A London theatre triple crown

Because I've been thinking to myself that I need to memorialize this forever, time for a throwback to last month's London trip! In between tiara-shopping and being chased by bloodthirsty swans, I spent a large part of my weekend alone in London hitting up the theater scene. When I studied abroad, I spent way too many nights (and way too much of my meager stipend!) at the theaters and opera houses and saw so many different performance genres, many for the first time. 2010 London introduced me to my first live opera through a class on the history of opera, to experimental plays, black box productions, and Shakespeare AT the Globe Theatre. Needless to say, going back with the funds to really do theater was heavenly. 

A short eight hours after landing and getting checked into my hotel, I headed to the London Coliseum for the English National Opera's production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute." I had previously seen their production of "Lucia di Lammermoor" in 2010, which they translated into English (much to my chagrin). The staging of "The Magic Flute," much like "Lucia," was sparse but innovative, making use of projections, a mobile, elevated raked platform, and a pit orchestra that performed as an extended part of the stage. Didn't hurt that my seats were fabulous, either...I scored with prime dress circle seating that left me perfectly positioned for the richest sound. 

That said, I was utterly crushed to find that, just like in 2010, the ENO had translated Mozart's gorgeous German into English for the performance. Usually, operas are sung in the language in which they are composed...most often Italian, German, or French...and the translation is projected above the stage. To take the language away left "The Magic Flute," already a pretty simple, fairy-tale-esque story of princesses, kings, queens, and the gods feeling like a bad nursery rhyme. That said, the singing was still lovely, particularly Lucy Crowe's Pamina, and I thoroughly enjoyed my night. 

The next day, I crossed the river to the National Theatre for my first time experiencing Shakespeare's iconic "As You Like It!" I read the play during my freshman lit seminar but had never seen it live...and couldn't wait for the famous "All the world's a stage" monologue. The Olivier Theatre's staging felt so Guthrie-esque to me, it almost seemed like I was back home. The show opened in a 1970's-ish office for the first several scenes...

...then all of a sudden everything literally took flight as Rosalind and Celia flee to the forest. The entire set was apparently rigged to wires and cables that jerked the office to the skies to represent a deeply wooded forest, and it was so incredible to watch...until the mechanism broke down mid-elevation. We were treated to a ten-minute, unplanned intermission while the technical team ran around frantically unsnarling desks and chairs and cables, and I laughed and took the opportunity to snag a photo. The set was truly striking and honestly stuck with me more than any individual performance...it was just incredibly innovative and detail-oriented right down to the Post-it note leaves. 

Frankly, I think my favorite half hour of the entire trip was crossing the Waterloo Bridge after the show with this view, which single-handedly cemented London's status as my favorite city in the entire world. The photo doesn't even do it justice...it was stunning on an absolutely indescribable level. 

Finally, after discovering that I had a mid-week evening to myself due to my bosses' other commitments, I made a total spur-of-the-moment decision to treat myself to an evening with my favorite "Friend!" Matthew Perry recently wrote and is directing/starring in his debut play, "The End of Longing," at the Playhouse Theatre. 

I scored with fourth-row seats, which was pretty much the highlight of the experience. Being twenty feet away from Chandler Bing? Life experience I never thought I would have. I was all set to get my spazzy fangirl on...

...but honestly, I didn't love the play. It's loosely autobiographical, telling the story of a witty and sharp New Yorker struggling with extreme alcoholism...basically the story of Matthew Perry's adulthood. Populated with a cast of characters including a lovable dumbass (Joey), a prostitute with a heart of gold, and a sidekick female friend that could quite literally have been Monica Geller, the cast was solid but the script was lackluster and felt so forced. Every third word out of every actor's mouth seemed to be "fuck" (or some permutation thereof), which was fine at first but, by the end, seemed so completely superfluous and grating. 

The highlight of the play occurred about fifteen minutes before the end, when Perry completely redeemed his writing with the most intense, searing, raw monologue set at his character's first AA meeting. It was personal and vulnerable on an entirely different level, and earned a standing ovation from the audience before the play even ended. Had the entire play shown that depth and emotional finesse, I would have adored it...instead, I'm going to marathon my favorite Chandler scenes to redeem my love for MP. 

All English opera, technical malfunctions, and excessive "fuck"s aside, I think the three shows I picked were the perfect trilogy for a whirlwind trip through London's theatre world! Already looking forward to doing exactly the same thing on my next trip across the pond. 

Lately I'm Loving

First of all, you should do yourself a favor and go listen to the deluxe edition of the new album by The Lumineers, "Cleopatra." I've listened to it three times already today and it's well on its way to being as loved in my Spotify queue as their first. 

