PSL

Wednesday, September 16

Never have I ever...had a Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2015.

I got my first PSL this year.  It wasn't even a chilly, crisp, Autumn day.  However, I was having a bad day, so I decided to treat myself...and let me tell you, it was the best decision I made all day.  It's the taste of Fall.  It's memories.  It's happiness.  It's so fascinating how  simple drink, taste, smell can bring back so many memories.  I was instantly transported to walking around Disneyland with Lauren at Halloweentime the last three years, to walking through Centeal Park, to going to Starbucks first thing in the morning on Thanksgiving with Danielle.  All good memories.  And so, I begin this Fall off the right way. 

Catfish

Tuesday, September 15 

Never have I ever...watched the MTV show "Catfish."  (Nor will I ever again btw)

I got home and Melissa and Andrew were watching an episode of MTV's "Catfish."  It was the dumbest show.  It's about people who meet people online, and this show gets them to meet and to figure out if it's all real or fake.  ie are they using fake pictures, false bios, etc.  In this particular episode, at the end, we found out that the one girl who they were helping actually got these other girls to be on it and "fake catfish" her so that she could announce to the world that she's gay.  What?! You're going to go through an elaborate scheme just so you can get your 15 seconds of fame...for what?  Society has made fame this thing that everyone wants and strives for for some reason.  It's bizarre.  Anyway, it's a mindless show, and it's sad that people act this way, and they actually exist. 

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Monday, September 14

Never have I ever...made spaghetti squash OR mashed potatoes.  

These posts are just as shocking to me as they may be to you.  How can it be that 30 years old, I've never made mashed potatoes from scratch.  What?! I love them, but never think to make them.  When I do have them, it's because someone else made them.  However, I really wanted them, so I headed to the store and bought what I needed, looked up the directions on Google (yes, I did), and with some guidance by Andrew, made some incredible mashed potatoes. Along with that, I really wanted spaghetti squash, as well, but also never made that.  Again, with the help of Google (what did they did before Google?) and Andrew, I baked a delicious squash.  Overall, my dinner was fantastic.  The best part?  Half of it was food I had never made before.  I absolutely love cooking, but rarely have an opportunity to make a big meal.  When I have the chance, and I try something new, AND it ends up being great? That's pretty rewarding.  I love trying new things. (I also made meatless meatballs and corn on the cob) 

Brunching

Sunday, September 13

Never have I ever...had brunch with Mattie in NYC, nor have I ever been to HK in Hell's Kitchen. 

When Mattie and I used to be roommates back in our LA times, we used to make it a point to have "roommate dates" and go to brunch.  This was to ensure we made time to actually see each other/hang out, and also make sure we were allowing ourselves to have a little Sunday Funday Afternoon Fun.  Since being in NYC, we have yet to have a free Sunday to go our for Brunch.  However, we finally did, and it was an amazing time.  We went to HK across the street from his apartment building, and loved it.  The food was great, we became friends with our server, and made a whole lot of other friends there that all had September birthdays, too.  (They had called us all up).  Virgos unite! I'm so thankful for such amazing long lasting friends in my life, and I am also thankful for making the time to hVe fun.  We all need some laughs and some smiles in our lives. 

Movie Night

Saturday, September 12

Never have I ever...binge watched "Grace & Frankie"

As anyone who knows me might know, I am horrible at watching television and movies.  I have the best of intentions to stay up to date, but I always seem to manage to fall behind on what is new and the thing to watch.  Saturday night I sat down to watch a movie and began watching the Netflix original series "Grace & Frankie" starring Jane Fonda, WSU alumni Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, and Sam Waterston.  I don't even remember the last time I watched a show and I was laughing out loud while sitting by myself on the couch.  ("Friends," maybe?). Anyway, what was supposed to be one episode turned into four! Four! I never do that.  However, it was worth.  It's hilarious, witty, and the acting is brilliant.  I highly recommend if you haven't watched it yet.  Just be warned - you'll get sucked in.

Coming Full Circle

Friday, September 11

Never have I ever...seen Jason Robert Brown in concert.

