Switchin' it up

Wha?? Two blogs in one week? Shocking, I know.


.. but  what can you say... when you're in it, you're in it.

All my posts have been updates on my life. Sure, that's exciting. But what about updates on new things I like? Things that make me happy? New trends I've been watching?

yaaaa, now you're with me. Okay. So this blog is a teeny window to my mind. I believe in putting things into the universe; if you put them into the world.  So why not share the things that make me happy with the world? Ya, good plan.

things that make Annie happy:

1) Anthropologie "Georgina" duvet cover... aka sleeping on a CLOUD.

Heaven

Ummmm If I were to CREATE a bed, an 'Annie' bed, THIS would be it. Flowers, texture, love... it's got it all. Granted, it'd be a couple hundred less dollars. But still.... this is a cloud. This is a dream. This  makes me happy. I will make this bedspread, and I will swan dive into every morning.

...yup.






I mean... c'mon...











2) ZUMBA certified!

I've been pretty into Zumba for a while, and it turns out it's
pretty easy to get certified as a teacher! You schedule a certification date and they send you DVDS, program language, etc... you get all the new
Zumba moves for a year!

... and guess what... my daddy sponsored me!!! For my birthday, he essentially sponsored me so I can get certified. I hope to then freelance with gyms around the area... how fun!! (and lucrative.)


3) Hats.

I've never been a hat person. Ever. I like them, sure. But for some reason they never look quite as good on me as I want them to. NOT this time. I am SO for the floppy hat trend. SO down.

 I don't even mind if I never wear one- what matters is when I walk the streets of New York, every which way I watch the wrap dresses gently sway, listen to the autumnal boots click clack behind me, and the hats... oh, the hats.  preferably in a deep wine, or dark rust.

Add a feather around the brim, and I'm SOLD.


4) Movies!!

I am pretty sure I was hiding under a rock for a solid 12 years, because I've managed to miss ALL of the classic movies. Godfather? Haven't seen it. Indiana Jones? Nope. Forrest Gump? Nada. So I'm making it a mission to be more up to date in the cinema world. Why? Because I love them! I. love. them.

Recent loves?


... I first saw this movie the same week that two of my close friends, two separate couples  got engaged. AND the lead character's name is Annie.

Coincidence? I. think. NOT.


If you haven't seen it, see it. Funny.

Goal: Watch them movies. Watch, watch, watch.




5) Cy Twombly

Yup. Cy.

 My mom turned me on to Twombly's work, and I can't get enough. Instead of buying art when I needed to decorate my walls, my poor artist sensibilities decided to create some pieces. As an homage, I decided to make some pieces inspired by Twombly. His  deconstructed flower pieces get me every time.

The inspiration for my wall art

Even in picking pictures for my blog, I can't choose just one.








Goal: Buy an original Cy Twombly. Monet? Van Gogh? Ehhh
maybe later. Cy? Yaa, that'll be the first purchase.













There. 5 things Annie loves. This should be like Ellen, or Oprah. I should give away cars and trips to Australia. Or at least this article should get some sort of award. Clearly, my journalistic skills are deserving of merit.

And, just because I'm on a high... here's a 6th one. Enjoy.

This is clearly me. As a child.

... and as an adult.

Movin' on up!

Phew! Ready for a big update?


Well that  was fun! My show opened and closed and was amazing. The original Broadway directors and Producers came to see it, too! Pretty great. The artistic director and music director asked me to come back- nay, demanded. Their season coming up includes 'Lend Me a Tenor' and 'Secret Garden,' which  are pretty good shows for me, so we'll see.



My step-mom Jennifer was in town for an event her father was throwing the next day. She flew in, raced through Grand Central, and made it on a train to white plains with two minutes to spare. Amazing, right? What a terrific audience...




It. gets. BETTER!!!! I knew my New-York-family Leah was coming, and I was already was grateful. To the moon grateful. But then, I found out... my cousin SUE FLEW IN FROM CHICAGO!!! Can you believe it? She texted me at intermission and I just about lost it. I could not be more amazed, more flabbergasted, more honored. It made my week.

The lobby... oh, you know. SWANKY. 

In other news.... (drum roll pleeeease....)

...I'm moving!


To 41st and 10th! In the heart of it all! I took a class with a casting director and met my friend, Andrew. He and I got along great, and have stayed close. His roommate is going on the 'Bring it On' National Tour, and he needs to fill her spot!

I've had my mind open to moving for a while, and this seems like the perfect opportunity. 43rd floor, 24 hour doorman, laundry, gym, 360 degree rooftop view... for what I'm paying now.

Big. Tall. Mine. 

... ummm YES PLEASE.

 Life's a changin' and I'm excited to see where it goes!

There! In the center! I'M GOING TO LIVE THERE!

Spring Awakening AWAKENS!

IT'S OPENING NIGHT!

The end of 'Totally F**ed!'

Here it is... finally! Opening night of the New York Regional Premiere of "Spring Awakening!"

