The Daily Grind of a Work @ Home Mom...

In Defense of Hannah Horvath

I love the show Girls. I told you about it in June and I still love it. I think it's awesomely funny, raw, and entertaining. The fact that it's written, directed, and produced by a 26-year-old girl woman who also stars in it is just the icing on the cake. I am so intrigued by Lena Dunham, in fact, that I used vacation time to attend a screening of her movie, Tiny Furniture, along with a Q&A with her and her mom, the artist Laurie Simmons, last week at the MFA in Boston. While I wasn't as taken with her movie as I am with her show, it was fun to be part of the intimate gathering.

Since Girls has become more popular in its second season, it's also become the center of an evergrowing maelstrom of emotion. Check out the entertainment blogs, even just the regular blogs, on a Monday after pretty much any episode and you're going to read comments written by folks who hate Hannah Horvath/Lena Dunham so intensely that they spew venom at her every chance they get. They even use her real name and her character's name interchangeably making the reader wonder if the commenter is so caught up in the root of their feeling that they are confused by the fact that this character, is just that - a fictitious character.

It's sad, really.

This past Sunday was a particularly "inflammatory" episode in which Hannah - not to be confused with her more polished, shabby-chic real-life alter ego, Lena - has a whirlwind affair (and by affair I mean tons of hot sex) with an older, hotter man. How she meets him is irrelevant but she goes on an instinct, makes the first move (confident women of the world, unite!) and proceeds to spend much time in her splendid, naked, glory with this buff, angular, rich guy, having hours of what is probably unpolished, dirty, sexy, sex.

Hannah Horvath is no Claudia Schiffer, she would probably be the first to admit it. Which is why I feel empowered as part of the non-Claudia Schiffer-women's club when a woman, deemed by society as less than perfect, gets naked (aka vulnerable) on TV. She even (GASP!) seems comfortable in her own skin! With a rich, hot guy no less! Isn't he grossed out by her imperfect abs? Her out of place brown hair? Her thighs that touch?

And all I could think was that I wish I had a quarter of Hannah's self-confidence when I was in my 20s. I wish it hadn't taken the better part of thirty-something years to focus more on being in the moment and less on how I look in the moment. I wish I'd learned far earlier on that if two people are naked together and one is worrying about flabby thighs or wavy arms, they're probably ALONE in their thoughts cuz the other person is probably thinking - laid! I'm getting laid! Especially true if you a heterosexual woman.

The haters hated. Slate writer David Haglund said, "I like when writers and directors push us to empathize with characters who are not likable—but then you have to make those characters interesting. This episode somehow put a hard-to-like character in a hard-to-believe situation which also, frankly, was pretty dull."

Haglund is certainly entitled his opinion - if he finds Hannah hard to like, that's his prerogative. One that I can't contest since I'm not experiencing the show in the shoes of a 40-something year old man. However...

Hannah is nothing if not interesting. She'll pretty much do anything for a story (a writer!) including take a cocaine-fueled journey through clubland with her gay ex-boyfriend, and is as adventurous as any character.  But the real question I have for Haglund is, why is this situation so hard to believe? Is it because Hannah is an average looking woman who makes a move on a 40-something year old rich, hot man? Or because this average woman had the confidence to go get 'em?

Is David Haglund secretly an average woman who has been rejected by hot, older men therefore lending credit to his words? Or is he a hot, older guy who rejects all average women (I think not. Just sayin'.) Hey David, men, even the good looking ones, dig confidence. It's a thing. Really.

I''ve seen Twitter steams and Facebook pages that call Hannah out as a vapid narcissist (along with anyone who enjoys the show. Hold on while I grab my tissues - not), a loser, gross, wrong, and just about every other negative adjective stirred up by our wonderful society crawling with perfect creatures.

Before watching the episode, which did, I admit, involve lots of jiggly boobie shots and a not-flat stomach, I saw Facebook status updates saying, "don't eat while watching Girls," and "Girls made me hurl" (who's vapid now!). And when I got around to watching the episode on Tuesday (it's been a busy week and my DVR betrayed me), I called back to my memory where I had seen these updates and low and behold my mind did go there. I thought, man, I sure as hell wouldn't want to see you naked.

Or maybe I was just offended that even the very ordinary people that I associate myself with are part of this elitist group that would never want to look at anyone imperfect - or real - on TV. And it made me sad. And it made me defensive. Because in spite of my brilliant writing (hehe), I am part of the 99% of us that are imperfect. In many, many ways.

So maybe this is why I love Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham seemed cool, too, though I don't know her as well so hard for me to judge). Hannah is the every women (in their 20s). She's not gorgeously stunning or impossibly perfect. She's just who she is and to me, real beats perfect ANY day.

