My New York

I started the day with this view.  I knew it was going to be a GREAT day.  

I walked the streets a little longer last night even though I should have been in my hotel room resting for my shoot today, but I wanted a little more time to reflect on the city I consider home.  It's no secret that I love NY, but it's been such a great journey for me:  seeing where I started in NY and where I am in NY now.  It reminds me of one of my favorite songs from Sondheim's show, Merrily We Roll Along called "Our Time".  This section of the lyric still sticks with me:

"Years from now,
We'll remember and we'll come back,
Buy the rooftop and hang a plaque:
This is where we began,
Being what we can."

These lyrics resonated with me all day as I had the wonderful opportunity to rehearse for a great project that I am shooting today, watch two longtime friends make their dreams come true with the Broadway show, Godspell, and then meet with the entertainment editor of iVillage.(I have been fortunate to do a few press junkets with them and I look forward to more!)

Now for my fellow musical theatre geeks, here are a few photos from today's incredible invited press rehearsal for Godspell.  If you would like to see some of the video footage, head to Broadway World (A prize to the first person who spots me in the video. Tell me where I am sitting in the comments below.) and be sure to read Producer Ken Davenport's blog on today's event.

 Director, Daniel Goldstein, and Choreographer, Christopher Gattelli.

 The cast!

 Hunter Parrish being interviewed by NBC.

 Ana Maria Perez de Tagle from Hannah Montana is in the cast too.  I last interviewed her here during the Kids' Choice Awards week.

Hello! It's Stephen Schwartz.  Wow!

Kids' Choice Awards: GBK Productions Gifting Suite

Rico Rodriguez from Modern Family

Just when you think awards season is over, a couple of shows sneak in there:  MTV Movie Awards, ESPYs, BET Awards, and of course, Kids' Choice Awards.  I am no stranger to GBK's gifting suites since I have happily covered them with Mingle Media TV for the Emmys and the Oscars.  The Emmys gifting lounge still continues to rank as my favorite, but we had a lot of fun with the kids from your favorite shows like Modern Family, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Hannah Montana.  It also made me very popular with my 11-year-old niece who has a nice box of goodies headed across the country to her.

See the full interviews with everyone here:  Kids' Choice Awards:  GBK Productions Gifting Suite

Ana Maria Perez de Tagle from Hannah Montana

Some of my favorite interviews of the day were Bailee Madison of Wizards of Waverly Place who is a complete delight and who passed along a "hello" to my niece.  She was running around with Rico Rodriguez of Modern Family who is a bundle of energy.  I handed him the microphone and off he went asking me all of the important questions of the day. (You must, must watch my full interview with him.  That kid is one of a kind.)  I think I flirted shamelessly with Gary Cole whom I have loved since he played Mr. Brady on the big screen and we stood back as the Jackson entourage piled into the suite.  Yes, LaToya, Paris, Prince, and Blanket were all in attendance followed by The Insider camera crews.  We were not allowed to take photos while they were there, but I'm sure The Insider has exclusive rights to the Jackson clan.  (Read between the lines on that one.)  The Jackson kids were probably the most low key family that walked through the door that day, so while they have an extraordinary life, they act like very ordinary kids which was nice to see.

 I pretended this photo was for my niece, it was for me.  I love Make It or Break It on ABC Family. Thanks to Josie Loren for being a good sport. 

 Singer and fellow Massachusetts native, JoJo.

The lovely Bailee Madison from Wizards of Waverly Place.

Finally, I fell in love with Glimmer Body Art which is an amazing temporary glitter tattoo that lasts about 7 days.  My vet even commented on it, "So I guess you like purple".  Be sure to check them out since they were my favorite vendor of the gifting suite and I still have my glitter star on my wrist after 5 days. So, enjoy the interviews and the photos, it just reminds me that it's great to be a kid.....in Hollywood!

 I think I look a little too happy next to Gary Cole.

 This one is for the Vampire Diaries fans.  Arielle Kebbel wouldn't give me a single spoiler about next season.  

I'm the Beebs on the cover of Tiger Beat.  Awesome!

My favorite new accessory, a glitter tattoo!

Photos are property of Mingle Media TV and Kristyn Burtt

*The Glimmer Tattoo Kit was complimentary.  I was not asked to write a review.  I liked the product and I wanted to share it with you.*

Insidious

Interviewing Barbara Hershey for Insidious, but I really wanted to ask her about this.

I'm here to let you know that I am not a fan of horror or the paranormal, so covering the Insidious press junket was a big step for me.  This was one of those times when I am glad I said "yes" despite my hesitations on covering this film because I love learning about the process of filmmaking.  James Wan and Leigh Whannell were so enthusiastic about their film and how they wanted it to have an indie feel both on and off set that I felt inspired after talking with them.  So, yes, I was inspired by the creators of the Saw franchise.  I cannot believe I wrote that.  That's why I love my job, creativity and revelations come in the most unusual places.

To read the article and see the video, head over to Starpulse:  Insidious

Or to just see the video interview for Mingle Media TV:  Insidious

Obviously asking a very intense question to director, James Wan.

Have a great weekend!  On Monday, I will bring you some great photos and interviews from the Kids' Choice Awards Gifting Suite by GBK Productions.

Photos Courtesy of Mingle Media TV.

Mad Men Delayed

Photo courtesy of AMC.

It's very rare that I love a show to its core:  Sex and the City (SATC), Gilmore Girls (GG), and Mad Men. While I can watch SATC and GG in its entirety in reruns and from my DVD collection, I am left hanging from Season 4's finale with Mad Men. Yesterday, AMC and Matt Weiner announced that I have to wait until 2012. The rumor I heard from an inside source is that March 2012 is the earliest we will see the show.  So, they are telling me it's okay for fans to have to wait 12 months until a new episode is revealed and the answers to my questions are resolved.  Is anyone else worried about Don Draper?  He was in the middle of an alcoholic breakdown!  What about Peggy?  She's so strong, yet so secretly fragile.  And Sally Draper needs some guidance!  Heck, by the time they start filming Mad Men again, Kiernan Shipka (Sally) will have grown six inches. So, in the meantime, I am in mourning.  I guess I will Netflix Seasons 1-4 and milk every episode until Don Draper pours another drink and enters my living room with a swagger.

Here are a few Mad Men posts to tide you over until 2012....yeah, right.
1. Mad Men Withdrawal--you are going to suffering through a lot of this in 2011.

2. Mad Men Monday--some fun places you can find little Mad Men nuggets of information from QVC to my interview with Kiernan Shipka at the Saturn Awards.

3. Emmys, Part 2:  Photos with my favorite gal, Kiernan Shipka, at the Emmys gifting suite.  Maybe I will run into her again during the Kids' Choice Awards gifting suite?  I will keep you posted on any Mad Men sightings.

Now the big question is:  What are you going to do with your Sunday nights this summer/fall?