First Foray in the Subway

Since my injury I have taken the bus as my transportation around the city. It is so nice! The travel time is longer but the view is priceless. Well this morning I was running late and realized I wouldn't make it to work semi-on time so I opted to go into the depths of the city to ride the subway.

The subway is gross. I must have become completely desensitized to the yuckiness over years of riding it to and fro on a daily basis. It is just nasty when compared to the bus. I think I am going to continue to use the bus as my main mode of transport because if I go back to riding the subway daily I will probably become a more cynical person than I already am.

London Party

Last night Netter and I booked our Thanksgiving excursion to London. We have been talking about London for about 4 years now and finally we are going. Hooray!

I'm excited to tour the British Museum, Stonehenge, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and our super-duper day trip to Bath, England where we are led by a tour guide in full Roman Soldier costume. It is going to be awesome!

SYTYCD Premiere

The premiere of SYTYCD was last night. I was so ready for some great dance moves. In my opinion we got a couple amazing performances but overall it was a trip down memory lane of the "crazies" that come to auditions every year. luckily i was able to fast forward through them.

A couple of new people showed up including the most grotesque Italian dancer. He was so greasy that I just wanted him to go away. Loved William who danced to no music just words and kehrington who held our old friend Dominic captivated.

This is just the calm before the competition storm. I think it will be very interesting to see the auditions in the beehive state next week. That Utah state has a plethora of dance studios and dancers. Last year's champion Sabra was from Utah. Way to represent!

Mark calendars for next week's episode on Wednesday May 28th at 8:00pm on FOX.

The Top Two

The top two dances from SYTYCD in my humble opinion both come from Season 2 and both are contemporary pieces. This was surprising since I generally am a jazz fan. They just both blew me away when I saw them.

So here they are America...your top two dances as chosen by me. :)

NUMBER 2 - Allison & Ivan's Why by Tyce DiOrio (Season 2)



The top dance I chose because it was the first one I saw that sucked me into the machine that is SYTYCD. Nicoleee and I were just sitting back relaxing when we channel surfed to Fox and saw what you are about to see. It was truly breathtaking.

Drum roll please....

NUMBER 1 - Heidi & Travis' Calling You by Mia Michales (Season 2)



That's it for the dance countdown. As of this post we are T-minus 11 hours away from the goodness of So You Think You Can Dance. The dancers are chosen by June 4th when the competition kicks into high gear. So totally excited.

Nicoleee if you are reading...it won't be the same without you watching with me. :)

Numbers 3 & 4

Just call this the Lacey post because both dances contain her moves.

NUMBER 4 - Lacey & Kameron's Hustle by Maria Torres (Season 3)



(I couldn't find only the dance so you get to see some of the extras about Lacey & Kameron)

NUMBER 3 - Lacey & Danny's Viennese Waltz by Jean-Marc Generaux (Season 3)



Loved the waltz because it was choregraphed to a contemporary song and was energetic.

Premiere starts tomorrow...yippee!

It's All About Boston

It was that time again. Time to get out of the city. Netter, Dancing Queen and I piled into our Subaru Tribeca to head to the wonderous city of Boston for the weekend. After a very long ride because of traffic and rain we arrived at Dancing Queen's parent's condo. We went straight to sleep because we were tired.

The next morning it was all about the Freedom Trail. We started at King's Church and made it as far as Fanheil Hall before we opted to purchase a trolley tour for the remaining sites. Just so everyone is aware...a happy trolley is a quiet trolley.

After all the Freedom touring we hopped back in the Tribeca and went to the Boston Temple, Target and PF Chang's where Dancing Queen must have shown a little leg because the manager gave us an empty table ahead of the others waiting for at least 40 minutes to be seated. Way to take one for the team Dancing Queen.

Next morning it was all about climbing aboard the boats. We toured the U.S.S. Constitution or "Old Ironsides" then heading to the U.S.S. Cassis Young. It was amazing to stand on these vessels knowing that many men through some of the roughest wars protected our country. After some Brigham's ice cream at the cafe we headed to Providence to drop off Netter and eat Cheesecake Factory and finally road tripped the rest of the way to NYC.

Overall it was a great Bostonian experience.

