Viva la Diva loca

Be Careful What You Pray For

mariatecce — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:19:24 +0000

Prayer is a funny thing. We pray for all kinds of things: More work, someone to love, a red porsche, great fortune, an easier life, a vacation in the Maldives, good health (in the middle of the night when you’re dying of the flu), a house, winning the lottery, the list goes on. And one thing I’ve found about praying is that when the Universe answers, the resulting answer inevitably comes in an unexpected package. A package that bears no resemblence to the picture I had in my mind when I was humbling myself before the powers that be.

And low and behold, my prayer for more work yielded up an offer from quite an unlikely source. I’ve never touched comedy in my life; comedy is for the thick-skinned, the brave, those willing to walk the tight-rope without a net. I’m just a singer and an actor. Who am I to meddle with the commedia dell’arte?

Yet here I am, smack in the middle people who have funny bones down to their very marrow. Go figure. Or actually… why bother trying to figure? Let’s face it, it’s never a good idea to think too much; you create all kinds of problems that aren’t there.

And so, onwards and upwards. Here we are, The Nualas, live on RTE Radio 1 in Ireland on the day of our big launch gig in Vicar St. in Dublin:

Click to view slideshow.

And here we are just the week before on Ireland’s highly sought after talk show the Late Late Show, alongside The Commitments and Elbow, no less! Who would have thunk it?

‘Tis a strange thing, fortune. They say it favors the bold. I would add that it also smiles on the stubborn, the tenacious, and the slightly insane as well. There is no sweeter reward than risking your neck and triumphing against the odds, setting sail into unknown and unfamiliar waters, not knowing whether you’re going to sink or swim. But we must do that which excites us and terrifies us. That’s just life, isn’t it?

Love well and love often,

Health, light, and music,

M.ox

Comedy Divas Give Surprise Performance

mariatecce — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 13:25:41 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

It was a banner night for The Nualas, Ireland’s First Ladies in comedy, last Friday in The Sugar Club in Dublin as they made a surprise appearance at a burlesque variety night. These pic’s were snapped back stage before the girls went on by adoring paparazzi angling for exclusive access to the divas.

The trio (Nuala, Nuala, and Nuala, respectively) wowed the audience with songs old & new and filled in the buzzing crowd, in true Nuala style, as to what the girls have been up to over their 10 year hiatus from performing.

The Nualas will be kicking off their 2011 tour with a gala night in Vicar St., Dublin, on March 25th at 8pm. Their new song ‘Yummy Mummy Blues’ is fast becoming a recession busting hit and audience reaction has been nothing less that ecstatic.

Don’t miss out on the big party in March – they’re going to raise the roof and rock the joint to be sure! Book early, and remember seating is limited for tables on the main floor so get there early and order that bottle of wine….

I’ll be there with bells on & bubbles chilling, ciao amici! M.ox

http://www.aikenpromotions.com/the-nualas/the-nualas.html

http://www.facebook.com/TheNualas

Diva Birthday Magic

mariatecce — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:22:46 +0000

There are years when birthdays slide silently and innocuously by, no pomp & circumstance, no beefcake, beautiful boys, or bottle after bottle of bubbles, no cake & candles. No real effort made to mark the occasion, out of unintentional indifference or deliberate stubborness. For this little diva, however, this year was as far from indifferrence as one could go.

I did indeed have the bubbles, the beefcake, the boys, the candles, and above all, I had the company of my fabulous Dublin friends. Because all the success, decadence, and happy occasions in the world mean nothing if you don’t have your nearest and dearest to share them with. It somehow makes it more real.