Now...on to a giant massive links roundup, because my building is currently under extensive construction at work and the Internet has proved a lovely distraction from the constant sound of forklifts and drills lately! 

--Colleen tagged me in the comments on this Elite Daily post about travel podcasts, and it's flung me down a rabbit hole in the best way. With London retreating further into my rearview mirror and a family Europe trip getting closer every day (less than 2 months!), I'm fighting wanderlust pretty much every day and particularly loving "The Budget-Minded Traveler." Check it out and let's plan a trip, okay?!  

--My puppy fever isn't abating at all as we get closer to warm weather and more and more cute guys walk their cute dogs around the Lakes. That said, I've decided I won't be getting a dog unless it can magically be this one. Chris Cline's Photoshop magic on his giant fluffy dog Juji is pretty much my favorite thing in my Instagram feed these days. 

--Mama Jodester tagged my sister and me in this great list of Domaine's 20 Experiences to Have Before 30, and now I'm feeling the need to check off my bucket list like a crazy person. My friends and I have agreed that 27 is the beginning of the "late 20s," and while I think 30 sounds great, I'm planning to hit this list hard. Particular fave? "Pony up to the French wine bar in your city and order a glass of Sancerre and a cheese plate in the native tongue of your bartender." Consider it done. 

--One of the hottest topics in the Twin Cities is the new Vikings stadium taking up the old Metrodome's spot in the skyline, and I've gotta say...jury's still out on it in my book. It's really pretty from one side and I think it's heinous from 94. Forbes is profiling it in the next few weeks, and the first article compared it to the old Metrodome, very favorably, I might add. Maybe it will make a Vikings fan out of me yet? We'll see! 

--In other Twin Cities news, one of the hottest tables in town is Spoon and Stable...it's my absolute, undisputed favorite place to eat these days. Their wonderboy head chef and owner, Gavin Kaysen, is a Minnesota boy through and through and was recently profiled in the New York Times discussing, among other things, his grandma's pot roast and his fusion of charity and cooking. He's my hero, basically, and I will continue to blush like a little idiot every time we go there and he comes over during his table rounds. 

--It's science. My formidable vocabulary is directly linked to the fact that I curse like a drunken sailor. While I'm not sure I could come up with 533 swear words, I'm pretty sure I'd hit the highlights on the list...and I've never tested below the 99th percentile for language fluency or vocabulary comprehension. NEEERD ALERT. Interesting read though! 

--I'm officially heading off to London to see if, per this video, Nessie took a vacation to swim the Thames. (Seriously though, it's a whale or something.) Couldn't help but laugh! 

Happy Friday, campers! 

Schwegmanigans in Cin City

Last weekend with 4/5 of our family together was, in a word, marvelous. The only thing it would have taken to make it perfect would be to have Papa Bear there. I absolutely loved getting to spend some hardcore quality time with my mom, and seeing Jon and Em in their Ohio homes made me so happy!

Mom and I arrived at the Northern Kentucky Regional Airport on Thursday in gale-force winds, yikes. I should've known the weekend was going to rock when the rental car guy mistook me for a kid on a college campus visit after Jodester told him we were "headed up to Miami." Anytime someone thinks I look like I could be an incoming college freshman is a time I want to repeat, preferably forever. Thanks! We did a little shopping to kill some time, then headed to Em's adorable Hyde Park apartment for some Sancerre and catching up! 

Dinner was a girls-only affair at E+O Kitchen, right around the corner from her neighborhood. 

We couldn't get enough of the brussels sprout and kale salad...

...or my drink, a vodka-strawberry-cucumber-jalapeno concoction called the "Summer Bliss."

We also loved the "Two Lil Piggies" sushi roll.

Highlight of the night was simply spending time with these two, though. My mom and my sister are legit my favorites (even though Emily is convinced she's a Jessa/Monica and she is 100% a Hannah/Phoebe).  

The next day Em worked, so Mom and I took a long walk around adorable Mariemont before heading to “the Oxbox” to pick up Jonathan! We arrived to find one very hungover little second-semester senior in need of lavosh and a mimosa, hence…Quarter Barrel.

After that, I basically pretended I was still an undergrad in the Miami student union while working on disaster recovery plans…it kind of killed the undergrad vibe a bit. We had such a great afternoon though, and it was hilarious to spend time around the college students, let alone the visiting high schoolers. It sort of made me die inside a little bit when I realized I’m fully a decade older than many of them…and they’d be graduating college around my ten-year reunion. ALL THE SADS.

