Thursday, March 18, 2010

Grilled Asparagus with Garlic and Lemon

Ingredients

* 1 pound asparagus
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Trim asparagus. In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, zest and paprika and stir with a fork. Lay asparagus side by side and pierce on 2 wooden skewers to form a raft. Place rafts on the grill and brush with oil mixture. Cook to desired tenderness and season with salt and pepper.

Visit to BU College of Fine Arts

We visited BU today.

Program is very good. It is a conservatory type program....very intensive They take 50 kids a year and then after freshman year, they decide acting ( very structured) or theater arts ( more flexible) You can minor in communications if you wish. Double majors need to be done in 5 years.

Everyone gets cast in 4 shows a year..very collaborative cooperative environment. Strong faculty. and the rest of the campus is top notch. They can guarantee housing for 4 years, although most live off campus after freshman year.

Facilities are decripit...peeling paint, a mens room that looked right out of an asylum. Building hasn't had any work done in years. Huntington is all the way across town. The CFA is on the west end of campus...nothing else here. They look like the forgotten stepchild. Signage is the most impressive thing in the building.

Admissions is handled centrally by BU. You need to get into BU first. Tour was very disorganized. Someone met us and told us they were looking for someone to conduct the tour. Then she did the tour and had absolutely no info for us. ( grad stage management major)The director came and lectured for about 45 minutes...the phone kept ringing people were talking coming in and out. Finally a freshman performance major came and gave us some great insight. If I had to travel far for this tour I would have been very upset.

There is no campus feel on the west end... with a four lane highway running down the middle of the campus. Luciana said that it would be difficult to be in that facility for long winters...I agree.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Visit to Emerson Today

Today we visited Emerson. I was really impressed with the makeover they have done to the campus over the past 10 years. They have consolidated the whole thing into three or four buildings on Boylston St. Performance and production facilities are first rate.

They have a range of majors. Their philosophy is to provide with a wqy to earn a living while auditioning that isn't waiting tables. Dorms are either suites ( Piano Row) or traditional ( Little Building), which has a better community feel. Security is good, everyone has to swipw in and out. If you dont live on campus, you dont get in They have 2 programs BFA - 72 credits, which is intensive and small,. You are with a group of 16 for four years and a BA, which gives you more flexibility to minor or double major. There are less required credits for a BA and you can take the same classes as the BFA. Community is supportive..kids are a bit odd. They have any productions, Emerson Stage, which are the official ones, and many clubs that put on productions where there is an opportunity to perform. Will be opening the Paramount building this year with 9 performance spaces and 700 students

I really liked the opportunities that are provided if you do decide to change your major, which include writing, communications, dance. You can take classes at Berklee, NEX, Conservatory etc. You can also take summer classess at 5 accredited community colleges. First two years you study a writing core. Depending on HS performance, you can opt out of these courses.


Looks like early decision is the way to go and it is non binding...you can apply elsewhere. They accept 60% who go early action. Need to audition there in fall, For acting monologue. for MT, dance and signing also,.

Spoke with coach. Knew L from Bentley camp. He stresses that this is D3 and they make accommodations for kids. Had a PG who took a month off for an internship. Wants to continue to transform the program from more of an intramural to collegiate. Season starts in October 15, first game 11/15, two weeks off at Xmas and then ends in March. 2 1/2 hr practices in preseason, 2 hours in season 1 hour as tournament time approaches. Similar to Cushing. Most schools are local farthest one in Norwich alternate home and home and do overnight. They will travel for Xmas tournament but it is for break. Top 3 Tough, knows game and has a transferable skill for college,. If you have more than one great. Asked L idf she can play with D1 folks, she says she does. Asked her her skills, Defense, rebounding and tenacious player, works hard, great encouraging teammate. He wants see her play and will tell us if he is interested. ( or game tape I prefer to have him see her. If he is interested, she will have a visit day with team and overnight.

Luciana got a great feeling about the school and it is now her #1 choice. Grades and SAT were good for the coach. She needs to fill out athlete form and follow up with coach and sign up for his post player camp!