Thanksgiving Karaoke & Friendsgiving

With Thanksgiving being this past week I decided to group together our Pre-Thanksgiving Karaoke with Friendsgiving on Thursday!  Let's start off with Karaoke on Wednesday...

Bon Jovi "Shot Through The Heart"

No Doubt "Don't Speak"

Celine Dion "Power Of Love"

Journey "Separate Ways"

This past week we had Pre-Thanksgiving Karaoke so I had people sing songs or artists that they were thankful for.  We had a big crew of people come through so it was a super busy night!  I'm thankful for Bon Jovi, a band I remember hearing as a young girl while I would have sleepovers with my best friend in grade school, and for seeing them perform Live on 'The Ellen Show' years ago with my roommate, Ashley.  I'm thankful for No Doubt as they were the first alternative band I listened to, introduced to them by my brother, I remember many Summers skateboarding and rollerblading in the driveway to their music.  I'm certainly thankful for Celine Dion, a powerhouse, and one of the first Karaoke tapes I had, that I started singing to when I was younger.  My new song that night, "Power Of Love" was the first song I had heard of hers.  I always loved Journey, but I truly fell in love with their music when I was at a Summer picnic in Wisconsin and listening to a Cover Band play all genre's of music.  The female member took the lead on 'Separate Ways' and it's been one of my favorite songs ever since.  It gave me the confidence to sing songs by male artists and try music I would have never sang before.  It was a really fun night of great music, thankful friends, and celebrations.

For Friendsgiving this year I went over to Jamie's for a fabulous Foodie meal!  I had made fresh Cranberry sauce flavored with Orange and Bourbon.  I'll get the recipe up here on my blog just in case anyone wants to try it for the Holidays!  I also did my Crock Pot Lava Cake which was perfect and molten.  There were appetizers, a salad course, your traditional Thanksgiving food: Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Green Beans, etc with a fabulous spin to all of it.  Everything was amazing and each course was paired with wine and was so delicious.  We all watched Football and also played some "Taboo" as well.  Of course, Thanksgiving isn't complete without watching a Christmas movie so 'Home Alone' it was!  With all the food, I knew I was going to have a Thanksgiving feast a couple more times before the weekend was over :)

Heading over to Jamie's for Friendsgiving, Jamie and a delicious Goat Cheese and Crostini, Lily working on the Green Beans, a full plate of Thanksgiving food, Ben working on a drum stick under Edward's watchful eye, and this gorgeous red that was smooth and had lovely cherry notes...Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is definitely my favorite Holiday...it's about spending time with family and friends, eating incredible food (make that a lot of incredible food), watching Football all day, and being thankful for everything in your life and what's yet to come.  I wrote this blog two years ago and it's still spot on and a fabulous reminder of everything I have to be thankful and happy for: http://lyndseywegner.blogspot.com/2013/11/happy-thanksgiving.html  What's your favorite part of Thanksgiving?  Do you have a specific food or tradition you do every year?   I'm certainly thankful for all of my readers...I appreciate your support and love!  Happy Holidays!

November Karaoke

It feels like November just flew by and that it was just Halloween and now it's almost Christmas!  Karaoke has been a little slower this month except when my family was visiting me and then last week when we all celebrated Pre-Thanksgiving (but I saved last week's Karaoke for the next blog).  It was a really fun month of Karaoke!

Pat Benatar "Invinceable"

Michael Jackson "The Way You Make Me Feel"

Tracy Chapman "Give Me One Reason"

Fleetwood Mac "Go Your Own Way"

10,000 Maniacs "Because The Night"

Bread "Make It With You"

Eric Clapton "Layla"

Linda Ronstadt "Just One Look"

Meatloaf "Paradise By The Dashboard Light"

Starship "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"

The Verve "Bittersweet Symphony"

Bill Withers "Ain't Not Sunshine"

3 Doors Down "Here Without You"

Staind "Right Here Waiting"

Fiona Apple "Criminal"

Richard Marx "Right Here Waiting"

Roxette "Listen To Your Heart"

Shania Twain "Still The One"

Les Miserables "I Dreamed a Dream"

How cute is my Dad getting
ready to sing Karaoke!

My whole family was in town visiting from Wisconsin that first week in November.  In fact, I even got my Dad to sing that night; he sang Alice Cooper's "Ballad of Dwight Fry" and that's the first time he's sang on his own at Karaoke (might even be his first time ever).  My voice was going out and I was trying to protect it for our final show that weekend of 'Thenardier's Inn' but I was able to sing my new song "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac on request by my Mom and Dad.  I also did Pat Benatar for my Mom and 10,000 Maniacs for them as well.  The second week was really slow but Jamie and Nick came in so it kept us all occupied for a little while.  I sang a duet with Marcus first, "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" and it went far better this time than it did when we first did it a few years ago.  I also sang "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship with Nick and I think that was the first time I sang it.  It's such a great 80's song and reminds me of the movie it was in, 'Mannequin' with Andrew McCarthy & Kim Cattrall.  I did a variety of songs that night including my new song, "Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve.  That was really difficult and I'll have to find a new key for the next time I try it but that's the point of trying new songs, finding what works and what doesn't.  The next week we started off with a Staind super-set  with the help of Marty to start off the night.  My new song was "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx, another fantastic song and it was perfect for my voice.  I also sang Shania Twain "Still The One" which I performed in a talent contest about 15 years ago!  Jamie and I closed out the night with songs from 'Les Miserables,' since it had been a fairly quiet and chill night of good music.

It tends to get slower in November and December with a few busy shifts as I try to get the Thanksgiving theme and then the Christmas and Holiday music theme in December before I head back to Wisconsin.   We'll be doing our Christmas Karaoke on December 16th so get your songs ready now and get into the Holiday spirit!

'This Isn't Funny' Movie Premiere

'This Isn't Funny' Premiere

Earlier this month, the Hosts at Afterbuzz were invited to the movie premiere for 'This Isn't Funny' which was produced by Maria Menounos & Keven Undergaro, our Afterbuzz TV Founders, along with some other very talented people.  One of the taglines was 'Meeting the right person at the wrong time can be the best thing for you.'  I knew it was an Indie Comedy and looked fun and quirky so Katie (my 'Supernatural' Co-Host for the past two years) and I decided to attend the premiere!

