Threadflip.com

What I like about threadflip.com is it has style.  The way it is set up makes me want to browse through the  photos of cute high end current clothing that is not inexpensively priced, but affordable, compared to shopping new.  Also, the photos give you ideas of how to put outfits together with the clothing each person is selling.  And you can sell, too!  Or try to before you hold your own Bitch and Swap, which, let's face it, is probably still a lot more fun...

Oat Monkey

     I remember standing near the fountain at Lincoln Center on one of my first visits to New York City and thinking, I'm going to sing there.  I'm going to perform at the Metropolitan Opera.
     Well, sometimes fate surprises you and you end up performing next door to the Metropolitan Opera.  As a puppeteer.  Playing a baby horse.  And it can still be pretty amazing.
      One of the directors of War Horse, Tom Morris, helped us to find the small animal's perspective by making sure that we never sentimentalized his motives.  Yes, we had to bond with Albert, the other main character, but at first, let's face it:  Albert was feeding Joey oats. But really, he was only just another monkey.  So we affectionately referred to Seth Numrich, the actor playing Albert, as "Oat Monkey".
     As it turns out, like Joey, I love oats.  I love them in the morning, in the form of granola.  But at $6 a pound or so, plus 8 grams of fat, who's wallet or waistline can afford to eat it every day?  Plus I hate buying boxes of cereal with all the unnecessary packaging.
      Renaissance Girl's answer?  I buy a large round tub of old fashioned oats for around $3 and then pick up a bag of my favorite granola (Trader Joe's sells Granola and the Three Berries which is about $3 a package or there's always bulk at Whole Foods).  Every morning I pour 2/3rds oats to 1/3 granola and then milk or rice milk on top, maybe with a few raw almonds or cashews sprinkled on top and voila!  The perfect bowl of cereal, more for less money and fat!  Oats area  much better source of wheat to get your carbohydrates in the morning and with the added protein in the nuts, you're set until lunchtime.   
      I always find something I have in common with the characters I portray on stage.  Even the four legged kind.

Pictured below:  Me with David Pegram and Stephen James Anthony as Baby Joey in War Horse at Lincoln Center 2011

RE-Fashion

My cousin Kim sent me this amazing article that has pretty much everything you need to know about one of my favorite subjects: Re-fashion! It even has a link to a woman who made a dress out of a table cloth! Sound familiar?

Thank you, Fair Companies.com!

Housing Works in Hell's Kitchen

Shop for bargains and donate to a good cause on 9th Ave. in Midtown (730-732 9th Ave. between 49th and 50th). Today I walked past in a hurry, even though was a sign reading %50 off all clothing! Quel damage!

If you've never been to one of the many locations all over the city, Housing Works comprise seven upscale resale stores that not only provide steady funding to address the needs of people living with AIDS, but they also ensure a supply of clothing and essentials to people that other organizations have deemed too difficult to serve.

It's a wonderful place for the novice thrifter because of it's large selection of upscale clothing and furniture and often sells new items that stores have donated from overstock.

On a previous visit to the Chelsea location, I found an amazing fragrance pour homme that I gave to Ted for a birthday gift. $15 instead of $45. And all going to a good cause.

Eight Dollar Coats!

Better late than never.

Some of you know that I have just started rehearsals for a new play at Lincoln Center called War Horse so blogging time is scarce, but I woke up in the middle of the night tonight realizing that I had neglected to post about the Salvation Army Coat Sale that is tomorrow, or actually, later this morning!

• 46th Street between 10th and 11th in Manhattan
• 9am to 5pm (Get there at 8:45am to get a cart to shop with and the best selection!)

I wasn't going to attend the last one in December because it fell on my husband's birthday, but to my surprise, we woke up in the morning and he actually said (and I almost fainted), "Shouldn't we go and see what we can find for my birthday at the coat sale?"

What? My HUSBAND wanted to go THRIFTING? On his BIRTHDAY?

Well, I didn't need convincing so of course we were out the door and in less than 2 hours, we came home with 2 large bags of new (used) clothes for his wardrobe (we HAD to go upstairs to shop for other things, too!) including a black toasty warm down coat (pictured above) that he has been wearing almost every day since.

And the best news of all is that their prices for coats this year are even lower: Eight dollars for non-leather, non-fur regular length coats. EIGHT DOLLARS ! Can't beat that.

Later that evening, at his Birthday Party, our friend Todd (who is a fellow reader of What Would Leenya Do) showed up in his new/used coat, almost identical to Ted's and he had bought it... (wait for it) FROM THE SALVATION ARMY COAT SALE! Eight dollars!

Now I'm going back to sleep to rest up for another eight hour day of puppetry, but go! Shop! Be warm! And let me know what you find...

Happy Holidays!

Here's my Holiday Gift to all you Renaissance People out there!

"Comfort and Joy"

Arrangement and instruments by yours trully, all on Garage Band...

I Played My Drum For Him

Ask the Little Drummer Boy. He gave of what he had, and never gave up when he couldn't afford to go to the mall and spend hundreds of dollars for brand new gifts for the baby Jesus.

Ted and I looked around to see what we had this fall and saw things we've collected: Champagne and wine corks (no surprise there), leather scraps, and feathers from the birds in our neighborhood: wild turkeys, bluejays, Canadian geese, and tufted titmouse. After experimenting with a few different prototypes, little Christmas Tree ornaments emerged from our combinations and the Pocono Angel was born.

The next challenge was sending them in the mail without ruining the feathers and by using only recycled brown paper bags and cardboard.

Soon, we had over 30 made and our family and friends now had little personalized ornaments to hang on their tree.

Pa rum pa pum pum!