A Chorus Line

Just got back to Queens after work when I got a message from a former roomy. He had an extra FREE ticket to "A Chorus Line" and wondered if I was available to go.

As luck would have it - I was! :) So I headed back into the city to finally see this well known Broadway standard.

Although I knew some of the songs and had heard about the gold outfits at the end I really wasn't sure what to expect of the show.

The first surprise was its length - compared to most Broadway shows it is bite-size with no intermission. The production value was relatively simple and at times I thought that the Omaha Playhouse could put on a production just as good if not better than the one I was seeing.

The 2nd surprise was to discover that the famous song "What I did for Love" isn't a song about love lost per say. It is about their love for dance. I wondered aloud why I had thought differently and my friend told me that the movie version (which I think I might have seen parts of on TV a LONG time ago...) actually did portray it as more of a "true" love song.

Having been a dresser I was curious to know what steps they must take to make the quick change into their gold outfit @ the end. No changes occur until that moment and then I'm sure it is just utter (organized) chaos back stage!

Am I glad I saw it? Yes! Am I glad it was free? Yes! Would I recommend it? Well...according to my friend if you are choosing between the show and the movie. You should watch the show. If you strive to be a well-rounded Broadway show viewer this is a standard that you should see @ some point. It does provide an enjoyable night of theatre - But try to get a cheap ticket. ;)

PS - I now see that Mario Lopez is going to join the cast. And I'm not totally sure he's right for the role he's been cast in, so if you're going to see it....see it before or after his run. Unless, you don't mind and just want to see AC Slater dance around for a bit. ;)

Commercial Workshop

Went to another workshop tonight thru Network Studio East. It was a commercial workshop with a casting director from Judy Keller Casting.

As usual, the workshop started with a short intro and q&a, followed by an opportunity to have a one on one with the casting director. Rather than a monologue, this time we were asked to read commercial copy.

Commercial audition tips -

Take Notes
Be Relaxed
Always have your measurements handy
Ladies - Wear natural makeup, no gloss on lips either.
Don't wear stripes

As a general rule, when reading copy there should be texture in your voice and it should be very conversational. (Exceptions would be for the commercials where they want you to shout things like "It's Huge!" wink.)

When it was my turn to read copy, she reviewed my resume and noted my Southern Accent (I told her it wasn't specific to a region and she said with commercials it generally didn't matter) as well as my Radio Announcer experience. She said I was "pretty good" and I needed to get in the studio to cut a demo if I wanted to get voiceover work.

This is a good example of the "starving actor" spending more money to hopefully help get the gig. Being an actor is kind of like running a small business I suppose. You have to invest a certain amount before you can start earning revenue. The key of course is to make the investments that are most likely to help you get from point A to point B. Even then there are no guarantees....sigh. BUT demos for both voice and acting are probably just as essential as headshots so I should stop dragging my feet, right?! Right...

These workshops are great though - very informative and give you an opportunity to network and have an actual contact at some of these casting agencies.

You know you're sick when....

...you walk onto a subway car and don't smell what others are smelling. Apparently someone had thrown up at the other end of the car this morning. I sat down oblivious and wondered why everyone kept leaving. Since I couldn't smell it, I got to enjoy a much less crowded car! ;)

Stayed home sick yesterday, but today...today I had to be one of those that got on the subway at least a little sick. But at least I know to cover my mouth when I cough! ;)

Spring in a Dome

Winter hasn't been all that horrible in NYC this year but it has been just chilly enough that a person still yearns for spring.

Thankfully, Zyrtec created "spring" inside a dome in Central Park (my first visit to Central Park since I moved here!) - although the grass and flowers were artificial it was kind of nice to roam around without a coat for a bit! ;) And they even greeted you @ the door w/ hot chocolate to help you warm up faster!

**Note:The statue is of Mother Goose**

The dome was more geared towards families w/ a storytime area (free kid books), merry-go-round and a clown juggler/comedian performing.

They also had an allergy quiz that you could fill out (the answers were posted @ each station) and then when you turned it in you got a free green Zyrtec Umbrella! (Am finding that even if it has a brand name on it, an extra umbrella is always good to have here!)

Last but not least, my friend and I took turns posing with a giant dandelion but all too soon it was time to head out into the cold again. :(

We had just enough time to walk over to Cafe Lalo (thanks to another visiting friend I heard about this place - they filmed scenes from "You've Got Mail" there) If I go there again, I think I will just go for coffee or dessert as seating is cramped and thus tables are tiny making it hard to fit entree sized plates, glasses, mugs, etc on the table comfortably. It is certainly very quaint and if you do go - BRING CASH! Didn't even think about that until our bill came and my friend stepped out to the cash machine so we'd have an adequate tip for our waitress!

