at the door. He said, "Are you Kira?" So either he got my email or got my letter, but I was so excited! He was super nice and gracious.

Hugh and Me

Katie and Me

So unfortunately, Hugh won't be in Ohio anytime soon because he is currently starring as http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/new_york/meet_the_people/cast/hugh_panaro2010.php

Hoping to get to New York to see him again!

Move over Disney Princes

So last year my roommate, Tara and I started watching BBC movies that are filmed in England. We would start them often late at night and fall asleep while watching them. The next time we would start them we would have to ask each other, "Do you remember this part or this part?" and then we would start again. Last week I got the first disc of the new "Emma" from Netflix. I watched the first 2 hours, and then realized I would have to wait for the second disc to come in the mail after I sent the first one back. So like any smart girl, I found the last 2 hours on youtube and finished it. It was amazing. Then I was told by a friend that iTunes had the whole series for only $6.99 (THAT'S A STEAL!) So I've decied it's time for me to give up my childhood dream of my handsome Prince Charming and find myself a handsome and dashing English gentleman. I would take any of the following...

An Evening with Marvin Hamlisch, Linda Eder and Stephen Stanfield!

For my birthday, my good friend Stephen called and reserved me for June 27 (two weeks after my birthday) for a surprise. Since he called so far in advance I was available. Then because Stephen's great and can't keep a surprise from me he told me that he got tickets for us to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Picnic with the Pops. I was just excited for that, but when he said Linda Eder was coming, I about DIED! I was so shocked and so excited. Several years ago, I got the soundtrack to The Scarlet Pimpernel with Linda Eder and have loved her ever since. We got a picnic dinner and just enjoyed a beautiful evening on the lawn, listening to fabulous music.

Stephen and me before the concert started on my awesome picnic quilt I make. Gotta love all those bright summer colors.
Our view from our blanket. It was great!
Me with my playbill. Marvin Hamlisch and Linda Eder.
The Great Marvin Hamlisch...did you know that he has 3 Oscars, 4 Grammys, 4 Emmys, 1 Tony and 3 Golden Globes?!
The beautiful and very talented Linda Eder.
One more shot. I need to work on taking night pictures. Thanks for the awesome evening and being such a great friend, Stephen!

Let's go Jackets!

So the Blue Jackets have made it in to the Stanley Cup 2009 Playoffs. Ever since Columbus got a national hockey league team (2000), I have been a fan. A lot of people are surprised about my love of the game, but it's probably my favorite sport to watch. My friend Gary and I made a deal this year to go to a game each month and we did it! Here are a couple reason why I love the CBJ!
My new "boyfriend", Antoine Vermette. We got him in the middle of the season and he's amazing! Not to mention hot.

The fights!


Or maybe it's our cute, little, puck stopping goalie, Steve Mason who is only 19.

The Hills Are Alive!

So back in January a couple friends from my ward called and asked me if I want to go with them to Germany for Spring Break. After I learned the price of the plane ticket ($503), I said, "Of course!" Since I have been to Germany before I really wanted to go south to Bavaria to see my castle "Neuschwanstein" (Neuenswander -- it's close, right?!) And since it's so close to the Austrian boarder head over to Salzburg to see where some of the Sound of Music was filmed. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the travel bug has hit me again and I'm ready to travel the world.

So here's my castle. We walked straight up the mountain to get there. It was absolutely breathtaking inside. King Ludwig II had an incredible imagination to imagine such a fairytale of a place. It's easy to understand why girls would want to be princesses if they got to live in such a grand palace.
This is on top of Mt. Zugspite - the highest peak in Germany. We took a tram up and had an amazing view of the Alps. Unfortunately it was cold and windy, but well worth the trip up. The ski slopes were calling out to me.
Candace and me with the Sound of Music cow before the tour started.The house that was used for the front of the von Trapp villa. You see Maria stop at the gate while singing "I Have Confidence" and Captain von Trapp pull down the Nazi flag after the honeymoon as well.
Here's the chapel that Maria and Captain von Trapp where married in the film. In the movie they make it seem like they get married in Nonnburg Abbey, where the real Maria and Captain von Trapp were married, but in reality it was in another church about 30 km outside of Salzburg.
Mirabell Gardens where a lot of Do-Re-Mi was filmed. Let's just say I did a little bit of singing while here...
This is the last picture we took on our trip. I had so much fun! Thanks for inviting me, Kate and Candace!