Wish I Was There

My mother and father are in London right now, and I wish that I was there too.  I loved London, and since I came back to the US, I've just wanted to go back and take even more advantage of what the city and country have to offer.  I think that I did a pretty brilliant job last time of exploring, learning the culture, and the theatrical environment of London.  I loved the art, saw most of the museums, hung out in the pubs, etc.  But... I want more.  I want to explore the mystical side of Britain a bit more, I want to learn more of the historical heritage of art, literature and theatre that developed there, and I want a grad degree.

It's funny, two years ago, which is almost how long it's been since I first left for London, I was scoffing at the idea of grad school.  I saw it as what my friends who didn't know what they wanted to do were doing.  The ones who wanted to put "real life" off for a little bit longer, or were taking a little bit more advantage of mummy and daddy's dollars for a few more years of college playtime.  Now, I know that some of them are doing that for those reasons, but for many people, it is much more than that.  My initial view was very shallow and critical.  

I want to go to the Central School of Speech and Drama to receive and MFA in Voice.  Not immediately, but sometime within the next ten years, I plan to do this.  This shall happen.  Right now, I'm being handed, on, essentially, a silver platter, everything that I want to be learning, opportunities, an environment that fosters creative learning, and a paycheck, so I would be insane to go now.  As I said, this is in my ten-year plan. I'm extremely excited about the prospect,however, partially because I will get to return to London, but, well, mostly because this will give me the chance to rise from "a voice and speech teacher" to "an amazing voice and speech teacher at the cutting edge of the field."  I find that thrilling.  My parents' current trip has only made me more excited about this.  Their descriptive emails have also made me trail back through some of my old photographs, which I have shared below.  I don't think any of these have ever been on this blog before, but I'm proud of them.  Many of them aren't my best photographs, but I take them as a testament to how far I have come.  I've become a much better photographer (and person) since I started this blog.

Eventually, I will go back to London, and it will be to study what makes me more happy, and excited than any other pursuit ever has.  I'll apply in a few years, and keep applying until I am accepted.  And, I'll go through the whole process with enthusiasm and happiness.

London is calling!

London, England, UK

These Crazy Days

New York is a really, really big city.  This can be easy to forget sometimes when you live here, because it is all so close together, and the train and bus systems are so simple.  But, parts of the city are obnoxiously far away from one another, and, sometimes, you have to go to many of these places in one day.

Yesterday was one of those days for me.  And, I did a decent job of capturing it in Instagram photos for all of you.   So, here's the saga!

First of all, I had a bit of a late night on Monday.  I went to see Measure for Measure at Shakespeare in the Park, which is run by the Public Theatre.  The performance took place in the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, and was great.  I had a lot of fun.  There are some nitpicky thins that I could say about the design, and some of the acting, but in general I thouroughly enjoyed the production, which made me happy.  Bad Shakespeare makes me a very unhappy camper, and good Shakespeare just brightens up my whole existence.  This was good Shakespeare.  If you live in New York City, or near it, you should definitely go.  It's worth the free admission for certain.  Of course, I didn't actually have to wait in line, because Danny works for them, but I would have.  I went to see this with my friend Spencer, and afterwards, Danny joined us and we went for a late meal at a diner on the Upper West Side called Cafe Viand.  I had some scrumptious pancakes and was a very happy lady.  This lasted until after midnight... hence the inclusion in yesterday's activities.

After this, we returned home to Flatbush, where I took no photographs.  Oops.  In any case, Flatbush is quite a bit of a way from the Upper West Side, considering it's in Central Brooklyn.



Yesterday morning, I putzed around at home a little bit, relaxing, and hanging out in my neighborhood.  But, my first big destination of the day was Astoria, Queens, for my singing lesson with the glorious Kara Boyer.  If you live near New York City and need a new singing teacher- go, go, go!  She's changed my life, and I'm not saying that lightly.  Seriously, just... just go.  Astoria is very far away from Flatbush.  I'm not sure if it is further distance-wise than the Upper West Side, but it is certainly farther train time and convenience wise.  Totally worth it though.  Kara is amazing.



The next stop on the list for me was Stella Adler Studio of Acting, in Chelsea, where I work and volunteer.  Yesterday was a volunteer day.  I help out and assistant-teach in the Stella Adler Outreach Program, which provides free acting training for low-income high school students in the city.  And we find some of the most incredible, talented, devoted, and kind young men and women in New York.  I've been predominantly working with one group in the program, and these students never fail to impress me.  They are so good, and even when it seems like they might not be able to pull off what they have been asked to do, they come through at the last minute with flying colors and knock our socks off.  They are just, wow.  I can't be effusive enough about how much I care about these people.  They win.  Speaking of which, they opened tonight, and their show is amazing.  I'm so insanely proud- if there was a legitimate mountain near me, I might have climbed up to the top of it and screamed it to the masses.  Alas, this is not the case.