I feel good... tired, for sure. There's a number called "Totally F**ked!" in which we stomp and flick and roll around on the ground- the end of the number I bang on the floor for about 4 minutes! Talk about needing a massage... Hmmm maybe as an early birthday present to myself....

I've met so many sweet, TALENTED people in this cast, I know I'm in this for a reason. It's been so nice just to SING every day! Gives me a bit more steam for the upcoming audition season!

Here are just some of the dress rehearsal photos....

Exciting, right??




















And did I mention, the theater has MOVIE THEATER seating?? They used the same contractor as the movie theater next door, so the seats are comfy, cozy, and RECLINING...talk about an incentive to come!

Adventuring Safely

Phew!  A LOT is going on!!

Earthquake... I'm okay. Everything is fine. I was taking a work out class on the Upper East Side and when I emerged, blissfully unaware that all the buildings surrounding were evacuated! People were on their cell phones, checking to see if their loved ones were okay, and here I was strutting in my SF Giants shirt as if nothing had happened. I guess I'm more used to California weather than I thought!





Next on the list... I'm in a show! Spring Awakening at White Plains Performing Arts Center!


Those two gentlemen I met at the Theater World Awards landed me the audition, and here I am! I play "Anna," one of the girls. We open September 16, so it's coming up. It's the New York regional premiere, so it 's all quite exciting. The run isn't as long as their mainstage shows because it's viewed  a special event. Either way, it's nice to be performing again, especially with a show I love.

Soon to be  me!

Lake Lucille was amazing. AH-mazing.

Soon I'll have  FULL blog dedicated to how impacted I was by the experience. I met truly astonishing people that I hope to be working with/visiting in the near future. And what talent! These people were incredibly accomplished in film, television, theater- My mouth hung agape nearly the entire week. And not everyone was acting. These community of actors/musicans/designers  (with resumes longer than my blog posts) just banded together simply to create art. There were no egos, no desire to push ahead. It was a family.  We were all in this together.

A man who has pioneered a new way of mask
making created 50 masks for the
company to wear.

And the show itself? A Marvel! Images will stick with me forever. I'm not sure I've ever been artistically stunned the way I was watching this. A scene between Constantine and Nina happened in the middle of a lake. A LAKE?? Ah... speechless.

This is the scene before Constantine kills himself. He's on the roof and down below Arkadina and friends play bridge.
Unreal. 

...like I said... another blog post.


And as icing on the deliciously wonderful cake, my best friend Kendall came to visit for a week! A WHOLE WEEK! Ah, what a boost. What a breathe of fresh air.
Life is pretty good. How thankful am I?


Now I'm off to rehearsal! This is the life!

Go-Go Changes!

Alright, team!

Goal= accomplished!

I will be leaving on Saturday, July 30th to go help out with Chekhov's " The Seagull" at Lake Lucille! It's the same people who created that beautiful production of "Balm in Gilead" that I raved about in my last blog post. Every year they produce a show at their home in Lake Lucille. It's a week of food, sun, love, and theater. Although the show was already cast, I am helping them out. Everyone eats and cooks their meals together, and I'll be helping orchestrate the whole process. "Mistress of the heath" as it's been explained to me. My friend Elvy will be up there with me as well, and it should be a ball. Much singing, I hear, which I'm always a fan of.

The Lake...stunning!

My goal was to get involved with this group of theater folks... this passionate, unbelievably talented and highly recognized group. And here I go!









Here's a New York Times article about the people running the event:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/realestate/26habi.html


I also spent a fabulous weekend in the Hamptons. It was my first time out of the city since I've moved, and holy smokes it was stunning! When I went back to California a couple weeks ago to visit, I felt like I could breathe... space. And driving out to the Hamptons, it was the same beautiful feeling. I just decided "That's it!" That's how I'm going to live in New York for years and years.... I need the trees, I need the space, I need the air. So many trips upstate (ahem, Lake Lucille!) many trips to the Hamptons...

       

...life is rough, ain't it?

I was in the Hamptons to celebrate a dear family friend's birthday. It was such an honor to be invited, and I had an absolute blast! I stuffed myself with food, lounged around the pool, and danced the night away. Ummm my first WHOLE lobster?!? YES please!!!


I've never seen a party like this, and it felt so good to be surrounded by my East Coast family. We had a feast on the beach Friday night- clams, lobster, and everything in between. I forgot how good a S'more tastes! (which, most definitely will be incorporated into my summer routine, how could I have neglected those chocolate delights?) Saturday was a pool day, a relax day. The party Saturday night was  filled with food (sensing a theme?), drink, LIVE band, singing, dancing, and of course a healthy dose of debauchery. So far, life feels good.

A few of the happy party-goers!

Oh, did I forget to mention the Masseuse on Sunday?




July, the month of change, is rockin' my life... for the better!

The Month of Change

Okay.

Attempt to update more frequently ROUND 2.

Okay.