 

I have a girl crush on Lena Dunham

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

So, you may have heard about this new show that aired recently on HBO called Girls. It's basically the story of four post-college aged girls trying to make a go of it in New York City. Sound familiar? Well other than the four girls trying to make a go of it in New York City part, Girls bears NO resemblance to the former HBO show that had the same, if completely different basis.

Confused?

While Sex and the City was entertaining in the way that Beverly Hills 90210 was entertaining (very attractive people living totally unrealistic lives with money that seemed to fall from the sky and closets full of awesome clothes for the times - high waisted pleats are not my thing), Girls is a much more relatable tale of what might have actually happened to me if my alternate universe had included a move to NYC in my 20s. And by that I mean, living in a shabbily furnished apartment featuring knick-knacks made mostly in Guatemala and purchased from street fairs instead of a magazine perfect place outfitted by Pottery Barn, having friends over for opium sessions (JUST KIDDING, WORK PEOPLE) rather than meeting for Cosmo's at the newest club/restaurant, and hooking up with commitment phobic men who, for no good reason, I imprint on, Twilight style, to no avail.

And while Girls is truly HBO's best decision since Six Feet Under (IMO), the biggest reason I have for loving this show is its 24-year-old creator, Lena Dunham.

She writes it. She stars in it. She directs it and created it. Never heard of her? Neither had I until I started watching. Why would I have heard of her? She's a girl, who, let's be honest, has done not very much until now. But now she's shown us what's floating around her unbelievably talented, somewhat weird, very quirky mind and I for one, love it. It's uninhibited yet completely inscure. It portrays the best part of female friendships and the worst side of girlfriends. It uses otherwise dirty words, has entirely awkward 24-year-old sex scenes and quote-worthy lines that are so hysterical it's hard to imagine they're coming out of such a young girl.

At 24 I was not even myself yet. I don't know who I was and I'm sure I showed traces of the me I am now but I wasn't me. Not yet. So it's hard to imagine that this genius is coming from Lena Dunham's 24-year-old brain.

Everyone's favorite chick-flick writer, Nora Ephron, died this week. It seems Nora and Lena were friends and an article that appeared yesterday in The New Yorker that summarizes their short friendship (or mentor/mentee-ship) gives a glimpse into not only their relationship, but also a peek at Lena Dunham and her brilliant, expressive writing. It also soldifies the fact that she takes her advice from the right places - not from people who nod and smile in that disingenuous way people do but from the likes of Nora Ephron who seemed, from what I've read, to be a real, down to earth person who told the truth rather than what you wanted to hear and liked lunching at the cafe at Barney's because, well, so do I (even if I can't afford those delicious $31 salads).

Lena Dunham has an awesome show. She has surrounded herself with awesome actors (aren't the smartest people those who surround themselves with people at least as smart as they are?). And she's going to make many people into stars. That Zosia Mamet is seriously God's gift to comedy right after Lena Dunham.

Lena Dunham is the next Nora Ephron even if Meg Ryan will never be her protagonist. Girls everywhere can relate to an awkward sexual experience even if they can't imagine faking an orgasm over pecan pie. Not that orgasms and pecan pie don't rock. Cuz they do.

RIP Nora Ephron.

Rock on, Hannah Horvath.

 

Cirque du Soleil's Totem is Amazing

I don't get to the theatre very often. A crazy busy schedule coupled with an admittedly short attention span (I know, sad) puts theatre low on my list of priorities. But given the opportunity, I never regret being treated to an evening of escapism.

And that's exactly what Totem, the latest Cirque du Soleil show to hit Boston, offers. Prepare to forget the stresses of the day the minute the show opens, with its unbelievable costumes, almost inhuman performers and intimate "big-top" setting.

Having seen several Cirque shows in my life, I know what to expect each time, but the story lines are always different and its the accompanying theme that predicates the music, the vibe, the direction the performance takes. 

If you've never seen a Cirque performance, you don't know what you're missing. Seriously - you can't imagine that human beings are capable of such unbelievable acrobatics. The skill required to perform the acts that are presented so perfectly, is almost hard to put into words. Cirque performers were made to be Cirque performers. They're like a breed unto themselves (in a good way).

The music in Totem gets your adrenaline going from the first act. The costumes look as real as if they actually were born onto the skin of the performers. If you've seen the show, you might understand why my favorite character was the Crystal Man who seems to come out of nowhere and literally light up the set during the course of the show. Of course, mostly I was jealous of his crystally, sparkly outfit.

Totem is like the circus on acid. I can't think of a better way to describe how Cirque differs from a traditional circus. With neither a traditional circus ring nor animals, Cirque shows rely completely on the performers and music to draw in the audience. And it works. While I saw a few children at the premiere, Cirque shows are intended for adults and are far too sophisticated for a child. Though who wouldn't be wowed by the surreal synchronicity of six unicyclists who juggle metal bowls - sometimes without using their hands - while keeping balanced. Some of it is impossible to describe - you'd have to see it to believe it.

