Faireytale of New York: May 2010

This blog is taking a hiatus, since I’m not in New York anymore (much to my dismay) and so I feel that I should round off with a few acknowledgements. Quite a few.

Of course, first huge thank you goes to Lynne and Rupert for taking a chance on me, and getting me to my dream city. Rupert particular thanks for dealing with the volcano fandango and making sure we all got home safely – not that I would’ve minded being left behind! Lynne particularly for being my main source of adult company! And most importantly for sharing with me the wonderful world of Broadway, getting me show tickets, introducing me to everyone, bringing me to rehearsals and letting me watch auditions and answering my endless questions about critics and previews. I learned a lot and I had such a blast and loved loved LOVED getting to be a part of the La Cage experience – I may have played a very small part but I’m always going to be able to look back and say ‘Ah yes, the 11-times Tony nominated 2010 revival of La Cage aux Folles? I helped’, and that’s really amazing. HUUUGE thank yous for all that. Also of course for looking after me so well with regards to food and a roof over my head, including multiple beds.

Second, the other people instrumental in bringing me NYC – the mad and magical D’Cruzes, Chloe and Marcos. It’s because of them that I got this opportunity and I’ll never be able to thank them enough. Am also grateful to them for having unknowingly prepared me for some of the madder aspects of my trip – having spent a year in the awesome creative whirlwind that is Bell/D’Cruze land I felt primed and ready for anything the artistes of New York had to chuck at me.

Taire deserves a mention in this bit too cos I think if she hadn’t given me the push I needed to tell everyone I was taking off in February C&M would never have thought of me when they spoke to Lynne about needing someone to go to New York in February...I think it all started with a long late night conversation on Jo and Richard’s sofa with this most fab Spanish girl, so gracias forever and mucho amor to MTMC/my psychic partner.

Next, lovely Marisa Ferrarin and her husband Paul. Marisa made me feel instantly welcome by bringing me to her beautiful restaurant and introducing me to EVERYBODY. I got to see a bit of New York I’d never get to by my own means, and I made some lovely friends and acquaintances. Also, I ate some insanely lovely food. Marisa and Paul, the true essence of good neighbours. She gave us her internet.

Tony Cortes for listening to me whine about all kinds of things and buying me my first ever Dunkin’ Donuts, and for explaining to me about Gray’s Papaya which I still don’t quite understand. Also for a fantastic MovieTuesday watching the supreme Kick Ass fo’ freee.

The motley crew of regulars and cameos who made my days a little easier, a little brighter and a little more New York. These include:

The Malibu Diner staff

The City Treehouse staff especially Trevor who was equally good at entertaining me as he was the kids

The Hilton Theatre doorman

The Longacre Theatre doormen

The La Cage cast crew and creatives who always said friendly helloes to me, and the Cagelles who gave me class recommendations for BDC and Steps

The cast of Hair who always made me smile when I occasionally saw them running in and out for entrances, and who eventually gave me one of my most joyous experiences ever

STANLEY, the best superintendent ever, for always appearing right when I needed him most (i.e. when I was standing at the bottom of 5 flights of stairs with a buggy, a child, my bag, her bag and a bag of household essentials from the pharmacy about to give up hope) and giving us so many lifts in the elevator, and understanding how very necessary those lifts were! And for always being smiley and cheery.

The amazing BDC teachers I did classes with: Andrea Brown, Jason Marquette (both changed my life slightly) Ephrat Asherie, Spex, Ginger Cox and Tracy Stanfield (changed my life through sheer fear) Dolores.

The proprietor and artist at Jokers on Bleecker St, for designing my tattoo and being really cool and chatty. And somewhat attractive.

Travis the dog

Griffy the dog

Chris

Patrick

Michelle

Everyone who ever helped or offered to help me with the buggy, especially on the subway when it was jam-packed and I didn’t know how I was ever going to get through the throngs of people to get off the train. Also the amazing guy who saw me struggling with buggy and Iris, as usual, when I was trying to get through the turnstile but me Metrocard wasn’t working, so he actually swiped his own card in the thing for me so we could get through. A perfect stranger spent $2.25 to make my day a little easier. Beautiful.

The security guard who found my bag when I lost it at the Natural History Museum.

Dance teacher Faith and Jodi the Yogi

Art Farm bunnies!

Ok that’s the end of that long list, I think. Hope I haven’t left anyone out.

Last big thankyous go to my heroes and heroines, who helped get me through in my darkest hours without even knowing it.

