Great Artists, Great Party, Great Cause! JTMF Artists for Life - May 4th at the Citadel Club

This Saturday Night I will joining friends and community members at the annual JTMF Artists for Life event.  This will be the third year I've gone (I missed the first year because I was in a show) and I am looking forward to it.  It is the brainchild of Top 40 Under 40 Joyce LaBriola who formed the satellite organization as a offshoot from the original JTMF that she was a founding member of years before in New Jersey. Anyhow, it's a great cause and a GREAT PARTY!  This year the event has moved to the Citadel Club and I am looking forward to celebrating and raising money for a good cause in the new digs!

JTMF West is a local arts organization, created with the mandate of raising funds for HIV/AIDS and LGBT youth support services. 2013 Artists for Life raises funds for HIV Edmonton, Camp fYrefly and YESS.

This year Wil is the featured artist. Named 2005 WCMA Entertainer of the Year and selected as the songwriter for Travel Alberta’s “Remember to Breathe” campaign, Wil uses his legendary live performances to develop a roots-rock sound and create a style that is honest, edgy and raw, yet achingly beautiful all at once. One such performance was written up by the Calgary Sun as having so much “power and soul it could stop your heart.”

After the show, hosted by Breakfast Television’s Bridget Ryan, attendees will enjoy a catered reception sponsored by Alley Kat Brewery and verleo interiors, a silent auction filled with items donated by local artists, and a post-show dance party by local star Audrey Ochoa and the Crashers, plus the DJ stylings of The Urban Monks and a special appearance by The Carolines.

Tickets are $50, which includes the full night of entertainment, catered reception and silent auction. VIP Tickets are available for $100 and include entry into a special prize draw to win a trip for 2 to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and $1,000 in Fairmont Gift Cards, courtesy of Minsos Stewart Mason. A silent auction rife with donated art from local artists completes the evening.

Fans may also purchase $20 tickets for the dance party only.

Doors open @ 6:30pm. WiL takes the stage at 7:00pm, Audrey Ochoa & The Crashers @ 9:15pm.

What I love about this event is that not only are you raising money for some really great causes, but it is a fabulous party.  It is never the same twice because the line-up changes yearly and it supports both Artists and those in need. There are a few VIP tickets left (but not many) so I recommend you get them now! There are also some great options if you can't afford the VIP tickets, so it is a very inclusive event. Oh, and did I mention the Open Wine Bar? I suppose it's bad if I say that's my favourite part...

Fun Times... Now I Recover...

We had our annual party last night. It was swell! So much fun. Every year it is different, but fun. I am now recovering. I cannot party like a 20 year old now that I am in my 40s. So sorry body. You will have to deal with it.

Bowling

Despite fighting fatigue, I went with Mark and some of the cast of Annie (Sherard) bowling this evening. The boys came too and they were in heaven. It was a nice bonding event for the cast. I am not sure how many of them were in attendance but is was a fun evening. Luckily I will get to sleep in tomorrow. We have a carolling event for Rotary in the afternoon. I have things to do. All this partying is interfering with my preparations for next weekend.

I Could Understand If I'd Been Drinking...

But I wasn't. I was just out really, really late chatting with folks. However, my 40+ body interprets anything short of 8 hours of sleep as call for a hangover and my head is killing me. Oh, it could be other things, like the temperature drop creating some sort of pressure shift in my body. Usually I feel that in my right foot though (I have broken it twice and I can now predict rain with it). Or, maybe it was caffeine withdrawal because I didn't drink my usual gallons of diet coke yesterday. In any case, I am waiting for the ache to stop because I have the delightful task of driving my go-cart on city streets today and I don't know what kind of shape the roads are in. They were plowing last night in the area I have to go to. I could be lucky.

Last night was fun. A wee wine and cheese and tree-trimming at Joyce's where I visited with folks I like to see and chat with but don't always get a chance to. Much talk of theatre because that is 90% of my life it seems. Some comic banter and mocking and that's all fun!

Tonight I have to go to the auditions for The Mail Order Bride at Walterdale. I will be used in whatever capacity needed, but I really hope to be in the room. I may be manning the front desk. Whatever helps the team best I will do. Another show lining up. It's all good.

I Love Hosting Parties!

