Hope you are all doing well in this hazy March weather. I have been running amuck for the last few weeks -- between San Francisco, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson. I am le pooped. I am all too lucky that my job lets me have some free time to stretch my fickle twenty-something wings... and get paid in the mean time.
My plan was to catch you all up on my last day of New York City before I went on my whirlwind trip, but things got crazy--as always. I've got some 'splainin to do.
This week's agenda calls for a couple things:
Wednesday: Re-group and NYC
Thursday: SF/LV/AZ trip
Friday: Goals and announcements
Yes, new things are on the horizon. Thank goodness!
Today is the first day of spring, which is now... officially... good news for me.
I don't know if any of you experience this, but certain times of the year are more difficult for me than others. I am in my prime towards the end of summer, right when it gets a little chilly and the holidays start to pile up in the distance. Fall! Pumpkins! Camping and cookies and cozy music! I'm perky and optimistic and toasty inside. And then spring hits.
Of course this is a personally created mental block but unfortunately I have come to identify with it. I've traced it back to my last year in high school when I ended a long term semi-serious relationship (ha) and was waa-waa-ing and nervous about starting college life. Ever since then, like clockwork, I am on edge from March through mid June. Go figure. After discussing this with Alison and Johnny in the past week, I have decided that this spring shall be different. I am turning my juju around and I am putting my best foot and smile forward.
Step one in the process of reju(ju)venating my life: Getting head shots.
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| ...just a preview! Thanks, Sabrina! |
You see, I was going to write a blog post yesterday but I fell into this deep, dangerous pit of vanity that comes with receiving a 300 picture album of just my face. Today I am grounded from looking at said pictures until I write a bit. I'll share them on here in a couple days. Maybe Friday! It was a fantastic experience and exactly what I needed to give myself a little happy push. Spring's the best! (Fake it till you make it, guys).
But before we get too deep into present Jenny-life... let me finish up that trip I went on... a month ago. Sheesh.
Who's ready for more pictures?
Day 5:
Rachel and I were feeling pampered by our six hours of sleep and hit the road early. First stop: Alice's Tea Cup for a delicious breakfast. I wish I could eat here everyday of my life. Peaceful and magically inviting.
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I enjoyed some delicious Earl Gray tea and a waffle covered in fresh berries. They had real maple syrup so it was a no-brainer.
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| I take my tea with cream and a kitty on top. |
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| Who looks tired? |
After an exquisite breakfast Rachel and I headed straight to Central Park. At first I thought I was disappointed to see the park in February. Where was all the lush greenness? I needed it!
All it took was a few short minutes before I could see the beauty. The stillness, the crisp air, the earthy patterns and shapes and the big blue sky. Lovely.
As we were walking through the park I made some calls-- one to Ryan, one to Damian, and one to Danielle. I have several friends who live in the city and I had been so busy with shows and adventures that I hadn't seen a single one!
Quick background on each:
Ryan. One of the first friends I made at U of A, not to mention my first boyfriend at U of A... Ha! We met working backstage on Neil Simon's Broadway Bound and we've been great friends ever since. He's the nicest person ever.
(This is where I would post a photo of Ryan and I through the ages. Due to Ryan's current protestation of Facebook and the loss of my Facebook circa 2007-2009--long story-- I have no access to them. We were young and adorable though, use your imagination.)
Damian. Or D-dog as I have lovingly referred to him over the last six years. We met in our freshman acting class and we were scene partners all year. I adore him. Damian and I auditioned together and got into The Charles Darwin Experience improv group on campus our sophomore year. That means I was seeing this kid... everyday. And I loved it. He is a true lifetime friend.
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| We were eighteen/nineteen year old babies in this blurry photo. |
Danielle. I cannot say enough good things about Danielle. We were in a musical together my freshman year at U of A called Lucky Stiff and we've been friends ever since. We were also in Darwin together for three funny-filled years. Just thinking about Danielle's laugh or smile makes me feel at peace, and I really mean that. Her and Ryan have two of my favorite laughs of all time. It was heaven being with them again.
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| Danielle and I lounging between improv workshops at USC's annual improv festival, FRACAS. 2011. |
Come to think of it... I just so happen to have a really terrible video of Danielle and Damian and I in Lucky Stiff together! Like, really terrible quality. But it's kind of hilarious. Danielle and I are sitting in the back of the "train" bouncing around and pretending to be drunk southern ladies. Damian comes to serve us wine after :50 (he has a great entrance). Danielle and I get up and sing after 2:00. At 3:40 the rousing finale begins. Danielle, Damian, and I each had five-six different roles in this show. This was one of them:
Man, that show was fun... and I'm a bit off-topic. But you get the idea-- they're the best and I was so excited to see them.
Ryan had an audition, Danielle was fast asleep, and Damian was wandering around Brooklyn, so Rachel and I had some time to kill. We enjoyed some coffee (Diet Coke for Rachel) and a cookie in a nearby cathedral café in the meantime.
Unfortunately the Met was closed on Mondays... dur. Luckily we had so much else on our agenda that we couldn't fit it in anyways! Ryan finished his audition and we headed to the Guggenheim.
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| Doodling in the lobby. |
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| These are made out of long pieces of plastic and colored water. How crazy is that? |
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| They change the center exhibits frequently. |
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| Rachel and Ryan analyzing the center piece. The plastic looked so thick and the colored water was so stagnant that we initially thought it must be blown glass. Amazing. |
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After wandering around the Guggenheim we stopped at Shake Shack for a quick milkshake and french fries. You guys. This place is delicious. Why oh why are they not on the west coast?! After downing the scrumptious lunch, we headed to MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) to meet Damian and Danielle.
And Frida.
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| This Monet was huge and absolutely breathtaking. |
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| Picasso pondering with Ry and Danielle. |
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| Ah! Mark Rothko! Belinda and I went and saw RED at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles a couple of months ago. The play is about Rothko so I was all too excited to see one of his pieces in real life. It has amazing presence. |
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| Dot D and Danielle! Ah. |
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| My second favorite photo of my trip. Ain't it magical? |
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| Ryan, Rachel, D and his lady friend, and Danielle. |
We headed towards the subway to go our separate ways in the hopes we'd meet up later. We had just missed our train and had to wait another ten minutes. And then this guy happened and I could care less about that next train.
He was amazing. Song after song after song.
We put a couple of dollars in his guitar case and hopped on the subway, chatting and laughing a bit before heading different ways. Rachel humored me and took me to... Kleinfeld. I love Say Yes to the Dress and I don't care who knows it.
Don't worry, I didn't go in. I'll be back some day, Kleinfeld! (...Like 2070).
Rachel and I were hungry so we headed to Malatesta for dinner. I had actually heard about this place from a woman I follow on Instagram. She had posted this exact meal and I knew I had to go, too. Spinach gnocchi in a gorgonzola sauce? Yes, please! Everyone there was incredibly Italian and handsome, to boot. Cash only, swanky little corner restaurant and I can't recommend it enough. You know, the next time you're in New York City.
Unfortunately that night Rachel got pretty sick so we had to head home early. We were exhausted to be honest, not to mention I had to leave at 4:00am to catch my flight back to LA. It was an incredibly jam-packed week so we deserved some downtime lounging on the couch.
I had such a wonderful time in New York City and I cannot wait to go back. I would especially like to thank Rachel for being such a hospitable host and friend-- the week couldn't have been better. Food, entertainment, friends, adventuring... just how I like it.
If you missed the two NYC posts before this one, here they are:
I love you New York City. But only as a friend.
Kisses,
Jenny
