Another Nebraskan Visits...

Another friend from Nebraska visited this weekend! Hooray! :)

We met for brunch at Cafeteria - great prices (for NYC), great variety and my friend has had celeb sitings there in the past. Not today though. :( The restaurant was also used in some SITC episodes, too.

Then it was off to see Pygmalion - the play that inspired "My Fair Lady" and is currently better known for Claire Danes Broadway debut.

Due to the fact that we had just eaten and sucked in the fresh fall air, once we got settled our lids were a little heavy. And the play's staging can be stale at times not helping heavy lids. That is not to say the acting was bad - it was well done and enjoyable. Not sure if the show's extended conversations and lack of movement was to be blamed on script or direction or both. I did expect a bit more from the production and maybe Claire Danes did too as she looked less than thrilled at curtain call.

My friend and I discussed the promotional photograph of Claire for the show. We don't get it. It really doesn't tie to the show - it just showcases Danes. Not to mention the fact that her hair is blond in the photo and there is no blond on her head in the show. But I digress...

Before meeting up with friends for a late supper we decided to stop for a snack at Europan. Yum! I'd walked by it several times but never went in. A good stop for dessert - a bit expensive dessert - but still a good stop. ;)

On to Vento - an Italian Restaurant with reasonable prices (not just for NYC) and tasty food! And bonus that Vento was across the street from Soho House - an exclusive rooftop club that was the focus of an SITC episode. Our group sat outside and as we were waiting for our food a street peddler came by and plopped 2 roses on the table wanting $5 each for them (he told us he bought them for $3). He was given a couple dollars and the roses were returned - of course, not without protest. But he did leave and our waitress gave us bite size dessert treats on the house as an apology for that incident. I highly recommend this place for good service and the previously mentioned price and taste. Will just maybe sit inside next time!

Cheap Reading Material

Today I met up with a friend in the village and went to a massive open air book fair. All used books, cds, dvds and vhs were $1. You could also buy a bag for $20 and fill it with all the second hand clothes you wanted.

There was no rhyme or reason to the display of items, you just had to sift thru as they continued to bring out more boxes! The sale ran from 10-6 and a person could have easily stayed there all that time thoroughly going thru books - let alone going thru clothes! (I didn't venture the clothing direction. It looked to be more of a mad house than the book area.)

As my stack grew bigger I had to remind myself that whatever I bought I still had to carry home. Had I owned a car, the damage may have been a bit more severe! ;)
They had food for purchase available - tempting pies from Pies & Thighs (someday I will try, but not today) and had freebies from condoms (the event was to raise money for the fight against AIDS) to energy drinks.

Afterwards it was time to get a late lunch, which turned into more of a snack as my friend pointed out Rice to Riches (as seen in "Hitch"). An all rice pudding shop that doesn't hide the fact that their menu choices aren't exactly diet. My solo "Sex, Drugs and Rocky Road" with Mischief (graham cracker) topping was certainly tasty and I had a trendy container to use later when I was done. (The downside to these cool plastic containers is that there isn't a way to recycle them if a person doesn't want them...) Pinkberry was a couple stores down but their lines were out the door - maybe another day...

Changing Seasons

Walked past Rockefeller Center over my lunch today and saw that they are starting to transform the outdoor eating area into an ice skating rink again! And someone else was touching up the gold statue overlooking the area.

As some of you may or may not know my goal for my birthday this year is to skate at Rockefeller Center - preferably without breaking any bones. ;) Can't Wait!

Go Mets!

When I first moved here I had a short list of things I wanted to do before the summer/season was over. See "Grey Gardens" - check- and see a Mets game. As the season was winding down my chance to accomplish that was dwindling. I mentioned my goal to fellow Queens friends and with the enticement of $5 tickets all 3 of us took in our first Mets game! :)

Prior to the game starting we had time to walk over to Flushing Meadows Corona Park and see the Unisphere (as seen in the opening credits of "King of Queens") and walk past the USTA National Tennis Center where the U.S. Open is played.

The fountain was shut off underneath the Unisphere and was covered with skateboarders/bikers. (If you look closely you can see tiny me below the globe - that gives you an idea of how big it is.)

This area is where the World's Fair was held in 1964.

