mahoney

mahoney, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

Mahoney just moved out of 337, signifying the end of an era. Granted, it was an era I only saw the tail end of, but it seemed to be an altogether excellent era. This picture was taken a long time ago in their kitchen, while Mahoney was really excited about his Panko breadcrumbs. I can't remember if this was a Project Runway or a Top Chef night, but I'm sure something delicious was made. Mahoney always makes delicious things. I'm not quite sure how he does it, but I'm awfully glad it happens. I hope it continues to happen even though he won't be living in the apartment anymore- Wednesdays would never be the same.

all the 337 guys are now up on the blog. They're some of my favorite people I've become close to recently. I can't say enough about them, and everything I think of seems to fall short. So here they are. In this post,

here, and (of course) here.


oh, and a fundraising update- I'm at over 50% of my goal, so thanks so much to everyone who has helped out! I still am trying to raise about $1500, so follow the link in my "links" section and make a tax-deductible donation to an incredible cause.

self-portrait

selfportrait, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

The last Austin picture, taken in the trailer before I made my feature film debut. I also thought it would be a better picture than the last self-portrait, which was something like my second or third post on this blog.


Now, while you're all looking at half of my ridiculous face, I'm going to talk about some pretty awesome personal news....I'm participating in Broadway Bares again this year.
For those who aren't familiar, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids is an amazing charity that has been supporting research, community outreach, and so much more for those currently living with the HIV/AIDS pandemic. They put on a few huge events every year to culminate and celebrate the progress for fundraising periods, and Broadway Bares is the summer's big event, a huge burlesque show featuring 200+ amazing dancers in very little clothing rocking it out on the Roseland stage.

There's a personal fundraising component to the show as well, and I'm trying to raise as much money as i can- I'm currently the top woman, and need your help to stay there!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE click here to go to my personal fundraising page and click on the "Support Nikka" button below my picture- donate anything you can- every tiny amount brings me closer to my goal, is tax deductible, and will make you feel awesome knowing you've helped someone in need.

This organization is so important to me...please support me and this incredible community that does so much to take care of its own. Your support means so much to so many who are suffering all over, especially in this economic climate.

I'll be performing in Broadway Bares again as well- in the "Chess" number...so if you're in NYC, come check it out.

thanks so much for your support and help!

texas stairs

texasstairs, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

One of the last polaroids from the Austin set, these are the stairs leading out of Joe's apartment. They're completely uneven and worn, so we were constantly falling up and down them every time we went somewhere. They were so cool, though. So much character.

It was so warm in Austin. It is so disgusting and rainy in New York right now.

old cars

austincar, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

I'm sitting on jury duty, so I figured blogging might be a decent way to pass the time...

Another photo from the Austin set. There are tons of amazing old cars all over the city, many of them impeccably restored and gorgeous. I've always had a thing for big old cars- one of my major life goals is to restore a late 70s Coupe de Ville, filed under the "When I'm Rich And Famous" to-do list. It probably stems from my father's Cadillac obsession.
I know old cars guzzle gas and are nightmarish to park and can oftentimes ride like tanks, but I find modern cars to be a little too homogenized in body style. You can't tell what anything is anymore, and though I am a staunch supporter of technological advances and making cars more environmentally friendly and breaking our dependence on foreign oil, I still sigh with a nostalgia I'm not quite entitled to for an era I never lived in, but can imagine every time I look at the cars.

joe

joe, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

I'm not exactly sure what Joe was going for in this picture- he wants YOU to...make movies? Or maybe just a "get that camera out of my face" pose- after all, I did make him share a bed with Mike for four days, and he is a straight man. And it was a small bed. Another photo from the Austin set- this is Joe's apartment. Joe is my uncle's assistant, a daunting but not thankless job. He's quite awesome, with one of the most distinct voices I've ever heard, a brain for film trivia like few I've seen, and an incredibly high tolerance for people and their crap. I have no idea how he does it.

mike

mikecuomo, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

This is Mike, sitting in a chair in Texas on one of those whirlwind nights during the "Will" shoot. We were in Austin for about four days, carousing and having an amazing time. Mike thinks this picture looks like an old photo of someone's dad vacationing in the Catskills circa 1970. I kind of agree with him. Mike is driven, incredibly talented, focused, and a really inspiring friend, what with his enormous capacity for life and his amazing attitude. We wandered around Austin vintage shopping and babbling about music, and I gave him some computer pointers. He's just started his own production company, and is going to be starring in its first feature this summer. I can't wait to see what happens.

boco kids

outsideposh, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

This is what happens when you hang out in midtown....worlds collide. I was out with Soos the other night, and of course we ran into a bunch of kids I went to school with...Ravi, Travis, Ryley, Nic, and Anich....we wound up going along with them over to Posh for a drink, where I pulled out my polaroid. I'm amazed at what happens when you pull out a Polaroid in front of musical theatre kids- this happened with absolutely no direction whatsoever. Everything from supermodels to confused messes, an accurate cross-section of the boco.

moogie

moogie, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

This is Sarah. Her polaroid was taken on the same night as Dewey's, obviously very near the expiration of this pack of film. All that hair is her real hair. Sarah just returned from a very long engagement in Vegas doing "Mamma Mia." We went to college together, and I hadn't seen her in ages, but found her at our friend's sketch comedy gig. Sarah and I had nearly every class together for four years, and certainly have some insane memories. It was nice to reconnect at the show and know that another member of our class has turned out okay.

