Nights That Turn Into Mornings

What a great 48 hours! I've had some of the best consecutive days since I moved to the City. Thursday I had lunch with my new friend Ryan, then spent the afternoon cleaning and relaxing. Later that night, I went out another new friend, Conor, out in Manhattan. Conor and I had a 30 second conversation when I was promoting Four Loko at the Halloween parade after party, so we exchanged numbers upon discovering we're both new to NYC.

On Thursday, Conor and I met at a cool little dive bar (I love dive bars), but he was running a tad late because of his rugby practice. Consequently, I had to fend for myself for about 20 minutes. Waiting at a bar by myself isn't normally uncomfortable, but the only seat open happened to be directly in front of the giant serve-yourself water jug. If that wasn't awkward enough, I knocked over a stack of cups when I ordered my Captain and Diet. The bartender laughed and said, "Let's act like we've done this before..." At least they weren't glass. As I sat sipping my drink, staring at the enormous white container six inches from my face, four guys walked up to the group of girls on my left. They were obviously all together, so slowly but surely, I got completely kicked out of my stool to make more room for their group. Luckily, the one on my right had just opened, but I definitely looked like the loser girl sitting by myself in front of the water jug. I was extra happy to see Conor walk in so I could prove that I wasn't the token depressed, socially awkward girl drinking alone.

From there, he took me to a really neat old speakeasy that keeps the historic tradition of secrecy in that it has no sign and requires everyone to knock before entering. I felt pretty cool since Conor knew the doorman and we were allowed to bypass the line. Inside was small and swanky with it's dark lighting, couches, and curtain-enclosed booths. We had a great time chatting on our fancy loveseat in the main room for a couple of hours, enjoying the cozy ambiance and special service. He just moved here from Ireland and has had some fascinating experiences, like backpacking around Southeast Asia for six weeks, so the conversation made time fly. Not to mention he has an awesome Irish accent, so I could talk to him forever.

Brittany and I after the audition

I made it home by 5 a.m. (insane, I know) after stopping at one more place following the speakeasy. After a few hours of sleep, Brittany and I headed to our audition for a "Bound for Broadway" showcase. I sang "If I Were A Bell" from Guys & Dolls, not expecting to be booked at all, much less on the spot. Right after I sang, the director slapped the table and said "Girl, you're fierce. You want to do the show?" Talk about a confidence boost. I mean, he had an over-the-top, fantastic personality and complimented everyone, so I'm sure it's just in his personality to exaggerate. None-the-less, I was really excited and can't wait to sing two songs in a one-night cabaret come December! Even better, Brittany was also booked for a cabaret in just three weeks! These showcases are great opportunities for exposure; the director invites agents, casting directors, and other important people to impress in the industry.

We celebrated by splurging at a bookstore that Ryan told me about, called Strand. I bought a copy of The Hunger Games, which came highly recommended by some of my Pearlfriends. The store itself was really awesome, bragging an inventory of books that could span 18 miles, so just wandering around was fun. My exhaustion set in after 30 minutes of browsing the stacks, though, so we headed home to relax before going out with Jim and Lindsay that night.

Brittany, Lindsay, and me on the train!

Brittany, Lindsay, Laura (Lindsay's friend from college) and I spent a few hours at Jim and Lindsay's apartment, then met Jim and Jacob in the City. We bounced around to three different spots before getting settled at a place called "Jekyll and Hyde," where a fake electric chair became the source of entertainment. Conor joined us and was immediately forced to sit in the chair upon arrival. Poor guy...already getting hazed by my brother and friends. Around 2 a.m., everyone headed home except Conor and myself. We took the train back to the place we first met, Webster Hall, to catch the end of a dubstep band called Nero. His cousin manages the venue, which is one of the oldest nightclubs in New York and has been designated a New York City landmark. Needless to say, it's a pretty popular spot. Again, thanks to Conor's connections, we evaded the line and didn't have to pay for anything- even drinks! Nice. The concert was a really fun experience since I've never been to an electronic show before and didn't know what to expect. You can't even think during a show like that because the ground shakes from vibrations, lights flash everywhere, and everyone is packed together while decked out in glow sticks. I'm a new fan.

This morning, I got home at 6 a.m. I never stay out that late. What is going on? I thought you needed to be on some kind of drug to have that much energy (like I've said, I'm such a grandma), but both nights were a blast and totally worth the sleep deprivation. For the second night (morning...) in a row, I slept for only a few short hours before starting my day. Today, I journeyed to a film studio near Times Square to watch my brother hold auditions for his short film. He just started film school on top of his day job managing comedians, so he is casting his first project. I don't know how he does it all. I laughed for an hour straight since Jim's script is hilarious, and was also reminded of how much I love acting! Singing is my focus, but observing the interpretations of the characters made me miss that aspect of performing.

This evening, I got through the first half of the Alabama vs. LSU football game before crashing. Jim, Laura, and Linds didn't want me to leave, but if they expect me to wake up at 7:30 tomorrow morning to watch the New York City marathon- I need sleep! On that note, goodnight.