In the Unisphere pic, to the left you can see "UFO towers". These were used towards the end of movie, "Men In Black". They were there before that though...

Time for the game! On our way in we all scored free mini bags of "The Official Chips of the Mets" Wise Bravos. Mmmmm! And then had a nice view of the sunset silloueting the NYC landscape.
Found our seats and although we were nosebleed it was a fabulous view. Needing something to compliment our free chips we all headed down to get concessions before the game started.
$4 - 24oz Aquifina
$4.50 - Nathan's Hotdog
$7.50 - Blue Bottle of Bud Light - Part of the enticement to get them was that the display bottles had the Mets Logo on it, sadly that was just the display. Only a regular Bud Light logo was on ours. :(

What they may have lost in offering tickets for $5, they gained in concession sales!

Music from Rocky (Fanfare for Rocky) started to play and like a bell to end recess it was a signal to get back to our seats because the game was starting!

Tom Glavin was pitching and didn't fare well. The Nationals got some big hits and the Mets? Well, we did get to see the Homerun TopHat and Apple in action once. The much talked about Mr. Wright wasn't all that impressive at bat.

At one point they played the Tunnel Walk music, but there was no Tunnel Walk. ;)

Lots of "Just For Men" ads ran, emphasizing that Keith (Hernandez) uses it! All I could think of were the Seinfeld episodes with him in them - There was a 2nd spitter!

There was one diehard fan that made for a hostile environment as late arriving ticket holders wanted to sit in the spot he had decided to sit already. He threw his stuff to a different seat, grumbling along, got in arguments with those around him, caused some fans to move and a little boy yelled at him to shut up after multiple times of him yelling and holding the word - "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" forever and then following it with "Struck that guy out!" A novelty at first, but even those yelling "Struck that guy out!" with him started to falter after a while.

I had a headache that was persistent (I had it before I had my $7.50 beer) and as the Nationals kept racking up points and fans were leaving in herds we decided to call it at 10pm and head home.

WHAT A MISTAKE!!! The next day I find out that the Mets rallied in the 9th and there was hardly anybody in the stadium to witness it - Doh!

I definitely plan on getting there a few more times before Shea Stadium is no longer. The new Citi Field is set to open in 2009. And although I've never liked the Yankees (even before I moved here) I will probably try to make it to a game there next year because their stadium is going to be torn down, too. Plus, now there's Joba to watch and I owe my friend that came with me to the Mets as he's a Yankees fan.

Now that the seasons are changing what is my new short list? Seeing "Young Frankenstein:The Musical" and seeing a Jets game! Anyone want to go?! :)

Carrie, Charlotte & Miranda

Walking down 49th after work, on the phone with a friend and the sidewalk starts to fill with people at a standstill. Bright lights and a blocked off street means something is probably being filmed.

I give my friend the play by play and then a guy behind me who is also on the phone says - Everyone is stopping because the Sex and the City Movie is being filmed right now.

What?! I'm now in front of the NBC Studios and I look across the street towards Christie's and there the ladies are - minus Samantha, skinnier than all get out and although I wanted to snap a pic a security guard was making sure the crowd moved along.

I applied to be an extra for the movie but knew my chances were slim since they had an open call and I wasn't able to go, I just submitted. They film into October yet so I guess ya never know what may happen between now and then.

Wondering where else they may show up to film....

Football and The Fab Four

The Huskers were on pay per view this week and the Irish Rogue had it available for the fans to watch.

After battling a delayed subway line we finally get above ground where it is raining! We scurried to the Rogue - passing set load-in for "Young Frankenstein" and got there just in time to settle in for kickoff.

Once again we scored seats in front of the big screen and we watched as Nebraska struggled to keep and gain a lead on Ball St. A struggle that shouldn't have been...

As the game clock ticked, the nails of Husker fans were getting shorter. A lone Ball St. fan was very vocal and kinda seemed to have a chip on his shoulder even though no Husker fan trashed talked him. And then non-Huskers/Ball Staters started to invade. There was a drunken group that started to crowd our space with one sitting on the arm of a couch where a couple of my friends were sitting and putting his drink down on the table with ours. Uh? At first we thought he was a fan - but no, he was just drunk and falling into my friend. My other friend asked him to move. He did, but not without having to explain himself and although he was asked nicely him and his drunk friends decided that they needed to flex their man muscle and start beating on the couch my friends were sitting on, spilling their drinks on it and make loud comments about how they were true New Yorkers and that we needed to go back and watch the game with our season tickets, blah, blah. So brave considering our group consisted of 4 girls and 1 guy. Jackasses.