Katie & I before the movie!

It was so cold that day and it was raining in LA but we bared that chilly Fall day and met up at the Crest Theater in Westwood for a few quick photos on the red carpet and then made our way into the theater.  'This Isn't Funny' was also directed by the main Actor, Paul Ashton, and the other main Actress, Katie Page, and they had also written the screenplay.  There were a few comedians in it as well as some recognizable actors, Mimi Rogers, Anthony LaPaglia, and Danielle Panabaker.  

It felt like the movie flew by...and before we knew it, I had laughed, felt some really heart-felt moments, cried, an open-ended semi-happy ending and then it was over.  It was super funny, quickly-paced, touching and something that most people can relate to, and was honest.  Paul and Katie had fabulous on-screen chemistry which made sense when we realized they were actually dating in real-life.  They are an adorable couple and have a fantastic movie on their hands.  You can actually buy it on iTunes now: This Isn't Funny on iTunes but I am so glad I was able to see it in the theater!  It stayed in the theater for a week and I really hope it did well, the cast and crew truly deserve it.

Not only was it a fun night out supporting our Afterbuzz family, Katie and I got to hang out together (finally) and see a great movie.  I'm so appreciative of all the opportunities Afterbuzz has brought my way and look forward to all the awesome events in the future :)

Party on Wayne! Party on Garth! Happy Halloween :)

This year for Halloween I had picked out my costume a couple weeks earlier since I knew I was going to a 90's Themed Halloween Party!  Thankfully, Rachel decided to be the Garth to my Wayne from 'Wayne's World' and we were all set.  Excellent :)

Wayne & Garth

Neil and Chris have their Annual Halloween Bash and spare no expense...the house is decorated with spider webs, pumpkins, Halloween posters and more.  There are libations of every shape and kind, some snacks, a killer play-list (90's music this year with some Halloween favorites - you have to groove to "Get Down Goblin") and everyone is dressed in costume or they don't gain access to the party.  This year I made my Salsa (Healthy Salsa Recipe) along with some Cupcakes and also came up with a Shot that we called Sangria De La Muerte or Blood of the Dead.  It was similar to a Margarita with a little Strawberry and then Grenadine to create the blood.  Both the Salsa and Shot were a hit!

Party on Friends!

Rachel and I had a blast playing Wayne & Garth, using some of of our favorite lines from the movie, which we had watched the week before as a little refresher course for the costumes.  'We're not worthy!'  'Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?'  'Schwing!'  All night longSamantha came as Rachel from 'Friends' and was the perfect blonde Rachel.  Jamie was 90's Catwoman, aka the Michelle Pfeiffer era, and was sensational!  The costume fit her like a glove and she rocked it!  There was a Buffy & Angel from 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer,' dead Jack Dawson from 'Titanic,' (seriously incredible make-up skills) Poison Ivy also from 'Batman' and the two lovelies who created post it's, that would be Romy & Michelle (totally great and random costume idea)!  I knew we'd see some people from 'Clueless,' there was Mike Ditka, a little 'Terminator' action, Chris was Jeff Jeffries from 'Rear Window' and Neil was Marilyn Manson from three different time frames, changing costumes, wigs, and make-up.  It was by far the quickest I've ever done anyone's costume make-up so thankfully he had some photos for reference.  And of course Neil had three costumes...it wouldn't be Halloween if he didn't!

It was nice to hang out with my friends all together, take pictures of everyone throughout the night, serve up the House Shot to all the new arrivals (seconds and thirds for some of us), make some new friends, and celebrate Halloween 90's style!  Party on Wayne!  Party on Garth! 

Catwoman, Rachel, Ditka, Garth & Wayne
Ditka, Jeff Jeffries, Marilyn Manson, and Benny Mardones

Well, that just about wraps us up...see ya next year and Happy Halloween :)

Halloween Karaoke at Gabe's

Bring back the 90's!  We always celebrate Halloween at Gabe's with costumes and fun, at least my friends and I do.  This year's theme was 90's musician's and artists, and in all actuality, we welcome anyone coming in costume to the bar, especially when we're still a couple days away from Halloween!

I decided to go as Paula Abdul who broke out in the late 80's and early 90's.  'Forever Your Girl' was my personal theme, tights, pumps, leather jacket, and crop top.  I was actually pretty proud of my look and just slightly changed it up for a couple of the songs that I did.  Jamie had come as Alanis Morisette doing her 'Ironic' hairstyle and 90's flair.  Rachel came as Lady Gaga, and she served a healthy dose of her Poker Face in that amazing costume!  Neil had dressed as Billy Corgan, channeling his 'Zero' days and then swapped to 2Pac but might have been mistaken for Sir Ben Kingsley or Edward Norton in "American History X."  We also had a couple other costumes, Steve Jobs, Charlize Theron's character from "Mad Max," and then got some people into the theme of singing some great 90's music.

Costumes for Halloween Karaoke at Gabe's!

My songs for the night were 'Opposites Attract,' 'Cold-Hearted Snake,' 'Straight Up,' and my new song was 'Rush, Rush.'  It was nice that everyone knew all her songs and got my Paula vibe.  Neil stuck to the Smashing Pumpkins doing some of their hits including 'Everasting Gaze' which I had never heard before but yet again, another great Pumpkins rock song.  Jamie and Rachel both sang in their artists book but then stepped out and did some other songs as well.

Overall, it ended up being a pretty busy Wednesday night, and I think we all got more excited that Halloween was just a couple days away.  It was a great beginning to the Halloween festivities and got us in the mood for the party we all were going to that weekend!  I hope everyone else had a really fun Halloween as well and I apologize for the late post :)

Thenardier's Inn...One Day More!

We made it through another extension of 'Thenardier's Inn - A Les Miserables Cabaret' and it was such a fun run!  We had plenty of time for rehearsals to prepare for the show with a mostly new cast and it certainly paid off.  The show was sold out every week and we barely had any space left for our closing show this past Saturday!  Thankfully, Three Clubs (the venue of our show in Hollywood) was happy to have us and we loved filling the space and sharing our hard work and 'Thenardier's Inn' with new audience goers as well as repeat guests!

