So Measha, what do you have planned for the holidays?

This year I'm spending my first holiday away from home.  I'll be touring the Netherlands, performing a special Christmas program with the Holland Symfonia.  I'm sad that I'm going to be away from my family, (since Christmas is such a HUGE deal for us), but my husband Markus will be traveling with me, and I'll be spending Christmas Day with some good friends in Brussels, so I know I'll have an amazing time.

After Christmas comes my favourite holiday - New Year's Eve - and I am beyond thrilled that I'll be back in Toronto to celebrate!  To all Torontonians: come and catch me singing Auld Lang Syne in Nathan Phillips Square for Canada's New Year's Eve Bash on Sunday, December 31.  To all other Canadians, if you can't catch me in person (for shame!), you can see me on CityTV and A-Channel stations across the country (except for the A-Channel in Barrie), beginning at 11:00 p.m. local time.  

Any plans for the new year?

I've got tons of gigs coming up in North America and Europe. I start 2007 in Columbus, and then I tour Cleveland and Miami (yep, Miami in January. Suh-weet.  Partyers verrry welcome) with the Cleveland Orchestra before heading off to do recitals in Brussels and Saanen, Switzerland.  Then I'm off to Puerto Rico before I do Canada up right with shows in Ottawa, Vancouver and Winnipeg.  I'm especially stoked that I'll be in Miami and Puerto Rico in the middle of winter! (As if I'm ever leaving the beach…)  If you're close to any of these gigs over the next couple of months, be sure to pick up a ticket!  Just check the schedule on my website for the dates.  

Also doin' a little TV this January.  I launch the latest season of Opening Night on the CBC on January 11  (check your local listings for broadcast times). Here's a preview pic from the shoot.  I'll be introducing the saucy (and slightly subversive) documentary Mozart Balls.  And stay tuned for my appearance on Bathroom Divas. The second season will be broadcast on Bravo! Canada starting February 7.

But my biggest project is totally MY NEW HOUSE.  It has always been my dream to own something more valuable than my cats (who ARE precious) and I'm so thankful that we found something that we could love. It's a beautiful old Victorian home in a funky part of town. I'm not looking forward to moving in the dead of winter (Feb 1) but it will sooooooo be worth it once it's all done. 

What have you been up to in the last few months?

First of all, I LAUNCHED MY NEW CD, Extase!  It came out on September 12 in Canada, September 21 in the US, and on October 17 everywhere else.  The response to this disc has been amazing (if you don't have your copy yet, what are you waiting for!?!) Here's a pic from the launch.  Serious props go to Tom Sandler for the amazing shot.

We started off with a killer press conference and post-concert reception in Quebec City (mega-thanks to everyone at CBC Records and the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec for making that happen).  On September 29, we organized an amazing CD release party at Ultra Supper Club in Toronto.  John Paul Ricchio rocked the party planning and Rosemarie Umetsu for r.u. and Myles Mindham made sure I had something cute to wear and was properly bedecked in bling.

I also got to fulfill a lifelong dream - to be a commentator on Video on Trial. It was soooooo much fun!  I had to do videos by Evanescence, R. Kelly and Diddy, so you can imagine that the snark pretty much wrote itself.  I also got the gift of reviewing one of my all-time favourite songs, I Believe In a Thing Called Love by The Darkness.  There are no mistakes, people!  My episode was televised at the end of October, but watch for repeats on MuchMusic throughout the season! 

I also made my debut as a newspaper columnist!  In October, the National Post asked me to be the inaugural contributor to their new year-long Artist's Diary series.  I've already written my second batch (check out one of the articles here), and stay tuned for future contributions!  Speaking of writing, I was thrilled to be invited back to the Gillers! They totally put me at the same table as Adrienne Clarkson and Alice Munro, and it took every ounce of restraint I had not to jump in Alice's lap.  Once again, Tom Sandler took an amazing picture, and Cathy and Angela at Magpie managed to find the perfect gown for me!  (I lovingly refer to it as my "bondage dress").

I was thrilled to help WWF Canada with their amazing Hotter Than I Should Be t-shirt campaign.  Not only do proceeds from the shirts help the fight against global warming, but they're also super-fly (just check out this picture to see for yourself).  I just got back from Victoria where it was 20 below, and then arrived in Toronto, where it's almost 10 degrees. In December!  This should be setting off environmental alarms for people.   Check out www.saveourclimate.ca for more information about the campaign. 

