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What I'm Watching

Friday, March 1, 2024

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A very long writers' strike, followed by a very long actors' strike, meant a very long while without any new TV shows. Agonizing, I know! When there was nothing new to watch, I turned to some older content, and now that things are starting to come back, I'm thrilled to be catching up on all things new.
 
I've dived right back into the entire Dick Wolf universe (all three Law & Order shows, plus Chicago Med and Chicago PD), the return of The Rookie, and the current season of The Bachelor (which is great). But I've added some new things to the mix, too! Here's what else I've been loving.

The Traitors
Is there anyone who isn't watching The Traitors at this point?! I'm not normally one for competition shows, but this one is just so fun. It brings together a supergroup of reality TV stars from various shows, all competing in a glorified game of Mafia in a Scottish castle. Oh, and the host is Alan Cumming, who wears lots of flowing capes and fanciful hats. (Peacock) 

S.W.A.T.
I've loved this one for a while, and I was so excited for it to come back, especially because it was very nearly unceremoniously axed amid the writers' strike. It's incredibly cheesy and unrealistic and probably poorly acted, but I'll be damned if the theme music doesn't hype me up every single time. Come for Shemar Moore's Hondo, stay for Street, Tan and Deacon. (Paramount+)

Will Trent
This show didn't particularly appeal to me, so I don't know why I started watching it, but I sure am glad I did. Ramon Rodriguez plays Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; his childhood friend and on-again/off-again love interest Angie Polaski is played by Erika Christensen (Swimfan!!!!!!!). (Hulu)
  
Six Feet Under
I'm not yet done with this one because I had to take a break for a bit (a little too serious for me!) but I'm really glad that I finally started this early 2000s hit about a family that runs a funeral home. One of the stars is Michael C. Hall, though, who I only know from Dexter, so I confess that I keep expecting sweet David Fisher to heinously murder someone... (Netflix)
  
My Life with the Walter Boys 
I expected to hate this cheesy show about country bumpkins, but when the first season ended, I was desperate for more. It's based on a YA book about Jackie, a teen who moves from NYC to a farm to live with family friends after her parents and sister die in a car accident. Once she arrives, she... falls in love with two of the family's teenage sons? I don't know, man, it was terrible and I loved it. (Netflix)
  
Boo, Bitch
I was thrilled to see Lana Condor in something new, and while this was a sort of absurd little show, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The premise is that two high school friends, Erika and Gia, find Erika's body... and surmise that she has died and become a ghost. She starts living her best high school life before she crosses over, and hijinks, of course, ensue. Ridiculous but fun. (Netflix)

Yellowjackets
I don't know when this macabre show is coming back, but I'll be waiting with bated breath. I've watched season one three times and am on my second rewatch of season two. When a private plane carrying a teen girls' soccer team crashes in the Canadian wilderness, they must do whatever they can to survive. It flashes back and forth between their 1990s storyline and the present day. (Showtime on Paramount+)

Masterchef
Mike wanted to watch Kitchen Nightmares, but it felt too mean for me, so this show (which I used to watch back in my New Hampshire days!) was our compromise. We started with the most recent season, then went back and watched three more; we didn't watch them all, but we accidentally spoiled a few. Honestly, I was sort of devastated to run out of seasons because this competition show for home cooks is just a joy to watch. (Hulu)
  
Next Level Chef
When we ran out of seasons of Masterchef, we started on this show, another from FOX that's also hosted by Gordon Ramsay, along with Richard Blais and Nyesha Arrington (both former Top Chef contestants). It's got an interesting premise: 15 chefs, 1 building, and three kitchens of varying levels of prestige. With each dish they make, they move up or down a level, to a better or worse kitchen. (Hulu)
 
Have you seen any of these shows? What are you watching? And what did you mist most during the strikes? Hit me with your best recs! 

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Dancing Wheels, the World-Renowned Dance Company Based Right Here in CLE

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

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Here's something you may not know about me: One of the issues nearest & dearest to my heart is that of disability rights advocacy.