More than just Husker Pride was riding on a win - we knew that a win was the only thing that would make them shut up!

Thankfully, the Huskers did win. Whewy!

Afterward, I was ready to decompress in front of a movie so back to Times Square I went. This time I saw Across the Universe. I knew that visually it would be a good movie to see on the big screen but wasn't sure about content. I had already heard a review by Roeper comparing it to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And although it does have celeb cameos and Beatles songs like the former - Sgt. Pepper's still holds the cheese title.

Lots of inside winks to Beatles songs from character names to visuals and one liners. A handful of celeb cameos with the best being from Bob Seger - except his painted on pimp hair was a bit much.

When I got home I looked up more info and saw that most of the songs were sung live when filming and that Rachel Evan Woods took only one take for "If I fell". An impressive feat in the age of lip synching Britney.

The storyline itself was a bit forced at times to fit with certain songs but going in with somewhat low expectations I was pleasantly surprised. Am curious to see where Jim Stugess's career goes after this... And Wow! Dana Fuchs! Modern day Janis and I enjoyed the what if? look at a pseudo Janis/Jimi relationship in the movie.

Beatles songs are still running thru my head...

Wake UP!

Decided to see Eastern Promises Friday after work. Knew the basic plotline of it but wasn't fully studied so most of it would be a surprise to me.

The opening scene showed a guy getting his throat slit and blood gushing out - I mean GUSHING. The audience responded in horror. I flashed on how Dennis Hopper stabbed the guy in the ear with a screwdriver in the opening scene of Speed (the first R rated movie I saw by myself and before I was truly "legal" to do so - I saw that and thought...maybe this wasn't the best idea afterall...but then the movie rocked so I got over it. ;)) This movie was not Speed-like however.

It wasn't bad and it wasn't great. (I actually preferred the Viggo/Cronenberg collaboration - A History of Violence)It is worth watching on video. Viggo Mortensen is a great actor. He just disappears in his characters. Naomi Watts...I'm noticing she seems to give the same pained expressions for a lot of the acting she does. Wasn't overly impressed. The guy that played her Uncle was great and so were other character actors that fleshed out the cast.

This is a film filled with silences and not even a third of the way into the movie there was a soft snoring that began in the audience. Some looked around and I thought it was below me and center of where I was sitting but no one seemed to be waking the person as it got louder and more obnoxious. Then it was pinpointed to a large lady sitting or rather LAYING in the back row! People kept looking, but no one was doing anything. One lady shouted to "Wake Up" but of course that didn't rouse her. Two big, sturdy guys were sitting near me but didn't move. I was tempted to approach her but was a bit worried about what her reaction might be when she woke. Then finally an older gentleman stepped up and stepped over people in the same aisle as the snoring lady and shook her, telling her to wake up because her snoring was keeping people from hearing the movie. She left about 10 minutes later.

Back to the movie - I was left with some logistic questions, like...a baby born to a mother that had been shot up with heroin, would said baby be bouncing and healthy when born? I know...it is a movie. I should roll with it...

Also, I was surprised by a fight scene that had NAKED Viggo defending himself against 2 knife wielding thugs! Now one might think this would be great to see Viggo in his birthday suit but it was actually a bit unnerving as with every swipe of the knife you worried for certain parts getting whacked off! Yikes! I'm sure that was an interesting day of filming!

And I was a tad disappointed that they let the leads kiss. The way the story ran, I felt like a tease was fine - but it didn't seem right for them to actually kiss. If you've seen it, let me know how you felt about it.

As I'm leaving the theatre in Times Square a guy is standing outside hollering at ticket buyers - "Hey, I got these movies on disc for cheaper than a ticket!" Gotta love New York! ;)

Brooklyn Book Festival

Went to the Brooklyn Book Festival today.

