Warning: This one is not so cheery, but its honest.
Wednesday could possibly be the worst day in recent memory. I was repeatedly bashed over the head with the reality that no matter what, I cannot do everything I really want to do and subsequently I let people down, I disappoint. I don't mean this to sound in any way arrogant and that I'm so popular I couldn't possibly accept all invitations. NO! I mean the simplest thing, I feel like there are just not enough express trains to get me to everything and I certainly can't afford cabs. I'm not so in love with NYC at this moment.
Wednesday morning, I rose to the humidity trying to slowly begin my glorious day off. However, immediately (and foolishly) I checked my email on my phone and boom 2 hours later my quiet morning is gone. Apparently I had a lot of emailing to do, castings to submit to and things to mail out! Now I'm rushing off to catch a noon yoga class, but because I've only ever been to this studio once (I visit every studio in Manhattan to do their intro special, then never go back- I'm a creative poor person) So I'm running into the class. Having only spared enough time for a banana all morning, my blood sugars is a little low. Needless to say, this was not an easy class.
Upon departing the yoga studio, still sweating from the humidity- and to be perfectly honest, I'm a sweater- I rush off to UCB for my improv class. Now I'm not sure at all how I managed to be a tiny bit late to this class but I was. The magic of navigating an unfamiliar part of Manhattan! Class was fun, but it was one of those "learning" days for me... in other words I didn't feel funny at ALL, which is rough when you're doing improv. Ah, well, shake it off, right? This is where the day really takes a turn for the worse.
Now in my "yes" mentality of life, I have double-booked myself. I'm supposed to have dinner with my dear friends in Brooklyn AND attend an art show with portraits inspired by a theater piece I co-wrote and performed a year ago. I thought maybe if I rush out to Brooklyn for cocktails then I can be back for the show, OH AND I got an email to be a reader for screenplay from a splendid actress from a theater group I've started meeting with! So I'm rushing to the wine shop to grab a bottle to... I dunno... FLY to Brooklyn so I can be back by 7 to Chelsea then midtown by 8. Ambitious, I know. Everything came to a screeching halt when I realized, in my haste to leave UCB after class, I left my sweatshirt with my house keys in the pocket. ________ insert your expletive of choice!
There goes Brooklyn, but maybe I can make the art show. I call my friends in Brooklyn and say maybe I can meet up with them after the reading, if they're still out. This seems to appease them... phew! I then rush back up to UCB only to find my sweatshirt was kindly picked up by one of my fellow classmates. Thoughtful, yes. Helpful, no. Through the wonder of mass emailing, I found out my sweatshirt was safe and sound on the Upper East Side (I live in West Harlem) BUT on the bright side, its with someone.
I rush over to the show and literally walk in, find my gorgeous photographer friend, 'ooooh and ahhhh' at the photographs, kiss her cheek and walk out the door. I had to rush over to East 43rd for the screenplay reading. This part was actually the lone bright spot of the entire day. I just have to pause and give reverence to the part of my day that I loved. We read on top of a 10 story building right by the United Nations overlooking the East River. Despite the dark nature of the screenplay, it was perfect. We had a discussion afterward about the script, which pushed my departure time back to 11 p.m. Still having to go retrieve my sweatshirt from the East 80's, I lamely texted my Brooklyn darlings with my regrets- to which I got no reply, not a good sign.
My dear roommate accompanied me to the sweatshirt safehouse and we decided to venture on a bus for a ride home. Good in theory and maybe at that hour it truly was the fastest way home, but it took us an hour to go from E 86th st to W 140th st. Sheesh!
The only time I felt fully present and not frustratedly out of sorts was on that rooftop, reading a screenplay... is that indicative of something, do you think?
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Spring has sprung!
At last! The NY winter refused to go quietly this year, but the past few weeks have been a glorious reward. Now, for someone who grew up in a land of two seasons (TX=4 weeks of winter and endless summer) spring has grown to become truly a rebirth of my love for New York City, and I appreciate it more with each passing year. Its not just because my birthday is in the spring, which formerly served as my reason for liking spring. After trudging through piles of snow (so many times this winter) and wearing layers upon layers of clothing and the sun setting at 3 p.m. and consuming more coffee than one should simply to stay warm, spring is NY's resurrection!
Sidewalk din
ing, sunny afternoons in the park, smiles on the faces of New Yorkers and everyone suddenly wants to take their dogs on a walk! I swear the amount of dogs I've seen in the last few weeks has increased exponentially! My mood has also increased exponentially, as has the amount of visitors we've housed in our Harlem apartment. I just had to write to say- Spring, I love you!
Monday, May 2, 2011
TriBeCa Film Festival
Now, I've worked in TriBeCa for over a year now. Last year I received one free ticket from Bob's office to a premiere and walked the red carpet in my flip-flops (which I blogged about) and it was a fun introduction to the world of film festivals. THIS year, however, after making thousands more coffees & teas for employees of TriBeCa Film, I enjoyed the festival on a whole other level! That's right, it just takes a little time for those early mornings to pay off! 
:)
Through various connections that I've established across my marble coffee counter, I received every ticket I requested with a couple bonus ones! I had so many tickets I couldn't even use them all and was able to share the wealth with other poor actors! Wonderful! I even got a birthday bonus invite to an exclusive screening & party!
The 10th Annual TriBeCa Film Festival began two days after my birthday! Let this be a lesson to all those shy, passive folks out there... let people know its your birthday!!! Even if you don't want to say how old you are (which you shouldn't care unless you're an actor/model/any profession where that DOES matter), its the one day that you are allowed- nay, expected- to be the center of attention AND people love to tell you happy birthday! So let them! Now, luckily I was able to work on my birthday, which meant my day was full of love! Plus, I got an amazing invite to a screening and after-party during the festival!
