I nearly forgot that I've been keeping a blog. It's been THAT good of a week! I must say though, everything I blog about for the upcoming week, I feel compelled to do, so it must be doing its job. I'm getting out and seeing things.
Tuesday, after getting lost for the umpteenth time in the farms of New Jersey, I made my way to Open Mic night at Grover's Mill Coffee House. It's actually a pretty neat looking place, and had a little more variety in their musicians than my previous foray. No vegan goods, unless you count soy milk. Which I don't. I didn't stay too long though, so not too much to say about it. A lot of high schoolers hanging out, I was feeling old and out of place ;-)
Friday night I went over to the Cranstock Music Festival. Again, neat looking set up. They were in Village Park in Cranbury, NJ and had tiki torches set up all along the circumference of the park, as well as Christmas lights hanging from trees. My only problem was each group had an hour on stage, so I was there for a little over an hour and half, and only really saw one group perform. A harp/guitar duo, and I didn't really care for the woman's voice. So, I read my play for acting class by tiki torch light, and left. More of an interesting place to go with someone to talk with, or a family, or a flashlight.
Saturday I went out to Cafe Improv at The Paul Robeson Center for the Arts in Princeton. I had gone the previous month and was impressed, so I made it a priority to go again this month. I was, once again, equally blown away by the amount of talent I was exposed to for a measly $1. The show was from 7-10pm (running a little over, as it had last month), and featured 8 different acts, all musical acts, although I guess they also allow comedy, poetry, and dance as well. One of my favorites was The Raven Rock Rounders, a band that plays self-described "good ol' American back-porch pickin'...tunes". I loved their sound, and they did an awesome cover of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" with all 4 joining in together on "...People just like it better that way." I intend to go back here as often as possible, and eventually join in on the fun and play some of my own tunes. I'll keep you posted on that one.
As for next week, there doesn't appear to be too much going on, at least not too much I am either A) interested in or B) rich enough to attend.
Here's what I do have:
Tuesday, Sept. 28:
International Folk Dance Class & Dance @ 7:00 pm. $3 (1st Class FREE)
Wednesday, Sept. 29:
Westminster Faculty Recital Featuring Organist Ken Cowan @ 7:30pm in Bristol Hall Chapel (FREE)
Friday, Oct. 1:
The Pennington Players Presents "Seussical the Musical" @ 7:30pm in Kelsey Theatre at MCCC ($12-$16)
Saturday, Oct. 2:
Wendy takes a trip. Why not? I've got the whole day free, and I'm sure I won't have TOO much homework! I'm thinking either Philadelphia or the Lambertville/New Hope area, as I've been told by numerous people that I would enjoy it. We'll see...and I'll be back next Sunday to let you know what happened.
Just please don't let me get lost this time...
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Under The Weather
Okay. I know. This was only my second full week of blogging, and I've already dropped the ball; but, I would like to say this: I had every intention of getting out and doing the things I had said I would, and then Tuesday morning I woke up DEAD. You know what I mean. I've been sick all week, and just going down the stairs seems to wear me out. I did get out and do a few things I said I would, and I will discuss those, but I am ready to take next week by force and make up for lost time!
Last Sunday I did make it out to BT Bistro for their Trivia Night. It was supposed to start at 7:00pm. I got there at 7:00pm. You may not know this about me, but one of my biggest pet peeves is feeling like my time is being wasted. That being said, Trivia Night started around 7:45, not off to a great start. There was about 15 people in this bar attached to a Clarion Hotel, not a very rowdy group either. To top it off, if you didn't know anything about sci-fi or animals, you were out of luck as far as getting any answers correct. I am told the topics vary greatly each week, but I'm not so sure I'll be back to find out. Oh, well...the vodka & cranberry was at least good!
I also managed to get myself to a Graduate Accompanying Recital at Westminster Choir College. As that is a degree I have a strong interest in attaining, I thought I should check out what it was all about. The recital consisted of the accompanist accompanying (really??) a tenor singing three French songs. More of an educational field trip for me, but entertaining nonetheless. And free. I won't begin to go into analyzing the performance and how I felt like the accompanist had WAY too much excess body movement, because that would make me appear to have authority in the land of classical piano, and I don't.
