20 Questions with Erin Wall

Canadian soprano Erin Wall will sing Violetta in VO's La Traviata (onstage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre April 30 - May 12!). What does it take to sing such a sensitive, larger-than-life character? Find out as we ask Erin 20 Questions!


1. Guilty musical pleasure?
Tenacious D’s Rock Your Socks Off.

2. Where do you love to sing?
In the car. I’ve learned a lot of music in there!

3. What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Waking up after a full night’s sleep in my own bed and spending a lazy morning with my husband, my son, and a hot cup of coffee!

4. To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Procrastination.

5. Who are your favourite heroes/heroines of fiction?
Marguerite Gautier and, yes, I’ll say it, Bridget Jones.

6. Who are your favourite characters in history?
Pheidippides and Marie Curie.

7. Who are your favourite heroes/heroines in real life?
My parents.

8. Who is your favourite author?
David Sedaris.

9. Your favourite musician?
Impossible to chose just one. The list is endless!

10. Your favourite composer?
Very difficult, but I’m going to say Mozart, Strauss, and Mahler.

11. What quality do you most admire in a person?
Diplomacy and generosity.

12. Your favourite virtue?
Punctuality.

13. Your favourite occupation?
I like the one I have - a working singer.

14. What did you want to be as a child?
A figure-skating veterinarian.

15. Your most marked characteristic?
I am excessively verbal.

16. What do you most value in your friends?
Patience and acceptance.

17. For what would you like to be remembered?
Being a good daughter, sister, wife, and mother.

18. What natural gift would you most like to possess?
The ability to learn languages easily.

19. What is your motto?
Never lose perspective.

20. What non-opera song do you rock?
I do a mean “Baby Beluga”!

Find out more about Erin here.

Prosciutto Rolls with Goat Cheese, Arugula and Fig Spread

Believe it or not, it's now March and I am still working my way through some of the very many wonderful cooking-related goodies I got for Christmas, and one of those goodies was completely perfect for this latest entry in the Friday Night Lights series of nibbly suppers the Southern husband and I are having on, um, Friday nights.   And that goodie is this:

A beautiful jar full of rich, tantalizing, gorgeous...

Fig jam.  I have a long-standing love affair going with fig jam, and in my humble opinion, a person can't have enough of this stuff around the place.  In a pinch you can sub in apricot, or even peach, but if you can find fig jam, the real thing, you will be in such a happy, happy place.

So, this particular jar of fig jam came in handy for this latest appetizer recipe, which goes like this:  Get some nice thin prosciutto and lay it out in nice long strips.  it might tear here and there but don't worry, because by the time you roll it up, the layers will hide any rips or tears.  Now you spread a thin layer of soft goat cheese that has been mixed with a little minced garlic onto the prosciutto.  Next comes the fig jam - thin layer spread on the goat cheese.  Lay a couple of arugula leaves on top, and then drizzle with a mixture of olive oil, lemon peel and lemon juice.

Now cut the piece in half, right down the middle (otherwise the rolls will be too thick), and roll them up.  You are now done, and you have a lovely plate of prosciutto/goat cheese/fig jam/arugula heaven.  I decorated mine with some fresh oregano sprigs, because my Aerogarden is still in full tilt.

Easy, right?  And on Friday nights, that is the name of the game. 

Prosciutto Rolls, from Saveur 

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
6 oz. soft goat cheese, at room temperature
2–3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
12 slices (not paper-thin) prosciutto, halved crosswise
1⁄2 cup fig preserves
1⁄2 bunch arugula, trimmed
Freshly ground black pepper


1. Whisk oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice together in a small bowl and set aside. Mix goat cheese and garlic together in another small bowl and set aside.
2. Spread a thin layer of the goat cheese mixture on each piece of prosciutto, spread a thin layer of fig preserves over cheese, and top with 1–2 arugula leaves. Drizzle with some of the lemon vinaigrette and season to taste with pepper. Roll prosciutto up around filling and arrange on serving platter, seam side down.  Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

  Print this!

