Broadway Softball League

Ok, I am MAJORLY jealous of Constantine Maroulis' HAIR!!

It is just all kinds of tousled and fabulous.

In Remembrance, and in Thanks...

Quick Memorial Day post, guys.  I woke up this morning with this on my mind and in my heart.  I am probably about as anti-war as one can get, but at the same time, I have members from both sides of my family who have served, and I do feel like we owe our lives to those men and women who sacrifice so much to keep us safe, and I'd like to take a moment to honor those near and dear to my heart.

In Remembrance, Major Carl Saffoe.  He didn't give his life in war, but served this country proudly.  I only wish I had been lucky enough to know him as an uncle.

I also want to give thanks to all my other living relatives who have served - Grandpa H, Uncle Ronnie, Sonny and Eric.

I also want to highlight a WONDERFUL cause.  Almost three years ago now, my hometown lost one of our boys in Iraq.  The town continues to honor and remember him through a great charity: Kick for Nick.  I hope you take a moment to watch this video that ESPN ran.

It's such a worthy cause, and I encourage you all to think about donating any unused balls you may have, as collection is still VERY MUCH ACTIVE!!! (you can look up more information HERE)  I love driving through town when I'm home and seeing that net filled with soccer balls.

Thank you.  All I can say is thank you.

Black Magick Cupcakes

This is my entry for the 2nd Annual Ice Cream Cupcake Roundup (hosted by The Cupcake Project and Scoopalicious)...introducing, Black Magick Cupcakes!

Introducing your ingredients:

Brownie mix (yes, I used mix! It was late at night, and I didn't feel like futzing with a new brownie recipe! I knew the mix from the box would have the density I was looking for)

Oreos

Raspberry jam

Ben and Jerry's Magic Brownie Ice Cream (black raspberry ice cream swirled with sweet cream ice cream and fudgy brownie chunks)

Vanilla ice cream

Chocolate ice cream

Whipped Cream

I baked the brownies into cupcakes, then cut and divided, and added/froze all the layers one by one...phew! So time consuming, but so worth it, because if I say so myself, these were DELISH.  Yum yum.

The layers, from bottom to top are:

Brownie

Raspberry jam

Vanilla ice cream

Crushed oreos

Magic Brownie ice cream

Chocolate ice cream

Brownie

Whipped Cream

Fresh raspberries

Please excuse the HORRIFIC cutting job!!! Hahaha.

I don't pretend to be a master baker, or know what I'm doing when I throw ingredients together, but I'm pretty darn pleased with how these turned out! :)

Miki

Black Magick Cupcakes

My new entry for the Ice Cream Cupcake Roundup. (Did you really think I was going to submit my last post with those stalker iPhone pictures? Puh-lease!)

Get excited...I'll give you a few hints...brownies, raspberries, Ben and Jerry's Haagen Dazs...DELISHHHHH.

Almost as delish as Brandon Bryant on this season of SYTYCD. ;)

SYTYCD

So, my summer obsession starts...SYTYCD!!! If I can get myself together, I'll start blogging the show live time...maybe...no promises!!!

But in the meantime, between new episodes, I amuse myself by searching videos on YouTube, and that's where I came across this amazing kid, from SYTYCD Australia.

PS - He's FIFTEEN.  What an incredible, incredible talent.  I literally cried.

Ice Cream Cupcake Roundup entry!

Here is my first batch potential entry for the Ice Cream Cupcake Roundup (hosted by The Cupcake Project and Scoopalicious)...check out the contest page HERE.

These are tentatively titled Cinnamon-Banana Friendship Cupcakes.

The cupcake recipe is a modified version of the Amish Friendship Bread Recipe (just a little sweeter, and more cakey than it's bread-like cousin).

The ice cream filling is Haagen-Dazs Banana Split (banana and whipped cream ice cream with strawberries and fudge ribbons)

Frosting is cream cheese frosting s

prinkled with cinnamon-sugar and garnished with a cinnamon stick.

This was my first attempt at ice cream cupcakes, and they were QUITE delish!  See horrible, iPhone 

quality close up photos below (please forgive me, I'm still working with a FILM SLR and haven't gotten the photos developed yet...anyone wanna chip in and buy me a DSLR? I would love you forever! ;))

 

GAH! Fuzzy pictures wound my soul.  But it's all I got for now.

Toodles Poodles!

Miki

Brigadoon, brought to you by Vicks...

So I am muy upset that I wasn't able to be a part of WHS's spring musical Brigadoon (see below for what I thought!), but I did enjoy crashing the cast party, and hearing all of the things these crazy Briga-kids got themselves into.  Like this, for example...

What do high school kids do when they have to show emotion during a funeral scene?  Crying is apropos...but what if you don't have the acting skills to pull it off? Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the ultimate outside-in acting tool...

It's true.  One of the kids, CD, had the bright idea of applying a generous amount of VapoRub underneath the eyes to induce tearing.  It's a wonder half the kids didn't go Briga-blind.  Needless to say, this acting choice was quickly nixed by the director.  Oh, what kids do!

I still love high school musicals...

No, not THE High School Musicals (though don't tell anyone, they are my secret obsession.  Shhh.  The choreography is really good!!)...high school musicals.

I went back to my old high school this weekend to see their spring musical, Brigadoon.  Now, a little background here (since I didn't go back just to be a creeper.)  I'm very good friends with...the director, assistant director, choreographer, assistant choreographer, musical director, tech director, set designer, and producer/costume designer.  Maybe because I've not only worked with all of them (most of them are returning staffers from last year, when I was the assistant choreographer/"critique fairy" for Guys and Dolls, but they are also all really good friends.