In 2007, when I started my first job at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, one of the issues in my legislative portfolio was disability rights. I worked with the late Rabbi Lynne Landsberg, who became my friend & mentor, on passage of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which amended the Americans with Disabilities Act to better protect people with disabilities. One of the biggest honors of my life was to be on Capitol Hill the day that bill became law.

These days, I serve on my company's Disability Inclusion Committee, & I'm still involved in & passionate about disability inclusion. I was thrilled, then, when I was invited to attend a rehearsal of Dancing Wheels, an internationally renowned dance company based in Cleveland - started 38 years ago by one of the world's first professional wheelchair dancers.

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Treat Yo'Self: 10 Things I Bought for Myself This Holiday Season

Monday, December 28, 2015

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Yeah, yeah, so the holidays are all about giving to others. I love that part, & I have a tendency to go all-out buying gifts for friends & family, but I also can't resist buying a few gifts for myself along the way!

This year, I got all my shopping-for-others done early - like, by Thanksgiving - which meant my wallet was full come December... which meant that I treated myself to a little bit more than I should have. Even though I just told you about all the ways I'm trying to save money in the new year, I first had to blow a bunch of it on gifts to myself before 2015 comes to a close. Oops.

  1. Black Vanilla and Cinnamon Tea

    I ordered this Trader Joe's tea off Amazon after reading about it on San's blog, & while I now know that I paid 300% markup, I personally feel that, at only $7.35 a box, it was a worthwhile caffeine investment.
     

  2. Eucalyptus Spa Candles

    Funny story: I attended my boyfriend's Friendsgiving party & was smitten with the scent of the candle his roommate lit in the bathroom. While intoxicated, I searched for it online, bought two, & was surprised when they arrived at my door a few days later because I'd completely forgotten about buying them. They smell incredible.

  3. Robyn Rhodes Agate Spear Cuff

    I'm still a big fan of jewelry subscription service Rocksbox, & every month, they send me jewelry that tempts my wallet in the worst & most beautiful ways. I couldn't resist this gold & agate bracelet, which I snapped up almost as soon as it arrived in my mailbox. If you want to try Rockbox, you can still use my code heyescapistxoxo for a free month!
     

  4. Oversized Flannel Scarf

    Old Navy had a sale of, like, 70% off, so I scored a great cream & black scarf for $7 just before Thanksgiving. It's hardly left my fashion (uh, "fashion") rotation since.
     

  5. Glossybox Subscription

    We all know I love subscription boxes, & after I canceled my favorite one, I wanted to find another to fill the void. Enter Glossybox, which I got way back when it began in 2012. My first two boxes of 2015 were a little feh, so I again canceled the subscription, but it was fun while it lasted. Lots of new hand cream, I guess?
     

  6. Soma System Foam Roller

    I have a perpetually bum back, so the idea of a foam roller has always appealed to me as a way to get some pain relief without having to pay big bucks for a chiropractor (who probably wouldn't see me, anyway). I look like a crazy human worm, flailing & squirming around atop this thing, but it makes me whole body crack, so... worth it.
     

  7. 52 Lists

    I'm a longtime fan of creative entrepreneur Moorea Seal, who once redesigned this very blog & who now owns a successful online store as well as an adorable brick & mortar shop in Seattle. This beautifully illustrated journal, one of her most popular items, includes weekly list prompts designed to "help nurture self-expression & self-development."
     

  8. INC Ponte Pants

    This was less of a treat & more of a necessity, considering that these, from Macy's, are my all-time favorite pants & that both of the pairs I own have developed holes in the, erm, crotchal region. Still, it's a treat to get new clothes, period, & I look forward to the arrival of two comfy new pairs of pants that won't risk showing off my ladybits.
     

  9. 14k Gold Nose Ring

    I took my hoop out for a work event in November & then promptly lost it. While looking through pictures as I prepare for my year-in-review blog post, I realized just how much I miss it! This week, I took to Etsy to order a new one, hopefully of higher quality than the last (which quickly turned to silver). Am I getting too old for a facial piercing? If so, don't tell me.
     