Double the Trouble, Master & Madame of the House!

It was such a blast to play Madame Thenardier for this run!  She's a wild and fun character and with Nathan as the Master of the House, I couldn't imagine playing the role opposite anyone else.  The relationship we have built through rehearsals, the show and more translates on-stage and I feel like I'm working with a best friend.  It's a really great feeling and since we have to be a team, that playfully picks on one another, steals things during the show, and feeds off the audience to tell the story, I'm proud to get to work beside him!  We did our first show together 'Babes In Toyland' nearly two years ago!

The rest of the cast that stepped into new roles really impressed me, as I've been a part of the show for over a year now and we've had some fabulous cast members.  Everyone brought a fresh perspective to their roles and also brought the humor.  It's the same show but with little tweaks here and there that brought new life into something that was fabulously magical to begin with!  Michael took over as Director and lead us into a creative environment where we could play.  He as able to keep all the parts that have worked over this past year and also give the audience some new discoveries.  Thanks to our Improv, the show changes and evolves every time and we find out what works and get to keep the audience on their toes. 

I have all the emotions and colors of the rainbow :)

After one of our best shows ever on Saturday night we were all excited to announce that we'll be going into our seventh extension in November!  I will be playing Madame Thenardier for one more day, on November 7th which is also the One Year Anniversary of the show.    I can't believe we've been doing this for a year!  We have some old cast members that will be joining us for this show, as well as filling the audience with family and friends.  My parents and brother will be in LA for the week so I'm so glad that they'll be able to see me perform as Madame Thenardier (especially my Dad and Brother) since they haven't seen me in a Theater show since I was in College!

These tickets will sell out by the end of this week because it's such a monumental show for all of us.  You can purchase tickets at www.cacstudios.com using the Promo Code: NOTLESMIS for 50% off tickets or if we're sold-out there you can go to www.goldstar.com for discounted tickets as well.  Since it is our Anniversary Show and we're inviting all the CAC Studio/Theater Company Members it's going to be an incredible show and tickets will go fast, so if you want to see me one last time as Madame Thenardier, check out the above listed websites and get your ticket for November 7th!  I can't wait to share this with you <3

Our Current 'Thenardier's Inn' Cast...I love being your Madame!

"Can't we just do this forever?" ~ My words at Intermission during our first show on November 7th 2014...and we are!

October Karaoke

I'm writing my October Karaoke Blog early since this Wednesday we'll be celebrating Halloween!  I was actually really surprised at how chill October has been; aside from Adam's Birthday celebration it was fairly quiet throughout this month.  Perhaps everyone is back in school and actually doing homework or maybe, just maybe, they've been gearing up for Halloween!

Fleetwood Mac "Dreams"

Joan Jett "I Love Rock & Roll"

Fleetwood Mac "Gold Dust Woman"

Joan Jett "I Hate Myself For Loving You"

Fleetwood Mac "Landslide"

Fleetwood Mac "The Chain"

Natalie Merchant "Wonder"

Duffy "Mercy"

Danity Kane "Damaged"

Mandy Moore "Candy"

Shania Twain "Any Man Of Mine"

John Waite "Missing You"

Quarterflash "Harden My Heart"

Bryan Adams "Summer Of '69"

Dishwalla "Counting Blue Cars"

Tracy Chapman "Give Me One Reason"

David Cook "Light On"

Mandy Moore "I Wanna Be With You"

Gwyneth Paltrow & Huey Lewis "Cruisin'"

I only had two repeats from last month of Karaoke to this month.  My first week was Audition prep for Stevie Nicks and Joan Jett so I sang all my favorite songs by each artist.  My new song that night was "Landslide" which I'll definitely sing again.  I had some back-up for "The Chain" and wish Crosby could have been at my Audition with me because we rocked that song!  I tried to keep with my one word titled theme in week two singing some of my favorites, but closed out with Country since Rachel also sang Shania Twain.  My new song was "Damaged" by Danity Kane and one I would need a couple extra singers to join me on since it's a Girl Band song.  We did have a busier night since people came to celebrate Adam's Birthday so that was nice because last week was just dead.  I got to sing some of my guilty pleasures since there was no one there.  My new song was David Cook's "Light On" which really works well for my voice; it's one of my favorite songs and since I had just seen David play at The Troubadour a couple weeks ago, I felt it fitting.  Philipe and I closed down the night with "Cruisin'" and was happy to join him on a song since his group were the only people in the bar from midnight until we shut down before 1 am. 

I'm looking forward to a fun and crazy night of music on Wednesday for Halloween Karaoke! There is a 90's theme but feel free to dress as any musical artist, band, or musician you like.  I just want to see people in costumes and having fun!  Karaoke starts at 9 pm at Gabe's...be there or be square :) 

David Cook at The Troubadour

I can tell you exactly where I was when I first heard David Cook sing.  I was in Newport Beach doing a photo shoot and my friend JB lived down there so we had just gone out to grab Dinner and catch up before I headed back to LA.  We walked into his place and his roommate had American Idol on and I heard this incredible voice coming from the TV and I had them rewind and play it again.  David Cook was singing 'Hello' and I was hooked!  I watched the rest of the season just for him because I knew he should win.  His original takes on all these songs was so innovative and I knew he had a long career ahead of him.  Of course, he did win, has had multiple albums released and I saw that he was playing a show at The Troubadour this past Sunday so I immediately bought tickets to see him play.

David Cook at The Troubadour in West Hollywood

Rachel had heard of David Cook but didn't really know his music so I was hoping she would enjoy it as much as I knew that I would!  We had a fabulous Happy Hour at Toscanova beforehand and then made our way to The Troubadour.  We found FREE parking across the street and as we walked up to the venue I turned to Rachel and said, 'we're going to meet David Cook tonight, I just know it.'

I had never been to The Troubadour before but Rachel had seen a show so she knew it was a smaller and more intimate venue.  I realized when we walked in how close we would actually be to him while he was singing and was like a giddy little girl opening my first Christmas present years ago.  We saw the opener, Andrew Ripp, performing a couple songs including one dedicated to his wife, who was all the way in Minnesota and then it was time for David's set.  We made our way closer to the stage, just about 10 feet from the microphone that was set up and waited for David to take the stage.

