Twas the Night Before Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Fam,

Cross the country they scurried, with boarding pass in hand.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But 4 collar women, smiling ear to ear.

With Tribeca and Greenwich, and Rockafeller’s Tree,

They knew in that moment, they were in NYC!

The view out The Markle was nothing but stunning,

It made their hearts ready for a weekend of running!

More rapid than eagles, the restaurants they came,

And they whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Magnolias, now Bald Man, Elephant Castle, and Bubby’s!

On Pompolino, On Grapes and Grain, and Le Petit Café and coffees!

To the Site of Ground Zero! To the rink at Bryant Park!

Now Dash Away to Union Square Market and Filene’s Basement!

As Four beauties they were, yet having no greed,

Got free cookies, and cheesecake, and free honeymeade!

The four pulled pranks as they all bunked together,

But soon with mimosas, they had purchased some leather.

So down to the subway, to Radio City they flew,

To See the Rockettes and the Nativity too!

And then in a twinkling, I heard in the PIT,

People hooting and hawing, all up in a fit!

“Do I know you from Indy?” A gentleman said.

“Sure thing! I’m Liz Collar!” while scratching her head.

St. Patrick’s was grand, and North Star was jazzy,

But with two left shoes, they were nothing but frazzy!

But the trip was complete with a lot less stress,

Earrings for the bride and her rehearsal meal dress!

They were bundled in down from their head to their feet,

To view fabulous windows on Fifth Avenue Street.

Snapping pictures away was the beautiful blond,

While the youngest of all waved her Blackberry wand.

Cartier, how it twinkled! Fendi, how merry!

The windows at Sacks were dressed up like snow ferries!

The Palm Court at the Plaza was drawn up all in bows,

But for the Chinatown hustlers, our anticipation rose,

She spoke not a word, this china-doll elf,

But she knew where Prada hung hot on her shelf.

A wink of her eye, and a twist of her head.

“137,” a parlor, for rubs: back and head.

Its finally come to the end of our time,

But not until hearts are shared with good wine.

But I heard them exclaim as home, they went forth,

I’ll see you for Christmas! At Ryan’s! Up north!

Michigan for the Birth of Jesus

Back to Ohio...Its a white christmas at home! I've been home for 3 days, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.  We've been watching movies, and mare and i have been baking and cooking up a storm...cuz we're taking Christmas to rye guy and apes in Michigan! I'm actually in the car right now! I'm so excited to see ryan! its been since the summer! But everyone is going to be all together and i am SO SO excited.
Yesterday, Mal and Katie and I had a nice time at Caribou catching up over coffee:) That evening, Roxanne came over for Christmas Eve Eve dinner:)...its good to be home.
Merry Christmas!!