A) I saw the most beautiful and inspiring piece of theater. One of the top 10 theater experiences. In my life. "Balm in Gilead," performed in an abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn. It was raw, it was real, it was theater at its purest and most exciting. The audience was jam packed with all the whos-who of the New York theater scene. And here I was rubbing elbows with all of them. What was more impressive than the celebrities sitting on either side of me was the fact that every person in that room belonged to a community. John Gallagher Jr. became "Johnny," Seth Numrich was just a guy next to me, sharing his peanut M&Ms. I was fortunate enough to be invited, and will be thanking my dear friend Elvy (who rocked in the show!) for years to come.

Goal: get involved in theater like THAT.

B) I worked the theater world awards! Again... ahmaaaahzing. The theater world awards recognize theatrical debuts. From a supporting role that caught their eye, to Ellen Barkin's first show in New york. So of of course...More celebrity encounters... in fact, I was hired to be a sort of celebrity liaison. I wound up escorting Zoe Caldwell, a Broadway legend through her press junket. We bonded immediately and by the end of the evening it was like we were family. Between sandwiches with Blythe Danner and sarcastic jokes with Chris Rock, I somehow managed to make terrific connections with the Organizers of the event, the management crew, and two terribly funny men who own a theater in White Plains, which I will be auditioning for later this month. Overall= SUCCESS!

Goal: keep those connections alive. Get business cards printed in order to assist. Connections.

C) I visited norcal! Ah, it was a world-wind trip filled with family, doctor check ups, errands, a friend or two, and lots of love. Holy smokes it was great to be back. I love New York, I love the energy. But in Norcal... I can breathe. It was great to breathe. But of course I saw .000001 of the people I wanted to see. I managed to steal 23 hours (yes, that's right... 23 HOURS) to fly to SoCal. I flew in, grabbed lunch, saw a show and flew back. Terrific, yes. Chaotic, yes. I just wish I could have visited more. That''s what happens when you have too many wonderful people in your life. I am so thankful.

Goal: Visit. Make time. Come to California every 4 months.

D)  July is the month of change. A psychic told me while I was sitting on the Highline in Chelsea. She just walked right up to me, stopped me in the middle of my conversation, and said July is the month of change. She's right. My eyes are open, and I am ready to conquer this city. Time to get serious about theater, get serious about my life. I am so excited for all the possibilities, and am ready to get going on them! Now's the time. Now's the time, and I'm ready.

Goal: To perform, and get paid for it, by November, 2011.

let's get crackin' people!

Just a day in the life....

More updates:

JAY-Z, Naomi Campell, Stephanie Seymour, Jessica Szor (again), Ivanka Trump, Jessica Stam, Thomas McDonnel, Dylan Lauren, La-La, Carmello Anthony, Michelle Trachtenberg, Robert Buckley, Keri Fischer, all of the NY jets...


there's always more, I always forget.

Umm one of my favorite dishes at work:
Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Grilled Pears,
Honey, Chile, and Basil.
YES PLEASE

But this week was really great at work! I had my first maitree'd (wing) shift at night, which went pretty well... Granted, some slip ups, but still. I worked the floor thursday, the Door Friday, and then back to back maitree'd (wing) shifts Saturday and Sunday for brunch. Exciting and busy busy! It looks like that's going to be my new schedule, roughly. Which is awesome- I love being the 'Wing' or assistant Maitree'd. And Saturdays because the brunch crows is a lot easier, I've just been by myself.

Here's the Salmon... YUM

Cool stuff, right?








In other news I got offered a role in Jackson Repetory Theater's production of "The Subject is Love," a musical revue! It seems like a really cool production, and there were wonderful people behind the table. It runs June 17th-July 10th, so all systems were a go, but I don't think it's going to happen anymore... I got an email from one of the asst. directors saying there have been some 'differences' of opinion and the show is canceled.

That's the life, right?

You just gotta laugh! It's funny to me, and I'm happy it was cancelled BEFORE rehearsals started.
Aaiii yayaaaaiii (umm... how do you spell that? I kind of like my phonetic version, so I'm not going to bother looking it up.) But it was cool to be offered a role, and I know there are more to come!

ummm. and also.

 TWO of my dear friends GOT ENGAGED!

Here's Rory with his guitar,
Diana Agron from 'Glee' fame right next to him,
and me next to her!

Can you believe it??? SEPARATE couples! My dearest friend Rory Fratkin first... He and I were a part of a very tight circle in high school. We've all managed to stay close and keep in contact through the years! He called me last week to tell me. And the next one was yesterday....My close close friend Courtney Evans! She was in my BFA class (8 people only!) and also moved to New York after graduation, so we've stayed dear friends.

Courtney and I doing our BFA photoshoot!

Ah!

Life!
I am so excited for both of them! And (ahem, on the down low, of course...) Courtney said I get to help plan!

SO PUMPED!


p.s. I made Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits this week- I kind of made up the recipe. but SUCCESS!!! YUUUUM!

Stay tuned!