My main goal was to see Rev Run speak in the afternoon, once I got there I'd wished I'd arrived earlier in the day as I discovered most everyone that spoke had autograph sessions afterward. Oh well. Will know of next year!

A variety of books/topics were on hand in a long stretch of booths and Target had a tent set up for kids where kids and adults could get their pic taken with Bullseye the Dog and get free disposable cameras.

While I hovered around the kids area to see if a children's author my mom had wanted me to see was still there (Mo Willems) I heard a guy trying to get his kid's attention. I turned and then just kept turning. It was Paul Giamatti.

Soon it was time to hear Rev Run, his brother - Daniel, and his wife Justine speak about their books. While they were getting set up a lady started shouting, "Run! Run DMC! I love your music!"

Run asked which was her favorite album. I really didn't hear an answer as she just kept yelling "Run!" and various forms there of.

Run and his wife said they would not have been at the festival had it not been for the call from the eldest Simmons brother. They said Russell would have been there but he was busy in L.A.

The books they represented were diverse. Danny is into many forms of writing including graphic novels, Justine wrote a children's book and Rev Run has a book with his words of wisdom. He admitted to not reading his brother's book because he has a short attention span. He is more interested in bite-size books like his own. Both Run and Justine named self-help books as their favorite kind of book.

A quote from Run - What you give away you keep, what you keep you lose.

Run was caught in the middle as Justine interjected in an effort to promote - Run shook his head and said, "Well, you've seen the show...." Then he talked about how his brother used to make his life miserable. One example was chasing Run around with a comb so he could drag it thru his knotty afro - just to cause him pain. Run doesn't have to worry about 'fros now! ;)

They wrapped up their talk early and said they'd be autographing their books at a nearby booth. I scurried over and got Run's book to be autographed for my bro - the one who introduced me to Run DMC and who played his cassette so many times that it broke.

I was afraid by the time I bought the book and got to the other side for autographs there would be a huge line but there wasn't yet. It was just me and Run.

"Um...are you ready?" I asked.

"Yeah, let's do this!" Run responded. Then adding - "I need a pen."

He asked who he should sign it for and just like that my moment with Rev Run was done.

Go Big Red - NY Style

After hearing about the legendary Irish Rogue last year and missing out on the first 2 games there this season, I FINALLY got to go to the Irish Rogue and watch the biggest game of the season there with fellow Husker fans/Nebraskans.

The place was packed but friends arriving prior to us already reserved spots for us in front of the big screen.

This is awesome!

I talked to a new friend my other friends had met at a previous game and found out she went to high school with a long time friend of mine. Yet again - small world.

With red beers and bar food on the ready we were ready for the game to start! A friend that was actually at the game said he would update me and take pics via his cell if I'd do the same from the Irish Rogue. Deal! Although, I think he was getting the raw end...

The crowd roared and cheered as the game got started - next best thing to being there! They showed Will Ferrell (USC fan) on the screen and he was booed! Booing and groans also resonated everytime the satellite blacked out on the screen. Boooooo indeed.

And then it got real ugly. Oh Huskers, why must you be such heartbreakers?! By half the bar crowd started to thin. Although the Huskers closed the gap a bit in the end, it wasn't enough and once the game ended the bar had only a meager few left. Sadness.

Halfway thru the night it was reported by a friend that a girl had puked in the bathroom. I decided to wait it out in hopes that maybe it would get cleaned up? By the end of the game I knew I'd better go and another friend came out and said that now BOTH stalls had puke in them. Greaaat! I decided once I stood up, I had to move and pray that the subways were running fast!

Off I went, leaving my friends behind - they caught up and tried to help me find a spot to stop in Times Square but at this point I figured just getting home would be better. So I stood on the way home and tried to distract myself with my book. I warned my friends that as soon as the subway doors opened at our stop I was outta there. I wasn't joking. The friend that got off at the stop with me asked if I was a marathon walker. I warned him...

Thankfully I made it home with no major accidents. Stupid puking girls anyway! Yes, I said it!

Puking bathroom mess aside, I truly enjoyed the Irish Rogue experience and am interested to see how the atmosphere compares during a not so major game in the season...

Last Day for Astroland?

Today may well be the last day Astroland is open on Coney Island and I still had a free ride on the Wonder Wheel to use!