We met up with Em, headed to Over-the-Rhine (the Northeast of Cincy, I’ve decided), shopped a bit, and hit up Senate for dinner. Senate’s known for their hot dogs, but I would like to offer a special shout-out to this utterly ridiculous tiki drink I accidentally ordered (and loved). I’m clearly totally ridiculous.

Also of note: the hot dogs. I had the “Lindsay Lohan:”

…a dog topped with bacon, goat cheese, caramelized onions and “a whole lotta drama.” It was worth every drama-filled bite. Dead. I die.

Em and I split off from Mom and Jon to go to the Oh Hellos concert that evening, and I summarily fell in love with both the venue:

(um hi adorable.) And the band. They were SO incredibly fun, energetic and excited live, and watching them and their opener (The Collection) play all the instruments, including a freaking zither, made my life.

Saturday was brunch at Taste of Belgium, complete with major mimosas.

And all the waffles. And, if you’re Jonathan, a meat-filled crepe that still required an additional side of bacon. (I think he has a tapeworm.)

We spent the entire day shopping and chasing around Cincy, and had to stop to refuel with wine at the Nordstrom Café after spending, I shit you not, three hours trying to find a sweater for Jonathan to wear that night. I went in Brooks Brothers more in that three hour period than I have ever before in my life. 

Clearly the wine was highly necessary. We ditched Nordstrom and pulled off the world's quickest change at our hotel before heading over to Zula for a fantastic dinner and then making our way to Cincinnati Music Hall for the Cincinnati Symphony's performance of Mahler's 9th! 

How gorgeous is a: that building and b: my sister?! Clearly she's cemented her status as the pretty sister with, as usual, absolutely zero effort. I adore her. 

The Music Hall was all gorgeous chandeliers and ornate old molding and paneling. I fell in love hard and fast, loving the contrast from my beloved, ultra-modern Orchestra Hall at home. 

The orchestra, under the direction of former conductor Jésus López-Cobos, played an absolutely incredible rendition of Mahler 9, his "deathbed symphony," and I was completely enchanted the entire way through. Even the performers got emotional as Cobos took his bows...it was obvious that they had played "with the blood," to quote my beloved "Mozart in the Jungle!"

On Sunday morning, we had a leisurely brunch in Mariemont (where Jonathan crowned himself King of Cincinnati) before taking Little Bro back to Oxford. I laughed (inordinately hard) at the license plate outside his apartment...it's not his car, but encapsulates his fratty little life perfectly. 

Mom and I took advantage of the beautiful day to drive around campus a little bit. I've hardly spent any time there, but I can't get over how gorgeous Miami is with the matchy-matchy Colonial buildings and beautiful signage. It seems so stereotypically college...just like Notre Dame, but with a very different feel to it. 

Once back in Cincy, we spent hours at Em's place working on our upcoming family trip. Before I knew it, it was time to say goodbye to the "Queen City" and roll back to the Land of 10,000 Lakes, minus two siblings. I miss Meems and JD like crazy...already counting the days til our next trip back for...omg...Jonathan's college graduation in just five weeks! 

Moving up, moving out, moving on

Hi friends. It’s been way too quiet around here for way too long and, for that, I apologize. In classic April fashion, things have been tumultuous and incredibly busy and transitional, and as we all know, I handle all of that extremely well. Ha!

For starters, the most exciting news: I got promoted! It was completely out of the blue, and I was, accordingly, totally unprepared. The promotion comes with a really cool expansion of my role into areas I’m very excited about – lots of working with new people, taking on extensive and high-profile leadership roles, and best of all, mentoring and working with interns and new hires in a way that I have always found enjoyable and deeply meaningful. Since I don’t talk a lot about my specific job or company here, that’s all I’ll share for now…but it’s been a true whirlwind and I’m finding my day-to-day so much more exciting and engaging than I have for a long time as a result.

Along with that promotion, my company offered me a spot on the board of a non-profit we’ve always extensively partnered with, and I’m completely in love. The program works in Twin Cities-area schools to help at-risk or traditionally disadvantaged students gain a strong foundation in the business world from day one of their freshman year of high school. Through the program, their curriculum offers them innumerable opportunities to engage with colleges and professional environments, ultimately leading to eventual scholarships, internship placements, and eventually (ideally!) job offers from companies like mine. I’ve only been on board for about a month now, but it’s been a huge eye opener to see what goes into serving on a board, both from an advisory and a practical standpoint.

And finally, in the most bittersweet and angst-causing revelation of all…I’m moving! To make a long and torturous story very short, my current corner penthouse apartment comes with corner penthouse apartment prices, and my lovely friend Hal is in a similar boat. We decided we were both tired of paying rent that makes our eyes water, and ended up making the decision to move in together to enable our champagne taste on a budget.