Jason Robert Brown is a brilliant composer, and I absolutely love his musicals.  So, when Julie asked me to join her in seeing him in concert on the Lower East Side, I clearly said yes.  I am so glad I did.  All of the musicians on stage were having the best time, including him on piano, as well as vocals at times. It was as though we had been invited to come and watch their jam session and join them in just having fun.  It was awesome.  They also had special guest Broadway stars Andrea Burns and Joshua Henry.  Their voices are insane and beautiful.  During the concert, as well as after, I was thinking about how seeing this concert was perfectly timed in my life.  I just finished production on my own musical, my first one, and here I am watching an inspiration perform some of his various stand out songs for us.  He was obviously at a similar point in his life at some point - just finishing his first musical, putting his work out into the world for people to hear.  And now here he is performing a concert of his songs that people in the audience are singing along to.  To go with that - I actually saw Andrea Burns on Broadway in "In the Heights" back in 2008.  I had come to NYC on spring break of my senior year in college to audition for Studio 5.  While here, I won the lottery to see that show.  That was before the rest of my life altered for the better, before I had experience life in NYC, LA, and even before I traveled to Moscow. What I found neat about seeing this concert was that here was a woman I saw doing her thing on stage right before I was about to embark on a new professional path, and here I see her again when I, again, am embarking on a new and exciting professional path.  Here I am seeing an inspiration to me as a composer perform, right after I finished my first work. The concert meant a lot to me and was an inspiration, and even a bit of a nudge to say keep doing what you're doing.  We all need moments like these.  I'm glad I had this one.  

The concert was at Subculture on the Lower East Side.  Sitting behind us was the famous and incredibly amazing director, Hal Prince.  This was my attempt to take an inconspicuous selfie of us with him in the background.

Movies and Stuff

Thursday, September 10

Never have I ever...been to the Museum of the Moving Image.

Katie and I were looking for something new and different to do before she had to take her bus back to DC, so I thought of the Museum of the Moving Image.  It's only two blocks away from my apartment, and yet I had never ventured to it.  I'm so glad we did; what an awesome museum!  There were original costumes, masks, set renderings and small scale designs, as well as actual cameras/microphones/sound equipment/televisions showing the evolution and advancement of such items.  There were interactive areas where you could dub your voice over famous movie scenes, as well others were you could pick the soundtrack and sound effects.  This was to show how they add that into the films.  It was a fascinating museum, we learned a ton, and we had a great time.  I highly recommend.  Plus, they have a Jim Henson exhibit coming soon.  Definitely going back.

www.movingimage.us

Team Remembrall the Answers

Wednesday, September 9

Never have I ever...played Harry Potter trivia.

Yep.  You read that correctly.  Katie was in town, and therefore I looked into doing a Harry Poter trivia.  When I found out she was coming, I looked up one of NYC's trivia companies (they go to different bars and host trivia with various topics).  September wasn't listed at the time, so I emailed them, and they rearranged some of them and made sure a HP trivia night was in order for the night  she was in town.  Awesome.  So we assembled our team, and finally the day arrived.  Some of the questions were insanely easy, and others were insanely hard.  However, we had a great team, and all of us were pretty knowledgeable.  Good thing I randomly know what Hagrid's mother's name is, as well as what spell opens up the statue of the hunchbacked witch that leads you into Hogsmeade. Haha When they read the answers aloud, there were a few that we definitely knew, but had changed at the last minute.  On the whole, though, we ended up getting fourth place out of eleven teams.  Not too bad. Such a fun evening.  I highly recommend it.  Great night out, and something different to do. 

www.triviaad.com

Art Opening

Tuesday, September 8

Never have I ever...assisted in hosting an art opening for Eva.

At my senior community, we have a wide array of extremely talented residents - from Academy Award winning directors to established lawyers, as well as the brilliant artist.  We've hosted a couple of art gallery openings for a few of our residents, complete with hors d'oerves and wine.  This time around, we did it for Eva.  She lives there, and also instructs an art class, as well as leads a poetry class. Her work is mostly watercolor, but she dabbles in collage, as well as other mediums.  It's just nice to be able to showcase someone's work, and see how much it truly means to them that you and your team worked so hard to make it happen.  It was a great time, and I'm glad we could provide her with some happiness.

