Found out today that I got cast in a one-act (Jump!) that will be @ the Strawberry One-Act Festival!!!
I'll be playing Francine - (she's described as being in her 40s?!) a pusher of her faith.
Will share more details once I get them! :)
In other tidbit type news...
A co-worker who normally scoots out early due to her long commute was actually in town this evening due to a conference she's attending so we decided to check out Morton's Bar Bites. (The only time I could reasonably afford Morton's.) Their appetizers were $6 a plate, so we got a few and put together a fairly decent meal for the price. I highly recommend trying it after work sometime! :)
Afterward we headed to a newly opened Red Mango where we got a free froyo serving w/ 1 topping (having tried Red Mango, I think I might prefer Pinkberry) and then took advantage of a bogo bottled beer special @ Duke's. I hadn't been to Duke's before and if I'm near there again I'd like to go back and get more than a drink! It has a very eclectic, time warpy atmosphere.
It was a good evening and I had money leftover, so that made it an even better evening! ;) Proof that you can go out in NYC and not break the bank...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Nik's Trip - part 2
Friday - Didn't start quite as early as our first stop was a tour at Madison Square Garden at 11am. Er, scratch that - 11:15am (we were bumped due to a school tour).
We were fortunate that we were able to go on the entire tour as sometimes the lockerrooms are restricted if there is a game that day. We saw the Rangers Lockerroom which has a wider door than normal so the goalie can walk in w/out having to shed his gear and the Knicks Lockerroom door is taller than average to keep the players from banging their heads. ;)
This is the 4th version of the MSG. When it opened, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby hosted the opening gala event. The WaMu Theater has as many ceiling lights as seats. The Cure's roadies were setting up for a concert while we toured.
The tour seemed a bit expensive for what we saw but we did learn some interesting things tho!
After the tour we had lunch at brgr and then headed home for a bit before heading out to the Bronx for a Yankees Game (vs the Cincinnati Reds).
Neither my brother nor I are Yankees fans but we do respect the history of the stadium and so thus the going to the game.
We circled the stadium before entering and encountered a fan banging on a pan w/ a spoon chanting "Let's make it 8 in a row!" Time to head in... the ticket person told me I couldn't enter w/my small black backpack (the same one I brought to the last game I attended there). Ummm? Fortunately, the security person he sent me to didn't see a problem w/ it and waved me thru!
Before we found our seats we decided to grab some concessions - Jumbo Dogs ($5) and beer ($8.50). The concessions person asked for our i.d.s and that's when my bro remembered he left his @ the gym! Oops. Fortunately, the concession person let it slide. :)
Somehow our seats were near a lot of Reds fans. Unfortunately, that meant we had to listen to Yankee fans heckle them the entire game. Sheesh. I understand being devoted to your team but what about good sportsmanship? Meh.
We cut out before the game ended (Yankees lost) and stepped off the subway at Columbus Circle so my brother could see yet another part of NYC as we made our way over to the David Letterman/Hello Deli area.
Saturday - We grabbed breakfast @ SoHo and then went to a local hardware store to get wood to prop up my a.c. (I figured I might as well take advantage of my bro being there and have him help me install it! :) Plus, since he was using my room, it was an added incentive to get it hooked up!)
I had a Shakespeare Monologue Workshop to go to while my brother went to the gym. The original plan was to meet @ The Irish Rogue for lunch so he could see where Husker fans watch the football games. Today however, EuroCup fans were there so it seemed a bit too crowded and crazy for lunch so we settled on Vynl instead where my brother tried out the "Nelly" bathroom. ;)
A friend joined us and we decided to try the Rogue again for a drink after lunch and the bar was much calmer and cleared out. The Rogue beat Yankee Stadum in beer prices. They only charge $5 for a pint.
After drinks we headed to Ground Zero and then stepped inside the World Financial Center where we did a doubletake w/the presense of Palm Trees!
Then it was time to enjoy an improv show at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. (Where they won the best beer price w/ bottles for $3!) We arrived early enough that the show line hadn't even been started yet so we decided to wander Gristedes next door for a while. My brother made the comment that the prices are double what he pays in Omaha.
After the show we decided to walk to 42nd for the subway w/ the goal of finding pizza along the way. We didn't find a place for pizza but we did find 2 old men fighting at the 42nd street subway stop. There was a lot of people waiting for a subway so there wasn't a lot of space for people to go and get out of their way. Not sure what started it but at one point one of them took a bag out of the other one's hand and threw it on the tracks. Then a few minutes later they appeared to be okay w/ each other. I assured my brother that this is not something I've experienced regularly! ;)
The subway finally came and it was CROWDED! My brother was amazed and due to his height he had a bird's eye view and decided to take a pic. (Which you can see here in addition to other photos during his visit.)
Once we got home, we decided pizza still sounded good so we stopped @ Frankie's.
Sunday - It's my bro's last day here! We went to Neptune Diner for breakfast in which we found out that a Western Omelet has cheese, pepper, ham and onion in it. A substitute for fries is lettuce & tomato (like the toppings to a burger) and sausage does not come in patties but generous sized links.
