I seem to be more and more delinquent with blog updates these days! Life is busy, which is a good thing. But I am committed to these monthly recaps as they document my life in a way that I appreciate long-term.

So November 2016 was pretty special — the highlight being that my friends Grace & Rian got married! I also split the month between Los Angeles and New York City / Connecticut, which means I got to see all my family and friends.

Okay, let’s rewind to November 1st… I spent the first week script supervising the first-ever Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards in Brooklyn, NY. Then I spent the second week script coordinating on Halo Awards for Nickelodeon, also in New York. I used Airbnb to stay in the city for around $65/night. Saw four off-Broadway shows on my days off — the incredible Vietgone at MTC, Master Harold and the Boys at Signature, A Life at Playwright’s Horizons, and The Harvest at Lincoln Center. (I’ll do a proper theater recap after the holidays since I’m seeing more shows then.)

One highlight was attending ‘Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel’ at the Director’s Guild in New York — since I was fortunate to work on Peter Pan Live, The Wiz Live, and Grease Live, it was especially neat to hear those directors talk about their experiences on those projects. Below are Glenn Weiss, Tommy Kail, and Rob Ashford; the conversation was moderated by Scott Ellis:

(all photos via)

Here’s a photo from the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards — great to work with my friends Sabrina & Adam again!

The following week we worked out of Basketball City in lower Manhattan. This was our office view (I unintentionally framed these photos exactly the same way):

The Halo Awards honors teens who are making a difference in their communities, with a couple of music performances. This year’s show was hosted by Nick Cannon and featured performances by Jason Derulo, Hailee Steinfeld & Zedd, Daya, JoJo Siwa, and Alessia Cara. A few pics from dress rehearsal:

It’s a fun atmosphere with kids playing carnival-style games:

Now for some food photos from New York… I love meals at The Little Beet, and coffee from Bibble and Sip (both in midtown):

One of my Airbnbs was in Harlem, and I stopped into the charming Sugar Hill Cafe for coffee one morning:

Dinner at Elephant & Castle one night:

My friends Adam & Sabrina introduced me to Kashkaval Garden on 9th Ave. between 55th & 56th — they’ve got Mediterranean / Middle Eastern food that is SO GOOD. I can’t wait to go back here for more. I snapped some terrible iPhone photos in the dark so I pulled these two from on-line to give you a better idea of this place:

[above images via here and here]

I stopped at Doughnut Plant in Brooklyn and tried a pumpkin one with pepitas that was pretty incredible.

I was in Connecticut towards the end of fall, and soaked up the atmosphere as much as I could:

My dad crushed me during a particularly brutal game of Scrabble:

My sister and I went to see Patton Oswalt play a show in New Haven. He lost his wife about six months ago and talked openly about it with his brand of honest humor. It was a moving night.

[image on the right above via]

Got to visit my cousin Lauren and her family in Massachusetts for a fun photo shoot!

And I visited my cousin and her husband and two little boys — love spending time with them!

El and Pete made this delicious butternut squash chili for dinner:

Other meal photos… a very green breakfast, and coffee in my Scout mug:

Went out to dinner with my parents and sister as a belated birthday celebration for my dad — Geronimo’s in New Haven is one of our favorite spots. Tip: the table side guac is outstanding, and the red sangria is cherry-flavored and just incredible.

And then I came to Los Angeles! It has been a major treat to see so many good friends these past few weeks. Here we are dining at The District on 3rd Street, after Grace’s final wedding dress fitting:

And again, outside the restaurant — I love these people so much!

Grace & Rian hosted Thanksgiving dinner a few days later:

Post-Thanksgiving dinner pie with Tammie, Sommer, and my sister:

And night-before-the-wedding sushi with friends:

Here are a few photos from Grace & Rian’s wedding. It was just the loveliest day — it felt like a big party with all of our friends, celebrating Grace & Rian.

Post-reception at The York:

Other fun memories from this past month…

I loved making this gingerbread house with Adele!

My friends Kelley & Irving had me over for Thanksgiving lunch — we had soup and side dishes to keep it light in anticipation of dinner later on. So good!

And then we watched Home Alone, which was way more fun than I could’ve imagined — Adele got really into it. “One… two… ten!”

Other meals from this past month… Vietnamese / French cuisine from The District, a home cooked vegan meal via Green Chef (thanks Mike!), tacos from Grace & Rian’s catered wedding rehearsal, and banana cream pie from House of Pies:

Ramen from Jinya with my roommates Jenny & Ziggy, and lunch at Forman Tavern with my sister:

And my roommates very kindly surprised me with a pastry from Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, home of the ‘cruffin’, a croissant-muffin!

Signs of fall on my daily walk through Toluca Lake…

Went to two shows with my sister at Upright Citizens Brigade in LA — Super Married with Jon Ross Bowie & Jamie Denbo, and “JV Presents: Throwback Friday” featuring Rachel Bloom (“Crazy Ex Girlfriend”) as the storyteller that night. SO much fun.

I’ve missed going to UCB comedy shows with my sister!

Christmas spirit is in full bloom in Toluca Lake:

Very fun night celebrating a college friend’s birthday at Forman Tavern — always a blast to see these people!

Speaking of college friends, I went hiking with my buddy Mike — this is the view from Lower Canyonback Trail:

Love this oak tree and swing:

This is Mike’s dog Archer!

One more view from above the oak tree, overlooking Los Angeles and the ocean:

That’s a wrap on November 2016. Thanks to family and friends (who are like family) for the memories this past month!