My Experience on the Blog Show

Being called "the talent" was something that made me giggle and took some getting used to, but it was said with such seriousness by some of the staff on hand that it actually started sinking in that I was going to be on TV...in front of a live audience...and millions of viewers! O. M. G.

Feedback since the show has aired has been very positive and apparently I did not appear to be nervous at all. (You can see my segment at the end of this post.) Appearances can be deceiving! I was not trembling or blushing, but my stomach was somewhere between my left lung and my esophagus. The key is to just ignore it. Once you pretend you're not about to faint, you don't! And then it just becomes a conversation. Honestly, the worst case of nerves happens just before the show goes to air, those final moments of countdown and scramble before the cameras start rolling.

Guests Alexis Stewart, Jennifer Koppelman-Hutt, (me), Martha, Pim Techamuanvivit and Jeff Blumenkrantz

All of the guests that day were so wonderful: Jeff Blumenkrantz of Jeff & Martha, Pim Techamuanvivit of Chez Pim, Jennifer Koppelman-Hutt and Alexis Stewart of Whatever fame. Jeff and I hit it off instantly and we camped it up in the green room, fondling Martha's Emmy Awards (we were told we could!) and sharing stories about our lives. Jeff is a songwriter, performer and actor in New York. He even lived in Toronto for two years starring in a production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. I did not get to talk much with Pim, although she was very sweet and charming in the scant moments we did get to speak. Because her recipe was being used and would be on the website, she had much more paperwork to do than Jeff and I. She was ushered around the offices and had to help prepare the dish in the kitchen before her segment, so she was very occupied.

Jeff Blumenkrantz and I holding up Martha's Emmy Awards, after our performances on the show. Lenore explained to us that the wings had to face the heart, which is the Emmy tradition.

Jennifer Koppelman-Hutt is a wonderful person! She was so funny and so interested in meeting me, as I was interested in meeting her. We chatted at length about Anthropologie (she's a big fan of the housewares) and about my interest in all-things Martha. I was flattered to know that Jennifer is very aware of my blog and considers me "the Martha guy." She was very sweet and I sincerely enjoyed meeting her. She even gave Jeff and I a private performance of "Let's Get Physical" in the green room with her little purple recorder.


Jennifer is lovely and so funny.

At the beginning of the show, as those of you who watched know, we had a round-table discussion about blogs. This was supposed to be a segment reserved for news anchor Brian Williams, but he could not make it to the show because of the earthquake in Haiti. Jeff, Pim, Alexis, Jennifer and I were all to be seated with Martha at the table. Just prior to going on, we all gathered in the little room just offstage. Martha walked in and introduced herself to all of us. She was so charming and engaged. She said it was nice to "finally" meet me and I told her that I was having the ultimate Martha moment, which made her giggle. We didn't chat long before the doors opened and we all went out. The audience went crazy for Martha! We all sat around the table (I got to sit next to her!) and the countdown began...

All of the segments, by the way, are rehearsed before the show begins. My producer, Lenore Welby, stood in for Martha during the craft rehearsal and we went through the basic format of the segment, a little tutorial about the craft, what I should and should not mention if there was time to mention it, etc. The gist was to let Martha guide the segment but to feel free to be conversational and vocal. The key is interraction and dialogue. Before the cameras were rolling, Martha and I chatted briefly about the situation in Haiti. She expressed genuine concern for what was going on there and mentioned that she had been to Haiti several times, each time noticing that the situation is more depressing than the last. I noted that I was impressed by the relief efforts that were taking place and that it gave me hope for those still in need. She agreed and seemed to take heart in how people were coming together to help the people of Haiti. I also mentioned that I was impressed that all of the plants on set were real. She responded, "Oh god, yes! Nothing is fake here!"

Martha then tested the glue dispenser to make sure it was not clogged and that it was working correctly. She wiped up the glue with her finger and cleaned it with a paper towel. She observed the set and did not like that there was a big paper bag at our feet and hastily had an assistant remove it: "What's this doing here? This doesn't go here. Take this away." The assistant wasted no time!

It all happened so fast! Backstage again, we waited until the show was over hoping to see Martha again, but she had several promos to do and then it was off to radio. (She is one busy lady!) We packed up our things and said goodbye to the producers. I left my gift for Martha with Lenore and she took it immediately into Martha's office.

I must say that every single person on staff there is such a sweetheart. My one regret was not speaking to Alexis, since I've always felt she is a very brilliant woman. But I was too chicken to approach her!

I want to thank Lenore once again for being so accommodating and warm and so helpful to me. Her assistant, Sarah, was also great. Noel Rosselli is a true professional and keeps everyone well managed and on target in a way that is calm, always maintaining a light air of humour and wit. The director, Joey, is also very kind and accommodating. I was heartened to hear afterwards that they all thought the show was successful and that all the guests did well. I gave Lenore a big hug (and thank-you card) and did the same with Jeff and his friends. Tomas and I were led out by Sarah and we said goodbye to the front desk staff and the security guard, all of whom were very nice. We left in a sort of daze of delight... not fully believing what we had just experienced.

