Time for Detox

Mardi Gras was really fantastical.
I got so many treasures...like a pirate hat (thank you Elizabeth), and a plush Saints spear, and a so many things that light up!

Except for Bacchus when I had to almost get into a fight with these two raging cunt beasts.
Ugh.
I don't want to even get into it.
It angers me to think about them.

Between the last three weeks of Saints Super Bowl madness, and parades galore.
I'm tired.
I'm too old for all this stuff.
I still can barely speak.
Which I guess is good because to get a smooth, clear speaking voice I have to talk real low in my register which is perfect for Iguana rehearsals.

My birthday is this weekend.
I'm pretty excited.
I think birthdays are so important and awesome.
I also believe that should be celebrated for no less than a week, and up to one month!
I'm sad I couldn't have my prom...but alas, if I make it to 30 I'll have one then.
Because nothing says "I'm an official grown up" like taffeta and spiked punch.

Yeargain and I have back to back birthdays so we like to celebrate together some years.
So this weekend will be Delachaise on Saturday for me, and hibachi on Sunday for him.
For some reason he thinks it will be tons of fun to have shrimp thrown in our mouths.
So yeah...
BOYD/YEARGAIN BIRTHDAY BASH should be fun times.
Text me if you want to play anytime with us.

And now I'm sleepy.
And I'm at work, and have to be awake.
And then I have to go to rehearsal, and be active.
Ugh.



Hush.
Let me whine.
It's my birthday week!

Oh, right....parades

As we have all slightly forgotten, due to magnificent circumstances, it is indeed the Carnival Season.

And what better way to celebrate these circumstances than with a giant parade, with over 300,00 attendees.

The Saints Parade on Tuesday was bittersweet.
Bitter because of the bitter coldness that we all had to sustain in order to reach the sweetness that was OUR SUPERBOWL SAINTS!

I left work early and went and picked up Kristin and Suzannah.
We headed downtown to MiLa, the restaurant James works at.
Stellar deal because MiLa is in the Renaissance Hotel on Common street, two blocks off of St. Charles.
So we could park there and have an easy getaway when the parade was over!

We get downtown and Kristin decides daiquiris are necessary while the temperature is just barely 40.
So we trek over to Bourbon to pick up some frozen-ness.

Then we try and find Alex down near Lafayette Square, but it was pretty much madness by around 3 o'clock so we headed back towards Canal. Found a lovely spot right near the restaurant and James was waiting for us.
Unfortunately, our spot did not include barricades because we were in a wind tunnel in front of a cross street.
Prime locale, ya'll.

Alex eventually walked down and met us and we all proceeded to complain about the cold. And the people. And the fact that we were in a wind tunnel.
But hey, it was all for the SAINTS so eventually it would pay off.

The best thing about our spot was this tall drink of water cop that was standing next to us the entire time.
The entire night I referred to him as my boyfriend, naturally.

Well, after standing around for a few more hours...around 5o'clock my boyfriend and some of his cop buddies just tear through our crowd and start hauling ass down the side street chasing after a purse snatcher.
It was awesome.

Then later on during the night my boyfriend had to physically remove a person standing next to us who was being insanely stupid a rude.
So protective. I like it!

Before the parade started, I was very cranky, sadly.
I was cold, and no where near drunk, and there were many unsavory people all up on me.
James did his best to make me laugh.
Which worked out quite well. We even managed to memorize the first 3 pages of Iguana while on the street.

Once the parade actually started rolling, I got up on the ice chest and I was ready to go!
The boys in black and gold looked like they were having so much fun.
Drew looked smashed. Which is just funny.
Tracy Porter looked like he was having the absolute best time out of everyone.
It was spectacular.

And I got beads from J. Shock and Devery Dogg!!!

We sneaked away from the crowds, got to the parking garage and decided that we had all earned seafood platters for standing in the cold for the past 7 hours.
James, Suzannah and I made a pact to meet at Cooter Brown's.
We were leaving at about 8:30...so we predicted ETA would be 10:00.