Last night was my 3rd Annual 40th Birthday Party. I do not have it to prolong my youth, but rather because the 1st one was so fun, I decided to keep having that party, once a year, every year, until I hit 50! I was a month off the actual birth date, but Sweeney kind of ate up the month of October, so no worries! In any case, it was so much fun. I am blessed to know so many wonderful, fun and talented people. They kept the karaoke machine running all night long from 7:20 p.m. until 3:15 a.m. (I was pretty good in my assessment that the party would go to 3:00 a.m.). We had people ranging in age from 3 1/2 months to older than me (I am not outing anyone's age!). We had the Fuss Cupcakes that I love (I think I will invest in more minis and less full size ones next year - that way you can try more than one and not feel like a piggy!). I missed a few people that couldn't make it, or forgot, or got ill at the last minute, but the BEST was that my sister surprised me by flying in from Toronto for the party. Only my Mom knew she was coming. She was in the city for approximately 24 hours! How cool is that!?! I am pretty sure she had fun, so hopefully it was worth it for her - I definitely appreciated it!

Next year it will be just as much fun! I promise!

Okay, Halloween party, CHECK!

Last night Walterdale hosted a little masquerade party. We (the organizing committee) wanted it to be casual, but fun. It was a nice little evening. It started slow because we had these old black and white horror movies (a la Vincent Price) and we had brought those for background imagery, but during the set-up one of the volunteers/attendees really started watching the movie. We were hesitant to turn the sound off on him, but we did and put the music on and things picked up. It was also challenging because the bar is in the lobby and the party was to be int he theatre so we had a split focus with two changing groups of people. It all worked out and I think we had about 40-45 people in total in attendance and I think everyone had fun. It also 'broke even' so we provided a social event without spending gobs of cash. We want to make the social component a bigger and more ongoing part of Walterdale. Too many people come, do one show, and never come back. We want to give them a reason.

Celebration!

This Saturday I had a wonderful time celebrating turning 40! Special thanks go out to the Annemarie and Anne Marie who helped with the pre-party warm-up and a variety of other prep activities. Also, props to Mark for his karaoke skills and the flowers and all that. It was great. It was so much fun to see those who came out and sing, and dance and eat together. I wish that I had stepped in a little earlier so that the invites would've gotten out in time for some people to "save the date" but as it was I was not disappointed. I had a nice mix of "long time Fort McMurray friends" and "new Edmonton Friends" and of course, since I know so many musical theatre folks there was a lot of good singing and lots of people willing to take risks just to have fun!

A fun time was had by all...

Last night we had a babysitter booked and we went out to a party at a friend's house. It was so very nice. There were a lot of people from the theatre scene there. I knew about half and was familiar with most of the others. It was nice to feel at home in Edmonton, as it reminded me of the parties we would go to in McMurray. Lots of food, talking, laughing and just feeling comfortable. I didn't feel like the "newcomer" so I figure I am home now.

Party Anxiety Overcome?

Well, this afternoon I had a Pampered Chef party. It turned out well and I think everyone had a good time. I bought more than I planned to, but they get you with the "half price items". I could have easily have bought more, so that's okay.

I had 6 guests. I invited about 35 - 40 people and I had 9 "yeses", but 3 cancelled this morning. That's where the "anxiety" in the title comes from. I don't know if I will host another such party. I think it gets a little demoralizing when only 6 people come out of a list of 35. My ego can't handle it. To be fair, many people did respond with regrets due to absolutely legitimate conflicts and I know that some people may have been put off by the "buying" aspect of the party so that may be a reason why they didn't want to come. I have certainly been hesitant in the past when I have been invited to "shopping parties" (Party-Lite, Epicure, etc...). So it is funny how I felt like when I was in junior high and not very popular and so very worried that no one would show up and I would be a big loser. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but part of me does. I don't think you ever completely get over your adolescence.

It was a very nice little party. I just don't know if I will do another. I feel uncomfortable thinking that people will feel obligated to buy stuff, when I just want them to come and enjoy the eats and drinks. It's funny, because if I had been in McMoo I would have had 20-30 people there so easily, but that's what living in a place for 15+ years will do. Also, McMoo has a different vibe than Edmonton. It is a much smaller world there.

On a brighter note - MY HOUSE IS (for all intents and purposes) IMMACULATE!! I love how clean my kitchen is. Now, can I keep it this clean? We shall see!