Number 6 & 5

Now the Season 2 performances enter the countdown...

NUMBER 6 - Benji & Heidi's Black Mambo by Alex DaSilva (Season 2)



Continuing with the Benji goodness...

NUMBER 5 - Benji & Donyelle's Hairspray by Tyce DiOrio (Season 2)



We are now down to our Top 4 with only 2 days before the premiere on Thursday. Woo hoo!

Number 7 & 8

Loved the slowed down hip hop with less pelvic thrusting. Dominic and Sabra was so good in this routine by Shane Sparks

NUMBER 8 - Dominic & Sabra's Slow Hip Hop by Shane Sparks (Season 3)



NUMBER 7 - Neil & Sara's Disco Dynamite by Doriana Sanchez (Season 3)



They made disco fun to watch!

Number 9 & 10

Last year I was really excited about the show. I watched it from beginning to the bitter end which was so much better than coming in at the half way point the year before. Dance #10 was from the first performance show and it completely blew me away. Enjoy!

NUMBER 10 - Lacey & Kameron's Contemporary by Mia Michaels (Season 3)



Dance #9 was so different and inventive from anything previous that it was hugely popular when performed. The opening sequence by Jamie is so difficult!

NUMBER 9 - Jamie & Hok's Humingbird Flower by Wade Robson (Season 3)



Numbers 7 & 8 will be coming at you on Monday. Oh the anticipation.

Number 11 & 12

The countdown begins....

NUMBER 12 - Pasha & Lauren's Hip Hop Machine by Shane Sparks (Season 3)



NUMBER 11 - Neil & Sabra's 80s Power Lunch by Mandy Moore (Season 3)



Numbers 9 & 10 come at you tomorrow...so stay tuned...

True Fanatics

Tomorrow is the day that New Kids on the Block perform on the Today Show Concert series. It has been many moons since the band hit the stage so I can understand the excitement. What I can't understand is the fact that a LINE has now formed outside my office at Rockefeller Plaza of early middle-aged woman waiting to get a glimpse of the almost 40-somethings strutting their stuff to the tunes of Hangin' Tough, (You Got It) The Right Stuff or my all-time favorite Please Don't Go Girl. I'm going to guess that the women congregating on their folding chairs outside aren't native New Yorkers. I only say that because a New Yorker would figure out who they know that knows someone with NBC to get them a pass to witness the show up close.

I must arrive early tomorrow morning to work so I'll try to snap a few pictures of the fanatic women prior to the crying, screaming, and overall hysteria begins over Jordon, Joey, Danny, Jon & Donnie.

If you're lucky I might record the volume of screaming heard in my office 20 floors above the Plaza. Oooohhh, the excitement just increased.

As promised here is a couple quick pics of the line formed outside of my office building:

Top Group Dances

My quest to determine the top 12 of So You Think You Can Dance has been harder than expected. The list kept getting longer and longer so I opted to do a separate little countdown of just the Group Dances performed on each elimination show. I'm only going to do the Top 5 Group Dances because I don't want to go completely over the top.

NUMBER FIVE - Shane Spark's "Poison"



NUMBER FOUR - Adam Shankman's "Hairspray"



NUMBER THREE - Mia Michael's "Hide & Seek"



NUMBER TWO - Wade Robson's "Sexy Back"



Drum Roll please....and the NUMBER ONE Group Dance of So You Think You Can Dance Is...

Mia Michael's "The Moment I Said It"



There you go. The best group dances in my humble opinion from the last two seasons. Don't forget the premiere is only 8 days away.

Countdown to So You Think You Can Dance

My great friend Netter suggested I do a "Countdown to So You Think You Can Dance" by sharing my Top Twelve routines from seasons past. That woman is brilliant! I am taking her advice to do a quick countdown of dance goodness. Unfortunately I couldn't narrow it down to just Twelve so I have a few Honorable Mentions. As a disclaimer I only started watching SYTYCD in its entirety last year so I missed a good portion of Season 2 and ALL of Season 1.

Enjoy the dance and I hope it gets you super psyched for Season 4!