Plants and Pots

Monday, September 7

Never have I ever...repotted a plant.

I know what you're thinking - what?! How could you have never repotted a plant in your life, Frank?! However, truthfully, this plant is the only one I've ever owned.  I bought it while I was living in LA as a representation of new life/starting over - I think three years ago. (I don't remember what I was going through at the time, but I remember the symbolism of the plant and why I bought it.). It was beginning to look a little sad, and I figured it was about time/way overdue for a new pot and some new soil.  I thought I was going to have to buy one of those HUGE bags of soil at Home Depot, and I was stressing about what I was going to do with so much dirt! Buy three more plants?!   In case you're wondering, you don't have to buy those huge bags; they have smaller bags of "potting soil."  Finding that plus finding the new bowl I wanted to put the plant in; my Home Depot adventure definitely turned into a journey of sorts.  However, I learned, and I am that much better for it.  (And yes - I read the directions on the back of the bag to make sure I was doing it right #nerd.). It's the little things in life that we overlook, and when we actually stop to think about it and realize we don't have any experience in - it's so crazy!  It kind of makes me want to start a garden and grow my own veggies. Hmm...

Babies and Parks

Sunday, September 6

Never have I ever...had a picnic/played with babies in Central Park.

Today I met up with Clint and Robbie with their little baby, Belle, as well as a bunch of other great friends.  We sat under a giant tree, had drinks and food, laughed a lot, and played with babies.  (They're friend also had a baby that we were passing around).  I've actually never had a picnic in Central Park either; this was a first for both.   I'm getting to the point in life where all, or most, of my friends have kids, are married, engaged, in serious relationships, are about to get married, etc. Going to parks and hanging out with great friends and cute kids is probably the direction my life is heading. And you know what? I'm ok with that.  I love all of the love that is being spread around and shared, all of the new friends being made, and all of the amazing memories being created.  I'm in the prime of my life and I am loving all of it.  I am very fortunate, and super grateful.  

Below is a picture of Bella and I.  (I'm laughing because Clint kept switching sides to get Bella's face, and she would turn her head to the other side #divababy). The other pic is me being a weirdo behind Bella and her two daddies - Clint and Robbie. Such an amazing day!

East Harlem

Saturday, September 5

Never have I ever...been to Erin's apartment in East Harlem.

It's kind of crazy how you can live somewhere for so long, see the same friends often, and yet never make it to their apartment.  In New York, this is a common tale.  Unless you have a specific reason to travel to Brooklyn from Queens (Oy!) or from the Upper West Side to Coney Island (ah!), then chances are super high it probably won't happen.  The commute to get there is one thing, but then thinking about the train schedules to come back home is a whole other journey (sometimes - late nights, weekends, holidays.) Now mind you, it's not all that bad; there's just a lot of thought that goes into it.  However, the end result is always rewarding.  I went to Erin's last night with a bunch of our Wayne State crew to welcome Adam into the city; he also went to Wayne State, and we happen to share birthdays, too. It was so nice to be around this group that I've know for so many years, and to see Erin's cute little apartment tucked inside a cottage looking apartment building.  All in all, it was a super nice evening, and a great way to spend a Saturday night. I'm just sorry it took me almost a year to make it over there. Haha. But - here's to new experiences! 

Enchiladas, please.

Friday, September 4

Never have I ever...made homemade enchiladas.

Now this may come as a shock to many - especially if you know how much I love Mexican food.  I love cooking. Love it. However, I rarely have the time to come home from work and actually make myself a meal that I can sit down at that moment and eat.  (I usually make dinners for myself on Tues and/or Thurs morning that can easily be heated up on the stove. I don't use a microwave at home.)  While at the grocery store tonight, I decided I wanted to make something I would never normally make.  So, while stopping to buy some black beans for my salads this week, I noticed the enchilada sauce.  So, on a whim, I picked up the rest of what I needed.  They were super simple - filled with refried beans, black beans, and cheese with a salsa verde sauce on top.  I'm so glad I stepped out of the box and made these because they were amazing! Plus, I realized how simple they are to make.  Literally from start to finish (including cook time) - 20 mins. I'm always looking for fast and great meals.  Now I have one.  I can also use this simple kind of recipe to bake other wraps, as well.  I look forward to making a roasted veggie one. Yum. Next time you're wondering what to make for dinner and are on a time crunch - I highly recommend making these. 