Time looked to be tight to get to the theatre on time but thankfully we made it! My friend saw the show (my supervisor and her friends and the mailman for my work's building also came) and afterwards we hopped on the subway again to see a few more places and grab supper @ Lillys.

I'd been battling a cold and it was winning (our closet-like dressing room seemed to be breeding the germs as more than one actor was struggling with various forms of yuck). Thankfully my friend was okay with calling it a night early. We watched some eps from my roomie's boxset of Flight of the Conchords - goofy fun. Some of the eps appeared to be shot in Queens, too.

Time for sleep...and some airborne...and some meds....snore....

What Calories?!

This weekend it's my friend from Boston's turn to visit NYC.

We planned to meet @ Saks 5th Avenue (more specifically Café Charbonnel) when I got off work. I'd NEVER been inside before and felt a little overwhelmed. As I was figuring out where the elevators and stairs were I made eye contact with John Woo as he passed by me. Whoa! I resisted the temptation to shout out - Face/Off is one of my fav movies!!!;)

I finally figured out where the elevators were and when I got to the 8th floor it was shoes as far as the eye could see - they have their own zipcode!

Uh...where's the chocolate? (Let's face it - the chocolate was going to be a lot more affordable than those shoes!) After weaving thru the shoes hoping I wouldn't knock anything over I finally found my friend and then we found chocolate.

The shop is a cute little place with a chocolate fountain and conveyor belt on the counter to move the treats to you or simply tempt as they pass. Both of us were curious about the Champagne Truffle but settled for hot chocolate instead.

From there we headed back to Astoria to drop off excess and stopped by The Brick Cafe for drinks and appetizers (our reservation was late so we needed something to tide ourselves over!)

Then it was back into the city to enjoy our 3 course meal @ Terrace in the Sky.

My friend had heard of the place because of its views of the city and since it was Restaurant Week it was a good time to try it since generally it is a bit pricey. Unfortunately we didn't get to sit right next to the window but even at a distance you got the idea. It would be nice to dine on their terrace when it is warmer out - perhaps the next Restaurant Week?!

Heath Ledger

Normally I don't have my phone out at work. Generally it is on vibrate and tucked in my purse. If the noise level is down in the office though, I can hear my phone vibrate. Today was such a day. I thought I'd check it later and then it kept vibrating. What the heck?! Someone must really need to get a hold of me.

I pulled out my phone to see a text from my friend in Cali that Heath Ledger had died. WHAT?! Is this a joke?

The news was so fresh that the internet barely had anything beyond a couple sentences announcing the truth of it.

After a few more minutes, more and more info began popping up. Word spread around our office. Speculation spread too.

Of course since those initial moments more has been found out about Heath's cause of death. And how the 2 films he had recently been involved in would be affected by his unexpected passing.

A statement finally released by Michelle Williams was absolutely heart breaking-

"Please respect our need to grieve privately. My heart is broken. I am the mother of the most tender-hearted, high-spirited, beautiful little girl who is the spitting image of her father. All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day. His family and I watch Matilda as she whispers to trees, hugs animals, and takes steps two at a time, and we know that he is with us still. She will be brought up with the best memories of him."

A friend and I paid our respects at his apartment. So many people had been stopping and leaving flowers/tributes that they had the area blocked off on the street side to keep crowds corralled so they wouldn't get hit by driving gawkers. Some people were there just to keep the candles burning (one guy wandered from candle to candle with his lighter).

I had mixed feelings about going there - I wanted to see it, but once I was there it felt a bit intrusive. Heath wasn't a highly public person and now all of his problems were laid out on public display and he no longer had a say in it.

Subway Etiquette

Seems like nearly everyone is sniffling or hacking on the subway these days. They have signs posted at the stops that actually ask people not to use the subway if they are sick.

Unfortunately, if the subway is your only form of transportation sometimes you don't have a choice but to get on sick...I guess...

I was sitting on the subway headed home with my head buried in a book and all of a sudden I heard this phlegmy guttural cough and THEN saw the results of it move my hair. No this wasn't from a youngster that might not know better - it was from an older, gray haired woman that should know better.

Blech.

So let this be a friendly reminder to cover your mouth when you cough or better yet, cough in the crook of your arm so then when you reach for the subway pole you don't wipe your cough germs there.

Getting out the airborne...

On the bus again...

Already time to head home today. My friend said I had to try the local chain "Finagle A Bagel" before I left so that's what I had for breakfast! Once we got to the station I decided I needed something caffeinated, too so we stopped at the ABP kiosk (my friend kept saying this and I didn't have a clue what she was talking about until we got to the counter - Oh! Au Bon Pain! Got it.)

