coney island oasis – audrey di mola

There are depths inside you too infinite to explain. When you need a reminder.. Look up. @audreyleopard on Instagram

Hello, hello out there! A little update from the road thus far..

I’ve added some new work to the site including performance videos and poems published, and everything is now organized into two categories: Poetry & Performance for poetry, prose, singing, creative projects and the like, and Articles & Media for journalism, blog posts, photos, and etc.

And away we go!

* I’m now part of the co-hosting team for Astoria’s Boundless Tales Reading Series! We just sent out an open call for writers with some interesting themes for each month – if you’re a writer/performer please check it out and submit your work! The next reading, which is also the last one of the season, is on June 20th at Waltz-Astoria and I’ll be hosting.

* Queens’ own Newtown Literary Journal is launching issue #2 at Odradeks in Kew Gardens (home of the rebooted REZ Reading Series) on June 6th. My prose piece “requiem (soon to be),” a written moment of silence for an LIC building on the chopping block, is published in it – thanks so much! Come on out and support QUEENS LIT! More info on their FB.

* I was really excited to be a part of some amazing events over the past few months..

** The second edition of my Nature of the Muse reading and live writing event was truly wonderful – I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out and was FLOORED yet again with the talent of the featured artists! THANK YOU all so much. And thanks to my lovely pal Paul I also got to sing for the finale ;)

** Reading at Oh, Bernice! was a huge highlight – I got to perform some new work including a piece crafted with some classic tunes, which meant a lot to me. My parents were also there, and I remembered the last time I performed at Cafe Marlene – it was the second reading I did back in 2011, and the first time they saw me read after getting back into performing. Coming full circle and finally getting to read and sing a hybrid piece – I was absolutely floating that night..

** After reconnecting with her at Nature of the Muse, I was so excited to be invited by the incredible M. Leona Godin to perform at her new WITH SPECIAL GUEST series at The Delancey. She really thinks outside the box and is a ridiculously entertaining host – at the beginning of this month I read my work for her show accompanied by fantastic singer/cellist (and total sweetheart) Calum Ingram, who played to my words, totally improv! LOVED IT.

Yoga warriors on the beach in Coney Island with instructor Dina Ivas

** Later on in the month, the weather wasn’t exactly on our side, but it was a testament to good vibes and good friends that Lola Star and I’s Coney Island Oasis still went on – we did misty yoga on the beach with teacher Dina Ivas, heard some music and poetry, and shared snacks. SO grateful for all the attendees who didn’t let the chill spoil their fun!

** And – last week.. I got to faux-officiate a wedding! Ever-lovely Sammy Davis referred me to the folks at The Not Wedding, which is a bridal show alternative in the form of a big, fake wedding with vendors, food, music, dancing, and more. This was the very first NYC Not Wedding and I had such a blast performing spoken word for this real couple’s ceremony. They were just shy of their actual one year wedding anniversary and used it as a kind of vow renewal – all beautiful, kick-ass people I am so glad to have met!

Faux officiating, REAL LOVE at The Not Wedding – Instagram by @dolcedreamsevents

Currently – plotting out my next course.. I cannot wait to experiment with more forms of performing and collaborate with my beautiful friends. And hey, if you have a project you’d like to work on, if you want some poetry at your event or a fun MC – let me know!!

Stay tuned for the next Nature of the Muse later this summer, and updates on my next book. :) Just in case you’d like to check out my first book, Decisions We Make While We Dream, it’s still on sale right HERE! Earlier this month we passed the one year anniversary since I released it, in memory of my beloved Nana. Time sure does fly..

But – here we go. Flying right along with it..

Crawling out of the dark into an infinite summer –

STAY WILD – one shot from the “world as notebook” series – more here

Ladies & gents!

Been a long winter (doesn’t it always seem that way…?) but I am ready for spring and summer in full force.

You must not fear, hold back, count or be a miser with your thoughts and feelings. It is also true that creation comes from an overflow, so you have to learn to intake, to imbibe, to nourish yourself and not be afraid of fullness. The fullness is like a tidal wave which then carries you, sweeps you into experience and into writing. Permit yourself to flow and overflow, allow for the rise in temperature, all the expansions and intensifications. Something is always born of excess: great art was born of great terrors, great loneliness, great inhibitions, instabilities, and it always balances them. – Anaïs Nin

And so – thus! Here are some wonderful things I would be so honored to see any of your beautiful presences at in the coming months…

Reading at REZ Reading Series, March 7 – So happy to be reading at the re-launch of this Kew Gardens series! Here’s their Facebook page and a new article about the history of the series and plans for the future.

(APRIL IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH!)

NATURE OF THE MUSE, April 4 – My reading and live writing event RETURNS! Celebrate the end of winter and invoke spirits of warmth for spring, one more time by the fire at LIC Bar – can’t wait! Featuring local writers: Aida Zilelian-Silak, Tim Fredrick, Joe Yoga, and Greg Kirkorian with special guests Siobhan O’Loughlin and Tam Lin/Paul Weinfield, music & more! 7:30pm, more details here.

Hosting at Boundless Tales Reading Series, April 18 – One of my favorite things to do ;) I hosted for Boundless‘ founder Aida twice last summer and am reprising the role – my participation in this series has led to so many amazing friends, opportunities, and connections and I am forever grateful and thankful to be a part of it!

Reading at Oh, Bernice!, April 20 – Another relatively new reading series in Queens – Oh, Bernice mixes it up and has a great following! Further details soon (general info is here), but I’m excited to be reading for them in April.

Coney Island Oasis event, May 11 – New frontiers! Designer/gift shop maven/Coney Island royalty Miss Lola Star and I are teaming up to bring an oasis to the Coney Island beach this summer! All free – featuring a yoga class taught by the amazing Dina Ivas (who has just embarked on an adventure in fitness fashion blogging!), spoken word, music – and a vegetarian potluck! All on the beach to kick off the summer in one of my all-time favorite places in NYC. More deets to come!

Hosting at Boundless Tales Reading Series, June 20 – AGAIN! :)

Reading at NYC Poetry Festival, July 27/28 – And speaking of.. I am so, so HONORED to be reading at the Poetry Society of New York’s NYC Poetry Festival (!!!!!!) on Governor’s Island thanks to Boundless Tales! Aiming to rep Queens and make ’em proud!

I PROMISE there will be more surprises in between in the coming months.

Don’t let anyone impose their limits on you. Be free, be you. Create in the spirit of love and bask in the warmth of possibility…

With gratitude always,

XO a.