Next, I got on an N train at 28th St, and took it to the 59th St stop in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where I would transfer to an R.  I was going out to Dyker Heights to hang out with my friends Dennis and Pat, who I hadn't seen in a few weeks, but are always fun.  They are twin brothers, but barely look alike at all.  Danny was out there too.  Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights are some of the southernmost points in Brooklyn, so it took me about an hour to get there overall.



This is a detail of a mosaic in the Bay Ridge-86th St R train station, where I disembarked, as it were.  I like Bay Ridge- it has a distinctly middle class feel to it, and there is a lot to do.  If it weren't so obnoxiously far away from Manhattan, I wouldn't mind living there at all.  But, more than a 45 minute commute doesn't really appeal to me, and I like Flatbush a lot, so, at the moment, I plan to stay where I am.  Bay Ridge is neat, though.




By this point, it was about 9:30 at night, and I was walking to Pat and Dennis's house.  I was rather exhausted- I had spent about two hours of my life on the train that day, and done some serious acting work in my singing lesson, which is more exhausting than most people would expect.  Acting burns around 400 calories an hour, which is way more than walking quickly, nonstop, for that amount of time. It's hard work, and well, I was feeling the end of the day lag.



Solution: STARBUCKS.  Yep.  I'm addicted to caffeine pretty badly, and, correctly anticipating that we would be hanging out until around midnight, I needed some type of pick me up.  The beverage of choice for me was my recently acquired favourite- a skinny Cafe Misto.  I've generally been a latte fan, because I like steamed milk.  But, Caffe Mistos are coffee topped with steamed milk, and are about a dollar cheaper, or more, per size. I've dropped latte from my ordering vocabulary.



I was going to get some food at Starbucks as well, but Danny let me know that they had some already.  Honey Nut Cheerios and almond milk, to be exact.  I was all kinds of excited.  So, despite the fact that those bagels look scrumptious, I passed, and headed along on my way.  Soon, I was at the house, and we hung out for a few hours, chilling out and preparing some characters for my upcoming first game of Dungeons and Dragons ever.  Woot.



A bit before midnight, we left Pat and Dennis's house, and went to catch the bus.  For the first time in New York City history, the bus was early.  It was supposed to leave at 12:05, and when we got there at 12:00... it was pulling away.  We sprinted about four blocks before we realised that we were screwed.  The B16 bus only comes once every half an hour after midnight... so... yeah.  We didn't have many options.  After our coffee beverages we were both surprisingly awake, and neither one of us had any commitments today before 11am, so we elected to walk the slightly under an hour home.  It was lovely.  The air was cool, people were around, but not too many.  We just chatted.  However, at some place in Sunset Park, we did come across this, I don't know what to call it, thing.  Ride thing.  I don't even know.  It's like a possessed donkey pony ride terror that will haunt my dreams.  In any case, it's how I finished off my night.

If you wonder what my life is like... I clocked almost two hours on subway trains today too.  Welcome to life in New York.

Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Prince Street People

I really like wall art.  Murals, graffiti, mosaics, frescos... you name it. If it's on a wall, I probably like it.  Why is this?  Because I appreciate public art in general.  I really enjoy how adding art to a public space, like a bridge, a park, or even a subway station can brighten up everyone's day.  Suddenly that commute on the train turns into a mini museum trip every morning, and that run through the park turns into a private viewing of a statue gallery.  I love it.  And, lucky for me, New York is smothered in public art- it's just everywhere.  It doesn't hurt that I live near one of the largest and prettiest parks in the city, Prospect Park.  That kind of just fuels my adoration.

In any case, the subway art in New York City is pretty great compared to other cities I have visited.  Many stations have intricate mosaic work, some have statues, like the 14th Street 8th Ave Station in Manhattan, and some, like many stops along the J, M, and Z trains, and a few stops along the Q line, have stained glass designs in the platform or station.  Some of the stations are rather decrepit, and almost rotting, but some of the ones I would have currently put on that list are currently under renovation by the MTA, the Metropolitan Transport Authority, which is the governmental department that runs all of New York City's transportation.  As annoying as it is when they close down stations for a weekend, or even months at a time, the results can be rather impressive.  For example, the relatively new mosaic work in the Bay Ridge 86th St Station on the R line in Brooklyn is quite nice.  However, some of the station mosaic art is just simply exquisite.