The bus was a bit fuller and not as cushy on the way back. Seemed to feel every bump in the road and there was no break this time. I was in and out of sleep but jotted down what I saw along the way. As I'm re-reading it though, I can tell I was half asleep when I wrote some of it because I can't tell what the heck I was talking about! lol

Here's what I could decipher -

-Assumption Cemetery - the name intrigued me
-Danbury Mint
-Drove past a lake where all the boats were sealed up tight with what looked like white plastic wrap- having not really lived near boats before this was something new to me....the boats are bound to be "fresh"come spring! ;)
-"Omaha Beef" with hq in Danbury, CT
- A truck hauling a product called Belle & Evans Air Chilled Chicken. Made me curious as to how the air chill made the chicken special...

After the non-stop ride and then more riding on a subway the first thing I did when I got home was go to the gym! ;)

The trip continues....

It was much colder today than yesterday so our plan to stop for hot chocolate-related beverages @ LA Burdicks was a wise one!

The dark chocolate mocha hit the spot but apparently having the caffeine in it made it a little more tolerable as my friend's dark chocolate was good but just too much of a good thing. We quickly understood why they have a tiny size option for their hot chocolates.

By day 2, I was somewhat beginning to understand the Boston's mass transit system. In theory it is simpler than NYC's subways but I was glad I had my friend along to guide me thru it!

Headed over to the University of Boston Campus so I could get gear and a pic or two to share with a friend of mine who is attending the college online. The campus B&N wasn't quite open yet when we arrived so we killed time and warmed up @ the 7/11 across the way. In honor of my visit I bought a Boston Cream Pie Donut. I don't even remember the last time I had a donut - so it was certainly tasty! :)

From the BU campus to the Science Museum. We took in an Omni IMAX show, Mummies: Secrets of the Pharoahs, in addition to viewing the museum. Unfortunately my tiredness caught up with me and it was a struggle to keep my eyes open and appreciate the Mummy show - oops. From what I saw it was cool though! ;)

LOTS of stuff to see @ the museum. If I was a kid I think I'd be on overload for sure - was pretty much on overload as an adult! A T-Rex greeted you on your way into the museum and another life size T-Rex stood in the museum - ironically the one on the inside had a scarf! Lots of hands-on exhibits - it kind of reminded me of the science museum in L.A. except there was more! The museum also gave a great view of the sun setting down on Boston (right) and Cambridge (left).

We wound our way back towards Faneuil Hall and stopped in at Hard Rock for drinks & appetizers and to see the end of the Pats game (when in Rome...). Behind the bar there was a huge gong that was signed by the members of Aerosmith, except there seemed to be more signatures than members. I asked about it and the bartender told me no one could sign it except members of Aerosmith - ohkay.? When a birthday was announced the gong would be struck.

I totally failed to make the connection of Aerosmith and Boston until I saw that gong. Next time I visit I'll have to look up some Aerosmith related locales that they mention in their autobio. :)

We took it easy @ Hard Rock because our main dinner destination was Lucca. It's a very nice Italian restaurant that my friend discovered and actually made friends at so I guess you could call it her hangout. :)

Afterwards we crossed the street to get some fresh Boston Pastries (I picked Florentines) at Modern Pastry (we learned that the well known Mike's Pastry aren't made fresh daily but rather thawed daily - it's good to get intel from the locals!) On our way back to the T, I spotted another bakery called Lulu's. It was nothing like Lulu's in "The Waitress" but I still felt obligated to buy a cupcake!

We got back to my friend's house a little early but that was okay - I wrote out postcards and she checked her emails while we both watched the premiere of Breaking Bad. Bryan Cranston is a very talented actor. Most know him as Malcolm's Dad but I remember him from X-files, too. He can run the gamut as an actor and is lucky he's been cast in roles that show it! Will be interesting to see if Breaking Bad catches on or not. Since it is on cable, that is probably the only ep. I'll see. It's an interesting concept but a show that I'd probably have to see a couple more eps of before making a yes or no opinion so basically I'm saying I liked it enough to watch again but don't know if I'd call it appt. television.

Going to Bah-stun

Before I moved to the East Coast, another friend of mine was already living in Boston. However...due to both of our crazy schedules, the first time we actually saw each other since I moved was in December when she came NYC way. Since I had MLK, Jr. Day off I decided to finally head her direction and see Boston for the first time.

