Melty Chocolate Chip Cookies

A mound of melty, chocolatey-chip goodness saved the day!

After a good tongue-lashing from some guests this afternoon, the day was looking pretty grim. It irks me to no end when the day after Thanksgiving, I'm screamed at for a room not being prepared for some guests when they arrive. Not even able to defend myself, I have to politely smile and resist the urge to hold up a mirror to let them see how they are behaving!

Alas, we cannot. I will store that away in some memory bank to use at a later date for a character... maybe. Hopefully. Lord knows I've got tons of material to play an irrational, entitled human being.

Back to the cookies... some guests who have been regulars for as long as I've worked here, brought us some chocolate chip cookies from Marc Forgione... and they were still warm! It's more the gesture than the cookie that made my day!

FlyWheel Challenge

On a steamy, sweaty summer sunset evening, I sauntered up the street to visit a place I'd never been before. Little did I know my life would change forever...

Sounds like a romance novel, no? Anyway, FlyWheel has become such a unique source of joy that I never anticipated. This summer I decided to do my concierge duties and research exercise options in the neighborhood for our guests at The Greenwich Hotel.

If you recall, I broke my foot in February in such a way that I needed a plate & 5 screws to repair the bone. Go big or go home, right?! This was two weeks before opening Cupid & Psyche, a play that I loved with my whole heart and I was a title character, so not exactly replaceable at that point. I've said it before but it's amazing what can be accomplished when "no" is not an option. The play was performed in a walking boot--we just added a line & the audience forgot about it!

The day after we closed, surgery happened then my world became very very simple. Get to work. Get home. The end. NYC on crutches is not something I wish on my worst enemy! Very humbling. Needless to say, my arms got strong and my waist got squishy. Crutches turned into walking boot, walking boot turned into gimpy walk, gimpy walk turned into a sassy saunter :) But to this day I have yet to go for a run, which used to be my meditation, my escape, my freedom. I'd plug into my music and let the rest go. I missed that so so much!

Kait, the TriBeCa studio manager, brilliantly offered us at The Greenwich classes so we could share our experience with our guests. Smart lady. Well, I got hooked immediately, even took a couple 5:30am classes with Lindsey before my 7:00am shifts and I do NOT consider myself a morning person!

When I saw the FlyWheel Instructor audition on Playbill's casting page, I wanted to attend so much but I feared my foot wouldn't be able to handle that much spinning. When the FlyWheel Challenge was announced, I saved all my pennies and decided to find out if I could push my body like I used to and if my foot would come along. Ecstatic to say not only is my foot flying fine, but it's helped me release the mental limitations I had placed on myself since the injury.

My body is my instrument. FlyWheel helped me remember how to play notes I'd forgotten.

Nudges

I'm perfectly happy to admit I need direction in this life. Nothing thrills me more than when I get some help navigating my decisions. This happened today in a very subtle way, but definitely pertaining to my question.

First of all, I should say I'm not a person who believes in coincidence. I believe something greater than myself exists that shapes the patterns of my life. Many people call it many different names, I call it God. This afternoon I asked for help deciding if I should pursue an opportunity to work for a different company. It's a change I've been contemplating for several months and one I'd really enjoy. This evening I got two very different but wonderful confirmations that I am exactly where I need to be. My favorite face of Tribeca stopped by for a brief chat. A man I met on my first day as a barista at Locanda Verde and a man I made coffee for 2 years before moving over to his hotel. Then a family in town for the marathon stopped by to tell their stories from their glorious day! Yep, I'm happy here.

True, this is not a job I want to do forever. This is no secret, the GM of the hotel knows this, but until that time comes when I need to leave, I remain content. Never complacent, but content.

FLY

I have decided to tip-toe into the world of bourgeoisie. Yes, I consciously, non-impulsively took a big financial hit and I am totally fine with it.

I've decided to take the FlyWheel Challenge. What is FlyWheel? You might ask. Well, it's an incredibly expensive but amazing form of burning a maximum amount of calories while mentally escaping into a room for 45 minutes on a stationary bike where I can close my eyes and the only focus is breathing and enjoying the music.

Due to the lingering issue with my right foot, I explored the joys of spinning this summer when the FlyWheel studio in Tribeca offered us a free month. Super smart, cause not only have I told numerous guests about the studio, but I'm now addicted. C'est la vie. I'm able to push myself to exhaustion with minimal impact on my wee foot. Hoorah!

