NYC TO LV

Yes, the exodus has really happened and I can finally sit and breathe and write about it. :) 

I only like NY as a friend! After being an addict to the incredible highs and manic lows, I am breaking up with my fascinating, dynamic, eclectic, giving yet slightly abusive lover, 

New York City.

I really thought leaving NYC would be some kind of huge traumatic experience but it really just wasn't, which makes me believe it was absolutely the right decision. So if anyone is reading this thinking they are "giving up on the dream" by leaving-you're not. And all of a sudden all these articles started popping up that re-affirmed some of my feelings. This one. This one. This hilarious spoof. And especially... THIS ONE. Like the subways aren't bad enough being completely dysfunctional. I had bed bugs in Queens. Worst ever, and I am not surprised in the least that those buggers-pun intended-have taken over-they are an army that could survive a nuclear war.

Reasons for the move: Lifestyle, open spaces indoors and out, speaking of outdoors-being outdoors all year round, cost of living, trading a condo for a sprawling estate....you get the picture. NYC got crazy at the end there, income is dramatically separating itself from cost of living-I had a friend recently get offered a temp job for $15/hr-what I was making fourteen years ago! Now now, I don't want to sound bitter, nor negative about my dear ol dirty town that I have been infatuated with for years....but let's just say things felt very different towards the end there. Who knows maybe I'm just an old lady who wants to sip tea on a mountain somewhere. Maybe partially, but we also chose Vegas because I just couldn't be in a sleepy town! Vegas runs 24/7 too, we can see every concert, tour, and fabulous entertainment as well as hike, bike, and climb a mountain with some tea. It actually ended up being the best of both worlds. And who knew having a car would be so convenient when there is free parking everywhere??
VIVA!! 

More stories on the horizon....xoxo

MakeOver Mondays!

I'm back!! So excited. The last six months have been incredible and I'm eager to share again!

I'm going to jump right right in with my Makeover Mondays campaign! I love makeovers-I mean who doesn't? From shows like HGTV Remodels, to What not to Wear we all have this visceral desire to improve ourselves and quickly. That's why I love make up so much. If you take just a wee bit of time and energy letting a little product help fine tune your features, even out your skin tone, bring out your eye color, etc. you will no doubt bring your best face forward! Thank you so much to Adrianne and Katie for helping me out with my first two looks. All products used can be found at:

www.adrianalomysh.myarbonne.com

1940's Vintage Make-Up and Photography

Whoa whoa! Long time no bloggy bloggy! Sorry about that. Such a awesomely busy month. Wanted to quickly take a moment to show you what I have been up to. We have been wanting to experiment with vintage make up and lighting in the studio and this week we had a lovely actress, Kimberly Sherbach to help us capture this very thing. I would LOVE to have a division in our company for the very popular boudoir type of shoot, but tempered with a classy vintage setting. But in the meantime we will keep close up and clothing on. This is what I could see our boudoir portraits looking like:

Those a pictures of real Ziegfeld Follies girls! Aren't they divine?

Well here is what else is divine.... darling Kim. She was so patient and is just a doll in every way. Now doesn't she look like one too?

What do you think? Oh and by the way, I used all Arbonne skincare and make up. 

Beautiful right? Radiant. I am very inspired. :)

Creative friends Creating - The Gawky Author

 OMG I'm a star. Wait let me rephrase that. My friend is a star and therefore has made me a star. 

Best friend, sister from another mister, comedienne, actress, and writer 

Margot Leitman  

has written and published her first book,

GAWKY, Tales of an Extra Long Awkward Phase.

A phase that I seem to be barely coming out of myself.

I was thrilled and honored to be a part of the books final chapter...no really that's me! 

Hi, Margot. I'm Adriana. The beginning of a beautiful friendship.

She didn't even change my name! That means we're still friends.

Here is a picture of Margot and me at Ithaca College where we met and where her story ends. This proves just how strange, awkward and plain weird we were. 

