CounterCurrent 2014 Part 1

by Lydia Interviews

Happy Friday!  Seriously my favorite day of the week.

Last night was a treat because I saw Framer Laura Gutierrez

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perform in CounterCurrent, is a five-day festival of bold experimental art presented by the Mitchell Center. Occupying a range of unexpected sites in the city of Houston, CounterCurrent includes audio and visual installation, live performance, and participatory events by artists from around the world. Collaborations with dynamic organizations and artists in the Houston community are included as well as fresh new works by University of Houston faculty and students.

Laura is performing a work called Eclipse by Jonah Bokaer.  A collaboration between choreographer Bokaer and visual artist McCall, ECLIPSE is a multidisciplinary performance that integrates choreography, light, visual design, and an audio-visual time score to arrive at altered ways of viewing a performance. ECLIPSE features four dancers, with a special appearance by Bokaer.

May I say, Laura, you were STUNNING.  So proud of you.

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The dancing was so clean.  I kept thinking of cold running water.  If you can, be sure to check out the additional events at this festival.

See you ’round the arts scene,

 

Lydia

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

It’s that time again…Free Events Thursday!!!

 

Wine Wednesdays and Ladies Night Thursdays

Every Wednesday, Thursday (All day Wednesday and 5:30- 10:00 Thursday)

Latin Bites Cafe

5709 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX 77057

Wind down in the middle of the week and enjoy 50% off wine bottles all day Wednesday at Latin Bites. Pair any wine from Latin Bites’ extensive cellar to compliment a lunch or dinner dish to enjoy a well rounded Peruvian meal. From 11 to close, Latin Bites Peruvian inspired dishes such as their Quinoa Salad or Arroz Con Pato, a Latin take on duck confit, would pair nicely with any white or red wine of a diner’s choosing. In celebration of the highly anticipated weekend, Ladies Night will be every Thursday at Latin Bites. From 5:30pm until 10:00pm, women of Houston can enjoy 50% off all cocktails and 15% off appetizers. Mingle with friends while sipping on a Mangotini, a sweet mango martini made with Pisco, Peru’s native spirit, and snack on appetizers perfect for sharing. Choose from Latin Bites famous empanadas or award-winning causitas; with so many options it would be near impossible to choose only one!

Price: FREE!!!

 

#womenfordance

April 11, 2014 – April 12, 2014 at  8 pm

Wortham Theater Center

500 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002

Join MET Dance at #womenfordance as they celebrate the female dance maker. Two nights only, this program will premiere works by Kiki Lucas and Andrea Dawn Shelley as well as recent repertory additions by Sidra Bell, Lauren Edson and Kate Skarpetowska. The introspective program connects the strength, emotion and humanity of the feminine manifest. Embark on the emotional journey to validation and mark-making. Guest artists from Island Moving Company join MET Dance in a high-octane, thunderous evening that is not to be missed!

Price:  $15-$45

 

Boy Scout Fair

April 12, 2014

Reliant Park  Saturday, April 12, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Scouts from 16 countries will unite in one place to showcase their Scouting skills. Meet leaders and Scouts from your neighborhood. Sample the amazing dutch oven creations and delicacies in the outdoor cooking area. Visit the midway with over 60 experts representing merit badges. Watch demonstrations, interact with participating booths from our community partners…pick up free offers.

 Price: FREE!!!

 

Book Signing: Lisa Scottoline’s Keep Quiet

April 14, 2014 at  6:30 PM

Murder By the Book

2342 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77005

Description: Lisa Scottoline is a 20 time New York Times best-selling and an Edgar award-winning author with over 20 novels (in 20 years) under her belt, including her latest novel KEEP QUIET. Her stories have been translated into 25 different languages and her wildly popular, non-fiction column, “Chick Wit,” appears in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Lisa delivers once again with Keep Quiet, an emotionally gripping and morally complex story about one father’s decision to protect his son — and the devastating consequences that follow. Powerful and dramatic, Keep Quiet will have readers and book clubs debating what it means to be a parent and how far you can, and should, go to protect those you love.

Price: FREE!!!

 

Asia Society Presents: Melody, Harmony, and Melharmony

April 12, 2014 at 6:00pm

Asia Society Texas Center

Melharmony is an award-winning concept pioneered by Chitravina N. Ravikiran during his collaboration with artists of the BBC Philharmonic. As the name suggests, Melharmony aims to create a synergy between diverse melodic concepts not common in the west and vertical harmonic dimensions that are unusual in many systems in the east, such as Indian classical music. As part of Classical Arts Society of Houston’s 2014 Spring Festival, this vibrant and cultural musical presentation explores western classical music and music from north and south India. Spotlight instruments include chitravina (fretless Indian lute), modified western mandolin, and percussion (mridangam and tabla). Jugalbandhi Concert: 6:00 pm Chitravina N. Ravikiran, Snehasish Mozumder, Rohan Krishnamurthy, and Gouri Shankar Karmakar The concert is a ticketed event.

