Idina Menzel & the New York Philharmonic

Saturday night I had another one of those moments where you just stop for a second, and look around you, and you think, "Wow. Is this really my life?" And you are just overcome with gratitude.

Eric and I went to see Idina Menzel in concert with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Marvin Hamlisch at Lincoln Center on Saturday night. This concert was phenomenal. Exceptional. Fantastic. Incredible. Whatever descriptive word you want to use, it doesn't matter! We loved every single moment.

We walked to Lincoln Center (how cool is it that we can still do that?) and arrived in plenty of time to check in our camera (which was a little bit of a mess) and find our seats in the third tier of Avery Fisher Hall.

Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center

Inside Avery Fisher Hall

The concert began right on time. The orchestra got set, Marvin Hamlisch came out, and then Idina joined him. She looked gorgeous in a long white gown, with bare feet! She explained that her bare feet keep her grounded when she gets nervous - she's not "like Beyonce" (her words!) running around in heels!

The whole thing was so well put-together. Idina sang songs from Rent, Wicked, Glee, and others, including a mash-up of "Love for Sale" and "Roxanne," a Barbara Streisand medley ("Funny Girl" and "Don't Rain on My Parade"), a couple of her own songs, and a medley of songs she and her husband Taye Diggs have written for their son Walker (I had heard a couple of those before - click here to see!). In between numbers, Idina would tell stories or banter with Marvin Hamlisch. And, she was very funny! For example, when talking with Marvin about all his many awards - four Emmys, four Grammys, three Oscars, a Tony (EGOT!), three Golden Globes, and the Pulitzer Prize - she asked why he was not able to win the Heisman Trophy. Ha! She also talked about being a big Jets fan and having a crush on Mark Sanchez, which I found funny, because her husband is Taye Diggs. I mean, let's not get greedy, lady.

We were good, rule-abiding people, so we did not take our cameras into the concert with us. Others, however, did break the rules, and I'm so glad they did because some of my most favorite moments from the concert have been preserved on YouTube, and now I'm able to share them with you. I'm going to try to keep myself under control and not post EVERY video here, but I make no promises. Watch the following videos at your will!

Probably my most favorite moment from the whole show was when she sang "No Day But Today" from Rent. She spent some time before the song speaking about Jonathan Larson, and how he created such a masterpiece but passed away suddenly right before the debut. She talked about how that experience has kept her grounded, and reminded her to live in the moment and appreciate it all. As I had just been having my "what an incredible life" moment, this resonated with me. She then sat on a stool and sang a gorgeous rendition of "No Day But Today" that moved me to tears.

VIDEO: Idina Menzel performing "No Day But Today" at Lincoln Center

She then followed up that poignant moment with something much more lighthearted: Lady Gaga's "Poker Face," as she performed it on Glee! She was just adorable during "Poker Face," as she kept interrupting herself to talk about how ridiculous it was, and how she was glad to have gotten the call for Glee because she had just had her baby and didn't think she would ever get work again, and then they wanted her to play the mother of a "16-year-old" played by a girl who is really 24. Not a good day, she told us!

VIDEO: "Poker Face"

Another one of the most incredible moments was at the end of the show when Idina dropped the microphone and sang "For Good" from Wicked a capella. Gorgeous.

VIDEO: "For Good"

And finally, when she returned to acknowledge her standing ovation with an encore, Marvin Hamlisch suggested she sing one of his songs. She took her seat on the stool again, and he accompanied her on the piano for "What I Did For Love" from A Chorus Line, which is another one of my favorites.

VIDEO: "What I Did For Love"

There are many other videos on YouTube, but I have already shared twice as many here as I planned. So, if you want to see more Idina, check out these links:

• "I'm Not That Girl" (from Wicked)
• "Love For Sale"/"Roxanne"
• "Funny Girl"/"Don't Rain on My Parade"
• "Defying Gravity" (from Wicked)
• "Tomorrow" (the very last song she sang, dedicated to her mother)

I just can't even tell you how much we enjoyed this concert!

Us with Idina!

After the show we stuck around for some pictures around Lincoln Center, which is honestly one of my most favorite places in NYC. It's just so pretty at night!

 At Lincoln Center after the show

 Isn't it beautiful?

In front of Avery Fisher Hall

Self-taken photo, after a great night!

It was such a fabulous evening!