From Here to Mayer

Oh so much has happened, it's ridiculous. It's been wonderful and the best month for us in a long time--just almost too much for me to keep up with! Get ready: here goes!

July 4th weekend. We went to the darling city of San Francisco! It's a favorite of my dad's, we've been a few times as a family with our foreign exchange students growing up. So we were thrilled when my parents invited us to go with them over the 4th, especially since Jacob has never been.
Everything we did was so fun. This was breakfast the first day. I think this is my favorite face my dad, or anyone's dad for that matter, makes. Doesn't he look like a kid in a candy shop? And isn't my mother beautiful? It's one of my favorite compliments when people say I look like her. I love to be likened to her in any sense.
We spent the first morning in China Town (I was Rob). In Jacob's family, his brother Rob is the one who calls the shots and gets everybody up and moving, when we would otherwise all just sit and talk about doing something. My dad got a kick out of that so when we go on vacation we choose a "Rob" for the day and that person gets to choose what we do. It's fun and a nice tribute. :)
My dad was laughing so hard when he saw these monkeys. He said these expressions are what my mom does when he tells his off-color jokes. (Off color is still mild in this case, which is why it's funny.) We crammed everything into these 2 1/2 days. Here we are going down Lombard Street, the crooked street in the world.
Here we are outside our hotel. I know--great location! Turquoise necklace and earrings care of mom, from China Town. She is so sweet, what a beautiful gift--I love them!
We spent the afternoon of the 4th at Fisherman's Wharf and Ghiradelli Square. It was cold and cloudy and crowded and sooo--you guessed it--fun! We had dinner at the Boudin Sourdough Bread restaurant, dad and Jacob braved the crazy lines, but we found the perfect spot to relax and enjoy our meal and the music of the street performers.
Spray painting master. She was captivating quite the crowd.
Ghiradelli Square and Jacob's best "Zoolander" impression. We stopped for a candy apple here as is a tradition my mother insists on. No arguments here!
Alcatraz. This pose was my idea: handcuffing Jacob. Aren't I hilarious? What a sport.
This is us waiting in line for the ladies room which we were doing for probably a good half an hour, and the boys, good for what else: purse holding. No, they were joking around as usual. These guys are such good friends. My dad really thinks the world of Jacob and it means the world to me. Jacob puts everyone at ease, it's one of the things I love about him. He makes everyone fall in love with him.
Day Two: Farmer's Market. I'd never been. My dad was Rob and this was a great choice! They had the most unbelievable white nectarines--truly a bit of heaven! I could not even imagine a fruit could be so delicious. (By the way, Jacob's eyes in this picture are worth a closer look. What a stud!)
The Brooklyn Bridge. I love this city by the bay!
Riding the cable car. Like the glasses? Jacob picked them out, another gift bestowed to Rob in China Town. Thanks boys!This was the most delicious vegetarian restaurant! In case it's not already perfectly clear, we ate like kings the whole weekend. The coolest thing happened here too. From those large windows pictured here you can see the golden gate bridge, that is when it's not too foggy. Which it was. It was foggy in the exact outline of the bridge so you couldn't see it. I really wanted Jacob to see the bridge. I think it's just breathtaking. When the waiter asked me what I wanted to order, I told him a beautiful clear view of the bridge. He said he hadn't yet said his prayers that morning so he'd be sure to tack that one on. I told him I would do the same, and my mom did too. Well somebody listened! The clouds slowly but surely crept away for a big, gorgeous reveal just in time for dessert! The waiter came back and we thanked him for filling the order. :) And here it is! The Golden Gate! The view was clear the rest of the day! We had the best time on the trip--one of my favorite vacations ever. We loved the jacuzzi, lounging around, eating out, seeing Wall-E. It was absolutely wonderful!

As for the rest of the month . . .
Adrienne moved here! Here she is with Jared at film premiere of the senior film 419 projects. It was a very impressive event! It's exciting to see what great work is coming out of the film program.
It was really fun catching up with some friends, including the lone female director of the night, Miss Whitney Donald. Her film was so endearing, about a senior couple's romance at a retirement home.
And surprise! My sweet friend and room mate from Cats, Erica was there! Her boyfriend at my left was in one of the films that night. It was so good to see her and catch up! I just love her. She is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. I've run into her a few times since we were in the show together and it is always such a joy. (She's even on the wall in my front room, that's how much I love her.)
This weekend I went to a few more auditions in Los Angeles for the Holland America cruise line and Disneyland's Aladdin show. Jacob's aunt Merry Ann was so kind to host me and to let me drive her BMW all over town! I'm happy to report once again the auditions went very well. I'm going for it and having the time of my life in the process. It's all very exciting, I must say! And I love California, by the way. I could so live in California.

So straight from the airport Jake and Meg picked me up for a quick Mexican dinner and . . .THE JOHN MAYER CONCERT!!!
We bought tickets the minute they went on sale and met Rich and Lo there for an evening of fabulous music from Jacob's and my absolute favorite artist! He plays the guitar and writes his own incredible songs and we love him. We danced to his "St. Patrick's Day" for the first dance at our wedding. I would name a child for him. Does anyone need more convincing of how much we love his music?!

Some shots from the show: Oh we are so lucky, I can't believe it. He was funny too, saying of course we were a great audience, which I took straight to heart. He had people cheering for everything, including when he said things like, "I have no clean socks," and busting out in "She's a Rich Girl." He said he was proud of the song he wrote called "I'm gonna find another you" because it has a retro bluesy circa 1967 feel. That was cool because it's also one of my very favorites. He played an even more romantic version of "Daughters" which is a special song for Rich and Lo, and an awesome cover of "Free Falling" which I am buying this minute. I also admire the fact that I've heard him a few times acknowledge other musicians and their influence on him. (I'm so fascinated by that kind of stuff.) He did a cover of a George Harrison song and prefaced it by saying: "If you're a song writer there comes a time when you discover George Harrison and I'm gonna sing a song of his that I could never write."
He does these amazing riffs on his guitar--one of the cool parts about seeing him live--and he stopped at one point and just said, "I love playing guitar."
All in all, the concert was amazing: two encore performances after nearly 2 solid hours of John Clayton Mayer the 1st, as he called himself.

Did I mention we love this guy?
I hope this is just the first of many concerts we will see during this gentleman's long, illustrious career. Can't wait for the next one.

And no, I'm still not done!

In other notable news:
I learned on Friday what I'll be playing in My Fair Lady: the part of the Higgins maid and and AND, the understudy for Eliza Doolittle! I could not believe it! I was jumping up and down in the office when I read it in the contract! I am oozing with excitement over it! For those of you who wish to know, the performances run from Sept. 19-Oct. 4 with a possible extension to the 11th based on ticket sales. So by all means, you're all invited!! Here's the link. (Note there are student rush tickets available an hour before the show and general tickets go on sale August 13.)

I've also been cast in a movie that will shoot five days in August just before rehearsals start for My Fair Lady. Jacob and I feel these opportunities are an answer to prayers after what has felt like the driest of dry spells for performing gigs. The shoot dates have even been miraculously moved no longer to conflict with our upcoming vacation with Jacob's family. We've been 'seriously so blessed.'

Whew. That's it. I'm all caught up and it only took me, um, three hours!