Price: $10 Members, $15 Nonmembers.

 

Bubblegum Yum Video Jukebox Love Party

April 11, 2014  Doors at 6, Show is 7

Orange Show Monument
2402 Munger St, Houston, TX 77023

Local artist and DJ Stephanie Saint Sanchez will present a salute to 60’s bubblegum music and the lovey dovey groovy feelings they inspire. This is a curated short film showcase with assorted local filmmakers doing their own take on love in the style of this genre. Each film will last from 3-8 minutes, and during the evening there will be bubblegum blowing contests, crowning of the bubblegum King or Queen, music and dancing plus a special live performance by The Janets. Come ready to groove all night long and see some incredible short films by a variety of local artists Sponsored by Saint Arnold Brewing Company.

Price: $15 pre sale and $20 door

 

Eat Well Wednesday: Cake Balls

by Lydia Eat Well Wednesday Uncategorized

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With yet another holiday right around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to add a little sweet fun into the recipe mix.  I made this for our church small group and they were such a hit!

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I am warning you, they are not “healthy”.  They most definitely fall under the 20% rule.  Eat healthy 80% of the time and leave room for the 20% to be the occasional treat.  This mindful approach to eating, allows you to ditch the dieting, eat with pleasure, and without guilt.

 

So here is what you need for these tasty treats:

  • 1 Package of Chocolate Oreos
  • 6 oz of Cream cheese
  • 8 oz of Bittersweet chocolate
  • Seasonal sprinkles (Optional)

Here is what you do:

  • In a food processor, combine the chocolate Oreos and cream cheese.  Process until smooth.  You might need to scrap down the sides a couple of times, you want it to be a pretty smooth cookie paste.
  • Form into small balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
  • Place in the freeze for 30 minutes.
  • Melt chocolate in the microwave or use a double broiler.
  • Remove cookie balls from the freeze and drop into melted chocolate.  Coat well.
  • Roll into sprinkles. Place back onto cookie sheet.
  • Freeze for another hour or until firm.
  • Store in an air tight container for up to two weeks.

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0-1Jill Tarpey is leading us Wednesday by Wednesday into making better food choices and being more healthful. Tune in every Wednesday to get some great recipes and advice from someone who really knows health. In an effort to fuel her passion to serve as well has enhance the lives of others through their nutritional choices, she started Eat Well SA(San Antonio). Her vision is to educate you on how to incorporate a healthy array of foods into your life. Eat Well is not a diet, nor does it embrace any one specific dietary agenda. She also offers customized programs that are educational and teach you the tools you need to maintain healthy, well balanced eating for your busy lives.

Tuesday Tunes: Mickey Rooney

by Lydia Tuesday Tunes

Tuesday Tunes

 

Tuesday Tunes honors…

           Mickey Rooney

 

I don’t regret anything I’ve ever done. I only wish I could have done more.

Mickey Rooney was born Joe Yule Jr. on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. He first took the stage as a toddler in his parents vaudeville act at 17 months old. He made his first film appearance in 1926. The following year, he played the lead character in the first Mickey McGuire short film. It was in this popular film series that he took the stage name Mickey Rooney. Rooney reached new heights in 1937 with A Family Affair, the film that introduced the country to Andy Hardy, the popular all-American teenager. This beloved character appeared in nearly 20 films and helped make Rooney the top star at the box office in 1939, 1940 and 1941. Rooney also proved himself an excellent dramatic actor as a delinquent in Boys Town starring Spencer Tracy. In 1938, he was awarded a Juvenile Academy Award.

