Tuesday was my sad day. I woke up remembering a dream where I got a big hug from Charlie. I really really miss him. I mean, I miss you all, so so much. But I just see pictures of Charlie and even heard his “Hi Ma” on the phone the other day and I feel like he’s getting so big and boyish without me. I just want a hug!
I went to they gym early and then got ready for my “Double V” callback…think oppression with time steps. When I arrived I noticed that nearly every person I saw at the audition the day before had been called back. Interesting. The director and writer were late…I think they might be married. They are really nice people but almost a little bit too laid back and fruity for me. The writer taught us a pretty simple and short “jazz” dance…to be performed in a Harlem scene and then a tap number. Gotta shuffle off to buffalo into persecution. Not to toot my own horn but there were some pretty weak dancers in the groups and I definitely held my own. And yet, I got cut. In some ways I was relieved feeling like I wouldn’t want to be doing a show with this laid-back and fruity company. But no matter what way you look at it, getting cut just doesn’t feel good. They were really nice, yada, yada, and I have a feeling my voice type wasn’t right for the show. But then, I kind of wish they would not have called me back in the first place. There was another audition I was hoping to crash this morning. Oh well! I window shopped a bit on 34th Avenue, briefly considering some retail therapy, before heading home. I abstained and came home and sorted laundry. I did laundry and went on a cleaning rage. I was stuck in the apartment from 2-6 waiting for the cable man to come install my internet so I can reconnect to the world finally! Of course he showed up at about 5:40 and propelled my day further into its sad hole. Adrienne has the TV cable set up by another company so Time Warner can’t supply our internet cable. Great. I wish the lady had asked me about that when I called! I can’t tell you how frustrated I was. I really wanted to cry. This has just been such a nightmare. The good news is that we just signed up for internet cable (why we didn’t think of this weeks ago…I know, good question) through the TV company and all will be well in the world by Friday at 5. I know many worse things have happened to people but it was just not the best day for me. Here’s to better things and discoveries tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
3 Audition Monday
Monday was another early-to-rise day…I had quite the audition agenda. It was also Adrienne’s first day at the new job! Hurrah! We weaved in and out of the bathroom like buzzing bees! I made it to Ripley-Grier at about 8:30…this was another ECC (Equity Chorus Call…remember?), this time for a production of Les Miz in Salt Lake City. It was CRAZY, just about as bad as the Beauty and the Beast call on Thursday. In fact, it was a bit of a re-run of Thursday. Lots of young non-equity girls sprawled all over the floor, adding the fourth layer of mascara until we were asked to vacate the room for the equity girls. So many girls were there that the announcement that we wouldn’t be heard was no surprise. But at least this time the producer allowed us to leave our headshots and resumes. I have this feeling they go straight to the paper shredder…but at least it feels like I didn’t totally waste a trip.
I next went to a non-equity call for a touring production of “Double V,” an original musical following a Jewish couple oppressed in Nazi-occupied Poland and an African-American couple oppressed in slavery. I was amazed and relieved to find I was only the 8th person to arrive after those ECC moments of claustrophobia. They asked us to sing a song with a “strong emotional core” and I honestly don’t have many songs so I chose “If I Loved You.” The other auditionees were friendly and we bonded over freezing in the hallway, wondering why and how they were spending so much time with each person. When my turn came up I sang my song in the bathtub of a room, trying to reign in the high notes for everyone’s safety! They then gave me direction to sing the song again but this time with the intention that my boyfriend was breaking up with me because I am Jewish. It was actually fun to play with the different intention and have something so specific to commit to…that is something I need to do with all my songs so I was thankful for this little acting class! Then the director asked me if I had a song that I could sing as though I was leading a march of protest against the Nazi occupation. Somehow “Simple Joys of Maidenhood” really worked out well for that and I was called back. Best part, they asked me to bring tap shoes! Mom cried laughing hearing about the oppressive musical with tap dancing…I swear I don’t make this stuff up for my comedy routine!
Armed with my first call-back I sauntered over to Chelsea Studios, about 10 blocks away, to check out the scene for the Gypsy non-equity national tour. I had heard it was a crazy mass and it was….over 300 people signed up. But the monitor was really nice and to my astonishment allowed me to turn in my materials and also, the chance to return at 4 pm.
I went home and cooked dinner and checked email at the library…efficient Monday, indeed!
When I went back to Gypsy, I ran into a few of the “Double V” auditionees. It’s so nice to see a familiar face when it feels the masses have been kindred spirits for years and years. I had a nice time hearing one girl’s story. Like me, she recently moved to NYC to give it all a go. She’s a little older than me, also classically trained and was full of advice, including help on how to learn how to mix/belt. We were limited to only 16 bars. I was one of the last to sing and I chose “What Good Would the Moon Be” because I heard the pianist was amazing. He was and I sang it well although I think I worried more about not sounding like an opera singer (totally not right for Gypsy) than on intention. I did get some “Wow, beautifuls” but no call-back. I wasn’t surprised since there aren’t any roles for me but I was glad that I took the time for the audition practice!
I came home to my vegetarian chili and filled with excitement to hear about Adrienne’s new job. We had lots of fun wondering how all those Miss America managed to choose the ugliest dresses and hairstyles we’ve seen this decade! Eeek!
I next went to a non-equity call for a touring production of “Double V,” an original musical following a Jewish couple oppressed in Nazi-occupied Poland and an African-American couple oppressed in slavery. I was amazed and relieved to find I was only the 8th person to arrive after those ECC moments of claustrophobia. They asked us to sing a song with a “strong emotional core” and I honestly don’t have many songs so I chose “If I Loved You.” The other auditionees were friendly and we bonded over freezing in the hallway, wondering why and how they were spending so much time with each person. When my turn came up I sang my song in the bathtub of a room, trying to reign in the high notes for everyone’s safety! They then gave me direction to sing the song again but this time with the intention that my boyfriend was breaking up with me because I am Jewish. It was actually fun to play with the different intention and have something so specific to commit to…that is something I need to do with all my songs so I was thankful for this little acting class! Then the director asked me if I had a song that I could sing as though I was leading a march of protest against the Nazi occupation. Somehow “Simple Joys of Maidenhood” really worked out well for that and I was called back. Best part, they asked me to bring tap shoes! Mom cried laughing hearing about the oppressive musical with tap dancing…I swear I don’t make this stuff up for my comedy routine!
Armed with my first call-back I sauntered over to Chelsea Studios, about 10 blocks away, to check out the scene for the Gypsy non-equity national tour. I had heard it was a crazy mass and it was….over 300 people signed up. But the monitor was really nice and to my astonishment allowed me to turn in my materials and also, the chance to return at 4 pm.
I went home and cooked dinner and checked email at the library…efficient Monday, indeed!
When I went back to Gypsy, I ran into a few of the “Double V” auditionees. It’s so nice to see a familiar face when it feels the masses have been kindred spirits for years and years. I had a nice time hearing one girl’s story. Like me, she recently moved to NYC to give it all a go. She’s a little older than me, also classically trained and was full of advice, including help on how to learn how to mix/belt. We were limited to only 16 bars. I was one of the last to sing and I chose “What Good Would the Moon Be” because I heard the pianist was amazing. He was and I sang it well although I think I worried more about not sounding like an opera singer (totally not right for Gypsy) than on intention. I did get some “Wow, beautifuls” but no call-back. I wasn’t surprised since there aren’t any roles for me but I was glad that I took the time for the audition practice!
I came home to my vegetarian chili and filled with excitement to hear about Adrienne’s new job. We had lots of fun wondering how all those Miss America managed to choose the ugliest dresses and hairstyles we’ve seen this decade! Eeek!
Sunday and Salad Pizza
Sunday morning I went to Redeemer, again to the West AM service. Two of the members of my small group played in an amazing brass quintet. I was literally in heaven. Those instruments really send me! Tim Keller spoke again and I furiously tried to write every word down...he is a very wise man and I love his preaching! I bravely entered coffeeland again after the service and ran into a girl I met the week before (Crystal the Clarinettist) as well as a girl Adrienne and I met at the knitting circle (Deeny Does your Taxes.) By the way, Adrienne and I assigned everyone we met special titles so we would remember them! And it works!
Adrienne and I got manicures, only $9 at the place next door, and then headed back to The Point, the knitting cafe and the venue for our now recurring family Sunday activity. Serious progress was made on the pink scarves!
Jon came over for salad pizzas for dinner. YUM-o! We took whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joes and made individual pizzas with marinated chicken and pesto and then topped it with a greek salad! Amazing! I highly recommend trying it!
Adrienne and I got manicures, only $9 at the place next door, and then headed back to The Point, the knitting cafe and the venue for our now recurring family Sunday activity. Serious progress was made on the pink scarves!
Jon came over for salad pizzas for dinner. YUM-o! We took whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joes and made individual pizzas with marinated chicken and pesto and then topped it with a greek salad! Amazing! I highly recommend trying it!
New friends and NY pizza!
Today is Saturday and once again I’m catching up. I can’t wait for Tuesday and the nirvana of internet access once again! Ah! I can hear the angels singing already.
I’m right now at DTUT (I’m not sure what the stands for) a cute, cute coffeshop on 2nd Ave between 85th and 84th. Honestly, it’s a bit of a hike with my old school I-Book, not built for hiking the streets of NYC. But…I’m happy to be here and I find in this environment I’m inspired to write.
I officially love Saturdays because of my awesome dance classes at Equinox. First of all, I got to see Gail again in NIA. We are officially friends as well as the instructor’s new favorites. We talked to her after class and she tried to tell us that we had almost reached some next plane and she had to hold us back…..um, okay, whatever. I just loved the workout and shaking my bones with abandonment. Gail and I actually both had the idea to become NIA certified. I could see myself teaching that class more than any other because you don’t have to yell and heaven knows I need to find some day-job ideas! We had several ladies tell us how much they loved our energy in class. Okay…it all sounds a little fruity, I know, but it’s fun, fun! Gail and I exchanged info and we’re going to try to get together soon. She is so nice and said she was a bit of a “yente” and encouraged me that contrary to Adrienne’s depressing diagnosis of us being past our prime, that I was ripe to learn more about myself and get ready for meeting the right one.
After lunch, I hiked over here to DTUT, which honestly was very NYC in clamoring for a seat, and later a seat with a back, and still later, an electrical outlet. Now I can’t seem to stay connected to the wireless and I’m about ready to go.
Adrienne and I are meeting up with Mary’s friend Grace and Grace’s husband Don in the East Village. I’m excited for the possibility of new friends! Yippee!
Okay…we went and met Grace and Don and had yummy, yummy pizza at Lombardi’s. Totally not-whole grain and wonderfully delicious! I also had a glass of Sangria which is a popular NYC menu item. Hoorah! I think I’ve even got Adrienne excited about my White Trash version.
It was nice to find a piece of home in Grace. Even though we’ve never met (although we were at Seri’s wedding together), having that connection with Mary and Seri felt like a great tummy hug. I miss all my girls! Adrienne and I hope to have them over soon for dinner and we heard all about the yumminess that Astoria offers!
When below 14th St. it’s pretty hard to resist a stopover at Trader Joes. We couldn’t resist the dried mangos and whole-wheat staples and we found the shortest lines at that time (9:30) but also a pretty picked-over floor. No celebrity sightings, alas.
I’m right now at DTUT (I’m not sure what the stands for) a cute, cute coffeshop on 2nd Ave between 85th and 84th. Honestly, it’s a bit of a hike with my old school I-Book, not built for hiking the streets of NYC. But…I’m happy to be here and I find in this environment I’m inspired to write.
I officially love Saturdays because of my awesome dance classes at Equinox. First of all, I got to see Gail again in NIA. We are officially friends as well as the instructor’s new favorites. We talked to her after class and she tried to tell us that we had almost reached some next plane and she had to hold us back…..um, okay, whatever. I just loved the workout and shaking my bones with abandonment. Gail and I actually both had the idea to become NIA certified. I could see myself teaching that class more than any other because you don’t have to yell and heaven knows I need to find some day-job ideas! We had several ladies tell us how much they loved our energy in class. Okay…it all sounds a little fruity, I know, but it’s fun, fun! Gail and I exchanged info and we’re going to try to get together soon. She is so nice and said she was a bit of a “yente” and encouraged me that contrary to Adrienne’s depressing diagnosis of us being past our prime, that I was ripe to learn more about myself and get ready for meeting the right one.
After lunch, I hiked over here to DTUT, which honestly was very NYC in clamoring for a seat, and later a seat with a back, and still later, an electrical outlet. Now I can’t seem to stay connected to the wireless and I’m about ready to go.
