Wile Away the Weekend

Interesting and entertaining things going on in Columbia this weekend...something for everyone:

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Wanna see some art? For FREE? Gallery 80808 has their Winter Exhibition opening, reception from 6-9 PM tonight.

Wanna experience some theater? For only $5? Trustus Theatre is hosting Toast, Columbia and USC's premiere improv troupe Friday night at 11:15 PM, doors open at 10:45. (This follows the evening performance of Rent, which unfortunately for those of you who haven't seen it, is sold out).

Wanna do some yoga? For FREE? This Saturday is Yoga Day USA, and although I couldn't find a local yoga studio participating in this event, at City Yoga your first class is always FREE!

Wanna hear some live music? The White Mule has some great live music Saturday night, New Brookland Tavern has Marry a Thief on Friday and Sequoyah Prep School on Saturday, and the Art Bar is featuring Columbia Alterncirque belly dancers and music on Saturday night.

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Wanna see some roller derby girls knock the crap out of each other? The Columbia QuadSquad New Year's Knock Down starts Saturday at 4:30 PM, with a second match starting at 6:30 PM. Admission is $10 in advance, $12 at the door; kids 10 and under FREE. ($1 from every ticket sold will go to benefit Tamika & Friends who are dedicated to raising awareness about cervical cancer).


Wanna eat chicken & waffles? The Whig is cooking up chicken and waffles this Saturday night in honor of a friend's wedding...open to the public. Starting around 10ish. Click here to read a previous post about The Whig.

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Wanna be a voyeur and watch some 'found footage'? And finally, to round out your weekend, go see The Found Footage Festival at The Nickelodeon on Sunday night. It is just as it sounds--"a one-of-a-kind event that showcases footage from videos that were found at garage sales and thrift stores and in warehouses and dumpsters throughout the country." One showing only at 8:00 PM, hosted and curated by the creators themselves, Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, whose credits include The Onion and Late Show with David Letterman.

How will you be wiling away your weekend?

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Go See Rent!

It was amazing. I cried and laughed and all the things you want to do at a theater performance... And I drank champagne--one of the major perks of Trustus is that they sell alcoholic beverages.

The characters Angel and Maureen were amazingly well-acted, and Mimi, played by college freshman Katie Lietner, was amazing.

Here is a review of the show by Garret Kellerhalls for the Columbia City Paper. And here is a review by James Harley for Onstage Columbia. (Both of these gentleman seemed to enjoy the musical as much as I did).

The show is at Trustus until January 23rd. You won't be sorry if you go see it.

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The Tuesday Run-Down

It is quite chilly here in Columbia, (and we're not really used to it)...so, 'tis the season for indoor activities. Here are some things that I am looking forward to in the coming weeks:

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1. A Serious Man is playing for one more night at The Nickelodeon; show times 6 and 8 pm tonight. "Filmmaking duo Joel and Ethan Coen write, produce, and direct this period black comedy set in 1967 concerning a Midwestern physics professor whose staid and stable life slowly begins to unravel after his wife announces that she's leaving him." I'm going to the 8 o'clock show; I'll review later in the week.

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2. Rent is playing at Trustus Theater January 7-23. I have never seen this Broadway classic, and I am so excited to do so! Thanks to my mother-in-law for buying me tickets for my birthday.

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3. Photography As Art film showing at the Columbia Museum of Art this Friday, January 8th at noon. Cost is FREE with museum admission or membership. This may turn out to be a bit technical for my limited understanding of photography, but I'm interested all the same. Running time 29 minutes. The museum is still showcasing Ansel Adams: Masterworks and The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States through January 17th; both of these are must-see exhibits. There is also a gallery talk by USC art history professor Dr. Brad Collins about the Vogel exhibit this Sunday, January 10th at 3:00 pm, which is FREE courtesy of BlueCross BlueShield.

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4. The World Beer Festival will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on January 16, 2010. Ticket prices range from $40- $75, and includes beers to taste from over 100 breweries. I have never been to this event, but everyone I have heard from said it was awesome last year! Click here to purchase tickets and read more.

A list of upcoming local music events and shows to come later in the week...

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31 Things in my 31st Year

So, tomorrow, (as in less than 1 hour from now), is my 31st birthday. Wow. Still sounds old.

Here is my list of 31 Things to accomplish in my 31st Year. Some are pretty simple and some are a bit more challenging, but exciting all the same:

31 Things…

1. Become more aware of what I eat, where it comes from, and how it affects my health. (Read Eating Animals).

2. Run at least 5 races (5K or 8K). (The next one will be the Race for the Place 5K to benefit St. Lawrence Place, February 6th).
   

3. Video tape my grandmother cooking some of her best dishes, (the ones she can’t write down the recipe for since she ‘just throws some things together’).

4. Video tape my sister giving birth to her second baby…(no NatGeo shots, just document the event).

5. Create something new at least once a month—(sew something, write something, cook something, make something).

6. Take a road trip to Washington, DC. (Been wanting to go back for a couple years and just haven’t gotten around to it; Aunt LeAnn, here we come!)

7. Call friends who live out of town; at least one a month.

8. Get a pedicure at least every 6 weeks; the money saved by not doing so is not worth the embarrassing-looking toes.

9. Volunteer somewhere new. I am thinking of getting a Meals on Wheels delivery route.

10. Train my dogs to walk civilly on leashes. And then take them on regular walks.

11. Wear sunscreen more vigilantly. (Can’t promise I will not sunbathe, but I’ll at least wear SPF 15 when I do).

12. Start a new book club—yay!

13. Entertain people at our house at least once a month; whether it be a small dinner party or a party party…it just makes me happy.

14. Frequent the Columbia farmer’s markets more often—the State farmer’s market and the All Local one.

15. Read East of Eden; a classic, and one highly recommended recently by a friend.

16. Forgive myself and move on for not being able to finish Atlas Shrugged.

17. Figure out how to re-design the look of my blog and do it.

18. Learn to bake bread.
    

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19. Make something using the immersion blender that we registered for and received for a wedding present.

20. Organize my recipes.

21. Take more pictures.

22. Save up for our next big vacation…which will hopefully be somewhere in Central America, Europe, or back to the West Coast…

23. Buy more fresh flowers.
    
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24. Write more.

25. Do something spiritual at least once a week.

26. Eat more fresh fruit and veggies.

27. Plant (and keep up) an amazing spring/summer garden.

28. Call my grandmother at least once a week to hang out.

29. Learn to knit.

30. Patronize local art, theater, restaurants, music, etc as much as possible.(The Nickelodeon, Columbia Museum of Art, Trustus Theater, etc...)
    

31. Forgive myself if I don’t accomplish all of these things this year :)

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