I've finally joined the 21st century and launched a MySpace page, which is at www.myspace.com/meashabrueggergosman.  You can listen to some tracks from Extase, watch my music video Rêve Infini, and get the low-down on some upcoming shows. I'm totally trying to build up my network, so if you're a member (and even if you're not), please check out my profile and add me as a friend when you get the chance!

What are the latest "Measha Finds"?

I made some amazing finds in Atlanta, Calgary, London, Miami, San Francisco, Toronto and Victoria.  Come check 'em out cuz these only matter if someone else benefits!! 

ATLANTA
I had some killer sushi at Ru San's (1529 Piedmont Ave NE).  In true Southern style, some of their rolls come deep-fried.  Best of all - it's open really late!  For more upper-crust sushi and frou-frou pan-Asian cuisine, try Silk (919 Peachtree St).  I had an amazing duck in sweet potato puree with crab legs.  

If you get sick of eating (but how could you?) you have to stop at the mega-modern outdoor mall in Atlantic Station.  It's a one-stop shopping mecca that has everything an artist would ever need when they're on the road - food, shopping and movie theatres!  Best of all was their brand-new Bikram yoga studio (730 Ponce de Leon Place).  It's housed in this giant complex that has two different yoga studios, a gym, and a hair salon.  And it's GORGEOUS!  And the towels are free!  And the people are SO NICE!  It's DEFINITELY worth a visit!

CALGARY
I had an amazing time at Cowboys (826 5th St. SW).  It's the diviest place, but sooooooo much fun.  Rumour has it that the owner gives female staff members new breasts to celebrate their first year of service.     

LONDON
If you're looking for vintage clothes, you have to visit Steinberg & Tolkien (193 King's Road in Chelsea).  It's the best vintage clothing store I've ever been to, and has an amazing basement where EVERYTHING is 60% off.  I scored a camel-coloured coat with a cute fur collar dating from the 1920s that is absolutely GORGEOUS!

You can get a great view of central London from the windows of Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital (St Thomas St / Lambeth Place Rd), but don't ask us how we discovered that ....

MIAMI
The Delano Hotel (1685 Collins Ave in Miami Beach) is the scene for all scenesters in Miami.  Honestly, it's like walking into a rap video.  You can actually drink at a table IN the pool!  

I stayed at ultra-swank Mandarin Oriental Miami (500 Brickell Key Dr) - I LOVE my job! You know a hotel is luxurious when it has its own island.  I discovered that the wide hallways were the perfect place for me to practice walking in the killer purple suede stilettos I bought on Lincoln Road, which is a great strip for shopping, eating and unabashed people-watching. Combine your "social study" with good eats at Sushi Samba (600 Lincoln Rd) and La Lupa di Roma (610 Lincoln Road).  

SAN FRANCISCO
I discovered another swank abode in the Hotel Adagio (550 Geary St). Conveniently enough, they offer killer 'small plates' meals at their restaurant, Cortez.  Being California, there were yoga studios everywhere, but Funky Door Yoga (1334 Polk St) sets itself apart by the sheer scope of its merchandise.  They've got food, extensive yoga gear, and scads of Bikram-branded products.  My favourite shopping find was 560 Hayes Vintage (560 Hayes St), with a great selection of gorgeous vintage clothing.      

TORONTO
I made a couple of big discoveries while celebrating American Thanksgiving. After sampling some of the delicious soul food appetizers at Southern Accent (595 Markham St), I tried out my first-ever turducken.  It's a chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey.  It sounds disgusting, but it's actually delicious (especially alongside a bourbon sour).  After dinner, we went to BMB Karaoke (593 Bloor W) where I visited my first Korean karaoke palace.  You get a private room and your own karaoke system so you and your friends can rock out your favourite tracks for as long as you want.  

VICTORIA
Some great eats can be found at the Ferris Oyster Bar & Grill (536 Yates St). The smoked salmon is AMAZING and their staff is very knowledgeable. It almost made up for their rude service over the phone.

Stay tuned to the next issue of Up-to-the-Minute Measha for finds from Amsterdam, Brussels, Cleveland, Columbus, Miami, Ottawa, San Juan, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg!  

Any final thoughts?

Okay, I don't want to end this newsletter with a giant heaping of Christmas cheese, but I seriously hope everyone, no matter what faith, has an amazing holiday season surrounded by family and friends.  I'm sorry I can't be home to show my peeps some annual holiday love, but I can't WAIT to see you all in 2007! 

And remember, if you don't want to receive any updates in the future, please send us an email with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. It's okay. I won't take it personally.  

Kisses!

Measha

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