As some of you out there know, September is a very special month for me because my BIRTHDAY is September 9th! (will accept birthday wishes now ) SO, in honor of my birthday month,
I am offering FREE standard shipping within the U.S. for all A*Voyce Clothing orders for the entire month of [...]
I finally have the video from the cabaret I did last week…. here it is!
It was so cool to be a part of this new cabaret series… Mark Shunock has done an AMAZING job putting together some really fantastic shows at this gorgeous venue! The whole Supper-Club vibe of the “Fedora Room” was the inspiration for my song choice and attire!
(Dress, by the way, is an A*Voyce original and available to order on my WEBSITE 
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A few of my friends showed up for support, and we all had a really great time. I’ll definitely let you know if I do another “Session Series” at First & Hope again in the future! You guys should definitely come check it out!
This saturday I’ll be making my first appearance at a new cabaret series here in LA at a super-hot venue, The Fedora Room at First & Hope. There is a great line-up of singers AND there’s NO COVER, NO MINIMUM, and there’s PARKING! WHAT!? You guys should definitely check it out! Take note though, There are 2 shows that night and I will be doing the first show ONLY (7:30)!! I would LOVE to see you there!
CHECK OUT THE VENUE:
HERE’S THE INFO::
Session II. First & Hope’s monthly cabaret series continues after a standing room only opener last month. July 10 has an amazing lineup of talent and promises to be a very special night not to be missed.
2 Shows….8 & 10pm
(Doors 7:30 & 9:45pm)
Appearances by…
Rebecca johnson, Mat Rocheleau, Katrina Lenk, Eric B Anthony, Carie Millard, Mercedes Dauphinais, Matt Zarley, Cheryl Daro, Justin Mortelliti, Dan Domenech, Rodrick Covington, Wendy Ho, Ava Gaudet, and Julie Garnye.
Hosted by Mark Shunock with Ron Snyder on Piano, Oliver Steinberg on Bass, and Emiliano Almeda on Drums.
Reservations strongly encouraged. Only 65 each show!
213.617.8555
We will sell out. Don’t wait to experience LA’s hottest new room.
So, last night was the 88’s Cabaret 3rd Anniversary Show, and it was really cool to be a part of it!
I met Ryan Black only a few months after he started 88’s Cabaret, and I’ve been performing there off-and-on for all three years it’s been around. In fact, Ryan gave me the sweetest little shout-out after I sang my song saying, “she has been there for 88’s almost since the very beginning, so we’re very pleased to have her here tonight!” Aw. Thanks, Ry.
Last night the show was at Gonpachi in Beverly Hills (normally we are at it’s sister restaurant La Boheme, in West Hollywood) it was our first time performing there and my first time being there and MAN, This place was GORGEOUS! The bartender told us that everything in there, the solid wood bar top, the light fixtures, the artwork, etc. was all imported from Japan, making this Japanese restaurant look like the REAL DEAL. I loved it. I want to go back sometime when I’m NOT performing to try their “Sakegria”, and some sushi and the hand-made soba noodles that you watch the chef make (he’s actually inside a kind-of glass box when he makes it… kinda weird when you think about it, but it was still cool to watch!)
After the sound check we were able to catch a little bit of the Celtics game while we hung out at the bar. I was super happy about this because my wonderful husband was probably DYING inside that he was hanging out at a cabaret when there was a Celtics Playoff Game AND a Red Sox game going on! Now THAT is real love and support! What a good hubby I have
The show, of course, was great. Great songs, big laughs, and a fun crowd. Most of the time there is some sort of theme for the shows, but last night there wasn’t, we could choose whatever we wanted… so I chose one of my all time favorite songs, “Time is a Healer” by the amazing Eva Cassidy. I’ve been singing this song in my bedroom for YEARS but this was the first time I ever sang it in front of anyone…
Thanks to everyone who came out last night! And, thanks to everyone who clapped after my high note! hahaha. Until Next time….
Hi Everyone!
Wanted to let you know that this Monday night, May 24th, I will be performing at the 88’s Cabaret 3rd Anniversary show here in LA!
It’s going to be a great show, and a great night! There is an amazing cast (including Megan Hilty, Kim Huber, Daisy Eagan, Cortes Alexander, and more!) And apparently there will be a ton of surprises (I don’t even know what they are, so I’ll be surprised too!!) I’m going to be singing a song that is very special to me, so I’m really excited for the show!
