a lil' grab bag of our summer

(David and I diving in Grenada)

Long time, no posts. David and I have had a full summer - and our very first summer when we weren't moving cities and beginning a new show. Although it is ALWAYS great to have work, especially work that allows us to live and work together, we have very much appreciated our very first summer of non-relocating and non-show... we have to experience it sometime (one supposes), and it's better after a good solid stretch of work.

Our summer season was GREAT. We went from working in London, to wedding in Scotland (congrats Katie and Magnus!), a drive from Scotland through the British countryside down to Heathrow, a villa holiday in Grenada (where we learnt to dive), mountain biking in Vermont, wedding in Boston, to more mountain biking in Vermont. Although perhaps very active and not necessarily always relaxing, we have had one heck of an adventurous summer and I've got a very happy sportivo husband to prove it.

Here are some snapshots of our summer, in brief:

Snapshots of our journey from Edinburgh through Yorkshire Dales, UK:

Amazing tree that looks like an elephant man...

Beautiful stone walls throughout our country drive from Scotland to England!

An adorable inn where we stayed a night as we journeyed back to Heathrow...

... And then a short while later, we journeyed onto Grenada, where we stayed in an unforgettable villa for 10 days...

Grenada has gorgeous beaches...

... and incredible local, organic fruits, with which to make (organic local rum) drinks...

Incredible view from our villa...!

On a boat to Carricou Island, just north of Grenada...

David with a freshly picked wild cocoa pod...

Some of many gorgeous Grenada waterfalls we explored...

We even had some down time for reading in our gorgeous villa...

Fish Friday in Gouyave means LOADS of fried fish...

This sign gave us a chuckle (@ Fish Friday)

Nutmeg tree...

More waterfall action shots...

Pink Gin Beach...

Organic rum distillery (amazing!)

Our very own salt water pool at our villa...

... and perfecting fresh fruit cocktails....

Then we're off to VERMONT for some serious mountain biking!

Perfect day for a bike ride

At the top of Killington

Deer sighting from the kitchen window...

Grillin' some Korean-style steak... (awesome)

Then we're off to a weekend in Boston for a wedding... where we visit our favorite restaurant Clio, have an incredible meal topped off with a deliciously decadent dessert...

After which we're back in Vermont, back to mountain biking, hoping to work off that decadent dessert...

That's my bike on the lift, ready for downhill action...

... and we did some trail rides, too, and even saw a BEAR, but clearly not long enough to take a photo. BUT IT WAS AMAZING!

Awesome summer, 2009!

David and I underwater in Grenada... we go everywhere together...

Quick Update!

How time flies!

Since we've returned from Grenada, we've spent a week in the mountains of Vermont, hanging out with Eleanor and Michael... not to mention mountain biking over trails as well as downhill on ski slopes. David is officially having his best summer EVER. (And I am having my most sportivo/active summer to date.) We still have numerous photos post... we're getting behind here... but first, we're off to Boston tomorrow for the weekend. My friend Lourie (dear lovely friend since high school) is getting married!!! We are thrilled to be able to attend, and looking forward to being in Bean Town for the weekend. We take the train up tomorrow morning. David is already looking forward to eating some Boston Cream Pies.

A proper catch up soon!

Back in the Big Apple

David and I returned safely to New York this afternoon. It's good to be back at home, although it's strange to not see mango and breadfruit trees everywhere we look all of a sudden.

We shall post some pic soon. xoxo

Lovin' Life and Livin' Large in Grenada

A very quick post --

David and I have spent 7 days in Grenada already -- and we LOVE the island and have had an incredible time. Our villa is simply perfect for us, we already want to come back! We have done 2 of our 4 open water dives here -- we will do 2 more tomorrow, after which, crossing fingers, we shall be CERTIFIED DIVERS! The 2 dives we did were beautiful and amazingly fun; we had a lovely, chilled out instructor with whom we finished our final confined water dive as well as our 2 open water dives. Beautiful good times. We saw a fabulous array of fish, from massive lobsters to scorpion fish to very rare pipe fish (kind of like sea horses, but in pipe form). Grenada is a gorgeous, lush island with incredible vegetation. Although the locals all emphasize that the island is still very much recovering from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the island does not lack in beauty or greenery. Currently it is mango season, which means we eat mangoes everyday and all the time, fresh and freshly juiced into cocktails with local organic rum. A big bag of mangoes costs $10 EC, which is less than $4 US. Amazing. And they are all organic. We have eaten some amazing local cuisine, richly derived from local fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, seasoned with local spices (Grenada is called Spice Isle); we have snorkeled, dove and sat on the beach (or rather, I sat on the beach and read while David snorkeled in search of ocean creatures), as well as hiked the rain forests. We have interacted with the local community: we have been to a hidden local bar off the beach; we get chicken from the Jamaican jerk chicken grillin' guy on the roadside; we buy fruit from the lady at our favorite local fruit stand by the road; we went to Fish Friday alongside the locals, etc. etc. We have 4 more days left, which seems so soon... but we intend to make the most of our stay.