And I have to say, I was IMPRESSED!! Those kids always pull off a good show, but this was absolutely breathtaking to watch.  The choreography was seamless and beautiful (and I don't just say that because JJ's my best friend), and the kids danced it beautifully.  That's WHS's strong suit - the dancing, particularly guys dancing, which is always a crowd pleaser.  The leads were all fair - Charlie was by far my favorite...natural actor (although I heard it was quite a battle to get him there), and a beautiful singer (when it's in his range...but he's forgiven...he was only a FRESHMAN!!!).  And I was very proud of all the returning kids I knew - particularly DM, AF, AS and KKM.  GREAT job, guys, you all Briga-ROCKED!

This is definitely on my list of shows to do when I am a teacher! It's just one of those classic shows...sure, it may be a bit dated, but it's just so simple and beautiful, and I was surprised how well it was pulled off at WHS, considering they had just lost a VERY talented senior class the year before.

I also got a chance to talk to SA, who is the director of Brigadoon (and coincidentally, was also the director of my senior musical in high school!), and we were discussing what show they were thinking of doing the next year - there's so much more planning involved than I thought, and a lot of guesswork involved.  She mentioned Titanic as a possibility, which I would die from sheer happiness if they did.  I think they're gunning for Chicago, but that might be hard, as we are not far from NYC, and we can't get the rights while it's playing on Broadway...so DON'T GO SEE CHICAGO, so it can close and a high school in CT can do it. :)

Toodles Poodles,

Miki

THIS BLOG IS BORING.

And for that, I apologize.  I mean to use this blog mostly for theatre, cooking and grad school...of which I am doing NONE at this moment...what was I thinking! LOL...hopefully things will pick up when I have use of my camera, and school starts back up after Memorial Day!!! Good Lordie.

The Princess and the Frog

Anyone as excited about this as I am??? It looks so good!!!

Check out the trailer HERE.  Slash, Anika Noni Rose is fierce.  Ok, maybe she is half the reason I'm excited about this movie.  But HELLO!!! An old school Disney movie...with a BLACK princess...set in NEW ORLEANS.  That's HOT.

Change in Title

OK, so as I get more and more into this crazy thing known as BLOGGING, I have already made a change...the name of my blog!! Working for the Yankee Dollar??? What does that even MEAN??

But right now I am obsessed with all things vintage circus, and I think it will serve me well.  So look out internets, and welcome Cirque du Vie! Look for some fancy shmancy shiney new additions soon!

Toodles poodles!

Miki

Dear Internet...

I want you to meet the love of my life.

This is the Lucky.  (Please excuse the crappy quality, taking with le iPhone.)

I love this dog more than life itself.  How can you not?? LOOK AT THOSE EARS.  I WANT TO EAT THOSE EARS FOR BREAKFAST.

Kick for Nick

OK, so, I'm obsessed with YouTube.  I'm sure I will be posting MANY a video in our time together, but I have to post this one first, because it's the MOST important.

Nick was a good buddy of both my brothers, and they were both DEVASTATED when he died.  But I think this cause is SO great, and I always get a little teary driving through town and seeing that collection (over 2 years later, it's still going strong.)

So take a minute, watch the video, at the very least.  

Toodles poodles,

Miki

Friday Fun Fact

Here's a random fact to start your Friday off right! (Well, maybe not RIGHT, but certainly INTERESTING!!!)  A hat to all mothers out there...Happy early Mother's Day!

Are you ready for it? Here we gooooo.....

Shark embryos fight each other in the womb.  The survivor baby shark gets to be born.

It's Me!

Welcome to my blog, Workin' for the Yankee Dollar.

What is Working for the Yankee Dollar, you ask? It's an Andrews Sisters lyric.  I just really like it.  I'm random like that. :)

Who am I, you ask? Well let me tell you! My name is Miki, and I...

am 26

am a graduate student, studying Theater Education (will be a drama teacher someday...SOON, hopefully!)

LOVE food...cooking it, EATING it, looking at pictures of it, researching new recipes to make it...you name it!

am a theatre FREAK, especially with MUSICALS

am a photography NUT

am SINGLE ;)

love my friends and family

am gainfully employed as an administrative assistant at a recruiting comany

LOVE The Biggest Loser, ER, House, The Dollhouse, Bones and Lost

am a New England girl, through and through.

Is that too much info? Maybe.

Really,  I just need a place to be ME.  To gather all my thoughts, and what not. 

And hey, how about I list some of my favorite blogs? Wouldn't that be FUN? hehe

First up, Pioneer Woman.  I am OBSESSED with all things Pioneer Woman.  For shizz.  She pretty much rocks my world.  Is that a little SWF? Maybe.  Yikes.  I take it back.

I also love Cake Wrecks and Fuck You, Penguin.  Both are just SO hilarious, they make me laugh.  I can't even help myself.

And for all you Broadway lovers out there, I just love Andrew's Blog.  He's hilarious and crazy, and knows what's what.  And he's a PRESHIE.

I'm almost done, I promise.  Last two.  Friends of mine...first up is Life Beyond the Postseason.  Ever heard of a little women's b-ball team from the University of Connecticut? Ally's dad is the coach.  And she's pretty awesome herself.  She blogs about everything...her dad's career, meeting OBAMA (JEALOUS!), and her life as a working actress in NYC.  She rocks my socks. 

Last but not least, my friend Annie's blog [clever title].  She ultra-sassy.  And a pop-culture FREAK.  It's why I kinda love her a lot.

That's all for now folks...hopefully I will see this blog through!

Things you can look for here:

Random thoughts

Recipes

Photos (praying for a digital SLR! My poor Canon film SLR just ain't cutting it anymore!)

Theatre reviews/news

HI-larious Youtube videos

Whatever else I feel like!

XOXO,

Gossip Girl

JUST KIDDING!!!!!

Toodles poodles!

Miki