Rockrollup

My buddies, Jack and Henry of Delavan, Wisconsin. :)

You should also check out "Evil Band" and "Butterpan" on their MySpace page. :)

Check out this video: Rockrollup - Everything’s Falling Apart



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Tour de Bronx

Matt just told me about Tour de Bronx.

It's a free 40-mile bike ride through the Bronx in October sponsored by Transportation Alternatives. I registered immediately.

This should be super-fun!!

Go here for more information.

Bed bugs!

Lilly and I were walking down the street tonight. It's a big weekend for moving, so there's lots of furniture out on the sidewalk. This chair had a sign on it that said "BED BUGS". Ewwwww!

But it made me realize...if there is ever any furniture I want, but need to come back for...I can just put a nasty sign on it and no one will touch it!

Breaking News!

It's time for another 24 hour Adventure...

Details here.

Good combination.

I just had a spoonful of raspberry liqueur hot fudge followed by a Blue Moon.

I highly recommend.

Kevin workin' at home.

Oh, man. It's tough hangin' out with a hot musician all the time. ;)

Here's Kevin working on recording a demo of "Bet A Little Love"...some of the stuff that happens between studios for 100 Songs in 100 Days.

He didn't even know I was there recording! Soooo hard at work.

Playlist - Part 1

Okay.

I'm intimidated by playlists. Because some people are super-serious about 'em. Hours of thought into songs and lyrics and order and all that.

But I've been on the quest for feel-good songs. Here are some that make me happy. In the order in which I came up with them this morning. 20 for now.

1. Happier than the Morning Sun - Stevie Wonder
2. For Once in My Life - Stevie Wonder
(Note: I could add a lot more Stevie Wonder to this list)
3. Fixing A Hole - The Beatles
4. I've Just Seen a Face - The Beatles
5. Underwear - The Magnetic Fields
6. The Book of Love - Jodi Shaw
(Note: I love all the other versions of this, but this one is peppy and fun - other versions, like The Magnetic Fields and Peter Gabriel, will sometimes make me cry.)
7. Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
8. Obsessed with You - The Orion Experience
(Note: my acquaintance-slash-object-of-past-"obsession du jour" Erik Paparazzi is in this band)
9. People - Bill Ricchini
10. Stickshifts and Safetybelts - Cake
(Note: I have a self-portrait kinda planned for this one)
11. Si Tu Dois Partir - Lloyd Cole
12. Happy Feet - Kermit the Frog
13. Taller Than Jesus - Sean Altman
14. Desafinada - Ella Fitzgerald
15. Kiss Me, Stupid - Baby Steps
(Note: my friend Joe McGinty)
16. The Dinghy Song - Ruth Wallis
(Note: first heard this when my step-dad gave me the Dr. Demento box set for Christmas when I was in, like, 9th grade)
17. California Sun - The Ramones
18. The Internet is for Porn - Avenue Q
(Note: okay...the whole soundtrack...except maybe There's A Fine, Fine Line...on certain days)
19. Widow - Teddy Goldstein
(Note: funny song for commitment-phobes)
20. If You Won't - Jesse Harris
(Note: I heart Jesse Harris)

Pilates

Yesterday I had a private session at Real Pilates.

I like pilates. Can't exactly afford to continue it - I got some sessions in a barter for some photography work. I'm not a huge fan of bartering in general (cuz I don't like stuff to hang over me or other people if everything isn't delivered right away), but this one I'm happy about.

Also, it has already led to more photography work.

So...YAY!

My abs hurt. It's a good pain. More, please!

This song is not about my boyfriend.

I woke up with this song in my head today... It's super-cute and you should listen to it.

Lauren Molina's The Autumn Song.
http://www.myspace.com/laurenmolinamusic

Here is a photo I took of Lauren way back when:

Sunday afternoon.

Today Jill and I went to Linhart Theater for strike. We didn't have to do much. Easiest strike ever.

After, we...well...ate a lot.

1. Went to 'wich craft for some food. To our surprise, our stage manager (Guinevere) was workin' there. I had one of the best sandwiches ever. It was grilled smoked ham, cheddar, and pear on a raisin bread. Oh, man. So good. And I had a large coffee.

2. Went to Adorama hoping that my photos would be ready. They weren't.

3. Went to Starbucks to go online and check when the cruise around Manhattan left. Last one was at 4:30pm. It was 4:40-ish.

4. Ate ice cream from Mr. Softee. Vanilla with chocolate sprinkles. Yum.

5. Walked up to La Quinta on 32nd Street to check out the rooftop bar. Here are some photos...







I had a gin & tonic and Jill had a cider. Also ran into a couple people I knew there. Funny story.