Central Park

Thursday, September 3

Never have I ever...sat on the Eastern side of Sheep Meadow in Central Park.

Since I initially moved to NYC in the Fall of 2008, I have always taken the same path into the park, and always ended up setting up a blanket in the same general area on the same south western side of Sheep Meadow in Central Park.   This continued throughout all of my visits back to NYC through the years while I was in LA, and even continued once I moved back.  As much as I love adventuring and trying new things, I am also apparently a creature of habit. So, with yesterday being my day off, I mosied my way over to Central Park to make use of one of my last chances to catch a tan and read before Fall swoops in.  However, this trip was different.  I entered the park from one of the entrances I've never used before, and made it a point to walk down paths I've never travelled.  I learned so much more about this park that I frequent just by taking a different path.  I ended up on the Eastern side of Sheep Meadow and set up my blanket.  This area that I was so familiar with looked completely different just because I've never actually looked at things from this angle.  It's amazing how when we do something slightly outside of our norm, we realize how much we could be missing, or aren't aware of.  Could you imagine how much we'd grow if all of us kept looking at things from a different angle and continued to step outside of our comfort zones? I love it.

A Vision Board. Nope, A Vision Book.

Wednesday, September 2

Never have I ever...made a vision book.

I have made a vision board before, but I have never made a book.  I decided on the book because I didn't want the clutter hanging on my wall.  For those who don't know, a vision board is a tool that is used to help clarify and concentrate on specific life goals.  It's literally a board on which you display images and/or sayings that represent whatever you want to be, do, or have in yor life.  So, to help me stay focused and manifest what I want in my life, I decided to create this book of images.  I look at it every evening to remind myself of what I am working toward and to stay focused on my path. 

...and the thirtieth year begins.

Aging is something that freaks a lot of people out. In the past, it used to do the same to me.  However, working with the senior population, I have gained a completely different view and understanding of age.  Age is just a number.  You are as youthful, or as old, as you want to be.  Of course, as time goes on, and we get older, we might lose the ability to do things we used to do.  That's fine.  Own it, and own the things that you can also now do that you could never do before either.  We are constantly growing, transforming, evolving, moving forward.  Embrace it.

For the first night of my thirties, I spent the evening surrounded by so many people that I love.  I have an incredible group of friends, and am so thankful for them in my life. 

Tuesday, September 1, 2015:

Never have I ever...been to the Standard Biergarten.  

It was a blast.  Beer, and pretzels, and sausages, oh my! Picnic tables, ping pong tables, and surrounded by great friends.  You walk in and grab your beer tickets.  You then proceed over to the bar and get your desired beer.  Let me tell you - all super delicious, as well.  I'm glad I got to experience this place, and will definitely make another trip back.  

Never Have I Ever...

I turn 30 tomorrow, and I am so incredibly excited to begin this new chapter/decade of my life.  My twenties were an amazing roller coaster ride of lessons, traveling, self discovery, success, and finding my place in this world; I can't wait to continue this journey.  

With that being said, I wanted to bring in this new decade by making sure that I am truly making the most of every moment.  So, I am going to do something new/try something different every day, and document it here with a picture and a description.  It could be something as simple as trying a new beer or walking down a different street, or as crazy as cliff diving or taking a trapeze class (all of which, by the way, are on my list of things to do). So, basically a year long version of the drinking game "never have I ever..."  Thank you for joining me for this adventure!  I'll begin with a story from this weekend.

I have always wanted to surf, and I finally had the opportunity to this weekend.  I went out to Rockaway Beach to visit Julie, and we signed up for a surf lesson. I absolutely loved it, and had a blast being in the water, and working to make myself better at this newfound love of mine.  It's crazy that I lived in LA for four years, and finally surfed when I moved to NYC.  It's never too late to give something a try. 

Have ideas for me to try something new? Feel free to let me know in the comments and I'll look into it!  

xo