2 Left Shoes!

THE WEEKEND ARRIVED! I had been anxiously awaiting this day and finally came!
Friday night, after my Screen/Film class, (where I shot a soap opera scene) I met Mare, Liz, and Apes at their hotel in Soho. After assessing the accommodations, decided to switch hotels to the Hilton in Tribeca...more convenient and safe. After the switch, we walked around Greenwich by me, and ate at the Elephant Castle, a cute English pub, and closed the place down after a wonderful chat. After stopping by my place, they went home with a 9:30 wake up call.
Saturday was jam packed.  We Brunched at Bubby's, Tribeca's famous eatery and enjoyed talking over swedish crepes. Afterwards, went to an adorable toy store, hopped on a subway and went to Union Square's Christmas Market, saw the LSTFI, did Filene's Basement, and then back to the hotel for 15 minutes to catch our breath. That night we went to dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant across the street (exposed brick and good lighting) and enjoyed savory pasta and free cheesecake:) Grabbed a cab and sped to the PIT (People's Improv Theater) which is a hole in the wall comedy club and had a good chuckle.  Afterwards, we walked to Times Square and went into Toys R Us.  After being totally overwhelmed with over stimulation, we found a quiet Russian Lounge/Bar called the FireBird and enjoyed some scotch, white russian and spiked coffee, and free honeymeade:) This is where mom lost her cell phone! Back to the hotel where, after mom was out cold mid-sentence, Apes and I pranked the MareBear...we TP'd her bed:)
Sunday, up and at 'em again...went to Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.  After taking a subway to Washing ton Square in the heart of NYU, we brunched at little jazz club overlooking Greenwich park. Afterwards, we we on a mission to get to chinatown. So, we walked through Noho, where Apes got her rehearsal dinner dress, and Little Italy, sampling Italian Nougat, and then finally got to Chinatown.  We wanted to get handbags, so we followed a little Chinese lady on a blue tooth through random alley streets, where she handed us off to another blue toothed lady...neither looked at us. "Go to 137" she said and then vanished, never looking back. Well, "137" was a "Back and Foot Rub" parlor...with a false wall leading to a back room FULL of Prada, D&G, Chanel, Gucci handbags and purses. We bought 2:)
Next, off to Magnolia's for their world famous cupcakes in Greenwich, then back to the hotel for a quick recharge. We returned to the same Italian restaurant across the street for dinner that night and then went to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, followed by seeing Rockafeller center, the Christmas windows,  FAO Schwarts, the Plaza Hotel Lobby, and then had a night cap of white russians at a sports bar in the Theater District.
Whew! ~Monday~ We slept in a bit and brunched at a delightful Le Petit "Insert French Word Here". It was ADORABLE! That was in Soho. Afterwards, we bought some cool leather bags and bohemian attire:) Took the subway down to Ground Zero and went to the 9/11 museum...powerful. We stopped back at the hotel, got my 2 LEFT SHOES that FB sold me, and went back to Union Square to return them.  We had a mid-afternoon snack at Max Brenner's Chocolate by the Man...'nough said...chocolate melting cake and Chocolate Peanut Butter Supreme Sundae. Yeah...we did that:) After that, we subway'd over to Bryant Park where we took in the skating rink, and their Christmas market, where Apes got her wedding earrings!! Finally, we ended the evening and trip with a dinner at Grape and Grain tapas restaurant. (also exposed brick and candlelight). It was SO wonderful...we had great conversation over 2 bottles of wine. Thanks for a great trip ladies:)

Watch out NYC....The Collar Women came...and conquered!

some 3x5's

My apologies. I have been virtually absent.  Where to begin! Well, the semester ended with a bang...literally. For my musical theater class, we have been preparing all semester for our showcase.  Well the day of the show arrived, and one of the girls in my class became "deathly sick" the night before. That morning, my teacher approached me and asked me to learn her part and perform it that night.  It involved the trio "At the Ballet" and complicated ballet choreography.  It was a stressful day, but I pulled it off. It was a fun show, we got great feedback.  Afterwards, Emma and Mathilde and I went out for a long coffee afterwards. I was sad to say goodbye to my friends for Christmas! They're all off in other parts of the world! Austria, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Brazil, California, Mexico, Switzerland, France, Italy, and Australia.  I was like...yeah i'm going to OhIo:) haha...no no, I can't wait to be home for xmas with family and friends. Nothing quite like it.  But we've got a Collar girls' weekend in NYC to get through first!! :D

Whodey Nation!

Hi everyone!
Just a quick update tonight, as I am on my way out the door to a Christmas party:) But this week has been a bit bittersweet as it is my last week of M/T/W classes, so its sad to say goodbye to the teachers that I look up to so much.
On a lighter note, this weekend was very non eventful. Particularly slow.
Sunday, I went to brunch with Emma and Maja, who wanted to have an "American brunch experience":)....aka big portions of pancakes haha.
But that was fun. We went to the little diner across the street and then afterwards we walked around the Union Square Christmas market.  After we were frozen, we made our way to Phoebe's Bar in the Village, which is dubbed...the Cincinnati Bengals Bar! We went for kickoff at 1pm and it was FULL of Ohioans in their Bengals attire! It was CRAZY!! And there was a guy in a Playhouse in the Park jacket, so I chatted it up with him.  The best part, was that they served SKYLINE DIP! It was crazy...I felt at home:) And yes, I treated the Swedes skyline dip, even after our pancake extravaganza!
I left at halftime, and met up with some girls from my building for a Christmas concert called True Joy. It was great...I really got in the spirit....followed by Mass.
So ok...I gotta run...lovies!
xoxo

ps...pics to come soon!

