NYC Trip: A brush with semi-fame and the Endless Wait

So we got up at 6 a.m. or some other ungoldly hour. We hailed a cab and got the slippy, sliddy experience of whipping through traffic. When we reached the studio there was two lines, we were about in the middle of the first one. One line was for people who had tickets and the other was for walkins. Finally the doors opened and we got to go in. We had to go through security and then wait some more. I’d say we waited for at least 1 hour and 45 minutes. But I’m not sure anymore. It was forever. We were tired and you couldn’t bring beverages in, so we were without coffee.

It was so good to finally sit in the studio chairs. Gelman came out and welcomed us. Told us how important we were (which I think they should have been telling us all along when we were standing in line like cattle) and he taught us how to clap loud and when to clap.
The guest host was Jeff Probst. (Yay!) and the guests were Diane Sawyer, some guy teaching us how to live green and Avril Lavine. It was cool how Kelly came to the audience and talked at each commercial break.

As we were leaving we saw Avril get in her car and be hassled by the paparazzi. We walked back to our hotel and stumbled by Avril’s hotel. They barricaded the streets from all directions to let her get in with some peace.

We window shopped a little, then went back to the hotel to rest. We did a little shopping on 51st Avenue and ate lunch at Familia’s Famous Pizzeria. Then we stopped at Ben and Jerry’s. I had a chocolate cheesecake and coffee.

Our matinee was A Year of Magical Thinking. It was okay. Probably better as a book. We were exhausted, so I guess I’d need to see it again to give it a fair shot (hopefully in my home, on pbs, with popcorn and a blanket).

As we were walking around between the shows we walked by half the cast of A Chorus Line. Whoo!

We ate supper at Pigallea’s and I was craving red meat so I had a skirt steak with fries and steamed veggies. The pear/bleu cheese salad looked amazing, but that steak hit the spot.

Company was pretty good. It had some twists I didn’t see coming.

We walked back to the hotel, happy to sleep.

Thursday we woke up, ate, went to the airport, waited, flew, ate, waited, flew and came home. To Grey’s Anatomy. Whoo.

NYC Trip: Yummy food, Lots of drinking

Today we walked down to Central Park, and it started to sprinkle. So we hopped in a carriage and took a 30 minute ride through the park. Below Left: A view of the skyline from inside Central Park.

We walked to Radio City Music Hall, but were about 45 minutes to an hour early. So we went into a couple of the stores near by, then to eat. We got turned around in the basement of Rockefeller Center and were on the wrong block and had to walk around to get back to Radio City. Below Right: The stage at Radio City Music Hall where various award shows have taken place.

The tour was pretty interesting. I enjoyed learning about the architect and why he made the design choices he did. We met a Rockette, went into their dance studio and saw their costumes throughout the year.

Then the group was going to head down to Statue of Liberty. I was tired and Michelle was cold, so we went back to the hotel instead. We warmed up, rested and made phone calls back home.

We wandered out for dinner, just up the street by the Gershwin Theatre, where Wicked is. We ate at Azalea’s, which was so yummy. I introduced Michelle to the wonderful world of Moscatos. The one we had was a Moscato Trentino, a red dessert wine.

We walked to the next Theatre and watched A Chorus Line. This musical was good, but the storyline really didn’t catch me that much. The dancing was pretty awesome too. (Not to mention Larry (aka: Tyler Hanes, pictured below) was HOT!!)

Afterwards we walked to Broadway and decided to go to Caroline’s to see a show. We got $30 off our cover charge (how, I’m not quite sure, prolly cuz it was rainy and icky and they wanted to get people in). We had our two drinks. I had a Razztini and a Corona w/lime. I was lementing that I probably was spending twice as much for drinks as everyone else and wishing I’d just order two cheap beers. But when we got the bill, the rum and coke people were charged separately for their mixer and booze. So, I spent ONE DOLLAR more than them. And I was satisfied.

The host was Brian Kennedy from SNL, and he did an amazing job. I could have listened to just him. We lost count of how many comedians actually performed. I’d guess at least 15-20. Five were pretty bad, and I’d say about five were fair to average. The rest were really good and excellent.

My favorite joke was “My daddy is a pilot, but that doesn’t make me think I can fly airplanes. Just because your daddy was president didn’t mean you make a good one.” Or something to that effect. So funny! I got yelled at for laughing at it though, I think my table might have been leaning to the republican side. I wish I remembered who said it, so I could properly attribute it. But whoever did, rocked.

I think we got back to the hotel around one or two. So we had to scurry on to bed since Regis & Kelly was tomorrow!

