Eclectic Edge Ensemble

Enjoy this special Christmas song performed on Saturday Night Live by Horatio Sanz, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan, and Tracy Morgan!

-Desiree

In light of EEE’s upcoming production of “Reeling Over Love” and the fast approaching holiday season, I thought it would be fun to consider the 5 best romantic holiday movies of all time. So cuddle up with that special someone, grab some hot cocoa and enjoy the show…

5). White Christmas (1954) An annual tradition for so many, this musical starring Bing Crosby will have you singing “White Christmas” for weeks to come.

4). Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) One of my favorite Christmas songs, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” was originally sung my Judy Garland in this romantic musical. Classic.

3). Love Actually (2003) The holidays can be frantic, stressful, and wonderful all at the same time. Love Actually makes us feel normal in all of our craziness and time after time, it never gets old.

2). The Shop Around the Corner (1940) Only the old Hollywood classics can bring us a love story so sweet, so over the top. Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan remind us that falling in love can sometimes take us by surprise.

1). Elf (2003) Who wouldn’t love Zooey Deschanel and Will Ferrell singing together in the shower? Their first date alone is enough to make you smile.

-Emilie

Thanksgiving always gets me a little... verklempt.  It's a time many of us set aside to celebrate our family, our health, our successes, maybe even some important failures.  Every day I am reminded of how fortunate I am.  There are countless things for which I can be thankful and it can be difficult to remain thankful for all that one has in every moment of life.  That's why I feel it is important to retain a special time when we can remind ourselves and each other of our good fortunes.  

This Thanksgiving I was challenged in a different way.  I recently moved from my childhood home in Waconia, Minnesota to the Eastern Seaboard.  My fiancè got a job he really wanted at the Space Telescope Science Institute (...talk about good fortune...)  in Baltimore, Maryland.  Soon after, I joined him here in Charm City, USA.  In doing this, I said goodbye to my mother, my father, my two younger sisters, many close friends, and my home of 20 years.  People and places with which I had grown so familiar were 1,100 miles away from me in an instant.  

I grew up in an Italian-American family.  If you're not familiar with the Italian culture, I'll let you in on something;  there is only one thing more important than good food and good wine... and that's family.  My Grandma Rose treated everyone like they were her family.  She hosted meals for everyone in the neighborhood and fostered dozens of children.  My Grandpa Frank was the same, climbing up on their roof every December in a big red suit to thrill the neighborhood children at the sight of Santa Claus.

This family-first mindset has reinforced strong and lasting bonds among my family and friends, but has also made moving away from those people that much more difficult.  Starting over in a new place can be quite hard and the holidays pose an even greater emotional challenge.  This Thanksgiving was my first big holiday away from home and it was strange to be away from familiar faces.  Here in Maryland, however, I reconnected with distant relatives and shared in new holiday traditions.  In a few weeks, I will be boarding a plane to go back to MN for Christmas.  It is a gift to be able to return home,  but I can also say that I am thankful for the challenge of being in a new place.

So, this year, I am thankful for the best of both worlds.  I am thankful for the challenge; I am thankful for enduring relationships; I am thankful for tradition; I am thankful for technology and the ever-increasing number of ways to stay connected across the miles; I am thankful for my friends; I am thankful for my family; I am thankful for my fiancè and the life we are embarking upon together, and of course, I am thankful for good food and good wine.

Happy Holidays to all.

-Desiree  

“Give to the Max” day is just around the corner, set to take place this coming Thursday, November 15!  This annual day of giving provides donors like you the opportunity to show your financial support for your top non-profits in the State of Minnesota.  Eclectic Edge Ensemble is participating again this year (through our fiscal sponsorship with Springboard for the Arts) and we HOPE you will consider giving to our company.  A few basics:

1)      “Give to the Max” is an ALL DAY event (midnight to midnight)! 

2)      Giving is EASY!  Just visit our GiveMN.org webpage and click on the green “DONATE” button: http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Eclecticedgeensemble

3)      You will automatically be sent tax receipts from GiveMN.org to document your donation

And now for the juicy details:

Springboard for the Arts, our fiscal sponsor, has presented us with a matching donation challenge.  During the 10 am -11 am hour of giving (our “power hour”) Springboard has agreed to set aside $8,000 for matching donations! What does this mean?  This means that all Incubator organizations (groups that are currently fiscal sponsors of Springboard) will have the opportunity to compete for matching funds from Springboard based on the amount of money they raise during the power hour.  All donations made to Incubator clients (this includes us!) will be tallied during that hour and Springboard will divide the $8,000 proportionally amongst projects based on dollars raised. 

Truth be told, we will be THRILLED to receive any amount of donation from you, your family, your friends, your neighbors… but if you are able to give to EEE during the power hour, your donation will go that much further!

Another incentive:

Springboard with put aside an additional $2,000 to use as reward money for the top 5 Incubator projects.  This money will be distributed not based on the amount of money raised, but by the number of donors contributing to the cause.  So it doesn’t really matter if $10.00 is all you have to give: this small donation will put EEE in the running for a $750 first place prize; $500 second place prize; $350 third place; $250 fourth; and $150 fifth.  Any small gift can/will make a difference for EEE!

Please visit our GiveMN.org page (http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Eclecticedgeensemble) and remember to Give to the Max!