Adrienne and I are meeting up with Mary’s friend Grace and Grace’s husband Don in the East Village. I’m excited for the possibility of new friends! Yippee!
Okay…we went and met Grace and Don and had yummy, yummy pizza at Lombardi’s. Totally not-whole grain and wonderfully delicious! I also had a glass of Sangria which is a popular NYC menu item. Hoorah! I think I’ve even got Adrienne excited about my White Trash version.
It was nice to find a piece of home in Grace. Even though we’ve never met (although we were at Seri’s wedding together), having that connection with Mary and Seri felt like a great tummy hug. I miss all my girls! Adrienne and I hope to have them over soon for dinner and we heard all about the yumminess that Astoria offers!
When below 14th St. it’s pretty hard to resist a stopover at Trader Joes. We couldn’t resist the dried mangos and whole-wheat staples and we found the shortest lines at that time (9:30) but also a pretty picked-over floor. No celebrity sightings, alas.
Friends singing at Carnegie Hall Friday!
Friday, I braved the 8 degree weather to dance, because as they say in Chorus Line, “God I’m a dancer and a dancer dances!” If only! The more I take class the less I feel like a dancer but I guess I can only improve! I must say I’m probably taking dance classes at one of the more prestigious studios in the city, so it’s my own fault. I took a beginning ballet class where I felt more like an inflexible cow than a future Gisele. The teacher was really nice and tried to help my turn-out and various other issues. I apologetically thanked her after the 90 minute class and she said I did great. Really? I promised I would try the BASIC level. So much for starting at beginning! After a short break I entered Advanced Beginning Broadway Style Tap, alongside two Rockettes, yes, the ones from Radio City, fully decked out in Rockette wear just in case you wondered who you were tapping beside. I sucked in various moments…I need to seriously work out the pull-backs but at least I rocked the turning flap-heels. Even better than the Rockettes, ha! The routine was fun and a little bit too hard for me but I loved the teacher and I know I’ll be back. I also gave him an apologetic thank you but he said I did great with a slap on my rear. Those gay guys get away with it all!
I rolled myself up and out of the dressing room full of bony ballet bodies and bused and trained it home where I found a celebratory Adrienne. She finished her last day (well, at least part of the day) at Bank of America and she begins her new job at Cornell on Monday.
Later, I checked out the nearby branch of the Public Library so I could check my email. I had to make an appointment to get on a computer and once there, I had 20 glorious minutes. As soon as my time was up another typical NYC moment occurred. The lady with the computer’s next reservation, literally scooted her chair into mine and as I stood up she whisked mine away. No “Are you finished?” or “Do you mind if I take over?” niceties here. Yikes!
I decided to try my luck with Donna and Andrew’s Carnegie Concert and so braved the chill again. Thankfully, I was able to get a ticket in the mezzanine and then had an hour of postcard-writing time at Starbucks.
The concert was up and down. It was pretty cool to see Marilyn even though I have bad memories of her indifference towards me in Music Academy of the West auditions of old. The hall was just the most gorgeous space I’ve ever seen, even if you can hear the rumble of the N-R train at various inconvenient moments of otherwise sublime stillness.
Andrew and Donna were definitely the highlight and the most engaging pair of the evening. I was excited that a fellow Rice grad and rising superstar, Sasha Cooke, sang with great rich color and sensitivity. There was even an appearance by opera superstar, Marcello Giordani, who brought me chuckles with his stereotypical tenor antics. The final Brahms quartet was a bit of a mess and I was in view of Stephen Blier, head of the NY Festival of Song, the whole time. His constant broadcast of his disinterest and even disgust with some of the singing frankly disappointed me.
But all in all, I was once again inspired and invigorated if not puzzled by one thing. Marilyn Horne is known for championing singers with huge voices and yet she has this foundation that is supposed to bring intimate art song to the masses of America. And most of her chosen ones just don’t know how to do that. Lucky for her and for me, Andrew and Donna have the handbook written!
I rolled myself up and out of the dressing room full of bony ballet bodies and bused and trained it home where I found a celebratory Adrienne. She finished her last day (well, at least part of the day) at Bank of America and she begins her new job at Cornell on Monday.
Later, I checked out the nearby branch of the Public Library so I could check my email. I had to make an appointment to get on a computer and once there, I had 20 glorious minutes. As soon as my time was up another typical NYC moment occurred. The lady with the computer’s next reservation, literally scooted her chair into mine and as I stood up she whisked mine away. No “Are you finished?” or “Do you mind if I take over?” niceties here. Yikes!
I decided to try my luck with Donna and Andrew’s Carnegie Concert and so braved the chill again. Thankfully, I was able to get a ticket in the mezzanine and then had an hour of postcard-writing time at Starbucks.
The concert was up and down. It was pretty cool to see Marilyn even though I have bad memories of her indifference towards me in Music Academy of the West auditions of old. The hall was just the most gorgeous space I’ve ever seen, even if you can hear the rumble of the N-R train at various inconvenient moments of otherwise sublime stillness.
Andrew and Donna were definitely the highlight and the most engaging pair of the evening. I was excited that a fellow Rice grad and rising superstar, Sasha Cooke, sang with great rich color and sensitivity. There was even an appearance by opera superstar, Marcello Giordani, who brought me chuckles with his stereotypical tenor antics. The final Brahms quartet was a bit of a mess and I was in view of Stephen Blier, head of the NY Festival of Song, the whole time. His constant broadcast of his disinterest and even disgust with some of the singing frankly disappointed me.
But all in all, I was once again inspired and invigorated if not puzzled by one thing. Marilyn Horne is known for championing singers with huge voices and yet she has this foundation that is supposed to bring intimate art song to the masses of America. And most of her chosen ones just don’t know how to do that. Lucky for her and for me, Andrew and Donna have the handbook written!
Thursday Jan 26....
Thursday I went on a reconnaissance mission to understand the nuts and bolts of the ever-intimidating ECC (Equity Chorus Call). This one was for “Beauty and the Beast” on Broadway and I knew it was going to be a mad-house and there was no chance I would be seen. Thankfully, I anticipated the hordes of humming blondes with their flirty dresses lining the halls and saved myself an early wake-up call. Instead, I even skipped the shower, discovering that enough anti-frizz serum can’t make any pile of dead curls work and took my time getting over to the Ripley-Grier studios. It was biting cold but the walk from the 6 train took me through the Fashion District. Windows blaring “WHOLESALE ONLY” teased me with flowing dresses and chic blouses. I turned my attention to finding Mood Fabrics where all the Project Runway beauty begins…I’ll have to look that one up I guess.
I arrived at Ripley Grier only to jump in the wrong elevator in search of the audition. I met another nervous non-equity cutie also lost. We found our way to a large mirrored dance-studio full of barely legal pretty girls putting finishing touches on makeup and fully armed with hot rollers and curling irons. After signing my name, 37th on the unofficial non-equity list (no EMC priority in ECC land) I found a seat on top of a portable ballet bar and settled in. Munching on my extra-special trail mix, I eavesdropped on nearby conversations, longing for the day when I’d have friends to catch up with and encourage. I did run into Michelle, a girl I met at Ogunquit on Monday. She was #8 on the EMC list on a day when the first 7 got called before lunch. I was sad for myself, sitting on my rear, hoping to be called, but I was definitely more sympathetic to her case. Michelle and I shared skepticism that we would be seen and as the time drew closer to call-time the room filled up with women, hungry to don a fork or a feather-duster costume on Broadway! The room got so packed (where is my camera when I really need it!?) that the monitor asked the non-equity girls to vacate so that more equity girls could move in. This time I found a spot of hallway next to my fellow lost and now new friend, Alex. We chatted for a while and discovered we were both trained in opera. She just graduated from college and had taken a one-hour train ride in from Jersey to make it to the call. Beauty and the Beast, she said, was the reason why she started pursuing musical theatre. I looked around at all these dreaming girls, perfectly coiffed and warmed up to change the casting world in 16 bars of music. The scene broke my heart, even more so when the monitor announced that the casting director did not want to hear any non-equity folks and didn’t even want to see our headshots and resumes. More than anything, this week has shown me in great big brush strokes the haves versus the have-nots. I’m not sure, as a privileged white girl, if I’ve ever experienced the second-class citizenship to this degree. I’m sure it will fuel some amazing auditions, autobiographies and acting choices to come!
Alex and I walked out together and she shopped with me for no-salt Katie’s bday present. I got her some really cute pink I heart NY pj pants as well as a Broadway collage magnet. I’m looking forward to seeing Alex again this next week when we fight for the right to sing for some other auditions!
I headed home and then returned to midtown to meet up with Donna Loewy, one of my coaches from CCM, and Andrew Garland, a colleague, also from CCM. Those two are making their Carnegie Hall debut on Friday as part of the Marilyn Horne Foundation. I tried to get tickets to their sold-out concert with no luck. They let me know about another Marilyn Horne sponsored-recital that afternoon featuring two colleagues I met when I was in Aspen. We hung out a bit before parting for a few hours.
I was super-productive, visiting Staples where a favorite NYC moment occurred.
Guy behind me to lady behind him: Do you want to go ahead of me?
Lady: No, why?
Guy: You keep bumping into me.
Lady: I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…
Guy: Well, you’ve done it at least three times!
Ah, such fun! I was able to mail Katie’s package before showering, working the diffuser (I’m afraid the end result is a little bit Jersey) and heading out to my first Carnegie Hall concert. Hannan Alattar with D-George teamed up in recital with an amazing tenor-piano duo. I never am moved to tears by a tenor…well, maybe Karim…but a big voiced, creamy tenor, with real emotional connection to his text….ah, it was stunning and I was weeping. I really LOVED it and was so thankful Donna and Andy had let me know about the sweet gem of an event. We waited together afterwards to greet the artists…such a crazy scene, full of the dignitaries of the NYC singing world. I have to admit the intimidation factor there is great. I was thankful to run into Camille, a friend from Aspen as well as the chance to greet Hannan, who didn’t remember me but told me I was her favorite audience member! I guess all that smiling comes through to the stage.
I felt filled with the excitement of being in NYC and the joy of being so close to such amazing music. Inspired to get to sing in that hall one day, I got back on the 6 train for what seemed like the 10th time of the day and settled in for the night.
I arrived at Ripley Grier only to jump in the wrong elevator in search of the audition. I met another nervous non-equity cutie also lost. We found our way to a large mirrored dance-studio full of barely legal pretty girls putting finishing touches on makeup and fully armed with hot rollers and curling irons. After signing my name, 37th on the unofficial non-equity list (no EMC priority in ECC land) I found a seat on top of a portable ballet bar and settled in. Munching on my extra-special trail mix, I eavesdropped on nearby conversations, longing for the day when I’d have friends to catch up with and encourage. I did run into Michelle, a girl I met at Ogunquit on Monday. She was #8 on the EMC list on a day when the first 7 got called before lunch. I was sad for myself, sitting on my rear, hoping to be called, but I was definitely more sympathetic to her case. Michelle and I shared skepticism that we would be seen and as the time drew closer to call-time the room filled up with women, hungry to don a fork or a feather-duster costume on Broadway! The room got so packed (where is my camera when I really need it!?) that the monitor asked the non-equity girls to vacate so that more equity girls could move in. This time I found a spot of hallway next to my fellow lost and now new friend, Alex. We chatted for a while and discovered we were both trained in opera. She just graduated from college and had taken a one-hour train ride in from Jersey to make it to the call. Beauty and the Beast, she said, was the reason why she started pursuing musical theatre. I looked around at all these dreaming girls, perfectly coiffed and warmed up to change the casting world in 16 bars of music. The scene broke my heart, even more so when the monitor announced that the casting director did not want to hear any non-equity folks and didn’t even want to see our headshots and resumes. More than anything, this week has shown me in great big brush strokes the haves versus the have-nots. I’m not sure, as a privileged white girl, if I’ve ever experienced the second-class citizenship to this degree. I’m sure it will fuel some amazing auditions, autobiographies and acting choices to come!
Alex and I walked out together and she shopped with me for no-salt Katie’s bday present. I got her some really cute pink I heart NY pj pants as well as a Broadway collage magnet. I’m looking forward to seeing Alex again this next week when we fight for the right to sing for some other auditions!
I headed home and then returned to midtown to meet up with Donna Loewy, one of my coaches from CCM, and Andrew Garland, a colleague, also from CCM. Those two are making their Carnegie Hall debut on Friday as part of the Marilyn Horne Foundation. I tried to get tickets to their sold-out concert with no luck. They let me know about another Marilyn Horne sponsored-recital that afternoon featuring two colleagues I met when I was in Aspen. We hung out a bit before parting for a few hours.