NYC Trip: Such a Great Day

This was the day we were supposed to go to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, but the ferries weren’t running. On the news this morning they said New York area received 7.5 inches of rain, something that happens about once in 15 years.

It’s still drizzling, so we go to a Rite Aid to buy a new umbrella and then walk to the Museum of Modern Art. The special exhibit was called Jeff’s Wall, a photography collection of a vast array of things. It featured flooding areas, a dirty kitchen, and migrants under a bridge to a windy day surprising business people.

There were a lot of familiar pieces at the MoMa. Andy Worhall’s Soup collection, the Three Musicians, and I got to stand and marvel in front of Starry Night.

After that we went to the NBC Experience store and I bought a Studio 60 mug. A nice guard in the underground section of Rockefeller Center showed us the way to get to some delis and we choose a world buffet kind. I had cold pastas, including a salad with fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato.

We walked up Fifth Avenue, visited Trump Tower, hit Tiffany & Co. (the diamond floor was awesome!) and went in FAO Schwartz.

After all of this window shopping we went to our bakery down the street. We got the plain cheesecake and a black and white cookie. This went great with the coffee in the lobby. The cashier was either amused or annoyed that we all ordered the same thing.

Michelle and I picked a restaurant on Restaurant Row. I had a bowl of minestrone soup and a portabella and Parmesan salad. Then we finished walking the 10 blocks to the Nederlander Theatre to see RENT.

I wish I could more completely describe how I felt watching this musical. Part of me wishes I wasn’t so hooked on it. Because, being obsessed with things is just what I do, so how special is it? Anyways, I was nervous that I would like the musical as much as I enjoyed the movie. They are, after all, different from each other. The stories are the same, but told in different ways.

The set was a mix of blue and purple. To the right was a platform where the life support meetings took place and under it, was the orchestra. There were two tables in the middle of the stage, above them and to the back was a catwalk-type platform with a stairway leading down. To the left was a doorway and above it a collection of bizarre metallic sculptures (for lack of a better word).

A young man named Angel showed us to our seats, toward the back of the orchestra level. They were very good, we were to the left so the whole stage stretched before us. I was on the aisle, and had an unobstructed view of the stage.

Soon, the Mark began shooting without a script and we were swept in. Michelle leaned over and asked who the “guy in the maroon coat” was, since he was such an excellent singer.

When Today 4 U started, she asked who the woman in the Santa coat was, because she was an awesome singer and dancer. I leaned over and told Michelle that she was Angel, that guy in the maroon coat with the great voice.

At intermission, I clarified for Michelle who was dating who, who used to date, who was gay and who had AIDS. She saw the song Goodbye Love and asked if Mimi was going to die. I didn’t answer.

At Without You, I started tearing up. By I’ll Cover You, the reprise, I stared crying. But then I felt a jab, and I saw Michelle had joined me. Afterwards I practically floated back to the hotel and could hardly calm myself enough to fall asleep. It was such a great day.

NYC Trip: It's Raining, It's Pouring

Today is our Jane Marx tour, insight of Manhattan from a resident and history buff. Maybe a more accurate title would be historian, scholar, etc. Looking out from our 10th floor window I can see it’s raining. But because we’re this far up, I can’t see how hard.

Down at ground level, as we’re getting on the bus, I see its not raining too hard just sprinkles—big-drop sprinkles. As we start moving Jane points to the left and says we have the café with the best New York cheesecake right next to our hotel. She tells us to go there and order a plain cheesecake and black and white cookie. She takes us towards Central Park, points out big buildings, various shopping places and professes her hatred of Starbucks.

We hit the edge of Central Park and Jane tells us about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, showing us their apartment—an entire floor. We run out quick, in the rain, to see Strawberry Fields and Imagine.

Jane tells us the history of the city, celebrity happenings and local lore. How Central Park is man-made to look natural, bedrock, landfill and how many homes Tom Hanks may own. Viva la democrat, down with chain stores, etc. etc.

Our next stop out of the bus was St. John the Divine, which is under construction. We see the pretty floor and hear a choir rehearse. Leaving the Cathedral, there’s an inch of water on the steps and fierce winds. Hold on to your umbrellas, folks!

Soon we took a break for lunch at Katz Diner. It’s the place where the famous When Harry Met Sally scene took place. Jane taught us how to be real New Yorkers and order. Step up, know what we want, and tip generously. We ordered a Pastrami sandwich on rye with mustard, knish and chocolate egg cream. The knish was interesting. Jane said you’d either love it or use it for cement. The inside was the consistency of cement all right. Knish is made of potatoes and other spices and someone said sometimes meat. It was kind of sticky and creamy and had an odd sweet aftertaste. The chocolate egg cream had the mouth feel of a root beer float. I’m not sure what it’s made of, Jane mentioned chocolate syrup, seltzer and has never seen an egg.