I am telling you right now this was NOT Halloween. Just an average get together. We were VERY committed to boas and wide brimmed hats.

At the time I was a total musical theater opera NERD.  At the TIME!!  (I have to hurry up and write this so I can go watch the Tony Awards) No really, my bedding had musical notes and a LOT of G Clefs and I'm pretty sure  I had a poster of a cat on a piano holding a flute on my dorm room wall.

But I think both of us celebrate "gawky".  We love and embrace that we have these quirky girls living inside of career driven, successful ladies who finally know how to accessorize and handle ourselves in public. ish.

Margot's wedding with our other sisters. See? We are sooo much more sensible now.

Wait...

On Thursday I was able to attend her book release at the Upright Citizens Brigade and sit in awe of her incredible storytelling talents again.

I am so cool. I am in a book. She is way cooler. She wrote it. My friends are brilliant. I can't take it.

Buy Gawky on Amazon here!

Actors Equity Turns 100

Another centennial today with the Actors Equity Association!

I became a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA thorough my work on All My Children, and As the World Turns. I have always been so thankful for the great working conditions these Actor's Unions have given us over many many years and for being a part of this fabulous actor's community in New York City.

Happy birthday AEA!!

My sassy centennial gold card and commemorative pin

Creative Friends Creating-The Choreographer

My very talented friend Dylan has created a work of art with his piece "GO TO" that he is submitting to Dance Media Magazine for the ACE Award in choreography. I met Dylan doing this show (I have so many creative friends) and we had a spectacular seven days bonding over Phillip Phillips, minutiae and caramel vodka. Don't ask. Just know it was a good time and this guy is quality. (He's the one photo-bombing my Gypsy picture. See? Quality.) I had the pleasure of helping him with an extra camera to create his submission and when you click on the link below you can see he is bound for So You Think You Can Dance. ;) Watching it live was of course even better and I can't wait to see where this leads him!

Dancers awaiting instruction.

This piece is so beautiful so please take a moment to view his work and vote

HERE!

Thank you and enjoy!

Lean to the Light from your Mama

Happy Mother's Day to all! 

Lean to Light's advice today is: lean to the light your mama gave you. You may not see it or feel it all the time, but it's there, it's always there, and she gave you breath and life so give thanks. The end. 

My other piece of advice? Do something really cool and memorable with her one on one. That may be a bit more challenging depending on where you live, but with the internet, virtual sharing is getting more and more common so do it!

I was lucky enough to have my mama in town so I was able to have one on one QT on the Boardwalk,

through the 9/11 memorial

Where's MoLo?

but the highlight and her main request was to walk the Brooklyn Bridge.

Best perspective I could get on my iphone of the expansiveness up there

The Brooklyn Bridge is Bootylicious

I leave you with 
Tina Fey's a Mother's Prayer for her child:

“First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.
When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.
May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.
Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.
And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.
And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.”
-Tina Fey from "Bossypants"

Tip for Actors

Recently I have been exploring the world of casting more, and the joys (sometimes pains ;)) of viewing the industry from the other side of the table.  I cannot tell you what an eye-opening experience this has always been for me.  Every time I help a casting agent I learn so much that I could never learn from a class or audition. I receive weekly tips from this wonderful studio and I thought this weeks article summed up my experiences perfectly.  Check out the studio at:

www.scottpowers.com

WEEKLY TIP FOR 2.22.13

AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED APPROACH TO ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

It is vital that performers know not only how to act and market themselves, but how the business works from all sides.  Nothing is more distressing than meeting someone for the first time, have an initial interest and then discover that they are clueless about the industry.