Okay, that's it. I was supposed to go to an improv show tonight at The College of New Jersey, but I lost too much time this week being sick and I have some catching up to do. So, I am sorry Mixed Signals, I will try to catch your show another time.
As for this week, here's my options:
Tuesday, Sept. 21
@ 6:00pm the Alternative Film Club at Rider University is showing "Burn After Reading."
@ 7:00pm Folk Dance Class & Dance. $3 (could be interesting??)
Friday, Sept. 24
@ 6:00-10:00pm is the Cranstock Music Festival in Cranbury, NJ. $5 sugg. donation.
Saturday, Sept. 25
@ 11:00-3:00 is the Grand Opening Block Party of the West Windsor Arts Center.
@ 9:00-1:00pm is the West Windsor Farmer's Market.
@ 1:00-11:00pm Cranstock Music Festival again.
@ 2:00pm is The Arts Council of Princeton's ARTbox Derby. FREE to observe.
@ 7:00 is Cafe Improv at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts in Princeton. $1
**ALSO, Saturday is the Smithsonian magazine Free Museum Day taking place all day, all over the country.
Sunday, Sept. 26
@ 2:00pm is a FREE tour of Princeton University's Art Museum.
Okay, clearly I'm going to have to pick and choose for what I do Saturday. They couldn't have spread this out a little more evenly throughout the week??? Oh, well. I have been to Cafe Improv once before, it is a recurring show the last Saturday of each month. I must say it is well worth the $1 for an evening of entertainment by some amazing local singer-songwriters, so that one is probably a definite. Other than that, we'll just have to wait and see! Have a great week!!
Last Sunday I did make it out to BT Bistro for their Trivia Night. It was supposed to start at 7:00pm. I got there at 7:00pm. You may not know this about me, but one of my biggest pet peeves is feeling like my time is being wasted. That being said, Trivia Night started around 7:45, not off to a great start. There was about 15 people in this bar attached to a Clarion Hotel, not a very rowdy group either. To top it off, if you didn't know anything about sci-fi or animals, you were out of luck as far as getting any answers correct. I am told the topics vary greatly each week, but I'm not so sure I'll be back to find out. Oh, well...the vodka & cranberry was at least good!
I also managed to get myself to a Graduate Accompanying Recital at Westminster Choir College. As that is a degree I have a strong interest in attaining, I thought I should check out what it was all about. The recital consisted of the accompanist accompanying (really??) a tenor singing three French songs. More of an educational field trip for me, but entertaining nonetheless. And free. I won't begin to go into analyzing the performance and how I felt like the accompanist had WAY too much excess body movement, because that would make me appear to have authority in the land of classical piano, and I don't.
Okay, that's it. I was supposed to go to an improv show tonight at The College of New Jersey, but I lost too much time this week being sick and I have some catching up to do. So, I am sorry Mixed Signals, I will try to catch your show another time.
As for this week, here's my options:
Tuesday, Sept. 21
@ 6:00pm the Alternative Film Club at Rider University is showing "Burn After Reading."
@ 7:00pm Folk Dance Class & Dance. $3 (could be interesting??)
Friday, Sept. 24
@ 6:00-10:00pm is the Cranstock Music Festival in Cranbury, NJ. $5 sugg. donation.
Saturday, Sept. 25
@ 11:00-3:00 is the Grand Opening Block Party of the West Windsor Arts Center.
@ 9:00-1:00pm is the West Windsor Farmer's Market.
@ 1:00-11:00pm Cranstock Music Festival again.
@ 2:00pm is The Arts Council of Princeton's ARTbox Derby. FREE to observe.
@ 7:00 is Cafe Improv at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts in Princeton. $1
**ALSO, Saturday is the Smithsonian magazine Free Museum Day taking place all day, all over the country.
Sunday, Sept. 26
@ 2:00pm is a FREE tour of Princeton University's Art Museum.