As time dwindled til my brother needed to head to the airport we walked to Astoria Park for one more trip pic. This trip ended up being MUCH better than the last time he was here when I moved. So much so that I surprised myself by getting a little emotional about him leaving. Apparently I wasn't very good at hiding it either as the driver that picked my brother up assured me, "Don't worry, I'll be bringing him back soon."
We were fortunate that we were able to go on the entire tour as sometimes the lockerrooms are restricted if there is a game that day. We saw the Rangers Lockerroom which has a wider door than normal so the goalie can walk in w/out having to shed his gear and the Knicks Lockerroom door is taller than average to keep the players from banging their heads. ;)
This is the 4th version of the MSG. When it opened, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby hosted the opening gala event. The WaMu Theater has as many ceiling lights as seats. The Cure's roadies were setting up for a concert while we toured.
The tour seemed a bit expensive for what we saw but we did learn some interesting things tho!
After the tour we had lunch at brgr and then headed home for a bit before heading out to the Bronx for a Yankees Game (vs the Cincinnati Reds).
Neither my brother nor I are Yankees fans but we do respect the history of the stadium and so thus the going to the game.
We circled the stadium before entering and encountered a fan banging on a pan w/ a spoon chanting "Let's make it 8 in a row!" Time to head in... the ticket person told me I couldn't enter w/my small black backpack (the same one I brought to the last game I attended there). Ummm? Fortunately, the security person he sent me to didn't see a problem w/ it and waved me thru!
Before we found our seats we decided to grab some concessions - Jumbo Dogs ($5) and beer ($8.50). The concessions person asked for our i.d.s and that's when my bro remembered he left his @ the gym! Oops. Fortunately, the concession person let it slide. :)
Somehow our seats were near a lot of Reds fans. Unfortunately, that meant we had to listen to Yankee fans heckle them the entire game. Sheesh. I understand being devoted to your team but what about good sportsmanship? Meh.
We cut out before the game ended (Yankees lost) and stepped off the subway at Columbus Circle so my brother could see yet another part of NYC as we made our way over to the David Letterman/Hello Deli area.
Saturday - We grabbed breakfast @ SoHo and then went to a local hardware store to get wood to prop up my a.c. (I figured I might as well take advantage of my bro being there and have him help me install it! :) Plus, since he was using my room, it was an added incentive to get it hooked up!)
I had a Shakespeare Monologue Workshop to go to while my brother went to the gym. The original plan was to meet @ The Irish Rogue for lunch so he could see where Husker fans watch the football games. Today however, EuroCup fans were there so it seemed a bit too crowded and crazy for lunch so we settled on Vynl instead where my brother tried out the "Nelly" bathroom. ;)
A friend joined us and we decided to try the Rogue again for a drink after lunch and the bar was much calmer and cleared out. The Rogue beat Yankee Stadum in beer prices. They only charge $5 for a pint.
After drinks we headed to Ground Zero and then stepped inside the World Financial Center where we did a doubletake w/the presense of Palm Trees!
Then it was time to enjoy an improv show at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. (Where they won the best beer price w/ bottles for $3!) We arrived early enough that the show line hadn't even been started yet so we decided to wander Gristedes next door for a while. My brother made the comment that the prices are double what he pays in Omaha.
After the show we decided to walk to 42nd for the subway w/ the goal of finding pizza along the way. We didn't find a place for pizza but we did find 2 old men fighting at the 42nd street subway stop. There was a lot of people waiting for a subway so there wasn't a lot of space for people to go and get out of their way. Not sure what started it but at one point one of them took a bag out of the other one's hand and threw it on the tracks. Then a few minutes later they appeared to be okay w/ each other. I assured my brother that this is not something I've experienced regularly! ;)
The subway finally came and it was CROWDED! My brother was amazed and due to his height he had a bird's eye view and decided to take a pic. (Which you can see here in addition to other photos during his visit.)
Once we got home, we decided pizza still sounded good so we stopped @ Frankie's.
Sunday - It's my bro's last day here! We went to Neptune Diner for breakfast in which we found out that a Western Omelet has cheese, pepper, ham and onion in it. A substitute for fries is lettuce & tomato (like the toppings to a burger) and sausage does not come in patties but generous sized links.
As time dwindled til my brother needed to head to the airport we walked to Astoria Park for one more trip pic. This trip ended up being MUCH better than the last time he was here when I moved. So much so that I surprised myself by getting a little emotional about him leaving. Apparently I wasn't very good at hiding it either as the driver that picked my brother up assured me, "Don't worry, I'll be bringing him back soon."
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Nik's Trip - part 1
Wednesday - My brother arrived in the Big Apple today. He hasn't been here since his brief stay after helping me drive my stuff out here over a year ago.
