Idina Mezel ... Part Lady Liberty, Part Diva, All Goddess.

Tonight was an absolutely incredible start to what is bound to be an amazing weekend.

I bought tickets this week to see Idina Menzel perform with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Not only has Ms. Menzel brought to life one of my favorite characters from literature and film, Elphaba, I listen to the song "Defying Gravity" on a daily basis.

The evening started with the orchestra playing selections from Broadway, as well as a waltz and a Puccini piece from "La Boheme," in honor of the night's vocalist (Ms. Menzel was the original Maureen in RENT, a modern version of "La Boheme"). To say I was impressed is an understatement. My favorite part of watching an orchestra perform is the violins, because the bows moving up and down over the strings remind me of cricket legs, all leaping to the same beat. The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra's violin section did not disappoint. But while I have an affection for the violins, I'd be remiss to not give credit to all the artists, who really bring something special to Cincinnati. Each section melted beautifully into one another, creating a sound that was soft and intimate, particularly when they played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," which literally brought me to tears.

The first character I was ever cast as was Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz," I was 10. When I got the part, my mom asked me, "Can you sing?" My response was: "I don't know, I guess." Being cast in that role lead me to voice lessons, more roles, choirs, Italy, Ireland, Central Harmony and Hot Commodity. Some of the most amazing experiences of my life are due to my voice. Hearing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" tonight brought me back a ways, I guess, and to have it capped off with "Defying Gravity," which I heard for the first time when I saw Wicked almost three years ago with Allyson, was like a sensory overload for me. In the year after seeing Wicked, I listened to that song over and over again, dying to make my next move. Dying to be in Chicago. Dying to defy gravity. A year later, I was. In my worst days in Big Rapids "Defying Gravity" gave me a boost, and now that I'm in Cincinnati, the song seems to carry a lot more meaning.

But back to show...

Idina, if I may call her that, has the art of being a tease down to a science. She flirted with the crowd for a solid four minutes upon stepping onto the stage. With each second, as the orchestra pulsed behind her, the audience got a little more anxious, eager to hear her hit that first note with her signature belt...then she did.

She sang from RENT and Wicked, of course, as well as an assortment of other Broadway tunes, and Barbara Streisand hits. She even did a mash-up, if you will, of Cole Porter and Sting & The Police. While I'm not a Glee fan, so I have no point of reference, she apparently performed "Pokerface" on the popular FOX show recently. Anyway, she sang it at tonight's performance, with the orchestra backing her the whole way.

Before launching into "Pokerface," though, she gave a little shout out to GaGa for speaking against Don't Ask, Don't Tell this week, as well as commended her for rallying for gay rights. In ultra-conservative Cincinnati, I'm not sure she won over anyone older than 40. The rest of us didn't care. Following the GaGa jam, she performed an original song she wrote for two of her gay friends, who moved from the U.S. to the Netherlands so that they could be married and be together without making any apologies.

Come to think of it, Idina looked like she was channeling Lady Liberty tonight in her royal blue, toga-esque gown and brilliantly cut diamond studs. Perhaps the political statement wasn't intended to be subtle.

She spent a lot of time in between songs telling stories about her husband, Taye Diggs, their baby, her digestive issues and her career. She's actually really funny, and was just as entertaining between songs as she was during.

The highlight of the evening, though, was when she sang "For Good" from Wicked. She sang sans-microphone, proving she doesn't need an amp to make her voice heard throughout a hall that seats a few thousand. The moment was incredibly powerful, as her notes literally hung in the air.

All-in-all, the night was spectacular. I'm looking forward to seeing the orchestra again, because they went above and beyond my expectations. And Idina Menzel, she's a goddess, and I'm so glad I got to see her this evening.

One month down.

Well, one month and two days to be exact! I'm love, love, loving Cincinnati, and everything that goes along with it.

The city itself is amazing. It has all the big-city feel I loved about Chicago, including great restaurants, ambiance, museums, walk-ability and bars, but it's smaller, and easier to maneuver. It's also convenient to have a car again, although the year of living in the Windy City has convinced me I'd be perfectly happy never driving one again.

The other great part about Cincy, is the natural beauty, not just outside the city, but even in downtown. There are flower gardens everywhere, the river running right through the center of things, and the hills are just amazing. I've taken a couple of day trips to go hiking at state parks outside the city limits, and have also spent some time exploring my new neighborhood and getting the lay of the land.

I joined a book club, and my first meeting is on Tuesday. The book is "Canticle for Leibowitz," a post-apocalyptic story by Walter Miller. Not really my thing, but I've been here a month and still need some friends! On my quest to find this novel, though, I found a great bookstore a couple minutes from my house, which happens to be next to a WHOLE FOODS! Yay! It's also in the same shopping center as Gap, Banana, Nordstrom Rack and T.J. Maxx. Now that I know where I'll be spending most of my time (and money), I'm starting to really feel settled.

The job is going really well. I couldn't ask for better coworkers, and the work is actually a lot of fun. Really! Who knew health benefits could get me riled up?

Finally, I'm almost done decorating my apartment. I'm still struggling with a color scheme for my bedroom, but I have a feeling something will come to me. The second bedroom is finished, though...so if you're ever looking for a place to crash, you've got one in the Queen City!