The cheap transportation of choice was Fung Wah. $15 one way! My goal was to be on a bus by 7am (they take off every hour) but the subway thwarted my plan. As I rushed to maybe, possibly catch the 7am when it was 7:02 I managed to find a rare spot of ice on the street corner and landed flat on the ground. Needless to say I bruised my tailbone just in time to ride a bus for 4 hrs! Lovely. However, I did perk up some when I found out that they had a bus taking off @ 7:30! Woot!

I got on the bus and was immediately in a time warp as the last time I'd rode one of these travel buses (with non-functioning TVs) was on a high school band bus trip. Ah...memories?! I actually saw "Arachnophobia" for the first time on one of those bus trips - yes, we got to use our TVs on that trip! ;)

It didn't take long for me to fall asleep and as I nodded in and out I saw that we were in Connecticut. Isn't that where Angela and Tony lived in "Who's the Boss?" I texted my brother. He couldn't remember...he asked if I'd seen Tony's van. ;)

The driver took a break at a TA stop in Willington, CT and believe it or not I actually took joy in being able to go into a truck stop and get caffeine! As a pedestrian, it is something you rarely get to do! And quite frankly...even though the cap/cocoa/latte selections are just powder and water...it is quite fun to be able to mix them and pay much less than a drink @ Starbucks! :) (BTW - Unleaded Gas was $3.29 a gallon there. - It occurred to me that I didn't know if that was good or bad anymore!)

Back on the road, I hit Boston a little after 11am. My friend met me @ the bus station and we headed to Fenway for a tour of the stadium and lunch across the street @ Boston Beer Works.

After we found where to buy tour tickets (note: it is in the fan shop across from the stadium on Yawkey Way) we got lunch at Boston Beer Works where they sell Bunkerhill Blueberry Ale. Note the blueberries floating in the beer. It was surprisingly tasty! Although I couldn't say as much for the sour cream & chives fries. I was expecting actual sour cream & chives for the extra $ you had to spend - instead it was just spices that were shook onto the fries. Boo. My friend opted for a salad which ended up being as big as her head! No lie.

Off to Fenway! Now, I will say right off the bat that I'm not a big Sox fan but I do love the history that comes with an old ballpark and let's face it - the history is rapidly disappearing as very few remain upright. (Coincidently - the first and only time I saw Wrigley was on a band trip that I spoke of earlier!)

Our tour guide proved she knew her stuff sharing lots of interesting tidbits and not letting tricksters in the audience try and trip her up or outsmart her. (Note: the window shots of the field were taken from the press box.)

Here were a few things we learned -

The Green Paint for the Green Monster is copyrighted - so no matter how big of Red Sox fan you are, you won't be able to buy the same color paint for your home.

There are a section of blue wooden seats that have been there since the 30s and haven't been painted since the 60s. If a wooden slate needs replaced, it is replaced and unpainted. The seats are 18 in. wide compared to current seats which are about 22 in. wide. And the seats have been grandfathered into the fire code - current requirements only allow for 8-6 seats per row then there must be an exit aisle. These seats span 36 seats! The tour guide told us that you get to know the people that sit beside you well. ;)

The BRS have the toughest rules for getting a # retired w/ the team.

Nods to Ted Williams can be found everywhere in the stadium from the obvious - The Hall of Fame to the not so - capacity (406) in the most of expensive of the 2 clubhouses. The tourguide rattled off the pricing - you are required to buy 2 season tickets for multiple years to be able to see the game from the clubhouse - and then said...House? Or BRS tickets?

Another wall near the more expensive clubhouse (we weren't able to tour that because it was being prepped for a wedding reception) has Cy Young Award Winners displayed. The tour guide was quick to point out that Roger Clemens was accused of being on steroids after he left the Bo. Sox.

Fenway was built in 1912 - the same year the Titanic sank. The brick entry is what is left of that original stadium.

An enterprising gentleman named Tom Yawkey decided to buy the Boston Red Sox for his 30th Birthday and was the one that established the Green Monster. Originally it was built to keep non-paying fans from getting a free look at the game but then it was painted blue and covered with ads. Because the ads had a white base the players would tend to lose the ball near the wall so upon consultation with his wife Yawkey decided to get rid of the ads and paint the wall green - at which point the seats that I mentioned earlier were changed from green to blue.

While in the "cheaper" clubhouse I spied a ginormous wooden chair that I had to pose in and didn't realize it was Wally's (the mascot) chair until a tour guide helper asked me if I felt closer to Wally now that I sat in his chair. Sure?! Fortunately my skin didn't take on a green tint!

Whether you are a fan or not - I highly suggest a tour if you are ever in Boston. It is a fascinated piece of history to see and hear about.

Once we were done with the tour we headed back out and came face to face with the next tour headed in. Was rather impressed with the tour crowds considering the time of year.

