Nichelle Newsletter

Can You Tell

What am I up to:  Blogging more at Keeping Nickels, and twittering to my heart's content.

Last night: Me and two gal pals had drinks, deviled eggs and pigs in a blanket at new Scottish bar, Shoolbred's,  in the East Village.   It a nice bar with good grub and a handsome bartender. 

Reading: Dandy in The Underworld by Sebastian Horsley.  He's reading at In The Flesh next month.

Audio:  I could have sworn I heard a wee bit of  a Vampire Weekend song on a intro/outro on NPR yesterday afternoon.  Maybe it was "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa". There's no need to "Venn Diagram" this, since I am sure that many WNYC listeners also went to Ivy League and were topsiders year round.

Subway: Someone famous was on the subway today, but I didn't recognize her. Some school kids did and got her autograph. She kept smiling and looking at me like I should know her, but I didn't.  She kinda looked like maybe a younger Peggy Fleming, but  who the hell knows. Dear Famous Lady, I am sorry I didn't know who you are.  I assume it is because you are on TV, and I don't watch much of that.

Street Of Dreams

Finlandia Street, originally uploaded by nichellest.

She Works Hard For The Money

I look like my mom in this pic, originally uploaded by nichellest.

This weekend I painted my room, and I wore a scarf. My mom used to wear scarfs like this back in the day.

I am sending good wishes to my grandfather Charlie who is my last living grandparent.  He's convalescing after a stroke.

I Like

So I have been named a  2008 Maven on This Next.  These are some of my picks below.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Chicks and Giggles is roaring into March like lionesses, like queens of the comedy jungle, or something like that. :) First we have a show on March 1 as part of the Black Comedy Experiment. Abbi Crutchfield is the host for our "Foxy Cleopatra Edition" featuring funny Black chicks.
Coincidentally, March 1 is International Women of Color Day. Show at 7PM at the Tank in Tribeca.

Monday March 3 Chicks and Giggles is kicking off Women's Herstory Month at New York University with a show at the Kimmel Center. FREE!  Check out the Facebook event or email me to RSVP at nichelle AT chicksandgiggles.com  Speaking of Facebook, become a Fan of Chicks and Giggles.

Lastly, we are going to Roanoke, Virginia for a show at Roanoke College on March 14. In the meantime, there are shows every Tuesday at Ochi's Lounge at Comix. Come and get your giggle on!

Artichoke

So the last couple of days have been filled with activity starting with Sunday afternoon.  Thanks to Eric, I got free tickets to the wonderfully funny and dragalicious musical, Jack of Tarts.   Starring Lance Cruce,  it was an adult fairy tale set in the kingdom of Tartannia where all the residents were  hooked on tarts. The  music was great, the costumes were campy and Julie Atlas Muz danced like an angel. I even spotted Murray Hill checking out the show as well. Unfortunately, the show's run ended on Sunday, but I am sure will be back again soon.

Sunday night, I scored a free ticket to Bridget Everett's Sexercise Live at Joe's Pub. She and Kenny Mellman sang Millie Jackson's tunes, and there was a video starring Neal Medlyn which was ridiculous and sublime.

Yesterday, I went to a taping of the Martha Stewart show with Allison and her mom.    (You may spot me in the audience on this Friday's show.)   It was an all cooking show with the Italian chefs, Chris Bianco, Anthony Carmellini and Efisio Farris.  I enjoyed it, but I really wished we got to sample the food.  The best is that we all got a copy of Chef Efisio Farris' cookbook, Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey and a package of Fregula, which is kinda like a cross between couscous and risotto. The funniest thing was after the show when Martha apologized for not having time to do Q and A.   She said, "We bought Emeril today".   She had to rush over to Neil Cavuto on Fox Business to talk about it. Martha rules!

Crazy

For Nichelle, originally uploaded by Carolyn Castiglia.

Thanks to Carolyn for the picture above!

Eating cheese and crackers since my stomach has been upset for the past few days. I have no idea why. I like to eat, so this is a mild annoyance.

I had a weird nightmare early this morning and woke myself up screaming.

Otherwise, I am fine. I guess.

Love To Love You Baby

He(arty):  Gretchen's blog,  Heart-A- Day

Watch: Me on YouTube at the Six Word Memoir Party

Listed: Cupcakes Take The Cake in Real Simple Magazine.

Love Will Keep Us Together

Ivy:  Harvard's answer to Vampire Weekend is Chester French.  I can't wait to hear what the Yalies will do.

Faux:  I recently met Hilary of Fauxtobooth at the FCW brunch.  She takes fun pictures around the city with her DIY photobooth.

Indexed:  Jessica Hagy's blog and soon to be released book is like Clarissa (explains it all).

Switch:  Sometimes the main page of this blog will be blog posts, and sometimes it will be tumblr posts. It will mostly look the same, just the content will vary on how lazy I am.

Cynical Days

XTC  explains exactly how I feel right now.

Another year's gone by, the world's grown older, sometimes I heave a sigh,
People grow colder.
Everyday I do my best to show, I can make it in this world I know,
But all the bad thoughts that people bring, my faith in human nature's
Getting pretty thin.
Help me get through these cynical days.  Help me get through my cynical ways. 
You say it's just a passing phase, you've got to help
Me get through, these cynical days.

Another see through scheme,
People are shallow. 
The dark night's closing in,
My dark thoughts follow.
I try and make my world a better place (my efforts seem in vain),
But I'm competing in a human race (falling deeper down the drain)
That value things that just don't count,
makes me wonder what it's all about.
Help me get through these cynical days.  Help me get through my
Cynical ways.  You say it's just a passing phase, you've got to help
Me get through these cynical days.
Yeah, you say it's just a passing phase, you've got to help
Me get through these cynical days.
Yeah, you say it's just a passing phase, yes, help me get through
These cynical days.
Yeah, you say it's just a passing phase, you've got to help me get
Through these cynical days.  Cynical days.  Cynical days.

Let The Good Times Roll

Nichelle Stephens, originally uploaded by Michael S Galpert.

Sampling:  My latest column is up over at NewYorkology.  I went on a Lower East Side food tour.

Creation:  If you're interested in having a baby (not for me), read this Wired post about infertility treatments. 

Culinary:  I just read about this site, Culinary Seductions, which is "the guy's guide to cooking for girls". I did a search on the site for any cupcake recipes, but there is none.  Everybody knows that the ladies love cupcakes, so I wonder if this is "neg".  It's a mystery to me.