Here they are talking about it on:
Here they are talking about it on:
GONPACHI RESTAURANT
134 N. La Cienega, Beverly Hills
CALL FOR RESERVATIONS:
310.659.8887
$15 seated with dinner reservation, $10 standing room
Show starts at 8pm
SEE YOU THERE!!!
Yesterday, Rob and I came across a CD of unreleased “AVA” songs that we worked on together about 8 years ago!! Time to open the vault….
A while back, I was working on a 10 song album with Rob and the rest of my band, and although all the music we were working on was good, it was a very transitional time in the “AvA” project, and in the end it never got released. I had just graduated Berklee College of Music, the band was breaking up and I was going off in a different direction, you know the story…. so we moved on…
Fast forward A LOT of years, to yesterday, when we played the cd and went on a serious trip back in time! I hadn’t heard these songs in SO long I actually forgot a lot of them!
It was so cool to hear these songs after so many years… not too many people ever got to hear this stuff way back when, SO I decided to resurrect a few of those old songs now!
(I took these old pics out of the vault too!)
“CLOSE MY EYES”
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“PINK AND GREEN”
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“SO AFRAID”
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There you go. Vintage AVA.
Yesterday was a very powerful day that I was honored to be a part of….
A couple of weeks ago I got a call from my friend Wendy asking if I would help her out by singing at a memorial service she was helping to organize for some friends of hers. She went on to tell me the heartbreaking story of her good friends Lenore and Zen and their beautiful and brave 3 1/2 year-old son, Hunter, who had lost his long and painful battle with leukemia about a month ago. The memorial service was to be a celebration of his life, a gathering of friends and family who want to show their love and support and remember Hunter…
Of course, I said yes without hesitating.
I think it’s almost impossible not to feel moved and saddened by a story like this, but at first I didn’t know much about them other than what Wendy had told me. I had never met Lenore or Zen, and did not have the pleasure of knowing Hunter. So I went to the blog they had created during Hunter’s battle, HeaingHunter.com, to learn more about them.
The website was created as a place for support during his fight, for words of encouragement where people could help to rally with prayers and hope, and donate money to help the fight continue…. but of course, by the time I got to the blog, the fight was over. Suddenly I was immersed in the unbelievable sadness of what this family had experienced…
There were pictures of little Hunter from all stages of his life, and disease…. the times where he fought for his life, as well as the times of remission. The words of heartbroken parents trying to express the magnitude of Hunter’s fate… this little boy had endured 4 rounds of chemo-therepy and every amount of extreme measures they could possibly take to save him. But as hard as “Iron Hunter” fought, I was now reading about “The Death of a Superhero” and how these loving, incredible parents now had to deal with it all being over. I honestly can’t verbalize it in a way that’s appropriate… I was crushed, and I didn’t even know them. I didn’t have to go through the 2 years of ups and downs, hope and pain… I spent only a few minutes inside a window of their lives, and it was almost too much for me to bear…
I had asked my songwriting partner, and good friend Lucy Graves to accompany me for the performance, and she too felt suddenly immersed in the sadness of what they went through… as I said, it’s nearly impossible not to be moved by their story and the incredible strength of this family.
They had requested “Woman’s Work” and “In the Arms of an Angel” to be sung at the memorial, in-between eulogies from friends and family… It was a beautiful event, but also overwhelming at times. Pictures of Hunter were placed all around the home, and home videos played on tvs. There were a lot of people crying ad grieving for the loss, but also some smiling at stories and good memories.
The memorial was powerful, and I felt truly honored to have been a part of it. I really hope that Lucy and I were able to add something special to an already special occasion, and that the celebration was everything they hoped it would be.
“Hunter spread his love and joy far and wide and it was well received by many. And for that, we are forever grateful he was here for all of us to cherish.”
One of the most inspiring parts of the story… Lenore and Zen are pregnant and will be blessed with another child this summer. No one is more deserving.
Everyone’s talking about the new Lady Gaga video ft. Beyonce…. I think the video is pretty cool, but my favorite part is that my good friend
Jai Rodriguez has an cameo playing the reporter!! What do you think of it???