Shani & Liz were my partners in crime on Tuesday, booking us into the bistro Pichet on Andrew’s Lane in Dublin 2, where we lunched on sea bass, crab, rabbit, duck, quails eggs, chicken confit, and mouthwateringly decadent desserts, including chocolate fondant and marscapone cheesecake. The wine was exquisite, the bubbles cold and crisp, company only the very best, and the eye candy scrummy (the three hunks at the table I invaded were oblivous to the fact that they were in Cougar territory). We started lunch at 1:30pm and finished at 12 midnight. Now that’s proper order! Here’s the lovely Liz

And me feeling frisky and 100% party girl in a New Year’s eve kind of way:

The following night, my dear friend Susan hosted a dinner for me at her manse in Rathgar, filling the house with my intelligent, witty, beautiful, and generally amazing girlfriends. The conversation was joyful & free with laughter a-plenty, the food and wine impeccable, and my appreciation for my gorgeous friends at an all-time high. Here I am cosy with my beautiful Susan, Hostess With The Mostess in her Georgian pile in Rathgar:

And my lovely Muriel, Angel of the Blue Skies & official Sky Bunny to the Stars (she’s a first-class air hostess with Aerlingus):

I really did have a smashing birthday week and the divine honor of being pampered by only the very best. I might be broke (in the most chic way, of course) but, crikey, I’m rich as a lord when it comes to my nearest and dearest. Remembering that fact alone can clear even the most threatening and cloudy skies in these tumultuous times.

Love well, love often, and enjoy it all, my friends. Celebrate well when that birthday comes up this year,

Besos y abrazos,

M.x

Dublin Has Snow!

mariatecce — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:23:17 +0000

I’ve been living in Dublin for almost 8 years now and I can count on two fingers the winters we’ve had snow, beginning with only last year for the first time in this little Northside Dublin girl’s tenure. When I see even a flickering of that white stuff floating delicately down from the heavens, my New Englander heart just goes into ecstasy-mode with memories of no-school days, hours of skating on frozen ponds and sledding down the hills in back of my grade school, and the icy, thick, sharp, clean smell of snow.

Needless to say, when I woke up this morning and looked out my back window to find a few inches of white blanketing the rooftops, a big smile broke out across my face and I felt like it was Christmas morning come early. Here’s my little Buddha keeping an eye on it all from the warmth of my front room:

And John’s car sleeping quietly under it’s duvet of white out the front door:

And up & down our little Coronation St. neighborhood street:

All is still sleepy this Sunday morning, people sauntering back from Sunday mass (except for this heathen, of course, sitting lazily with a cup of Earl Grey and writing to you lovely people), and a feeling of a holiday morning steals gently in to start this beautiful, clear sunny day. Exceptional and surprising weather for Dublin to be sure and in the madness of the economic climate, a welcome reminder of beauty and magic that often accompanies Nature stretching her formidable wings. Viva la Nieve!

Enjoy the day, everyone, wherever you are in the world,

Love well, love often,

M.ox

Genteel Poverty and The Blessings of Boston

mariatecce — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:11:57 +0000

The idea of Genteel Poverty was never one that I considered a reality as a middle class American kid growing up in the suburbs of Boston. The idea of being glamorous and poor was not a concept that your typical Capitalistic American could readily relate to.

Having said that, I had romantic notions of starving artists in medieval towers, aristocratic nobles in tumbling down mansions in the English countryside, and sprawling Parisian lofts in the Marais. It most certainly did not include temporarily having to eat beans-on-toast for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and taking gigs like reviewing a ”How To Fold A T-shirt’ website on national radio.

Which is why my recent gig at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston last week was such a buzz. Sometimes the universe throws you a nice, juicy bone and this was one of those bones. It was a diamonte tiara – bone, actually. Sold out crowd, thanks to the work of my family and cold-calling a few Boston newspaper editors on my part, wonderful vibe, lovely musicians, and a record breaking cd selling frenzy!

Here’s me and the gang on stage for our final number:

That’s Heather Porter on viola, Doug Johnson on piano, Pete Smith on guitar, and Jim Whitney on double bass.

And here’s me and family, best marketing team I could ask for!

And me & Mum on our own, check out the flowers!:

And here’s me in disbelief at how the cds are flying off the table. Hurrah! :

And finally, me and my highschool chums Sandi Hammond, Ken Demarco, Jen Roderick, John Duncklee, and Fred Harrington:

What a night is was. I was floating on air for hours after. They didn’t have any vases at the hotel for all the flowers so we put them standing up in the toilet tank… now I should’ve got a picture of that!

Sometimes you get those nights where it’s just pure magic and Boston was one of those gigs. I am truly blessed and thank everyone who came down for making it such a memorable night. It really was something special to behold.

Health, light, and music,

ciao! M.x