Met him on 5th Avenue after work and we checked out the NBA Store and as it started to rain we ducked into the Heartland Brewery for dinner - where he tried a Cornhusker Lager. ;)
Then we headed to the theater where Inside Spragg's Shorts is being performed. While I had to report early he went on a search for Red Bull (sugar-free) to perk himself up and later I found out he nearly got himself lost while checking out the Hudson nearby.
Since it was the last show of the run much of the cast went out afterwards and my bro tagged along as he was asked various questions about life in NE while we drank @ Dublin 6.
Thursday - We were up bright and early to head into the city and get in the stand-by line for Conan tix. We got there about 6:40am and already there were about 20+ people ahead of us.
When we arrived they were filming a bit for the show (Inflatable Conan) and also filmed us as we stood there to get bland reaction shots. They asked us to sign off on it and we called the folks to let them know we might be on TV!
While we stood in line we found out the people in front of us were from St. Louis and the people behind us were from North Carolina. Reps from the Fox Morning Show came by the line to recruit people as audience members for their show but no one would go.
At 5 minutes after 9am an NBC rep came out and handed us standby tix. We made the first cut and had to be back at 3:45pm to check in and see if we'd actually be able to see the show.
So then it was back to Astoria to work out @ the gym and get ready to go back into the city.
We had lunch @ Hard Rock Cafe and I discovered my Hard Rock Card had enough points on it to pay for $20 on our bill! Yipppee! :)
After lunch we still had some time to kill so we wandered Times Square, Rockefeller and the NBC Store. Along the way I noticed that a lot of landmarks are celebrating their anniversaries this year- Madison Square Garden is 40, Rockefeller is 80 and the Brooklyn Bridge is 125!
It was time to report back. We did. Then we were told to come back at 4:15pm.
So we did and then were sent downstairs to wait in line. The airflow wasn't the greatest down there so the NBC Page fanned us down w/the standby sign.
Finally they started to send people up. Little by little we got closer to the front of the line and they ended up letting 23 people in. We were 21 & 22. An NBC Page said that he has to give bad news to people everyday (that don't get to see the show) and then said, sometimes it's okay because they're jerks. lol! ;)
On my first visit to NYC, a friend and I had barely made it in then, too. That time we sat on the band side of the audience. This time we were sitting on the opposite side.
While we waited for the show to begin they showed a highlight reel and then one of the writers came out to warm up the crowd asking where everyone was from. Then Conan came out to continue the warm up. He danced and hugged a random guy (who also ended up hugging Max and getting his drumsticks!)
Then it was time for the show to begin!
They showed the skit - we weren't in it. :( But we were witness to the first of many more inflatable Conan sketches!
The guests were Anne Hathaway, Romany Malco and My Morning Jacket. And James Lipton even had an appearance...in a belly dancer outfit and then chatted it up w/ a member of My Morning Jacket in the bathroom. It's amazing what Conan gets people to do! ;)
After My Morning Jacket played their song, they went to a final commercial break and the band started playing "Creep" by Radiohead and Conan began to sing it. He sang it right up until the very last minute when he had to be on the air and close out the show. Then he proceeded to sing "The End of the Song Show" to the music that typically plays at the end of his show. One of the lyrics was "I know you want to leave but I'm still singing".
We were finally able to leave and were very happy to catch Conan another time before he leaves the East coast.
After a quick bite @ Cosi it was time to head to the Brooklyn Bridge! Little did we know that our planned crossing of the Brooklyn Bridge coincided w/ a fundraiser for Crohn's Disease in which a mass was crossing at the same time. When you cross the bridge you are supposed to be wary of bikers but it was hard to do that w/ all the people. The bikers weren't happy about it either. Not good.
But we did get across and navigated our way to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and walked out onto the pier to enjoy our ice cream and the view.
We headed back over as the sun began to set so we managed to get pics in daylight, dusk and night. Nice timing! :)
Then it was back home to rest up for another day of touring the city!
You can see pics here!
Check out what else we did in the next blog! :)
Met him on 5th Avenue after work and we checked out the NBA Store and as it started to rain we ducked into the Heartland Brewery for dinner - where he tried a Cornhusker Lager. ;)
Then we headed to the theater where Inside Spragg's Shorts is being performed. While I had to report early he went on a search for Red Bull (sugar-free) to perk himself up and later I found out he nearly got himself lost while checking out the Hudson nearby.
Since it was the last show of the run much of the cast went out afterwards and my bro tagged along as he was asked various questions about life in NE while we drank @ Dublin 6.
Thursday - We were up bright and early to head into the city and get in the stand-by line for Conan tix. We got there about 6:40am and already there were about 20+ people ahead of us.
When we arrived they were filming a bit for the show (Inflatable Conan) and also filmed us as we stood there to get bland reaction shots. They asked us to sign off on it and we called the folks to let them know we might be on TV!
While we stood in line we found out the people in front of us were from St. Louis and the people behind us were from North Carolina. Reps from the Fox Morning Show came by the line to recruit people as audience members for their show but no one would go.