Just down the street from Katz is the Seinfeld Diner. Leaving after lunch we ran through about 2 inches of rain on the ground.

Next, Jane took us to the financial district, we saw Wall Street and the Bull. In a couple of miles, we began to see effects of 9/11. Blacken buildings and construction to rebuild. We go into St. Paul’s the only building in the area not touched by the imploding buildings. It was a solemn experience seeing what now is the history of this building. It was such an odd juxtaposition of beautiful design with the arches, painting and chandeliers against the exhibits of chain link fence memorials, pots they fed the relief workers with and table of prayers and religious (not all Christian) symbols seeking solace, peace, understanding and hope.

We drove around the block and saw ground zero, then splashed into Winter Garden observatory area. Jane told us about the construction and recovery since that day what buildings needed to be taken down, how hundreds of body parts are being discovered every day as they remove levels of these buildings.

Cycling back we go through Harlem, see Bill Clinton’s office, Columbia University and a general waterlogged New York.

The bus drops us off at the Marquee Theatre in the Marriot Hotel for Drowsy Chaperone. This play is kind of like theatre for beginners, the narrator introduces each character, outlines the plot and points out cliché events of storytelling. The players do the same thing, turning to the audience making declarations of intent, history or feelings. The play was enjoyable, it was fun seeing all the different set changes and stage mechanics of the changes.

On the way back to the hotel, we were somewhat disoriented. We were going in the right direction, but nothing looked familiar, except that it was wet. A gust a wind broke my umbrella and there was no way to avoid the puddles.

We got back, wet from feet to knees, not to mention dripping hair. There was a about an hour before we had to meet Marilyn for supper, so we changed our clothes and I blow-dried my hair. We tied our shoes to the heater so they would blow dry a little and then wrapped our feet in plastic bags so the residual wetness wouldn’t make our socks soggy.

Marilyn took a group of about eight to Ruby Foo’s on Broadway, It was a Chinese place with a beautiful décor. The walls were adorned with gold and red baroques and golden Buda’s all around. Everyone ordered something different and we shared. I also enjoyed a ginger mojito. Very yummy.

NYC Trip: Up, up and away!

We left from the university parking lot a little after 7:30 a.m. Michelle and I travel with two others. Michelle added a couple of extra people to the trip at last minute and found it would be $800 more to get them in our group for tickets, so she purchased four separate ones. So, we ended up being separate traveling mates from the group.

I have to say this was quite nice. We had a 40 minute ride to the airport (instead of three hours on a bus) then after a fairly short wait, we flew to Detroit and connected to our flight to Newark Airport. Now I pretty much have no concept of time. I think we got in around 3 p.m. We ate in their little holding area (we hadn’t had any lunch) we had to squeeze together and wait for a table for room with seven people. That area was packed, and we were kind of surprised to see so many people who weren’t eating. It really wasn’t a comfortable place to be, yet everyone flocked there.

We ate, Michelle and I had a yummy chicken sandwich with grilled onions and french fries. It looked like a lot, but after scarfing it down, we found it was just the right amount.

The rest of the group went down below to more comfortable chairs and less crowded areas while Michelle and I waited for the group. When we found a monitor that we could see (the one on our level was faded or the sunlight made it unreadable), it said they were on-time, then landed at 4:30. I was started to get worried about where they were. What a start.

Finally they came out and everyone got their bags. The bus came, we loaded on people and luggage. We traveled through the Lincoln Tunnel, crawling through the first half.

The sights outside of the city were interesting. The growing buildings, juxtaposed against stacked apartments. Then there was a castle-like structure, almost surrounded by a moat that we saw was a library (with a German or Polish looking name).

After some time we were actually in, traveling through the maze of tall buildings. I noticed spanish grafiti below the ramp that we passed through. We got to the hotel, got our room keys, jumped out and jetted up to our room. Only to jet back down and do a walking tour of our four block area: Rockefeller Center, Times Square, TKTS booth. We passed the NBC Studios, got in the way of the locals and marveled at the lights.

After the tour we broke off into a group of six and went to the Stardust Diner. That’s where the hopeful actors and actresses sing on tables between serving your food. It was a short wait to get in, and after talking to others in our group they were discouraged by the line down the street and didn’t go.

I ate the Captain Video—which was a grilled chicken breast sandwich with avocado, salsa and the usual burger fixings. For dessert I had a pecan tart, a little dry, but still good. Our waitress was a cute blond who was sweet and chatty—and a pretty good singer (and not all of them were good singers).