Okay, clearly I'm going to have to pick and choose for what I do Saturday. They couldn't have spread this out a little more evenly throughout the week??? Oh, well. I have been to Cafe Improv once before, it is a recurring show the last Saturday of each month. I must say it is well worth the $1 for an evening of entertainment by some amazing local singer-songwriters, so that one is probably a definite. Other than that, we'll just have to wait and see! Have a great week!!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Sculptures Galore!
My first official week of blogging about my weekly adventures has come to an end! And I am pleased to announce that I did (almost) everything I set out to do this week.
A recap of this weeks adventures:
Tuesday I headed over to open mic night at It's a Grind Coffee House in Plainsboro. I'd be interested to see how long this has been going on, because it doesn't seem to have caught on very much yet. When I got there, an older gentleman was up at the mic reciting poetry and scatting to canned elevator music. As unpleasant as I just made that sound, he was actually quite talented and fun to listen to. When his fifteen minutes were up, that was it for the open mic night section of the evening. The host ended up doing an hour long set to pass the rest of the time and entertain the crowd of 5 of 6 of us. It actually is a cute little space, just not advertised well enough, or could be brand new. As far as the coffee shop, well...I got tea, and there were no vegan desserts, which significantly decreases the chances of me returning. There are plenty more open mic nights around though, I just hope the Scat-Master makes the rounds to the other spots.
A recap of this weeks adventures:
Tuesday I headed over to open mic night at It's a Grind Coffee House in Plainsboro. I'd be interested to see how long this has been going on, because it doesn't seem to have caught on very much yet. When I got there, an older gentleman was up at the mic reciting poetry and scatting to canned elevator music. As unpleasant as I just made that sound, he was actually quite talented and fun to listen to. When his fifteen minutes were up, that was it for the open mic night section of the evening. The host ended up doing an hour long set to pass the rest of the time and entertain the crowd of 5 of 6 of us. It actually is a cute little space, just not advertised well enough, or could be brand new. As far as the coffee shop, well...I got tea, and there were no vegan desserts, which significantly decreases the chances of me returning. There are plenty more open mic nights around though, I just hope the Scat-Master makes the rounds to the other spots.
The other event I made it out to this week was Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton. It was free to the public on Saturday in remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001, and it was a GORGEOUS day to be outside. This place is amazing! If you live anywhere in the Central New Jersey area and have not been there yet, you are definitely missing out. It is a 35-acre, beautifully landscaped park full of over 240 sculptures, from the abstract to contemporary, to sculptures of animals to, my personal favorite, a man relaxing on the hillside while naked women dance around him.
Okay, it wasn't my favorite, but it is pretty funny!
I spent over two hours walking the grounds, and didn't have nearly enough time to see everything. I never even got to the museum, or the two onsite cafes, or Rat's Restaurant, whose executive chef is featured on this season's "Top Chef" (although that one may have to wait until I'm playing piano on Broadway). I will definitely be going back here, and I don't even mind spending the $8.00 this time to get in. It is well worth it to support such an amazing park filled with phenomenal art.
That wraps it up for the past week. Now, this next week is my first full week back in school, but I won't let that stop me from getting out and seeing what all New Jersey has to offer.
It starts tonight, when I head out to BT Bistro at 7:00 for Trivia Night. Don't worry, I'm not expecting to win.
Tuesday, Sept. 14 is another open mic night, this time at Grover's Mill Coffee House at 7:00pm (FREE).
Friday, Sept. 17 is a Westminster Graduate Accompanying Recital at Bristol Hall Chapel on Rider University's Princeton Campus at 8:30pm (FREE).
Sunday, Sept. 19 is Mixed Signals Improv, a FREE improv comedy show by local TCNJ (The College of NJ) students, in the TCNJ Library at 8:00pm.
Sounds like a good start for the week, I'll be back to let you know how it all goes. Happy Sunday!
Here's a few more pictures from Grounds for Sculpture to leave you with...because it's just that amazing.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Goldmine!
Quick mid-week update: I just found out about Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day, coming up on September 25th. According to the website, Museum Day is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Media in which participating museums across the country open their doors for free to anyone presenting a Museum Day Ticket.