Totem is in town until July 15 - click here for tickets. For other cities and dates, click here.

I received two tickets toTotem to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

The Rockettes did it again

And again.  And again.

On Saturday morning, we hit the Wang Theatre for what is most definitely one of my favorite family shows, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes.  If you have any holiday spirit, you have to catch this show.  It just infuses you with that Christmas feeling (and this coming from the Jewish girl). 

Last year the show impressed us.  And this year, the Rockettes lived up to our expectations, and even surpassed them with a freshness to the show. The performance included those scissor perfect kicking legs, hot little outfits, Santa (Mrs. Claus was conspicuously MIA - did the big D hit the North Pole, too?), the cute dancing bears and an amazing Nutcracker scene.  Props to the young ballerina dancing Clara who is such an incredible talent!

Included in the show is the traditional sleighride, those fantastic wooden soldiers, and of course the nativity scene (camels on stage, Mom?  Are they real?).  My personal favorite part was the new "New York at Christmas" scene, complete with the Rockettes in glamorous white coats and hats taking a tour of New York City in a life-sized double-decker tour bus. As the bus changes position and direction, the new 50-foot LED screen backdrop gives the illusion that they are moving from one major attraction to another. It has a 3D-like effect and was really awesome.  As in AWE-some.

You know, I think the best thing about the Rockettes show, apart from the dazzling effects, amazing costumes, those legs, the legs, and the legs, is that it's completely suitable for everyone, age three to 93.  Seriously.  Before we bundled ourselves up in our coats and mittess to head away from the magic and back to the real world, my daughters made me promise that we would visit the Rockettes again next year.

And promise I did.

I received four tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

Those Ungrateful Kids...

As a follow-up to JKL's hilarious Halloween joke, take a look at the Christmas present version:

 

The Rockettes return to Boston!

It's becoming a bit of a holiday tradition that our Jewish family hits The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes show in December.  I mean, it's only our second year, but I can definitely see where this is going.  Because even before we knew we had seats, we were talking about it at breakfast. 

"Mommy, you know that show we saw last year with the dancers and Santa and the presents?"

"Yep," I answered.

"Let's do that again," said my five year old daughter.  And I agreed.

We soooo loved it last year.  Not at all what I was expecting, the famous Rockettes are more than a bunch of perfect legs.  It's a terrific story including all the holiday faves - Santa and Mrs. Claus, the elves, Santa's Helpers, many of Santa's toys, the Wooden Soldiers, and so many other holiday characters.  Even for this Jewish bunch, it got us in the spirit of things.   And a visit to the gorgeous Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theater is a treat in itself!

We are so looking forward to this year's show, which features brand-new scenes and songs, spectacular new sets, dazzling new costumes, an amazing 50-foot LED screen, and a new finale.  We can't wait to see the incredible precision dancing of The Rockettes, and especially the new number “Christmas in New York,” featuring a chorus of Broadway-style singers and a life-sized double-decker bus!

You too can take your family to see The Rockettes at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theater between now and December 28th, or select a non-peak show and save 25% off* your tickets:

How to Buy Tickets at 25% off*:
1. Log onto: www.citicenter.org/radiocity

2. Select a NON Peak Performance (not bolded) between Sat, Dec 7^th – Dec 28^th for your 25% off discount:

12/2/2011 at 8 pm

12/16/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm

12/3/2011 at 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm

12/17/2011 at 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm

12/4/2011 at 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm

12/18/2011 at 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm

12/7/2011 at 2 pm

12/20/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm

12/8/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm

12/21/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm

12/9/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm

12/22/2011 at 5 pm, 8 pm

12/10/2011 at 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm

12/23/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm

12/11/2011 at 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm

12/26/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm

12/13/2011 at 7:30 pm

12/27/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm

12/14/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm

12/28/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm

12/15/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm

Bolded Performances = Peak Pricing/no Discount    

3. Enter Promo Code: ROXMOM11
*Offer is not valid for Gold Circle - $130 seats, for which there are no discounts. There is a 8 ticket limit on this event.
Pricing                                                Peak                Non-Peak
Orchestra (Pit & Rows A-D):             $130.00                 $130.00
Orchestra (Rows E-O center):            $99.00                    $89.00
Orchestra (Rows E-O sides, P-EE):    $83.00                   $73.00

Mezzanine:                                       $83.00                   $73.00

Balcony (Rows E-J):                          $83.00                   $73.00
Balcony (Rows K-S):                          $74.00                   $64.00
Balcony (Rows T-Z):                          $58.00                    $48.00
Balcony (Rows AA-FF):                     $29.00                    $25.00

Prices include a $3.00 Facility Fee.

