Michael enjoyed Emeril's BBQ Shrimp followed by a filet mignon and apple pie. His parents got the free range chicken and grilled sashimi grade tuna respectively. And everyone was quite happy with their meals. It was a very nice evening out and it's nice to have his parents here in PA.
We will be hosting his parents this Thanksgiving as well. So we are looking forward to that.
*********************************************
Last blog I mentioned I was singing in the Spotlight Cabaret for Allentown Public Theater. I was really worried because I've been fighting this stupid cold for three + weeks now. I finally got the sinus congestion under control and this week I started with more tightening in my chest. Before the cabaret started I let the stage manager know that there was a possibility I wouldn't be singing my encore song.
I got up to sing my set and something wonderful happened. I sang as if I wasn't sick. I put every ounce of my heart and soul into and just let God do the rest. I couldn't believe it. I felt great! The one downside...we didn't bring the video recorder so there is nothing to share :(
I was feeling so much better about things I decided to go ahead with my encore song. It was the first time I'd ever sang this song in public. I was scared shitless! But I got up there and sang. The song (Shine from Spitfire Grill) is about someone realizing her life has value and she is worthy of love. I know I can remember a time in my life where I questioned those very things. And I think about how blessed I am to have a husband who loves me no matter what and that I have family and friends that will walk over hot coals for me. And I know my life has value. So, last night, I just put all of that love into the song and I did 'Shine.' After the performance, Bob Cohen, one of the other singers, came up to me and hugged me. He thanked me for sharing my gifts. Before last night I'd never met Bob. I'd seen him perform but we'd never been formally introduced. Now, we are in talks to 'gig out' together in the Lehigh Valley. He sings often with Big Bands and full orchestras and would love for me to join him. How awesome is that!?
I also had an acquaintance in the audience that told me after the show that I gave him goosebumps. This is why I do this. If you are given such special gifts, it is our duty to share them and enrich the lives of others. I'll gladly continue to share.
I love performing in the cabaret. It allows me to:
- Perform when I'm on a break
- Try out new music for when I get back into auditions
- Pick songs from roles I'll never be able to play.
I'm taking song recommendations as well. I know a lot of music but I'm looking to really put together a strong show musically. I'm interested in taking songs that have been overdone and rearranging them to fit my singing style and breathing new life into them. So, please email me if you have any suggestions.
********************************************
A follow-up on my Couch to 5K program....
Today, I completed my second week and I can't say enough good things about this program. It looks as though I'll be putting off week 3 and beyond to catch my husband up. This evening, while out at dinner with his parents, he learned that both high cholesterol and heart disease run in his family. So he's agreed to join me on this quest for a healthier lifestyle. I'm so excited. So we are both going to start at week 1 and work our way through the program together. I'm so proud of him.
As of today though, I've already lost 6.8 lbs and have worked my way up to 2.34 miles. It's pretty amazing.....it happened so fast. We'll be running marathons in no time....LOL!
I'll post before pictures when my hubby and I start at week 1 next week. I'll post pics of our progress every month. I'm so excited to share this with all of you. I hope that we will inspire others to get fit and healthy.
*******************************************
I also wanted to announce that I'm very close to launching my website...FINALLY! I have to some fine tuning to do and small details to comb through and then it'll go live. I'm hoping to go live by November 8th.
I'll have pages dedicated to:
- My professional acting career
- My coaching services
- My 'side jobs' like sewing and jewelry
- Upcoming performances
- Links
Thanks everyone!
Quote of the Week: "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." ~Oscar Wilde
Recipe of the Week:
Turkey Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppin' Shrimp. (Serves 2)
10 Jumbo Shrimp (cleaned, peeled (leave the tails), and deveined)
5 slices Turkey Bacon
Pepper Jack Cheese
Sliced Jalapenos
Skewers
Seasoning:
1t cayenne pepper
1 pinch salt
1t black pepper
Dipping Sauce
4T Low Fat Ranch Dressing
1T dried cilantro
1-2 shots hot sauce
Combine Seasoning in a bowl and set aside.
Make Dipping sauce and refrigerate.
after cleaning shrimp put them in a bowl w/ water and sliced peppers and microwave for 90 seconds. set aside.
Cook turkey bacon til it's cooked but slightly 'rubbery'. Cut pieces of bacon in half. Drain shrimp and pat dry with towel. mix shrimp with seasoning. Take a piece of shrimp and layer on a piece of cheese, slice of jalapeno, and wrap in bacon and slide on skewer. REPEAT until all shrimp are done. Stick under the broiler for 3 minutes or until the bacon becomes crispy.
Enjoy!
Kirsten Rani Almeida received her B.A. in Theater and Speech from Wagner College. For twelve years, Kirsten doubled as a professional fundraiser for a large non-profit arts organization and an actor, director, choreographer, and playwright. She has performed in more than forty shows all over the U.S. She spent four months touring the country with the Omaha Theater Company's production of 'The Little Engine that Could' as the Red Dress Doll. She performed nearly 80 performances in 36 states. In New York City, Kirsten was part of the cast for the award-winning 'Skin Deep' which has won top honors from the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and originated the role of Lavender Blue in the eerily funny 'Professor Von Awesome's Traveling Caravan of Cautionary Warnings.' Kirsten appeared in the U.S. premiere of 'Scandalous! A new musical based on the life of D.H. Lawrence' in New Orleans and appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the World Premiere musical 'The Butterfly Project' which raised money for children's cancer research. Other credits include Children of Eden (Mama Noah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Narrator), Hello Dolly!(Minnie Fay), Beauty and the Beast(Silly Girl & Madame de la Grande Bouche), The Sound of Music(Mother Abbess), Annie(Star-to-Be), Oliver!(Widow Corney), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying(Rosemary), My Fair Lady(Featured Dancer), Promises, Promises!(Featured Dancer), Nunsense I & II(Sister Leo), Gypsy(Tessie Tura), Guys & Dolls(Featured Dancer), Back to the 80s(Debbie Cox), Seussical the Musical(Gertrude), Snoopy!(Sally Brown), Pippin(Featured dancer), Carousel, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors(Chiffon), and many more.
In film/tv, Kirsten has appeared in the upcoming comedy 'Big Guns', 'Three Chris'', and filmed the independent short 'Westfield' with Clocktower Productions. She has also appeared in two episodes of 'The World's Most Astonishing News'.
She has also appeared as a guest artist with the Newark Boys Chorus and Triad Ensemble and the Spotlight Cabaret with Allentown Public Theater. She was a founding member of the Boonton Parks & Recreation Theatre Company for young performers where she not only directed and choreographed the shows for the company but also acted as lead fundraiser, costumer, lighting designer, marketing director as well as scenic and props designer. Kirsten also taught dance for the recreation department to children ages 7-12. Kirsten has also dabbled in play writing for children's theater. Her twisted version of "The Three Little Pigs" (a musical from the Big Bad Wolf's perspective) was produced at Playhouse 22 in East Brunswick, NJ.
Kirsten teaches drama classes at the Civic Theater in Allentown, PA to grades Pre-K through 4. Kirsten also offers an audition class to high school students which helps students audition confidently. Her effective teaching style is requested by groups in PA and NJ and NY.
No comments:
Post a Comment