Personalized autographed copies of 'Digital Vein'

At about 9 pm, David walked to the stage to the screams of lots of women and also a few men.  Not only is he talented but as he talked in-between songs to pump the crowd up, he shared cute stories, engaged the audience, and made all of us laugh.  He just released his new album 'Digital Vein' and I had listened to a bunch of his music before the show so I could re-familiarize myself with it.  He opened with 'Heartbeat' which is the opening song on the album and one of my favorites.  By the time he got to 'Broken Windows' and 'Wait For Me' I knew I needed to get the album.  Next up was one of my favorites, 'Declaration,' and another off his new album,' Laying Me Low' which I absolutely loved.  I asked Rachel what she thought and could see she was enjoying it just as much as I was...success!  She recognized 'Come Back To Me' right away and I was so glad that he played his cover of Chris Isaak's, 'Wicked Game,' because it was beautiful.  'Kiss & Tell' was another upbeat and fun song and at some point during the beginning of the set, he threw one of his picks at us and Rachel scooped it up and gave it to me!  YAY!  He had to play his new single 'Criminals' which I really liked as well as 'Light On,' which was his first major hit after American Idol.  David started acapella and then just as the song kicked in, he played his guitar, and then the entire band joined in.  Not only is he a talented singer but also a skilled guitarist.  He played for almost 90 minutes and it went by so quickly I wanted to hear more!

Rachel and I with David after the show...dream come true!!

After the show I asked one of the security guys if we could wait for David since I had the pick and was hoping he would sign that or a CD that I had brought with me and he said if we waited out back that would be fine.  We walked behind the venue and were shortly joined by two other people and waited there for about an hour before we saw David come out of nowhere and he politely asked us if we could wait just a little bit longer but that he would be out soon.  I saw why when he was helping his entire crew break down the stage and pack all of their equipment up.  During that hour we actually talked to the opener, Andrew Ripp for a little bit, got a picture with him, and saw that he was heading out to a party with Andy Grammar (although we didn't figure out it was him until later).  Luckily, we only had to wait another half hour and David came right up to us and we got our chance.  Another security guy came out and had given Rachel the new album and I had bought one since I was hoping David would sign it, and sure enough he did, even asking how to spell my name.  We chatted for a little bit, as he was left-handed (like me) and I complimented him on his acapella version of 'Light On' as he replied that he had laryngitis but was appreciative of the comment.  There was no laryngitis to be seen or heard from him as he sounded like perfection!  We then got hugs and pictures and as we walked back through the alley towards my car I collapsed on the ground in utter disbelief that all these events just really happened!  I was elated to get to meet my favorite American Idol!

Needless to say, I've been listening to the new album non-stop and have found some more new songs that I love!  I would definitely see him again and think he's a great performer that anyone who loves rock and roll should absolutely check out :)

September Karaoke

September was definitely a more quiet month, even though I had a lot of friends come in to visit before I left for Wisconsin or come and hang out as soon as I got back.  It meant that everyone got to sing a lot and there were some celebrations and fun!

Amy Grant "Baby Baby"

The Ronettes "Be My Baby"

Whitney Houston "I'm Your Baby Tonight"

Mariah Carey "Always Be My Baby"

The Supremes "Baby Love"

Fleetwood Mac "Dreams"

Natalie Imbruglia "Torn"

Pink "Try"

Jennifer Paige "Crush"

Kelly Clarkson "Low"

3 Doors Down "Kryptonite"

Alicia Keyes "Fallin'"

N'SYNC "Gone"

Alanis Morissette "Ironic

The Police "Every Breath You Take"

Cyndi Lauper "Time After Time"

Whitney Houston "Run To You"

Ace of Base "All That She Wants"

Everclear "Santa Monica"

Carrie Underwood "Cowboy Casanova"

The Supremes "Baby Love"

Gwyneth Paltrow & Huey Lewis "Cruisin'"

Seether & Amy Lee "Broken"

Pat Benatar "Promises In The Dark"

Billy Idol "Rebel Yell" 

The first two weeks at Karaoke I set a little theme and everyone got really into it during the first week.  That first week, you picked a word, and it had to be in the title of all of your songs.  Adam ended up using the word 'my' but challenged himself by singing 'My Heart Will Go On' and surprising us all.  Giana used 'woman' so she sang "American Woman" by Lenny Kravitz, another super fun song and something new for her!  My word was 'baby' and my new song was Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby" which I sang at an acoustic live show a couple years back in a super-set of songs.  It was much easier doing it acoustically!  The second weeks theme for myself after singing a couple songs ended up with me choosing songs that only had one word in the title.  I sang Whitney Houston twice this month including my new song that third week which was "Run To You."  I was actually really happy with how well I did although when I took voice lessons years ago that was the first song I worked on so I had a little history with it ;)  My new song the second week was "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down, and I love that all of their songs are right in my range.  That third week and fourth week were really busy so I didn't sing much in the third week and once it cleared out in the last shift I worked in September I ended up singing a couple duets.  Marcus and I did "Cruisin,'" which is one of my favorite duets, and one that Mikey Weiss and I will sing on-stage at some point in front of a crowd of people (I just know it!)  And I also sang "Broken" with Crosby, another great song, and one I forget about!  My new song that week was "Santa Monica" by Everclear; they had a few hits in the 90's but it wasn't my favorite song to sing, although I'd try doing some of their other music and see how it goes.

There were a lot of songs added to my history and also some new friends coming into Gabe's for the first time!  I wasn't able to work that last Wednesday in September because I was at my Preview Night for 'Thenardier's Inn - A Les Miserables Cabaret' but now I'm even more excited to be back this Wednesday for Adam's Birthday Celebration!  Let the good times roll :D

You can call me Madame Thenardier...

