Permission to Scream Out Loud

There's a scene in Coyote Ugly that a friend once said reminded him of me.

Violet (played by Piper Perabo) is a songwriter with big dreams...and stage fright. But (naturally) the only way she can get someone to pay attention to her songwriting is to sing. Her waiter boyfriend works with her patiently to help her build her confidence. In the end--the genre being what it is--she overcomes her fears, belts it out, and lo and behold, her song is picked up by Leanne Rimes, and she and Leanne and Violet's dad, played by John Goodman, end up performing and prancing around together in the Coyote Ugly bar.

Me, I'm a pretty reserved person. In fact, when I was younger, I was shy to the point of being voiceless in a crowd. But this friend, and others, helped me come out of my shell. My own Coyote Ugly experience came one night at a local tavern when friends catcalled my name until I got on stage and did a 30-second booty shake in front of EVERYONE. It's a night that my now-husband, then-friend, says he still thinks about regularly. (Take that, Piper Perabo!)

But, I still get shy sometimes, feeling too serious and too grownup for silly fun. At concerts, I usually stand and do the body twitch in time to the music, along with all the other 30-somethings. So it's awesome when a band like Cowboy Mouth comes along, as they did during the recent opening of our local Kroc Center, and gives you permission to act out. Drummer, lead vocalist and band founder Fred LeBlanc won't let you take yourself too seriously. Right at the start, he jumped off stage and began cajoling, then ordering, "Come a little bit closer, come on, come a little bit closer. Hey you! in the Hawaiian shirt! Come a little bit closer!" until we were all moshed together near the stage. "I promise you, you will leave this concert feeling 100 percent better than when you came!" Then, as the thrumming of the guitars grew louder, "Come on, give me some rhythm, give me some rhythm," and once we were all clapping in unison, "Now, jump up and down and scream like you are five years old and you've had way too much Kool-Aid!"

I have to admit, I fell a little bit in love with Fred LeBlanc that night. He was brash, he was sweaty, he was loud, but he sure had passion for what he was doing. And for the hour and a half they played, so did we. Jumping up and down under the stars, screaming until we were hoarse.

Photo credit: allmoviephoto.com

Love, Loss of Innocence, Kidnapping, Murder...Dance?

This much we know--Marie, a beautiful blonde, is in an enviable position, loved by two men, Luca and Marcus. Her arms are exuberant, her legs passionate and her face alight with joy, as she pulls them to her, first one then the other, torn between her decision. Then she chooses. And that's when dangerous and dark things start happening. But no matter how bad it gets, the movements and the music are always captivating, emotional and enthralling.

Parsons Dance, together with the East Village Opera Company, both of New York, present "Remember Me," a modern dance ballet set to rocked up versions of recognizable opera arias and other compositions, as part of the Augusta Ballet's programming this season. With Abby Silva as Marie, Zac Hammer as Luca and Miquel Quinones as the dangerous Marcus, "Remember Me" shows us how dance and music can express emotions more raw and intense than words ever could.

A sheet, combined with choreography that makes the most use of the floor, shows Marie and Luca's new love, with all its fresh discoveries, through loving, flowing, giving motions. So what a harsh juxtaposition it is when two scenes later Marcus has abducted Marie and attempts to mimic the same choreography with the desperate, stiff and unwilling object of his affection.

Abandoned by Marcus after fighting off his advances, Marie is shamed and lost, unable to reach Luca and unable to be saved. She dies, and against a dark stage with a chorus of dancers circling in shadow, Marcus is killed by Luca after the discovery is made, only to have Luca kill himself at the horror of the murder he has committed.

The vocalists, Tyley Ross and Annmarie Milazzo, play the parts of an ancient Greek chorus in this tragedy, moving in and out of the scenes, at times a part of the action as Marie flirtatiously hides behind the male vocalist as Luca and Marcus pursue her, and sometimes playing their own separate roles in mimicry, as when the vocalists draw together into an intimate slow dance during Marie and Luca's love scene.

But there would be no satisfaction if Marie and Luca were not reunited, and the creators of "Remember Me" fulfill that satisfaction. With Marcus flitting in the background like an uneasy ghost, Marie and Luca spy one another across a room of dancing couples and joyously fling themselves together. And the emotional rollercoaster ends in their embrace and their love. And happily for the audience, they just can't stop dancing.

Photo credit: supportdowntownaugusta.blogspot.com

WWGRD?

So I've been a BIT obsessed with Gordon Ramsay lately. I went from never, ever watching any of his shows to DVR'ing all of the foul-mouthed, obnoxious chef's shows, from Kitchen Nightmares to F Word. Even when he's being his absolute rudest, I can't help but like him. And sometimes giggle. (Really, he's not anyone I'd like in real life, but as a Character, he's the perfect escapist TV).

Anyway, I recently went to the new White Elephant in downtown Augusta--and couldn't help thinking "What would Gordon Ramsay do?" And not because the food's bad. It's interesting. So interesting that you think to yourself, "Is this really going to be good?" And it surprises you that it really is. (Kind of like some of the food GR critiques on his shows).

I had a gabby lunch with a friend the other day and ordered the Thai chicken salad expecting grilled chicken, peanut sauce and greens. Even though I read the words "mango sorbet" with the description. Somehow my brain couldn't compute a Thai salad with a sorbet. But it arrived, greens drizzled with a sweet Asian glaze, delicate little chunks of chicken breaded and deep fried and carefully placed at the four corners of the plate, and the scoop of sorbet gracing the center. "What IS that?" asked my friend. "Umm, sorbet, I think," I said, tasting a bit with the spoon. I'm not used to food that makes you think--this did, and surprisingly, the cold, fruity sorbet, melting into a sauce, melded perfectly with the salad and dressing and chicken.

Sean and I went back for dinner. Knowing my weakness for foie gras, he pointed out the special on the blackboard--foie gras with homemade banana bread and candied pecans. "I didn't think it would be good," admitted Sean. But because my husband is the most indulgent, we ordered it. It came--triangles of toasted banana bread ("my mother's recipe," said the manager, whose brother is head chef) topped with the grilled foie gras, and circled with a sprinkling of candied pecans. Who would ever think of that combination? Sean got the first bite--and was amazed. The bread was chewy and sweet, the foie gras light and salty and the pecans crisp--a perfect combination of contrasting flavors and textures.

The White Elephant was packed that night--and we spied two other local restauranteurs dining there with their families. The restaurant's future seemed a little uncertain when it entered its now third reincarnation--but what would Gordon Ramsay do? Judging from the innovative dishes we had tonight--not much.

Gotta Love Some Freebies

Sean and I contributed to the economic stimulus of downtown Augusta today thanks to the "A Brand New Deal" coupon book. Who can pass up freebies? We went to Art on Broad for a candle, saw everyone going coupon crazy, bought one of the bright yellow coupon books and brightened up the dreary, drizzly afternoon by picking up free art prints, free Cokes, free bars of soap, free plants, candies, shampoo samples and more and buying more soap, candles and an Asian-inspired purse. So now I'm basking in the scent of our rosemary peppermint candle and enjoying the view of our new "Bees Knees" print while sitting on our couch and watching Star Wars. And thinking of my new almost-favorite store, the Quilt Shop on the Corner. I love the feel and look of new fabric on bolts and wish, wish, wish I could sew. They're setting up sewing classes, so looks like I might have a new activity!