At 5 minutes after 9am an NBC rep came out and handed us standby tix. We made the first cut and had to be back at 3:45pm to check in and see if we'd actually be able to see the show.
So then it was back to Astoria to work out @ the gym and get ready to go back into the city.
We had lunch @ Hard Rock Cafe and I discovered my Hard Rock Card had enough points on it to pay for $20 on our bill! Yipppee! :)
After lunch we still had some time to kill so we wandered Times Square, Rockefeller and the NBC Store. Along the way I noticed that a lot of landmarks are celebrating their anniversaries this year- Madison Square Garden is 40, Rockefeller is 80 and the Brooklyn Bridge is 125!
It was time to report back. We did. Then we were told to come back at 4:15pm.
So we did and then were sent downstairs to wait in line. The airflow wasn't the greatest down there so the NBC Page fanned us down w/the standby sign.
Finally they started to send people up. Little by little we got closer to the front of the line and they ended up letting 23 people in. We were 21 & 22. An NBC Page said that he has to give bad news to people everyday (that don't get to see the show) and then said, sometimes it's okay because they're jerks. lol! ;)
On my first visit to NYC, a friend and I had barely made it in then, too. That time we sat on the band side of the audience. This time we were sitting on the opposite side.
While we waited for the show to begin they showed a highlight reel and then one of the writers came out to warm up the crowd asking where everyone was from. Then Conan came out to continue the warm up. He danced and hugged a random guy (who also ended up hugging Max and getting his drumsticks!)
Then it was time for the show to begin!
They showed the skit - we weren't in it. :( But we were witness to the first of many more inflatable Conan sketches!
The guests were Anne Hathaway, Romany Malco and My Morning Jacket. And James Lipton even had an appearance...in a belly dancer outfit and then chatted it up w/ a member of My Morning Jacket in the bathroom. It's amazing what Conan gets people to do! ;)
After My Morning Jacket played their song, they went to a final commercial break and the band started playing "Creep" by Radiohead and Conan began to sing it. He sang it right up until the very last minute when he had to be on the air and close out the show. Then he proceeded to sing "The End of the Song Show" to the music that typically plays at the end of his show. One of the lyrics was "I know you want to leave but I'm still singing".
We were finally able to leave and were very happy to catch Conan another time before he leaves the East coast.
After a quick bite @ Cosi it was time to head to the Brooklyn Bridge! Little did we know that our planned crossing of the Brooklyn Bridge coincided w/ a fundraiser for Crohn's Disease in which a mass was crossing at the same time. When you cross the bridge you are supposed to be wary of bikers but it was hard to do that w/ all the people. The bikers weren't happy about it either. Not good.
But we did get across and navigated our way to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and walked out onto the pier to enjoy our ice cream and the view.
We headed back over as the sun began to set so we managed to get pics in daylight, dusk and night. Nice timing! :)
Then it was back home to rest up for another day of touring the city!
You can see pics here!
Check out what else we did in the next blog! :)
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Inside Spragg's Shorts Opens
Today was one of those days that you think had more than 24 hours squeezed in.
Since I knew we had an early tech today, I made cookies (sans chocolate chips) last night to maybe give everyone an extra boost of energy. - I used Hot Cocoa Kisses and they didn't last long! :)
The one-act I'm in takes place on Thanksgiving (It's titled "Wombsgiving" and I play Rena, the sister-in-law that finds out her lesbian sister-in-law is expecting while she can't seem to get preggers herself) , thus the need to have a non-summer costume. This of course doesn't balance well w/ the theater warmed by summer temps. Ugh. But ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right? And hope you don't look too sweaty and gross doing it! ;)
We had a quick break and then it was time to set up for the actual show. A friend from NE happened to be in town for a visit and got to see me (the first show she's seen me in in NYC) and my friend from Boston was there, too.
Afterwards, my NE friend and I grabbed lunch at Cowgirl. Yum! And while we ate it began to just pour w/ the added bonus of crackling thunder and lightening. We attempted to take our time at the restaurant and wait for the rain to calm down but once it was clear we were done eating we were asked to leave so other patrons could sit - so we did. We scurried to a bodega to get my friend an umbrella and then hid out in a Starbucks until someone else my friend knew in NYC picked her up.
I continued to hang out @ Starbucks (totaled up, I was there for a few hours) and my friend from Boston joined me again. By then the weather had calmed down somewhat so we headed to Flannery's (located by a place called the Donut Pub) and had a Guinness. Although I'm told that Guinness is ALWAYS supposed to be served this way, this was the first time I saw my Guinness w/ a shamrock drawn in the foam. Very cool! My friend knew the bartender and when he found out I was an actress he said that the first drink was free, adding - "You gotta help the starving actor!" Niiice! :)
Since I knew we had an early tech today, I made cookies (sans chocolate chips) last night to maybe give everyone an extra boost of energy. - I used Hot Cocoa Kisses and they didn't last long! :)
The one-act I'm in takes place on Thanksgiving (It's titled "Wombsgiving" and I play Rena, the sister-in-law that finds out her lesbian sister-in-law is expecting while she can't seem to get preggers herself) , thus the need to have a non-summer costume. This of course doesn't balance well w/ the theater warmed by summer temps. Ugh. But ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right? And hope you don't look too sweaty and gross doing it! ;)
We had a quick break and then it was time to set up for the actual show. A friend from NE happened to be in town for a visit and got to see me (the first show she's seen me in in NYC) and my friend from Boston was there, too.