What does this Challenge entail? (Do you like how I capitalize it b/c it's important?) Anyway, we did get a 28 day eating plan with a super-fance nutritionist. She looks like Barbie but has a realistic approach and seems very practical. I'm modifying the plan based on my budget and schedule. Oh, but I may have won the lottery tonight. One second... Nope.

We also get 16 classes-don't worry I did the math and if I were to buy 16 classes, I'd be spending more than the cost of the challenge. I will not tell you how much each class is because I will not be judged by you! Plus, you can just look it up online if you're very curious.

Very little is ever in my hands. I have a job that tells me when to work, they tell me how much they will pay me, my job is to help other people figure out what to do in the City, my other profession is only possible when other people give me the opportunity to perform for them, I rarely get to act lately and I've been feeling rather sad about that. This is my remedy. If I let myself go down the path of 'woe to me' too long, I start really building up stories about how lost I am. Truthfully, I'm not lost at all. I know this. And I am taking a financial leap with this venture.

"Goodbye, my old friend..."

BIG change in my 'stable' world of work at The Greenwich. My manager and friend, Kai Gilsey, left his post as front office manager. Although a few years my junior, his maturity far surpassed mine in many ways and most his own age, which accounts for his success. He's a man of integrity & vision. His whispery voice & tall, Ken-like features will be missed at the desk... especially by all those middle-aged female guests.

As an actor, I've become accustomed to growing very close to strangers very quickly and creating believable, deep relationships. Then promptly bidding them farewell once the show closes or the film wraps. But my other world, my "real life", I depend on those relationships for support and consistency. It didn't hit me until I was faced with saying goodbye that I realized how much I'm going to miss this guy. These people are harder to lose. We'll try, I'm sure, to see one another but in a city of 9 million, it's more difficult than you realize.

I always thought I'd be the first to leave for a better opportunity. I wish him only good things! Heaven help us at The Greenwich :) Bring on the holiday season!!

My broken, bleeding, sad little heart

It was inevitable. This day had to come. I just didn't realize it would hurt so much!

Little Miss Erin has decided to take advantage of her new work schedule and wake up early to try to get into EPA auditions that will ultimately change her career. Ok, I'm stopping this third person writing- it's annoying.

This morning I got up at 7:00am, took the train to NOLA studios, found the audition room and hoped someone might show up for the official sign-in sheet before I had to leave to attend my dear friend's FlyWheel class on the UWS. Sadly, this did not happen, but I wasn't about to miss out on a free class (normally $34) that would burn over 700 calories and enjoy a bit of Britney in the morning!

After class, I shower and race back down to NOLA studios. Many more folks have shown up but I'm still only #15 on the non-Equity list. Things are looking ok. Then the hours start flying by! Only when you have somewhere you're required to be, do the hours fly by! If I didn't have anything to do today, those hours would've ticked by with every single solitary second. Dreadful! But Nooooooo, not today. All of a sudden, it's 11:00AM, then Noon, then 1:00PM.

I hear the monitor tell the most recent Equity actor to saunter in that they can either go right away in the next group or any time after lunch. Repeat. Any time after lunch. This means from 2:30pm until they conclude at 6:00pm the field is wide open! The monitor then fills the rest of the audition slots with EMC actors, leaving only 2 on the list to come back after lunch.

Let me explain this to anyone (family) who may not understand why this is heartbreaking. The first folks seen at an Equity Principal Audition (EPA) are Equity members. I am not this... yet. Then the folks with points towards joining the union, also known as Equity Member Candidates (EMC), are called into the room. THEN us lowly non-equity folks, who've been waiting for hours will get in the audition room. Often, Non-Eq actors are not seen and we wait in vain. But today- yes today- I would've definitely been seen.... if I didn't have to come in to work.

The ironic part is if I'd been working my old schedule of 7am-3pm, I would be able to attend the audition and get in the room. Zinger!!

Milestone

I've finally shot a TV show in NYC! Yesterday, I spent the afternoon in a townhome in Harlem. Pretty amazing location, actually. Often any brownstone has been renovated to make each floor an individual unit to be rented by different tenants. This building remained intact from top to bottom. 5 floors, all one home. I think it may serve as a Bed and Breakfast now, but it was very cool to get a feel of old New York.

The TV show is "Most Evil" with Discovery ID. Basically a show all about these demented killers. My character actually survives the attack of the serial killer and helps the cops set up a sting operation, only to have him escape. Don't worry, he is caught in the end, but this poor woman had quite an ordeal! It should air in December.

