April Foolin'

I am quite enjoying keeping track of my months here in New York.

April was a lovely month of vacation time, film festivals new experiences.. here's Aprils Foolin' listed. Photo above taken by Moi on 8 mile beach, Cayman islands.

THEATRE

- David o Doherty at Le poisson rouge

CINEMA DATES: (part of Tribeca Film Festival)

- Jimmys hall

- Survivalist

STREAMED FILMED 

 - The disappearance of Elanor rigby (Him and Her)

 - Short- Hello Carter (starring Dominic Cooper)

TV SHOWS WATCHED

-Started 4th Season of Game of Thrones

PODCASTS

I am a big Fan of Irish Director Lenny Abrahamson’s work, so when I stumbled across this podcast interview,  I had to have a listen, and was delighted to hear Lenny also did a lot of (quote unquote) “farting around in his 20’s”.

http://castaway.media/738am/2015/05/episode-19-lenny-abrahamson/

Lenny Abrahamson

TRAVELLED TO; 

Caymen Islands, Caribbean!

EXPERIENCED;

Swimming with Sting Rays

My 1st TFF

Had a great time last week trying to embrace as much of  The Tribeca Film Festival. Tribeca is one of New Yorks most prestigious film festivals and was co-founded by Robert De Niro in 2002 to help revive downtown Manhatten after the World trade centre attacks.

I had a big list of things I wanted to get to but only managed to get to 3X events.  Girls gotta work yo!

My First event was an Apple Store Tribeca talk with director Patrick Brice and  actors Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black) and Judith Godrèche. The Film also has Adam Scott (Stepbrothers) and Jason Swartzman (The Grand Budepest Hotel) but they weren't in attendance at the talk.  The Talk was ok. I have been to more entertaining talks but for me,  its just always interesting to hear about the process. You can catch some of the talk here. 

Later that evening I met with friends and we moseyed down to Regal Cinemas for the Survivalist directed by Stephen Fingleton, Was excited to see this because I really liked Stephens Short SLR starring Liam Cunningham which was shortlisted for an oscar nomination this year. You can watch SLR online here.  Stephens debut Feature is about post collapse of everything and set in northern Ireland woodlands centred around a young man trying to survive independently and self sufficiently until he is found by two woman. Brilliantly acted and shot. Sound is haunting. And Really was a very refreshing watch of a film in this genre. 

Lastly the piece de resistance was last Wednesday night..Irish Film at Tribeca film Festival’ party at the Irish Consulates home. which is located on the top floor of the paramount building on East 39th St. Currently  I am currently working with Niall Mc Kay of Irish Film New York. Niall is also the shorts programmer at Tribeca and founder and director of  Irish Film New York (IFNY), an organization  that screens the best of contemporary

Irish cinema in New York City. This Event was brought together with a collaboration of IFNY’s partners; The Irish Film board, Tribeca Film Festival, Sony Pictures Classics and the Irish Consulate. The event was mainly organised to celebrate award winning director Ken Loach’s feature film JIMMYS HALL (Starring Irish acting Legend Jim Norton- Bishop brennan in Father Ted) and Short Film PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT directed by Tom Sullivan. 

Most of the party attended the Tribeca North American premiere of Jimmys Hall after the Consulate event. It screened at the SVA theatre in Chelsea. The Film was again wonderfully acted (especially by Norton who plays a cruel b*stard of a Priest) and was an interesting Irish story which really once again highlights the corruption of the Church and the Irish Government/Gardai in the 1950s, but overall was a bit to twee for my liking but audience really enjoyed and there will be an audience for this type of film.

Overall. Great night, was super to mingle with the Irish Film network in NYC and delighted everyone who attended, resisted the urge to Scream...

 "You DID kick me up the Arse Crilly!" at Jim Norton

Well done all. It wasn't easy!

2 month Round up

So it seems I have been rather tardy with this blogging lately.  I didn't want to be blogging every day but I did intend on a post a week or every fortnight.. but it seems I have somehow let 2 months go by without a post or peep!- Why, what the hell of been up to.. well quite a bit it seems... I am currently working a couple of jobs so its all go, but of course, Its not all work without play!
Once again I had to unashamedly had to facebook stalk myself to figure out exactly have I been playing at then?!