Backstage, my partner Tomas and Jeff's friends hung out in the green room, watching the show as it aired live. Tomas took several photos of the television. It was surreal seeing these photos for the first time.

After each segment a professional photographer named Nick quickly takes photos of the guest with Martha, which are then sent to the guests in high-res format. I was given a basket of Martha Stewart Clean products (one of each item) that had a beautiful "Martha" logo made of yarn. It was SO lovely! Someone worked very hard on that! I was so happy to receive it that it prompted me to kiss Martha! These products and the sign, along with the card I made with Martha (autographed by the lady herself) will be sent to me by mail. I couldn't take them on the plane, naturally. I told Martha I hadn't seen the products yet but that I was looking forward to getting them in Canada. She gave me a little product knowledge and mentioned that they have no scents and that they are "very efficacious." She told me to leave the card we made and that she would sign it for me later. And so, without further adieu, here I am on the Martha Stewart Show:

The Blog Show Pre-Show

One would think that a scheduled guest on the Martha Stewart Show would not sleep a wink the night before, tossing and turning in some kind of psychological soup of stress and anxiety. But I actually slept like a baby. I'm not sure what tricks my subconscious played to achieve this state of rest, but I'm very thankful for it. I was not nervous at all... At least not until I arrived at the studio, when I began to feel a slight palpatation and a few nervous knots in my stomach, but nothing to really keep me down.
I was pumped and ready to go at 7:30 a.m. The line-up for the audience was already starting to grow!
I arrived with my partner, Tomas, at 7:30, about a half-hour early. I had been to the studios before as an audience member so finding it was no problem. We were buzzed in and greeted by a very nice lady at the counter who asked for our names. We were given fancy name tags (made of a light fabric with adhesive on the back) and signed in. We were checked through security by a very kind (and handsome) security guard and taken upstairs by the assistant producer of my segment, Sarah Boroski. She was so sweet and very accommodating. Along the hallway to the stairwell is a long gallery of photographs of Martha in her modelling days, all framed in white.

The upstairs section, where the offices and guest quarters are, is painted Bedford gray. The green room is directly across from Martha's office, which is not as large as one might expect, although it's beautifully appointed and organized with a large orchid on the corner of her desk. The green room itself is furnished with Martha Stewart Signature furniture from Bernhardt. Based on my own observation, I was able to guess which collection the various pieces belonged to. The center table was definitely the large East Hampton Table from the Lily Pond Lane collection. A large hall table, I believe from the Skylands collection, holds a series of Martha's Emmy Awards. Two plush, wing-back chairs, also likely from the Skylands collection, are tucked into the corners and a series of eight chairs from the Opal Point collection surround the table.

These are Martha's personal Emmy Awards, kept in the green room for guests to admire.

Guests are offered tea or coffee (in beautiful porcelaine cups and saucers) or juice or water. If you're hungry (which I wasn't) there was cereal or fruit on offer. In the green room there is a large plasma TV to watch the show, a radio tuned to Sirius Satellite 112 (Martha's station) and stacks of Martha's magazines for the guests to keep.

Tomas and I hung out in the green room with the other guest, Jeff Blumenkrantz, and his two friends filling out some paperwork and getting to know each other. Our producers arrived shortly afterwards. Lenore Welby was my producer. She has been with Martha Stewart Living since 1994 and was so warm and friendly. (She even wore an Anthropologie sweater just for me!) Lenore gave me a grand tour of the studio, including Martha's wardrobe room and the celebrity dressing room, which had a large couch, a vanity, a coffee table, side table with lamps and a private washroom with a stand-up shower. This is where Alexis and Jennifer were.
For all of Martha's mis-en-place (incredients kept in bowls before adding them to the recipe) small white bowls and dishes are kept in neat rows and piles in a room just off-stage. Each cubby is labled with a clear P-touch label. One of the prop rooms has various bowls kept for the cooking segments, all arranged by colour. I noticed a scan of the cover for the new craft book lying beside the television set. This is where I met Aaron Caramanis, who has been on the show with Martha before and does many of the amazing craft projects and special sets.
One of the producers, Lan Cheung, pointed out that even the P-touch label makers are P-touched!

Along the hallway to the studio there is a series of rooms devoted to pre-production, including a sound studio, the make-up room, project rooms (where the crafts are done) and prop rooms. The studio itself, if you've never seen it, is an absolute jewel. It positively shimmers with light and gorgeousness! I explored it briefly before my rehearsal and took some photos of "my room" (the craft room) which is where I did my project with Martha.
A washer and dryer are on set for any segments about laundry or clotheskeeping. Sewing machine and threads are on set, as are beautiful arrangements of craft tools, yarns and paper.
The craft room has a beautiful cork board lined in faux-bois paper. Ribbon is organized monochromatically as are the storage boxes.
All of the flowers on the set are fresh and real. There isn't a spec of dust or a single item out of place anywhere on the set. Special grow lights cast the effect of natural sunlight.