6. Went to another rooftop bar where we split a cheesesteak and some potato skins.

7. Went to H&M and bought cute new underwear.

8. Walked down to Bleecker Street to the Fringe party. I didn't stay long.

9. Came home to Brooklyn.

Now what??

The play is over...

I had such a blast working on The Boy on the Other Side of the World with Jill and Mari and Mike and Jen and Tyler and Lilly and Guinevere and Charlotte and Barrie. :)

The show went very well - audience enjoyed it. Lots of my friends and family showed their support, which was super-nice!

And I love directing! I need some more practice, for sure, but...I love it. :)

Now what? This has taken up so much of my time over the past couple months. Need new projects.

Bum.

The Boy on the Other Side of the World

Just three more performances!

Thanks to everyone who has bought tickets already - can't wait to see you there! For the rest of ya, here's all the info... :)

Description: DistantBoy and WriterGirl seem destined for a storybook ending,
but only if he can win over her five-year-old alter ego. Meanwhile, will the naughty
MaleMuse get WriterGirl into downward dog? And IS the Brooklyn Bridge really
made of candy? A new romantic comedy for anyone who's ever said "I'll know it's
love when I let him touch my iPod".

The Linhart Theater @ 440 Studios Tickets and information: 212-279-4488 or http://www.fringenyc.org (it's under "B" for "Boy")
440 Lafayette Street
Wed 8/15 @ 9p - DONE!
Sun 8/19 @ 4:30p - DONE!
Thu 8/23 @ 4:45p
Fri 8/24 @ 9:45p
Sat 8/25 @ 2p

Yum.

I was just reminded of this photo.



I think I'll head over to Hoboken.

Beezus looking for new home...

Does anybody want a kitty?

Beezus (named after Ramona's sister in the Beverly Cleary books) is healthy and sweet. But she probably wouldn't be psyched to be around other cats. She's 12 years old.

My boyfriend is super-allergic AND I haven't been home much to hang out with her.

If you or anyone you know would like to take her in, please get in touch!! :)

Update: Mint chip dazzler

Yeah, didn't take me long to get from my last post to Haagen Dazs. I am currently enjoying my mint chip dazzler dinner, thank you very much.

Random Thoughts

- I heart Song 12 "Monday Morning". And I loved going to The Wild Arctic to record it. When song is up, I will link to it and add photos. Yay!

- The Boy on the Other Side of the World is going well. Yesterday the actors were fantastic, but the audience was very very quiet. Bummer! Hopefully Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will be livelier!

- I saw Log Cabin Dreams again. It's great and there is one more chance to check it out - Friday night at The Pit. (I especially love the song "Honestly Abraham". It gets stuck in my head.) But if you see one show Friday night, it oughtta be mine. For real.

- Sometimes I think it's fair to expect people to read my mind. Not often, but...sometimes.

- My apartment needs to be cleaned.

- I currently have 2 cats in my apartment, which is 2 cats too many.

- I have a fauxtobooth job coming up. YAY!

- I ran into the girlfriends of two ex-boyfriends in two days over the weekend. That was awesome. Not as awesome as running into two different ex-boyfriends with their wives and babies in my neighborhood a year or so ago, though. :) Babies!

- Ice cream would be good about now.

- Now that I've thought of ice cream, I can't seem to think about anything else. Mint chip dazzler for dinner, perhaps...

Songs 9 & 10 added to MySpace!

100 Songs in 100 Days update...

Songs 9 & 10 are now up on MySpace...have a listen!

http://www.myspace.com/100songs

Song 9:

"SOUL TRIGGER"

Water Music - Hoboken, NJ

James Frazee: Engineer/Mixer
Scott Altizio: Assistant Engineer
Kevin Bertotti: Vocals & Guitar
Michael Aguirre: Guitar
Greg Ribot: Sax & Horns Arrangements
Alicia Rau: Trumpet & Horns Arrangements
George Inhulsen: Drums
Billy Atwell: Bass & Co-Producer
Laura Fay Lewis: Backing vocals


James Frazee & Kevin Bertotti:


Michael Aguirre:


Song 10:

"YOU GOT ME WAITIN'"

Water Music - Hoboken, NJ

James Frazee: Engineer/Mixer
Scott Altizio: Assistant Engineer
Kevin Bertotti: Vocals & Guitar
Jeremy Chatzky: Bass
Eddy Zweiback: Drums
Michael Aguirre: Guitar
Alicia Rao: Trumpet
Americo: Organ

Jeremy Chatzky:


Eddy Zweiback:

Jennifer Saltzstein...

...as "Girl" in The Boy on the Other Side of the World.

Hooray for opening night!

We managed to get The Boy on the Other Side of the World on its feet. Hooray!
After the show, Jill and I hung out, and got some food & drink in our bellies.