Surprisingly enough, only took us both about 25 minutes to get there.
Superbowl Miracle!

We enjoyed our tasty tasty deliciousness and got to watch the Superbowl all over again on ESPN.
Everyone in the bar was hysterical.
They were all cheering and hollering as if it was the first time they had seen it.
I think this cloud we are all floating on will last for quite some time.
And I don't have any problem with that.



Last night we finished blocking Act I of Iguana...2 nights and a whole act blocked.
Not bad...since there is tons and tons of precise blocking.
Which is great for me because, as we all know, I like to be told exactly what and how to do things on the stage.
James and I were running lines for about 2 hours in the green room before hand, and we decided that Beau needs to become uber rich and famous because Chrissy, James and I work so well together. We have this great little triangle bond in all the shows...and Beau loves using us....so yeah.
Become famous Beau, so we can be used for the rest of our lives, please!


Was looking forward to Muses tonight, but secretly I kind of hoped for a postponement.
I need one day off of everything to regroup, stock up for the weekend and go to bed early.
So thanks parade gods....I appreciate the effort.

But, starting tomorrow...Mardi Gras Central will be in full swing!

Happy Lombardi Gras!

A day that will go down in New Orleans History...

Mitch Landrieu was elected mayor!!!!



Oh, right...and the Saints won the Superbowl.....
Could the city be more fantastic right now?
I mean seriously!
It is so stellar to be a New Orleanian.

What a glorious, wonderful weekend.

Friday night I went and saw Footloose starring my lovely and talented friends: PJ, Angela, Abbey, Scott, Caroline, Dylan, Price, Kevin, Katie and Dwayne.
Frannie directed and choreo'd, and Nat True did the music.
It looked like so much fun to be in that show, despite the ridiculousness of the script.
Just pure fun. Which is always an enjoyable thing to watch.

Saturday was the first day of parades that I watched.
Just one little day time parade, but I got to watch it with Izzy and Dom and Cliff and Sam, and Lynnie who came all the way in town with baby Sam for his first Mardi Gras, and to watch the Superbowl!

Then I went to the Carousel Bar with my brother and family--worst decision of the weekend.
Too many people, and everyone just kind of abandoned me in the hotel.
Nice.

Finally, got home and just couldn't get to sleep.
Way too excited about the big game.
So I decided that watching ESPN till about 4 in the morning was the best thing to do with my time.
The best thing about all the Superbowl coverage was that all the documentaries that were being played were all narrated by JEFF GOLDBLUM.
I took that to be the ultimate good sign.

Woke up bright an early Sunday to head over to Commander's for Jazz brunch with the fam.
The whole place was decked to the nines in Saints gear.
Everyone dining was in black and gold and there was a three piece band walking around the Garden Room playing music.
Amazing.
The food was delicious.
I had a Honey Glazed Fruit Salad to start, Pecan Crusted Redfish with a corn bisque type of sauce, topped with crab meat, and Strawberry Shortcake for dessert.
And a bloody mary, and a few of these Whiskey Smash drinks (whiskey, mint and lemon juice.)
Yummy in my tummy.
My mom took one sip of it, grimaced and said, "I don't know how you can drink that, it tastes like straight booze."
Yup.
That's why I like it.

Towards the end of the meal, I was just sitting their soaking everything in, and my dad was like, "What's wrong with you, you're so quiet."
"I'm just thinking how very sad it must be to be from somewhere else. Thank christ I'll never know what that feels like."
And it is true.
On days like that, I can't imagine being from anywhere else.

Kristin happened to be working that day, so once I was done gorging myself, I joined her downstairs to wait for Alex to pick us up and head to the Quarter.
We got down there fairly easily and found a stellar parking spot on N. Rampart.
We happily walked through the madness over to Le Petit.

Such a grand set-up at the theatre.
They had the little theatre set up like the movies with the big screen pulled down, and the projector going.
We had a table of food set up house right and the keg and booze in the courtyard.

Everyone got there, bedazzled in their finest Black and Gold attire.
We got our drinks, took our seats and the madness began.