I made plans with a friend to ride the Wonder Wheel and check out the NY Aquarium with tix that my friend had won and so kindly gave me @ the Brooklyn Cyclones game.

Prior to all of this however I had an audition to go to....an audition to play a "Young Woman" in a short film that was described as "Princess Leia with Attitude".

I wore my Hans Solo shirt and ran thru the different approaches I had worked out in my head. I got there and the director was waiting. He took a olaroid of me and filmed my audition.

I read thru the lines once and he asked for MORE sarcasm. So I obliged. He said - Great! Then asked if I had anything else I wanted to add, anything crazy that I had come up with. Uh...no? Geez! Did I blow it right there? I asked him if there was anything more HE wanted me to do and he said, No. He just wanted to give me a chance to do my own thing if I had something else in mind. Now that "great" he gave me earlier I was dissecting to bits. Maybe it wasn't so positive afterall... He said he'd be in touch about 2 weeks for callbacks...will see.

Then it was onto Coney Island. I got there early. I wandered. I was asked if I wanted to hold a protest sign to keep Astroland open. I was asked by a guy in tiny swim briefs if I wanted to fish on the pier. I was approached by another guy while I was trying to take a picture and quickly walked away. I FINALLY found the teacup ride my mom had asked about. I read the signs that showed the Coney Island Hall of Fame - People who made Coney what it was. Very interesting stuff. Sad that a lot of the inventions/rides have been torn down though - at least the mainstays @ Coney are now historical monuments and functioning or not they can never be torn down.

Met up with my friend finally and we headed to the Aquarium. I'm glad it was free. Having been to the Henry Doorly Zoo Scott Aquarium in Omaha I think I've been spoiled. Plus one of the bigger exhibits was closed down for remodeling too.

Had lunch via Nathan's Hotdogs and then on to the Wonder Wheel! There are 2 options you can take when picking your "ride". Stationary or Swinging. I really thought swinging would be fun, but since I wanted to take pics I opted for stationary.

As we patiently waited in line a stationary container swung to the bottom with no seats in it. Further examination showed an averaged sized dog was riding in there. Didn't get the story on that one.

Finally time to ride! For the paying customer it was $5 to go round twice and have the swinging containers zoom towards you as if catastrophe were soon to strike - but no.

Once we had accomplished that we made one more stop - the 99 cent Coney Island Museum. They ask for a dollar - 99 cents to the admission, a penny to watch a disturbing movie of Thomas Edison electrocuting an elephant! (Apparently the set up is to pay tribute to the elephant, Topsy and make everyone aware.) The tiny museum is fun (beyond the movie) and has cheaper postcards than those found on the beach!

On the way home I struggled to keep awake while trying to read my book - The Ugly American (a book that is sadly still relevant today) Not that the book was boring, I was just wiped.

Towards the end of the line a 2 seater I'd been occupying finally got filled by another person. I could tell from the corner of my eye that this said person was probably a transient but figured I was close to home so I'd just keep reading and keep to myself.

Pretty soon it was made clear that the transient was going to do all he could to get me to move and have the space to himself. First he had to "air out" all parts of his shirt. Then he had to fish around in his bag - which smelled like aluminum cans do when they've been sitting out on the side of road, a recycler knows that smell... - and dug out a sweatshirt or pant that he had to fold several different ways in dramatic fashion before shoving it under his rear for apparent padding on the seat. Then he pulled out a bottled liquid that he drank from and tried to offer to me. I ignored him. He wouldn't have that. I told him I just wanted to read my book. Then he started talking in a high puppet-like voice and would switch to a really low scary voice in my ear. "I like the way your voice sounds." He said in his varied voices. He won. I switched cars.

Welcome back to NYC!

Back to the Big Apple

And just like that, my trip back to Nebraska was over.

After one final meal in Nebraska - Breakfast @ Perkins - the 'rents drove me back to Omaha for my flight. Although it was nice to drive again, I was looking forward to just sitting on a subway and letting someone else be in charge of getting me to and from.