And The Winning Baby Shower Theme Is. . .

Drum roll, please. . .

PINK ON PINK!! So, yes, that means my friend is having a girl and we are all super excited for her (well, her two sons aren't so much). Actual serious planning has begun and I'll keep you updated as I go.

What's Going On?

There are some super fun indie craft shows / marketplace / art shows things happening in South Florida over the next month or so. I'm going to do my best to be there, and if you're in the area you should too!

Sunday, April 3rd - Downtown Open Market in Boca Raton

Saturday, April 9th - Odd Duck Show in Davie

Sunday, April 17th - Spring Fling Bazar in Fort Lauderdale

Saturday, May 7th - Art Rock in West Palm Beach

Maybe, Perhaps.......at last....

A walk down 21st Street yesterday morning revealed:

shy little bits of fruit blossom

daffodils -- the pale kind I like best

and Lenten Roses.

In the immortal words of PB Shelley:

If winter comes
can spring be far behind?




Yipee!




To view this blog in a fun, different way go here

random fact {no.5}

Junxs

I self-reflect during hot showers

This might sound a little odd, but it is the only time I can afford to shut out everything else that is going on in the world and focus on me. It is the only time I get to re-collect and run through what has happened that day, and then make little notes-to-self to be better the next :)

See random facts {no.1}, {no.2}, {no.3} and {no.4}!

splish-splash!, xo

PS: Thank you for following, Mari! :D

Field Trip! The Fruits of Outlet Shopping at Grove City Outlets

Off a stretch of 79, North of Pittsburgh, where the spring air still holds a winter chill and humans share space with livestock, there is settled a center of discount shopping possibility. What golden nugget of commerce requires is a little time and a good pair of walking shoes. But what it offers is fun and the chance a savvy shopper can get some decent bargains.

You'll see it here...

Oops! No, wait, not there. Here, right across the street...

Yep, now you've found the Grove City Premium Outlets, and that's where my friend Scoobie and I went treasure hunting last weekend!

Now, if you've never been outlet shopping before, I have some advice for you. When outlet shopping, I recommend the following tips:

• If you can, park somewhere central enough that you can return packages to the car. Don't do like I did once and buy something large, and have to carry it half a mile back to your vehicle. Trust me-- your arms and back will thank you for it!

• Wear shoes you know are comfortable; this is not the time to break in that cute pair of new heels. You lose points for your stylishness if you're bloody and limping.

• Make sure you eat. Smart shoppers are not hungry, cranky shoppers. Plus, it will help you avoid buying everything the chocolate shops have to offer. Restraint comes with a full stomach.

• Know what you're looking for and what you're willing to pay. Like thrift stores, prices at outlet malls are not always bargains. So it's really important to know what the prices are on the things you're interesting in buying. Some outlet stores offer some real sales, but others are just branches of regular mall stores at regular mall store prices. It's important to know what's what to really enjoy savings.

My friend Scoobie found herself a good price on a griddle. She'd been comparing prices for months now and the Corelle Outlet had a quality Revereware griddle for a price she wanted to pay.

Me, I was looking for some new jeans. So, I got the chance to shop at the White House/Black Market store and snag myself some formerly $90 jeans for $20. I love the style of the clothes there-- very vintage-inspired-- so this was a real treat for me.

I also netted myself a couple of paua shell necklaces from the New York & Company outlet....

Their prices were comparable to what you pay in the stores on-sale, but I was happy with the purchases because I hadn't spied these particular pieces directly in their stores.

And you know what I was saying about making sure you eat? After a couple of rows of shopping, Scoobie and I took an intermission at a nearby Pub/Restaurant, the Elephant & Castle.

They have everything from sandwiches to salads to traditional British pub dishes. I had a burger with a Guinness Barbecue sauce on it... YUM!

And my friend Scoobie, well, she found her leftovers required a doggie, er, rather an elephant bag...

