August Karaoke

I'm testing a new format for my Karaoke Blog and mainly it's just for me to see what I've been singing, where I'm growing, and the new songs I'm trying.  The purpose of my Blog is to be creative and write about the things that contribute to that, as well as talk about my favorite things.  For Karaoke I'm going to list my new songs in bold and will end with a wrap-up.  We'll see how this goes for the next month or two!

Week 1:

Adele "Rolling in the Deep"

Fleetwood Mac "Say You Love Me"

Eric Clapton "Layla"

Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire" 

Amy Grant "Baby Baby"

Week 2:

Fleetwood Mac "Dreams"

Amy Winehouse "You Know I'm No Good"

Tracy Chapman "Give Me One Reason"

Shania Twain "Any Man of Mine"

Faith Hill & Tim McGraw "It's Your Love"

Adele "To Make You Feel My Love"

The Carpenters "Superstar"

Week 3:

Garbage "Only Happy When it Rains"

Cher "If I Could Turn Back Time"

Selena Gomez "Love You Like a Song"

Whitney Houston "Queen of the Night"

Gun's & Roses "November Rain"

Week 4:

Gretchen Wilson "Redneck Woman"

Ace of Base "All That She Wants"

Pocahontas "Just Around the Riverbend"

Aladdin "A Whole New World"

Jewel "Don't"

My new songs this month were all over the place.  I started this month singing one of my favorite songs by Eric Clapton and would love to try the Acoustic version the next time I sing it.  "Superstar" is a song I hear at Gabe's on a fairly regular basis and thought I'd try the 70's hit and it went over well.  Another favorite song from Whitney Houston and 'The Bodyguard' was my new song for Week 3 but I definitely need to find a different version since the song I sang was totally different than the album version.  Since I'm gearing up for another 'Princess Show' this weekend with Creating Arts I thought I would prep one of my solo's as I'm playing Pocahontas as well as another character that I'll share with everyone next week ;)

I had no repeats over the course of the month and a wide variety of music.  I sang a majority of female songs and tried new music I hadn't sang in a while so it's nice to switch it up and keep the Gabe's regulars on their toes!

Sunsets in Los Angeles

I can't believe I don't take advantage of watching the sunsets when I'm just 15 minutes from the ocean.  Maybe it's because I'm afraid of the birds, and not a huge fan of the sand either.  It's probably also because finding parking takes at least 15 minutes and then you're walking an additional mile or two just to get to the beach.  Wah wah, am I really complaining about that?  Needless to say, when I do get to see a sunset, I'm completely awestruck by the beauty and colors in the sky.  I need to do it more often!

A little over a week ago I went to the first pool party I had been to in a long time.  It was definitely more low-key than the typical pool parties I went to in Hollywood years ago and I was really happy about that.  I asked Courtney from Afterbuzz if she wanted to come along with me since we had never hung out aside from Hosting and was also meeting up with a friend, Mark, that I gone to school with for 13 years back in Plymouth, Wisconsin, and it was our first time catching up since High School.  It was a celebration for his friends who had just wrapped a movie, and the party was in the Hollywood Hills just off of Laurel Canyon.  Of course, the house was stunning, and there was plenty of food to eat, BBQ, all the fixings and sides, with awesome people but the best part was the sunset we got to watch.  Then later on, we saw the Valley light up, as it got dark outside and it was just gorgeous!

Yesterday I helped Neil film a scene for his music video that's coming out next week. We had to shoot in Santa Monica on the beach, with the Ferris Wheel in the background, and nice natural light.  After he scared all the pigeons away from the car so I could get out (who throws pretzels around in the parking lot), we did our scene in four short takes and then it was on to his.  It was a quick shoot, and I helped Neil film one of the verses for his song using the camera dolly as we walked down the strand.  I couldn't leave without getting a picture on the beach, so I grabbed my phone and had Neil snap a shot.  Little did I know that I'd get my silhouette with the rays of light coming off the sun, hitting the lens, and creating a really amazing picture.  It required no filter and brought magic to the beach :) 

I just wanted to share these photos with everyone; check out more on my Instagram, so give me a follow.  Find me on Instagram here! 