I was super-productive, visiting Staples where a favorite NYC moment occurred.
Guy behind me to lady behind him: Do you want to go ahead of me?
Lady: No, why?
Guy: You keep bumping into me.
Lady: I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…
Guy: Well, you’ve done it at least three times!
Ah, such fun! I was able to mail Katie’s package before showering, working the diffuser (I’m afraid the end result is a little bit Jersey) and heading out to my first Carnegie Hall concert. Hannan Alattar with D-George teamed up in recital with an amazing tenor-piano duo. I never am moved to tears by a tenor…well, maybe Karim…but a big voiced, creamy tenor, with real emotional connection to his text….ah, it was stunning and I was weeping. I really LOVED it and was so thankful Donna and Andy had let me know about the sweet gem of an event. We waited together afterwards to greet the artists…such a crazy scene, full of the dignitaries of the NYC singing world. I have to admit the intimidation factor there is great. I was thankful to run into Camille, a friend from Aspen as well as the chance to greet Hannan, who didn’t remember me but told me I was her favorite audience member! I guess all that smiling comes through to the stage.
I felt filled with the excitement of being in NYC and the joy of being so close to such amazing music. Inspired to get to sing in that hall one day, I got back on the 6 train for what seemed like the 10th time of the day and settled in for the night.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Oh to be Equity, the Met, and La Bodeguita!!!
It was a verrrrrrrrrrrrry eaaaaaaaarly morning! I actually kept waking myself up because I was worried I would sleep through my alarm. Turns out that would have been okay. I made it to the Actors Equity building at 7:15 (yes, AM) and was probably 30th in line for the audition sign-ups. The great news was that I was #4 in line for the EMC list. The bad news is that at 11 the monitor announced that there were still 40 Equity folks on the alternate list and that it was not looking good for us. Alas. Before I left I had the great fortune to run into a man who is an actor and singer who I met last night at the Bible Study. He gave me some great tips about an acting class and an open-mic night to check out. It was really nice to see his friendly face after hours of feeling pretty alone. The thing with these auditions is that it's such a small community that most people seem to know eachother (or at least it seems that way) and it's hard not to wish for that!
The disappointment of the morning definitely turned up when I met Nicole Etienne at the Met. She treated me and we caught up in the cafe in the atrium before she led me through the amazing "Americans in Paris" museum. My favorites were the Cassat paintings (especially the ladies at the opera and all the maternal scenes) and the John Singer Sargent portraits. So stunning. Once again, seeing all of those paintings that are so familiar up close made me a little verklemmt! We also toured around the Egypt exhibit as well as some Asian displays. I also loved the medieval sculptures of Jesus and Mary. It was really fun to be with Nicole and have that taste of home and family. On our way to our respective homes we stepped into a fancy gallery on 82nd St. that had a collection of Sargent paintings. The gallery was in one of the brownstone mansions that I've always wondered about. Amazing marble staircases....definitely worth the trip.
The best news is that even though RD is letting me write this presently on his internet connection very, very soon Adrienne and I will be hooked up with cable hi-speed internet. Hoorah! The no-internet ordeal has been quite a trial!!!!
But before we start celebrating I have one more fun story about our trip to La Bodeguita on 2nd Avenue. This time it was a real restaurant. We took our cab to the Gramercy Park area and had a lovely dinner. The jamon croquetas were my favorite....but of course the platanos maduros were also a hit. We tried some empanadas and for entrees their version of Ropa Vieja and Bistec de Palomilla. I prefer the Palo Alto food, in general, but it was such a treat to taste all those flavors again. There was a really cheezy keyboard musician who serenaded us more than we asked and I was busily taking pictures and looking for any sign of trademark infringement. Once again, no logos stolen. All is safe in La Bodgeguita land. Adrienne and I splurged and shared a coconut flan...our first non-darkest of dark chocolate desserts since her bday. Muy sabroso. It was definitely a great time and even that small little glass of sangria made me goofier than ever. The best and worst, perhaps, is that coming out of the cab just now, I managed to hit a parked S-series Benz with the yellow-painted door. Sorry to all of you Dads out there with your fancy toys. Park at your own peril when I'm around! The incident brought us many giggles and frantic running up into our apartment.
Good night for now!
The disappointment of the morning definitely turned up when I met Nicole Etienne at the Met. She treated me and we caught up in the cafe in the atrium before she led me through the amazing "Americans in Paris" museum. My favorites were the Cassat paintings (especially the ladies at the opera and all the maternal scenes) and the John Singer Sargent portraits. So stunning. Once again, seeing all of those paintings that are so familiar up close made me a little verklemmt! We also toured around the Egypt exhibit as well as some Asian displays. I also loved the medieval sculptures of Jesus and Mary. It was really fun to be with Nicole and have that taste of home and family. On our way to our respective homes we stepped into a fancy gallery on 82nd St. that had a collection of Sargent paintings. The gallery was in one of the brownstone mansions that I've always wondered about. Amazing marble staircases....definitely worth the trip.
The best news is that even though RD is letting me write this presently on his internet connection very, very soon Adrienne and I will be hooked up with cable hi-speed internet. Hoorah! The no-internet ordeal has been quite a trial!!!!
But before we start celebrating I have one more fun story about our trip to La Bodeguita on 2nd Avenue. This time it was a real restaurant. We took our cab to the Gramercy Park area and had a lovely dinner. The jamon croquetas were my favorite....but of course the platanos maduros were also a hit. We tried some empanadas and for entrees their version of Ropa Vieja and Bistec de Palomilla. I prefer the Palo Alto food, in general, but it was such a treat to taste all those flavors again. There was a really cheezy keyboard musician who serenaded us more than we asked and I was busily taking pictures and looking for any sign of trademark infringement. Once again, no logos stolen. All is safe in La Bodgeguita land. Adrienne and I splurged and shared a coconut flan...our first non-darkest of dark chocolate desserts since her bday. Muy sabroso. It was definitely a great time and even that small little glass of sangria made me goofier than ever. The best and worst, perhaps, is that coming out of the cab just now, I managed to hit a parked S-series Benz with the yellow-painted door. Sorry to all of you Dads out there with your fancy toys. Park at your own peril when I'm around! The incident brought us many giggles and frantic running up into our apartment.
Good night for now!
opera with teenagers..
Tuesday morning I ventured downtown to see a school show of "Signor Bruschino," a Rossini opera that Gotham Chamber Opera is mounting. Tawnya is playing viola in the pit and arranged a ticket for me to see it with a house full of teenagers. I loved the staging and the concept but a few of the director's choices were loaded with sexual inuendo and wow...i've never seen such a ruckus at an opera. It was pretty exciting, all in all! Maria d'Amato, a sweet friend from CCM and an amazing soprano, was covering the lead. I'm bummed because she has been en garde all week to go on for the principal who has been sick during the whole production process. I really wished I could have heard her sing. Alas. It was really nice to see her, regardless, in the audience. The opera was at the Henry Street Settlement and it was a really cozy and beautiful theatre but a huge hike from the 6 line (subway!). I did get to walk through Chinatown and on the way back, Orchard Street, aka "The Bargain District." Let me know if you'd like a leather jacket anytime soon! I did get a little lost and I have to say the Lower East Side is not my favorite spot.
Since I was "downtown" I took the opportunity to go the Astor Place K-mart...(why there are two or more? K-marts in this city and no Targets is a very sad story, but I digress) to pick up, drumroll please, a diffuser!!!! Can you believe it?...I've broken down after 28 years of no artificial hair-drying! But these early morning auditions with wet hair in 20 degree weather are just not a good idea. Success!
I also went ahead and made a Trader Joes pilgrimage. It was 2 pm on a Tuesday and the place was a zoo. I think I was in line for 25 minutes but I was excited to spot Angela from "Project Runway" wearing some crazy and colorful quilted pants. I stopped myself from taking a pic or grabbing an autograph. Maybe next time.
I went back to the musician's fellowship group...they are such a nice group of folks with amazing faith and prayers that definitely restored my soul! I especially am enjoying chatting with Audrey, a jazz wind-player who comes all the way from Princeton, NJ. She works pink as much as I do!
Adrienne and I made an awesome Greek Salad....note to everyone...if you haven't tried "Goddess Dressing" from Trader Joes or also by Annies....run, don't walk and get it. AMAZING and totally Dr. Oz approved!
Since I was "downtown" I took the opportunity to go the Astor Place K-mart...(why there are two or more? K-marts in this city and no Targets is a very sad story, but I digress) to pick up, drumroll please, a diffuser!!!! Can you believe it?...I've broken down after 28 years of no artificial hair-drying! But these early morning auditions with wet hair in 20 degree weather are just not a good idea. Success!
I also went ahead and made a Trader Joes pilgrimage. It was 2 pm on a Tuesday and the place was a zoo. I think I was in line for 25 minutes but I was excited to spot Angela from "Project Runway" wearing some crazy and colorful quilted pants. I stopped myself from taking a pic or grabbing an autograph. Maybe next time.
I went back to the musician's fellowship group...they are such a nice group of folks with amazing faith and prayers that definitely restored my soul! I especially am enjoying chatting with Audrey, a jazz wind-player who comes all the way from Princeton, NJ. She works pink as much as I do!
Adrienne and I made an awesome Greek Salad....note to everyone...if you haven't tried "Goddess Dressing" from Trader Joes or also by Annies....run, don't walk and get it. AMAZING and totally Dr. Oz approved!
Monday, January 22, 2007
sittin' and hopin'
Okay...I'm at the gym so this will have to be a quick one! Adrienne already thinks I have issues considering I went to the gym at 8:30 at night. But, we have no internet. And you know how I am about that. Also, I literally sat on my butt today from 9-5 (yes, roll that Dolly Parton song) hoping to get seen for an EPA (Equity Audition) for a summer theatre company in Maine. I was 15th on the EMC list and they got through #7 by about 11 am so I thought I had it in the bag! I went to the MOMA on my lunch break. That gift is soooooooooooooo clutch! I spent my hour on the 4th floor...my new favorite! Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko and all sorts of other fun and crazy stuff. And then I sat and sat until at 5 pm the monitor announced that we weren't going to be seen!!!! AH! A whole day sitting on my behind. So, that is why I am at the gym. I felt at least I could have one productive item checked off my list. I did write 15 postcards at the audition and did a bit of knitting. I ran into my friend DaRon from Ray of Light Theatre (he sang the Jennifer Hudson Dreamgirls song...if you remember). He was #14 and it was nice to see a friendly face. I also talked to a really nice girl who was also on the EMC list. I was encouraged to hear that she finds a lot of non-equity opportunities here.
I got a killer migraine while I was sitting there...too much flourescent lighting and not enough fresh air, I guess. So when I came home I was grumpy and went into a dark space and sweet Adrienne made delicious dinner. And now I'm here and heading home to take a shower so I can wake up tomorrow (earlier!!!) and do it all again.
I got a killer migraine while I was sitting there...too much flourescent lighting and not enough fresh air, I guess. So when I came home I was grumpy and went into a dark space and sweet Adrienne made delicious dinner. And now I'm here and heading home to take a shower so I can wake up tomorrow (earlier!!!) and do it all again.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Sunday funday
What a great day! It is still soooooooooooooo cold here. I still couldn't help taking some long walks...I just love 'em but I was wishing I was wearing some longer underwear, if you know what I mean!
I tried a third Redeemer service option...this time the West Side morning service, held at the Society for Ethical and Cultural Society. What an amazing and beautiful space! I thought I had tons of time to spare so I walked through the park, past frozen ponds and spare trees...listening to my tunes and freezing my bunds. And when I got to church I was so confused because it was totally full! Ah! I thought it started at 9:45 but really it was 9:15. Bummer! I didn't miss too much and two members of the small group I joined led music. Louise, the violinist, played 1st violin for the string quartet that played exquisite movements of a Haydn quartet. Aw....another reason to love church in NYC. This was the first service where Tim Keller didn't speak....Rev. John Lin gave the talk about the passage in Mark where the woman breaks her alabaster jar of nard over Jesus. I love that passage and he brought to life the contrast of Judas' betrayal and the woman's extravagant love. And how that extravagance is a preview of the even more sacrificial and extravagant love of Jesus that comes on the cross. I found Jennifer, my new friend from small group at the coffee hour and met a few other musicians. That was a big step...not leaving right after church!!! I walked through the park a different way and found an ice skating rink as well as the carousel that I can't wait to bring Charlie to!
I walked all the way home on 5th Avenue past all the fancy fancy apartments that have fun little red lights on the corners of the buildings to call taxis as well as the Museum Mile. It was cold, cold, cold. But I'm stubborn, stubborn, stubborn and wanted to walk all the way home!