Such a fun experience and definitely a box to be checked off on my list. It's the equivalent of booking an Under 5 on Law & Order. Every actor in New York will most likely get the opportunity at some point. Mine was especially fun, as the director played the theme of "Halloween" to help facilitate the creepy vibe on set. Great experience & good stuff for the reel!

9/11 Memorial Museum

August 2001: I will never forget standing at the top of the World Trade Center. My mother whisked me off to New York City for a mother-daughter trip to celebrate graduating high school. This is when I fell madly in love with NYC. Atop the highest observation deck in the world, my strongest memory is the power of the wind!

One month later, it would be gone.

This evening I revisited the 9/11 Memorial. It's been a few years since I walked around that beautiful tribute. An offer to concierges for free tickets to the museum found it's way to my inbox, so I jumped on that one. The museum opened in May this year & is a mere 15 minute walk from The Greenwich.

I could sit at the memorial site all day. The two enormous footprints from the North and South towers with the cascading water produces such a sense of peace. As you enter the museum, a long staircase descends into the heart of the space. Some iconic images and remnants from that day greet you and set the tone for museum. Next was a little history helps you appreciate what the World Trade Center was for lower Manhattan. Did you know it had it's own zip code?

We made our way through what I'm going to call the cube of faces. All the victims from the attacks line the walls of this square space. Pictures ranging from wedding day photos to super grainy web images. Some had none at all. Looking at all these faces initially felt distant and general. But the longer we stayed in there and really looked at their eyes and their expression, my eyes go a bit misty. We could only get through halfway before my friend and I decided we needed to move on before both bursting into tears.

Then, I stopped cold in my tracks. We entered the historical portion of the actual day. A webcam had caught the first plane crashing into the WTC. I haven't seen any footage from September 11th in years and I could not move. The memory of that whole day came rushing back and I started to feel a weight on my chest and lump in my throat.

I did a pretty good job holding myself together watching the news cast from Sept. 11th and remembering how everyone thought it was an accident at first. Hearing phone calls of people from the other tower talking to significant others about how they were ok. But then I stumbled upon this tiny alcove with a few quotes on the wall and a few images. It was about the people who decided to jump. It was so heartbreaking.

The portion devoted to Flight 93 is very honoring and very moving.

The most surreal moment happened as I watched footage of the South Tower collapsing as I stood on the site where it fell. That brought the whole event to an incredible deep place. Tears flowed freely as I stood there alone watching the footage loop through the 10 seconds it took to collapse.

I moved through the rest of the museum in a silent dreamlike state and ultimately finding myself walking into a cool summer night next to the footprints of the towers again. Truly a gorgeous memorial and remind me of a time when everyone was so desperate to help. Not just in New York, although New York bolted into action, but all over our country. I remember the night of September 11th, 2001 gathering at an upper classman's dorm as a basketball team and just being together. No one did anything that whole day except be with each other. Nice to be reminded.

Happy Anniversary NYC

Six glorious years! Where does the time go?

As per usual, I am up later than one should be when the alarm is set for 5:00AM. I'm quite proud of my anniversary date with NYC though. A late start on the day, being the one day this week that I did NOT have to get up at dawn, and grabbed the ultimate NYC breakfast: bagel & coffee. This I enjoyed as I ran between the laundromat and my apt to work on sides.

Around noon I headed into the City for a callback for a dear friend who is expanding her creative efforts to also include directing. There is nothing this woman cannot do! Lots of fun in the room and ended right on time, unheard of and a very good sign that she will be someone who actually respects people's time. Amazing.

I raced uptown to the theatre district in time to catch a matinee that only cost me $30.

Sidebar: I saw a play last night for super cheap too, but almost didn't cause I'm 6 months past their age limit for cheap tickets. Like entering my 30's means I'm making enough money to afford a full priced ticket. My friend, Jason, made the point that we are the ones who should be coming to see this. Not only for our own artistic inspiration, but we are the next generation of financial supporters for the theatre. If they (they being the big bad theatre owners) want our cash once we hit it big or at least make enough to have extra to donate, I'll be more inclined to give to an organization I'm familiar with and took care of me early on.

And we're back. So I made it to the theatre moments before the curtain. Thank heaven they hold for 8 minutes! Delightful show with all the trimmings of a matinee (i.e. malfunctioning hearing devices, ringing cell phones at precisely the wrong moment, etc.) Lovely though.