We shall post photos and blog more when we get home. For now, MORE RUM!

since we've been in NYC...

Life has been full and hectic since we returned to NYC.

For one, I turned 30. I had a terrific, terrific birthday, which made the transition into the new decade smooth and wonderful. Although busy with A Wonderland, David went all out to make my 30th birthday memorable -- gorgeous flowers delivered first thing in the morning, an incredible gift, amazing card, and a fabulous dinner at a Japanese restaurant we'd never been to before in the city. Fantastic day. Truly.

And then David worked non-stop on A Wonderland. While there were some obstacles (such as losing a dancer 2 days before show opening), the show opened and was over-sold for all 4 nights of the run. On the last night, a whole row had to be added, it was standing-room only. David's choreography was very well received, and his dancing, too -- yes, he danced in one of the numbers himself! Having had to replace one of the dancers unexpectedly at the last minute, he found that the new, replacement dancer could not learn everything in time, confidently. One of the numbers was quite complicated and fast, and so David decided to dance that section himself. EVERYONE raved about David's dancing. I think it was perhaps the most surprising and best part of the show for our friends, who have never seen David dance live.

Despite the packed and all-too-short rehearsal period, with no budget to speak of, the show was a great experience for David. It presented challenges different than those he's faced in DD. I for one love the show, I am so proud of David for having been part of the project. It was exciting, if at times harrowing. One of the reviews said this about David's choreography:

"...sharply choreographed by David Scotchford... watch for the dancers, they manage to live large within their tight muscled choreography" -- Michael Bettencourt (Scene4Magazine QReviews)

Good times.

Next up for us? -- A VACATION! We're off to Grenada a week from today. Today we signed up to take intensive scuba dive classes this weekend. David is very excited about diving, and I am, too, although quite nervous, too. Simply, I am looking forward to relaxing on the beach and by the pool.

back in NYC, onto summer

Back in NYC after a fantastic weekend in Edinburgh, followed by a drive through the Lake District, a stop in Yorkshire Dales, more driving and a flight out of Heathrow. Although battling a bit of jet-lag, we hit the ground running NYC-style -- David is rehearsing A Wonderland, I'm back in the office. But there's a distinct "summer-ness" in Manhattan, perhaps inspired by the 4th of July weekend.

Congratulations Katie & Magnus!

(Just outside of The Hub, where Katie and Magnus were married, before we traveled by old fashioned double-decker bus to Prestonfield for the reception)

After a whirlwind week in London, David and I flew to Edinburgh Friday evening for Katie and Magnus's wedding. More photos come...! We had an INCREDIBLE time, had so much fun and met wonderful people, it was a fabulously memorable occasion -- we are so happy that we were able to attend the festivities. GOOD TIMES were had with ceilidh dancing.

Congratulations to the happy, beautiful couple. xoxo

Once more, to the airport!

It's 4:50AM here on Saturday in NYC - I am all packed up and about to go downstairs for my car pick-up to the airport. I'm on my way to London!

Yay!

David in London, Tomoko in NYC

David departed early this morning for London -- he has arrived safe and sound, and is now across "the pond" from me, still in New York. It's that time of the year again, the London new cast rehearsals, and so David will begin rehearsing the new members tomorrow. I will join him this Saturday -- not for business this time, thank goodness for our frequent flier miles! We will remain in London until Friday, June 26th, when we fly up to Edinburgh for our friends' wedding.