After a lot of frustration and drama (trying to move from a 1-bedroom to a 2-bedroom in my building, the whole process of lease-breaking, and of course apartment-hunting in general!), we decided on a gorgeous, character-filled building literally around the corner from my current Loring Park pad. Built a hundred years ago, the building has been fully renovated to beautiful, spacious, modern apartments while maintaining its original charm, and I’m obsessed, but also incredibly sad to say goodbye to the Chateau de Liz so much earlier than planned.

Bottom line: all this transition has left me reeling a bit! Then throw in the usual friend activities/relationship angst/general “omg I’m 27 what am I doing with my life” soliloquizing and you have me, retreating from the blog, trying hard to get myself back in check before I launch back into this space. That said, I’m feeling really good about a lot of things now and can’t wait to get back into my normal routine again…or to create a new normal that encompasses all these wonderful, exciting, terrifying changes.

Here’s to April, campers! 

Bookworm: March 2016

"Novels and plays still have a strange force. The writing of fiction and the creation of theatrical images can affect life there more powerfully and stealthily than speeches, or even legislation. Imagined worlds can lodge deeply in the private sphere, dislodging much else, especially when the public sphere is fragile."  -Colm Toibin

So many books this month--clearly I need a life and/or to spend less time being a total antisocial freak. Unrelated note: I'm organizing my books by color in my next apartment, a la Emily in her cute Cincinnati home. 

Loved: 

Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Pierre Choderlos de Laclos: I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF, gang. I read the entirety of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" IN FRENCH this month. And it took me for flipping ever. Written epistolary-style as a series of notes between French nobles at the end of the 18th century, it was a total slog to get through and keep everything straight at times. That said, I was so insanely excited to find that I was getting it, and to notice that my speed and comprehension were both improving as I went on. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the book is essentially a series of sexy romances and illicit amours..."Cruel Intentions" was based on it! (#6 on my 101 in 1001 #70!) 

Mozart in the Jungle, Blair Tindall: I marathoned the entirety of Amazon's outstanding new series based on this book a couple weeks ago, and as soon as withdrawal set in I downloaded the book. Illustrating the cutthroat and often un-glamorous world of professional classical musicians, I couldn't put it down - I loved the behind-the-scenes peek into the world of the orchestras I adore so much. 

Enjoyed: 

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train, William Kuhn: Such a cute book! It imagines Queen Elizabeth needing to get away and essentially playing hooky from her job as, you know, leader of the English people. With a charming and varied cast of supporting characters, I'd call it the literary equivalent of a warm cup of tea. 

The Heir, Kiera Cass: Part of a dystopian young adult series I picked up randomly on Scribd one day, "The Heir" is sort of "The Bachelorette" meets "The Hunger Games." Super fast read, and enjoyable...the sequel comes out in May and I'm looking forward to it, if only for its quick and undemanding style. 

The Position, Meg Wolitzer: A husband and wife take on a Kinsey-esque project to write a book about how to...um...keep the spark alive, and it destroys both their marriage and their four children's lives. The book bounces back and forth between narrative perspectives, chronicling each child's adulthood and their parents' attempts to re-publish the book, find meaning, and navigate the complicated relationships they've created within their family. Gorgeous prose and a sharp, incisive look at family dynamics. 

Tolerated: 

Brooklyn, Colm Toibin: The movie, which I loved, was based on this book, and I was expecting to like it much more than I did. Eilis, who I really admired and enjoyed in the movie, is essentially a sad, passive, coldhearted character in the book, and so much of the charm and glamour of 1950s New York was lost in the book. 

I Said Yes, Emily Maynard: Oh my god I'm embarrassed to even admit I read this. Emily was a Bachelor contestant who went on to be the Bachelorette and I downloaded her book on a random slow day at work. It was simultaneously self-indulgent and dull to the point that I debated not finishing it...and very little interesting "Bachelor/Bachelorette" behind-the-scenes gossip, too, which made me crabby. Basically, I need a life. 

Re-reads: 

I've loved Eva Ibbotson for years and I find myself revisiting her entire adult canon around annually. The books are charming, quick, pretty reads that center around things I love: ballet, Europe, Brazil, World War II and opera/the arts. Just one of my weird little favorites or quirks, I guess, but early March was a time when I needed a little Eva in my life. 

The Morning Gift, Eva Ibbotson

A Company of Swans, Eva Ibbotson

A Countess Below Stairs, Eva Ibbotson

A Song For Summer, Eva Ibbotson