Friday, April 25, 2014

Bruce Springsteen Review

What is there to say about Bruce Springsteen that hasn't already been said?

I mean, it's like the guy isn't real.  When I'm 64 (and losing my hair, many years from now, dah-dah-dah-dah-dah), will I be:

*Crowd surfing??
*Engaging Tom Morello (who was filling in for Little Steven, who is in Norway filming his Netflix TV show) in a scorching guitar duel on "The Ghost of Tom Joad"?
*Leaning back in the crowd and letting them catch you for selfies?
*Sweating so hard your shirt is soaked just 40 minutes into the show?
*Playing a 2 hour and 45 minute show with no intermission?

No.  Of course I won't.  Because there is only one Bruce Springsteen - who continues to set the bar so high, it is awe-inspiring to watch.  The set list was terrific at PNC Arena last night, peppered with hits, sign requests, and an onstage appearance during "Dancing In The Dark" by Bruce's daughter Jessica, who attends Duke and was in the front row.  How cool must it be to watch your mom (Patti Scialfa) AND dad jammin their guitars in front of you, in front of 15,000 people?  That makes your accountant dad look even uncooler.

2 hours and 45 minutes is actually short for a Bruuuuuce show (he played 3 hours and 20 minutes in Charlotte two shows ago and 4+ hours (!) earlier this year in Australia and New Zealand) but it's far more impressive than just about anyone pulls off these days.

He's still the boss, applesauce.



Foster
Radio 96.1

Friday, April 11, 2014

Win a Home Makeover--Be Amazed



Yes, that's a real pic of my real bedroom and those are my real slippers next to the bed.  We moved into our house two years ago and have done NOTHING with our bedroom.  It takes us forever to decide to buy something.  In fact, this furniture took us a year to find, agree on, and buy.  We aren't risk takers really.

But then I met Certa Pro painters, and they introduced me to Roger Hazard, formerly of Sell This House on A&E.  Roger is an interior designer who knows his stuff and he offered to come to Raleigh,  make our bedroom over, and film it for his new show, Roger That!

How could I say no?  I've spent a lifetime watching Trading Spaces and Sell this House and every other home transformation show there is.  Roger and Chris, his partner, are going to be at the Southern Ideal Home Show at the State Fairgrounds this weekend, so while they were in town, they came to do my bedroom.

This past Wednesday, a production truck showed up. There were like 5 people inside, including one guy named Dave who never seemingly got to leave the truck.

I would put these photos side by side but I am not that fancy.  Sorry.



My cat, Tim, who hates everyone for the most part, loved the crew and hung out all day both days. My other cat, Charlie, who loves everyone, HATED the crew and hid for two days.  I don't understand cats.


A blurry pic of the crew petting Tim, who lapped it up.

We were kicked out of the house a lot so that we didn't see some of the DIY projects that Roger and Chris were doing.  When I came home on Wednesday, Certa Pro was there, so I knew painting was afoot! While the painting went on upstairs, Chris chatted with me about my room before hand.  He asked why I chose what I did, why I kept the bedding I did, etc.  I was NOT allowed upstairs, and neither was my fiance, which worked out because he was away on business.


 Then, I made both Roger and Chris pose with me outside my house for posterity.  But that was the extent of my time inside my house on Wednesday.


We stayed in a hotel on Wednesday night, and were basically kicked out on Thursday, too, so everything could be finished.   We were finally allowed back in on Thurday night around 6pm.  For the first time in my life, I am SPEECHLESS at how awesome it looked.  




Amazing, right?!?!?!  See the full gallery of before and after pics here--I've included pictures of my living room and my fiance's office because they pulled our white chair from our living room and the Union Jack pillow is from my fiance's office, which is the green room in the before pictures.

The bed is from Roger and Chris's own furniture company, which, BTW--is made in the USA in North Carolina. The lamps were ours, but they put new shades on them and used fabric to make them custom.  They also brought in one of my favorite vintage radios I've had in the living room and a print my sister in law did.  (She's an artist, it's the one above the white chair.)  

This was an amazing experience.  I am so excited about it and I want you to have it, too.  Click THIS LINK and register to win your own home makeover from Roger and Chris--you have to enter by 8pm on Saturday 4/12, and you've gotta be within 15 miles of the Southern Ideal Home Show at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.  

Roger and Chris are at the Southern Ideal Home Show all weekend.  Go by and see one of their Q & As, or just say hello.  They're GREAT guys, and the production team will be there too.  I wonder if they'll let Dave out of the truck?  

I'll stop by there Sunday 11am-1pm if ya wanna come say hey.


Follow Roger on Twitter, like him on Facebook and follow on Pinterest.
Follow Chris on Twitter and on Facebook  
Visit Roger + Chris online  at RogerandChris.com 
And, do yourself a favor and watch this commercial Chris made for their furniture company when they lived in Austin, TX.  It's a few years old, but it's just freaking hysterical:








Thursday, April 3, 2014

Be Cool and Check Out the Full Frame Film Festival This Weekend in Durham

You know that the folks behind Durham's Full Frame Documentary Film Festival mean business when they open their annual event with The Kid Stays in the Picture. The 2002 film about legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans may be the most entertaining documentary ever made.

Full Frame is underway now, but it isn't too late to get tickets and check out some of the classic documentaries and films making their world premier including Sex(Ed) the Movie. It explores how we (the TV generation) learned about the birds and the bees through pop culture. That may be the movie I'm most looking forward to seeing. It makes it's debut on Thursday afternoon at 4:00, but Full Frame dedicates its final day to awards and encores of the festival's most popular films.

The real highlight this year is a panel celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hoop Dreams. Director Steve James (who is the subject of this year's Full Frame Tribute) will be on hand along with the movie's subjects Shelia Agee and Arthur Agee Jr. to discuss the movie's lasting impact.

You can find out more and get tickets to any movie screening at the festival by clicking here.

D