I didn't have too much time to take photos since I was on a tight schedule like everyone else: make-up, sound checks, rehearsals, etc. Next time (if there is such a thing) I want to take more photos of the greenhouse and the kitchen. I tried to explain to one of the producers just how curious readers and viewers are about every little thing on the set: Where are the cake-stands from? What flowers are on the set? The rolling pins mounted on the back kitchen wall: where are they from? Who chooses the plants in the greenhouse? How are they cared for and by whom? I'd love to blog about all of that!

In the next blog I will have more photos of the backstage areas, a recap of some of my interactions and conversations with Martha and the other guests, the lovely make-up lady and her adorable knitted cap, Alexis and Jennifer, and more!

MY GIFT TO MARTHA:

Before leaving for New York, I decided I wanted to give Martha a gift, since I wasn't sure when I would meet her again. I decided to get her something from Anthropologie and opted for this beautiful book about Deyrolle, the landmark and historic "cabinet of curiosities" in Paris, which has housed unique and precious examples of taxidermy since 1831. In 2008, however, the museum burned down and many of the specimens were charred by fire. Laurent Bochet, a renowned photographer, archived the devastation (and restoration) in this amazing book, which also has interviews with some of the curators who are working to rebuild this historic and mythical place. The book is by Assouline and is gorgeously put together. Knowing Martha's interest in taxidermy (she has many examples at Skylands and Lily Pond) I thought this would be a book she would enjoy and may not have yet.

The book has a striking cover: the charred and rusted Deyrolle sign. I chose packaging that matched the cover: black and gold. The letter explains the book and the genesis of my interest in Martha's ventures.
Truly beautiful photographs of the devastation are so artistic. The texture of the photographs is almost tangible.Some of the curators are interviewed about what they were able to save from the fire and about how they plan to bring Deyrolle back to its original beauty.

An Amazing Day!

Hello everyone! I just left the studio of the Martha Stewart Show and am now writing this blog from the New York Public Library. (Shockingly for a blogger, I'm extremely low-tech and do not own a laptop or any other form of mobile communication device. Call me old fashioned! Anyhow, I get to enjoy the architecture of this beautiful old building as I blog. You'll see some of it in my upcoming photo essay about the trip.)

Let me just say that I had the most extraordinary time this morning. Meeting Martha and doing a segment with her was one of the most incredible moments in my life so far! A true dream come true. (She is absolutely GORGEOUS in person, by the way - even up close! - not to mention very sweet, charming and outgoing, yet very calm and reassuring. A truely wonderful person and fabulous in every way!)

The producers, and all the staff, were so friendly and accommodating. They really went out of their way to make all the guests feel special and unique. (Lenore, you're a gem!) To everyone at the studios, thank you so much for making it a comfortable, relaxed and happy place!

I will have so many photos and so many details to share with everyone once I return to Canada. Brian Williams had to cancel his appearance due to the earthquake in Haiti. Martha and I chatted a bit about the situation there before our segment together. She's truly concerned about it and expressed geniune sadness for the state of affairs down there.

Suffice it to say, the day was an expeience that I will never forget. I made new friends, created enchanting memories and enjoyed every second of my time there, which just flew by! (I hope you all enjoyed the show and maybe got inspired to start your own blog.)

I'm in New York for the next few days and plan on taking in many of the sights, so please forgive me if I do not blog again until Sunday night upon my return - at which point I'll have numerous photos to share! Stay tuned!

Until then, enjoy the blogosphere!
Yours Truly,
Andrew R.

The Blog Show (and Yarn Card)

It's almost impossible to describe how I'm feeling right now as I begin to pack for my trip to NYC to be on the Martha Stewart Show on Thursday morning. It's a mix of heightened anticipation, pure excitement, amazement and a touch of nervousness. (Just a touch!) I leave tomorrow morning and will have a day in the city to settle in. The next morning I'm at the studio in Chelsea at 8:00 a.m. sharp for check-in and preparation. This particular day the show is going to be airing live! Please be sure to watch!

The show I will be on is The Blog Show, naturally, and the guest of honour that day will be network anchor man Brian Williams who will be there to discuss how blogs are changing the way news is gathered and reported. Martha's Cooking School blogger will also be on, as will several other bloggers. I will be on to make a craft with Martha as we discuss the genesis and meaning of Martha Moments. The craft I chose to make with her is one of my favourite Good Things: the yarn card! I love it for its simplicity and elegance, quiet charm and attractiveness.

Below are the instructions for the craft:

An event that comes but once a year deserves a special card. Match the singularity of a birthday or anniversary with a homemade card 'drawn' in yarn. Don't be shy about your artistic ability. You'll need to sketch only simple outlines - the colours and the body of the yarn fibres will complete the picture for you - so they are easy to make. When designing the card, include only the details necessary to make the shape recognizable. A cake, for example, will need a stack of only a few shallow curves. A basic spiral easily renders a flower.

Make rough sketches on scratch paper first to determine the design you will use. Lightly pencil a clean version of the design onto the card stock, folded in half. Trace the drawing with craft glue using a fine-tip dispenser. Carefully place the yarn against the glue lines. Let it dry and then snip away the excess yarn.

Materials: card stock, pencil, yarn, craft glue, fine-tip glue dispenser, bone folder