  10. Tickets to Matilda and If/Then

    Did you know that Cleveland has the second largest theater district in the country, behind only New York City? Playhouse Square offers $10 "Smart Seats" for most of its shows, so on Christmas Eve, I impulsively snagged tickets to these two big-name productions. I'm taking my boyfriend to one & my best friend to the other... & I'm on the lookout for one to take my mom to!
What did you snag for yourself this holiday season? What's on your personal wishlist to buy soon? 
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Tell Me Jokes, Funny Man

Monday, April 1, 2013

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Like basically everyone else on Planet Earth, I like funny stuff, which is why Nathan & I bought tickets to see Aziz Ansari do standup last week at Count Basie Theatre in downtown Red Bank. I don't watch Parks & Recreation, & Nathan asked me not to watch any of his stuff on YouTube ahead of time lest I end up watching a live repeat of it, so I wasn't really sure what to expect of Aziz's sense of humor. Here are my thoughts:
  1. I've never understood why performers start shows with insults about the town or city they're visiting. Aziz's entrance sounded like so many I've heard before, growing up attending shows at Blossom Music Center, Cleveland's outdoor venue located in... beautiful Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The gist is always essentially, "Hey, podunk-dwellers! I've never been here before & I confess that I stepped directly from my bus into this amphitheater without actually experiencing any of the things your town may have to offer, but I'm famous & used to big-time cities, so I assume everything else sucks! Rather than endearing myself to you, my adoring fans, I'll begin the evening by talking shit about this place where I'm fortunate enough to be playing a sold-out show." But, you know, never in quite so many direct words.

    Aziz started like that - right down to admitting that he'd stepped directly from his bus into the amphitheater without actually experiencing any of the things our town has to offer. Aside from that...
  1. Aziz Ansari is funny. Really, really funny. I truly appreciate jokes about how bizarre marriage is, how undesirable children are, how great President Obama is, & how hysterical online dating can be.
  1. I do not, however, appreciate or find humor in jokes about child molestation. I understand that dark humor exists, & I often go that comedy route myself - but jokes about raping little kids just aren't the kind that get me laughing. I was honestly shocked by how many people in the audience guffawed through Aziz's bit about sexual abuse of anyone, much less minors. Needless to say, I was really relieved when that particular shtick came to an end & things could go back to being actually funny.
  1. Mid-show, a girl ran down the mezzanine stairs so quickly that Nathan & I turned to one another to look astounded and/or concerned. As soon as I looked away from her... WOOMP, THERE IT WAS. Girlfriend bit it down the last few stairs, just out of our line of sight. The whole section reacted with such shock that Aziz stopped performing to ask if everything was OK, but the girl slunk away such that no one could be sure whether she actually was.
  1. The middle-aged woman next to me, who was there alone, watched the entire show through binoculars, as though a brown comedian is a rare bird.
  1. This was our first time at Count Basie, despite the fact that it's a mere nine-minute walk, at max, from our apartment.
So, yeah, this was fun. And reminded me that I need to get out more often.
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Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

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Life dream: ACCOMPLISHED. Last night, my childhood best friend & I saw our favorite movie of all time come to life on stage. We paid an arm & a leg for our tickets, our transportation, our lodging - but when that curtain rose, there was no question that it was well worth every single penny & every bit of pre-trip planning stress. To see "NEWSIES" in lights on a Broadway marquee; to hear the first notes of "Santa Fe" played by a professional orchestra; to be two smiling, crying faces in a sea of hundreds of others who cheered so hard that the actors delayed their transitions between scenes to allow time for the whoops & hollers to die down.

The rumors you may have heard are true: The stage version is not the movie version. The beloved character of Denton, originally played by Bill Pullman, has been replaced by a strong fermale lead named Katharine, a reporter who also becomes the object of Jack's affections. Jack himself is no longer a cowboy but instead an artist, one who paints his Santa Fe dreams on canvas rather than stealing horses to act them out. David is bumbling & nerdy, a mere shadow of the smart, feisty movie character who stands up to Jack when he dares to cross the picket line for pay. A number of my favorite lines were cut, lines like, "For a dream night's the only time of day," and "I say that what you say is what I say." The grit is largely gone, Brooklyn reduced to a gimmicky musical number instead of slingshots & sass & Spot Conlon.

