Sunday, February 19, 2012

One Year Blogiversary

If we could all celebrate in one room, this is what I imagine it would look like.  

I started La Vie en Rose exactly one year ago today. It was the best way I could have spent that Saturday, and now one year later, I'm still having fun with it. So much has changed since then but having this platform to document those changes and share anything and everything with you all is what makes blogging so much fun. So, to every friend and stranger (Hi Russia!) who has kept up with La Vie en Rose over the past year, thanks a million! So eat some cake today for me, will ya? 

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Every so often...


You hear a song that makes you forget all the other songs you've heard. At least for a little while.
Here is mine, enjoy. 

[Somebody That I Used To Know: Walk off the Earth: Gotye cover]

Friday, February 17, 2012

Subway Symphony


It was about 9:45 p.m. as I waited for the train to go home last night at the 96th street station. It had rained and you could tell everyone was antsy, especially because the trains were running slow and the platforms were getting crowded. I was just leaving dinner and a show with friends, looking forward to the solitude of the train ride home when I, along with dozens of other New Yorkers, were met with something much better.

For this one night, everyone opted out of our iPods in favor of something far more beautiful. It caught me off guard, especially the crowd of people surrounding this subway symphony, but slowly (and with strangers in tow), I drifted towards it. And in the middle of all this, was Dale Henderson, playing with such passion and fervor. He was in his own world and for tonight, we were a part of it.

There were young and old, singles and couples, people in a rush, and people with time to spare. A train came and went and some chose to linger. Did Mr. Henderson  realize that while his eyes were closed, the bevy of people surrounding him had theirs glued to him? The way his bow stroked the strings, the tactfulness with which he tackled the necessary motions for vibrato on the cello, the simple gesture of his elbows rotating and creating all of this. I was swimming in a sea of notes but couldn't help from looking around. The faces of all these strangers shared the same sentiment. What a welcome break from the everyday.

Dale Henderson, is the one man movement behind Bach in the Subways. Playing only Bach (and without accepting donations, mind you), his mission is to expose the masses to the beauty of classical music. Simple, and definitely something we can all support. I hope you'll catch him in your travels and experience this movement for yourself, but if not, you can find him here, and you absolutely should.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Did you hear? It's Valentine's Day!

It's almost the end of V-Day and no matter how old you are or where you live, i'm sure it didn't go unnoticed. I don't know how the red roses and heart shaped paraphernalia made you feel about your romantic life, but I do hope it didn't make you feel bad about the rest of your life.

Do you know the story of how Valentine's Day came about? Well if you don't, Wikipedia it right now because basically, someone was beheaded and stoned to death because they tried to marry and convert Christians during the Roman Empire. (This is my Spark Notes version of it and even though high school is over, this still suffices for me.) Not so romantic, I know. So to this factoid, I say yes, this is a Hallmark Holiday!

But to honest, I like Valentine's Day, for the same reason I love Christmas, even though i'm not religious. It brings people together. There is something in the air that makes strangers stare at each other on subway cars. It makes men, who otherwise can't be bothered to pick the restaurant, make secret dinner reservations and stand in long lines at flower shops and pay exuberant Valentine's day prices. Because it's February 14th, not the 13th or the 15th, but the 14th, and on this day, the whole world will be reminded of the sometimes forgotten existence of love.

Today was a big celebration of a big thing that makes life worth living and the world keep spinning (internal rhyme? what?). I'm not sure how you celebrated, or if at all, but I hope whatever it is you're looking for to fulfill you on this V-Day, D-Day (I don't mean this to be bitter! I'm just trying to say there's a lot of freaking pressure for everything to be perfect on this day alright?!) , you've found it. Or will find it. In ways both big (finding your soulmate) and small (finding a single friend to rom-com/wine/chocolate with you).

Remember Valentine's Day in elementary school? You know, brown paper bags and Valentines of your favorite TV cartoons? Of course you do, that's when Valentine's day was at it's purest and finest, so i'm bringing it back. Winnie the Pooh was my favorite cartoon growing up so here is my Valentine to you reader, Happy Valentine's Day, from me to you-hoo-hoo-hoo! (Aw, Pooh!)