Town & Country - Magic In May

The Spring of 2016 continues to be filled with magic.

Last week I attended my 25th High School Reunion and 

had a great time enjoying the company of my former classmates.

The entire event was filled with laughter and camaraderie

and the overall vibe was relaxed. I was reminded many times over

that people evolve but their essence doesn't change. Basically, the 

things you liked about a person many years ago will always be present

no matter how old you (or they) are... and that's a comforting thought.

Several of us closed the place down in the lobby after hours.

It's amazing how a group so diverse in outlook, personal tastes, 

career choices and life experience can come together in the nicest way

and enjoy one another's company for hours on end. As the night progressed,

I realized that the theme of the event (for me, at least) wasn't so much nostalgic

 as it was about seeing where each person is in their lives at the current moment. 

The next day, my buddy Steve joined me in surprising my parents

with a Mother's Day Bruch at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC.

The brunch included an excellent performance of 

Alison Arngrim's hilarious one-woman show entitled

Confessions Of A Prairie Bitch, which I'd seen in 2011.

Ms. Arngrim, most famous for her portrayal of 

Nellie Oleson on Little House On The Prairie, treated us

to a two-hour multimedia performance pulled from her 

stunning memoir of 1970s and 80s television stardom and the

unique, quirky and confounding legacy that her character has left.

As she does at all of her shows, Alison chatted and signed

merchandise and memorabilia for all of us. I'm always happy

to see her and am especially grateful to her for helping me treat 

my parents to a fantastic Mother's Day of laughs. Thanks, Alison!

No Mother's Day would be complete without one channel or another

showing Mommie Dearest. IFC decided to run it for twenty-four hours.

New York City continues to awaken in layers

as Springtime moves towards the Summer months.

Some urban spaces get cleared for new building.

Suburban ones get scrubbed down for a season of leisure.

Everything is indeed alive... and very well. 

Summer is laying in wait... in about 39 more sunsets.

Alison Arngrim > Confessions Of A Prairie Bitch

The brilliantly funny, literate and insightful Alison Arngrim brought her acclaimed memoir Confessions Of A Prairie Bitch to life with a bold, energetic 90 minute set at NYC's Beechman Theatre.  The show included stories about her mother and father, her life as Nellie Oleson on Little House On The Prairie, well-edited over-the-top video clips of Nellie being as bad as bad can be, ruminations upon the public's perception of her TV alter ego, memoir excerpts read straight from her Kindle and a great deal of warm-hearted audience participation.  My favorite moment?  Her impersonation of Eartha Kitt singing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and Rebecca Black's "Friday".

Ms. Arngrim in Nellie Oleson drag at the show's finale.

After the show my friends and I were lucky enough to have some time to spend with her and we were thrilled to know that Alison is every bit the charming, open-hearted and personable woman that her book (and hilarious Twitter posts) suggest.  Follow her > @Arngrim on Twitter.

Myself and Ms. Arngrim (above) and with Scott (below).
I was absolutely floored when I identified myself by Twitter name and she yelled, "Art Skool Damage!"

Ms. Arngrim with Steve (above) and Kristen (below).

Thanks for a wonderful, night, Alison... and thanks for sharing your stories with us.

To all of you out there in the cities where her show is being staged... GO SEE IT!

To the rest of you... GO BUY HER BOOK!  It's a GREAT read.  Trust me, I wouldn't lie to you.