Hosting HBO's 'Hard Knocks' for Afterbuzz TV!

Once I discovered that Afterbuzz TV was doing an After Show for HBO's 'Hard Knocks' I knew I wanted to be a part of it.  Christina and Stef had hosted the first episode, and Thaddeus and I joined them for the second and third, and we'll all continue hosting together for the next two episodes that are following the Atlanta Falcons this time around.  That first show had a huge hit and has been viewed over 35,000 times on YouTube!

Christina, Thaddeus, me and Stef talking Atlanta Falcons Football!

The main thing I love about 'Hard Knocks' is the insider's perspective into the practices, the games, and the team.  You get to hear what the coaches are thinking, how the players are feeling about everything from their positions, what they've done in the off-season, and in vying for a spot on the team.  You also get to see the growth of the rookie's and since Atlanta had so many people out last season with injury I do believe they're going to do much better this year.  Another great thing about the show is getting to see players that are great pick-ups for your Fantasy Football team, and you have the ability to keep your eye on someone and see them grow.  When you see a new player like Devonta Freeman, you know he's a guy that is going to get the ball and if you need back-up Running Backs, he'll probably be available later in your draft and a great choice for your Fantasy team.

Of course, I love my Packers but the Falcons have definitely started to grow on me.  When you have your own team you get to know about the players because you want them to succeed and watching 'Hard Knocks' gives you the opportunity to know the team they're spot-lighting as well.  Plus, the Falcons are a likeable team.  Last episode we saw Matt Ryan meeting a little boy on the field and he threw him a pass and then signed the football.  We get to see Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Harry Douglas joking around while they're out bowling, and just having fun on their off days.  You start to push for certain rookies to make the team and avoid that dreaded cut because you see the hard-work that they're putting in, that drive to be a part of the team, and love of the game.

Here's Episode Two of our Afterbuzz TV After Show for HBO's 'Hard Knocks'

 

I can't wait to see what happens during the rest of the season and I just wish the show had more episodes!  I'm so happy to get the chance to talk about Football for an hour with my Co-Hosts and fans of an awesome sport :)

Sara Bareilles at The Greek :)

Last week Monday was my last day of celebration for my 31st Birthday (as far as I know)!  Neil and I had talked about seeing Sara Bareilles again when she came to town since we had missed her show in Santa Barbara last year due to the wrong time being listed.  There was no way we were going to miss her "Little Black Dress" Tour when she played here in LA at The Greek Theater in Hollywood last week!

Todd, Tiffany, Neil and I before the show!

Neil and I got there just after 8 pm and caught the second opening act, Hannah Georgas, before Sara began her set promptly at 9:15 pm.  Hannah actually reminded us a lot of Sara, similar in both sound and fashion.  We located our seats and then went to grab a drink and met up with our friends, Todd and Tiffany, who were also going to the show, before we all got seated for the main event.  Our seats were in Row M so they were amazing, and we had a great view of the stage.

Sara opened with 'Little Black Dress' which is such a fun and catchy song, you can't help but dance and sing along to it.  I hadn't heard 'Love on the Rocks' much since it was off of her 2004 Album but I really liked that song; definitely had a blues vibe to it, which of course was followed by 'Love Song;' one of her biggest hits.  One of my favorite songs is 'Come Round Soon' and I got to see her play it at the El Rey Theater last year, and this performance was even better!  I just love the evil lyrics to that song ;)  Another new favorite became 'Manhattan' as that's off her newest album from 2013 "The Blessed Unrest."

Mood music for 'Come Round Soon'

Sara debuted a new song from the musical "Waitress" called 'She Used to Be Mine' and if she hadn't won the crowd over already, this was it!  She's composing for the musical and it was yet another beautiful song.  She did one cover that night singing Sia's 'Chandelier' and went to 'Gravity' right after.  It's one of those songs when you hear it live, at least for me, I can't not feel every word of the song, as it brings tears to my eyes.  Of course, she knows all of the audience is captivated so she helps all of us out by being goofy and singing the poppy and upbeat 'Gonna Get Over You.'  'I Choose You' was one of the singles off of her new album and once again had everyone singing along with her.  Sara closed out the set with her other single off "The Blessed Unrest" doing 'Brave,' which has such an inspiring story behind it.