Afterwards, my NE friend and I grabbed lunch at Cowgirl. Yum! And while we ate it began to just pour w/ the added bonus of crackling thunder and lightening. We attempted to take our time at the restaurant and wait for the rain to calm down but once it was clear we were done eating we were asked to leave so other patrons could sit - so we did. We scurried to a bodega to get my friend an umbrella and then hid out in a Starbucks until someone else my friend knew in NYC picked her up.
I continued to hang out @ Starbucks (totaled up, I was there for a few hours) and my friend from Boston joined me again. By then the weather had calmed down somewhat so we headed to Flannery's (located by a place called the Donut Pub) and had a Guinness. Although I'm told that Guinness is ALWAYS supposed to be served this way, this was the first time I saw my Guinness w/ a shamrock drawn in the foam. Very cool! My friend knew the bartender and when he found out I was an actress he said that the first drink was free, adding - "You gotta help the starving actor!" Niiice! :)
Monday, June 9, 2008
Angels in Progress Reading - 2
A friend of mine from Boston who is a big fan of Matt Bomer's came to town to see another Angels in Progress reading of Geoffrey Nauffts' The Gospel According to Adam.
Besides Matt Bomer, other actors involved in the reading included - Malcolm Gets, Julianna Margulies and Tom Wopatt.
The air conditioning still wasn't working but at least we could sit this time (we had gone to a reading a few days earlier and were part of the SRO and had to leave early or pass out it was so stifling.) But it's free right? So I guess one can't complain too much...
It made me wonder how much rehearsal time they have prior to the reading - if any - as there were times that Wopatt laughed out loud at some moments in the script.
This script is already planned for production so I will be interested to see what changes (if any) are made and to see it fully fleshed out on stage...and to see if any of the actors in the reading will go on to portray those same characters in the show.
So many transformations a play can take from reading to an actual performance! These playwrights are lucky to have a forum in which to hone their scripts in!
Besides Matt Bomer, other actors involved in the reading included - Malcolm Gets, Julianna Margulies and Tom Wopatt.
The air conditioning still wasn't working but at least we could sit this time (we had gone to a reading a few days earlier and were part of the SRO and had to leave early or pass out it was so stifling.) But it's free right? So I guess one can't complain too much...
It made me wonder how much rehearsal time they have prior to the reading - if any - as there were times that Wopatt laughed out loud at some moments in the script.
This script is already planned for production so I will be interested to see what changes (if any) are made and to see it fully fleshed out on stage...and to see if any of the actors in the reading will go on to portray those same characters in the show.
So many transformations a play can take from reading to an actual performance! These playwrights are lucky to have a forum in which to hone their scripts in!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Very 5th Ave
Since Summer is well on its way and my feet are being exposed more often, I decided I needed to make them look pretty.
So I conferred w/ a co-worker about a good place to go to get a pedi over lunch and as I was headed there I was stopped by a person outside of Redken. They were having a cut-a-thon fund raising event where for $20 you can get a professional haircut and a bag of Redken goodies. I told the person that I was on my hour lunch and asked if it was possible to get that done in an hour - of course she said yes. Since I'd been wanting to get my haircut too, I decided to change my plans.
An hour and 20 minutes later I got thru the line and my hair was finished. (I was told a lot of women w/ long hair were deciding to chop it off today.) The hair stylist gave me a card to get a goody bag for straight & shiny hair but when I went up there they were all out so I had to settle for curly hair products instead. :( They were full size bottles but still, I did feel a bit jipped since I had already been screwed over in the time department. Fortunately, the co-worker covering me was the one that told me about the pedi so she was understanding and when she saw I got my hair done instead, she said I looked very "5th Ave". I smirked, knowing that I probably won't be able to recreate this look again...but the new length I'll have fun w/! ;)
After work I met up w/ some friends @ Mojo Coffee and we went to another reading presented by Naked Angels @ The New School. This reading had no reservations left (our hunch was that it had more to do w/ the celebs that were participating than interest in the play) but we decided to try our luck and got in as part of SRO. Matthew Broderick, Kristen Johnston (who is scary skinny) and Kieran Culkin were some of the performers there but due to standing in a minimally air-conditioned theatre and not really being captured by the play itself I decided to step out so I could sit down and cool off. One of my friends stepped out w/ me and after conferring w/ the third friend @ intermission, 2 of us decided to get a bite to eat while the other finished the show. We settled in @ the Bus Stop Cafe and once our third friend joined us we headed over to another friend's rooftop party for her birthday! (Ya following all this?!) The rooftop was in Chelsea and had great views but unfortunately I couldn't get my camera to take a decent pic of them. :( Soon enough it was time to call it a night.