There was dessert in there and Scoobie loves sweets; I kinda have a suspicion she didn't share with the elephant at all.

But if pub food isn't your favorite, the outlet mall also offers a food court, and nearby off-outlet restaurants like Eat & Park, Primanti Brothers, and Wendy's.

So for a fun day out foraging for bargains, you can have your pick of purchase potential at the Grove City outlets.

Have a great week, folks!

Field Trip! The Fruits of Outlet Shopping at Grove City Outlets

Off a stretch of 79, North of Pittsburgh, where the spring air still holds a winter chill and humans share space with livestock, there is settled a center of discount shopping possibility. What golden nugget of commerce requires is a little time and a good pair of walking shoes. But what it offers is fun and the chance a savvy shopper can get some decent bargains.

You'll see it here...

Oops! No, wait, not there. Here, right across the street...

Yep, now you've found the Grove City Premium Outlets, and that's where my friend Scoobie and I went treasure hunting last weekend!

Now, if you've never been outlet shopping before, I have some advice for you. When outlet shopping, I recommend the following tips:

• If you can, park somewhere central enough that you can return packages to the car. Don't do like I did once and buy something large, and have to carry it half a mile back to your vehicle. Trust me-- your arms and back will thank you for it!

• Wear shoes you know are comfortable; this is not the time to break in that cute pair of new heels. You lose points for your stylishness if you're bloody and limping.

• Make sure you eat. Smart shoppers are not hungry, cranky shoppers. Plus, it will help you avoid buying everything the chocolate shops have to offer. Restraint comes with a full stomach.

• Know what you're looking for and what you're willing to pay. Like thrift stores, prices at outlet malls are not always bargains. So it's really important to know what the prices are on the things you're interesting in buying. Some outlet stores offer some real sales, but others are just branches of regular mall stores at regular mall store prices. It's important to know what's what to really enjoy savings.

My friend Scoobie found herself a good price on a griddle. She'd been comparing prices for months now and the Corelle Outlet had a quality Revereware griddle for a price she wanted to pay.

Me, I was looking for some new jeans. So, I got the chance to shop at the White House/Black Market store and snag myself some formerly $90 jeans for $20. I love the style of the clothes there-- very vintage-inspired-- so this was a real treat for me.

I also netted myself a couple of paua shell necklaces from the New York & Company outlet....

Their prices were comparable to what you pay in the stores on-sale, but I was happy with the purchases because I hadn't spied these particular pieces directly in their stores.

And you know what I was saying about making sure you eat? After a couple of rows of shopping, Scoobie and I took an intermission at a nearby Pub/Restaurant, the Elephant & Castle.

They have everything from sandwiches to salads to traditional British pub dishes. I had a burger with a Guinness Barbecue sauce on it... YUM!

And my friend Scoobie, well, she found her leftovers required a doggie, er, rather an elephant bag...

There was dessert in there and Scoobie loves sweets; I kinda have a suspicion she didn't share with the elephant at all.

But if pub food isn't your favorite, the outlet mall also offers a food court, and nearby off-outlet restaurants like Eat & Park, Primanti Brothers, and Wendy's.

So for a fun day out foraging for bargains, you can have your pick of purchase potential at the Grove City outlets.

Have a great week, folks!

stanton olive.

stanton olive by bridge & burn. am i tempted to spend part of my tax refund on this? why yes i am.

stanton olive.

stanton olive by bridge & burn. am i tempted to spend part of my tax refund on this? why yes i am.

Russell Crowe's Crusader Knight costume from Robin Hood...

In 13th century England the 2010 movie Robin Hood tells the story of before the infamous archer became the outlaw of Sherwood Forest with his Merry Men. Russell Crowe plays the titular 'Robin Longstride' and starts the movie as a common archer serving in Richard the Lionheart's army as a veteran of the Crusades.

Crusader Knight costume worn by

Russell Crowe in Robin Hood

Weary of war, Robin deserts the army and during the film steals the armour of a fallen knight to disguise himself as a nobleman.