 Here's a wee round up and solemn swear to myself to get back on this blogging lark..

FEB

Cultural events kinda..

• 'Mother' (A feature length indie film that was banned in Macedonia  directed by Milcho Manchevski) watched at the Lincoln centre.
• Irish shorts selection at the Irish Arts centre
• Improv comedy night that was terrible and in some shit bar in east village- one comedian actually started in set with "you know the way we all wanna f*ck our moms".. Say whut?! 
• Visited St Patricks cathedral and legged it when mass started! 

Eats highs and lows

• Wonderful High tea with some Irish actor friends at Alices tea cup
• Tried Tacos in possibly the worst Taco joint ever- ewe! Tortlleria mexican los hermanos

Family News!

• Parents booked their trip to NY- started a count down 
• Welcomed a new bundle a joy into the family- A nephew-in-law, Baby Daniel!

MARCH

Experienced...

• Had a grand auld Paddys day with lovely Paddys from home! 
• Paddys day parade here was interesting to say the least- signs that said Brits get out- not exactly the positive message we really want projected?!
• The glorious feeling of Spring after surviving a New York Winter 

Visited..

• The Refinery hotel gorgeous rooftop bar - drank proseco and shared a cheese board like a well adjusted civilised grown up! 
• Ate in Robertas- The best pizza i have ever eater- EVER!
• Went to the Brooklyn Night Bazaar which was full of eats treat and head wear delights! oh and pretty heavy rock/metal music

Bought..

• Gym membership- gym for 10 Dollars a month- Yes please! 
• A trip to the Caribbean- Cayman islands for 5 days! sure why not! 
• One day ticket to  Governors ball - A music festival in NY!  bJORK headlining!  

Theatre 

• A man in womans shoes at the Irish arts centre and cried for about 10mins after! 
• Des Bishop- Made in China new comedy show at Barrow st theatre- really funny- 

Cinema dates..

• Chappie
• Cinderella 

*Recommend both!

Jan, What happened again?

Most of January had whirled by me and just as they confirmed that, I had dodged storm Junos "wrath"...  I also thought I had been spared from an inevitable spot of January Blues! Which would of been a first for me! 

I've always HATED January. That 'post Xmas, post birthday' double whammy usually hits me like a freight train, screeching and smokin through my head, around the the second week of the year and cripples me for the rest of Jan.  And just for the record..its not because the media or "social scientists" of the world have told me I'm suppose to be feeling low because its apparently the "most depressing day of the year! 

Nooo feelings don't work like that numb-nuts!

Thanks Grumpy!

So as I was saying, just as a thought I had conquered the January blues, it crept up the last friggin week of Jan, just like that, out of the blue (Pun intended)!

It was a nice crisp 'sun-is-shining but its bloody-baltic' NY kinda day. I was on the way back from the gym, coz thats what you do in January right?! I knew I should of been feeling that great rush of smugness you get after a good workout but Nada!... I ignored it and just as I caught my breath after hauling my tired legs up my 5 floor walkup, and pressed the key into to my apartment door.. It pounced! and said, "fuck your bullshit Central Park and your delicious new coffee joint.. This is bullshit and you know it"

.. and I really wasn't sure anymore. I was clouded by the voice.. We all know  "The Voice" - The voice that repeatedly questions life when its without certainty or stability and makes you feel like your not measuring up. It really blows things up when really everything is OK or even better than OK! It took hold and there wasn't much I could do but retreat to staying in, and riding it out. .No not "sexy time riding" it out...(Is this why Blue Movies have that name? There down and riding out the bad times?  *Googles this... Answer; No! :  )

Anyway, I digress, By riding it out,  I mean eating all those things I said I would try eat less of in January, because as I said, thats what you do in January, right!?

I can jest about it now, because I came out the other side- you know what the other side is called, Febru- Fuckin- ary! or just February for the more conservative..