On that note, I need some coffee.

rocking giraffe

rockinggiraffe, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

I saw this put out with the trash the other day and it was so cute I had to take a picture. And then I became slightly sad that it was put out with the trash....but I hope it got a lot of use and love. I find a lot of weird things put out on my street, as everyone does, but this is definitely in the top three, joining the ranks with the giant maps of Queens and the treasure trove of discarded record albums. They pre-date the blog, or there would have been pictures. Some of the record albums are in frames on my wall, reminding me of dream roles I want to play someday.

I vividly remember how much I loved my rocking horse and what it meant to me- it's still in my parents' house being loved by my two-and-a-half year old cousin. I hope it's one of those things that continues to be passed down in my family.

phil

phil, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

This is Phil just after he arrived in the city. He never really liked it much, but it's starting to grow on him now that he's working all the time. Phil is a great lighting designer and electrician. We met almost two years ago at Bay Street Theatre when he was an intern, but now he's a hotshot at Santa Fe Opera and theatres all over NYC. He occasionally insists on being called Philip, but I never do, since I maintain that he first introduced himself to me as Phil.

he begged me not to post this picture. I told him to suck it up.

delivery computer

computer, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

Waking up at 7am on a Sunday should be illegal, especially when new mattress pads are involved that turn beds into evil snooze-button magnets.

Since I'm at work (and frustrated) right now (for a change), I thought I'd post a test shot of the delivery computer. This picture was actually a mistake I made while trying to photograph another one of my managers, but the Polaroid freaked out and I needed to figure out what was wrong. This computer is oftentimes the bane of my existence, aggravated by people who don't know how to order delivery. Having also just gracefully exited a phone conversation with a customer who apparently thought I was not good enough to scrape the gum off the bottom of his shoes, let alone put an order for his precious food into the kitchen, I thought I'd blog this computer.
The restaurant business is a freaky animal. I would never want to own or manage a restaurant, especially such an insane high-traffic one as this.

On a more exciting note, I seem to have gotten a fabulous summer theatre job at a wonderful regional theatre doing "The Producers." Yay! I get to be a tap=dancing showgirl, which is what I do best. Hopefully they will let me buy my shoes from them so I won't be dancing in the same tap shoes I've been rocking since the ninth grade.

Two more hours.

posh

poshwatchesover, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

My roommate Rebecca and I watched "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" recently, and it scared the bejesus out of us. We were screaming at the television and clutching each other like the pansies we usually aren't....but oh well. Nothing's scarier than a child actor, except maybe an ex-child actor who can't move on.

In an effort to continue to scare the bejesus out of me, Rebecca cut this picture of one of Posh's Marc Jacobs ads and stuck it on my curtains, which are very near to my bed. The idea of having Posh hanging over my bed watching me sleep was almost more terrifying than being locked in my bedroom and left to starve to death- although then I might be as skinny as Posh and be able to borrow her clothes. Hmm....

I didn't notice that Posh was hanging over my bed until the morning, whereupon I screamed, but mostly with laughter. Mostly.

dusty

dusty, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

In honor of Brayden's link today (thanks again for that) and his mention of Soos in his blog, The No-Spend Zone, I'm putting this photo of Dusty up today. Dusty is Soos's cat, who was also present at the party a few weeks ago. He's a massive cat, but terribly sweet and only slightly shy. James this photo somewhere towards the end of the night, after we made him put pointe shoes on and dance around his own living room. I was helping Elise to support his weight, so I sadly have no pictures of ballerina James.

Anyway....friends' cats seem to be a running theme on this blog. My friends have some pretty cool cats, though. Seriously. How many cats do you know who would be willing to look directly at the camera and pose for a picture? Well played, Dusty. Well played.

dewey

dewey, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

This is Dewey in a nutshell. I don't believe we've ever had a conversation that included more nice words than fighting, yet he's one of my closer friends. Dewey is an amazing photographer, a master of sarcasm, and a formidable performer. We lived across the hall from each other freshman year, and he used to sit on the back stairs and noodle on the guitar while we talked until 4am. We later played husband and wife our senior year in the one and only play I've ever done. He'll never let on, but he is a truly great guy. When he's done telling you what a screwup you are.

nickmaalox

nickmaalox, originally uploaded by tenpolaroids.

This is Nick. He's one of my closer friends at work. As a manager and maitre'd, he deals with even more insanity than I do, and on the kind of basis that causes him to drink Maalox out of the bottle (a good solid four-count sip), give me the kind of smile that has daggers behind it while I make him pose, and then head back upstairs into the fray. Nick is no-nonsense, incredibly generous and loving, and absolutely will not take any crap, which is why we get along so well. He has a penchant for diamonds, furs, and all things Dior, Chanel, and YSL. He is probably the most fabulous straight man i know.

taken in the cave.