Off to a rough start we all decided that we had to switch seats.
So we all moved around trying to get the good mojo going.

At one point I was standing outside with AJ and Cliff and the Saints started driving down field...so I would let the boys go back inside.

To which Cliff says, "Natalie...sometimes it's really hard to be your friend."
And then AJ chimes in with, "Yeah...being friends with you is like cheering for a losing team...its really painful at first, but in the end, it's worth it."
"Meanest thing you've ever said to me, thanks AJ!"
**Big hug** "You know I love you."


Halftime.
We turn up the dance party music, drink and eat some more.
Get back into out newly found "good" seats.

OH MY GOD ONSIDES KICK.
I lost my mind.
We all went crazy.

The best part of this crowd was that we were all yelling and screaming as if we were inside the stadium.
Booing the other team....cheering loudly in support.
Every time we would cheer, and the Colts would not get a first down Lucas would just yell "WE DID THAT! THAT WAS US!"
Amazing.

The game just got better from there.
We were up.
Then the Colts scored.
Down by one.
Keith just starts clapping and saying, "We have a ball game ladies and gentlemen, WE HAVE A BALLGAME!"

Yeargain is sitting next to me the whole time.
A person more nervous than I when watching.
I love it.
He just keeps mumbling to himself "We haven't intercepted it once. We need to intercept it."
I respond, "We're due...don't worry, it's coming. We due for a Pick 6."





OH MY GOD TRACY PORTER INTERCEPTION FOR TOUCHDOWN!
OH MY GOD
OH MY GOD
OH MY GOD

Everyone goes out of control.
I'm just screaming at the top of my lungs.
I start crying.
We are all nuts.
Because at that beautiful moment we all realized.
We were gonna win the fuck SUPERBOWL!

We all start hugging, we throw open the side doors of the theatre and start yelling on the streets.
Then we all slowly start realizing that there are 2 minutes left in the game.
This is Peyton Manning.
Some shit could potentially go down.

Liam starts walking around with a bottle of vodka making us all take, "Get it together" shots.

We calm down, slightly.
We watch as Peyton drives down the field.
We watch as we hold them on third down.
We watch as they DON'T MAKE A TOUCHDOWN!

SAINTS WIN!
SAINTS WIN THE SUPERBOWL!
OH MY GOD THE SAINTS WIN THE SUPERBOWL!!!!

We all rush out into the streets.
The fireworks start going off(of course Kristin, AJ and I start singing WISHES!!)....people everywhere are pouring outside.
Yelling, cheering, high fiving, crying.
Beads are being thrown, champagne being sprayed everywhere.
Hugging and smooching abounds.
It's like you've been in love with someone your entire life, and finally, Sunday, they say "I love you" back.
THE BEST FEELING!

The rest of the night is a blur of black and gold.
Bourbon was amazing.
The drive home with Alex and Kristin....long and tedious.
But so worth it.

I curled up on my sofa and just watched ESPN till the wee hours of the morning.
Watching the post game interviews with Drew and Sean and all the other tremendous players.
I cried a lot.
Especially, since every other word out of their mouths was about how much this meant to the city because of Katrina...blah blah blah.
But, it does make me very happy to hear all the players saying how proud they are to play for the Saints, and how happy it makes them to play for the city.
It is all so awesome.

Monday.
Woke up.
Tried to talk.
My vocal chord scoffed at me.

My first two classes of school were canceled.
I had to go in at 3 for Acting class and Advanced Voice for the Actor.
Hurray for not being able to talk!
Both classes were, thankfully, cut very short.
Had to stay for Iguana rehearsal which was long, but awesome, because James Yeargain is now in the show.
And that just adds infinite amount of happiness and relief into my life.
I had so much fun blocking the first 20 pages...
So much loving up on James.
Going to be so awkward and fantastic.

And that's about it.
I'm at work, anxiously waiting to go to the celebratory parade in the CBD.

I'm going to make a sign that says MARRY ME, MARQUES.

I'll keep you posted on his response.

And the Winner is....