Rockafeller Spectacular

Wednesday...day off...rained ALL day...literally...all day.
Consequently, I am currently watching The Grinch on TV:) Perfect rainy day solution!
As promised...I will fill you in on the Rockafeller Tree Lighting!
It was pandaemonium...sheer chaos...but SO worth it! Constantin, Emma, Alessa and I all trekked over to 50th street after class around for the show that started at 7 and the tree to be lit at 8:55.  People had started lining up at noon...so we were a bit late...one of the last of the 500,000 people to arrive.  We could hear but not see...Sheryl Crow, Mariah Carey, Josh Groban, Jessica Simpson, and others perform Christmas songs.  We were in mosh pit like surroundings and so, disgruntled and cold, we decided to leave early before the lighting to avoid the exit stampeed. Luck was on our side though, because when we were leaving, the police had just opened the prime viewing spot of the tree for the media.  And we were able to watch there too...with 5 minutes to spare. So we had front row seats for the actual lighting! and gosh, it was so beautiful! Afterwards, we went for coffee and then home for a long winter's nap.

The "Where are you Christmas" scene is on TV now with little Mary Lou Hoo, so I'm going to peace out.

xoxo

Welcome to Appleton:)

What a great Thanksgiving...seriously. It was so wonderful to be back with the fam (minus Ryan and April) and able to soak up some lovin! Although I didn't make it back to Cincy, Appleton was a worthy stand-in :) Some of the highlights were seeing Grandma and the fam, playing Things after Thanksgiving dinner with a whopping group of 12!!!!, taking a mecca to Lambeau Field, working out with Sarah and Katie, and of course...hitting up College Avenue with my cousins and our moms.  Cleo's...lets just say, we wore out the town...haha...gave em' a run for their money.

Coming home from the airport was not so relaxing...it took me 3.5 hours to get home....thank youuu super shuttle.  But then I went out to see The Social Network with Tamara and Vicki that night, so it was all good:)...glad to be back in my humble abode after a warm and cozy break.

Anyways...hittin the sack now...its Tuesday...i'll fill you in on the Tree Lighting tomorrow...

Turkey Day Countdown!

GOOOOD MORNING!
Sunday morning and I'm just lounging on the roof catching some rays in the beautiful sun! So...lets catch up! The International Thanksgiving was a hit! Everyone had a really nice time...and aside from having deli meat turkey for the main dish (eek!!) i'd say it went over pretty darn well.  We have green bean casserole, salad, cranberry sauce, mashers and gravy, sweet potatoes, rolls, and pumpkin pie.  Constantin brought an authentic Austrian chocolate torte cake (which was lethal) and Gabriela made an authentic Brazilian dessert.  So it was a lot of fun.  I got to experience Queens and just chill with some new friends:)
Filming yesterday was not big deal.  I just had to plead for the safe return of my missing friends in a documentary style.  If he likes the footage, the director said he'd give it to one of his friends who's a casting director/agent...so, that could be interesting.
Last night, Emma and Maja and I went to Hudson Terrace which was a lot of fun.  It was in the Theater District, which I haven't really explored yet, believe it or not! But quite the time...we ran into one of our French friends from Strasberg, Aurore, there.  Lots of dancing...it was a good night.
Alright, well i'm going to sign off...the wind is getting to be a bit cold now.
I can't wait to see you all in just a few days!! I smile thinking about you having fish up at the Pointe:) oh my i need to think about packing!
xoxo
c

Breaking Lockdown!