Next show is Sunday.

Water Music

As I type, I'm sitting at Water Music in Hoboken, NJ as another song is being recorded...

Putting up now, as I will be in play rehearsal late into the night. :)

Water Music, The Big Room (special thanks to Rob Grenoble)
Hoboken, NJ

Song 9 "Soultrigger"
Written by Kevin Bertotti
Produced by Billy Atwell & Kevin Bertotti
Engineered by James Frazee

with Kevin Bertotti (vocals & acoustic guitar), Michael Aguirre (guitar), Billy Atwell (bass), George Inhulsen (drums), Greg Ribot (saxophone), Laura Fay Lewis (backup vocals) AND (must get info for a couple more folks!)

Kevin Bertotti:


Kevin Bertotti & Billy Atwell:

Random

Random stuff.

1. After I wrote my post re: the reunion I realized that all the stuff I'm currently doing is kinda like all the stuff I was interested in in high school. Music, theater, photography... Funny thing is, I JUST got back into it all fairly recently. But old classmates would probably read the update and think "oh, that makes sense". Assuming any of them remember me. :)

2. I feel more like "me" after getting the haircut. I love my new Hoboken hairdresser!

3. Before 100 Songs began I was all concerned that Kev and I wouldn't have time together and it might cause some difficulty. But we've spent MORE time together and the fact that we're both involved in things we love has enriched our relationship. Let that be a lesson to me.

4. My cat (Beezus) seriously doesn't like Matt's cat (Winnie). (I'm taking care of her for a little while.) Speaking of cats, I would like to find mine a new home. Kevin is allergic.

5. I like directing. I wanna do it again.

6. I need a driver's license.

7. Last night I had a few minutes of sadness. When Kevin caught me at it, he said the most beautiful thing. I'm keeping it to myself for now. (Well...I told Jill and Matt. But that's ALL!) Mom - next time you call me, I'll tell you. Because I think you'll be curious. :)

8. My favorite numbers since the 6th grade have been 2 and 5. And I still remember why.

9. I want to sing.

10. Recently I was made aware of the importance of Davids in my life. Right now I'm thinking about my cousin David, who I adore.

And a photo of Kev:

Haircut.

I've been needing a haircut for months. I finally got it. YAY!

High School Reunion

A couple days ago I joined Facebook. (Become my friend!)

When I got there, my high school friend, Emoree, sent me a message and asked if I was going to our high school reunion. This weekend.

I didn't know about it, as all the notices have been going to an email address that I haven't checked in months. Oops!

So, I'm a little sad that I can't make it, but have decided to post a sorta life update here for all my old classmates from Oyster River High School in Durham, NH.

So...let's see. What would people wanna know?

Whereabouts? I moved to NYC a week after high school and have been here since.

Undergrad? BA in English Literature at NYU.

Grad School? MBA in Marketing & Management at Fordham University. The first time I ever loved school!

Married? Nope.

Relationship? Yup. Here I am with my man, Kevin. We met when I bought frames from him on craigslist.com. He gave me as many as I could carry, but still had more. He suggested I take him out to dinner in exchange for the rest. That seemed like a pretty good deal to me.


Kids? Nope.

What I look like now? Hmmm. There's no shortage of photos of me online - mainly because I am part of 365 Days - a project in which I'm taking a self-portrait every day for a year. You can see the full set here. This is my most popular photo - mainly because of my story that goes with it. It's a glimpse into what changed my view on life a little over a year ago... Click on the photo to get the story.



Places I've worked? NYU, IFC, Bravo, NBC (Marketing)

What I'm up to now?
I'm co-directing Jill Jichetti's play "The Boy on the Other side of the World". Info here.

I'm a "mission pilot" (codename "Brooklyn Hil") for a photography website called Mig Pilot. Check it out here.

I'm a photographer. My biggest project currently is documenting Kevin Bertotti's endeavor 100 Songs in 100 Days. Yes...the same Kevin as above. :) Photo set here.

I've been assistant directing various film and online video projects.

Wait. What day is it?

This has been a crazy week! But fun.

Excellent week of rehearsal for The Boy on the Other Side of the World! It opens next Wednesday! Soooo fun! YAY!

Yesterday, after a six-hour play rehearsal, I headed to Greenpoint to take photos at Kevin's recording session. It was a blast and I love the song! Dean Bohana totally rocks. Info & photos...

100 Songs in 100 Days
Song 8 - "Waste My Breath"
http://www.myspace.com/100songs
Rockgarden Studio - Greenpoint, NY
Produced and engineered by Dean Bohana
Written by Kevin Bertotti
with Kevin Bertotti (vocals & acoustic guitar) and Dean Bohana (multi-instrumentalist)

Kevin:




After the session, Kev and I had dinner and took the three trains home. :)

...and on the 7th day...

