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NYC press trip

{Tony, really enjoying his NYC press tour}

Tony and I are currently in NYC for his School of Rock press tour. I’m living it up while he’s working. (By living it up, I mean spending the day writing in my pajamas in the hotel room like a hermit.) This AM, he had to be in the hotel lobby by 7am (4am our time), and somehow he still found time to go get the bagel and iced latte that I woke up to find on my bedside table a few hours later. Every meal I’ve had has been a variation on cheese and carbs: Pizza, pasta and bagels. That is literally it. And luckily, Tony’s had an event every night, which has forced me to shower, put on make-up and clothes, and leave the hotel room. Our first night here, he and his costar Breanna made an appearance at Planet Hollywood and, as his arm candy, I was allowed to order whatever I wanted from the menu (WINE) and pick out a free sweatshirt (FREE SWEATSHIRT!!!)

I wore my new prize to sleep and was feeling so spunky and alive the next morning, I decided to venture out and be the one to bring home food and coffee for once! I’d read about this place called Ess-a-Bagel, which supposedly has the best bagels in NYC/the world. I strolled there from our hotel, waited patiently in the line that snaked nearly out the door for my miracle bagel, and finally came face to face with the angriest restaurant worker I’ve ever encountered. She looked at me with disgust in her eyes as I asked for two whole wheat everything bagels with herb cream cheese and two iced lattes. The line grew to what had to be over 30 people as she threw my order together. Finally, she placed everything on the high countertop in front of me and challenged me: “Do you think you can carry all of this?” I replied, “Um, I think so? Or maybe not?” And my baby-voiced insecurity just pissed her off more. She smirked and said, “Why don’t you put it on a tray, then?” Ashamed and feeling the eyes of dozens of hungry people in line behind me, I stood on my tiptoes and carefully loaded my tray while she watched. And as I lifted the tray, someone bumped me and a latte went flying, landing at the feet of two pretty girls my age who looked at me like I’d just pulled my pants down and taken a dump on their shoes. It was a pratfall straight out of an Anne Hathaway comedy! And in her star-turn of a moment, a different girl in line nearby sneered loudly to her friend, “Ugh. And she’s wearing a Planet Hollywood shirt!”

I stood in my latte puddle while everyone in line looked on in revulsion, an annoyed employee finally came out with a mop and paper towels and dealt with my mess, and the girl behind the counter giggled and then stared me down like she was auditioning for a Mean Girls reboot. (She would have booked it, BTW. I’ve never received a nastier look in my life.) Why was she still watching me? Why wasn’t she helping one of the 30 other people in line? I truly don’t know what she hated more, me or her own life. Luckily, it turns out I have a guardian angel named Cesar who also works there. He asked me what my drink was so he could make me another one. Bagel Bitch shot him a look of death when he made this offer and I told him not to worry, I’d pay for it but just wanted to leave. Through ESP, he understood “leave” was code for “cry,” he quickly made me another latte, loaded everything onto my tray and carried it to the check-out for me. And I learned that while some of the cliches and stereotypes about NYC are true (the rudeness at that awful place was cartoonish it was so over-the-top), there are also good, kind people here. I don’t recommend Ess-a-Bagel, but if you do go, bring your own drink carrier and don’t interact with anyone except Cesar.

And THAT is my melodrama for the week! If you still need distractions, here are some links for you to troll on the internet. HAPPY HUMP DAY!

Watch the hubs and his cutie costar on School of Rock Breanna Yde on the local news here in NYC!

We saw School of Rock on Broadway last night, and it was INCREDIBLE. Before the show starts, an announcement by Andrew Lloyd Webber himself lets the crowd know that all of the children in the cast are actually playing their own instruments, live. If I hadn’t heard it, I don’t know if I would have believed it, they were so talented. (Check out this guitar prodigy, Brandon Niederauer, wailing. He played Zack. UNREAL.)

Career tips from brilliant women.

Tony and I are pulling every string, playing every card and name-dropping (and harassing) everyone we know to get into Hamilton while we’re here in NYC. I don’t know if it’s gonna happen for us yet, but I do know we can all watch the cast of Hamilton perform at the White House and that’s almost as special. I mean, seriously?!?!?! How amazing is this?

This adorable town was built for a movie and never torn down. I want to visit!

Something my friend Courtney sent me that made me feel better about turning 30 tomorrow.

Pretty spring hair trends.

THE 1ST L.A. SHAKE SHACK IS OPEN! I REPEAT, SHAKE SHACK IS OPEN! (This is terrible news for my body.)

The trailer for season 2 of my friend Jimmy’s hilarious web series (that started as a live show at Groundlings), Go Go Boy Interrupted, was just released. SO GOOD.

Applications for the Sundance Labs opened today.

Top 10 under-$200 AirBNB’s in the U.S.

Really feeling these boozy popsicles.

The rise of the millenial sitcom.

This lash game is strong.

If you haven’t yet, watch the full first episode of School of Rock for free here!

2 Comments

  • OMGGGGAAAHHHHHHHH. The WORST. Also that story is completely unbelievable. The only rationalization is that God is padding your best-seller memoir turned Tony award winning Broadway spectacle with a little hipster coffee humor.

    • Annie says:

      Haha let’s hope so ‘CAUSE IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!!!!! Thanks for the sweet thoughts and sweet sweet note, you wonderful woman. Biggest hugs!!