So I was going to just write off January as a lousy month because of those few blue days that somehow had clouded the Blue skies of Boston, The green hue of the atmosphere at Mc Gregor fight, The cinema dates with great friends and so on. The Dark cloud that loomed for a  few days, almost lost me my whole months memory of January.. 

So I sat myself down and actually had to go through my instagram page and diary to remind me what I had done!  And it actually was a great month and I have a lot to be thankful for. (Yes, I  cant believe it either, that I actually had to creep on myself to remind myself of the things I did?)

It was a month of new experiences, new workshops, reading, listening, watching.. I escaped into many stories this month.. and maybe thats what got me through 90% of January.. so tip for conquering January is don't bother writing resolutions you wont keep, Escape in story, new experiences and out of the city!

Heres what I go up to..

CINEMA DATES

STREAMED FILMED AVEC TEA AND BLANKETS!

TV SHOWS WATCHED

BOOKS READ

PLAYS READ 2 x plays SOME VOICES by Joe Pendall SHOW ME THE MONEY by John Patrick Shanley LISTENED MOSTLY TO Taylor Swifts 1989- (guilty pleasure 2015!) Serial- Podcast

WORKSHOP REGISTERED

2x Workshops

Advanced acting Stella Adler scene study workshop (When in Rome Eh?, I mean NY)

Finished my month of unlimited yoga

NEW EXPERIENCE

1 x UFC fight- Conor Mc Gregor

TRAVELLED AND EXPLORED
Boston!

"SURVIVED"

1 x  sensationalized Blizzard named Juno

And (I wish) Bingo was my Name-O!

Yes its true.. I sometimes wish Bingo was my name-o! Bingo is a phonetically sounding out, fun to say, easy to pronounce name, Unlike Aisling! Us Irish think "isn’t it just feckin lovely giving our kids good solid Irish names". Aisling means Dream. Awh..That's nice but truth be told, the pronunciation of it is more of a nightmare when abroad.. 
I am sure a lot of my fellow Irish named friends know EXACTLY what I am talking about.. or others have read this article and thought.. "Yup.. my parents clearly don't hate me!" (Aisling is one of the easier ones. My thoughts are with the Sadhbhs’ and Caoimhes and ayoofees of the world). 
I toyed with the idea of changing name while I was in drama school in London after one tutor advised "its just easier for industry professionals.. They don’t have time to learn your name" which I thought firstly that’s a bit rude and disheartening if anything and also just wrong! They have learnt to pronounce Saoirse Ronan, Javier Bardiem, Marion Cottilard.. Zach Galifianakis to name but a few.. 

 While it can be really annoying, its also just so funny how confused some of my American encounters have been to date.. Check it out below. 


FACE PALM ENCOUNTERS

*Brad and Chad may have been made up for comic effect

SPELLING FAIL

  

 I'd love to hear your stories about the pain of an Irish name below! Or should I just change the spelling to "ASHLING". But as the Ting Tings once said.. "Thats not my name, Thats not name!" 
*Starts dancing around the living room!

Start Spreading the News.. New York Lingo is here.

Starting a blog has been lurking around my brain for aaaaages.. but I didn’t really have a niche- I wanted to write about a lot of things..but that’s a "no-no" apparently when it comes to blogging so I have spared you an erratic blog about this, that and lets face it.. my cat!

But now I think I have made up my mind and have decided, my niche is.....(Drumroll )....... "Living in New York"..... I know right.. How f*cking original! 

Who do I think I am.. Carrie ("And then I another stupid epiphany about my boobs...") Bradshaw?! 

Look, I solemnly swear to myself and anyone who actually reads this thing,to try my darndest to NOT be this annoying and retract any impulse to blog in sexy underwear and type the worlds MOST ANNOYING SENTENCES ever known to womankind!

This blog will be solely dedicated to honestly documenting my time in NYC and musings along the way in the form of blog posts and videos.. So first things first,.. Start Spreaaaading the news!..(I couldn't resist and I wont deny a classic New York point of reference along the way- You wont deny me of that now would ya!?)


First Proper post is going up tomorrow! Stay tuned..