I'm getting the pedi tomorrow... ;)
So I conferred w/ a co-worker about a good place to go to get a pedi over lunch and as I was headed there I was stopped by a person outside of Redken. They were having a cut-a-thon fund raising event where for $20 you can get a professional haircut and a bag of Redken goodies. I told the person that I was on my hour lunch and asked if it was possible to get that done in an hour - of course she said yes. Since I'd been wanting to get my haircut too, I decided to change my plans.
An hour and 20 minutes later I got thru the line and my hair was finished. (I was told a lot of women w/ long hair were deciding to chop it off today.) The hair stylist gave me a card to get a goody bag for straight & shiny hair but when I went up there they were all out so I had to settle for curly hair products instead. :( They were full size bottles but still, I did feel a bit jipped since I had already been screwed over in the time department. Fortunately, the co-worker covering me was the one that told me about the pedi so she was understanding and when she saw I got my hair done instead, she said I looked very "5th Ave". I smirked, knowing that I probably won't be able to recreate this look again...but the new length I'll have fun w/! ;)
After work I met up w/ some friends @ Mojo Coffee and we went to another reading presented by Naked Angels @ The New School. This reading had no reservations left (our hunch was that it had more to do w/ the celebs that were participating than interest in the play) but we decided to try our luck and got in as part of SRO. Matthew Broderick, Kristen Johnston (who is scary skinny) and Kieran Culkin were some of the performers there but due to standing in a minimally air-conditioned theatre and not really being captured by the play itself I decided to step out so I could sit down and cool off. One of my friends stepped out w/ me and after conferring w/ the third friend @ intermission, 2 of us decided to get a bite to eat while the other finished the show. We settled in @ the Bus Stop Cafe and once our third friend joined us we headed over to another friend's rooftop party for her birthday! (Ya following all this?!) The rooftop was in Chelsea and had great views but unfortunately I couldn't get my camera to take a decent pic of them. :( Soon enough it was time to call it a night.
I'm getting the pedi tomorrow... ;)
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Herzog & Demme
I had a random celeb spotting today coming back from lunch w/ a co-worker. On 5th Ave in front of B&N, I saw a guy being stopped by another person and realized it was "Ted" from "How I Met Your Mother". He was w/ a woman (girlfriend?) and looked a bit apprehensive to stop, we kept moving so don't know if he had a tiny mob approach before he could get away or was able to get a pic w/ the one fan and move on. My co-worker thought he was a cutie.;)
A planned celeb sighting happened tonight when I went to a speaking event sponsored by the Museum of the Moving Image that had Jonathan Demme interviewing Werner Herzog.
Prior to the interview, the Museum launched and demonstrated their website - movingimagesource.us It seems like it was a huge under taking of organizing info, I hope people use it!
Now to the interview...
Roger Ebert calls Herzog a "Good Soldier of Cinema", adding that there are very few left. He did not write a review for Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World" but rather a dedication. Oh, and a letter to Herzog in which he proceeded to print online and in the Chicago Sun Times. ;)
Demme brought up one of Herzog's first films - "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" and asked him why he held a closeup for so long on the raging water that was so violent and boiling. Herzog said that the water was so full of rage and it was a way to prepare the audience for something out of proportion.
A Herzog motto - "Do it as it is and it's fine."
Herzog told Demme that when he saw "Silence of the Lambs" he had never been so scared and that he doesn't scare easily. ;)
He continued speaking about Demme and said he's - "Just a professional man who knew how to handle cinema. Who has gone thru professional disputes and moved on."
Herzog talked about his actors in "Rescue Dawn" - Jeremy Davies fed himself w/ water. He is a very unique and significant talent. Steve Zahn was vulnerable, full of hugs and protests. Herzog thinks this film is a great achievement for Zahn. He said it was a privelege to work w/ the best when referring to Christian Bale.
Herzog grew up in the Bavarian Mountains and only knew about the world thru fairy tales.
He is never surrounded by "Yes Men".
He says that "Somehow I know the hearts of men". Adding that he can put them at ease. He says, if you don't have this skill - you are not a filmmaker.
"It's fine to work in the unknown".
He can't read music scores. But he loves opera.
He said that Cinema & Opera bite each other like cat & dog. Whoever tries to film opera will fail.
It was a very interesting evening of insight and now I have a list of movies to add to my Netflix Q!
A planned celeb sighting happened tonight when I went to a speaking event sponsored by the Museum of the Moving Image that had Jonathan Demme interviewing Werner Herzog.
Prior to the interview, the Museum launched and demonstrated their website - movingimagesource.us It seems like it was a huge under taking of organizing info, I hope people use it!
Now to the interview...