I convinced Adrienne to join me at a knitting circle put on by Redeemer at an adorable knitting cafe called "The Point" in Greenwich Village. So cute, I felt like I was a character in a chick lit novel! We met some really nice girls, possible future friends!, and Adrienne is already hooked on knitting. We're currently watching "Brothers and Sisters" and she is knitting away with much purpose! The knitting cirlce meets once a month and we're planning on going back.
Adrienne and I got on the A train to head out to a concert by the Althabasca String Trio featuring my favourite Canadian and violist, Tawnya! It was way up in Washington Heights at a beautiful old co-op building called the Hudson View Gardens. The concert program was a Mozart flute quartet, a really cool and haunting Penderecki trio and then after intermission a John Harbison trio where each of the 4 movements had the subtitle: Fast. The finale was a beautiful Schumann piano quartet where the strings were the stars!
Next, Adrienne and I embarked on my first undercover detective assignment for La Bo. Lara is having me check out some possible trademark infringers in the city and one of the addresses she gave me was really close to the concert...only a few blocks into the really shady part of town. Yikes. The deal is that Lara is paying for me and a friend to eat a 3 course dinner and take cabs to these places in exchange for pictures and materials that show whether or not they are using the trademarked logo, etc, etc. I had called this place called, "La Bodeguita de Broadway" this morning to see if I could make reservations for dinner. When the line picked up I heard, "WASSUP?" I then asked, "La Bodeguita de Broadway?" and then had a really awkward conversation about dinner and reservations, etc. I was doubtful Adrienne and I were going to get a high-end meal but I was cracking up with what we found...this was a tiny little quickie store with a sign advertisitng liquor and cigarettes. I think Lara has nothing to worry about here! We were pretty excited to find a cab RIGHT AWAY to get out of that neigborhood and I felt once again so blessed to live where we do, where I always feel safe.
Our cuban feast derailed, we settled for trying a new restaurant down the street, Geronimo, and ended the evening with some Tasti-D which is all over NYC. It's low calorie frozen yoghurt that is just delicious!!!
I'm trying to figure out how to post some pictures but I think my images are too large...but they'll be coming soon!
I tried a third Redeemer service option...this time the West Side morning service, held at the Society for Ethical and Cultural Society. What an amazing and beautiful space! I thought I had tons of time to spare so I walked through the park, past frozen ponds and spare trees...listening to my tunes and freezing my bunds. And when I got to church I was so confused because it was totally full! Ah! I thought it started at 9:45 but really it was 9:15. Bummer! I didn't miss too much and two members of the small group I joined led music. Louise, the violinist, played 1st violin for the string quartet that played exquisite movements of a Haydn quartet. Aw....another reason to love church in NYC. This was the first service where Tim Keller didn't speak....Rev. John Lin gave the talk about the passage in Mark where the woman breaks her alabaster jar of nard over Jesus. I love that passage and he brought to life the contrast of Judas' betrayal and the woman's extravagant love. And how that extravagance is a preview of the even more sacrificial and extravagant love of Jesus that comes on the cross. I found Jennifer, my new friend from small group at the coffee hour and met a few other musicians. That was a big step...not leaving right after church!!! I walked through the park a different way and found an ice skating rink as well as the carousel that I can't wait to bring Charlie to!
I walked all the way home on 5th Avenue past all the fancy fancy apartments that have fun little red lights on the corners of the buildings to call taxis as well as the Museum Mile. It was cold, cold, cold. But I'm stubborn, stubborn, stubborn and wanted to walk all the way home!
I convinced Adrienne to join me at a knitting circle put on by Redeemer at an adorable knitting cafe called "The Point" in Greenwich Village. So cute, I felt like I was a character in a chick lit novel! We met some really nice girls, possible future friends!, and Adrienne is already hooked on knitting. We're currently watching "Brothers and Sisters" and she is knitting away with much purpose! The knitting cirlce meets once a month and we're planning on going back.
Adrienne and I got on the A train to head out to a concert by the Althabasca String Trio featuring my favourite Canadian and violist, Tawnya! It was way up in Washington Heights at a beautiful old co-op building called the Hudson View Gardens. The concert program was a Mozart flute quartet, a really cool and haunting Penderecki trio and then after intermission a John Harbison trio where each of the 4 movements had the subtitle: Fast. The finale was a beautiful Schumann piano quartet where the strings were the stars!
Next, Adrienne and I embarked on my first undercover detective assignment for La Bo. Lara is having me check out some possible trademark infringers in the city and one of the addresses she gave me was really close to the concert...only a few blocks into the really shady part of town. Yikes. The deal is that Lara is paying for me and a friend to eat a 3 course dinner and take cabs to these places in exchange for pictures and materials that show whether or not they are using the trademarked logo, etc, etc. I had called this place called, "La Bodeguita de Broadway" this morning to see if I could make reservations for dinner. When the line picked up I heard, "WASSUP?" I then asked, "La Bodeguita de Broadway?" and then had a really awkward conversation about dinner and reservations, etc. I was doubtful Adrienne and I were going to get a high-end meal but I was cracking up with what we found...this was a tiny little quickie store with a sign advertisitng liquor and cigarettes. I think Lara has nothing to worry about here! We were pretty excited to find a cab RIGHT AWAY to get out of that neigborhood and I felt once again so blessed to live where we do, where I always feel safe.
Our cuban feast derailed, we settled for trying a new restaurant down the street, Geronimo, and ended the evening with some Tasti-D which is all over NYC. It's low calorie frozen yoghurt that is just delicious!!!
I'm trying to figure out how to post some pictures but I think my images are too large...but they'll be coming soon!
Soon I promise..and finally caught up!
Saturday….can you believe it? For the first time in many days, I’m actually writing this today, Saturday. Yay for catching up! Maybe this way, you’ll get more raw, honest entries than grocery lists. No promises!!!
It was a glorious day at Equinox. Instead of fighting my way into Abby’s sculpt class and because I don’t like lifting weights on audition days (tension) I chose to take a Nia class with a new teacher to me. The best part was that I made a friend, something I thought was impossible at this gym! Gail was new to Nia and we bonded over how much we loved shaking our bones. The teacher, Jayne, even had us do partner exercises where we had to tell each other our stories with our bodies. All of a sudden I felt like I was in acting class again! The only bummer about my new friend Gail is that she told me she’s moving to London in April to be with her fiancée but I know I will enjoy shaking bones together until then! Abby’s dance class was amazing…I LOVED it. Instead of the usual hip-hop style we did a lyrical routine to this amazing song that I need to find on I-tunes. I think it might be called “Keep Holding On”…that at least is the climactic lyric so if any of you out there know what I’m talking about let me know. Oh my gosh, I felt like Alison on “So you think you can dance”….it was amazing…I would love to learn more about lyrical and modern dancing. It really moves me. One thing Abby said today I loved….she told this really cute little dancer to be a little less Mozart and little more Brahms. She explained that Mozart is all about showing off….look at all the notes I can play…aren’t I great…while when you play Brahms you are consumed by the music and the audience is more voyeuristic…watching you experience the music. Cool, huh?
Those classes were exactly what I needed to get my audition day going! I was so full of creative energy and joy!
I came home and cleaned and prepped for the audition. I don’t know if I mentioned before that this audition was kind of a private invitation to sing for the director of the Opera Company of Middlebury. They are putting up “A Little Night Music” in June and I had seen a notice of the audition for next weekend and had submitted my materials. I guess he was just flooded with submissions and had already filled up his slots by the time he got to mine but he was impressed by my resume and thought I would be a good candidate for Anne. (I think so too!) Anyhoo…it was a really exciting opportunity. Because of my coaching with Jon, I was feeling really good about it, but I still used that nervous energy to do some serious cleaning! Adrienne was so encouraging and even did my make-up. She is a pro and was so cute as she was doing my eyes…”Oh yeah, ooh…gorgeous…etc, etc.” The audition was at 11th and W. 52nd. The thing about the Avenues is that they are REALLY long. My subway stop was at 52nd and Lex which is about 9 Avenues down from 11th. And….did I mention how cold and windy it is? CRAZY! But the walk definitely kept my energy up. I arrived at about 4:52 and met the director straight away. I was a bit nervous because he was really insistent that I be ready right at 5 and Jon was coming straight from a matinee of The Color Purple. All was well because Jon got there with 4 minutes to spare! It was such a blessing to have him play. Not only is he an amazing pianist but also the director was able to focus on me and not on how to play the piano! I sang “Soon” and “What Good would the Moon Be”….both went well, I thought and I was able to channel fun and alive Kristen instead of nervous Kristen. I also did a cold reading and the director told me he was from Dayton so we chatted a bit about that. He was very nice and complimentary but he will be hearing a bunch more singers so I won’t know until after next weekend. I was just so thankful for the opportunity and also glad for having a great audition under my belt to keep me confident for the ones to come!
Adrienne and I are chilling at home tonight. I’m catching up, well, now caught up on my entries so I’m feeling pretty good. I’m excited for what tomorrow will bring!
It was a glorious day at Equinox. Instead of fighting my way into Abby’s sculpt class and because I don’t like lifting weights on audition days (tension) I chose to take a Nia class with a new teacher to me. The best part was that I made a friend, something I thought was impossible at this gym! Gail was new to Nia and we bonded over how much we loved shaking our bones. The teacher, Jayne, even had us do partner exercises where we had to tell each other our stories with our bodies. All of a sudden I felt like I was in acting class again! The only bummer about my new friend Gail is that she told me she’s moving to London in April to be with her fiancée but I know I will enjoy shaking bones together until then! Abby’s dance class was amazing…I LOVED it. Instead of the usual hip-hop style we did a lyrical routine to this amazing song that I need to find on I-tunes. I think it might be called “Keep Holding On”…that at least is the climactic lyric so if any of you out there know what I’m talking about let me know. Oh my gosh, I felt like Alison on “So you think you can dance”….it was amazing…I would love to learn more about lyrical and modern dancing. It really moves me. One thing Abby said today I loved….she told this really cute little dancer to be a little less Mozart and little more Brahms. She explained that Mozart is all about showing off….look at all the notes I can play…aren’t I great…while when you play Brahms you are consumed by the music and the audience is more voyeuristic…watching you experience the music. Cool, huh?
Those classes were exactly what I needed to get my audition day going! I was so full of creative energy and joy!
I came home and cleaned and prepped for the audition. I don’t know if I mentioned before that this audition was kind of a private invitation to sing for the director of the Opera Company of Middlebury. They are putting up “A Little Night Music” in June and I had seen a notice of the audition for next weekend and had submitted my materials. I guess he was just flooded with submissions and had already filled up his slots by the time he got to mine but he was impressed by my resume and thought I would be a good candidate for Anne. (I think so too!) Anyhoo…it was a really exciting opportunity. Because of my coaching with Jon, I was feeling really good about it, but I still used that nervous energy to do some serious cleaning! Adrienne was so encouraging and even did my make-up. She is a pro and was so cute as she was doing my eyes…”Oh yeah, ooh…gorgeous…etc, etc.” The audition was at 11th and W. 52nd. The thing about the Avenues is that they are REALLY long. My subway stop was at 52nd and Lex which is about 9 Avenues down from 11th. And….did I mention how cold and windy it is? CRAZY! But the walk definitely kept my energy up. I arrived at about 4:52 and met the director straight away. I was a bit nervous because he was really insistent that I be ready right at 5 and Jon was coming straight from a matinee of The Color Purple. All was well because Jon got there with 4 minutes to spare! It was such a blessing to have him play. Not only is he an amazing pianist but also the director was able to focus on me and not on how to play the piano! I sang “Soon” and “What Good would the Moon Be”….both went well, I thought and I was able to channel fun and alive Kristen instead of nervous Kristen. I also did a cold reading and the director told me he was from Dayton so we chatted a bit about that. He was very nice and complimentary but he will be hearing a bunch more singers so I won’t know until after next weekend. I was just so thankful for the opportunity and also glad for having a great audition under my belt to keep me confident for the ones to come!
Adrienne and I are chilling at home tonight. I’m catching up, well, now caught up on my entries so I’m feeling pretty good. I’m excited for what tomorrow will bring!
MOMA and singing again!
