Resource Girl

This past spring I went to The PIT Improv Theater to see my friend Donna East (www.donnaeast.com) perform. During the night there was another group that performed, this piece was bizarre but they were really incredible actors. I wanted to mention it because I am convinced that these three actors are constantly performing and this piece is a demonstration of their love for the theater. I repeat, it is an abstract piece but for a young artist coming to the city, it really shows the passion, concentration and perseverance needed to survive in this competitive city. Check out www.bouffonglassmenajoree.com. Oh and if you have problem seeing blood (it is not real) on stage, buyer beware!

This is one of my favorite places to hang out in New York. Soon, I am going to have their smores platter, but right now I am on a diet. 

DT*UT
1626 Second Avenue (84th Street), Upper East Side
www.dtut.com

“The abbreviation for downtown-uptown here translates to couches, easy chairs, brick walls, Gothic candles and primitive art. It’s a bit of everything-cafe, bar and a counter that displays a tantalizing array of baked goods.”

1.Sell everything you can, put the money in an interest bearing checking account or short term investment.

2.Decide why you are coming and get very clear, because when you get here, it’s a very exciting place and you will get distracted.

3.Clear up all the problems you are having where you are i.e. Do you need to pay someone back? Do you need to forgive someone? Have you done the best you can to wrap up all the details in that place?

4.If you are looking at coming in 6 months, do all the work that you can, to make the most money you can. Also sacrifice little things that you might normally do i.e. bring your lunch from home, don’t go to the movies, stop all magazine subscriptions…New York is EXPENSIVE.

5.Contact every person you know that is living there and ask them for advice. Feel free to write me with any questions that you may have.

6.Contact your professors from University to see if they have any contacts in NYC.

7.Get in shape. The energy that it takes to move and set up your new living space, is better done if you are in shape.

8.Eating well here is well…not considered one of the top priorities, so try to get in the habit of eating well before you come. Remember High Energy is needed here.

9.If you can come here before you move, take a weekend to check out the neighborhoods to see where you would like to live.

10.But most importantly if NYC is calling you, just come, just do it, you will learn so much and I promise you, you will never be the same.

Celebrate in the sun at lululemon’s

YOGA FESTIVAL in Times Square

Friday, July 27 – ALL DAY!

Military Island – 43rd & Broadway

8:00 – 8:30am – Start the Day with an OM – Stephanie Culen

8:30 – 9:30am – YOGA with Stephanie Culen

10:00 – 10:45am – FUNCTION SHOW

11:00 – 11:45am – YOGA with April Martucci

11:45am – 12:15pm – GOAL SETTING WORKSHOP – with Kelly Dwyer

12:30 – 1:45pm – SO YOU THINK YOU CAN YOGA? With Stephen Lincoln and Danny Gittelman

3:00 – 4:00pm – YOGA with Kristin McGee

5:00 – 5:30pm – Let’s Dance! Various dancers

6:00 – 7:00pm – BUFF YOGA Jess Gronholm

RSVP to reserve your space in class: lincolnsquare-community@lululemon.com

Many times in my life, I have thought why aren’t people more serious?  I have always taken everything I have ever done very seriously. I put all my energy on the thing I am trying to accomplish. In some ways I am happy about this because I have achieved many of my goals but often times I have asked myself, where does FUN belong in my life? It’s not that I don’t have any fun but often times I view it as frivolous, much to the dismay of my nervous stomach!

I have found something that I am going to try and it is FREE! www.yogalaff.com This is a free club where you provoke yourself to laughter with exercises. I am going to try it because as my dear friend Donna East says, Squeaky Clean Commedienne (www.donnaeast.com), “Laughter is the Best Medicine“, okay so she isn’t the first person to say it, but you get the message.

If you are in NYC and want to go to the Laughter Club let me know.  Ambition, strife, running all the time, always focused…mmm…well let’s hope that laughter will be your medicine and not pepto-bismal.

What do you do that really makes you giggle? Keep it rated G as I let kids know about my site as well.

Dancing in Central Park 

This is one of my favorite things to do in New York-watching the people dance in Central Park. When the weather is nice they are there. Who are they? Bankers, Teachers, Homeless, Secretaries and more, all together. No judging, only freedom of movement. Click on the picture to see it bigger as well as see other photos of New York.

Screw it, Let’s Do It by Richard Banson creator of Virgin Mega Stores, Virgin Air and more was right next to my book at Virgin Mega Stores. It was very exciting for me to see these books next to each other because I have always approached my life this way. If I wanted to do something, I just decided to do it and went for it.

Today what are you waiting to do, that you are not doing? Are you afraid that you will make mistakes? Are you afraid that you will fail? Are you afraid of what people will say?

Whenever I go to a party and I am one of the few people dancing, I ask myself, “Who is having more fun? The people sitting and watching or me?”. The idea is, just do it. Go for it! Begin what you want to do. You will make mistakes, you will learn things along the way. It won’t always be easy, but what is the alternative? Would you rather regret having tried or never having tried at all?

Anyway thanks Richard Branson for taking risks. I love your store and your airlines, but most importantly I love the title of your book. You took a risk and it worked.

1.Smart people are everywhere.

2.Parks are beautiful.

3.Free Entertainment abounds, particularly in the summer.

4.Wifi in Bryant Park and other hot spots.

5.Chelsea Piers Entertainment Center-Bowling, Ice Skating, Eating Out, Working Out, Rollerblading

6.BBQ’s on rooftops with a view.

7.Dancing under the stars at Lincoln Center

8.Farmers Market-Union Square

9.Conways-cute clothes that cost nothin’

10.Hudson River/Riverside Promenade/Bikeway

More reasons collected by The New York Times

http://nymag.com/news/articles/reasonstoloveny/

If you live here already, you know that many times between jobs, rehearsals and presentations of all types, we find ourselves alone in a diner, restaurant or in fast food place…alone. I know personally how many years I spent eating alone. As a performer I didn’t have the same schedule as any other person that I knew, not even the people in the same show, as we all had so many different types of jobs before we performed at night.

I have no problem being alone as I always have a book to read but I am convinced that years of eating alone is not good for mind, body or spirit. Fortunately NYC is the land of creative thinkers and Jared Nissim decided to create a club where people could join strangers and have lunch. This may sould strange to you, but it was and is a great idea to help people make new friends, a great cure for loneliness and possibly a way to not use pepto-bismal for an anxious stomach.

The Lunch Club www.thelunchclub.com began as a place where people could decide to eat with each other for lunch in the neighborhood where they worked, even though they didn’t know each other. But it has greatly expanded to include various activities at night as well. One year I couldn’t go to my mother’s house for Thanksgiving and I spent it with the Lunch Club people. It was good conversation and great food.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/heat_brochure_english.pdf

This is a helpful guide for surviving the terrible heat.