It's been nearly a year since I auditioned to be in 'Thenardier's Inn - A Les Miserables Cabaret' and little did we know our fabulous show would still be running a year later!  From extensions at CAC Studios, where it all began, to being a part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, WINNING the 'Best Cabaret & Variety' at the Festival, having another extension at 3 Clubs, to bringing in a mostly new cast to our sixth extension, once again, back at 3 Clubs!

We are opening this Saturday and running for four weeks on the 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th at 8 pm!  Doors open at 7 pm and trust me, you don't want to be late to this one ;)

If you want to laugh, cry, drink heavily, and anything in-between, this is the show for you!  I'll be playing Madame Thenardier, and you'll want to watch your purses and wallets around me, and I can't promise to keep my hands to myself, but you can bet that I'll be making fun of my husband, making you drink more, and having a grand old time!

Tickets are available at: www.cacstudios.com and go ahead and use the promo code NOTLESMIS for up to 50% off tickets.  Tickets are going fast so jump on it and check out our wonderful story that will be sure to melt your heart <3

Wisconsin Wedding (Part 1)

I had a really wonderful trip back to Wisconsin a couple weeks ago!  Just a few days before I headed back home, it was hotter in Wisconsin than it was in California but the weather decided to change as soon as I landed and it was definitely Fall back home!  I was able to spend a week with my family, celebrating my cousin Matty and his wife, Becky's Wedding, and just relaxing for a few days. 

The adventure started at LAX on my way back to Wisconsin.  I'm deathly afraid of birds and sure enough a bird got into the airport and flew right onto my arm and scared me pretty good.  Thankfully, as soon as I got on the airplane, I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, listened to some 80's rock, and started looking over my script for 'Thenardier's Inn' since I'm now playing Madame Thenardier in the show!  I started working on my Cockney accent as well as memorizing my lines and songs during the flight; what a perfect way to spend the four hours on the plae.

Congrats Becky & Matty!

Once I landed in Milwaukee, Mom and Dad picked me up and we drove to Elkhart Lake to celebrate with my cousins, aunts and uncles, and Becky's family.  We went out to the Brown Bear, marveled at the expensive Elkhart Lake prices (compared to Plymouth) and all caught up and even got every one to try Hula Hooping!  It's been years since I've done it and I was really happy to see my Mom was really good at it too!  On Thursday it was the Rehearsal at the Church and then we all had a nice Dinner at Becky's family's house complete with a fabulous Italian meal!

Bobby got into Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon with his girlfriend, Melissa, and we all went to the Church in St. Cloud for the Wedding.  Becky's dress was so pretty and the back was beautiful.  Matty looked sharp, dressed in his Naval uniform and obviously so excited to see Becky coming down the aisle.  I loved the Bridesmaid dresses; they were a gorgeous shade of purple.  Monica did one of the readings and I did the petitions and we both felt very fortunate to be a part of Wedding ceremony.  The Reception took place in Elkhart Lake and I was finally able to have my first Old-Fashion of the trip.  Wisconsin is one of the few places I have my Old-Fashions because they are made the best back home :)  The best part of the Wedding (aside from my cousin Tyler's Best Man speech which was heart-warming, special, and hilarious) was all the dancing; even my little second cousins stayed and danced the night away.  Everyone was dancing and having a blast, it was so much fun!

Schamberger's, Wittkopp's, and Wegner's on the Dance Floor with the Groom!

Sunday started out a little slow for me after a night of family and whiskey but we did get to watch the first Packer game of the season which was nice to see at home.  A trip back home isn't complete without a Steak Dinner at St. Anne so we had to go there that night!  Later, we had a game night with my cousins and aunt and uncle and Monica, Tyler's fiance, asked me to be in her Wedding!  I gladly said yes and their Wedding and am thrilled to be a part of the festivities in July 2016.

Check out Part 2 below this!

Wisconsin Wedding (Part 2)

Back home in Wisconsin... 

Mom and Dad took off of work on Monday so we decided to spend the day in Green Bay.  Mom and I went to the Casino and I actually ended up winning a nice chunk of change.  After playing for a little while longer, I decided to walk away with my $180.  I don't have a problem, unlike someone I know :p Then we headed to the Packer's Hall of Fame right next to Lambeau Field.  It was really interesting to see footage from years ago with the coaches and players, and how the uniforms, shoes, and pads have changed throughout the years.  I've been a fan of the Packers since the mid 80's and it was great to see the improvements and hear the stories told by key players, important coaches, and staff over the years.  I did my best to try to find Aaron Rodgers but unfortunately, I was unsuccessful on this trip.  Alas, nothing can stop me...I'll find him soon!

I had decided to spend an extra day back home since I didn't have to Host at Afterbuzz so my Mom, aunt and I all went to the Exchange Bank Coffee House and sat in the vault, drinking our coffee, and eating the biggest piece of home-made Carrot Cake I've ever seen!  We all had Dinner that night with my Grandpa and then Mom, Dad, and I went to Pourvino to do a little Wine Tasting and play Spades.  Mom and I love the Little Black Dress Moscato and at this point it's tradition.  It was really nice to get spend an extra day with my Mom and Dad and do something special with them.

Of course, the time went by so quickly, and I'm glad I had that extra day which gave us a chance to go to Green Bay.  I was pretty busy with Wedding stuff when I got into town and it was nice to be able to spend a lot of time with my family during the trip.  Every time I go home, it makes me want to visit again!  Just less than a week flew by before I knew it and now I just have to wait a little over a month for my family to come out and visit me for a week in LA.

Miss everyone already!

Matty and Becky, your Wedding was beautiful; thanks to the Pollard's & Wittkopps for a wonderful Wedding week.  I'm so glad that I was able to relax with my family playing cards, having a game night, going out to Dinner, experiencing the Hall of Fame, seeing the first Packer game of the season, and just getting a break from everything in LA.  There's no place like home <3

LA Food & Wine Festival

I watch a lot of Cooking Shows and Culinary Competitions on TV, and I subscribe to Food & Wine, and Cooking Light, as I love Food, being in the kitchen, going out for Happy Hour and Dinners to try new restaurants around LA.  Watching my shows and reading my magazines, the LA Food & Wine Festival is always one of the topics of conversation.  So one of my dreams came true when Jamie took me as her guest to the Festival a couple Fridays ago!