I woke up on Friday to the beautiful sight of snow-covered trees and gardens outside my window. First snow! I went to Nia in the morning, my new favorite exercise class. I love the freedom of movement that it brings and the teachers are all just so fun and fruity. You can definitely make it a work-out if you concentrate on all the strength moves. Anyhoo….I spent some time practicing before heading out to the MOMA for the first time. Penny and friends from my dance classes gave me a year-membership as my going away present…amazing gift, especially since the admission is $20 for non-members and I can go for FREE as often as I like! Yay! Except for Tuesdays…they are closed then. They also have films that I can to for free as well as discounts at the MOMA stores….put in your orders now! I only had an hour and a half to spend there so I barely skimmed the surface…I’m looking forward to spending longer periods of time there…maybe just sit in the Monet water lilies room and journal or fun stuff like that. Its location is perfect as an oasis between auditions that are generally very nearby. My favorite moments were when I walked into the first big gallery on the 2nd floor…I got a little verklemt…I can’t remember who the painter was but these huge canvases were just so grand and really took me aback. I especially loved the Quattro Stagioni series. Other highlights: A really weird movie from Finland that was playing on 3 screens at once with different scenes of the same action in each screen, Andrew Wyeth’s Christina’s Land and The Dance by Matisse. That one made me a little teary as well as that is the painiting that Penny printed up for me on the card she gave me. She said she was giving me the MOMA gift so that I could go visit the painting often and think of my dear dance friends!!! So special.
I picked up a couple of postcards in the store before running over to the Hilton to meet up with Manami, my Japanese mezzo friend I met in Aspen who is now a soprano and recently married to a blonde tenor!!! So fun to see her. She cracks me up with her bluntness about her husband. I told her I thought he was handsome from the picture she showed me and she said, “Oh no, he is much too fat. “ Okay. We had fun catching up at a nearby Starbucks.
She is so hilarious and really wanted to be my personal shopper. I could tell she was a little disappointed that I didn’t have more errands to do. She did take me to a fancy soap store, Sabon, for a free hand scrub and lotion application. And she toured me around Daffy’s which is a lot like Ross, with much detail! “See how the underwear is so cheap and cute….see, they have shoes from Timberland….” Etc, etc in every section of the store! I told her she should be a personal shopper! Our last stop was Bed, Bath and Beyond by Lincoln Center. The one thing that I needed for my room was some adhesive to get my new chocolate rug to stay in one place. Gracie, the cat, loves to ride it like a magic carpet, which is cute, but creates quite a mess! I had to say goodbye to Manami to meet Jon at his apartment to work on our audition repertoire. He was so helpful and it felt GREAT to sing out and to have his amazing support beneath me. He gave me so many great tips and helped me feel totally confident and that the song was my own. Yay! We got some ingredients for our special dinner and cabbed it over to our place…Adrienne had the great idea to recreate our favorite Dewey’s Pizza (of Cincinnati), the Green Lantern. Yum!!!! Whole-wheat crust with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pesto, artichokes, mushrooms and goat cheese. AMAZING! I also made us a salad and it was chocolate night…it doesn’t get much better than that!
I picked up a couple of postcards in the store before running over to the Hilton to meet up with Manami, my Japanese mezzo friend I met in Aspen who is now a soprano and recently married to a blonde tenor!!! So fun to see her. She cracks me up with her bluntness about her husband. I told her I thought he was handsome from the picture she showed me and she said, “Oh no, he is much too fat. “ Okay. We had fun catching up at a nearby Starbucks.
She is so hilarious and really wanted to be my personal shopper. I could tell she was a little disappointed that I didn’t have more errands to do. She did take me to a fancy soap store, Sabon, for a free hand scrub and lotion application. And she toured me around Daffy’s which is a lot like Ross, with much detail! “See how the underwear is so cheap and cute….see, they have shoes from Timberland….” Etc, etc in every section of the store! I told her she should be a personal shopper! Our last stop was Bed, Bath and Beyond by Lincoln Center. The one thing that I needed for my room was some adhesive to get my new chocolate rug to stay in one place. Gracie, the cat, loves to ride it like a magic carpet, which is cute, but creates quite a mess! I had to say goodbye to Manami to meet Jon at his apartment to work on our audition repertoire. He was so helpful and it felt GREAT to sing out and to have his amazing support beneath me. He gave me so many great tips and helped me feel totally confident and that the song was my own. Yay! We got some ingredients for our special dinner and cabbed it over to our place…Adrienne had the great idea to recreate our favorite Dewey’s Pizza (of Cincinnati), the Green Lantern. Yum!!!! Whole-wheat crust with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pesto, artichokes, mushrooms and goat cheese. AMAZING! I also made us a salad and it was chocolate night…it doesn’t get much better than that!
Cleaning up and a new keyboard!
Thursday morning I met up with Heather Gilles (friend from CCM) and her friend Abby (who, on Monday I ran into at Lane Bryant) as well as Heather’s visiting friend Adrienne from Chicago. Heather now lives about an hour north of the city but she brought Adrienne in to go to the Guggenheim. I had hoped to go with them to see the Picasso and del Greco special exhibits but I felt like I had been playing too much this week and needed to practice and do laundry. The four of us met at 3 Guys, a diner on Madison Ave between 88th and 89th. I had actually been there once before with Tawnya and her friend Christina after church during my December visit. The funniest thing was that Heather was really late and by the time we were ready to order the waiter took away our breakfast menus and replaced them with lunch ones! I don’t know if that has ever happened to me before! It was so great to see Heather…she no longer sings but instead is a director and has worked at a bunch of fantastic opera houses. She is brilliant and I know she will be so successful! I have so many great memories of working on our Bellini duets that we did for a Bel Canto program at CCM. Ah.
I walked over to Cornell Medical College to hand deliver my music for Jon. His day job is there and they allow him extreme flexibility for all his Broadway playing gigs. Adrienne offered his help for my “A Little Night Music” audition on Saturday.
I really enjoyed walking down 2nd Avenue. I had never explored it before and it was chalk-full of restaurants that I’m dying to try…including a traditional Brazilian restaurant and Penang, a Malaysian one. Don’t you want to come visit????
I got really excited when I saw the Cornell Hospitals..they are so beautiful and I am so thrilled that Adrienne gets to work for them, starting in one week!
I got soooooooo much done in my room that afternoon….hung up my cute Pottery barn curtains for some wall decoration and cleaned up and did laundry. I was nervous about how that would go but the machines didn’t seem to ruin my clothes…and I love that I was able to do it ALL in about an hour and a half.
The most exciting event on Thursday was the delivery of my keyboard that I found on Craigslist. I got an amazing deal….a Casio MX 1200 which doesn’t mean much to me either except that it has over 200 voices and drum beats and a metronome and it lights up and you can record and there’s even a voice called “choral oohs”….so fun! It’s huge with 76 keys and my room that was looking much too barren is now just right! My keyboard also came with a pedal, a stand and a stool which I’m also using as my vanity stool!!! Carlos, the really nice man I bought it from and a guitarist himself said his daughter no longer was using it but it’s pretty lightly used. Can you believe I got all of that plus home delivery from Brooklyn for only $150. I feel really really thankful1!!!
I made Adrienne meet him with me downstairs just in case Carlos was scary…but he was so nice and there was definitely nothing to worry about.
I had a really nice phone chat with Seri that night and weeped and weeped during Grey’s Anatomy. Whew. I feel like that show is back in the zone after a few rough months.
I walked over to Cornell Medical College to hand deliver my music for Jon. His day job is there and they allow him extreme flexibility for all his Broadway playing gigs. Adrienne offered his help for my “A Little Night Music” audition on Saturday.
I really enjoyed walking down 2nd Avenue. I had never explored it before and it was chalk-full of restaurants that I’m dying to try…including a traditional Brazilian restaurant and Penang, a Malaysian one. Don’t you want to come visit????
I got really excited when I saw the Cornell Hospitals..they are so beautiful and I am so thrilled that Adrienne gets to work for them, starting in one week!
I got soooooooo much done in my room that afternoon….hung up my cute Pottery barn curtains for some wall decoration and cleaned up and did laundry. I was nervous about how that would go but the machines didn’t seem to ruin my clothes…and I love that I was able to do it ALL in about an hour and a half.
The most exciting event on Thursday was the delivery of my keyboard that I found on Craigslist. I got an amazing deal….a Casio MX 1200 which doesn’t mean much to me either except that it has over 200 voices and drum beats and a metronome and it lights up and you can record and there’s even a voice called “choral oohs”….so fun! It’s huge with 76 keys and my room that was looking much too barren is now just right! My keyboard also came with a pedal, a stand and a stool which I’m also using as my vanity stool!!! Carlos, the really nice man I bought it from and a guitarist himself said his daughter no longer was using it but it’s pretty lightly used. Can you believe I got all of that plus home delivery from Brooklyn for only $150. I feel really really thankful1!!!
I made Adrienne meet him with me downstairs just in case Carlos was scary…but he was so nice and there was definitely nothing to worry about.
I had a really nice phone chat with Seri that night and weeped and weeped during Grey’s Anatomy. Whew. I feel like that show is back in the zone after a few rough months.
1st NYC audition and CCM reunions
Wednesday morning I got bright and early to attempt my second Equity crashing…this time, for a new musical about NY bike messengers called "Magpie." The audition was in Grenwich Village on a really cute street. The weather has turned extremely cold and the walk there was brutal but it was a worthy hike. I ended up being second on the EMC list and got to sing in the second group. Amazing! I learned a lesson about song choices…I sang “How could I ever know” forgetting that when I’m nervous my low voice goes bye-bye. The high notes worked well but the other stuff not so much. The casting director was nice and said “ Pretty, pretty” before asking how tall I was. I met another non-equity gal who was really nice and helpful named Thalia. I’m sure I’ll run into her again soon.
My new favorite thing, have I already said this?, about NYC are the coffee carts/trucks with the $1 cups of coffee. Love them and I found a great one in NOHO on my way back home.
Wednesday afternoon I met up with Liz Russ, friend from LAHS and NY opera singer and our common friend Jackie Enrique. Jackie studied at CCM with me and at Oberlin with Liz for their undergrad. I was most excited to talk to Jackie about my time at La Bo because she is my only Cuban friend and had introduced me to friend plantains in the ‘Nati. We ate lunch at the most overpriced restaurant with mediocre food I’ve come upon…but it was right next to the Empire State Building so that wasn’t so surprising.
I walked around a bit in the bitter cold before meeting up with Adrienne at the Rockefeller Center, where she still works for Bank of America. We met up with David Lemly McFerrin, a friend from CCM, who now is studying at the Juilliard Opera Center. It was great to see David and we went to Ollie’s and caught up. David and I went to the New York Festival of Song concert at Juilliard….the NYFOS is a series of concerts that Steven Blier founded…he’s an amazing pianist and artist and he creates ensembles and scenes in carefully planned programs. The program’s theme was Songs of Peace and all the singers were from Juilliard. They were some really special moments and I was so glad to be back in that environment, listening to beautiful and artistic singing.
After the concert David and I spotted none other than Lorenzo Malfatti, my professore and mentor from the Lucca program. I love that man to pieces and he’s always been such a great cheerleader. He lives in Pittsburgh but is in town to hear Lucca auditions. It was so wonderful to see him…what a treat! I’m going to write him a letter as he told us he doesn’t do the computer thing!!! ☺
My new favorite thing, have I already said this?, about NYC are the coffee carts/trucks with the $1 cups of coffee. Love them and I found a great one in NOHO on my way back home.
Wednesday afternoon I met up with Liz Russ, friend from LAHS and NY opera singer and our common friend Jackie Enrique. Jackie studied at CCM with me and at Oberlin with Liz for their undergrad. I was most excited to talk to Jackie about my time at La Bo because she is my only Cuban friend and had introduced me to friend plantains in the ‘Nati. We ate lunch at the most overpriced restaurant with mediocre food I’ve come upon…but it was right next to the Empire State Building so that wasn’t so surprising.
I walked around a bit in the bitter cold before meeting up with Adrienne at the Rockefeller Center, where she still works for Bank of America. We met up with David Lemly McFerrin, a friend from CCM, who now is studying at the Juilliard Opera Center. It was great to see David and we went to Ollie’s and caught up. David and I went to the New York Festival of Song concert at Juilliard….the NYFOS is a series of concerts that Steven Blier founded…he’s an amazing pianist and artist and he creates ensembles and scenes in carefully planned programs. The program’s theme was Songs of Peace and all the singers were from Juilliard. They were some really special moments and I was so glad to be back in that environment, listening to beautiful and artistic singing.
