David Archuleta in a restaurant tonight overhears a guy propose to his girlfriend and the guy announced it to everyone. Only David would embrace the moment and congratulate them by singing. He said it was nice. It was more than nice. The couple will remember this special moment the rest of their lives and will always know that David Archuleta took the time to wish them happiness by singing to them. The memory of this gesture will forever stay in their hearts.
David, you are a special young man, sensitive and caring by giving this couple a special gift they will never forget. You are a sweetheart!
David Archuleta ended a recent vlog from Eman’s Los Angeles studio with a four-letter word I’ve heard a lot lately: ciao. I just returned from Italy, the Land of Ciao! Make that “chow”—pizza, pasta, prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pasticceria. I thought David’s “ciao” would be a nice segue to tell you about three great meals I had during my recent trip to Italy!
Buon giorno! I’d like to share with you my favorite restaurant experiences in Italy. The best culinary memory, though, involves cooking at home. One night I roasted a large Italian hen with rosemary potatoes. At the table my great-niece, who at age nine is turning up her nose at her plate, abruptly said, “Good chicken!” Her parents were shocked and explained that she never has anything good to say about food. She’s at that age. She’ll grow out of it and someday will appreciate the following excellent meals.
Capriccio Restaurant at the Montebello Splendid Hotel, Firenze
The menu read, “Tortino di caprino con purea di broccoletti, salsa agrodolce e buccia di limone”—translated, fresh goat’s cheese pudding with mashed broccoli, sweet & sour sauce and lemon peel. Who could resist such a combination of flavors? I love a good surprise. And it was, like the hotel, splen-did! More aptly translated as a soufflé, not a pudding, its creamy texture perfectly complemented the rich, savory flavors.
In the historic Niccolini palace where the great Donatello had his sculpture studio reside the best pizza makers I ever met! They cook in a wood-fired oven in the Neopolitan tradition. Our window seat had an impressive view of the imposing Duomo across the street. After salad for my sister and a hearty vegetable soup for me, we shared the best pizza I ever had! Its smoky aroma set the taste buds even before the first bite into the thin crust. A simple “Vegetariana” pizza so good, I wish I could order home delivery right now!
Our special celebratory lunch here overlooking the gleaming lago di Maggiore was a lesson in presentation. Between each course, the table was laid with delectable hor d’oeuvres to inspire the senses. Not to be found on the menu, we tasted quail eggs, foie gras, dehydrated tomatoes, radish on cream, and perch roe. Even as we waited for the dessert course, more delights were offered. ‘Confectionery Amusement’ included jellied fruits and cute bon bons. Chef Davide Brovelli creates a sophisticated and delightful cuisine.
As we were leaving, the young man at the front desk, great-grandson of the 19th century founder, said, “I am always here—I will be waiting for you to return.” If he spoke English more fluently, perhaps he would have said, “I’ll be here when you get back.” But somehow I prefer the way he said it. His elegant expression was charming and captivating.
Now a slice of my favorite birthday cake, St. Honore cake, and a cappuccino please, and I’m in heaven.
The buzz words are…
Buzz Words
ciao
Pronunciation: \ˈchau̇\
Function: interjection
Etymology: The word derives from the Venetian phrase sciào vostro or s-ciào su literally meaning “I am your slave”. This greeting is analogous to the Latin Servus which is still used in a large section of Central/Eastern Europe. The expression was not a literal statement of fact, of course, but rather a perfunctory promise of good will among friends (along the lines “if you ever need my help, count on me”). The Venetian word for “slave”, s-ciào ([ˈstʃao]) or s-ciàvo, is cognate of the Italian schiavo and derives from Latin sclavus.
chow
Pronunciation: \ˈchau̇\
Function: noun
Etymology: short for chowchow
Date: 1856
Songs A friend of mine called me crying today. She wanted to thank me for the beautiful CD I had given her and to tell me she loved David Archuleta and his beautiful voice. She went on to say that she was house-cleaning to his music that morning and was so “absolutely moved and touched by him,” that he was in her soul! I love it when I hear that. It is exactly the way I feel. She gets it…no, I take that back, she gets David!
I had introduced my friend to David this past Christmas when I gave her his album Christmas from the Heart. She called as soon as she had heard all of it and thanked me over and over. She had not realized what an amazing singer he is. Oh, had she been missing out!
Later when I was able to get an extra free ticket to David’s Christmas concert at Foxwoods MGM Grand Theater, I knew I had to bring her with me. We had such a wonderful time that evening hearing David perform live. My friend was absolutely blown away by David and his talent—no surprises there! She loved the performance of one song in particular; it brought her to tears. So when I found shared downloads of the Foxwoods concert, (I was able to get all the performances from the show we had attended in December), I made my dear friend a CD of the concert. The recordings were amazing and such a wonderful memory that we both share.
