A TRUE NEW YORKER EXPERIENCE OR CASTING TIME!

One cannot truly call himself a New Yorker unless he tried on multiple hats that the Big City has to offer: a bartender, a waiter, a role with the loud name "Brand Ambassador", which stands for a sales person, an usher or a "front of the house" team member whose responsibilities include "but not limited to" handing out flyers outside and stopping people on a street to persuade them to go inside of a venue.

Lastly, the two roles surrounded with the most romance and expectations of fame and prosperous future are modeling at Abercrombie and Fitch, half-naked, if you dare and fit the A&F parameters, and, of course, acting!

To gain an experience in the latter I headed to Central Casting on Thursday, the day when at 1 PM they accept applications from non-union females only.

Photo credit: www.centralcasting.com

The crowd in the room, so to say, was not what I expected. It was about 20 of us with the third of the group in their late 50s but going on early 40s. The kind of experience one gets in Vegas, when at a casino every cocktail girl looks the same from afar: slim and very fit body, high heels and mini skirts; and only at a close up you see the difference.

"Portrayable age" said one of the questions in the application. Later, one of the girls asked, "What do I write down on the "Age" question? The one that I can act like?

- Honey, you write down your actual age, - the host answered softly (with understanding).

The room was full of enthusiasm however. The vibrant host-lady stated, "Remember, you are very important to the director." Background actors set the overall atmosphere. "Imagine, they are shooting the scene at an office full of cubicles. They need you there to be seated pretending you are doing the work. Even though, your face might not be seen, you are an integral part of the movie."

Thirty minutes through the meeting the girls were readily filling out the Skills section. "Are you proficient in any sports? Do you know how to dance? Do you play any instruments?"

"Singing is not an instrument,"- every now and then interjected the host.

"Write down all of the costumes you own. Background extras bring their own clothing. Ladies, if you own a cocktail dress, put that down!"

An agreeable sign of relief spread across the casting room. There is still a chance to flaunt as a flapper dancer on a ball framed-up to 1920'es or to be present at a the Oscar Awards even the fictitious one. 

The time was two o'clock. And after a brief introduction to the terms and conditions of the employment and expectations on both sides it was time to call it a day. The host informed the guests on Acting Glossary such is "Call Time" - the time the extras expected to show up on set; "check-in number" - a unique number given to all actors; and a "sign-in voucher" - the proof of the time spent on set used to claim a paycheck.

Another important piece of information was about a salary expectations. Extras get paid $96.25 (if I remember correctly) for 10 hours of work, everything past 10 hours is considered an overtime.

"Ladies, remember, you are here for the lovely experience not money!" - The host exclaimed cheerfully at the very last.

How I went out with the Wrong Chris! #TinderStories

We were set to meet at 9 PM at Lillie's on Union Square. Chris was a techy Greek - American guy with a promising startup future, and we met on Tinder.

We had been chatting for about a week when the time has come for us to finally face each other and not through the screens of our phones. I was fashionably 10 minutes late as I was crossing the Union Square, when someone grabbed me by my elbow:

- Hey, how are you?! ... Hi!
- Hi. - I was least than enthusiastic about such street encounters.
- Hi!! My name is Chris! I'm from Greece. Where are you from?!
- Oh, hi Chris, - said I in a much softer voice.

He wasn't exactly 6'1 as he said, I thought to myself and added aloud, "You aren't as tall as you promised though." He joked his way out of my remark and we proceeded to the closest bar he knew to continue the conversation.

Over a glass of wine I began a silent examination of my date. I peered closely at his face: sure, most photos on Tinder are small and blurry and definitely aren't representative of a real person. Oh, maybe, it's the second glass of wine (I had the first one with my friends to boost my confidence) that like a haze coated my brain preventing it from thinking clear.

Suggestive questions followed, "So why are you on Tinder?", "Can you tell me more about what are you working on right now?" Chris seemed to have a gift of gab, threw in jokes and painted with words abstract scenery of his current situation and the nearest future. I was confused.

- So... Did you like my Instagram? - I blurted out.
- No! What are you talking about?! I've never met you before. - My date was finally losing it.
- So... Who are you?! - I fired off.
- My name is Chris, and I am from Greece. - At this point he reached for his ID and proudly presented it to me. "I just thought you were pretty and decided to meet you," - he said.

Now this finally made sense.  Chris told me he was slightly confused over my Tinder questions but decided not to pay much mind to that.

.... So I came one hour late on my date with Tinder Chris.
Needn't to say he didn't believe a word I said and thought I was the biggest fibber of all times.

Ps if you still haven't heard about Tinder, please refer to Wikipedia here

Girls' observation on Tinder:

1. Please no cats, dogs or kids with caption "It's my nephew" on your profile photo. Also no piles of cash or lit joints. We might be 420 friendly but hardly claim it as a chosen lifestyle.

2. Please HAVE a profile photo or have your face on it. If you think we have time and desire to swipe though the first three shots of beautiful landscapes in order to get a closer peak at you, you are mistaken. Swipe-left, Next!

3. No need for a two-(mobile) page-long self-explanatory profile indicating a specific qualities, features, horoscope signs and type of characters "need / no need to apply." It's Tinder. It's ain't that serious. And you are a weirdo to spend so much time trying to change it. 

4. I don't know about you but I personally don't like desperation. Don't send me "Sexy, how are you?" at 3:30 in the morning on Friday if you ever want to hear from me again.


5. The last one but not the least, we have already "liked" each other. Why do you take sweet time, four days so far to be precise, to write me a greeting? ©

This post was influenced by Bro Bible "6 Reasons bro join Tinder" .