After the concert David and I spotted none other than Lorenzo Malfatti, my professore and mentor from the Lucca program. I love that man to pieces and he’s always been such a great cheerleader. He lives in Pittsburgh but is in town to hear Lucca auditions. It was so wonderful to see him…what a treat! I’m going to write him a letter as he told us he doesn’t do the computer thing!!! ☺
Discovery Tuesday
Tuesday was my discovery day in the world of crashing equity auditions. I was so anxious about all the unknowns of the process when I woke up...I didn’t want to get out of bed! But I did, and I showed up and learned a bunch! The Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera audition was at the Actors Equity Building….a fancy building thanks to the dues of poor starving artists! While I wasn’t able to crash the audition (too many Equity actors signed up for auditions) I learned all about how it works and how my EMC card (which I finally got that day) would allow me to get on a slightly preferred list over the regular non-equity folks. (EMC means I’m an Equity Membership Candidate, based on the points/weeks I’ve spent working in Equity Contract Companies).
Tuesday I also discovered the musicians’ fellowship bible study and I loved it. A very multi-generational group of musicians of all sorts of disciplines, they were welcoming and insightful and provided just the kind of encouragement that I was thirsting for!!! I had the chance to pray with two of the girls, one a horn player who was off to play in the pit of Wicked, and the other a masters’ student in piano at the Manhattan School of Music. I was so thankful to be in fellowship and I’m really looking forward to next week!
I was in the neighborhood (UWS) and though I was a bit tired from my big day of discovery I decided to try an advanced-beginner jazz class at Steps. Remember my post about the advanced-beginner tap class….eeek…this one was just as challenging and beyond me….I could tell, once again, I was the only newbie as the whole class did the warm-up without the instructor. I loved the teacher, Jay T. He was warm and encouraging and his choreography (to Peter Frampton!) was awesome. If I take my brave pills I may go back but I really felt like the ugly and uncoordinated duckling. It’s definitely time to try some true beginner classes!
Tuesday I also discovered the musicians’ fellowship bible study and I loved it. A very multi-generational group of musicians of all sorts of disciplines, they were welcoming and insightful and provided just the kind of encouragement that I was thirsting for!!! I had the chance to pray with two of the girls, one a horn player who was off to play in the pit of Wicked, and the other a masters’ student in piano at the Manhattan School of Music. I was so thankful to be in fellowship and I’m really looking forward to next week!
I was in the neighborhood (UWS) and though I was a bit tired from my big day of discovery I decided to try an advanced-beginner jazz class at Steps. Remember my post about the advanced-beginner tap class….eeek…this one was just as challenging and beyond me….I could tell, once again, I was the only newbie as the whole class did the warm-up without the instructor. I loved the teacher, Jay T. He was warm and encouraging and his choreography (to Peter Frampton!) was awesome. If I take my brave pills I may go back but I really felt like the ugly and uncoordinated duckling. It’s definitely time to try some true beginner classes!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Adrienne's Birthday!!!
Adrienne shares her birthday with MLK so she had the whole day to play. I was really excited that she was feeling more celebratory and ready to play when the day arrived. I had gone to NIA class, this time with a new teacher. It was hilarious. There were more pelvic thrusts than any Elvis concert one could imagine. Seriously. And it's me and a bunch of 60 year-old women. I almost wondered if the guy was drunk...it seemed so odd. But it was a cardio intensive workout so I was happy! One of the old ladies told me what a good-little-dancer I was. Those confidence shots are helpful after my dismal performance at Steps!
I came home and Jon and Adrienne invited me out on their shopping spree. We hit Lane Bryant first where I ran into (again, I tell you!) Abby Powell, a singer I knew from Aspen and also one of my friends from CCM's best friend. From there we went to Macy's. My gift to Adrienne was a Prescriptives lipstick of her choice. She loves MAC but has had trouble finding the perfect color....I was excited for her to get color-printed and find out if she was a blue-red, red-orange, etc. Well, Prescriptives is sure glad I brought her in for that lipstick because she ended up buying the whole makeover (minus the lipstick that I bought her!) It was fun to see her so excited about this new world of makeup and even more fun, for the woman who rang her up!!!
I parted ways to meet up with Liz Russ, highschool friend and NY singer. We met up at Columbus Circle, which has this amazing Time Warner center where the whole bottom floor is a Whole Foods. I peeked down there...such a zoo! Maybe even worse than Trader Joes. Karim frequents the Equinox there so I gave him a call on the off chance that he might be around...and as he listened to my message, I was waiting outside for Liz, and ran into him (AGAIN!) So fun! The great thing is that everyone knows Karim, including Liz, from days together at Brevard. I had to say bye to him for now because he is going to spend the next few weeks in Canada with "Carlton."
Liz and I went to two Starbucks looking for seats and caught up on life. She gave me a few good tips for my teacher and coach search.
I made an extremely efficient run at the Container Store and as Jon says had great subway karma...as soon as I walked down the stairs my train was there. It was a moment of bliss, where I thought how happy I was to live here!
At home, we were getting ready for our exciting bday dinner at Union Square Cafe, one of NY's best restaurants. It was such a delightful meal...Adrienne's mom's best friend's son is a student at the Culinary Institute of America and is currently interning there. We had hoped he might be able to hook us up with a little something special...and he did! We had ordered 2 orders of fried calamari (perfect!!!) for an appetizer...he also hand-delivered a tuna tartare and then a second course of pasta was brought out with his complements. The mushroom gnocchi might have even made Lis a believer! I ordered a filet mignon of ahi tuna...it was amazing and the thickest cut of tuna I've ever seen. YUM! Everyone's favorite was the side of mashed turnips we ordered for the table. We were so stuffed but decided to split one banana tart....but instead 4 desserts were brought out, one with "Happy Birthday Adrienne" written in chocolate. It was such a delicious evening and full of joy and laughter. We tried to coax Sara and Eric to come back to our apartment for Jon's cake but everyone was so full and it had been a 3 hour meal....11 pm on a school night....so everyone bailed. Adrienne and I indulged in our last non-Dr. Oz approved dessert treat at home before heading off to bed. It was a really happy day, and a turn-around I think for A and me!
I came home and Jon and Adrienne invited me out on their shopping spree. We hit Lane Bryant first where I ran into (again, I tell you!) Abby Powell, a singer I knew from Aspen and also one of my friends from CCM's best friend. From there we went to Macy's. My gift to Adrienne was a Prescriptives lipstick of her choice. She loves MAC but has had trouble finding the perfect color....I was excited for her to get color-printed and find out if she was a blue-red, red-orange, etc. Well, Prescriptives is sure glad I brought her in for that lipstick because she ended up buying the whole makeover (minus the lipstick that I bought her!) It was fun to see her so excited about this new world of makeup and even more fun, for the woman who rang her up!!!
I parted ways to meet up with Liz Russ, highschool friend and NY singer. We met up at Columbus Circle, which has this amazing Time Warner center where the whole bottom floor is a Whole Foods. I peeked down there...such a zoo! Maybe even worse than Trader Joes. Karim frequents the Equinox there so I gave him a call on the off chance that he might be around...and as he listened to my message, I was waiting outside for Liz, and ran into him (AGAIN!) So fun! The great thing is that everyone knows Karim, including Liz, from days together at Brevard. I had to say bye to him for now because he is going to spend the next few weeks in Canada with "Carlton."
Liz and I went to two Starbucks looking for seats and caught up on life. She gave me a few good tips for my teacher and coach search.
I made an extremely efficient run at the Container Store and as Jon says had great subway karma...as soon as I walked down the stairs my train was there. It was a moment of bliss, where I thought how happy I was to live here!
At home, we were getting ready for our exciting bday dinner at Union Square Cafe, one of NY's best restaurants. It was such a delightful meal...Adrienne's mom's best friend's son is a student at the Culinary Institute of America and is currently interning there. We had hoped he might be able to hook us up with a little something special...and he did! We had ordered 2 orders of fried calamari (perfect!!!) for an appetizer...he also hand-delivered a tuna tartare and then a second course of pasta was brought out with his complements. The mushroom gnocchi might have even made Lis a believer! I ordered a filet mignon of ahi tuna...it was amazing and the thickest cut of tuna I've ever seen. YUM! Everyone's favorite was the side of mashed turnips we ordered for the table. We were so stuffed but decided to split one banana tart....but instead 4 desserts were brought out, one with "Happy Birthday Adrienne" written in chocolate. It was such a delicious evening and full of joy and laughter. We tried to coax Sara and Eric to come back to our apartment for Jon's cake but everyone was so full and it had been a 3 hour meal....11 pm on a school night....so everyone bailed. Adrienne and I indulged in our last non-Dr. Oz approved dessert treat at home before heading off to bed. It was a really happy day, and a turn-around I think for A and me!
shopping with celebrities and sweet potato-chicken curry
Saturday morning I decided to take Abby's "Body Sculpt" class before dance in hopes that it would be less stressful to claim my "spot" for dance! Oh my word...there is nothing like fighting the U-E-S excer-maniacs to get a spot in the studio!!! I ended up on the very back wall....with 10 inches of space between me and the wall. There was one other girl who was as screwed as I was...and she left in frustration mid-class. Bad idea!!!! Abby has a really great sense of humor but leaving class without putting your equipment away was a NO-NO! I watched in horror as she followed the girl out and then made her take her equipment out the long way, through the cardio room, just for some extra embarassment. I think Abby is amazing and funny and lifting weights to her comedy act just makes me giggle...and that beats boredom! Dance class was even more fun this week because I was familiar with the routine. Confidence in the steps makes all the difference! I even got a comment that I was a good dancer from one of the U-E-S. Crazy! A funny thing was that I ran into Lindsay Frugaletti, sister of Mike Frugaletti, and a former Dance Attack superstar. She was a guest at the class and I begged her to teach some more at my Equinox. It's crazy in this city how even though you feel like you're all alone all and there are so many strangers all around.....you end up running into people you know! Later that afternoon I ran into Sara and Eric, Adrienne's good friends that we had hung out with Friday night, at Anthropoligie. I went on a shopping adventure to return my new Urban Outfitters rug. Cute as it was, it didn't match my green comforter. At Bed Bath and Beyond, I was searching for coatracks when I saw Tyne Daly (from Judging Amy). She ended up following me at one point...and seemed like a nice, down to earth person!
I had really wanted to go to my first Carnegie Hall performance that night but I got the time wrong and the Bach St. Matthew Passion was completely sold-out. Oh well. It gave me a great opportunity to visit the Apple store (this amazing crystal cube right in front of the CBS headquarters...where I kept seeing replays of Kerri Walsh playing volleyball on their display tvs) and get my airport base station.
Sunday, I tried out the U-E-S Redeemer AM service held at Hunter College. I walked the 30ish blocks because I love discovering all the shops and markets. I should write down what treasures I find but usually I just get excited with hopes that I'll return at some point. The seats in the auditorium were definitely more comfortable than the crowded, no-leg-room slanted pews of the U-W-S PM venue....but it definitely felt less like a church and more like an auditorium. A String Quartet and organ led the worship with beautiful movements of Mozart and Medelssohn quartets as serving as the prelude and postlude music. The message again was amazing...now we're in a series about The Cross...already leading up to Easter! I did shake hands with a bunch of people but my pink coat got a complement from the girl to my left which enabled more of a conversation to open up. Still, it's awkward and hard to really connect with people in such a large setting. There was an all-church business meeting following and while I thought about staying, as I'm pretty sure this is the church I want to serve with...the awkwardness was too much, and I took off.
Sunday night Jon came over for dinner and I made a new recipe....a sweet potato and chicken curry served with whole wheat cous cous. It was a big hit! We watched "Little Miss Sunshine" whose title-aspiring character is so lovable!!!!
I had really wanted to go to my first Carnegie Hall performance that night but I got the time wrong and the Bach St. Matthew Passion was completely sold-out. Oh well. It gave me a great opportunity to visit the Apple store (this amazing crystal cube right in front of the CBS headquarters...where I kept seeing replays of Kerri Walsh playing volleyball on their display tvs) and get my airport base station.
Sunday, I tried out the U-E-S Redeemer AM service held at Hunter College. I walked the 30ish blocks because I love discovering all the shops and markets. I should write down what treasures I find but usually I just get excited with hopes that I'll return at some point. The seats in the auditorium were definitely more comfortable than the crowded, no-leg-room slanted pews of the U-W-S PM venue....but it definitely felt less like a church and more like an auditorium. A String Quartet and organ led the worship with beautiful movements of Mozart and Medelssohn quartets as serving as the prelude and postlude music. The message again was amazing...now we're in a series about The Cross...already leading up to Easter! I did shake hands with a bunch of people but my pink coat got a complement from the girl to my left which enabled more of a conversation to open up. Still, it's awkward and hard to really connect with people in such a large setting. There was an all-church business meeting following and while I thought about staying, as I'm pretty sure this is the church I want to serve with...the awkwardness was too much, and I took off.