Roger Ebert calls Herzog a "Good Soldier of Cinema", adding that there are very few left. He did not write a review for Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World" but rather a dedication. Oh, and a letter to Herzog in which he proceeded to print online and in the Chicago Sun Times. ;)
Demme brought up one of Herzog's first films - "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" and asked him why he held a closeup for so long on the raging water that was so violent and boiling. Herzog said that the water was so full of rage and it was a way to prepare the audience for something out of proportion.
A Herzog motto - "Do it as it is and it's fine."
Herzog told Demme that when he saw "Silence of the Lambs" he had never been so scared and that he doesn't scare easily. ;)
He continued speaking about Demme and said he's - "Just a professional man who knew how to handle cinema. Who has gone thru professional disputes and moved on."
Herzog talked about his actors in "Rescue Dawn" - Jeremy Davies fed himself w/ water. He is a very unique and significant talent. Steve Zahn was vulnerable, full of hugs and protests. Herzog thinks this film is a great achievement for Zahn. He said it was a privelege to work w/ the best when referring to Christian Bale.
Herzog grew up in the Bavarian Mountains and only knew about the world thru fairy tales.
He is never surrounded by "Yes Men".
He says that "Somehow I know the hearts of men". Adding that he can put them at ease. He says, if you don't have this skill - you are not a filmmaker.
"It's fine to work in the unknown".
He can't read music scores. But he loves opera.
He said that Cinema & Opera bite each other like cat & dog. Whoever tries to film opera will fail.
It was a very interesting evening of insight and now I have a list of movies to add to my Netflix Q!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
My First Yankees Game
The Yankees Stadium is in its last season this year and although the Yankees themselves aren't on my favorites list, seeing a piece of history before it's turned into rubble outranked my lack of affection towards the Yankees team.
A friend and I decided we would see a game at both Yankees & Shea Stadium this year since they are both being replaced. We took advantage of the various "cheap ticket" options they have and as luck would have it, the date we ended up picking was the date that Joba Chamberlain had his first start of the season! Woot!
Got held up on our way there by the subway as the conductor announced that she wasn't getting the go ahead to pull into the station we needed to get to the stadium so she bi-passed it! Then she kept saying that whoever was in the tower needed to apologize to us over the intercom. By that time we didn't care, we just wanted to get off and transfer to the next train headed back the right direction. Gotta love the MTA! grumble.
I've never even been near the stadium prior to this so it was great to see what surrounded it (Stan seems to own a whole block) and just observe the pre-game atmosphere. And our delay did not keep us from getting the free giveaway for the night - a Yanks logo mini notepad (which my current roommate is now the owner).
Even if you save money on tix, there's no way you are going to save money on what's being sold inside the stadium.
Programs - $7
Beer in Plastic Cup - $9.50
Beer in a Ginormous Dixie Cup - $8.50
Hotdogs - $5
Plastic Bag of Peanuts - $5
As we journeyed up and up to get to our seats we noticed less and less staff available to assist w/ finding seats. We sat down still not totally convinced we were in the right spot. I took some pics of Joba warming up and discovered just how much of a zoom I have on my new camera! Unbelievable!
Since the game hadn't started yet we thought we'd get our food and maybe wander to see if we were in fact in the right spot. We found out we were on the complete opposite side of where we needed to be! Oops.
Once we got settled in, a few guys sat by us. One had a camera seemingly fancier than mine and he kept showing the pics he took to us. Well, the game pics that is...it soon became apparent that he and his friends were spending more of their time zooming in and taking pics of the various "hot" females in the audience. Classy.
Speaking of...I was really surprised that the vendors walking thru the aisles were using the cardboard flats the beverages came in to carry them around rather than the containers you generally see stadium vendors w/. Something tells me that in the "most expensive baseball stadium ever" i.e. the NEW Yankees Stadium that won't be happening...
Joba didn't have such a great night. He was on a strict pitch count and was pulled in the 3rd.
Camera guy tried to engage us in convo again and asked where we were from. The guy sitting in front of us whipped his head around when we said Queens. (He had hollered at a guy w/ a Mets shirt on earlier and told him to go back to Queens...) So of course he had to comment and asked who our favorite NY team was. We didn't commit. He said - Oh, well...what if they were in the World Series together? I said that I hadn't thought about that and we just wanted to see the stadiums before they are demolished. To which he turned to his friend and said - That's right...we should catch a game @ Shea, too. Durr....
The jumbotron flashed Adam Sandler eating Dippin' Dots on the screen so I was bound and determined to find him w/ my zoom and I did! Camera guy just settled for taking a pic of the jumbotron. Sandler's not a hot girl though so why would they put forth the extra effort?! ;)
They kept having audience members participating in games and I wondered...how do you get picked for that?! Still don't know...
We left the game early as it just wasn't pretty. The Yanks were on their 4th pitcher! Sad.
The ride home was long but I found it interesting how many guys we had asking about the game since they saw my "Joba Rules" shirt & my friend's cap. Amazing how sports can bond strangers. As long as the mob mentality doesn't kick in - it's kinda cool. ;)
You can check out pics here!