On my walk to the train I considered the TKTS line for a double-show day but opted out. My foot needed some rest and more supportive shoes. I must admit my anniversary is somewhat shadowed by an ominous report from the podiatrist yesterday regarding my foot. My x-rays did not exactly look perfect so we're scheduling a CT scan to get a closer look at the bone. It does not appear to have healed completely, so we're back to the waiting game. Once we've got the results, decisions can be made, but we did go thru all just cause I have to know what to expect. Might be busting those crutches out again. Heaven help me.

Quick trip home, let me ice the foot and do a bit of writing. Then I laced up some tennis shoes and headed to the train for Central Park. I had a very romantic idea that I'd be able to just walk in to "Much Ado About Nothing" but on a beautiful Saturday, I quickly realized that would absolutely not happen. I sat up at the Belvedere Castle and listened to the opening scenes and wrote some more. I got a peak at both stars of the show from the backside view. Kinda cool to watch them pace around a bit before the start. Truly the weather could not be more perfect!

A long leisurely stroll brought me back through the park and past the Plaza Hotel to the train to get back to Queens. I really do love this City. I complain about it constantly and this year had been particularly challenging, but also a year of unexpected and utterly transcendent moments. Wonder what lucky #7 has in store!

Clarity

Entering the final week on crutches... at least I hope so. I'm free from my plaster prison and in a walking boot for a week now but still clinging to crutches. I'll spare the details of the unveiling of my foot, but there was much exfoliating to be done.

My restful days are coming to an end as well, but I will say I've learned to appreciate very simple things (i.e. carrying my coffee from the kitchen to the living room, actually carrying anything). But this month has held some very pivotal auditions. The crutches are a great ice-breaker when entering the room for an audition!

One audition resulted in a show! (I've been cast in a new play "The Tragedy of Dandelion" with Ego Actus Theatre Company, which starts rehearsal in a couple weeks) One audition resulted in rejection. I'd auditioned to be a member of the school of Steppenwolf for the summer in Chicago; a very competitive program led by one of the best theatre companies in the country, but I woke up this morning with such a sense of relief. Had I been accepted, it would most likely ended my role with Turn to Flesh and the developing Life & Death Trilogy, of which Cupid & Psyche is the final installment.

Last night I sat with my Cupid & playwright as we shared two bottles of wine and talked the night away. One of those wonderful evenings when time is irrelevant and responsibilities set aside. The future is exciting to dream with these two and I'm more than grateful for the opportunity to continue to collaborate. Summer in NYC will be quite sweet, methinks.

Marching on!

Yes, it's been nearly a month since the dismal last post about the foot. Turns out it was not just bruising, it was a compound fracture. Yep, snapped my 5th metatarsal into three parts. Let me just walk you thru the two weeks following that last post...

Monday, Feb. 3rd: 
12:00pm: Visited orthopedist late morning, barely limping in to his office. Btw, it was a miserably wet, snowy day & I couldn't even fit a shoe over my foot. Called a car to take me in because I couldn't walk on it and used an old prop cane to get to and from the building.

You know it's a bad thing when everyone at the doctor's office says 'oh' and breathes in deep when they look at your foot. So comforting. X-rays revealed a very broken bone, so worrisome that this orthopedist referred me to a podiatrist cause I may need surgery. As soon as he left the room to get his card, I cried.

3:00pm: Caught a cab back home and as soon as I walked through the door, my roommate asked how it went. Again, I cried. The utter defeat and fear of loss consumed me for a good 10 minutes. Then I hopped online to find a podiatrist on my insurance. Luckily one could see me later that afternoon before rehearsal. Great!

5:30pm: Upon entering, again gasps from the staff as they take x-rays. Not good. Within minutes the doctor is walking in to my room with my x-rays in hand. Now, by this time I've built up a little resolve. I can walk if I turn all the weight on the inside of my foot. I can move on it. Phew.

However, the doctor says he came in right away because we've got to take care of this as soon as possible. I shouldn't be walking on this, we need to do surgery, I should be on crutches and in a walking boot. I sat. Dumbfounded, speechless. An uncomfortable smile crept on to my face and said that simply is not possible right now. Thus began the standoff...