When she called me this morning, I knew exactly what the song was that had again brought her to tears. It does the same thing to me every time I hear it!
The Song of the Week is…
“Prayer of the Children”
“Prayer of the Children” was written by Kurt Bestor, an American composer, arranger, and performer, and arranged by Andrea S. Klouse. Bestor wrote the song in the early 1990s, after learning about the civil war that had overtaken Yugoslavia. To him, that war felt personal.
In the 1970s Kurt Bestor had served in Serbia as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had lived among people of many races and religions: Serbians, Muslims, Croatians. His mission in Serbia so greatly affected him that twenty years later when a new civil war broke out, and Yugoslavia split into warring factions among Serbs, Croatians and Bosnians, Kurt’s thoughts returned to all the people he had met so many years earlier. He especially remembered the faces of the children he had known. So affected by the tragedy and devastation, he was inspired to write a song in tribute to the children, the innocent ones who suffered the most from the war. “Those children didn’t hate anybody,” Bestor told Meridian Magazine in March 2001. “They didn’t care about who owned the land, or who had the power or the money. These are adult neuroses. They just wanted to have a mom and dad and a place to play.”
On his website, The Bestor Chronicles in 2005, Bestor described how he came to write the song:
“Having lived in this war-torn country back in the late 1970s, I grew to love the people with whom I lived. It didn’t matter to me their ethnic origin – Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian – they were all just happy fun people to me and I counted as friends people from each region. Of course, I was always aware of the bigotry and ethnic differences that bubbled just below the surface, but I always hoped that the peace this rich country enjoyed would continue indefinitely. Obviously that didn’t happen.
“When Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito died, different political factions jockeyed for position and the inevitable happened – civil war. Suddenly my friends were pitted against each other. Serbian brother wouldn’t talk to Croatian sister-in-law. Bosnian mother disowned Serbian son-in-law and so it went. Meanwhile, all I could do was stay glued to the TV back in the US and sink deeper in a sense of hopelessness.
“Finally, one night I began channeling these deep feelings into a wordless melody. Then little by little I added words….Can you hear….? Can you feel……? I started with these feelings – sensations that the children struggling to live in this difficult time might be feeling. Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian children all felt the same feelings of confusion and sadness and it was for them that I was writing this song.”
Here is Kurt Bestor singing his song “Prayer of the Children.” The second to last line is sung in Croatian. This is a very powerful video, with many moving and disturbing images. Nonetheless, a very beautiful version by Kurt.
~“Prayer of the Children”
music and lyrics by Kurt Bestor
Can you hear the prayer of the children
on bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room?
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
turning heavenward toward the light.
Crying, “Jesus, help me
to see the morning light of one more day,
but if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take.”
Can you feel the hearts of the children
aching for home, for something of their very own.
Reaching hands with nothing to hold onto
but hope for a better day, a better day.
Crying, “Jesus, help me
to feel the love again in my own land,
but if unknown roads lead away from home,
give me loving arms, ‘way from harm.”
(Ooohhh, ooohh,……….)
Can you hear the voice of the children
softly pleading for silence in their shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
blood of the innocent on their hands.
Crying, “Jesus, help me
to feel the sun again upon my face?
For when darkness clears, I know you’re near,
bringing peace again.”
Dali čujete sve dječje molitve?
Can you hear the prayer of the children?
David Archuleta performing “Prayer of the Children” at the Foxwoods MGM, for a Billboard ‘Live’ Show on December 17, 2009.
Here’s to a good week all! May you always be able to count your many blessings, be grateful, and do whatever you can to give a little something to those in need. 😉
Take care,
Katie
With all the bustle of news this week, one important date stands out for all David Archuleta fans, his halftime appearance on April 9th @ 7:00 PM at the E Center for the Utah Blaze, Arena Football League. The other date we are all waiting for is June 1st, the release date of David’s upcoming book Chords of Strength. David indicates in a recent interview he wants his fans to appreciate the hard work he puts into his music and hope they can see and feel his personality. Twitters are always present and his hair may still be an object of concern, but Mom likes it!
Have and safe and happy week!
Media
22 March
Disney Dreaming
David Archuleta spoke with USA Today about his fans, and how he would love for them to feel about him:
“So many people know who I am and say they’re fans and don’t know I have an album out, even. People are still fans, and it’s interesting, because it’s not even because of my music. I want people to say, ‘I appreciate what David’s trying to do, in that he tries his best to be who he is and keep doing what he’s doing, and that shows in his music. I can see him and feel him in his music. I can see his personality, and I can see what he believes in and what’s important to him.’”