It was a two song encore which brought another wonderful melody and an a capella version of 'Bright Lights & Cityscapes' which was amazing and finally 'Satellite Call.'  The show was just about 90 minutes and it was a perfect evening near the Griffith Observatory.  I loved singing along and dancing to her music and the crowd just loves her!

Sara Bareilles at The Greek...talented in so many ways <3

One of the best things about Sara Bareilles is that she sounds just as great live as she does on her album.  Plus, the concertgoers are able to see more of her personality; she's so cute and quirky.  You can tell she really enjoys interacting with the audience, she's the type of person you know you'd have a blast hanging out with!  This was my third concert I've seen her play, and definitely the biggest one.  And I can't wait till she's in town and I can see her again :)

Dinner at BOA in Santa Monica

If you know me, you know I love steak; I am definitely a Wisconsin girl through and through.  Lucky for me, over the course of a month after my Birthday I got to have steak dinner's at three different restaurants with wonderful friends.  On my Birthday I had my first Mastro's experience thanks to my friend, Kristina!  A couple weeks after that Aimee, Andy, and I were able to hit up Ruth's Chris (my previous blog post) for Dine LA, and then a week later, it was catch-up time and Dinner at BOA in Santa Monica with Jamie!

We got seated at a table outside, literally steps from the beach and ocean at BOA in Santa Monica.  Jamie picked out a wine for us and we started our meal with the Tuna Tartare and Jamie had their table-side Caesar Salad which I tasted and was delicious.  We split the Center Cut Filet Mignon and got a side of Bamboo-Steamed Vegetables which had lemongrass (LOVE that flavor) as well as the Truffle & Parmesan Cauliflower.  I think the Cauliflower could have used more Truffle and Parmesan, but I always want more cheese.  The steak was perfectly-cooked at medium rare and I picked out Creamy Horseradish sauce on the side which just amped the steak up and was awesome!  There was no shortage of food and Dinner wouldn't have been complete without dessert.  We decided on the S'mores which was one of the hi-lights of the meal.  It was a dense fudge cake with a chocolate ice cream, graham cookies, and vanilla fluff.  I really miss vanilla fluff!!

It was so nice to catch up with a good friend and enjoy a great meal together.  We've had some fun food adventures together and this was another new restaurant to add to my list :)

*Just in case you missed it, you can read about my amazing experience at Mastro's here:  Mastro's Birthday Dinner!*

Ruth's Chris for Dine LA!

When Dine LA came to town a few weeks ago I was so busy with acting projects and work I actually didn't have any time to check out any of the new restaurants I had planned on going to.  Thankfully, I was able to squeeze in a late night Dinner at Ruth's Chris in Beverly Hills with Aimee and Andy, after working at Irish Times all day.

Amazing Seared Ahi Tuna!

I had made a reservation but it was packed so we grabbed some cocktails at the bar before getting seated.  I decided on the Strawberry Basil Martini which was so delicious.  It had just the right amount of sweetness, was strong, yet light and refreshing.  It made it all the way to dessert...score!  We started with the Seared Ahi Tuna appetizer which had a mustard, ginger, wasabi glaze, and a great palate cleanser before our meal arrived.  Aimee and Andy had brought some wine from their last trip to Santa Barbara and Solvang so that paired perfectly with our steaks.  I decided on the Summer Corn Chowder for my next course and it was far lighter than I expected, it was more broth-based than creamy which was perfect right before my steak.

We had all decided to get a different side, so I got the green beans and garlic, Andy ordered the mashed potatoes, and Aimee decided on the sauteed mushrooms.  It was nice to get all the veggies and potatoes to accompany our perfectly-cooked steaks.  As it came sizzling on that hot plate, I couldn't wait to dive in!  The steak was really good and hit the spot (not the best I've had at a Ruth's Chris, and after Mastro's for my Birthday, it's going to be hard to top that).  After all the appetizers and sides I was so full that I had to take the other half of my steak home because I wanted to leave some room for dessert.  This dessert was amazing, and I'm not a big cheesecake fan but it was Honey Cinnamon Cheesecake with Chocolate Brittle.  I loved the flavor of the cheesecake!

