Back to the grind

Hello Friends,

I am now sitting in a loverly rehearsal studio in "Burbank, California" (anchorman? anyone?) where we are rehearsing 3 new songs to add to the set. I'm not feeling well, and my throat is hurting so I'm sipping a cup of too-hot tea in hopes it will help me sing.
Chicago was awesome, we got back monday morning. One of our friends is the drummer for Seal, and he was in Chicago for a special benefit concert at the lyric opera house. Oprah was there (although I didn't see her, and she's lucky I didn't because I would have ambushed her), and Jessie Jackson it was quite the gala. We got to go, and let me just tell you, it was SO much fun. I didn't realize how many Seal songs I actually knew and liked. He's a great performer too! The following night we had a show at the toyota center just outside the city. It was another one of those wango-tango-ish shows with a bunch of other artists on the bill... my favorite was Gym Class Heroes. They performed with us in Long Island at Z100 also, and I really like their music. Anyone who's on myspace needs to listen to their song, "New Friend Request" - very clever lyrics, and a great beat. anyway, I am needed at rehearsal, I will put some more pictures up here soon!

a Cicada free Chicago!

When I heard we would be traveling to Chicago, I was very excited because I have never been here before, and those that have say it is one of the best cities in the world. My excitment was cut short, however, upon finding out that this year, of all years is the 17th year in the life of the cicada. What the heck is that, you ask? well, cicadas are like large locusts that swarm about the eastern united states every 17 years. We're talking millions of bugs. Swarming. Millions. Lucky for me, last week was the last one they were out, and now they are back underground to cook for another 17 years.

I am now enjoying a breakfast of oatmeal and grapefruit in the hotel restaurant, looking out at what looks like an ocean (and is actually lake michigan). I have the day off today, and plan to explore on my own a bit. Later tonight, I've set my heart on finding a jazz or blues (or both) club to go to! becuase how can I be in Chicago, and not hear the real blues guys do the real blues thang?

The past few days we spent back in New York City, for a special performance at Gotham Hall for Entertainment Weekly's 25th anniversary. I was able to procure a sweet gift bag, which held a 5 disc set of the discovery channel's Shark Week (yay!) and shampoo. Kevin (Rihanna's keyboard player) is friends with some people who were at the party, and they took us out dancing at this place called Stereo. The DJ was AMAZING and we danced like crazy! ("crazy" being the operative word!) I don't know how new yorkers do the 4am thing all the time though. I pretty much was a wreck yesterday because we had to get up early and get on a plane to come here. I slept my way into Chicago.

Hope everyone is well, I will be back home on monday or tuesday! :)

"NYCCCC, just got here this morning!"

I really did just get here this morning - at 6am to be exact. If anyone can name that tune, by the way, you get a cookie.

I haven't written in a little while so let me just play catch-up for a second...
June 3rd - the MTV Movie Awards:
SO awesome! from my vantage point on stage, I could see EVERYONE in the audience, samuel L Jackson, Paris Hilton, Will Ferrel, Jessica Alba, Josh Duhamel, Fergie, etc. It was a lot of fun, and hello, I got to be on stage with JAY-Z.
June 5th - The Tonight Show with Jay Leno:
This was really cool because my family got to come to the taping. I think my mom was more excited about the fact that George Clooney was also on the show than she was to see me sing with Rihanna. There were monitors in the dressing rooms that showed the taping, and when "georgie-pie" walked out, I distinctly heard her voice screaming for him.



Wednesday night, june 6th, we took a delayed red eye flight to NY.
Thursday we had a performance on 106th & Park on BET, which was cool.
Friday morning, we woke up (after about 3 hours sleep) at 4am to go to the today show. we arrived at 5:15am, and there were already a bunch of people lined up on the sidewalk to see the show! nuts. After the show, I decided to have a new york kind of day and walked around a bunch, navigated the subway, went to lunch and then went to the Museum of Modern Art (which was AWESOME!) They had an entire floor dedicated to architecture and design, and I loved it. They have quite the collection of famous pieces too - several monets, van gogh's starry night, etc. One of my favorite pieces was one by salvadore dali, which was 11 panes of glass, each painted with its own strange vignette, and somehow when put together all the pieces fit.

Later that night we had the most disastrous airport/traveling experience. We were supposed to fly out at 9pm that night to denver...something happened with a main FAA computer, and NO planes in the entire country were allowed to take off. we ended up boarding the plane three hours later, at midnight, and then sitting on the runway for an hour and a half. we were in Denver for a grand total of about 15 hours, just to do a show, and then hopped on the red eye back to NY, which brings me to now, and the reason I got here at 6am this morning!
It sounds like I am needed at rehearsal, so I've gotta go, but I shall write again soon-ly!