Dear Reader
Happy new month! I hope we’re all on the same page that April Fool’s Day is cancelled. We’ve been living one big AFD joke since this whole horrible pandemic started — with false information and a dangerous fool bumbling his way through supposedly leading the response to this. How about we spread something that is true: namely, that acting in the best interest of the community as a whole right now is the best way forward, even if it means sacrificing our own individual concerns and comforts. I’m sure you’re with me on this, right?
One thing I do often joke about is being a “professional name-dropper.” It’s because I am always mentioning celeb names here and there, and I use the title as a disclaimer of sorts, so I’ll be forgiven for doing it so much. It’s not that I’m trying to draw attention to my fabulous job of being an entertainment journalist, I'm just letting you that I can’t come to your birthday party because I’m doing an interview with Gerard Butler. Hehe. I owe some of my greatest friendships to famous people — Annaleigh and I bonded in the bathroom of John Legend’s private suite party, I met MJ at Jeff Daniels’ anniversary screening of The Big Lebowski, and Stevie was the guy I spoke to just before heading into an interview with Ryan Reynolds for Green Lantern (that movie may have bombed but it led Ryan to his wife Blake Lively and me to my gay hubby).
Thank you for all the well-wishes about Stevie. The good news is he is improving and relying on the oxygen from the ventilator less. We just need him to breathe on his own and pull through, so do please keep sending those healthy vibes.
Please also do keep sending ideas and suggestions for events to include in this list. And don’t forget to share, if you’d like to. Today’s entertainment (and a touch of lifestyle) activities, then:
1. Let’s start this off with a #WorkoutWednesday featuring familiar faces (or voices). Full House’s Cameron Cameron Bure is going live with Kira Stokes, who truly has the best workouts for a toned body, at 8am PST/11am EST. Then over at Dogpound’s IG (the NYC gym where Cynthia Erivo has shaped her envy-inducing arms), Kirk Myers will be training Drew Taggart from The Chainsmokers, 9am PST/12pm EST (thank you to Nina Perry, once again, for this).
2. Essence Magazine has created a virtual summit of wellness for this time. Story-time with LeVar Burton, pep-talks from Iyanla Vanzant and advice from Charlamagne Tha God, all day today.
3. This one comes via my pal and The Queer Review founder James Kleinmann, who I once went with to a midnight screening of Desperately Seeking Susan, but fell asleep after an hour because I can’t stay out late anymore. Producer and director Peter Marino wrote a play based on the movie that opened and very quickly closed on the West End. He’s now putting on a one-man show, called Desperately Seeking the Exit! to tell the story of how the $6 million musical was made and unmade. There’s a show today, tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday.
4. New York cookie-and-cake staple, MilkBar, is also throwing its hat into the keep-busy ring - with a baking club. I don’t think I could ever get the magic formula right for their birthday balls or compost cookies but if you want to give it a go, head over to founder Christina Tosi’s page.
5. Ending today’s list with another #WorkoutWednesday option — SkyTing Yoga, one of the coziest NYC yoga studios is hosting a free yoga session, with its founders. You can hop on from 12-1pm EST.
Please subscribe, if you haven’t already, as we do this one day more. It’s entertainment from the Les Mis family, the Hello singer and the Dear Evan Hansen crew that got me through the last day of March alone, so I’d like to keep sharing these pockets of joy.
Stay safe, stay sane
Your neighbour
Nadia
Love this my friend - Strongs for Stevie - and love you! Charne