July 20, 1988 - CATS! Now and Forever - July 20, 2018

I will NOT be watching the Taylor Swift version of Cats!

That article scared the crap out of me.....see Cats, was the VERY FIRST Broadway Musical that I ever saw - it truly has a unique place in my mind and my heart because it was something that was "the first."

Funny thing was, I read this article and it made me remember that trip to New York and seeing it live so I went to grab my ticket book and BAM I realized that I saw Cats! Now and Forever, exactly 30 years ago TODAY!

It was not my first time to New York, but it was my first Broadway musical.  I didn't care that we were near the back of the theater we were there to see something that had been a part of my imagination for nearly half a decade. 

I knew the songs, I knew the music.  I had worn out that double-cassette soundtrack!  I knew it!!!!  I remember sitting in the theater, since we were towards the back we were right up against the scenery, there were set pieces all around the theatre to make you feel as though you were in a junkyard with a bunch of singing kitties. 

Even though we were just a few rows from the back wall, the stage had never felt closer to me.

Cats is one of those shows that I will never ever see live again, only because seeing it again would overwrite the version that is so crisp (and cloudy) in my mind.  I can only imagine what it would look like in a huge behemoth of a theater like the Cadillac Palace in downtown Chicago, the distraction of the room itself is enough to pull you out of the suspension of disbelief.

I didn't see the "movie" version of the stage production they did in the 90's (except for Elaine Paige as Grizabella).  And I sure as hell won't be seeing this monstrosity of a movie either.

You'll see from the ticket below Cats, I fixed that issue with being in the back of the theater - for Phantom I was sitting front row of the balcony - and that's still my favorite seat.

Why I hate Ina Garten

Ok, hate is a very very strong word, I don't hate Ina Garten, I don't even know her, I just don't like her.

I've long referred to her as the Hyacinth Bucket of the Food Network, and I could never quite figure out why I didn't like her.

I like everybody, ask my bff, that's the first thing he says about me, but The Barefoot Contessa just rubbed me the wrong way, it's not that she always says "Oh, well who knew?" (Uhm, I knew) or "Oh that's everyone's favorite" (Uhm, that's disgusting), it's something more than that.

Today, I was watching her and I figured it out - she doesn't scrape!  She NEVER scrapes anything, not a measuring cup, not a bowl, not a spoon - NOTHING.......EVER!!!

FFS lady there's at least one less cookie or a bit more batter in that bowl because you don't take the high falutin' time to scrape your bowl.  She just figures the intern, or perhaps Jeffrey, will come behind her and clean up after her, what does she care.

As a baker, I scrape the fuck out of everything.....that melted butter bowl from the microwave - scrape, melted some chocolate - scrape, you just need one more cookie for a sandwich - SCRAPE THAT FUCKER till you're peeling off shards of stainless steel!

Watch Martha, that bitch scrapes, she don't throw nothing away....nothin!!!

And I guess that's why I hatewatch Ms Garten, she does have some nice recipes, she just made a honey bourbon cake that looks delicious but if I ever made it I would have to hide my resources.....just sayin'...and she never scraped a fucking thing, bitch!

Zelda Breath of Wild is driving me mad

PREVIOUSLY

My holiday break was 18 days long. 

I did not play Zelda the entire time I was on vacation.  

I'm still scared to play it!