Tuesday night and no school tomorrow! Today when I was walking home from school, I stumbled upon the set of the next Gossip Girl episode...literally...so cool! they were in union square and I saw Chuck Bass (from afar)
But anywoo...tomorrow is the big Turkey Day for me and my international friends.  I'll be cooking at a friend's aprt. in Queens, and I don't have any ingredients, or recipes...or pots and pans...but hey! that's what makes it fun!! AND everything tastes better after a little wine, right?? I just hope we don't end up ordering pizza with a burned down apartment. lol
SO...tonight...Emma and I are going to the premiere party for Christina Aguliera and Cher's movie, Burlesque, at Kiss&Fly club for some free drinks, lol...and then meeting up with some friends at SL...which is where they met the cast of Gossip Girl 2 weeks ago!
Alright, well I've got to go find something to wear!! Lovies!
C

headshot marathon

sunday night...exhausted.
I took my headshots today...and took them and took them and took them! The shoot lasted NINE HOURS!!
But it was SO GREAT and SO WORTH IT! Sam was such a great...and PATIENT photographer lol:) He  even took me shopping at the beginning of the day at 12:30 when I arrived and the shirts I brought weren't "it."
But it was a lot of fun...we shot serious, smiling, commercial, album cover, teen, adult...you name it and we took it! I'm meeting with him again tomorrow to choose from the several thousand we took...and that's not an exaggeration.
The only downside to today was that I missed mass...I thought I would be able to make the 6pm mass...buuut I was there until 9! That and I completely stood up my scene partner. Gosh I feel like a shmuck...she was meeting me at The Markle at 7, and I had no way to get a hold of her....eye yi yi...I am a bad person...I will be bringing her starbucks tomorrow at school when we have to do our scene.

I'll post a link to my pictures tomorrow
peace
c

oh to be funny

wednesday night.
I had the entire day off today...this is how i spent it:
caught up on sleep and slept in...nice long run...met with Constantin on our new scene from The Glass Menagerie (super intense...i play a cripple)...and then went shopping for a shirt for my headshots and i FOUND ONE!! oooh...its so great...from Anthro's sale rack...burnt orange...scoop neck...sleeveless...love it.
Then tonight, Emma and maybe Constantin and I are going to the People's Improv Theater for Impro-Dome where yes, we will be competing in an improv competition...very nerve wracking but then, hey...you gotta look fear straight in the eyes, right??
I'll let you know how the mortification goes:)
C

go my favorite sports team go!

Hey all...chill night last night...emma and maya and i went for a late dinner in union square at Republic.  Shared some pad thai and some laughs.  Needless to say, we were all still pretty exhausted from the previous night's festivities.  So we decided on watching a movie instead of going out.
However, the movie rental place was closed....so we had to settle on a cup of late night joe at a cute little neighborhood diner, called Good Stuff Diner.  It was such a cute little american dive.  The 2 Sweedish girls kept laughing at how "american" it was with ketchup bottles on every table, and retro tile.  It didn't help that the menu included a "lumberjack" breakfast (use your imagination)..."who can eat that!?...so american" so we chatted for a couple hours over coffee and...yes, we all shared our first piece of authentic NY Cheesecake....tres magnifique.

Today, Vicki and Tamara and I are going to Central Park to cheer on the NYC marathon runners at the finish line...i'll take lots of pictures...on my fabulous new camera:)

TaTaForNow:)
C

"My father owns a shotgun"

Wow. Another week ladies and gentlemen. Another week.
Saturday afternoon. Almost 2. Sitting in my bed. Looking out the window. Empire State Building is piercing a blustery November sky. Looking around, I think a bomb may have exploded in my room last night...dress coat, north face, cardinals jacket...all strewn about....running shoes, steve madden flats, fold up dr. sholes fast flats, knee boots, and black pumps....also strewn about...each has its own story.

Ok so last night was a fun night. To say the least.

After film/TV class (which was a blast i might add) Emma and I met up at Union Square. We were going to meet up with some friends at Highbar in Times Square.  We got there only to find that they had gone elsewhere though....i met a lad in a Cincy Reds hat though, and chatted up him and his crew for a bit though.  After a frustrating turnaround, we were back on the subway headed to Soho...the 1 didn't run all the way down to Christopher St, so we had to transfer trains...long story short, we were in the subway for almost an hour! By 12:30...we were still underground...and still sober.