Teaming up with Judy Garland, Rooney also appeared in a string of musicals, including Babes in Arms (1939) the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar in a leading role, Strike up the Band (1940), Babes on Broadway (1941), and Girl Crazy (1943). He and Garland immediately became best of friends. “We weren’t just a team, we were magic,” Rooney once said. During that time he also appeared with Elizabeth Taylor in the now classic National Velvet (1944). Rooney joined the service that same year, where he helped to entertain the troops and worked on the American Armed Forces Network. He returned to Hollywood after 21 months in Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1946), did a remake of a Robert Taylor film, The Crowd Roars called Killer McCoy (1947) and portrayed composer Lorenz Hart in Words and Music (1948). He also appeared in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. Rooney played Hepburn’s Japanese neighbor, Mr. Yunioshi. A sign of the times, Rooney played the part for comic relief which he later regretted feeling the role was offensive. He once again showed his incredible range in the dramatic role of a boxing trainer with Anthony Quinn and Jackie Gleason in Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962). In the late 1960s and 1970s Rooney showed audiences and critics alike why he was one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars. He gave an impressive performance in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 filmThe Black Stallion (1979), which brought him an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor. He also turned to the stage in 1979 in Sugar Babies with Ann Miller, and was nominated for a Tony Award. During that time he also portrayed the Wizard in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with Eartha Kitt at New York’s Madison Square Garden, which also had a successful run nationally.

Rooney appeared in four television series’: The Mickey Rooney Show (1954-1955), a comedy sit-com in 1964 with Sammee Tong called Mickey, One of the Boys in 1982 with Dana Carvey and Nathan Lane, and the Adventures of the Black Stallion from 1990-1993. In 1981, Rooney won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of a mentally challenged man in Bill. The critical acclaim continued to flow for the veteran performer, with Rooney receiving an honorary Academy Award “in recognition of his 60 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances”. More recently he has appeared in such films asNight at the Museum (2006)with Ben Stiller.  In 2011, Rooney made a brief cameo appearance in The Muppets and appeared in an episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories, recounting how, during a down period in his career, his deceased father appeared to him one night, telling him not to give up on his career. He claimed that the experience bolstered his resolve and soon afterwards his career experienced a resurgence. In 2014, Rooney returned to film scenes to reprise his role as “Gus” in Night at the Museum 3. It is currently unknown whether he completed his scenes and whether his death will affect the film’s production. Mickey Rooney died April 6, 2014, at the age of 93.

 

Mickey Rooney Jitterbugs With A Woman Twice His Height

 

Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney

 

Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney in Yankee Doodle Boy from Babes of Broadway

 

Fun Facts about Mr. Mickey Rooney

Mickey’s son Teddy Rooney appeared with him in Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958), portraying – who else? – Andy Hardy Jr.

At age nineteen became the first teenager to be Oscar-nominated in a leading role for Babes in Arms (1939).

During World War II he served 22 months in the U.S. Army, five of them with the Third Army of Gen. George S. Patton. Rooney attained the rank of Sergeant, and won a Bronze Star, among other decorations.

With the death of James Stewart on July 2, 1997, he is the last surviving entertainer of the forty-six caricatured in Hollywood Steps Out (1941).

MFA Monday: What is a Notochord?

by Lydia MFA Mondays

MFA right

 

 

 

Monday is no longer as blah with awesome insights into holding a Master of Fine Arts!

 

Here is another installment by MFA student, Angela Falcone. Enjoy!

 

 

What is a “notochord”?

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A former Kilgore College Rangerette and friend of mine, Carla Rudiger, came to our somatics class at Texas Woman’s University to introduce us to Body Mind Centering.  This ninety-minute introductory workshop changed the way I think, feel, and know my body.  Carla’s first request (before meeting) was to read “The Place of Space” (Interview with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen on the Embryological Embodiment of Space) by Nancy Stark Smith and Andrea Olsen.  Below is my reflection on the process of the class.

My experience with the Body Mind Centering class revealed how much I do not know about my own body.  One of the most basic principles of Body Mind Centering is this idea of “support precedes movement.”  With that, the class was structured into four sections: reading about the embryonic process (Smith and Olsen article), visualizing the embryonic process (from sperm to egg) on a sheet of paper, watching Carla’s embodiment of skeletal structures of the spine on a Pilates ball, and, finally, trying the embodiment ourselves.  In the skeletal structure, she revealed three layers of the spine: the notochord, the intermediate plates, and the lateral plates.  The notochord is the innermost part of the spine.  In more anatomical terms, the notochord is “a flexible rod-like structure that forms the main support of the body, from which the spinal column develops” (The Free Dictionary by Farflax).  As Carla began rolling on the Pilates ball, she placed her attention and focus on her notochord through visualization.  During this somatic practice, her movement shifted ever so slightly.  When Carla began to involve the other spinal structures (the intermediate and lateral plates), I could also see Carla’s movement becoming fuller and richer.  I wanted so badly to embody this quality.