Had detour issues on the way to the airport so there wasn't a lot of time for sad goodbyes - probably an okay thing - I scurried off not wanting to be late. Surprisingly, the airport was not all that busy - maybe gameday affected things? I went to check in my luggage and while one lady began to assist me, another told her not to. She needed something to kill the time she had left. Of course, she was helping someone else at the time so I was made to wait so SHE could kill time. Niiiice.

Finally got checked in and headed for security. One guy began telling me all the rules and I had already started peeling off my shoes, pulling out my laptop, etc. Another guy said - You don't have to tell her, she knows what she's doing.

They asked if I had any liquids. I said no - I'd put them in my checked luggage. Then they found something in my carry-on that they couldn't figure out. They had to open it. What could it be?! Argh. It was a sample mouthwash still in its cardboard box from the State Fair. I hadn't even thought about it being a liquid. It was just a nice rectangle shape that fit a spot in my carry-on. Doh! So they pulled it out of it's cardboard box and stuck in a ziplock with my jewelry. Maybe I didn't know what I was doing....

The plane got a late start which didn't affect our arrival time but getting to my next plane on time in Detroit was still going to be a challenge - compounded by the fact that apparently people don't like to wait their turn on airplanes anymore to exit. So I had people clear in the back getting off before I did!

As I was frantically trying to cut across the terminal I frustratingly passed a "line cutter" lollygagging. Obviously they didn't have an immediate place to be. Grrr....

I finally get to my gate, they scan my ticket, I struggle to get my carry-on in the overhead compartment (I found out it was too long one direction and went to switch but another guy had already put his up there so I had to pull it down for another compartment and had to use my head to keep it balanced while I shoved it in so it wouldn't topple and clobber the women sitting below. Fun!) Nice and sweaty, I settle in and over the speaker they announce that the flight is delayed due to rain between Detroit and NY. Our take off time is in flux so we can't de-board in case we get the go ahead right away.

A flight attendant came by with water and when some didn't take it he told them they might want to because we could be there all night. Lovely.

An hour later we were told that they had no updates, but then we were told if we found out the delay would be another hour in 10 minutes they would let us off the plane...OR there was a chance we would be able to take off.

Fortunately they got the go ahead to take off!

During all of this I had begun to watch a movie a guy had playing across the aisle from me. It was a Jet Li movie and there was an actress playing blind in it! I decided to text my fake husband to see if he knew what movie it was - Unleashed? No, that's not right. I decided to ask the guy - Fearless! (Based on a true story.) Once the guy knew I was watching he left it on subtitles so I could watch and know what they were saying too! Cool!

After that movie, he asked me if I was ready for another - Crank. But alas, the battery soon died on his laptop. Will have to rent that one...

Finally landed and headed to the baggage claim chatting with "movie guy". He said he'd offer to carry one of my bags but saw that I was rather independent when I handled them earlier - apparently referencing the use of my head to push my carry-on into the overhead compartment. ;)

He did get the door for me as he told me that he recently put in street lights at Astoria. Before we parted ways we finally exchanged names. Thanks for letting me watch your movies, Joe!

Got home, got supper with my roommate and got to moving my stuff from one room to another. Oh boy....where am I going to put all my stuff?! Hmmm....is that a triangle shaped closet?

That's a Wrap! (for me)

Woke up and headed to a friend's house to get ready and have a bit of coffee and breakfast. After the morning was spent it was time for lunch with another friend in the Old Market.

Then the final day of filming for me began. And we were all punchy - surrounded by fog, mist and cigar smoke (the only time we could light the cigar as the school was a no smoke zone). But punchy-ness aside, just like that my final scene was over. So soon?

They sweetly offered me a poster that was created for the fiction circus that was the backdrop for the film and I got to see what dailies they had so far - minus audio.

There are a couple more scenes yet to film in the short but they are hoping to have it edited and complete in about a month and a half. Plans are to have the premiere at Film Streams. Hopefully I can make it back to see it! :)

One more friend to meet at DJs Dugout and then it was back to Lincoln to get packed and get ready to fly out tomorrow.

Almost Done

Finally got to meet up with my friend who's been helping the guys with lighting during the shoot. She's been working days for them and I've been coming in nights to film so....we split the difference and met for lunch! :) Lunch in South O. Neither of us had actually WALKED around South O so we decided to explore and find an unplanned place to eat which ended up being Don Cody's. Authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price! :)

I found myself with actually time to kill before my next stop for coffee with a friend at Starbucks. But then the schedule was packed. After coffee it was supper at Cheeseburger in Paradise where I met a friend and inadvertently met another friend who is a manager there. He didn't know I'd moved to NY! So we certainly had some catching up to do!

