Question

What do you think of this new layout?

Love it?  Hate it?

Dreaming Really Fast

Following up to my previous post, I had the pleasure of drinking about three shots of espresso yesterday - right before my rehearsal (about 7 p.m.).  Unfortunately for me, drinking coffee before going to sleep did not make me "dream faster," as they mention in Coffee and Cigarettes.  No, my body resolved to keeping me awake until about 2 a.m.  I think I was doubly influenced by the caffeine levels in my bloodstream and the anticipation of the coming weeks.

Today, my brother Kyle is flying into town, and we are spending the weekend together for his first New York City excursion.  I haven't seen Kyle since March, so I am really looking forward to some quality time together.  We are both so excited for the Yankees game tomorrow evening - I just can't decide whether I want to root for New York or California!  Well, I already have the Yankees hat, so I guess I'm an East Coast gal now.  Other grand plans for Kyle's trip include moving some furniture (yep, my new least is starting tomorrow), The Dark Knight on IMAX, ASSSSCAT 3000 at UCB, and maybe some Coney Island action.  I think Kyle might be most excited for my riveting five-hour rehearsal on Saturday for "Nudists in Love."  I feel terrible that I have all this other stuff going on while he's here (a three hour sketch class on Sunday, work on Monday, work at UCB, etc)... but that's my life!

And on the topic of moving to my new apartment... I'm planning a massive exile to the East Village on August 16th.  Who wants to help me in exchange for pizza and beer?

Coffee Break

Random short update... I'm working on a genre parody for my sketch writing class, and I'm planning to write my own take on the movie "Coffee and Cigarettes," a series of vignettes from Jim Jarmusch.  I love this style and it's quirkiness, and I thought I'd share the first vignette of this movie, starring Steven Wright and Roberto Benigni.  My twist will involve a lot of the same types of shots and general layout, but they will be consuming substances other than coffee and cigarettes - I just need to decide what those substances will be.... Enjoy!

And now I'm off to rehearsal for "Nudists in Love..."

Long Awaited Pictures...

Well, I got the call this afternoon that our apartment applications seem to be in order and we'll be signing the lease soon. I thought I would take this opportunity to share some images of my soon-to-be new neighborhood:

My block

Another view of the corner - great cafe on the ground level

I love all the community gardens in this area - this one is on my blockAnother community garden on my block

And here's my building! Cool restaurant on the bottom floorJust a couple blocks East, the East River Park

I found this beautiful garden just a block away from the apartment

NY Public Library Branch across from Tompkins Square Park

And lastly, spotted this fabric store a few blocks down our street

Okay, I'm off to the first rehearsal of "Nudists in Love!"

Just another Manic Monday

Yeah.  Hello.   Hi, I'm alive.

Honestly, when I don't write in this blog, the anticipation of my next entry and the realization that I have more and more to write just builds and builds until I have absolutely no drive to sit down and update this here thing.

But here I am.  

I have got a lot going on these days.  It feels good to be busy.  Looking at my last update, I mentioned that I had just gone to an audition and gotten a callback.  Well, I went to two more auditions and ended up getting a part in the musical. (I actually ran into 50 Cent in the hallway of the audition location - yeah, he was casting for his new movie.)  If you want to check out the website of "Nudists in Love" (my musical - not 50 Cent's movie), you can read about the show and the awesome people putting it all together.  Rehearsals start tomorrow, and the show goes up in August as a part of the NYC Fringe Festival (one of New York's finest Scottish imports).  

Which leads me to my Tuesday night conflicts with our rehearsals: my new Tuesday night gig at Upright Citizens Brigade.  Yup, I mentioned it here in my last entry, but since then I have worked two fantastic Harold nights and met some wonderful people at the theater.  The internship translates to two free classes at UCB, which I am using for my Sketch 101, and most likely, Sketch 201 classes.  My job on Tuesday nights entails prepping the theater for the show, selling tickets in the box office, checking tickets as patrons enter the theater, and cleaning it all up just after midnight.  It's a pretty good gig, considering it also allows me free admission to any show at the theater, even if it's sold out.  Yeah, it's tough work (especially after working eight hours during the day), but I feel I'm just putting in my dues before I really make it big.  (Only half joking here.)

In other improv news, our sketch/improv group "The Knife Parade" recently went through an identity crisis and renamed ourselves "The Karate Parade."  One of our members used to be a knife salesman and is now teaching karate to kids, so our group's moniker seems to be following his career path.  Henceforward, I will refer to it here as "TKP."  So, TKP enjoyed a fun show last Saturday, opening up for a group called "Sherpa" with another group called "Kape."  We had a great turnout and a pretty awesome show, so we are stoked for our next public appearance, this Friday at Gotham City Improv with "Bombardo."  If you're in the NYC area, you should check it out: 7/18 10pm, 48 W 21st St., 8th floor, $6, BYOB.

What else is new.... hmm... 

I'm going to be moving down to the East Village next month with my pal, Brooke - though we are still anxiously awaiting confirmation from our management company that our application was accepted.  I have been neglecting covering the topic in my blog for my amateurish fear of jinxing the place.  It's beautiful.  Great big living space, beautiful exposed brick, a TUB, great neighborhood.  Couldn't ask for much more.  I'm ready for a change from my current location in the Upper East Side.   Brian will be moving up to a nice apartment in Harlem, to live with his fellow theater friend from Palo Alto.  I think we are both ready to escape the incessant construction, loud traffic, and cheap frat boys that litter our ever-decomposing block.  Wow, do I sound a little jaded?  I think I have just finally found my calling as an East Village punk (see Cyndi Lauper at right.)  Too bad I already let my monroe piercing grow in... I would have fit right in!  I'm having remorse.

Have you ever been to Chelsea Market?  I popped in Saturday afternoon to enjoy some free A/C and feast my eyes on restaurant equipment... but MAN oh man - they have some top quality produce in that joint.  If you're in need of some veggies and fruits, head over there and spend a fraction of the cost.  You wouldn't expect the prices to be so affordable, given the ultra modern architecture and factory-turned-trendy interior design, but they had a wide variety of amazingly fresh and organic ingredients for CHEAP.  Check it out.

The last note I will end with today (though I have SO much more to cover) are some thoughts on my new Sketch class at Upright Citizens Brigade.  I'm currently in the second week of 101 with Dominic Dierkes (he's got some fantastically funny videos with his sketch group Derrick).  My most recent sketch involved a heterosexual man's experience of "coming out" to his gay Dads, and was pretty well received by my teacher and the rest of the class.  This week, our assignment is to write a "character" sketch, or an SNL-type sketch which utilizes the funny philosophy or "game" of a character in any given situation.  Think Chris Farley as the "Motivational Speaker"  (in a van down by the river!)  So if you have any brilliant ideas for a character you'd like to see incorporated into a sketch, please be my muse and comment!

Peace out - enjoy the sun and humidity, NYC.