Downtown LA at Sunset

The LA Food & Wine Fest took place in Downtown LA at the Walt Disney Hall with over 100 celebrity chefs, 250 wineries, DJ's and entertainment, and more!  There were so many different stops that there was no way we were even able to come close to hitting half of them.  It was literally food and wine overload.  I noticed a lot of the restaurants and tastings we did were pork heavy, and perhaps, that's just the places we stopped at, but it was everything from tacos, to pork belly, to sliders, and more.  My favorite bite we tried was the Shrimp Coconut Cake from Phorage.  I burned my mouth because I couldn't wait for it to cool down but it was so worth it!  In fact, this last week I went in search of that appetizer at Phorage here in Culver City but unfortunately it was just a specialty item for the Food & Wine Festival.  I'm hoping they make it a special one of these days at their restaurant and I can stop in for a little bite of heaven!  

Jamie & I at the LA Food & Wine Festival

Now onto the wine, these weren't your typical wines.  These were wines that had flavors I'd never tried before, more exotic, more exciting, different profiles, and everything was delicious.  Navigating the event with food in one hand and a glass in the other we had to stop at the Stella booth to get our plate that had a holder for your wine glass.  They were also handing out full glasses of Stella and I actually got a few new wine and beer glasses to add to my bar at home!   Jamie and I did a mini-vodka tasting at Infuse Vodka before we left the event and I was excited because we sell that brand of Vodka at Bar Lubitsch.  We covered as much ground as we could in the two hours we were there but I can totally understand why some people get an all-weekend pass so they can leisurely make their way around the whole Festival.

Overall, it was quite the experience, and something I'm so lucky to have been able to attend.  This was one of my dreams come true and now that I've been to my first Food & Wine Festival, I can't wait to go again.  And this time, I'll have a complete game plan so I can find my favorite restaurants and try more incredible food :)  Thank you Jamie! 

*I wish I had taken more photos of the food, but because our hands were full, it was hard to take pictures along the way.  Photos from the event can be seen on LA Food & Wine's Instagram profile at: https://instagram.com/lafoodwine/* 

August Karaoke

It was a really busy month of Karaoke at Gabe's in August!  I had lots of visitors from out of town, and friends who have been away for a few weeks, so it was nice to see everyone, hear their voices, and get to spend time with them!

Eric Clapton "Layla"

Roxette "The Look"

Jewel "Don't"

30 Seconds to Mars "The Kill"

Ozzy Osbourne & Lita Ford "If I Close My Eyes Forever"

Gnarles Barkley "Crazy"

Jason Mraz & Colbie Callait "Lucky"

Celine Dion "Because You Loved Me"

Les Miserables "I Dreamed A Dream"

Madonna "Like A Prayer"

The Carpenters "Superstar"

LeAnn Rimes "Right Kind Of Wrong"

En Vogue "Don't Let Go"

Heart "Secret"

Alannah Myles "Black Velvet"

Bryan Adams "Everything I Do, I Do It For You"

Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats"

No Doubt "Sunday Morning"

Savage Garden "I Want You"

Dolly Parton "Jolene"

Since my friend, Paul, was in town from Minnesota that first Wednesday in August, it was a night of rock music and big voices, so I opened with "Layla" and then had to show my softer side with "Don't" by Jewel.  My new song of the night was 30 Seconds to Mars "The Kill" which went surprisingly well since I fully committed to it and I also had a very supportive audience!  Paul and I had sang "If I Close My Eyes Forever" at Boardwalk 11 the last time he was in town but it was new for me at Gabe's and I was a little more prepared this time around.  It was great to see him, along with McCracken, who was in LA for a minute, all the way from North Carolina!  I opened the second week with my new song of the night, "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley, another choice I was very happy with, since it worked for my range.  There was even a 'Les Miserables' super-set with Rachel and Adam!  Since Jamie and I were going to see Heart at the Hollywood Bowl that next weekend, my new song of the night was "Secret."  It's one of my favorite Heart songs!  I also sang some songs that night I hadn't sang in a really long time, 'Superstar,' 'Don't Let Go,' and 'Black Velvet.'  We were incredibly busy the last Wednesday in August so I opened with some country, got the 90's pop/punk going, went straight pop with some fast talking for my new song, Savage Garden's "I Want You."  You definitely know it!  Then back to country to close out the night.

Lovelies with me at Gabe's for Karaoke :)

It was a really fun month of Karaoke and I got to add some music to my History and bring in a lot of new people to Karaoke!  Also, for the past month at Karaoke, I took a little break from drinking and have noticed a major change in my voice.  It's such an obvious thing, but in practicing it, I actually noticed how much easier it is to hit higher notes, and how my tone is clearer.  I love having a glass of wine at Dinner or while my girlfriends and I are watching 'The Bachelorette' so I don't want to stop doing that forever, but it's been nice to majorly cut down the drinking, and entirely during Karaoke.  Although, I'm sure the Chardonnay, Sambuca, and Gin really miss me ;)

School's back in session now that it's September so that means we'll be getting some newbies into Gabe's, and we've got shows opening for CAC Studios, so we'll be protecting our voices a little bit more.  That doesn't mean the fun stops though, so join us every Wednesday for exciting Karaoke and a grand time!

'After Paradise' Live Taping

As a fan of 'The Bachelor' and 'Bachelorette' on ABC, it's pretty impossible to not get sucked into their spin-off shows like 'Bachelor in Paradise' which is airing currently.  Thankfully, I have a group of girlfriends who are as excited as I am when a new episode airs and we all try to get together and discuss the show!  ABC created an Aftershow called 'After Paradise' which comes on right after the show and they usually bring guests of the show as well as celebrity super-fans.  Sound familiar?  We do the same thing at Afterbuzz TV so it's really cool that we are a part of this growing interest in the behind the scenes and insider information from all your favorite TV Shows and movies!