We've decided to explore the UK countryside on our way back to Heathrow Airport, from where we return to New York on Tuesday, June 30. We shall hire a car and drive back down from Edinburgh, stopping along the way to stay in Yorkshire Dales. We found a quirky inn called the Wensleydale Heifer -- should be interesting! We are really looking forward to the wedding - it is the wedding of our dear friends Katie and Magnus. Katie and I met 10 years ago at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. David and I met Magnus when we lived in London leading up to the premiere of the West End DD -- they were dating then. They are a lovely couple, and we stayed with Katie's parents with Katie, our friend Val (whom I also met 10 years ago at the EdFest), and Magnus during the festival that summer and had a fantastic time. David and I have seen Val, Katie and Magnus whenever we could when we pass through London, and Val has come to visit us in Chicago recently (and Utrecht before that). So the wedding promises to be GOOD TIMES with our favorite UK folks -- it will be a wonderful occasion and our very first Scottish wedding!

Now I will just have to get through this week solo in New York as I prepare to leave very early Saturday! x

June and Onwards

Time at home has passed very quickly. We're now into JUNE, and rainy season is in full effect.

A couple of updates since the last blog --

Last weekend, David and I impulsively decided to go down to Princeton for Reunions weekend. Or rather, I impulsively decided I wanted to go, and David, like the loving, generous husband that he is, graciously obliged. It was the 10th Reunion for the Class of 1999, a class in which I have many friends. It was great to be there. Princeton Reunions are often overwhelming as a concept, but once there, it is a whole lot of GOOD TIMES. David and I are now experienced Reunion attendees, and have matured since my 5th Reunion 3 years ago... which meant we were very sensible in our partying and survived without hangovers.

One of my friends from the Princeton Class of '99 is Jessica Del Vecchio. She and I performed together in the play Uncommon Women and Others . Since graduating, she has worked in the music industry while fronting a band. Nowadays, she performs in a awesome band called Menage A Twang, and attends grad school. We spent a lot of time with her and her partner, Eamonn. Like David, he is a spouse/partner of a Princeton graduate -- he did not attend Princeton himself, so the two boys bonded over their initiation into Princeton alumni world. Eamonn is also a theater director in New York and is the founder of the Anonymous Ensemble. He has a new upcoming project for which he needs a choreographer... What a coincidence! David and Eamonn hit off very well indeed and they shall now work together on the pieace. It's very exciting. It's a new work, very experimental -- a rock performance piece loosely based on Alice in Wonderland. The piece is called Wonderland, and in it there will be a live band, video projections, an aerialist as well as dancers, and a drag queen Bunny. It will be showcased at the Ohio Theater in SoHo for 3 nights in July. I love the Ohio Theater (my favorite theater company, The Wooster Group, has done a lot of productions there), and I am excited for David's foray into experimental theater in New York. While it is not a big or paying job, it is great chance to meet interesting artists and put on a show. There is a great collaborative spirit about the piece, and David seems pleased about the opportunity to experiment quite freely.

Before he sinks his teeth into Wonderland, David is off to London for two weeks mid-June, to rehearse the new cast for DD London. I will join him for the second week. We also happen to have a wedding to attend in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the end of June, so we will take a long weekend Scottish-style before heading back to New York..... busy again!

And then I turn 30. The big 3-0 happens come July. Not sure how we shall celebrate just yet...

HOORAY!!!

We just received news from our immigration lawyer that David has been approved for a permanent PERMANENT RESIDENCY (green card) !!!

xoxo

Behold, our new hobby!

During the gray, wintry days of Berlin, David decided that we would buy mountain bikes when we returned to New York and the weather turned spring. David has researched mountain bikes voraciously -- if not impressively and obsessively -- for the last few months. And voila! Earlier this week, all his detailed and thorough research paid off and he bought us bikes! I am still a novice mountain biker, but I have aspirations. Apparently there are mountain bike trails around Manhattan and the outer boroughs. We have already ridden up and down the Westside Highway bike/roller-blade path, and, I must say, the bikes are super duper awesome.

With any luck I could be a hard-bodied mountain biker... real tough-like, but hopefully not butch. First, I will need to get outfits to fit the part, of course.

WE (heart) NEW YORK CITY

David and I are FINALLY back home in New York!

This has been the longest stretch of time that we have been away from home. David is thrilled to be in NYC, in our apartment, as I am, too -- although I think I am also a little shell-shocked. It's odd to be home after being away for so long, after having made temporary homes in not one but TWO different apartments (one in Berlin, the other in London). I feel a bit like a stranger with a severe case of de ja vu being back in our apartment. A whole series of, "Where is the...?" and "Where did I use to...?" and "Where did this go again??" Strange. New York changes quickly and often. Our gym closed on the day we returned! We received an email about it -- it felt like being broken up with by text message. Luckily there is another gym/health club just down the block, so today we promptly marched over there and became members.