Sunday night Jon came over for dinner and I made a new recipe....a sweet potato and chicken curry served with whole wheat cous cous. It was a big hit! We watched "Little Miss Sunshine" whose title-aspiring character is so lovable!!!!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
advanced beginner tap
I'm a pretty good tapper...when I think of my dancing "skills" I'd put tap close to the top. In fact, Miss Cabot entrusted her tappers to me this summer for some beginner lessons. I thought choosing advanced beginner tap was a very safe and low-ball choice for my first class at Steps on Broadway. I had gone to another NIA class Friday morning and used my precious few minutes of gym internet time to check out the class schedule. I jetted home with hopes of making it to an 11:30 class. Here comes the East-side/West-side issue. The crosstown bus is the easiest way to get across the park but buses, during the daytime, when taxis are weaving and lights are turning red and people are taking their time getting on and off....are sometimes not the fastest. It can take up to 25 to 30 minutes just to go from 3rd Avenue to Broadway...so, I missed that 11:30 class. I then had over an hour to kill on the West side...the side everyone tells me is much hipper than my snobby neighborhood. I do love the character of the West side and for me it represents every other NYC experience I've had until now. From my first stay with Tawnya 6 years ago, to one shady visit to the 66th Street YMCA, to stays at Karim's loft on 86th...it's all I've known until now. Friday was one of the days I was completely obsessed with finding a rug for my bedroom and I looked everywhere until happening upon Urban Outfitters and finding gold!
But back to tap...I was excited to get my keyring Steps card and signed up for my class. There were only 8 students and I was the only new one. Whew. I was in trouble. The teacher's style was rhythm tap, pretty different from the theatre-style tap that I can hack. She would perform a step and then we were to repeat it in time....no breakdown, no calling out, flap, shuffle, hop, no nothing!!! Eek. I was sweating bullets for multiple reasons...a few steps I could manage but I found myself anticipating failure and then getting flustered. The teacher was really nice and didn't bar me from coming to future classes...which I half-expected.
Imagine...if this was advanced beginner....what would intermediate look like? I won't know for a very long time. So, I guess the lesson, is like many lessons in the big apple...you may think you're a tapping pro...but here, you've only just begun.
But back to tap...I was excited to get my keyring Steps card and signed up for my class. There were only 8 students and I was the only new one. Whew. I was in trouble. The teacher's style was rhythm tap, pretty different from the theatre-style tap that I can hack. She would perform a step and then we were to repeat it in time....no breakdown, no calling out, flap, shuffle, hop, no nothing!!! Eek. I was sweating bullets for multiple reasons...a few steps I could manage but I found myself anticipating failure and then getting flustered. The teacher was really nice and didn't bar me from coming to future classes...which I half-expected.
Imagine...if this was advanced beginner....what would intermediate look like? I won't know for a very long time. So, I guess the lesson, is like many lessons in the big apple...you may think you're a tapping pro...but here, you've only just begun.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Craigers!!!
Thursday, I went back to the slow dance class and I have now decided as fun as it is to watch Sean dance, it is no workout or challenge so I’m going to keep pursuing taking classes at Steps on Broadway (www.stepsnyc.com). There was a lady in the class who clapped to get his attention and yelled at him that she had to go back and teach him the beginning part because she didn’t get it. Oh dear. Unbelievable!!!
I showered and left a bunch of stuff at Equinox because our water was off from 9-4 at the apartment and then went on an adventure to Astor Place, in the East Village in search of Kmart. I’m still trying to find a rug and a lamp for my room. Since my room wasn’t always a “room” it has no lighting other than the shining sun. Also, the hardwood floors are amazing but the apartment insists that we cover a certain percentage of it with rugs for noise reduction, etc. So…..I was hoping Martha would hook me up but she didn’t and Kmart was kind of a bust. The one fun thing was that the basement of Kmart was connected to the Subway and so I swiped my card through only to find I was on the downtown side when I needed to go uptown. Usually there is a way to go under or around but this one was a dead end. So then I crossed the street but note to all, if you’ve just used your unlimited MTA pass, it won’t swipe successfully. I tried to get help from an attendant but I didn’t understand what she was saying and I missed the train. So, sad recent NYer that I was gave up and got back on the street. I then got really lost in the East Village but found a hole in the wall called “Pommes Frittes” on 2nd Ave that I’ll have to take Filip! I took a pic. I finally made it to Trader Joes to return the sugar-laden products we mistakenly bought on Saturday and picked up a few things before taking the limited bus home.
Craig Verm, friend from Rice and CCM, and amazing baritone had an audition on the East Side in the late afternoon. And he had flown in from Pittsburgh and was waiting in my apartment lobby when I got home. I was excited to make him lunch but then I remembered the no water situation. We went to a nearby Israeli café that I had been eyeing “Effy’s Café” and enjoyed catching up with eachother. It was really, really great to see him and feel home and full of joy in his presence. He caught me up on his various jobs and wife Karen and dog Bella! It worked out pretty well that my boxes arrived in the window that he was there…he helped me bring them up to my apartment. The heaviest box with all my books nearly didn’t make it in one piece….there was a huge gash in one of the seams…but thank you LORD, all the books are fine!!! Yay!
Craig gave me a list of about a dozen pianists he recommended which was awesome information that I needed! I walked him out and went on a walk to retrieve my gymbag and to search for some hangers. Once again, no internet access today so I spent a bunch of time writing this novella for you. I promise I’ll cut out some of the gory details in the future.
I showered and left a bunch of stuff at Equinox because our water was off from 9-4 at the apartment and then went on an adventure to Astor Place, in the East Village in search of Kmart. I’m still trying to find a rug and a lamp for my room. Since my room wasn’t always a “room” it has no lighting other than the shining sun. Also, the hardwood floors are amazing but the apartment insists that we cover a certain percentage of it with rugs for noise reduction, etc. So…..I was hoping Martha would hook me up but she didn’t and Kmart was kind of a bust. The one fun thing was that the basement of Kmart was connected to the Subway and so I swiped my card through only to find I was on the downtown side when I needed to go uptown. Usually there is a way to go under or around but this one was a dead end. So then I crossed the street but note to all, if you’ve just used your unlimited MTA pass, it won’t swipe successfully. I tried to get help from an attendant but I didn’t understand what she was saying and I missed the train. So, sad recent NYer that I was gave up and got back on the street. I then got really lost in the East Village but found a hole in the wall called “Pommes Frittes” on 2nd Ave that I’ll have to take Filip! I took a pic. I finally made it to Trader Joes to return the sugar-laden products we mistakenly bought on Saturday and picked up a few things before taking the limited bus home.
Craig Verm, friend from Rice and CCM, and amazing baritone had an audition on the East Side in the late afternoon. And he had flown in from Pittsburgh and was waiting in my apartment lobby when I got home. I was excited to make him lunch but then I remembered the no water situation. We went to a nearby Israeli café that I had been eyeing “Effy’s Café” and enjoyed catching up with eachother. It was really, really great to see him and feel home and full of joy in his presence. He caught me up on his various jobs and wife Karen and dog Bella! It worked out pretty well that my boxes arrived in the window that he was there…he helped me bring them up to my apartment. The heaviest box with all my books nearly didn’t make it in one piece….there was a huge gash in one of the seams…but thank you LORD, all the books are fine!!! Yay!
Craig gave me a list of about a dozen pianists he recommended which was awesome information that I needed! I walked him out and went on a walk to retrieve my gymbag and to search for some hangers. Once again, no internet access today so I spent a bunch of time writing this novella for you. I promise I’ll cut out some of the gory details in the future.
HAIRSPRAY!!!!
Wednesday’s highlights included a fun and fruity dance class called “NIA” at Equinox where I learned how to shake my bones. I loved the teacher….he was straight out of a movie about a fruity, NY dance teacher who begs you to love your body and yourself. Tee hee. I met up with Tawnya (my violist friend from Rice and my favourite Canadian) for a very fun adventure. First, I took a train to Grand Central where I got lost, lost, lost. I get so confused about the order of Fifth and Park and Madison…I got quite the tour of the area but eventually found Times Square and even the Mary Poppins theatre…we were hoping to get discount tickets to the matinee of that one. Tawnya was late so I went and scoped out the TKTS booth on 46th…the problem with TKTS is they only give you 50% off the highest-priced tickets available, often $110-120. Tawnya and I wanted to spend $40 or less. We discovered that each show has different rush and lottery procedures. Mary Poppins has no rush tickets and Drowsy Chaperone, our second choice, has a lottery system but it closes 90 minutes before show-time. On a whim we stopped by Hairspray to see if they had any rush tickets and they did for $25…that’s just about 2 NY movies! It was such a cute and bubbly show…I really loved it more than I expected…great dancing and costumes and funny script…two of the characters even broke character and couldn’t stop laughing in a really funny part…it was a magical moment for all of us…seeing both sides of the comedy! We saw the understudy for Tracy and also for Penny, the character that Diana DeGarmo plays…but they both were excellent. I realized that the only other Broadway show I’ve seen was with Tawnya…about 5 years ago…seeing Jasmine Guy in Chicago, ah…another amazing and memorable experience. Tawnya and I toured around some of the sheet music stores before parting ways. I was greeted by an AMAZING dinner of whole-wheat pasta with homemade sauce and turkey meatballs. (Thanks, MOM!)
January 8...catching up!
Monday started a little later in the morning but I made it to a sculpt class at Equinox and then came home and waited for my dresser from the Pier 1 down the street to be delivered. Amazingly they came in the first half-hour of the delivery window. I love my dresser!!!! It was such an amazing deal…only $120 marked down from $499 (because it was last season’s floor model.) It is so cute, wicker with 6 drawers and two-tone brown. You need to come visit it! Although, I packed so many boxes, the drawers are already full. No room for yours! ☺
I started cooking a Dr. Oz approved dinner and then headed off on a long walk to meet Karim at the Columbus Circle Equinox to return his fancy Paul Smith gloves that I “mistakenly” took home with me the night before. The gloves have cute, cute pink stitching on the softest brown leather…mmm, I wish he didn’t love them more than me. My walk was so fun…I walked nearly 40 blocks on Madison Ave past all the fancy, fancy shops and then along the South side of Central Park. The Time Warner Center is a new addition to the Columbus Circle…I think it’s like a mall, only, like everything else here, fancier. I want to check it out later. I met Karim only to be cajoled into going into another movie with him and a friend that night…so glad I walked an hour to return his gloves with such urgency…anyhooo…I rushed home, finished dinner, and then headed over to the Lincoln Center movie complex….while walking on the West Side I nearly ran into Brian Stokes Mitchell, star of Broadway! He actually kind of glared at me…so much for friendly New Yorkers. We saw “Freedom Writers” with Hillary Swank…I enjoyed my Adrienne-made popcorn and loved reuniting with Keri Marcinko, an amazing soprano I met in Aspen and one of Karim’s closest buds here. Karim and I walked to 86th together on Amsterdam and sang our favorite Christmas carols…just like old times.
I started cooking a Dr. Oz approved dinner and then headed off on a long walk to meet Karim at the Columbus Circle Equinox to return his fancy Paul Smith gloves that I “mistakenly” took home with me the night before. The gloves have cute, cute pink stitching on the softest brown leather…mmm, I wish he didn’t love them more than me. My walk was so fun…I walked nearly 40 blocks on Madison Ave past all the fancy, fancy shops and then along the South side of Central Park. The Time Warner Center is a new addition to the Columbus Circle…I think it’s like a mall, only, like everything else here, fancier. I want to check it out later. I met Karim only to be cajoled into going into another movie with him and a friend that night…so glad I walked an hour to return his gloves with such urgency…anyhooo…I rushed home, finished dinner, and then headed over to the Lincoln Center movie complex….while walking on the West Side I nearly ran into Brian Stokes Mitchell, star of Broadway! He actually kind of glared at me…so much for friendly New Yorkers. We saw “Freedom Writers” with Hillary Swank…I enjoyed my Adrienne-made popcorn and loved reuniting with Keri Marcinko, an amazing soprano I met in Aspen and one of Karim’s closest buds here. Karim and I walked to 86th together on Amsterdam and sang our favorite Christmas carols…just like old times.
From January 7....a little behind!
I have so much to catch on!!! What an exciting week!
Just so you know, one of the main reasons why I haven’t been updating this blog regularly is the lack of internet connection in the apartment. “RD” is the one network we can sometimes hook onto but he is a fair-weather friend. Lately, he has been no friend at all and I’ve been limited to checking email at the gym.