The awards season down here in the NOLA has official begun.
The Ambie Awards kicked everything off this past Monday night.
And what a kick off it was....

More people crammed into Le Chat than I have ever seen.
Unfortunately, a bunch of us didn't make reservations, but we had no idea we wouldn't be allowed in....especially those of us who were presenting and performing.
C'est la vie.

I sat out around the bar with Yeargain, Suzannah, Alex and Kristin.
Then, Trina texted me that I could squeeze into her section of the room...which happened to be the same section that we were sitting in last year when we became best friends with Mr.Cerveris! (Who I texted with back and forth all night...updating him on the goings on of the evening, finally ending with "we are going to play a drinking game...everytime someone name drops you at this damn thing we're doing shots!" "I hope you get hammered." was his response. And hammered, I got!)

So, sitting in the back corner with Trina, Angela, Frannie, Charles, Lucas and Megan. This woman was sitting a little further away...and you think I talk and comment a lot during these things?...well this woman was in rare form.
She was making all sorts of animal noises and cheering for people...it was hilarious.

I realized this was going to be a very long evening once it started so I went back to the bar to sit with the outsiders.
They had left me!
But they were just next door eating...so I went next door, ate dinner with them, and then ran back over to the theatre when Trina texted me it was almost time for me to present.
I helped with some Glammie awards, handing them out to a bunch of people I didn't know with two other people I didn't know.
I get very uncomfortable around that...so yeah.
But then while I was waiting backstage, a rather tipsy Jason Kirkpatrick was awaiting his presenting turn.
He sees me and is all, "Help me present this award! It'll be hilarious! I'll introduce you as the speaker and I'll act as the signer."
Why not. I was tipsy, he was tipsy, we had all been there for close to four hours.
It was time for a little mischief!
So, we go out there and I realize that I was presenting Best Actress in a Play.
The one category I could have been nominated in, and wasn't!
So I announce this category, "Best actress in a play....hmmm....this is awkward...I was in a play this year....Mr. Marmalade....we all thought it was pretty good.....anyway the nominees are...."
I personally enjoyed Jason's interpretation of The Glass Menagerie the best because he just limped around stage for way too long.
Comic Gold.
Hope we didn't offend the Ambies with our unnecessary ridiculousness.
Mr. Marmalade didn't win anything...but last year's Taste won Best Ensemble, so hurray!
And Frannie won Best Director of a Musical...which she should get because anyone who can wrangle 83 children on stage in a pretty picture deserves an award!

Head back out to the bar, where Jason insists on doing shots with me.
Yikes.
Too much bourbon.
Then Jamie Wax insists that we all go to Delachaise to eat, drink and be merry.
Jamie was already quite merry by that time though, and as we were walking to my car he was screaming, literally screaming at people.
Happy screaming...just very loud happy screaming.
Quite, quite funny.
AJ, Casie, Andrew, Becca, Gabby, Kristin, Alex, Jamie and myself all arrive at Delachaise....we drink waaay too much good wine and share way too many appetizers.
But it was delightful. And such a fun way to end the evening.

Ugh.
I got tired just typing that.

Yesterday the Marquee Award nominations came out.
Mr. Marmalade was nominated for Best Comedy...and Musical....we think it is a typo....or confusion because yes, while I did sing for about 10 seconds and James did do a very stirring version of "I've Had the Time of My Life", definitely not a musical.
Andrew was nominated for Best Director, AJ for Actor in a Comedy, and I got Actress in a Comedy.
And all of our names were spelled correctly!
Small victories.
I'm sure all of that will make for another very interesting night of awards.


I think that's all the theatre news....

I can't really concentrate on anything this week because I feel like everyone in the city should just be sending good vibes to Miami.
I love how he city has just taken to looking at this weekend and Monday as a holiday.
My morning classes have been canceled on Monday, so...win or lose....I will be celebrating heavily.

And I hope everyone has read the "Dear, Miami..." letter that was in the Times-Pic...brilliant.

I've got Black and Gold on the brain...so I really can't say anything else except...

GO THE SAINTS!