I received four tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

This totally made my day... (and I'm too lazy for a real post)

"I told my kids I ate all their halloween candy" from JKL:

 

Canobie Lake Park Fun

I love amusement parks. I was that kid who rode almost everything, leaving my less adventurous friends holding my stuff at the foot of the roller coaster. So it comes as no surprise that I get immense pleasure from taking my kids to the amusement park, satisfying my own kid-at-heart desires to see them have the same kind of fun I had at their age.

Considering their ages (almost four and five-and-a-half), local Canobie Lake Park in Salem, NH is a great spot.  They're not quite ready for the big kid rides and are shy around characters so Canobie Lake is perfect.  In under an hour, we can pull in to the free parking lot and be having fun without heavy duty lines or the steep ticket prices commanded at other nearby parks.  And although the park does have tons of attractions for little kids, my seven and ten-year old niece and nephew had a blast as well, riding everything from the bumper cars to the featured Boston Tea Party log ride.  Too small to ride, my own kids stood by and loved getting soaked by the wall of water that hit them every time the ride dropped.  That was an experience in itself!  

If you have young kids, Canobie Lake Park offers a kiddie area that has about 15 or so rides.  Many are parent-friendly while others are kids-only (thankfully!).  Family favorites include the Alpine Swing (a scaled down version of the scary adult swings) and Flower Power.  For a full list of kids rides, visit here.  There are also plenty of family rides that are kid-friendly.

While we'd been to the park before, this was our first visit to the water park (included in admission).  Castaway Island "is the largest water play complex of its type in New England, with over 180 ways to get wet! Bring your bathing suit and splash away the day... and it's all included in your general one-price admission to the Park! The ride features water cannons, 9 water slides, waterfalls, and dozens of other ways of getting wet on a hot summer's day."  Don't forget to bring bathing suits and towels!  My kids LOVED this part of the day, which we saved for last.

Food is puh-lentiful at CLP.  Seriously, everywhere you turn are vendors and lunch stands.  While the food is relatively reasonably priced, similar to other amusement parks, quality is average at best.  I did see a grill over at Castaway Island with hamburgers and hot dogs and I would probably check out this option first next time. 

2011 ticket prices are:

General Admission Price: $32
Under 48" or Over 60 Years: $23
After 5pm: $22
Ages 3 & under: FREE!

For more info, visit www.canobie.com.

"I received complimentary park tickets to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own."

Gloria Allred Went To Law School For This...

NONE of these things are not like the other...

    Allred and Ginger Lee, former porn star

Rachel Uchitel, former Tiger Woods "mistress"

 
Hooters applicants who say they were secretly filmed while undressing by former Hooters manager.

Allred, violating a baseball bat.

 

Why Celebs & Public Figures Should Never Cheat

Disclosure: I wrote this post after the Tiger Woods scandal broke, but I'm hauling it out again, in light of the recent debacle involving Arnold Schwarzenegger, a mistress who resembles Charo, and a love child who is the unfortunate innocent victim in all of this.

______________________________________________

Humor me for a minute: When you think about the "perfect" life, what comes to mind?  It doesn't have to be your version of the perfect scenario, just what you might envision somebody's ideal situation to be.

 

Let me go first -

 

How about tall, good-looking, extraordinarily rich beyond my wildest dreams, enjoying the ultimate success in my chosen field, a beautiful spouse & great kids, blah blah blah.

 

Sounds nice, right?

So why isn't it ever enough?  I mean, this seems like the golden life.

No one knows what goes on behind closed doors.  No one knows the reasons why people step-out on their spouses.  And while I don't believe that everyone who cheats is necessarily a serial cheater, I do believe that there are often deeper reasons as to why one feels the need to fill a space outside of their marriage.

 

But I also believe that public figures have a different set of rules than the rest of us.

 

Double standard?  Maybe.  But if I go out and pursue fame and fortune, it means I'm making a choice that puts me as well as my family in the spotlight.  With that comes certain responsibilities.  I feel like public figures should take an oath much like doctors swear to practice ethics in medicine, so should public people practice ethics in their lives. 

 

Because unfortunately, celebs and public figures do not have private lives.  I don't endorse it, I just deliver the facts.  It's just how it is.

 

So this is why I think it should be against the law for celebrities to cheat.  For real.  They are paid more money for less work than 99% of the much harder-working population (16 hour days on the set? BOO FRICKIN HOO).  They have at their disposal PLENTY of cash to put toward therapy if they're feeling a little despondent.  I mean, aren't there better ways of dealing with problems than to go out and embarrass your entire family (not to mention yourself) by having sex with someone else?

 

So based on the simple fact that when you're being watched, you should behave, my advice to celebs is simple:

 

You're being watched!  Behave!

 

I mean, even a child knows this...

 

(Originally posted on December 2, 2009)