After Paradise I met up with another friend at Sr. Matias for $1.79 margaritas - within reason, I still had filming to do!

Filming would be at the guys house in their basement. I got ready, we ran the scene, the guys set up the space with fog and mist and right when we were ready to film, the battery light started blinking on the camera. The director asked for a spare battery. Everything was in check...except for the battery. It was discovered that it was locked up under alarm at South. Any alternatives? Not so much....hmmmm...now what?

Decided to call it a night. I crashed on their couch and we would attempt filming the scene tomorrow afternoon with a skeleton crew - the four of us that worked on "You Can't Take It With You."

Winding Down

This morning I met my New York roommate and fellow Nebraskan at The' Cup in Lincoln. She is back in Nebraska to be a part of Tada's Production of Tick, Tick, Boom! (Go see her if you can!)

We both thought it was crazy that we live in NY to be actors and here we are back in NE to act. Go figure. It was good to see her though no matter the environ.

Later, I met with a former director of mine at Starbucks to get her insight into NY and she was full of helpful bits of info! Have a list of places to check out when I get back that I hadn't known about before!

Another night of filming and the last for one of my co-stars. It's almost over already!

My last scene is scheduled for tomorrow night - late. Since the last scene is not at South they decided that if I didn't mind, they'll film that AFTER the night's worth of filming @ South. I asked if they had a couch for me to crash on. They do, so I'm game.

Stills from the Short

Here are stills the director emailed from the film so far. The film was shot in color digital so they are changing it to black and white, aging it and making it look like it was shot in 35mm.

The first few stills are rough because they are partial treated. The double shot is the "rough" still followed by what it looks like fully treated.

D-day - in a good way

Today I was meeting up with the some of the D's individually. When we meet in a group it's a good time, but often we don't get a lot of catching up done.

My first D date was at Mimi's Cafe. She insisted on picking up the tab and just told me to remember that for when I become rich and famous and she needs a meal. Will do! ;)

Then it was on to visit Mommy D and baby as baby was able to come home Saturday! Upon walking up the driveway I immediately heard and saw their black lab flipping out at the approaching visitor.

I used to puppy sit for their dog and although he may still act like a puppy he is not puppy sized - clearing 100 lbs!

Once things calmed down a bit Mommy D brought baby down for me to hold again. She showed me his tiny fingers and toes and told of more facial expressions and what they mean. But soon it was time for her and her husband to get baby ready for a doc visit. I followed them to the nursery and hung out in the door way as they both started to change baby's diaper.

I was just about to say - Has he gotten you yet? When Mommy D quickly moved her hand to block a stream and her husband's eyes looked my way.

I didn't feel anything - I said, as I looked down at my clothes.

Her husband was sure it went that way.

I looked again and sure enough. My skirt now had a glistening to it. Mommy D said she had looked at that seconds before and thought - Oh! I never noticed sequins on there before.

They were her baby's sequins! ;)

Got cleaned up and met another D for supper at Camille's Sidewalk Cafe. We had plenty of good girl talk!

On my way to South for filming in the Catacombs! The place was "dressed" now with plenty of props and lighting. Only one problem - the longer cable the camera (You can see the camera sitting on the trunk in the left pic) required to reach down the long hallway was frayed on the side that would connect to the monitor so there would be no outside view.

The producer (pictured on his throne - jokingly of course) told the director - You're going to have to trust your camera person. He did. But it was hard.

The makeup trick I learned from this evening is that cocoa and glycerin mixed together can look like elephant manure on a person when applied in a convincing manner mixed with grass. Mmmmm....

Since we'd been off a few days I felt a tad out of it. Not sure how others felt. Time got away from us again - here's hoping we got some good shots!

The Tradition Continues

Today marked the 28th year that the Vetter fam has made it the Nebraska State Fair. The first year my bro was hovering around 2 months old and look @ him now!
A lot has changed with the fair in those 28 years. Not all of it good. Much like a lot of things people grow up with - it just ain't what it used to be.