Out on Christopher St (we finally made it!) we were walking towards the Gansevoort Hotel, were we were going to meet up with Manuel, Emma's italian friend here on business. we made it 2 blocks until we were stopped by a promoter for the club, Veranda. "Hey you two girls...want to come to my table? Free drinks"...twist my arm...its nice being friends with a beautiful blond sweedish girl:) The club was cool....had a tree in the middle...stayed for several drinks, but then we had places to be:)

1:30 rolls around and we come upon our destination: the Gansevoort Hotel Rooftop Bar...overlooking the Hudson and conveniently next to the Boom Boom Room...only to find that there is a huge line with several bouncers. emma and i are standing and wondering what to do, trying to get ahold of manuel, when 2 guys approach us and say..."you guys trying to get to the top...come with me"....and just like that, the velvet rope opens to the front of the line and we're whisked onto the elevator. This was conveniently the man that i told, "my father owns a shotgun":)

We meet up with Manuel and his friends and hang out for a while...the club is beautiful, with sweeping vistas of the Hudson...crazy because I run past this club everyday. From the street, it looks like a warehouse...complete with a homeless man who hasn't moved since i arrived!

Several rounds later, we decide to change venues, and the 4 of us shuffle/stumble across the cobblestone street to the basement club at Spice Market...if that last club was posh upscale...this one was hipster up scale....strobe light and whatnot....Manuel got us a table, drinks, everything. Nice guy...italian...4am rolls around and we're all very much meeting our limit. So we hop in a cab to go home...i duck and roll (almost literally) at 13th and they continued onto their homes.

What a night....bed was EXTREMELY hard to get into...it seemed miles away, and equally hard to get out of in the morning when i had to go meet constantin for a scene. Luckily, i was playing a drunk flirt in the scene:) lol

Alright, well now that i've bored you to death, I'll end this post.

A Room with a View

Well, its Tuesday night in the City that Never Sleeps, and I ammmmm...not sleeping:)

So much to catch up on!! To start, I saw a kiwi green Ford Focus today and I was quite sad when the license plate didn't say 6 Hugs..Needless to say, I was a bit homesick after that! But back to this weekend! Saturday was a Halloween packed day! Tamara and I went to Central Park in the afternoon for their pumpkin festival, which was really just a bunch of dressed up children, gay men, and dogs...in that order. Came home, made my pumpkin dress, and then was off with some friends for Halloween festivities! We made our way through several bars in Greenwich (all walking distance) and was home by 3:30 am! Best costume of the night....Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street:)

Sunday, I managed to mosey on in to 11:30 mass. Came home and prepped for close to 1 million people packing my street for the Greenwich Village Parade...which passed my street on 6th Ave! Some girls and I went out to dinner at a cute sushi place, and then proceeded to stake out our place along the parade route. Boy was it cold! Trying to exit the parade was quite the feat....mosh pit-esk, I had visions of people getting trampled to death! Sheer chaos! But a one-liner on the parade: a glorified freakshow: any excuse for a man to parade around in either A) a spedo, or b) a dress....use your imagination.

Monday...I moved rooms into a single on the top floor! I LOVE it! It's cozy, and looks right out on the Empire State Building and the Chrystler Building! I am truly blessed.  Actually, I'm looking out right now, and i can see faint lights from Time Square....pinch me please! But after an exciting morning, having to rush and move rooms in 2 hours, I have my own nook...complete with walk-in closet:) That evening, I met with the director of the short film that is going to be shot in early December! We met at Manhattan's version of Big Boy:) It'll be a fin shoot for sure...my character's name is August:)

Today, I just got back from a Women's Night through FOCUS at NYU...it was great! Small group discussion on Edith Stein and her life, complete with Brie cheese:) First time in a long time that I've been in a group where everyone was AMERICAN! Constantin and I did a scene for Hope...so fun!

Tomorrow is my day off so I don't feel so guilty staying up this late.  My friend from Sweden, Emma, invited me to go out to a swanky dinner with one of her guy friends who is a model. I was told..."cocktail dress and spikes"....this is the same friend who invited her to the Boom Boom Room...hmm...could be an interesting night for sure:)

More details to come later:)

Care

Almost HalloWeeKend!