I found the Old Barracks Museum in nearby Trenton, NJ, and after entering my name, address, and e-mail address, I was sent my FREE ticket to enjoy the museum on the 25th of this month.
There are museums listed all over the country, so this is not just for Central Jersey!
Just thought I'd share this glorious find: a FREE day at the museum!
Did I mention it's FREE? Just go to the Smithsonian Magazine website and find the museum you'd like to visit.
Happy Thursday!
I found the Old Barracks Museum in nearby Trenton, NJ, and after entering my name, address, and e-mail address, I was sent my FREE ticket to enjoy the museum on the 25th of this month.
There are museums listed all over the country, so this is not just for Central Jersey!
Just thought I'd share this glorious find: a FREE day at the museum!
Did I mention it's FREE? Just go to the Smithsonian Magazine website and find the museum you'd like to visit.
Happy Thursday!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The journey of a thousand miles...
begins with my first official blog. Here 'tis! I am going to do this! Already, starting this blog has inspired me to spend some time finding arts related activities for the week. Some great sites I have found to help with this are Princeton Online and U.S.1, which is also a local paper akin to Orlando Weekly (Florida friends...I miss you!) I've also been checking the local college and university calendars for events, as they are usually good and...well, free (a life-long student's preferable admission cost).
Based on my schedule, my options this week are:
Friday, September 10 @ 7:00 pm- A Junior Organ Recital at Rider University's Bristol Hall Chapel (FREE)
Saturday, September 11 from 12-6:00 pm is Jazz Feast at Palmer Square in Princeton, NJ
Also on Saturday, Grounds for Sculpture will have free admission from 10-6:00p.m.
Saturday is a big day for local events, but I also have plans to attend a pool party at the home of my new employer (can't miss that!), so Jazz Feast might have to wait until next year, but I definitely plan to stop by Grounds For Sculpture and see what it's all about.
And in my search for events, I just found two open mic nights to choose from for tonight. One is at Grover's Mill Coffee House & the other at It's a Grind Coffee House, both beginning at 7:00. Wherever the night takes me, it will have to be by car as my bike tire exploded next to my ear last night. Very exciting.
Off we go...(to make dinner)
Based on my schedule, my options this week are:
Friday, September 10 @ 7:00 pm- A Junior Organ Recital at Rider University's Bristol Hall Chapel (FREE)
Saturday, September 11 from 12-6:00 pm is Jazz Feast at Palmer Square in Princeton, NJ
Also on Saturday, Grounds for Sculpture will have free admission from 10-6:00p.m.
Saturday is a big day for local events, but I also have plans to attend a pool party at the home of my new employer (can't miss that!), so Jazz Feast might have to wait until next year, but I definitely plan to stop by Grounds For Sculpture and see what it's all about.
And in my search for events, I just found two open mic nights to choose from for tonight. One is at Grover's Mill Coffee House & the other at It's a Grind Coffee House, both beginning at 7:00. Wherever the night takes me, it will have to be by car as my bike tire exploded next to my ear last night. Very exciting.
Off we go...(to make dinner)
Monday, September 6, 2010
New (in) Jersey
Here I am. I said I would start a blog, and I'm actually doing it. I also said I would get my Bachelor's Degree, and I'm doing that, too. Okay, so it meant I had to leave my dear friends back in Orlando, FL and move to Central Jersey by myself at the age of 27 to go back to school with a bunch of 18 year olds, but I'm doing it. This blog is going to serve as my accountability partner. It will force me to go out and try new things, explore the Arts in my area, discover and support cool, local businesses, and maybe, just maybe, make a few friends along the way. This blog is a bit random, kind of like myself; but, in general it will cover:
1) The adventures of being an unconventional (read: older) student
2) Arts/Music/Theatre Happenings in Mercer County and Central New Jersey
3) The musings of one, 27-year old, vegan, bicycle commuting, lesbian
1) The adventures of being an unconventional (read: older) student
2) Arts/Music/Theatre Happenings in Mercer County and Central New Jersey
3) The musings of one, 27-year old, vegan, bicycle commuting, lesbian
Let the adventure begin...
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