1st Honorable Mention: Lauren & Neil's Angel Jazz by Wade Robson (Season 3)



2nd Honorable Mention: Sara & Danny's Argentine Tango by Alex DaSilva (Season 3)



Don't forget to set your TiVO, DVR or VCR to record the newest installment of So You Think You Can Dance on Fox next Thursday the 22nd at 8:00pm! I can't wait!

I blame you Netter

Generally I don't jump on the trend bandwagon especially when it comes to entertainment.  I still haven't read more than the first Harry Potter book, ignored my mother's pleadings to read The Work and the Glory for at least two years, opted to not care if the "Survivors" got out of their exile and didn't give a hoot or holler about who was named American's Next Top Model, Project Runway winner or won the heart of The Bachelor.  I almost felt like the last remaining American who didn't put life on hold Tuesday and Wednesday nights to enjoy the vocal stylings of 'amateurs' trying to sing cover songs for a recording contract.  I was most definitely not an American Idol fan from the beginning.  Didn't the show start in like 1992.  I swear it has been on forever.  There must be about 15 American Idols now.

This determination to avoid American Idol came to a screeching halt when Netter spent a Tuesday evening visiting her injured friend.  I was so thrilled to have human contact after being stuck in my apartment that I broke down and we watched American Idol together.  That was the beginning of the end.  

Now I actually know the names of those still remaining...Syesha Mercado, David Cook, Jason Castro and David Archuleta.  I felt bad when Brooke White was bounced from the show last week.  I will probably add the show to my DVR list this week.  How did this happen??  I was happy living my American Idol-less life.  Oh well, might as well embrace it.  So thank you Netter for bringing the joy of cover songs with alternate arrangements into my life.  

I hope either of the Davids win.  Kinda think David Archuleta is adorable and an amazing singer.  David Cook can rock a song that was meant to be a sweet ballad but that poor boy needs a hair cut.  Someone help him please.

One of the best reasons to watch the show is because with each episode I'm one step closer to the joy of So You Think You Can Dance?  Since I got Netter hooked on that Must See TV, I suppose her American Idol incorporation was just pay back.  :)

Jazz Fan

After leaving my job at the NBA, I have barely spent any time viewing NBA games.  I needed to distance myself from the basketball bu I always knew I would return to enjoying the athletic stylings of the current crop of players.  That day has come thanks in part to my friends Artiste and Frequent Flyer.  These friends don't have their own version of Ed and cable so I offered my home for them to view the first round between the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets.  Artiste is a big fan of the Jazz and deserves the chance to see his team play.  

Initially I thought I would go into my room and read a book so that they could enjoy the game without my commentary.  But after that first game I became completely hooked.  I knew of two players on the Jazz up until last week...now I know them all.  (okay not the habitual bench warmers)  I even now have to wear my Jimmy Eat World t-shirt because they lost the one time I didn't wear it.  I have a Jazz superstition.  

It has been fun to watch the Jazz play and destroy the Rockets in Game 6.  Now I'm hooked and initiate the contact to Artiste and Frequent Flyer to see when they can come over to watch the games.  My grandmother would be so proud.  She loved the Jazz.

Here's to hoping the Jazz can destroy Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.  There isn't a person who I want to see fail more than Kobe Bryant.    

CRUTCH-LESS

The day has finally come that I could leave my apartment without a metal attachment to my right side!!!  Hooray!  Saturday was my first official crutch-less day!  After three long months I am finally able to remember my life prior to the "great injury of 2008".

So how did I choose to spend my first crutch-less day?  I opted to enjoy the visual stylings of Made of Honor (just okay) and Iron Man (absolutely fantastic) in the theater at 87th Street and 3rd Avenue.  It was fun to walk to lunch between the movies and then walk home afterwards.  

I may now be crutch-less but alas still have to deal with pain and swelling.  Apparently that will be constant for next few months.  Who knew that breaking a bone causes habitual swelling for months?  I certainly didn't.  

I have to give credit where it is due...I couldn't have made May 3rd my crutch-less day without the assistance of PT Jeremy.  He and his assistant Austin City whipped me into shape so that I could walk finally without my crutches.  Thank you much.  

Now all I can think about are the things I can do again now that I am crutch-less - hence the newest poll.  You can determine what I do first...so please vote!  This might be your only chance to tell me what to do.  :)