Friday afternoon...4:15...just finished up a nice long run along the Hudson and got blown about in the gale force wind! Tonight is my film/TV acting class and I'm pretty excited. Its always an adventure deciding what to wear...he type casts you for that day's scene by the way you enter the studio!
In other news, I just got word that I'll be moving to a single room on the 1st of November. Claire and I both got singles! Sad to leave my roomie, but it will be the same as now, just sleeping down the hall!
But I'm pretty excited...its on the top floor! I'll post a picture of the view!
The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is on Sunday at 7pm and goes RIGHT DOWN MY STREET! Its going to be pandemonium...utter mayhem...legitimately. 1000s of people packing the area! How exciting!...i'll let you know how it is!
Until next time.......C$

Rocktober

When thinking about the past 24 hours, I have to shake my head and gently laugh, because life is so much FUN!

Picking up from last night's entry, going to the Griffin was by far, the most luxurious experience I've had yet in Manhattan.  Where to start!! The Griffin is part of the ultra chic/hipster scene in the Meatpacking district, which sounds pretty strange, but think trendy/posh lounge.  After navigating cobblestone streets in 3inch heels, we glided through the VIP entrance, flashing the ear-pieced bouncers our IDs.  Stamped and cleared, we entered into a gorgeously plush, wooden floored lounge where the ENTIRE ceiling was a crystal chandelier canopy....truly breath taking. We were shown to our area where sitting on a table was our complementary vodka and array of mixers, garnishes, ice and glasses.  I come to find out later that just to get a table here is $600....didn't pay a dime:) The DJ played good dance music...no Biebs though:) The people at the party...wow...beautiful. We were probably the only people under 5'10.  They were all 6'0+ models...and that's not an exaggeration.  They were all in 4 inch platform heels, and towering at...probably 6'4-5" no joke. We were thinking that we saw Kanye West's ex there....Long story short, got home at 3am and had one heck of a night dancing with the hipsters.

Today...slept...ran...got a text from my scene partner (that gives me temporary high blood pressure)...and it turns out that he's dropping our acting class because he finds our teacher (whom i love) "unbearable" and she's "stifling his creative expression.".....I love male divas:)

Tonight, I met with headshot photographer, Sam Khan. I LOVED him. He's going to be a great guy to work with. We spent close to 2 hours chatting! November 14...its all set! Can't wait...seriously.

Just a few minutes ago, I got an email from the guy I'll be shooting the short for...November 6th and 7th we'll be shooting at sunrise!

Halloween is just a few days away! Its funny...I'm more excited about actual life than getting all dressed up!

Sorry for the length...just lots to report! xoxo

A new day...time to play?

Alright, bloggers. As I write this, it is currently 10:15 pm on a Tuesday night, aaaand no school tomorrow. I have finished up a quiet evening watching Glee and am now cozy in my pjs reading Chekov for next week. That is until my wonderful roommate gets a text message about a swanky party she has been invited to at Griffin.....long story short....we're leaving in an hour! Needless to say, when you're 22 in NYC, any excuse for an opportunity to party, will get you out of bed and pounding the pavement...in heels.  Complimentary VIP bottle service is promised.

Midwestern lady.......welcome to the Big City.

Details to come later...

Quiet on the Set...TAKE ONE!

Hey guys! So it's Monday night in the Big Apple...11:45....and maybe i'm procrastinating memorizing a Chekhov scene for tomorrow...but i decided to start this little blog! That way, you all can know what i'm up to in NYC! Today is week 5 (yikes!) and so far so good. I'm loving everything about the city, and really feel like i'm coming into my own.  Perhaps I'm still in the honeymoon phase of my New York journey, but I'm fascinated and excited about EVerything!

This week should be exciting...tomorrow I scored a coveted ticket to hear Bradley Cooper speak at our school! That's after I do my scene with my Enrique Englasias (sp??) look-alike. I keep getting paired with dark, handsome men...go figure:) And then on Wednesday, I'm meeting with a headshot photographer! So things are lookin up!

I miss all you guys very much and thing about you every day when I run in Hudson River Park (while listening to the Biebs of course;) )...its BEAUTIFUL and overlooks the skyline and the Empire State building. I have to pinch myself every morning that yes, I live here:) Thats all for now:) Lovies!

God bless,
C