A friend and I decided we would see a game at both Yankees & Shea Stadium this year since they are both being replaced. We took advantage of the various "cheap ticket" options they have and as luck would have it, the date we ended up picking was the date that Joba Chamberlain had his first start of the season! Woot!
Got held up on our way there by the subway as the conductor announced that she wasn't getting the go ahead to pull into the station we needed to get to the stadium so she bi-passed it! Then she kept saying that whoever was in the tower needed to apologize to us over the intercom. By that time we didn't care, we just wanted to get off and transfer to the next train headed back the right direction. Gotta love the MTA! grumble.
I've never even been near the stadium prior to this so it was great to see what surrounded it (Stan seems to own a whole block) and just observe the pre-game atmosphere. And our delay did not keep us from getting the free giveaway for the night - a Yanks logo mini notepad (which my current roommate is now the owner).
Even if you save money on tix, there's no way you are going to save money on what's being sold inside the stadium.
Programs - $7
Beer in Plastic Cup - $9.50
Beer in a Ginormous Dixie Cup - $8.50
Hotdogs - $5
Plastic Bag of Peanuts - $5
As we journeyed up and up to get to our seats we noticed less and less staff available to assist w/ finding seats. We sat down still not totally convinced we were in the right spot. I took some pics of Joba warming up and discovered just how much of a zoom I have on my new camera! Unbelievable!
Since the game hadn't started yet we thought we'd get our food and maybe wander to see if we were in fact in the right spot. We found out we were on the complete opposite side of where we needed to be! Oops.
Once we got settled in, a few guys sat by us. One had a camera seemingly fancier than mine and he kept showing the pics he took to us. Well, the game pics that is...it soon became apparent that he and his friends were spending more of their time zooming in and taking pics of the various "hot" females in the audience. Classy.
Speaking of...I was really surprised that the vendors walking thru the aisles were using the cardboard flats the beverages came in to carry them around rather than the containers you generally see stadium vendors w/. Something tells me that in the "most expensive baseball stadium ever" i.e. the NEW Yankees Stadium that won't be happening...
Joba didn't have such a great night. He was on a strict pitch count and was pulled in the 3rd.
Camera guy tried to engage us in convo again and asked where we were from. The guy sitting in front of us whipped his head around when we said Queens. (He had hollered at a guy w/ a Mets shirt on earlier and told him to go back to Queens...) So of course he had to comment and asked who our favorite NY team was. We didn't commit. He said - Oh, well...what if they were in the World Series together? I said that I hadn't thought about that and we just wanted to see the stadiums before they are demolished. To which he turned to his friend and said - That's right...we should catch a game @ Shea, too. Durr....
The jumbotron flashed Adam Sandler eating Dippin' Dots on the screen so I was bound and determined to find him w/ my zoom and I did! Camera guy just settled for taking a pic of the jumbotron. Sandler's not a hot girl though so why would they put forth the extra effort?! ;)
They kept having audience members participating in games and I wondered...how do you get picked for that?! Still don't know...
We left the game early as it just wasn't pretty. The Yanks were on their 4th pitcher! Sad.
The ride home was long but I found it interesting how many guys we had asking about the game since they saw my "Joba Rules" shirt & my friend's cap. Amazing how sports can bond strangers. As long as the mob mentality doesn't kick in - it's kinda cool. ;)
You can check out pics here!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
1 year!
Well, it's official....I survived a year in NYC!
I headed to the gym to start my anniversary on a healthy note and it wasn't open. Ummm....? It was finally open a couple hours later. When I asked if the times had changed I was told that today was a mistake. Oh.
My new roommate has moved in and thanks to her exploration of Thai takeout I got to enjoy a tasty Thai Ice Tea! Mmmmmm!
And I finished the day by meeting a couple friends for dinner @ Benjamin Restaurant where one of my original roommates was working. In fact...when I hit town a year ago, she was working @ this restaurant and thus was delayed in letting me into the apartment. I felt eating here a year later made sense somehow. ;)
There are moments prepping for my move here that seem like they happened just yesterday and there are other moments during the year that seem like they happened forever ago! I feel like I've done a lot already but have barely begun to explore the city and the opportunities here.
So I venture on and wonder what will happen next...
I headed to the gym to start my anniversary on a healthy note and it wasn't open. Ummm....? It was finally open a couple hours later. When I asked if the times had changed I was told that today was a mistake. Oh.
My new roommate has moved in and thanks to her exploration of Thai takeout I got to enjoy a tasty Thai Ice Tea! Mmmmmm!
And I finished the day by meeting a couple friends for dinner @ Benjamin Restaurant where one of my original roommates was working. In fact...when I hit town a year ago, she was working @ this restaurant and thus was delayed in letting me into the apartment. I felt eating here a year later made sense somehow. ;)
There are moments prepping for my move here that seem like they happened just yesterday and there are other moments during the year that seem like they happened forever ago! I feel like I've done a lot already but have barely begun to explore the city and the opportunities here.
So I venture on and wonder what will happen next...
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