I’ll try to remember all the fun details…
Sunday, Jan 7, I did end up visiting both the Brick Church and Redeemer’s Upper West Side Evening Jazz Service. The Brick Church is on Park Avenue, just a few blocks down from the apartment, and wowsers, swanky doesn’t even begin to tell the story. The ushers literally take you to a seat and they are decked out in sharp suits with boutonnières!!! The music was beautiful with a professional choir that sang some of my favorites: “Rise Up Shepherd and Follow” and “In the Bleak Midwinter.” Ideally, I could find a job in a choir like this one and then go to Redeemer at night. The positions are really hard to find, especially, go figure, for sopranos! I definitely did not feel at home at that church in the same way that I feel frumpy among all the perfectly put-together upper east-side pixie models that I walk past on every street. Okay, Sheina, was right. I can’t get away with pilling sweaters here!
After church Adrienne and I went on a shopping adventure to the Container Store (where I revisited childhood memories of coveting all the jewel-colored plastic boxes in every size) and the original Bloomingdales on 59th Street. I found a really great bookcase for my room at the Container Store. Shopping in NYC is a whole new experience because you have to factor whether or not you need it delivered or if you can fit the thing in a cab. Also, everyone seems to bring their dog into every store. Seriously, when we were at the Container Store there were at least 10 dogs browsing canisters and crates with the common folk.
Sunday night I ventured over to the UWS for my first crack at Redeemer. It was an amazing service….I loved the music….they had a jazz quintet and a female vocalist leading us in some songs I knew and many I didn’t but this musician-friendly had sheet music for all of them in their program. The head pastor, Tim Keller, spoke about whether God is really in control as reflected in the last half of Romans 8. He talked about the power we each have to make choices but how even in that free will, God is continually working out His perfect plan in seemingly insignificant forks in the road. The illustration he shared is how we ended up in that church that night…well, because 20 years ago he and his wife felt led to begin a ministry in NYC…and that only happened because he was part of a denomination (PCUSA) that supported that calling and vision…and he only became part of that denomination because of a class he took in his last semester in seminary….and that class was taught by a British scholar who was a fill-in…but he almost wasn’t able to come and teach because of immigration issues…and the dean of the seminary was praying about it when a student happened to come by who asked what he was praying for…and in the 11th hour that scholar was able to come and teach Tim Keller because that student happened to be the son of the current president of the USA, Gerald Ford. And Gerald Ford was only President because Nixon resigned….and Nixon only resigned because of the Watergate scandal…and that scandal leaked out because a door was open 2 inches and the conversations were taped….you get the idea….so whether you open your door or close it all the way, you don’t know how God is using you to changed the world! I loved that illustration…I’m sure I don’t do it justice!
The only part of church that was hard for me was being a loner and feeling completely on the outside. I’ve been so blessed to be on the inside for such a long time and I’m sure it’s good for me to see what it’s like to really be alone but I’m longing for a piece of Christian community out here.
Karim called me as I was on the crosstown bus home and I ended up meeting him at the Apple store on 59th and 5th Ave. This store is crazy…you’ve probably seen it on TV. It is a glass cube and all of the merchandise is underground…and it’s open 24/7! Crazy! It was raining but we walked all the way to Times Square. All the beautiful Christmas lights were still glowing including the ones on the Rockefeller Tree, even more stunning with sans tourists! We went to a 10:30 showing of The Holiday (for $11…eeek!)….easily two movies crammed into one so that we didn’t get out of there till nearly 1 in the morning! This is life with Karim! A very interesting ride home on the A-train (there’s a song about this somewhere) followed….less is more for this story…but I ended up taking a cab from the West Side and was safe and sound by about 1:30. EEK!
Just so you know, one of the main reasons why I haven’t been updating this blog regularly is the lack of internet connection in the apartment. “RD” is the one network we can sometimes hook onto but he is a fair-weather friend. Lately, he has been no friend at all and I’ve been limited to checking email at the gym.
I’ll try to remember all the fun details…
Sunday, Jan 7, I did end up visiting both the Brick Church and Redeemer’s Upper West Side Evening Jazz Service. The Brick Church is on Park Avenue, just a few blocks down from the apartment, and wowsers, swanky doesn’t even begin to tell the story. The ushers literally take you to a seat and they are decked out in sharp suits with boutonnières!!! The music was beautiful with a professional choir that sang some of my favorites: “Rise Up Shepherd and Follow” and “In the Bleak Midwinter.” Ideally, I could find a job in a choir like this one and then go to Redeemer at night. The positions are really hard to find, especially, go figure, for sopranos! I definitely did not feel at home at that church in the same way that I feel frumpy among all the perfectly put-together upper east-side pixie models that I walk past on every street. Okay, Sheina, was right. I can’t get away with pilling sweaters here!
After church Adrienne and I went on a shopping adventure to the Container Store (where I revisited childhood memories of coveting all the jewel-colored plastic boxes in every size) and the original Bloomingdales on 59th Street. I found a really great bookcase for my room at the Container Store. Shopping in NYC is a whole new experience because you have to factor whether or not you need it delivered or if you can fit the thing in a cab. Also, everyone seems to bring their dog into every store. Seriously, when we were at the Container Store there were at least 10 dogs browsing canisters and crates with the common folk.
Sunday night I ventured over to the UWS for my first crack at Redeemer. It was an amazing service….I loved the music….they had a jazz quintet and a female vocalist leading us in some songs I knew and many I didn’t but this musician-friendly had sheet music for all of them in their program. The head pastor, Tim Keller, spoke about whether God is really in control as reflected in the last half of Romans 8. He talked about the power we each have to make choices but how even in that free will, God is continually working out His perfect plan in seemingly insignificant forks in the road. The illustration he shared is how we ended up in that church that night…well, because 20 years ago he and his wife felt led to begin a ministry in NYC…and that only happened because he was part of a denomination (PCUSA) that supported that calling and vision…and he only became part of that denomination because of a class he took in his last semester in seminary….and that class was taught by a British scholar who was a fill-in…but he almost wasn’t able to come and teach because of immigration issues…and the dean of the seminary was praying about it when a student happened to come by who asked what he was praying for…and in the 11th hour that scholar was able to come and teach Tim Keller because that student happened to be the son of the current president of the USA, Gerald Ford. And Gerald Ford was only President because Nixon resigned….and Nixon only resigned because of the Watergate scandal…and that scandal leaked out because a door was open 2 inches and the conversations were taped….you get the idea….so whether you open your door or close it all the way, you don’t know how God is using you to changed the world! I loved that illustration…I’m sure I don’t do it justice!
The only part of church that was hard for me was being a loner and feeling completely on the outside. I’ve been so blessed to be on the inside for such a long time and I’m sure it’s good for me to see what it’s like to really be alone but I’m longing for a piece of Christian community out here.
Karim called me as I was on the crosstown bus home and I ended up meeting him at the Apple store on 59th and 5th Ave. This store is crazy…you’ve probably seen it on TV. It is a glass cube and all of the merchandise is underground…and it’s open 24/7! Crazy! It was raining but we walked all the way to Times Square. All the beautiful Christmas lights were still glowing including the ones on the Rockefeller Tree, even more stunning with sans tourists! We went to a 10:30 showing of The Holiday (for $11…eeek!)….easily two movies crammed into one so that we didn’t get out of there till nearly 1 in the morning! This is life with Karim! A very interesting ride home on the A-train (there’s a song about this somewhere) followed….less is more for this story…but I ended up taking a cab from the West Side and was safe and sound by about 1:30. EEK!
Sunday, January 7, 2007
trader joes!
Good Morning! It's Sunday and I'm pretty excited about going church shopping. This morning I'm going to check out the Brick Church on Park and 92nd. It's the church that hosts the annual Park Avenue Tree Lighting Ceremony and Carol Sing that Adrienne and I attended in December. That was such a beautiful evening and a source of many God moments that I decided I need to check it out! This evening I'm planning on going to one of Redeemer's services...this is the church that every person I ask about churches in NYC seems to suggest. My friend Betsy and her husband Riley go when they are in town (she is not, right now) and Redeemer has a whole network of small groups for artists and musicians. I'll report back soon....
Yesterday I went to my first Equinox dance class. It was so fun although definitely more intense than CA. I miss my dancing friends! I hope to make some new ones. This one was taught by Abby, who is a friend and former teacher of Molly Bell. She reminded me of Molly in so many ways and it was an all-around great time. Molly had called me on Thursday to wish me well and had left me a message about Abby. I thought it was particularly fortuitous that Abby teaches a class at my Equinox! So exciting! I found out that it will cost me $300 to change my Equinox membership to All-Access. I'm going to hold off on that one...apparently they have two free-enrollment periods during the year...so we'll see! I just have to convince Karim to visit my Equinox!
Saturday's adventures also included a healthy lunch at Fetch...there are two dog-themed restaurants within 94th Street. I'm not sure what that's about. On Friday night we got burgers and fries from The Barking Dog...next door and featured once on Sex in the City. Adrienne and I went shopping for our new eating plan...we're working on the Dr. Oz diet...no refined sugar, no white flour, no trans fats, etc. We had two fun shopping adventures...first to the local supermarket and second, the big adventure! Adrienne had never been to a Trader Joes...we went to the only one in Manhattan in Union Square. It is such a cute area...right by NYU and apparently very trendy and pricy. You would NOT believe this TJs. It has all the good stuff, of course, with pretty much the same prices (although $2 buck chuch is $3 buck chuck.) Big difference...as soon as you walk in the store...you see the line and a guy holding a card that says "12 items or less." Yes, TJs is the NYC Disneyland where you wait in line for as long as you would for Space Mountain. Seriously the line runs the entire perimeter of the store and if you need any cheese or cereal you have to fight through two lines of people just to get to the items! Crazy! I wish I had taken pictures. We took the bus home on 3rd Avenue and it was fun to look at all the restaurants and shops at a relatively slow pace.
Goals for today...calling more friends, finding a keyboard and figuring out how to get from my side of the park to the West Side. Miss you all, friends!
Yesterday I went to my first Equinox dance class. It was so fun although definitely more intense than CA. I miss my dancing friends! I hope to make some new ones. This one was taught by Abby, who is a friend and former teacher of Molly Bell. She reminded me of Molly in so many ways and it was an all-around great time. Molly had called me on Thursday to wish me well and had left me a message about Abby. I thought it was particularly fortuitous that Abby teaches a class at my Equinox! So exciting! I found out that it will cost me $300 to change my Equinox membership to All-Access. I'm going to hold off on that one...apparently they have two free-enrollment periods during the year...so we'll see! I just have to convince Karim to visit my Equinox!
Saturday's adventures also included a healthy lunch at Fetch...there are two dog-themed restaurants within 94th Street. I'm not sure what that's about. On Friday night we got burgers and fries from The Barking Dog...next door and featured once on Sex in the City. Adrienne and I went shopping for our new eating plan...we're working on the Dr. Oz diet...no refined sugar, no white flour, no trans fats, etc. We had two fun shopping adventures...first to the local supermarket and second, the big adventure! Adrienne had never been to a Trader Joes...we went to the only one in Manhattan in Union Square. It is such a cute area...right by NYU and apparently very trendy and pricy. You would NOT believe this TJs. It has all the good stuff, of course, with pretty much the same prices (although $2 buck chuch is $3 buck chuck.) Big difference...as soon as you walk in the store...you see the line and a guy holding a card that says "12 items or less." Yes, TJs is the NYC Disneyland where you wait in line for as long as you would for Space Mountain. Seriously the line runs the entire perimeter of the store and if you need any cheese or cereal you have to fight through two lines of people just to get to the items! Crazy! I wish I had taken pictures. We took the bus home on 3rd Avenue and it was fun to look at all the restaurants and shops at a relatively slow pace.
Goals for today...calling more friends, finding a keyboard and figuring out how to get from my side of the park to the West Side. Miss you all, friends!
Thursday, January 4, 2007
NYC here I come!!!!
In about an hour Dad will be driving me to SFO and I'll jump on a plane to JFK. I'm excited but still drying my tears from lots of goodbyes. It's been such a crazy and fun week of packing and shipping and sorting and sharing and crying and eating and drinking! I had a really fun party last night with a bunch of friends. Mom made adorable mini NY Cheesecakes and we had some Noah's bagels. Friends from Highway and dance class and high school stopped by and filled me with warmth and love. My heart is just overflowing from good wishes and prayers and amazing cards and gifts and smiles. Sigh. I have really amazing friends that I am leaving (for now!). It's a beautiful thing, in some ways, to have the opportunity to move. The change and ritual of saying goodbye forces conversations and truths that might not otherwise come up of how much we love and appreciate eachother. Like I said, my heart is overflowing and I'm so thankful for the community of friends and family that supports me. And I know that as I step out into the scary city I have them, you all, behind me. And I will grow and go to auditions that scare me and meet new people and attempt new things and develop new tastes with the strength of this community. Okay, many pictures and stories to come!
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