Fast-forward to the screening, the film was ok. It was called "The High Cost of Living" starring Zach Braff and Isabelle Blais. An interesting storyline that might have been more believable with a more sympathetic c
haracter. Isabelle Blais was lovely and tender in the film, but Zach Braff seemed distant. Anyway, after the screening we headed to the after-party at the Mondrian Hotel Penthouse in SoHo. An incredible view of Manhattan, with a huge terrace (that was too windy to stand on for too long) and a room full of film folks! Love it! I attended this screening/party with a co-worker from the hotel, which meant we knew no one in the room! Great! At first, the sheer excitement of just being in the room and people watching felt sufficiently entertaining, however what kind of struggling actress would I be if I didn't realize the networking opportunity I found myself in!
Across the room I spotted a familiar face, is that... yes, it is! Shawn Hunter from Boy Meets World!!! Well, just for my own wonderful memories I have to go say hi to this fella! So I muster up the courage and just don't care, walk over and politely ask, "Can I just be a teenage fan for one second?" Rider Strong is his real name! And such a gem. He was so gracious and lovely. He then introduced me to his producer, and girlfriend, Alex and then his co-writer and director and brother, Shiloh. They were all so fun and great conversation that we just hung out with them the rest of the party! I found out they had a short film in the festival, which I screened a couple days later!
All in all, this was far and away the best festival I've personally experienced! The films I viewed are listed below with a quick review. Some of them are already released in select theaters in NY. Oh, and I did walk a couple more red carpets this time around, but with close-toed shoes!
"The Bang Bang Club"
~slightly unfocused as they tried to cover apartheid and the group of photographers, so neither were solid
"Higher Ground"
~directorial debut of Vera Farmiga, beautifully told journey of a woman's evolving faith, very tender and relevant
"Last Night"
~will they/won't they? its an interesting look at infidelity and its many layers-- super fun viewing experience, which probably enhanced my feelings toward the film
"Romantics Anonymous"
~quirky French romantic comedy including chocolate- really delightful and charming
Series of Shorts-- all good with varied subject matter, but of course I'm partial to the film by the Strong brothers called "The Dungeon Master". They're very talented and charming, plus Rider is a walking piece of nostalgia for many folks my age, so I think they might do well! I hope so anyway!
Next year I'll be attending the festival as someone involved in one of the films! Won't that be nice!
:)Through various connections that I've established across my marble coffee counter, I received every ticket I requested with a couple bonus ones! I had so many tickets I couldn't even use them all and was able to share the wealth with other poor actors! Wonderful! I even got a birthday bonus invite to an exclusive screening & party!
The 10th Annual TriBeCa Film Festival began two days after my birthday! Let this be a lesson to all those shy, passive folks out there... let people know its your birthday!!! Even if you don't want to say how old you are (which you shouldn't care unless you're an actor/model/any profession where that DOES matter), its the one day that you are allowed- nay, expected- to be the center of attention AND people love to tell you happy birthday! So let them! Now, luckily I was able to work on my birthday, which meant my day was full of love! Plus, I got an amazing invite to a screening and after-party during the festival!
Fast-forward to the screening, the film was ok. It was called "The High Cost of Living" starring Zach Braff and Isabelle Blais. An interesting storyline that might have been more believable with a more sympathetic c
haracter. Isabelle Blais was lovely and tender in the film, but Zach Braff seemed distant. Anyway, after the screening we headed to the after-party at the Mondrian Hotel Penthouse in SoHo. An incredible view of Manhattan, with a huge terrace (that was too windy to stand on for too long) and a room full of film folks! Love it! I attended this screening/party with a co-worker from the hotel, which meant we knew no one in the room! Great! At first, the sheer excitement of just being in the room and people watching felt sufficiently entertaining, however what kind of struggling actress would I be if I didn't realize the networking opportunity I found myself in!Across the room I spotted a familiar face, is that... yes, it is! Shawn Hunter from Boy Meets World!!! Well, just for my own wonderful memories I have to go say hi to this fella! So I muster up the courage and just don't care, walk over and politely ask, "Can I just be a teenage fan for one second?" Rider Strong is his real name! And such a gem. He was so gracious and lovely. He then introduced me to his producer, and girlfriend, Alex and then his co-writer and director and brother, Shiloh. They were all so fun and great conversation that we just hung out with them the rest of the party! I found out they had a short film in the festival, which I screened a couple days later!
All in all, this was far and away the best festival I've personally experienced! The films I viewed are listed below with a quick review. Some of them are already released in select theaters in NY. Oh, and I did walk a couple more red carpets this time around, but with close-toed shoes!
"The Bang Bang Club"
~slightly unfocused as they tried to cover apartheid and the group of photographers, so neither were solid
"Higher Ground"
~directorial debut of Vera Farmiga, beautifully told journey of a woman's evolving faith, very tender and relevant
"Last Night"
~will they/won't they? its an interesting look at infidelity and its many layers-- super fun viewing experience, which probably enhanced my feelings toward the film
"Romantics Anonymous"
~quirky French romantic comedy including chocolate- really delightful and charming
Series of Shorts-- all good with varied subject matter, but of course I'm partial to the film by the Strong brothers called "The Dungeon Master". They're very talented and charming, plus Rider is a walking piece of nostalgia for many folks my age, so I think they might do well! I hope so anyway!
Next year I'll be attending the festival as someone involved in one of the films! Won't that be nice!
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