State Fair used to be the place to go to see the latest trend/gadget to have. Those bubble drippers, snap bracelets, charm necklaces, the plate of metal "needles" that you could leave your hand print in, cowboy hat with clip on dangling feathers - most of which came from the Thingsville booth.

They still have the must have gadgets for your home but those don't even seems as great as they used to be - salsa maker anyone?!

Another tradition inside the State Fair that has long since been defunct is getting Pioneer Pictures taken at the Game & Parks display.

We've gone long enough that I grew up watching the high school bands to actually being a part of one there and now am watching them again.

Some things haven't changed though like the food offered. Pineapple Whip ice cream is still a mainstay - although they don't offer it mixed with vanilla anymore. :(

I went to the Iowa State Fair for the first time last year and can sadly understand why some Nebraskans choose to go to that fair instead of ours. (This year Nebraska tried to take a page from the Iowa fair by having a cheese sculptor instead of a butter sculptor in Iowa.) What could be done to make it better? I'm not even sure...

But something tells me, as long as schedules allow the Vetters will continue the annual tradition no matter what shape the fair is in.

Visiting the G-rents

Visiting the G-rents in Woodbine, Iowa today. And checking in on their "new" car - previously owned by me. ;)

Thankfully the car has behaved for them and driven well according to them and my uncles that live in Woodbine, too.

My granny asked me if I liked NYC. I said yes. She said - Darn, I was hoping you'd say "no" and move back. Then quickly added that she just wants the best for me and worries. Oh granny!

We had lunch and talked about this and that. My grandpa gave his opinions on current events mentioning "Old Lady Clinton". Although my gramps can go on, I do enjoy listening to his phrasing of things! ;)

It was a nice leisurely day but eventually we had to head home back over the river and thru the woods...

Game Day!

After a quick stop at The Coffee House (another college haunt) my parents dropped me off at Husker HQ @ 8am for game day. Thankfully, they were willing to chauffeur me around so I wouldn't have to find a parking spot.

(Note on pic - Neon green shirts are so the workers can be found in the crowd and I'm standing next to my parent's car that got me around while I was back.)

The first Husker football game of the season. Nothing like it. No matter the record from the previous season, it is now a clean slate. Hope is renewed and people need new Husker gear!

I assumed my old post at the register and felt the Husker Fever wash over me. Naysayers can't say ANYTHING about it until they've been here. After living in NY for a while I appreciated the genuine enthusiasm and feel good vibe that surrounds it even more.

And boy do these fans like their Husker Gear! Totals cleared $100 more often than not and more impressively it was being paid for in cash not credit.

One college guy dryly said to me - Don't ya just hate it when you put on a fly shirt on game day and you walk out the door and everyone is wearing the same one you are?

Yes, it most assuredly happens but I am truly amazed by how many design options there are when it comes to sporting your Husker Pride.

Time seemed to go in a blink as there was a constant stream of customers and I just worked til noon. The mass of people walking to the stadium stops traffic cold downtown - The Sea of Red. I was glad I was around to experience it again.

However...I didn't watch the game. Instead I met some friends I hadn't seen for about 4 years at Famous Dave's. It was so great to see them! We've kept in touch via email but it's so easy to lose track when you don't get see a person somewhat regularly. Extended our visit by getting ice cream @ Cold Stone and doing a bit o shopping at SouthPointe and then it was time to part ways. Them to North Platte and me to Omaha.

My friend who is now a card carrying L.A. actor was back in the area because her mom celebrated her 50th birthday on the 31st. She and her husband came back to surprise her mom and her dad had arranged for them to go up in a hot air balloon! How cool!

We met up @ PF Changs and had dessert at The Cheescake Factory across the way. Then I followed her back to her folks in Gretna. So much to catch up on! Her latest project is Spring Awakening - The Play, where she plays Wendla. The more we talked about it, the more it made me want to come see the show. Needless to say, I'm working on finding a weekend to fly out there - the show opens Sept. 21st. She desperately wants to find a way to come see the musical in NY before most of the original cast members leave, too. Her show ends in late October and I have no idea how much longer the original cast will be there...hopefully it will all work out!