Dinner at Ruth's Chris with Aimee & Andy!

It was nice to get to enjoy a good meal with great friends and it was Andy's first Ruth's Chris experience, so that was exciting!  I look forward to my next Ruth's Chris steak and I can't wait to have another one of those Strawberry Martini's...a perfect Summer evening in LA :)

Summer Karaoke!

As Summer has been winding down, Karaoke has also been a little bit less busy than it has in the past few weeks.  During the month of July it had picked up around 4th of July but the last two weeks in July were really slow and everyone has been able to sing a bunch.  I was prepping my songs for 'The Princess Luau' so I didn't mind and the Karaoke regulars are always happy when they get to sing all night long without interruption.

A few weeks ago I opened with Pat Benatar's 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' as that used to be my go-to to get Karaoke started and it's been a long time since I sang that song.  Next up I did 'Missing You' by John Waite and then since it was really quiet and I knew it wouldn't matter if I had messed it up, I did 'Surfin' Safari' by The Beach Boys.  It was my new song of the night and I had to sing it for 'The Princess Luau' so it was good practice since we opened a couple days after that.  I brought it back to the 90's with 'Listen To Your Heart' by Roxette and then changed to some country doing Shania Twain's 'Any Man Of Mine.'  I really enjoy doing Natalie Merchant songs since she's right in my range and it had been a while since I sang 'Jealousy' so I closed out the night with that.

Singing & Hosting Karaoke at Gabe's on my Birthday in June!

Two weeks ago I opened with Three Doors Down 'When I'm Gone' and I just heard them on the radio and I was once again reminded of how incredible they are live!  Another song that I hadn't sang in months was 'Mr. Jones' by The Counting Crows and the crowd usually enjoys hearing that song.  There was a couple that was celebrating their 10 Year Anniversary and they go out for Karaoke every Anniversary so she requested I sing 'Wing Beneath My Wings' by Bette Midler.  I had never sang that song before, so it was my new one for the night, and it was really hard to get through that song.  I've never seen Beaches all the way through but know that song is in the movie, and the lyrics are so beautiful and heart-felt; I think I did the song justice and the couple was very happy :)  Last week I had heard someone sing 'Because The Night' by 10,000 Maniacs, which is one of my favorite songs to sing, and I literally couldn't remember the last time I sang that, so that was my next song.  I followed that with Cher's 'I Found Someone.'  Since some younger Karaoke regulars were in I did 'Stuck' by Stacy Orrico, which both of them remembered and then sang Richard Marx's 'Should've Known Better' since I sang it on my Birthday and don't completely remember it that well...oops!  Since Aerosmith was playing at The Forum that night, my last song went out to them, so I did 'Cryin' one of my favorite Aerosmith songs.

Clearly, it had been really slow that night two weeks ago because I sang so much to fill the space and time, and also to try to get more people up and singing.  Lucky for me, there's always a crew of regulars that show up nearly every week so I can still count on someone to keep the night going with me!

*As stated before, my blog is mainly dedicated to anything entertainment or career-related, whether it be Acting, Hosting, Singing, or Modeling, sometimes even Bartending.  In keeping this blog as creative as possible, I like to add the things that spark creativity, whether it be a great movie, or book I read, and also singing Karaoke, and just keeping myself in performer-mode.  I'm not sure how many people actually read my Karaoke blogs (maybe my Mom...Hi Mom!) but I'm going to try to switch the Karaoke blog format up so that it's more interesting (hopefully) and just less to read.  At the very least, if anyone out there is reading these Karaoke blogs, I hope you go out and Karaoke, and I can give you some ideas for songs, or give you the confidence to try new songs when you're singing, and to have fun with it!  If there are any suggestions you have for me, I am more than open to hearing them!*

Thanks for reading and joining me on this journey :)

Playing Esmerelda for 'The Princess Luau'

Creating Arts Company presented 'The Princess Luau' at the end of July at The Miles Playhouse.  It was a quick rehearsal period and I was working on most of our rehearsal nights so I just had one day with the entire cast until our dress rehearsal the night before the show.  Thankfully, there was a lot we could do on our own and we had learned our blocking and most of the choreography on our first rehearsal and a lot of the show could be improv and interacting with the children.