I explained why I could not go under the knife. There are too many other people that this would affect. It's not just my foot, but it's month of hard work, hundreds of dollars that aren't mine invested into this show, a dozen of the most wonderful cast/crew I've had the pleasure of working with relying on everyone to show up and play their part. I cannot be the one to bring that to an end. Had a near meltdown in the office (at least internally).

The doctor gave me fair warning on the potential risk I was taking and explained surgery was an absolute as soon as the play was over. For the first time ever, I was relieved we only had a 5 show run. I scheduled a pre-operation appointment for later that week & headed out the door to rehearsal.

6:30pm: The whole cab ride over to the rehearsal studio I plotted out when/how I would reveal the extent of my injury and to whom. Heartbroken.

Bit by bit the whole story became known and only by the grace of God was I able to complete the run.

Ice, Elevate, Drugs-- Repeat

A routine I know well suffering many injuries throughout my athletic career. This is the first of my acting career & it's more terrifying than others, simply because I don't have the luxury of rest/recovery time.

As the lead in this show, I need to be healthy, fit and ready for absolutely anything. I do not have the option of sitting out and letting someone else step in. This is my part that I've been crafting for months. It's been my waking and sleeping thought. I adore this play more than I can express. I'm praying so hard that the doctor will tell me tomorrow that I'm fine. It's a bad bruising on my foot and I just need to rest it for a week. Please, dear Lord, let this heal!

We're in the New York Times

The new play Cupid & Psyche is in the New York Times!!!

I'm not entirely naive & I know that we have hired a marketing company to assist in getting the word out, but either way my name has appeared in association with the New York stinkin' Times! Ha!

Apparently, the ad has appeared in nymag.com as well! Oh the little joys in life. Hopefully this will not be the only time I'm mentioned in the Times & hopefully we actually get reviewed in the Time, but for now I'm completely content with just having a page online associating with a project with which I'm involved. Pinch me moment!

"I'll Be Seeing You"

It's quite extraordinary to attend a memorial service of a person I did not know. Yesterday, myself and several classmates joined in support of our acting teacher, Wynn Handman, as he said goodbye to the woman who'd been by his side for 63 years. I walked away so moved and inspired!

Upon entering the auditorium on a rainy Saturday afternoon, we were handed a copy of the Constitution, which threw me a bit. As the service progressed though, we heard over and over how important the First Amendment was to Ms. Handman and how passionately she loved this country for it's freedom.

The love story of the two of them was incredibly touching and when Wynn spoke, not one eye was dry in that huge space. So touching and lovely. To hear the life of someone told by a person who adored them is so special. I felt as though I was given a gift by attending the memorial service.

Before I left, I was able to speak with Wynn briefly. I kissed his cheek & nearly lost it as I saw a tear in the corner of his eye. He said, "So you learned about my wife today?" He's such a treasure! I'm so happy he became a part of my story. The man is like my great-grandfather! Love him!

And We're Off

Unofficial, official rehearsal has commenced! Cupid & Psyche is underway! Hooray!!

Although we did a few things before the holiday break, Wednesday night kicked off the new year and the year in which this play will be fully staged. Again... Hooray!

Thankfully, I was off-book for the scenes we were working. The goal of the rehearsal was to block the last scene leading into intermission & begin playing with the opening scene after. Both extremely physical and fun! My amazing leading man caught me as I jumped into his arms over and over and over again. What girl doesn't want to do that?!

Good start to this adventure. Woke up fairly sore the next morning, and was reminded of muscles I'd forgotten. Time to change up my fitness routine. Yoga last night was both wonderful and painful. Truth be told, I love being sore, in that self-punishing way :) Makes me very aware and grateful for my body and all it's elements!

Day 1

23 hours into the New Year & it's going pretty darn good!

After spending 8 hours with five pre-teens counting down to midnight, I think this is a New Years Eve I won't soon forget. Not the typical way many New Yorkers ring in the new year, but I had a blast with these goofballs! Good kids... with too much stuff.

Once the parents returned from a concert --performed by one of our other guests-- I was relieved of my duties a little after 2 A.M. Praise the Lord, I was granted permission to sleep (really a glorified nap) at the hotel. Although it was a short 4 hours in the room, I loved every minute of it. And my commute to work was amazing in the morning.

The challenge of the day: Wish everyone a happy new year. Pretty close to 100%. Survived with surprising energy; after work gathered research for a film I'm shooting in Feb; home to run lines with my fellow lead for my play on Valentine's weekend & now...bed.

If this first day is any indication of how my year will be, all I can say is YES!!! Happy 2014!