Poor Kevin - Day Seven!



(photo by Kevin Bertotti)

100 Songs - Song #6!

Song #6 "Once" has been posted on MySpace!

Check it out...

Produced and engineered by Jon Margulies at Tribeca Recoring (where Stacy's Mom was recorded)
Written by Kevin Bertotti
Performed by Kevin Bertotti (guitar & vocals) and Hector O'Farrill (drums)

Launch of MigPilot

Check out this coooooool new photography website I'm involved in!

It's Mig Pilot! There are challenges every month - get on board and participate!

Here is one of the photos I submitted for the launch - go look at the rest. My bio is there too. Woohoo!

Songs 2 & 3 live on MySpace!

Check 'em out! They're freakin' fantastic!

Song 2 - Leave Your Light On
Produced and engineered by Andre Fratto
Written by Kevin Bertotti
Performed by Kevin Bertotti (vocals & guitar), Brian Lawlor (piano), and Andre Fratto (bass)

Song 3 - So, Sad, You're Gone
Produced and engineered by Andre Fratto
Written by Kevin Bertotti
Performed by Nick Fowler (vocals), Greg Ribot (sax), Andy Lala (lead guitar), Kevin Bertotti (rhythm guitar), and Andre Fratto (bass)

100 Songs in 100 Days - Day 3

Today, Kevin was back with Andre Fratto of Great Waters Music. Links to Songs 2 & 3 coming shortly. :)

Kevin, in the sound booth:


Kevin, Brian Lawlor, and Andre Fratto:

Today

7:15am - wake up & take shower
7:45a - prepare photo set for 10ton
10:00a - take subway to the city
10:30a - buy tapes for kev's camera and blank DVDs for myself at B&H
10:45a - burn 10ton photos to 2 DVDs at Starbucks
11:30a - realize I have no cases for said DVDs & buy some at Radio Shack
12:00p - try to find a FedEx with no luck
12:30p - take train to 163rd St. to meet up with Kevin at recording session
1:00p - grab sandwich from Subway for my first food of the day
1:15p - arrive at studio, eat half of sandwich, take photos, and listen to kev's beautiful song as it gets recorded
3:30p - take subway back to 34th st.
4:00p - upload photos from recording session to flickr at Starbucks
4:30p - begin rehearsal for the boy on the other side of the world (Jill's play that I'm co-directing)
7:00p - find a FedEx during half hour break from rehearsal, also buy another sandwich from Subway, which I don't get a chance to eat until....
7:30p - back to rehearsal
10:00p - leave rehearsal and, on a whim, decide to go to Hoboken instead of Brooklyn
10:45p - arrive at Kevin's - he's not back yet
11:00p - eat sandwich
11:15p - upload more pics to Flickr
11:30p - take self-portrait for the day
11:45p - write this post

And now? Wait till Kev gets back, help him with 100 Songs business, head back to Brooklyn, get up at 7am, and start over.

I'm not complaining - what a super-fun day!!

Oooh! Airplane!

I was riding with Jill to Ikea. She opened her sunroof and said "get out your camera". And then this happened.

Not cropped or anything! :)

100 Songs in 100 Days - Day 2

A couple pics from today...

Kevin, revising some lyrics on the subway:


Producer Andre Fratto - Great Waters Music:

Today...

- I overheard an Australian girl on her cellphone tell someone that she spent last night playing beer pong. And then describing in detail (in a serious manner) exactly how to play.

- I saw LOTS of dads with their daughters.

- I was happy then tired then pissy then happy...and tired.

- I forgot lots of fun stuff that I was going to put here.

Links - 100 Songs in 100 Days

First Song ("Let's Play") / MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/100songs

Info:
http://www.100songsin100days.com/

Photos on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/100songsin100days/

The blog:
http://100songsin100days.com/WordPress/index.php

Follow at Twitter:
http://twitter.com/100songs

More links to come. :)

Flickr Stats

100 Songs in 100 Days - Day 1 - August 1, 2007

As I type this, Kevin Bertotti is in a Hoboken studio with Billy Atwell. They are working on the first of 100 songs that will produced over the next 100 days.

I was there this morning taking photos and helping out here and there.

Tonight I will provide a list of links where you can keep up with 100 Songs in 100 Days (website, blog, YouTube, MySpace, Twitter, Jaiku, etc.)

I hadn't heard the first song until Kevin and Billy began recording this morning. I'm already in love with it and I hope you will be too!

100 Faces

On Wednesday, Kevin launches 100 Songs in 100 Days. In honor of it, I made 100 faces. I'm sure he will experience every one of them (and more) over the next few months. :)