It's Warm Here

It has been surprisingly warm the past two days here... which is really nice because I thought New York had a winter that turned freezing in October and didn't let up until April... so I'm relieved. I went jogging outside yesterday in shorts and a t-shirt and it was really nice.

Unfortunately, I found out that I am not going to have access to the gym in my apartment. Apparently, since I am not on the official lease, Scott (my roommate) would have to go with me every time I want to go to the gym. And he is gone all day long - which is when I planned on working out. So... I decided to sign up with "Crunch" - a gym that is really popular in the city. I got a good deal and I'm really excited because it's a really cool gym and I will want to go and workout just to be in such a cool facility.

I also went to an Improv class last night that my cousin, Greg, teaches. He runs a studio called GS Improv and even has his own improv troop. The class was really fun - I was the youngest person there which I was surprised to find. But it was actually really cool to work with a bunch of adults who all have their own lives and don't consider themselves actors - but who just really love to do improv on the side. It was neat. And Greg is so wonderful. He wants to take me out to dinner to meet his wife, Sally, and he's just been nothing but helpful. He gave me the names of a bunch of acting and voice coaches and also the name of a really great studio that offers classes in the city. He's just great - I'm very glad my grandma sought him out and connected us because it's so helpful to know someone who has experience acting in the city.

I am still trying to get settled into my apartment and the city. The cable guy came today to move the internet and all of scott's computer screens out of my bedroom. Scott is a daytrader, so he has a kind of intense computer system set up - i.e. he has this four screen computer that is all on one hardrive.... it's crazy. Anyway - he doesn't even use it that often - but he is moving it to his room so that my room will actually be mine now. Once he gets home from work today we're moving all the rest of his stuff out - and this Saturday I am taking a free bus shuttle from Manhattan to the Ikea in Elizabeth, New Jersey to buy my furniture! Hooray! I was just going to order my furniture online - but I found out that when you do that, everything is shipped from the IKEA warehouse in Sweden, so the shipping is ridiculously expensive. If I go to the actual store, pick out my stuff, buy it there, then have it delivered - it's just a flat rate of $99 to have it delivered to my apartment. So, once I get my furniture and can actually set up my room I will be very relieved.

I am going to see a play tonight with my friend Jana who lives here in the city. We were roommates in college and I'm really glad she's here. Not only because she's a great friend - but because she works at this theatre marketing firm that often has free theatre tickets for their employees. Ergo.... I get free tickets when Jana gets two and is so kind to invite me along! Anyway, we're seeing Suddenly Last Summer starring Blythe Danner (Gwenyth Paltrow's mom!). The show hasn't even opened yet - tonight is the final dress rehearsal. But in New York, critics, corporations, sponsors, etc. all get invites to the final dress rehearsals of big broadway shows before they even open. I'm very excited.

I'll let you know how it is! All my love!