Ellie – what would I do without this girl, her support has never faltered, she is so good at keeping in touch that she actually says ‘hope you’re ok haven’t heard from you in a while’. She will not let me get out of touch, and quite right too. She has listened to the ranting and raving via the miracle of Facebook messaging for years now and she did it in New York too, helping me to stay in touch with the real World whilst being always excited and happy for me and the fun stuff I got to do. She is proof that friends halve your sorrows and double your joys.

Jess – she may have slightly been my hair inspiration. Not necessarily for the colour, but for doing it in the first place, as she’s been doing the hair rainbow (sometimes literally) for ages and is totally fierce and fearless about it. Also for my fab pocket guide to NY which came in v. handy on numerous occasions! A beacon/hero of originality, this girl reminded me when I was feeling bad to just do my thing and not give a crap. Which is why I came home tattooed and with pink hair and some mental additions to my wardrobe. :D

Rachel – everyone needs a Rachel, to remind them that in some parts of the World, everything is not a cause for drama and crisis! Although moments of negativity were v. rare in my whole trip, I had a couple and in the worst one I turned to the people I’m mentioning now, Rach included, and she came through with her usual gift for putting things in perspective, making me laugh at it a little bit and generally not beating around the bush.

Vanessa, Victoria, Emily, all the lovely lovely gals at Vanessa Golborn School of Dance – thanks for keeping me involved and included even though I was an ocean away. And for being the best at keeping track of my madness via Facebook. And also, obviously, for having taught me so well for so many years that I could deal with everything BDC had to throw at me, even in the very toughest classes. And for just generally everyone’s fabness. And my cake and cards and hippo and everything (Lauren, Molly, kids:D)

Daddy – for keeping it real by always seeing the funny side, and for joining me briefly in the same continent! Woohoo! And for imparting unto me possibly the most useful childcare skill I have – when washing child’s hair, get them to tilt their head back and look at the ceiling. If you can convince them to do this, they will trust you forevermore with washing their hair as no shampoo or water will ever get in their eyes. This is what I remember my dad imploring me to do as a small child – I think I was too dim to take his advice but I have proved on Iris that it works. For keeping me up-to-date with the goings on of the bonkersness that is the TLOGs, for always being my no.1 fan and keeping my feet on the ground while not laughing at my lofty dreams. Also for being a countryside through and through – I love NYC but I’m eternally grateful that I was raised in Hampshire villages.

Maman – For being such a great email correspondent, and being on standby to deal with any crisis that might arise in my life back home (phone bills, uniform payments etc). For instilling in me over the years a hundred and one practical life skills that I never even knew I had til I needed them – from how to open stiff jars to how to cater for the family who are always in and out at different times (Bolognese sauce. Freezer. The end) How to deal with a million different children’s problems, how to make liquid soap last longer, how to wash shoes, how to find my way, how to get money off an item of clothing, how to make an emergency butterfly costume. I’m almost disappointed I didn’t have an audience of people watching me in New York cos I think many would’ve been astonished at how practical and resourceful I can really be in times of need, and I owe it all to the wisdom of my mum, who would win Gold if they had an Olympic event for being practical and fixing stuff. And now, I’d win silver.

Both my parents, joint, and Ben and my grandparents aunts uncles and cousins – for giving me such a fantastic childhood from which I have learned such a lot and all being certifiably insane cos it prepared me for pretty much anything. Faireys (and Ravens Ashmans and Lanes) rock the house.

My wonderful cousin Em who is another hero – for keeping me entertained with her stories from Down Under, and for being a cracking example of having courage in what YOU want to do for yourself not everyone else.

The Iridescent Miss Iris – for being my near-constant companion, for busting many a move with me when we got bored of colouring, for helping me record some hilarious covers of Black Eyed Peas and JLS (which no one will ever see), for letting me improve my hairstyling skills using you as a model, for not minding when I burst into song while walking you home from Treehouse, for making me laugh hysterically with some of your inspirational quotes (‘boys are silly to drink’) for giving me an excuse to go to FAO Schwarz and kid’s yoga and watch Disney Channel, for learning and utilising my favourite line ‘let’s rock and roll’ (I’m flattered) every time we walk out the door, for introducing me to the genius that is Peppa Pig/Charlie and Lola and for inventing a game at City Treehouse that requires me to lie down in a dark quiet cave with comfy fake grass inside. Best Game Ever. Tessa and Iris, the Dream Team.

Finally, to everyone who has kept in touch, given me useful advice/travel items, gave me snippets of life through good old Facebook, put up me with going on and on about Hair/Eddie Redmayne/Doug Hodge/Bleecker St/pancakes, wished me well, wished me home and READ THIS BLOG!, I extend my heartfelt gratitude and love, I hope you will be back for Faireytale Part II: Another bite at the Apple.

I leave you with my final gems of wisdom, beauty, truth and love. And hilarity.