a giveaway for this (almost) spring week...

i'm so very excited to start this week off on the right foot.

the right foot, you ask? 

a giveaway, i say!

from none other than shabby apple--you know--the women's dress store that you've already, at one point, purchased numerous items from, or drooled incessantly over their images. 

if not--if this is your first brush with them--well, then welcome out from under that their rock and bask in the bright ray of sunshine that is their collection. (holy moly, it's the monday after spring forward and sass is my middle name). 

shabby apple focuses on creating dresses that are one-piece outfits, nothing else necessary. they are ultra-feminine and highly flattering. 

one lucky reader will take home the waimea dress. 

isn't it lovely? i want it. (desperately). it's a deep blue and white--my calling card. and scallops? swoon. (i may also have been swayed by how beautiful the model is).

to enter: visit shabby apple and leave a comment below. tweet, post to facebook, or like shabby apple on facebook for a second entry. (and then comment letting me know).

the entry will close wednesday at midnight and the winner will be announced thursday. 

(open to u.s. residents only). 

happy monday. it's gonna be a good week!

mark the date: next sunday.

if you're planning on attending and haven't gotten an email from me with the location then send a message my way. 

and just so you know: my roommate amanda has read the book and has some mighty strong feelings about mr. earnest hemmingway and she won't be holding back. so come forewarned and prepared. 

the best thing about going to juilliard...

...was getting to see the dancers at work. hands down. best part. world renown choreographers would come in and put on these shows. and holy smokes. it was like moving light on a stage. all of it.

but a few times a year the students would make their own pieces. and in the end there was nothing more remarkable than that. 

many sunday mornings a little band of us--myself (an actor), two dancers, and a bassist would traipse to some part of the city to put on an hour-long variety show at a nursing home or aids facility or the like. and each sunday, carolyn would perform the solo from the video below. and each sunday it took my breath away.

so when this popped up on my facebook this morning i just had to share. carolyn (the lead in the middle) is really something.

i don't get to see everyone dance anymore. not all together at least. and i don't act so much myself now. but i see something like this and i remember:

once upon a time we all made magic.

(we still do, yes, but it's different. changed.)

choegraphed by bret easterling.

song: die alone by ingrid michaelson

dancers: carolyn rossett, rachelle rafailedes,

charlotte bydwell, allysen hooks, 

sarah murphy, julia stiefel, 

chelsea ainsworth, esmye boyce, 

stephanie amurao

book club: second book

it is officially march 20. which meant i officially woke up to a phone call from my bank that my account had been overdrawn (all those silly first of the month automatic withdrawals {not to worry i quickly corrected it}). and more importantly the second book club meeting is officially 20 days away and i haven't even announced the book (i'm a disaster).

so here goes. we discussed a few different titles at the last meeting, but we didn't put it to a vote so i'm gonna claim executive power and pull one from left field:

the paris wife by paula mclain

my reasoning? okay:

1. set in paris

2. in the 1920's

3. told from the perspective of ernest hemmingway's first wife (hemmingway, history, and a love story?)

twenty days is not a lot of time to read a book. i apologize. but that being said, even if you don't finish the book i expect you to get your little bum in gear and attend the next meeting.

march 20, 3pm

email me at wilybrunette@yahoo.com for the location.

ps: we will vote on the 3rd book at the next meeting so that i'm not tempted to invoke executive power once more.

question: for those who like to follow along at home is there some way i can make this whole experience more satisfying for you?

i took the plunge.

and got myself a cannon EOS 60 D. and also, as it turns out, a new hobby.