Robin Hood movie poster

Janty Yates was Costume Designer on this historic movie, and also won the Oscar for Best Costume for another Ridley Scott/Russell Crowe collaboration, Gladiator, in 2001.

Original period costume from Robin Hood

on display at Universal Studios Hollywood

If you like this costume, be sure to check out photos of Russell Crowe's Maximus Decimus Roman Gladiator costume on display.

Crusader Knight helmet and gloves from Robin Hood

This costume was photographed on display at Universal Studios Hollywood on March 28, 2011.

Buy the movie: Robin Hood: Unrated Director's Cut (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

Robin Hood (Single-Disc Unrated Director's Cut)

VO Film Series: Camille

Another special event! Here's the final offering in our film series for the 2010-2011 season, presented, as always, with our good friends at the Vancouver International Film Centre.

CAMILLE

Thursday, April 7, 2011
7:00pm: Introduction
7:20pm: Film

Vancity Theatre
Vancouver International Film Centre
1181 Seymour Street

$11/$9 senior or student
(includes $2 Vancity Film Centre membership).
More about the Vancity Theatre

Directed by: George Cukor
(USA, 1936, 109 mins)
DVD
Starring Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Daniell, Elizabeth Allan.

Named one of the top 100 movies ever made by Time magazine and based on the same novel and play as Giuseppe Verdi’s great opera La Traviata (La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils), Camille is a tragic love story about a courtesan, Marguerite, and her handsome young suitor, Armand.

Produced in the finest MGM style, and directed by the studio’s most sensitive director of actresses, George Cukor, Camille is remembered above all for Greta Garbo’s expressive and luminous performance. In Marguerite, the iconic 1930s siren finds a vessel for her own ambivalence towards Hollywood. Garbo suggests warmth, sensuality, irony and introspection in gestures of rare delicacy and insight.

Camille will be introduced by national film journalist Katherine Monk. Ms.Monk's writing appears in National Post, The Vancouver Sun and Province, The Montreal Gazette, Calgary Herald and Ottawa Citizen among others. She is also a regular contributor for CBC Radio’s On the Coast and Global BC’s Early News. Ms. Monk is a voting member of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and the Writers’ Union of Canada. In addition to her duties as a film writer, Ms. Monk teaches and lectures at Simon Fraser University, the University of Alaska, McGill University’s Centre for Canadian Studies and Capilano University. Her first book Weird Sex and Snowshoes and Other Canadian Film Phenomena (Raincoast Books, 2001) hit the bestseller list and was adapted to the screen by Omni Film.

Camille is presented in association with Vancouver Opera’s production of La Traviata, April 30 to May 12th. Verdi’s most popular opera is realized in a gorgeous new co-production directed by Sir Jonathan Miller. Sumptuous parties, passionate encounters and intimate scenes of tragic tenderness, together with dramatic and vocal intensity from beginning to end, make this a magnificent opera experience.

Seating is limited. This special event continues a series of co-presentations between Vancouver Opera and the Vancity Theatre.

Opera Speaks - Tuesday April 19

The next Opera Speaks promises to be a popular one! Mark your calendars and plan to get there early!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011
A Feature Interview With Sir Jonathan Miller

Sir Jonathan Miller is one of the world’s most fascinating and creative polymaths: opera and theatre director, neuropsychologist, writer, television presenter and humourist. He rose to fame 50 years ago as part of the influential British comedy show “Beyond the Fringe”, with Dudley Moore, Peter Cook, and Alan Bennett. He is in Vancouver to direct La Traviata.

Bard on the Beach artistic director Christopher Gaze will engage Sir Jonathan in a feature-length interview about his work, his life, and his provocative ideas. An excerpt from La Traviata will be performed. Thanks to Bard on the Beach for their support!





Opera Speaks @ VPL
Tuesday, April 19
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Alice MacKay Room
Central Branch of the VPL

Free Admission! Limited Seating!