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This vulnerable demonstration opened my eyes to the importance of my own support system.  Her embodiment of the movement began with her deepest form of support, her spine and even more specifically her notochord.  Unlike most of my fellow classmates, I, personally, became less familiar with my connection the deeper we brought our attention to the notochord. (Perhaps this unfamiliarity stems from my training and upbringing, which lacks somatic practice in general.)  What I find ironic is the notochord layer is the most basic, deepest level of your body, but I quickly discovered that I am unable to embody this layer at this point in my life.  As Carla began taking us through more exercises, I found a lessened connection to my body. Which, frankly, scared me.  I began to tear up in class as I questioned my own support system, which then made me question my movement patterns.  I finally asked myself…have I been “faking it” my whole life?  If we choose to bring our attention and focus to our innermost layer of being, I believe our dancing can reflect that intellectual and physical connection.

All things considered, I am completely intrigued by this Body Mind Centering approach and want to take it a step further.  My future ambition is to begin taking classes this summer at Dallas Yoga Center to develop my own practice so that I may inform other dancers about this approach to embodiment.  I truly believe educators can begin at the core of the body (literally) to develop a more somatic approach for young dancers as well.  Let’s all jump on the bandwagon and preach finding the notochord!

For more information about Body Mind Centering, check out the website at www.bodymindcentering.com.

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Angela Falcone, a Houston native, graduated from Friendswood High School in 2007.  She was a member of the drill team, the Friendswood Wranglerettes, where she held the title of Grand Marshal.  After graduating, she followed her dream and tried out for the Kilgore College Rangerettes. She had the honor of being chosen as the Freshmen Sergeant and Swingster her freshman year, and received the greatest honor of being chosen as Captain her sophomore year. Following graduation from Kilgore College with an Associate in Fine Arts, she was accepted to the University of Texas at Austin, where she holds a B.F.A. in Dance.  Angela currently attends Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas where she is pursuing her M.F.A. in Dance.  She is specifically interested in shifting the paradigm of high school drill team by reinvigorating the choreographic process and bringing a somatic awareness to high school dancers’ bodies.

Delicious Dancing

by Lydia Uncategorized

Hi Framers!

Friday, we opened tickets to the public for our next event called Dinner / Dance 19 and they are already selling.  This is a farm to table dinner by chef David Leftwich. Yes, that’s right.  Hungry yet?

culinary, multi- course, local, fresh, and awesome

I have personally had his food and it is INCREDIBLE.  Think local, fresh vegetables where the flavors, textures and aromas of the food are so pure and vibrant you wonder why you don’t eat vegetables for every snack and meal.  Oh yeah, cause David isn’t making all my meals.  I promise, this will be a treat.

The dance will take place throughout the evening, popping up amidst some rising character tensions.  A little dance, a little drama, and a lot of taste.  It’s a look at how we dine socially, how we serve food, how we cook food, and how we grow food.  You’ll see dance movements from all of these steps from the farm to the table, plus a little tango tension, percussion interruptions,  and of course,  pretty dancing.  It’s a fun foodie, dancey evening you won’t want to miss.

Tickets are limited as it is a seated dinner, so please get them now!

farmtotable

Links We Like

by Lydia Links We Like

            It’s Finally Friday!!!

 

 

Horse teases dog with tug of war

 

 

In honor of Baseball Season starting…Nolan Ryan and Craig Biggio together for the opening pitch!

 

 

THE LION KING Australia: Cast Sings Circle of Life on Flight Home from Brisbane

 

 

Samuel L. Jackson Performs Slam Poem About “Boy Meets World”

 

 

Clean, Single and looking for a Mate! Very cute laundry room sock holder. This is hilarious.

 

 

 

 

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

BESO Latin Saturdays at Synn Ultra Lounge

April 05, 2014 – July 12, 2014 (Every Saturday)

3302 Mercer St., Houston, TX 77027

Join us this Saturday Night at Synn Ultra lounge for BESO. Houston’s upscale latin party. With its welcoming ambiance, Moving Music, & Plenty of Eye candy BESO Saturdays at Synn Ultra Lounge display elegance, class, and style amongst all the rest.

Price: Free!!!

 

Discover Houston Tours: Rice Village Chocolate Safari

April 05, 2014 – May 24, 2014 (Every Saturday) from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

2365A Rice Boulevard, Houston, TX 77007

Walk along Rice Boulevard on Saturdays, visiting yummy and unique chocolate shops and restaurants on the way. Meet new friends and learn about the history of chocolate.