Still, I understand why they made most of the changes they did. I understand that the stage is not the screen, & certain accomodations need to be made in order to smoothly transition from one medium to another. Did it break my heart to hear new lyrics to "King of New York"? Of course. But does a modified stage adaptation at all dimish the magic of the movie I grew up on? Not at all. Seeing "Newsies" on a live stage, performed by real actors with voices bigger than Christian Bale could ever dream of, was magical in its own right - & seeing it with my best friend of nearly 20 years made it all the more special.

What's that you say? Oh, you want some pictures? Well, OK. If you insist.

Here were are as we left our hotel, all accidentally matching & me without a jacket despite the fact that the temperature quickly dropped to below 30.

Here we are the moment we spotted the "Newsies" marquee, tickets in hand as we waited to cross the threshhold into the Nederlander Theater, formerly home to "RENT."

Here we are sneaking a prohibited in-theater photo with our Playbills just before the lights went down & the curtain went up & we both burst into happy tears.

Here we are after the show, taking a myriad cheesy photos with the signs that plastered the show locale:

Here we are with Kara Lindsay, the young starlet who made her Broadway debut playing new character Katharine Plumber:

Here we are with Andrew Keenan-Bolger, who plays affable gimp Crutchy (and arguably the best of the cast), outside the theater after the show:

And here we are just a few hours ago, sporting the "Newsies" shirts that were among the many (absurdly expensive) souvenirs we bought at the show:

You get your picture in the papes, you're famous. You're famous, you get anything you want. That's what's so great about New York.
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J.E.W. - A Religious Experience

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

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A few months back, I bought tickets to see my favorite band of all time, Jimmy Eat World, play at the 9:30 Club here in D.C. I think that most people who value music, the ones who really consider it an inextricable part of their fiber, remember - nay, could never forget - which single band made them the way they are, which band got the ball rolling, which band changed their lives. My band is Jimmy Eat World.



When I was 17, my then-boyfriend Dave instructed me to open the glove compartment of his teal Tempo. Inside was a copy of Jimmy Eat World's "Bleed American" (renamed a self-titled album shortly after 9/11) with a Post-It on top: "J.E.W. for the Jew." I'd heard him talk about the band, most notably when our Spanish teacher asked him to describe to our class what "emo" meant, but I doubted I could dig a band with such an absurd name.

I was wrong.

Now, seven years later, I truly can't remember what I listened to before I knew Jimmy Eat World - &, in many ways, who I was. This music, & the music it became a gateway into, changed my life & my views & my emotions. And if it wasn't the music that did it, well, the music certainly came at a time when all of those things were changing so much that I needed something to cling to, to blame it on, to feel it through, and Jimmy Eat World became that band for me.

Tonight, Jimmy Eat World played the second night of its 10-stop "Clarity" anniversary tour, celebrating the 10th anniversary since the release of its best-selling album. They played the entire album straight through, no frills or interpretations, & topped it off with a few of their best songs from other albums. I stood about eight people deep from center stage, where Jim Adkins & the boys made "Clarity" into real-life musical magic. Seriously.


*so sue me, I videotaped sideways... damn.

I've been to a lot of concerts, but never one like that, a show that I felt throughout my entire body. It was like really good sex or playing a sport -- exhilarating, exhausting, emotional. I can't explain it, & I've already been cliche enough, but it really felt like being a part of something much bigger. I felt connected to the people standing around me, dancing & screaming out ten years of teen & former-teen angst, each conjuring up our own meaning & memories to the same notes & lyrics. I burst into spontaneous & uncharacteristic smiles when the crowd around me rocked out in unison particularly hard, like during "Sweetness." And because I'm a crier, I let the tears roll when it felt appropriate, especially during "Just Watch the Fireworks," Dave's song.



I am in awe.
For me, this was heaven.
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