Outside the stadium was a clubhouse that Absolut must sponsor - their trademark ad was in the windows created by baseballs.

Next stop was the Rescue Mission/Kingston Halfway House where my friend volunteers at least 20hrs a week. The original plan was to help serve dinner but they serve later on Saturday so we got to help make the meal(s) instead! :)

Lots of area businesses (like Bear Stearns and Rebecca's Cafe) donate food there. The sad thing is that sometimes there's too much of it and it spoils before they get a chance to use it.

Since I was the newbie I got relatively easy tasks - boil water for pasta (I learned that salt makes the water boil faster, I feel like I should have known that already but if you didn't either - now you do!), mix different kinds of cooked rice together, add mounds of shredded cheese to the meatballs and prepare a bread platter.

After our cooking duties were done we continued on with sight seeing. Some neighborhoods (like Beacon Hill) actually have laws were modern day lighting is not allowed for the street, brick is EVERYWHERE but because of that it makes Boston seem more quaint and alive with history - from the far away past to the more recent.

For example...the location that inspired Cheers (Bull and Finch Pub) is in Boston. People were spilling out the door so we didn't go inside for a beer but we did take pics outside. We walked past the public library which is AMAZING inside and out. The artwork and the courtyard...well, if I lived near it that's definitely where I would choose to spend my quiet time. My friend was a great tour guide telling me facts about Boston and the buildings.

For instance,Trinity Church (in this picture) was built in 1877 (100 years before I was born) and the John Hancock Tower next to it was built to reflect the beauty of Boston but nearly destroyed it when the window panes were miscut and started popping out while it was being built. Fortunately, that's been corrected and it can reflect the city with danger to pedestrians below.

The lighted tree area is at the intersection of Commonwealth & Dartmouth. The stone sculpture is the back of a fireman memorial. Whenever a fireman is lost to a fire in Boston, the others gather there.

Time to warm up!

We stopped for a cocktail at Atlantic Fish- a restaurant my friend used to work at and then it was off to a show,"The Little Dog Laughed". I moved to NYC after the show run on Broadway so I didn't know much about it beyond the fact that the actress that played the agent on Broadway got a Tony and it was a biting comedy. So when the 2 males in the show went full frontal my friend turned to me and asked with mouth gaped open, "Did you know about this?!" Uh..no. Not that she was offended but sometimes it does help to have a little advanced warning for something like that! Especially for the gray hairs in the audience - boy, they were vocal about it during intermission and not in an admiring way, either! ;)

After seeing the show I was curious to know how similar it was in staging,set,etc to the Broadway production- would have been interesting to compare and contrast. Great roles and the show was inspired by the playwright's real life frustrated dealings with Hollywood as a screenwriter. I think there is definitely some theatres in Omaha that could pull this show off - er, maybe that's a poor choice of words. ;) So maybe it will be in a theatre for some of you to see soon, too! :)

After the show, we met up with my friend' s roommate at UNO Chicago Grill for a late supper and then it was home for some much needed rest so we can go out and see more tomorrow! :)

Watch out for the Pepsi Monster!!!!

Went to Grand Central over my lunch today to see if there were any recognizable celebs participating in the Saints & Spinners Benefit to help Dr. Mehmet Oz’s foundation, HealthCorps.

Before I could enter I saw people wandering in outfits that had the Pepsi Logo on it handing out stuff. I asked what was going on and they said that the "Pepsi Monster" (see yellowed off area in pic) had been there and left prizes. On this day they were handing out little flashlights and codes for free MP3s.

Once I got inside, I didn't see any celebs (although supposedly Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA were around somewhere) but I did see the guys trying to spin towards breaking a Guinness World Record. I also saw more free stuff! Jet Blue gave away blue potato chips and Snapple has a new anti-oxidant drink that they had samples of. They also had a spin-n-win wheel. I won a free bottle of the new beverage!

My lunch ended at Barnes & Noble - much like Starbucks, it is dangerously close to my work. I recently became a B&N Member because even though you have to pay for it, for as much as I probably spend there I will probably earn it back and then some! Anyway, I got a bonus coupon and decided to use it on a Knitting & Crocheting book for Dummies WITH ILLUSTRATIONS - couldn't remotely figure it out without them! So when I can't have a laptop to work on - I can work on something funky fresh & cool made of yarn! ;) At least that's the plan in theory...

I also have another recipe to share. Had intended to make something different when I picked up Imperial Margarine and found a recipe on the box that I decided I'd rather make instead! ;)

S'more Cookie Bars - can be found on HomeBasics.com. Just do a search for Butterscotch Chips! :)