Price: $30

 

Discover Dance 2014

April 06, 2014 from 1:00-7:00pm

Discovery Green

Dance Houston presents Discover Dance. Sunday, April 6, 2014, 1:00pm – 7:00pm at Discovery Green. Get ready for an international and interactive dance festival like never before – and it’s free! Discover Dance is taking over Discovery Green for a 6-hr dance extravaganza. Houstonians of all ages can enjoy performances from more than 50 multi-cultural dance groups including Bollywood, African, Chinese, Swing Dance, Ballet, Tap, Tango, and much more. But don’t just sit there! Get up and move a new style – no special shoes or training needed! 10-minute mini lessons will be offered at the top of every hour. Courtney Perna from KHOU’s “Great Day Houston” will emcee on the main stage. This event is for everyone who loves dance.

Price: Free!!!

 

exhibITALIA 2014

April 06, 2014 (Every Sunday) Sat. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

George R. Brown Convention Center

More than 50 Italian vendors will bring their “made in Italy” fashions & accessories, food & wine, design & technology, culture & tourism to Houston. For many, this is their first venture into Houston. Entertainment, fashion shows, cooking demonstrations, kids area.

Price: $12

 

First Saturday Art Crawl

April 05, 2014 – January 03, 2015 (Recurring monthly on the 1st Saturday) from  4:00PM – 7:00PM

Houston Socialites Club

Alongside its world-class museums, Houston boasts a flourishing community of art galleries that ranks amongst the most dynamic art markets in the country. The media shown on Houston gallery walls run the gamut, style spans the range, and the works reflect the city’s internationalism.

On the first Saturday each month, join HSC for a fun, social art crawl around Houston, followed by dinner/drinks. Each month will feature a different art cluster/neighborhood, and includes these old favorites: Gallery Row, Montrose, Rice, Upper Kirby, Heights, to name a few.

This event is free. Houston Socialites Club (HSC) is a members-based social and events club for singles and couples over 30. Members enjoy a variety of social events each month, from art events to group dinners, recreational sports to game night potlucks, wine tasting to unique events, all designed to bring people together for friendship, fun while discovering Houston.

Price: Free!!!

 

Friends in Low Places • Spike Johnson

February 28, 2014 – April 12, 2014 (Recurring daily)

4912 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002

Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM, Saturday 12-5PM, Closed Sunday

Friends in Low Places is a photographic project documenting the lives of a group of U.S. veterans who exist beneath Houston’s Downtown in a series of caves, tunnels and alcoves that line the bayou and nestle under the highways. The percentage of veterans in the homeless community is double the representation of veterans in normal society. Around 300,000 veterans sleep rough every night in the United States, around 1 million will have been homeless at some point in 2012. Wrestling with psychological problems, arrest warrants, and an inability to integrate into civilian society, they group together for companionship, seeking solace in a hidden existence. Together they build shelters from scraps of tarpaulin, or scuttle through holes in concrete bridges into the caves beyond. They share the burden of addiction, self-medicating the pain of old injuries, or drowning memories in a blur of alcohol or crack cocaine.

Price: Free!!!

 

 

 

Eat Well Wednesday: Strawberry Pretzel Frozen Dessert!

by Lydia Eat Well Wednesday Uncategorized

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The time of year has finally come, picnics, parties, family gatherings and pool parties are filling up the calendar, and if you are like me, you like to make something yummy to share with your friends and family. 

Strawberry Pretzel Frozen Dessert!

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Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 Cups of crushed pretzels
  • 4 1/2 Tablespoons of sugar
  • 3/4 Cup of melted butter
  • 2 Egg whites
  • 10 oz of Whipping cream
  • 1/2 Cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 2 Cups of sliced strawberries, blended for a few seconds until they are crushed/smashed
Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 8 x 8 pan with non-stick cooking spray
  • In a food processor, process pretzels until they are crushed.
  • Add melted butter and sugar to crushed pretzels and stir until well combined.
  • Pour into greased pan and press down to make a crust.
  • Bake for 25 minutes, remove and let cool completely.
  • In a medium bowl, whip sugar and egg whites until stiff.
  • Add the whipping cream and beat on medium until soft peaks form.
  • Gently stir in lemon juice and crushed strawberries until well combined.
  • Spread the mixture over the cooled crust and place in freezer for 3-6 hours.
  • Remove from freezer about 10 minutes before serving and top with fresh sliced strawberries.

Tuesday Tunes: April Fools Style!

by Lydia Tuesday Tunes

Tuesday Tunes

Happy April Fools, Framers! Tuesday Tunes presents the more comical side of dancing in…

             How Not to Dance!

 

John Wayne…doing the Jitterbug (Yes you read that correctly)

 

Wednesday Addams Teaches Lurch the Latest Dance Craze

 

Groucho Marx Dancing in A Day at the Races

 

Lucy VS. Ballet

 

The Carlton Dance