One station that I would say falls into the exquisite category, is the Prince Street Station in Manhattan on the N and R lines.  There are mosaics of... silhouettes of people.  People who look like they'd be in New York City.  There are rich women with heels and fancy bags, men with construction hats and beer guts pushing carts full of who knows what, children, people with backpacks and hats, nuns, pregnant women.  Of course, not everyone is represented, but it's  a pretty nice cross section of the people you might see actually standing in the station.  I get to see this most every day- I generally ride the express train that passes through this station without stopping, and as I look out the window, I see the actual people and their shadow counterparts side by side, captured in a moment, frozen.  The people mix with the art on the wall, and it really is beautiful.  My New York.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Store Update!

If you didn't know already, Travel and Toile also has a store!  

It can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Travelandtoile

I listed some new items last night, and I thought I'd let you all know about them!  They are prints of many of the more popular photographs from this blog.  There are more to come, but if there is a print you really want, please, email me at travelandtoile@gmail.com and I will make it available to you.

Three Sisters 5x7 Print

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

This is one 5"x7" print of the photograph "Three Sisters". This photograph of a beautiful set of flowers growing in the Shakespeare Garden in Central Park was originally seen on my blog, http://travelandtoile.blogspot.com.

This print comes unframed, and will be shipped in a padded envelope if sold alone or with other prints, and in a box if shipped with other items as well. The print will be signed on the back.

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Window Shopping 5x7 Print

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

This is one 5"x7" print of the photograph "Window Shopping". This photograph of a store window in an arcade in Brussels, Belgium, was originally seen on my blog, http://travelandtoile.blogspot.com.

This print comes unframed, and will be shipped in a padded envelope if sold alone or with other prints, and in a box if shipped with other items as well. The print will be signed on the back.

 

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My Art Is Many Pieces Put Together 5x7 Print

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

This is one 5"x7" print of the photograph "My Art Is Many Pieces Put Together". This photograph of a beautiful mosaic under a bridge in Austin, Texas, was originally seen on my blog, http://travelandtoile.blogspot.com.

This print comes unframed, and will be shipped in a padded envelope if sold alone or with other prints, and in a box if shipped with other items as well. The print will be signed on the back.

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Beautiful Disaster 5x7 Print

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

This is one 5"x7" print of the photograph "Beatiful Disaster". This photograph of a destroyed wedding dress was originally seen on my blog, http://travelandtoile.blogspot.com.

Only two of these will be printed. So, if you have been wanting to get your hands on this beautiful photograph, order now!

This print comes unframed, and will be shipped in a padded envelope if sold alone or with other prints, and in a box if shipped with other items as well. The print will be signed on the back.

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And the Living Is Easy 5x7 Print

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

This is one 5"x7" print of the photograph "And the Living Is Easy". This photograph of some stunning flowers nested among the grass in Gordon Square, London, was originally seen on my blog, http://travelandtoile.blogspot.com.

This print comes unframed, and will be shipped in a padded envelope if sold alone or with other prints, and in a box if shipped with other items as well. The print will be signed on the back.

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I hope everyone likes the new products!  I'm sure excited about them.

Next up: magnets and snowglobes :)

Get ready for it.

My Art Is Many Pieces Put Together

Some mosaics by the brilliant Stefanie DiStefano, from her home, and a bridge near her home.  I know I posted about her work two days ago, but I can't seem to shut up about it.  She's really good- and she does some of her work as charity! How amazing is that!

More on her on her website, http://www.flamingoranch.com .

Austin, Texas, USA

Tools of the Trade

 

Paintbrushes, ceramics, beautifully coloured walls and window frames... this is all par for the course at the home of Stefanie DiStefano.  She's a friend of David, Danny's dad.  We went to a brunch party at her house while we were in Austin. 

I had been introduced to some of her artwork almost nine monthes earlier, when I was shown a stunning mural in the outdoor seating of a Torchy's Tacos in South Austin.  I was impressed with the incredible attention to detail- and the fact that the Torchy's mascot was the same as the one from my middle school.  

Anyways, her house was fabulous.  It was one of the most artistic places I have ever visited.  The floors, walls, counters, windows, they are all at least partially covered in her mosaics.  Fun paintings hang from the walls.  Beaded curtains.  Cacti.  Massive amounts of porch space.  It was, as I said before, fabulous.  

And Stephanie is a lovely person!  I figured she had to be pretty cool if she was allowing a stranger to tail along to her brunch, and she proved me right.  Despite the fact that I got attacked by a cactus in the front yard (meh) it was a great day.  Expect a few more posts showing her house and work.  

Here's her website: http://www.flamingoranch.com

Austin, Texas, USA