By The Numbers: Back To School Edition

This week’s over-hyped and underwhelming premiere of The CW’s 90210 remake got me feeling nostalgic for more than just the original Peach Pit gang. I found myself thinking about high school, about those heady days when dating was a new frontier delivering equal parts excitement and insecurity.

With a nod to Brenda, Kelly and co, then, I bring you a special high school edition of By The Numbers…

Number of friends whose boyfriend I had a crush on: 1
Number of years in longest preamble to first kiss with a high school crush: 4
Number of parties that included a game of spin the bottle: 1
Number of would-be suitors who engaged in creepy behavior (e.g., calling from a pay phone across the street, mentioning the view into my bedroom window): 1
Number of boyfriends permitted to join me on my bed for a chaste embrace: 2
Number of times said encounters were interrupted by my dad opening my bedroom door: 1
Number of men vying for my attention at the prom: 2

It’s hard to believe the longings and lessons of adolescence happened two decades ago. Though the stakes of dating are higher now, I’m happy to say that I’ve managed to hold onto (most of) the hopefulness I had about romance during my high school days. And I’m still amazed at the delirious high that accompanies the simple pleasure of a first kiss. Who needs to be a teenager to feel young?

Accademia di Vino: A Divine Dining Experience

Last night, I caught up with my good friend and Delaware native Shane over a decadent three-course meal at Upper East Side hotspot Accademia di Vino (http://www.accademiadivino.com).

Accademia di Vino, the latest incarnation of a cavernous underground space that has housed various restaurants over the years (including the bistro where I celebrated my Sweet 16), opened last year to sold out seatings. Refashioned as a swanky wine cellar with arched room dividers, Accademia has more than 500 bottles—just the right amount of variety for discerning oenophiles like Shane and me.

After selecting two different white wines (Sauvignon Blanc for Shane, Gavi di gavi for me), we savored a pair of tasting plates that served seven kinds of cheese and four varieties of Italian meat. Over an equally satisfying entrée — seared tuna in a pesto-drenched vegetable & herb ragu — Shane and I talked about this year’s historic presidential election, the merits of Australian and New Zealand wines, and the distinctive charm of New Orleans. Also on our conversational menu, the high’s and low’s of life in the TV news business.

A talented photographer, Shane and I got to know each other during my days as an on-air reporter at the Dover bureau of Maryland-based CBS affiliate WBOC. His brilliant camera work brought my words to life on screen, while his friendship helped make my stint in small town USA a much more enjoyable one.

At dinner, we kvetched about the unpredictable hours that go along with a TV news gig, and lauded the unusual experiences that it affords you. For an upcoming segment, Shane will be participating in a Survivor-esque boot camp that includes no showering for a week. I recalled a less rustic activity from my reporting days -- soaring over a field at sunset in a go cart powered by an electric parachute.

We capped off our meal with olive oil pound cake and a dollop of fresh Mascarpone cheese. As we toasted with our Limoncello aperitifs, I smiled at my good fortune of living in a city that offers such fantastic dining experiences – and of having such a wonderful friend to share it with.

Timing Is Everything

My colleague Li recently shared with me the tale of how he met his fiancée. The two dated briefly in college, remained in touch intermittently and now, 15 years later, are finally tying the knot. His story got me to thinking about timing and the idea that everything happens for a reason.

Four years ago, my first experience of speed dating resulted in a brief romance with British-born R. Being with R taught me the important lessons of paying attention to irreconcilable differences early on, and of not lingering in a relationship simply because you’re afraid to hurt someone. The five months I spent with him also led to something of a much longer duration – my career in public relations. A publicist himself, R acquainted me with the PR world. Four years later, I’m still smitten with it.

About a decade before meeting R, I connected with California native Mark during a location shoot for “NYPD Blue.” Over the course of many years and many encounters, I learned a lot about relationships from him but the biggest takeaway of all was a simple one—when you’re really in love, you feel it without hesitation and beyond measure. Mark also served the important purpose of introducing me to a gastronomic delight whose longevity in my life has surpassed that of any man—sushi. For that alone, I am forever in his debt.

Perhaps the greatest example I’ve experienced of fate’s purposeful agenda was the New Year’s Eve that wasn’t back in 2002. My high school sweetheart Hogan was supposed to come in from Toronto. Confusion about bus and train options from T.O. to New York ended up derailing his plans. Hogan ended up going to a party that night where he met the lovely woman who later became his wife.

Yes, at the risk of sounding like Sex and The City’s Charlotte, it bears repeating--everything really does happen for a reason.

August: Osage County: A Tony-Winning Treat

Friday night, one of my best friends, Morty, and I went to see August: Osage County. After the curtain went up, it didn’t take long for us to realize why Tracey Letts’ tale of a dysfunctional family in suburban Oklahoma walked away with five Tony Awards, including Best Play, and a Pulitzer Prize.

The three-hour three-act play moves along swiftly, thanks to brilliant direction from Tony winner Anna D. Shapiro, razor sharp dialogue and riveting performances from August’s talented ensemble cast. Estelle Parsons is brilliant as hard-bitten matriarch Violet Weston, while Amy Morton holds her own as Violet's uptight, demanding daughter Barbara.

August centers around the family drama that unfolds after patriarch Beverly (Michael McGuire) disappears. Morton is excruciatingly incisive in portraying how the ties that bind can lead to disappointment and despair--and yet still bring you right back to where you started.

August will be adapted for the big screen, with playwright Letts already confirmed to write the screenplay. I’m sure the movie will be great, but this show’s crackle and pop are tailor made for the stage. Don’t miss it.

For tickets and more info, visit http://www.augustonbroadway.com/.