And on a School Night!

Don't let it be said that I'm not dedicated to my job. Or my friends. Especially not when they coincide. Geoff and I took a road trip up to Hartford last night to see a performance of the 12 Angry Men Tour. It's a show I help cast and it's in its 2nd year of touring, and I had yet to see this cast perform it. It's an incredible play that the Roundabout Theatre produced on Broadway a few seasons ago and every single cast I've seen is exceptional (if I do say so myself, for my humble part in it). It just so happens that one of my friends from college, Mike DiSalvo, is in the cast this year. He was our reader for auditions and was so damn good that the director just up and offered him a part. So we made the trek up to Hartford to see Mike and the Angry Men and even were wild and crazy enough to go out for a drink afterwards. The show was fantastic. its just one of those plays that everyone loves. The Men played Toronto earlier this year and after they left, the theatre up there called and asked to have them back because it was the best play they'd ever had. So the actors were great, Mike was awesome, and Juror #2, Todd Cerveris has THE CUTEST pit bull that we met after the show (which was really just the icing on the cake for me). We had a great time and even though it meant not getting home until 2am (keep in mind I usually fall asleep before 11pm) and being super tired this morning, it was well worth it. Check out their touring schedule (playing through mid-June) and if they come to a city near you, go see it. Truly one of my favorite nights at the theatre. And I promise that's not just because I cast it, or because Mike was in it, or even because of the pit bull. It's just that good.

The Meeting

On a VERY COLD (frigid, even) Good Friday, our families finally met. After a snow storm foiled our first attempt last month, we finally got everyone together in the same place. My Mom and Dad popped down to CT for a day of wedding planning, and after discussing flowers and centerpieces at the Woodbury nursery, we convened at Al & Liz's house for a walk around the wedding site so mom could "eyeball" everything. After all the wedding work was out of the way, the families had lunch together. My dad and Al discussed wind power while Geoff's mom and mine made fast friends. We spent most of the meal being entertained by our amazing ring bearer and flower girl, Khal and Maya. Maya marveled over the stuffed lamb that my mom gave her for Easter, while Khal just generally displayed his genius math and verbal skills. I can't tell you how cute it was when he turned to my dad and said, "And what is your favorite number, Ed?" Gosh, they are both so stinkin' cute. They will totally steal the show at the wedding and I'm totally fine with it. And to think, there's a third future niece or nephew on the way. Don't know if I will actually be able to stand it.

The Schwabes at the tent site (this kind of looks like it could be our album cover)


Haley (my brother's dog) checks out the tent site


Mom meets Khal and Maya

Check us out, we're all growns up! (Thanks IKEA!)

Sometimes you have a car. And sometimes you have to take that car to the Ikea in Queens. And buy things. And then sometimes you have to go across the parking lot to On The Border and have the world's biggest margarita, cause Ikea is wonderful but exhausting.