Two Gentlemen of Verona

I apologize for once again going a little MIA for the past couple of weeks. I opened and closed my first Shakespeare production, "Two Gentlemen of Verona," in New York this past week at the American Theatre of Actors, the same theater where I performed in "Jekyll & Hyde."

I had a really great time getting to play Silvia, and an even better time getting to know my fellow castmates. I love that each time I perform, I add to my group of friends in The Biz. It's really comforting to have a little family out there, pushing as hard as I am, that is always as happy to run into me as I am to run into them.

Funny enough, Jamie (Julia in the show) and I worked on a shoot for MTV together today, the day after the show closed. And Danny (who played the Duke, my father) had an audition in the same building. It's such a small world.

Oh, and that bar I posted about a few months back, Uncle Vanya's? They still have Georgian wine and good old Russian hospitality.

Can I get a side of irony with my glass of wine?

As most of you are probably aware, tonight's debate was hosted by none other than my alma mater, Hofstra University.

Since I was eager to see the debate taking place on a campus so near and dear to my heart, (after my show got out at 10) we ran across the street and sat down at the bar to catch the last half of the action.

The specials included a Georgian red wine, which I was inclined to order simply to get a heaping dose of irony with my debate-watching. I was sitting in a Russian bar drinking Georgian wine and wondering if that whole invasion shenanigan wasn't just about booze.

We also just happened to be sitting next to the costume designer for Disney's "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody," which was cool because we got to pick her brain for a few minutes.

So, all in all, it was a great experience. I walked into the place wanting to scope out a bar named after a Chekov play and catch the end of the debate, and I walked out having enjoyed a $13 glass of irony and some uplifting conversation.