We're still getting organized back home - I expect this process will take some time. Unpacking, organizing, cleaning, reacclimatizing... it's a little daunting for me, but David is so happy and energized about being home, looking forward to what we'd do now we're here (he has big plans on buying us mountain bikes), I hope to get back on the New York City track soon. Despite my sense of having SO MUCH TO DO, I am, indeed, happy to be back in our own bed, to have access to my whole wardrobe, to have our NYC friends close, and to be in NYC.

snapshots of Berlin

Few photos from the last days of our time in Berlin...

David near Alexander Platz

Dinner with the gang at one of our favorite restaurants in Berlin (Bocca di Bacco)

David with a massive schnitzel at Borscht Restaurant...supposedly the best schnitzel in Berlin! (And we believe it)

At Alexey's birthday party... with lots of fabulous Russian food and vodka in a cool funky Berlin basement bar/club...

And here are a few photos from Opening Night Berlin --

With Daniel ("Johnny") and Charlotte ("Penny") in the middle...

We had an excellent Premiere in Berlin... the cast is fantastic and we hope the show is a big success!

In London

David and I arrived in London Thursday, just in time for the Easter weekend. We don't begin auditions until Tuesday - so we have our first long weekend together in a long long time, which is much needed. Because we are in London for nearly a month, we are in an apartment -- different from the one last year, but in the same neighborhood, which is fantastic as we love Bloomsbury. We're in a modern flat on one of our favorite streets in the area. The flat itself took a little getting used to, as it is more like a hotel/flat and we felt for a couple of days as if we lived in doll's house... but now we have grown to like it just fine. So far it has been gray and rainy (no surprise, it is London after all), but we have hopes for a sunny and springlike London whilst we're here. Fingers crossed!

Over the last few days we achieved various setting-up-To-Do's. We went to Whole Foods and the local supermarket to set up the kitchen; we joined a gym (David's been dying to go to the gym as we didn't have gym access in Berlin - I scraped by doing yoga by DVD, which actually worked quite well); we re-arranged some furniture in the flat to make it more suited to our needs. And we've had a rather full social life -- We saw DD with Al Sapienza (he played "Jake" in Toronto) and his wife on Friday, which was a fun night; went to see "Saturday Night" with Val on Saturday, which was a disastrously AWFUL show (totally amateurish production, not at all a West End calibre show), but we had a good dinner at a new Mexican restaurant and had a few drinks, which is always a good time. Yesterday David and I went to see not one but TWO movies, which was a great treat. We saw "The Young Victoria," which we loved and highly recommend. We then saw "Dragonball Revolution," on a totally other spectrum -- it was good fun, though.

The best part is that we have just spent time together and not worrying about work. We've slept in everyday, which is amazing. We have today to hang about before we kick off auditions tomorrow...

and on to LONDON!

David and I are in the last hour of packing before the car arrives to take us to the airport. We're off to London for 3 weeks starting today!

Photos from the Berlin premiere to come...

late night lifts at home?!

Tonight was the last preview before Media Night, followed by Opening Night. We've had the least amount of previews here in Berlin - but the show is in great shape and the audiences have been fantastically responsive.

Tomorrow is our last day off before Opening Night. David and I will spend the day writing cards for the cast and beginning to gather our things to leave Berlin... it's come so quickly!!!

Tonight we had drinks with James (director), Amber (producer) and other people in various departments (video, sound, lighting, etc.) at the 100 Beer Bar near the theater. It was all good times - David had Strongbow cider (as he doesn't like beer) and I had some Chimay Bleu (high alcohol content Trappist beer - fantastic). It was great to all sit outside and chill out as we approach opening.

David and I then came home, had some eats, and DID THE LIFT!!! Yes, indeedy. David wanted to lift some weights and there I was, free and weighty. We did the DD lift in our own home - and I was able to stay up there! If only someone could take a photo of us doing the lift as proof...! We have done the lift with David lying down on the floor, we have done the lift in the ocean, but we had never done the lift standing upright. And in a strange way it was easier to do the lift for real than in other ways! We shall perfect it and get a photo...