My Esmerelda Costume :)

This was my second 'Princess Show' with Creating Arts and it was a smaller cast but bigger venue.  I was playing Esmerelda from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' and even though I wasn't as recognizable as the other Princesses, as soon as I talked to the children, they had said they'd go home and watch the movie, or that I became their favorite.  Even if that wasn't true, I did appreciate their honesty and little girls (and some little boys) just love the Princesses no matter what!

Most of the songs were Tropical themed, like 'Surfing Safari,' 'Tiki Tiki Tiki Room,' 'Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride,' 'Aloha Oe,' and we all had solos throughout the show.  We had 10 songs to learn plus some Hawaiian so it was definitely a quick turn-around to be prepped and ready in less than a week!  Since there were only six of us we really needed to bring the energy and by the time we were done I know we had made the kids' day.  Because we interact with the children throughout the show, entering from the house, or getting up into the seats when we're singing and encouraging the kids to come down and dance and sing with us, the energy is through the roof!  I'm sure they nap really well when they get home too...nice idea Mom's & Dad's!  As soon as we give them free reign to come down and dance, they all take advantage of it, hugging all of us, talking to us, and singing along.  It's amazing to see them so excited to just be a part of the show.  Of course, as soon as the show is over it's literally a mad house of kids wanting to talk about our characters, what we like to do, (Esmerelda loves to dance, and enjoys eating in cafe's all over Paris), and I actually got to sing a bunch of autographs!

It's amazing how quickly that hour goes by while we're performing and before we know it, we're done.  We had two shows, just one each on Saturday and Sunday.  I've definitely started to recognize children and parents who are repeat guests of Creating Arts and I really love that.  There's still one girl out there who recognizes me from when I was The Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz.  It blows my mind how smart these little ones are and how special they make you feel!  I've said it before and I'm going to continue saying it, when a child runs up to hug you and just grabs you with everything they have, it literally takes my breath away and there is no possible way to stop smiling after that happens!

Aloha from Elsa, Rapunzel, Esmerelda, Belle, Anna, and Jasmine!

I'm really looking forward to our next Princess Show which will be at the end of August, this time with the Princes, and hopefully I'll get to play a different character!  Now, I couldn't end this blog without saying Aloha...buh bye ;)

Ribbed Tee Commercial Shoot

You never know who you're going to meet:  Whether it be out at Brunch, working in a bar, having cocktails at Happy Hour, or grocery shopping.  This story begins about four years ago when I was Bartending at Cabo Cantina and I had a nice little conversation about food and acting with two friendly guys, Matt & JP, who later added me on Facebook.  Flash forward to a couple weeks ago when Matt had asked if I could help him out with a commercial shoot he was doing because his actress had to back out at the last minute.  It sounded like a really fun project so I was in!

You get the idea...

Matt currently has his own production company that produces Demo Reels and is also starring in the Web Series, 'Platonic.'  He was directing the Commercial we were shooting for Ribbed Tee, an undershirt you actually want to wear.  I don't want to give away the concept of the commercial but we'll just say it's the end of the night, the guy has brought his girlfriend home, and it's nearly bedtime...  We also shot an alternate commercial ending which I think the crew really loved as we all were laughing.

This was my first time shooting on a RED Camera and the footage looked absolutely beautiful.  Matt was a great director, and the entire crew was super efficient!  Yes, standing around in your underwear in front of the crew might have been a little uncomfortable but when I'm quoting 'Friends' (Pants off, Bing! Didn't see ya there, Gellar!) I was hoping I was making everyone a little bit more relaxed, at least myself.  My co-star Eamon, was awesome, and we just laughed and talked sports for most of the day and in-between takes.  The owner of Ribbed Tee, Mikel, was so friendly, and I was very happy to get to take home some of the T-shirts because they are so soft and comfy!

Mikel, Matt, Eamon, and our DP, Aric...that's a wrap!

Hopefully, the commercial will be finished in the next couple of weeks and I'll be able to share it soon :)

Find the T-shirts here: Ribbed Tee

Matt's Demo Reel Company: Ready DemoLA on Facebook