One of the approaches that we have recommended with great results to abolish this situation is - ready? - go for an internship or be a reader.  At a talent agency, casting company, or a personal manager.  Internships are basically unpaid or low-paid or transportation/meal stipend paid positions.  They can be a few hours a week, on a daily basis or for a specified period of time.  Interns open the morning mail and email, field phone calls, assist in castings, file headshots, watch the actors/models coming in and out of the office, interface with the industry, discover what problems the business has to grapple with day in and day out, maybe even sit in on the decision making process.  You will have a great first-hand to generally/specifically observe how the industry - the "other side" - REALLY works.  What a great opportunity you created for yourself!  And if you know THAT, your pursuits of your acting career will absolutely benefit.

Being a reader for auditions at a casting company gives an actor first-hand experience on how the casting process works.  What works and what doesn't.  Talk about an eye-opening experience!

The old excuse that being an intern or reader will make "them" look down on you or that you're not an actor anymore doesn't hold true.  You will be respected for being enterprising and your seriousness and maturity in setting up a situation for you to gain a full understanding of the industry.

Are interns all really young?  No.  If you're, say, over 30++, don't worry about it.  You bring to the position certain life experiences and approaches that someone younger hasn't had yet.

Be pro-active.  You contact them.  Most offices have a continuous need for interns.  You can approach a company in general or target a specific person.  Want to get in good with an agent?  Offer to intern for them.  Want to get in good with a casting director?  Offer to intern; be a reader for them.  Send them your headshot via email or snail mail and on the outside, mark "INTERN APPLICATION" or "READER APPLICATION" (or on the Subject line if email) and inside have a brief cover note. Tell them what qualities you can bring to an internship or being a reader.  Tell them what times/days of the week you are available and how long you can be available.  Follow up in a few days with a phone call - stating you sent your headshot because you're interested in interning with them.  Your call WILL be welcomed.

Your internship or being a reader will change your outlook forever.  Not only will you have a much better understanding of the business, but you will have a much better appreciation of it as well (and there would be a lot less moaning and groaning out there!)

Of course, if we could only get the agents and casting directors out on a few auditions and go-sees to see what the actor/model goes through, we might have a nearly perfect world....

Scott Powers
Scott Powers Studios
www.scottpowers.com

Downton Abbey goes Downtown New York City

Oh my gosh I found this pic online and it just makes me so happy! I am quite impressed that they weren't so above themselves to take public transportation. I pictured myself running into them on the platform and going into total shock. The girls look so adorable out of their rags. And are Mr. and Mrs. Bates really an item?

Capturing Nicholas Novak

We had a great photo session with singer, dancer and actor Nichols Novak last week. Caught the last bit of warm weather before things got crazy cold. Don't worry studio shots are available all winter so please check out Jason Campbell Photography for details!

Cupcake Tours

Cupcakes are making a huge comeback and I for one am not disappointed. I'm still on the fence with neon day-glow and acid wash jeans, but cupcakes...yes please. Bring them back in "haute-couture-cuisine" style.

My gorgeous girl Kaleigh was in town and her request was to go on a cupcake tour. For some reason I complied very quickly. ;) She and I were a great team traveling in Europe together, and we both love photography, so capturing cupcakes in NYC seemed like the perfect activity for us.  Most people pay big bucks for these tours but I thought...why not come up with a cupcake tour of my own, tourist free... and...free.

 So here is a very easy cupcake walking tour in NYC's East Village. (all non stamped pictures courtesy of Kaleigh Jones)

We started in Union Square at Baked by Melissa.

After our tasting there, we walked to Crumbs Bake Shop...a bakery that is beyond overwhelming in their cupcake choices.

We walked through the beautiful Washington Square park displaying all it's beautiful fall colors. 

My turkey was so thirsty

No cupcake tour would be complete without a trip to one of the most famous bakeries in NYC, Magnolia Bakery.

But wait!!! You don't live in New York but you're now craving a cupcake? Or two or three or more? Here are cupcake tours across the country and across the pond. What a great idea for bachelorette parties, showers or well... if it's Thursday. ;) Get your cupcake on!

Click on the name of each city to take you to their tour:

NYC

Boston

Chicago

LA-this is a combined cupcake AND wine tour. I want this.

London