Disney News: David Archuleta Talks About His Fans | Disney Dreaming
Read original USA Today interview in full. David gives out a song title and talks about two other songs on his next album!
23 March
American Idol Show – Tuesday 23rd – Ryan Seacrest
Haha! Ryan, you are very naughty!
24 March MTV News – Jim Cantiello
Jim suffers in silence as he explains his frustrations with Season 9 of American Idol! He misses David just like the rest of us!!!!
My favorite moment was when Ryan Seacrest called Aaron “David Archuleta.” The name is Countryleta, Seacrest, and you’re not allowed to call him that until he stops singing like a wheezing goat! Don’t you dare soil the name of ArchuAwesome!
Pictures
21 March
M Magazine has an old-fashioned fortune catcher with David offering a fortune in the April issue!
24 March
David and M&Ms! Yumm!
Twitters
22 March
DavidArchie – Man I can’t fall asleep!
DavidArchie – It’s a beautiful morning. On my way to a meeting to start the day.
DavidArchie – Wow, this is the longest security checkpoint line I’ve ever been in.
DavidArchie – Back in Salt Lake for a bit!
DavidArchie – It’s a rainy day here in Utah. I like the rain.
DavidArchie – @EmanuelKiriakou I can’t wait to hear how the one we wrote comes out when you’re done working on it!
DavidArchie – Rain turned into hail. Quite a bit tonight.
DavidArchie – Woah now it’s snowing like crazy all of a sudden. But had a great time with my family tonight!
DavidArchie – Ah, the sun is back out today!
DavidArchie – Working really quick here in Utah in a quick meeting before I head back to LA.
DavidArchie – Wow, my mom finally likes my hair, but I didn’t even do anything lol.
DavidArchie – I mean today. Anyway, I’m eating some good chicken that she cooked marinated in orange juice or something.
DavidArchie – Phew! Barely made my flight! Wentto the wrong airline lol.
DavidArchie – Back in LA! And LA driving lol. My aunt and I almost got smooshed and became pancakes lol. Luckily she’a a defensive driver.
DavidArchie – Ran into David Hernandez. Haven’t seen him forever!
DavidArchie – Hanging out with @OfficialCharice and her brother. Having a good time! We’ve never really gotten to just hang out before.
24 March
DavidArchie – I think I might need a new phone. A lot of my incoming call are just going straight to voicemall lol.
DavidArchie – Sorry I meant voicemail*
DavidArchie – “Have great hopes & dare to go all out for them. Have great dreams & dare to live them. Have tremendous expectations & believe in them.”
DavidArchie – Hm, I’m not sure what happened guys but I didn’t delete any of my tweets lol. Maybe I did on accident without realizing.
DavidArchie – So my cousin found out that it takes 555 licks to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop. Just in case you were wondering.
DavidArchie – Watching American Idol now.
DavidArchie – Hooray for Siobhan! I thought her friend in the audience had a bloody nose for a minute.
DavidArchie – Joe Jonas and @ddlovato now performing. Fun to see Demi performing again. Reminds me of tour last summer!
DavidArchie – Congratulations to the top 10. Tour is an amazing and unforgettable experience to have.
25 March
DavidArchie – Have some meetings this morning to start off the day. How are all of you doin?
DavidArchie – Had a call about plans for my book “Chords of Strength” when it’s released! Can’t wait for all of you guys to get to read it!
DavidArchie – It comes out on June 1st by the way!
DavidArchie – Enjoyed the meetings this morning! Now off to finish up some recording on a song at Eman’s
DavidArchie – RT @EmanuelKiriakiou: Just finished some vocals with @davidarchie…,we’re actually tweaking the song that someone guessed the title for!!
DavidArchie – Happy birthday to @jasoncastro and to my aunt Reina!! Hope you had an awesome day!
DavidArchie – Got to hang out with @LadyVMusic and had some hot chocolate! Fun times. Went to H&M too.
26 March
DavidArchie – The ocean looks beautiful today. It’d be cool to learn how to surf.
DavidArchie – So my friend took me to get a surprise trim lol. Not really a haircut, just a trim/texturize thing. Such a nice day outside!
DavidArchie – I’m beginning to lose the ability to remember names. Idk why it’s happening lol. Even people I see often I can’t remember names.
DavidArchie – So I messed up my back and hips again while running,so had a visit with the chiropractor. He’s funny! He’s from Indonesia haha.
27 March
DavidArchie – “..there is no one alive who is youer than you.”