My friend, Thi, is a producer and she got us VIP Tickets for 'After Paradise' this past Monday.  We knew the new Bachelor was going to be announced and everyone had their favorite picked out but what we didn't know is that he would be in the studio!  After we screened the episode we were taken into the studio and got seats right across from the main area when Chris Harrison and his co-host, Jenny Mollen, sat with the guests.  Michelle Collins, one of the hosts from 'The View' was the super-fan and comedic relief, Joe Bailey, Dan Cox, and Juelia Kinney from 'Bachelor in Paradise' were the other guests.  There was a good teaser with Chris saying he was bringing the Bachelor in and the next thing we knew, Nick Viall, one of 'The Bachelorette's' favorite villains was sitting on the couch.  I couldn't believe it; I was shocked because we all thought Ben Higgins was going to be the new Bachelor.  Sure enough, it was a fake-out and after a quick interview with Nick, they introduced Ben to everyone's elated cheers!

From watching Caitlyn's season, Ben seems like a nice down-to-earth guy, hard-working, and ready to find love.  He said he's tried to maintain the same lifestyle he had before the show, working, going to Church on Sundays and spending time with family and friends.  After the confetti pop, the guests came back on-stage to congratulate Ben, and one of the executive producers waved us to go up as well.  There was no possible way he could really be motioning to us, but he was.  I jumped to my feet, and patiently waited my turn to congratulate Ben and give him a hug.  Just as he thanked Joe, he turned, genuinely looked at me and thanked me as he gave me a huge hug.  Thi also got to meet Ben and moments later we were all ushered out of the studio and back to reality.  

'After Paradise' Live Taping Guests, hugging the new Bachelor, Ben, and us gals at a commercial break!

It all happened so quickly but thanks to DVR, the gals and I watched the episode later that night, and the whole thing made it on the Aftershow!  You can even hear me say, 'I know you don't know me, but congratulations...oh my goodness.'  I think the last part was due to sheer shock.  The things we get to do living in LA, and this is one certainly thanks to Thi!  That's a day I'll never forget :)

'Hard Knocks' is back!

'Hard Knocks' is back and that means I'm Hosting at Afterbuzz TV with our Football fans, Christina, Stef, and new Host, Frank this season while we talk all about the Houston Texans!  J.J. Watt, originally from Wisconsin, went to school at UW-Madison is clearly the stand-out on the team but it's exciting to see new additions and other big players continuing to make plays during the pre-season and I think under the Coaching of Bill O'Brien, it's a strong team to contend with!

Hosting at Afterbuzz TV with Christina, Stef, and Frank for Week 1 of 'Hard Knocks'

The fact that we get to talk about Football for nearly an hour already excites me but when you add that insider perspective behind the scenes at training camp, you really reel me in!  With the addition of some awesome players and a very New England heavy team, including Coaches. I believe the Texans will make it to the play-offs this season.  Their schedule this season looks good and if their wide receivers and running backs come in confident, Hoyer will make contact, and lead his offensive team well.  He's got Cecil Shorts coming from Jacksonville, DeAndre Hopkins who is currently listed as their number one receiver while Freddy Blue is listed as their number one running back.  With the plays that Chris Polk was making during last week's pre-season game, I think he'll be coming in and potentially start depending on how well Blue does.  Jaelon Strong also showed promise as a Rookie wide receiver so we'll just have to see what happens in the upcoming weeks.  J.J. is always such a leader, and there's no doubt that their defense with Vince Wilfork, Brian Cushing, and Rahim Moore, their line is going to be massive, and I'm really liking Charles James at cornerback and jumping in at running back as well.  During the show we haven't seen too much of special teams so I'll be interested in seeing who will be taking that starting position returning punts!

I was able to Lead Host during Week Two of 'Hard Knocks' so that was very exciting since we just started doing a 'Hard Knocks' show at Afterbuzz last year.  I started watching Football with my Mom at a very young age, always cheering the Packers on, and my Mom put me on the Packers Season Ticket Waiting List when I was nine years old.  I'm still waiting and it seems like it's going to be quite some time before I even see an opportunity for those tickets.  I started Cheerleading and took camps in Middle School and was on our High School and then Winona State's Cheerleading Team all throughout college.  When you're a Cheerleader, you're literally right in the action so I got used to knowing what was going on and what each of the positions had to do in order to win or lose a game.  I miss being right on the sidelines when I go and see Football games nowadays.  

Week Two of 'Hard Knocks' coming to ya from Afterbuzz TV

Needless to say, I've been interested in Football ever since I was a little girl and getting to Host our 'Hard Knocks' Aftershow at Afterbuzz TV is a dream come true!  The perks of doing this show are the insights we get into the team as well as other teams.  Finding out who will be starting or playing back-up is very beneficial when I get ready to draft for my Fantasy Football Team.  I'll start doing Mock Drafts next week and figuring out where and when I can draft certain players and more than likely I'll pick up a Texan or two since I'm on the Houston train...or should I say, Wisconsinite Watt Train!

I'm looking forward to an exciting Football Season and all I can say is, Go Pack Go!  And Aaron Rodgers...you'll always be my favorite <3

'Real Housewives of New York' Finale at Afterbuzz!

Last Tuesday, the ladies and I Hosted the Season Finale of 'Real Housewives of New York City' at Afterbuzz TV.  Lucky for us we had Kristen Taekman back in our studio to discuss the episode.  We also had a special treat before the show, manicures using Kristen's POP of Color Nail Polish Line from POC Beauty!

POP of Color Mani's at Afterbuzz TV

We arrived a little earlier to the studio than normal so Jennie Lau from Cristophe Salon in Beverly Hills could do our nails.  Megan chose a gorgeous green color called Cash Money, Fern went with a bright beautiful red called The King and since I was wearing a royal blue dress, I decided on Blue Moon.  The last time we had Kristen in the studio, she had been wearing it, and I fell in love at that moment so I was excited to try it.  It's also the first time I've had a manicure in years; I really can't remember the last one I had so it has to be at least four years ago!  When Kristen got to the studio she was wearing a lovely shade of purple called Beach Please so we all had to take a photo of our POP of Color manicures!

We can all agree that this season of 'Real Housewives of New York' was pretty wild.  With the return of Bethenny, it's been an interesting season.  New friendships were formed and others broke, but we were all along for the ride and this week starts the next few episodes of the Reunion which will certainly be explosive!  We're hoping to have Kristen back in the studio but we'll have to wait and see.  She wanted to tell us so much last week but couldn't since it would be spoilers for the Reunion episodes. Thankfully, Tuesday night is right around the corner...