DavidArchie – Hangin out with my cousin and his dad! In a big blue termite truck.
DavidArchie – Had a really great time tonight hanging with my cousin and his family. A really laid back family, it was nice.
Appearances
21 March
Univision – The making of Somos el Mundo
It’s only 5 seconds of David….but we’ll take it!!!!
New video with David at 1:28, 2:22, 3:46 and at 4:11 you can hear him singing in the background when Shakira is being interviewed.
23 March
David Archuleta to Perform at Season-Opener
March 23, 2010 – Arena Football League (AFL) Utah Blaze
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Blaze are proud to announce that former season seven “American Idol” contestant, David Archuleta, a Murray, Utah native, will provide the half-time entertainment for the Blaze’s season-opener versus the Spokane Shock on Friday, April 9th at 7pm at the E Center.
Chart/Book Sales
Chords of Strength
Announced release date: June 1st, 2010
Google Alerts
25 March
Idol Watch: All Over But the Singing?
Posted by James Poniewozik Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 7:19 am
Miley Cyrus performs on the final-11 elimination night of American Idol.
So Paige is going home. 100% unsurprising, not much to say; she’s been shaky for weeks and had the worst performance Tuesday night.
Thus begins the long dull middle section of American Idol, in which a number of people we already know have no shot at winning are eliminated in some order, and I struggle to find things to say about it.
David Archuleta – Masterclass Lady Gets It Right!!
25 March 2010
by pikepss
Masterclass Lady knows her business and definitely knows David Archuleta! Here’s an excerpt from her blog today:
A Masterclass Plea To the American Idol Judges: Please – No More Comparisons!
“Personally, I have had my fill of pointless comparisons of this year’s crop of singers to those who have previously competed on American Idol. I know I have stated that Seasons 5 and 7 were exceptional seasons and difficult to capture on a yearly basis, but, except for one instance (Siobhan/Adam), I have attempted to stay away from comparing the Season 9 singers to those that came before them.
“What’s the point? The majority of the time, these comparisons fall flat and put extra pressure on the Season 9 singers.
“The most ludicrous comparison has been the suggestion that Aaron Kelly is a replication of Season 7 Top 2 finalist, David Archuleta. Look, I think Aaron is a very musical and hard-working young musician, possessing great potential in his future performing career.
“But, David Archuleta came to the Season 7 competition equipped with skills that were very advanced and extremely refined, plus he knew how to select songs that captured his unique and creative performing style. I have never seen a young singer so prepared and so confident for the huge opportunity presented to him by American Idol….”
Very cute idea! Answers are on second crossword picture…so don’t scroll down if you don’t want the answers!!
Sunday Crossword: David Archuleta’s Christmas From The Heart
Answers are either songs or words from the song titles in David Archuleta’s Christmas from the Heart album.
Across
1. Me
4. Not day
7. Sound a drum makes, in French
9. The center of emotion
10. Full of cheer
13. Yuletide
15. Hearth, domicile
17. Songs
18. Young person
19. Number one
Down
2. Quiet
3. True to one’s word
5. Altitude
6. Tis the season
8. Hail Mary
11. “Nightingale singing” in Spanish
12. Happiness
14. Celestial beings
16. Planet
pikepss’ Pick of the Week
Smile, it’s the KCA’s! American Idol made David Archuleta famous, but at the ’09 KCA’s his smile made him look totally huggable.
After reading the following article my mind started to wonder. First it’s Miley Cyrus and now the triple threat (wink). Who’s next—little Connie Talbot? After the dismal performances from Season 9 Idols the other night, little Connie Talbot would definitely be a refreshing change. David could at least do a duet! David and Connie? Don’t laugh! David could teach them how to sing and Connie could show them stage presence. One can only hope! Gosh I miss David Archuleta! For those living on another planet and don’t know who Connie is, here is her semifinal performance from Britain’s Got Talent.
Usher, Diddy and Justin Bieber to Perform on Wednesday’s Results Show
Author: mj 3/26/10
Usher will be mentoring the Top 10 on Tuesday (8/7c FOX) as the kids take on R&B/soul songs. He’ll return on Wednesday (9/8c FOX) to perform his new single, “OMG”. Also set to perform–Diddy & Dirty Money will be on hand to perform their single, “Hello, Good morning.”
If that isn’t enough, I’m hearing that Justin Bieber will also be performing on Wednesday. At least, that’s what the Idol ticket invitation sent out to peeps on the audience waiting list says.
There is a chance that Bieber is taping a performance for later broadcast, but I think it’s safe to bet that The Fetus will be gracing the Idol stage on Wednesday. Ha!