Special Guest Kristen Taekman joining us at Afterbuzz TV and a special thanks to Jennie Lau
for our Manicures before showtime!  AND my new nail polish colors I can't wait to try :)

Meanwhile, it was update time for my polish so I put to use my new colors, doing a little Blue Moon on my tootsies while my fingers are sporting a great Fall color called TGIF.  Could it be Thank Goodness It's Fall?  Either way, it was nice for a little pampering at Afterbuzz last Tuesday, getting to hang out with Kristen again, who is just a breath of fresh air, and discussing one of our favorite shows!  See ya next Tuesday Housewives fans :)

CUT in Beverly Hills

I can't believe I forgot to write about my incredible Birthday Meal with Kristina just over a month ago, and the last of my Birthday celebrations...at least, as far as I know ;)  She took me to Dinner at CUT in the Beverly Wilshire, which is where the movie, 'Pretty Woman' took place.  It was a dining experience and I love sharing these special moments with one of my best friends.

Dinner at CUT in Beverly Hills with Kristina!

We started the day off by the pool with a little champagne and some snacks!  Jamie joined us too and brought another bottle of Wine to go along with the Sparkling Wine I had ready and waiting for us.  It was a gorgeous day by the pool as we caught up and enjoyed the day.  Soon enough it was time to get all gussied up for Dinner and Kristina did my hair as we watched 'Pretty Woman' just to get re-accustomed to where we would be spending our evening dining.  Then, our Uber picked us up and we were off to CUT.

The meal kept going as we started with some delicious breads and ordered a fabulous bottle of wine after our Sommelier made some suggestions for us.  Since neither of us had tried Bone Marrow, we decided to be adventurous and order that.  It was served with a mushroom marmalade and parsley salad that you spread over toast.  Next up was the Summer Corn Salad, that was light and refreshing, perfect for Summer.  Kristina wanted to order the Porterhouse which was 34 ounces of steak, Filet and New York Strip, and delivered to us on the bone, and cut right in front of us.  Talk about the presentation!  We also got some Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and a Mushroom Medley.  The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and it was a meal that was an experience in itself.  The food just kept coming, and everything tasted so good.  They brought out a little dessert plate for my Birthday which was so sweet and also packed the rest of our food to go, including some extra bread since we loved it so much!  The service was impeccable!

Since we were in Beverly Hills we decided to stop by Bouchon to have a glass of Dessert Wine and get some of their perfect macaroons.  Then we hopped into an Uber and decided to stop by Gabe's for some Karaoke and shots...shots, shots, shots.  Thank goodness we were Ubering all night!  When it's a Birthday celebration, the shots just keep coming.

An amazing end to a fabulous Birthday Dinner :)

What an amazing day with Kristina and a Dinner I'll never forget!  I'm not quite sure we'll be able to top this one but I know we certainly won't stop trying.  Thank you Kristina...you're one of the best friends a girl could ask for and I love you <3

July Karaoke

July was a really busy month for Karaoke!  We had one week that was a little bit more quiet but most of the weeks we had lots of singers and lots of songs.  In fact, on the last Wednesday in July, Justin celebrated his Birthday at Gabe's, and he filled the room with friends, all dressed as someone or something with a 'J' theme, and the rotation was so long most people only got to sing once!  That's what I call a party!

*I have now written this blog twice and lost it both times trying to add a photo to it, so unfortunately, since I deleted the songs I sang from my list, I only have the new songs and a few others from the past month.  I guess that's technology for you :)  I'll try to add a photo in later after I've saved and posted it!*

Mandy Moore "Candy"

Ashlee Simpson "Lala"

Alanis Morrisette "Ironic"

The Eagles "Hotel California"

Oasis "Wonderwall"

Spice Girls "Say You Will Be There"

Dishwalla "Counting Blue Cars"

Blues Traveler "The Hook"

Kings of Leon "Sex On Fire"

Pat Benatar "Shadows Of The Night"

Pat Benatar "Treat Me Right"

Joan Jett "I Hate Myself For Loving You"

Joan Jett "Do You Wanna Touch"

Our first week in July was really busy as I only sang a couple songs that night and it was an all female song night for me.  My new one was Ashlee Simpson's "Lala" since I heard someone else sing "Pieces Of Me" also by her.  The following week I sang all 90's music except for my new song, which came from the 70's.  "Hotel California" is a very popular Karaoke song and I really liked singing it; it works well for my voice.  When I was heading to Gabe's that next week I heard Dishwalla's "Counting Blue Cars" and since I rarely hear that at Karaoke I thought I'd try that for my new song that evening.  It's definitely a song I'll sing again!  That night there was also a Spice Girls super-set and I closed with another fun song by Kings of Leon.  Since I had seen the 'Romeo & Juliet: Love Is A Battlefield' at Rockwell Table & Stage the previous Sunday before Karaoke on the 4th week in July I decided to sing "Shadows Of The Night."  I can't believe I hadn't sang that before!  It's such a great song (aside from the chorus repeating three or four times at the end which gets a little repetitive) and I love Pat Benatar!

The last Wednesday of the month was reserved to celebrate Justin's Birthday and there were lots of 'J' themes going on, like Jackelope's, Justin's Jurassic Park, Jasmine, Jewish Grandfather's, Jocks, JFK, the Joker, and more.  I decided to double up and do Joan Jett.  I had to sing my favorite Joan Jett song but my new song was "Do You Wanna Touch."  It's a fun rock song and I loved having Maya there to do a little back-up and dance with me :)  Justin and I also sang "Another Day" from 'Rent' and had the whole CAC Crew singing along with us...it was a great moment!

Costumes and Craziness for Justin's 'J' Themed Karaoke Birthday :)

It was a really busy month and sometimes I look forward to the more quiet nights when friends come in so they get the opportunity to sing more.  But I do love the vibe when we're busy and everyone is singing along to all the songs, cheering each other on, and enjoying the atmosphere!  Overall, it's nice to have a mix of the two kinds of nights throughout the month.  On to August!