I think we got back to our hotel at around 11 or so. We really weren’t too exhausted, probably running on the thrill that we were in New York City and the trip ahead of us.

That Dark and Winding Road

Sheryl walks into the room, brilliant smile, shaking hands and making small talk as she rounds the room like the lovely hostess she has always been. She pauses at the ornately gold adorned mirror to check her hair. It’s perfect, so she takes this opportunity to look lovingly at herself. She owns the room and she knows it.

She, however, doesn’t fool me. Sheryl may have the walk, glistening hair and Hollywood pearly whites, but she doesn’t look me in the eye. She never does. I wonder what she would see if she ever took that chance. What weakness would her eyes expose? Is it the truth that will break her perfect image?

You can learn a lot from how people look at me. Matt does the same thing every time he passes. He puffs up his chest—I can see the pep talk he’s giving himself. His hand goes back to smooth his hair as he cocks his chin, pretending to be James Dean. Matt’s routine bodes well for him as he presents himself together and confident, but maybe it would be okay if he didn’t give that pep talk—it might just help William.

William doesn’t look at me at all. He rushes past, head turned so he doesn’t have to. I see him standing here and there. He may not be a wallflower, but he’ll never take a chance that isn’t necessary. That new red head over there is everything William thinks he needs. She’s the total package as far as he can tell from where he’s standing, by the fern, talking to Mary. He strains his ears, trying to listen to the red head talk to Matt, so much that he isn’t listening to Mary anymore. He watches the shimmering red hair sway as she tilts her head, apparently disagreeing with Matt. William snickers. She’s already better than half the women here if she can see Matt for bastard that he is. William adjusts his shirt collar, gaze falling on the fern. “If I could only be Matt. Learn the secret that makes him so damn confident. Then I could be happy. I wouldn’t need that red head. I could have anyone…”

Great, now a plant is more interesting than I am. I’m used to men not paying attention to me because of beautiful women, but when a plant is more captivating… Mary thought as she crossed to the other side of the room, not caring about William’s feelings, when and if he noticed her absence. She looks into the beautiful mirror, tracing her nose with a long finger. I notice the change even if no one else in the room will. I could always see the lust in Mary’s eyes when she gazed at others. She gave herself a present, much like Matt’s pep talk. She wiped out her savings to do it, but patting her nose with a smile, she’ll never question the pain or money. Mary moves away, satisfied with her choice, looking to find acceptance in the room.

Lilly stands in the center of the room, people on either side, talking, laughing, sharing that beautiful smile everyone loves. Lilly isn’t like any of the other people here. When she passes me, she looks at me, really looks at me—and herself. Her eyes walk up and down her face, over her hair, she adjusts her necklace, but it’s her eyes. She looks long into her eyes.

Someone said long ago the eyes are the window to the soul, and that may be why everyone else avoids their eyes when looking at me. They are either afraid of what they see or what is not there. Lilly is quite the opposite. She’ll stand in front of me, looking at nothing but her eyes. They are just as beautiful as the smile everyone raves about, but the Lilly directly in front of me is not the Lilly socializing around the room. Her eyes, those beautiful eyes, haunt me. They are so broken. I don’t understand how no one else can see how sad Lilly is.

She knows it. I can see it. Lilly travels into her soul, a deep and winding road. I do not know what she’s searching for, but she so often comes back to me to look. Some of the paths are darker than others, and some do indeed lead her to the Lilly everyone sees. ...

Before you go, there's something you should know:

This is a double dip Sunday, because I wrote the previous blog Thursday night and didn't get to post it until now. And now ...... I'm not completely sure what to write. Nothing of form is coming to me, so I guess this might be a random topic rambling.

I leave for New York Saturday... less than a week away. Whoohoo! I'll be able to scratch off a couple of my life goal's. Seeing Starry Night, meeting someone famous (we're going to Regis and Kelly, so I'm hoping to pop down and shake her hand), seeing RENT on Broadway. Whooo! Or maybe it's off broadway. I learned that on, off and off off is not based on location, but how many seats the theater has. Curious.

I also learned today that vanilla beans come from Orchid plants, a notoriously hideous-smelling flower. Even more curious.

Back to New York. I need to crack down and get packing. I gotta see if need film and get everything else together. Also gotta read the security-bag restrictions, different from the last time I flew. I'm bringing band-aids and TWO pairs of walking shoes, so hopefully I can avoid the bleeding feet.

Unfortunately I don't think I'll go to Food for Thought again this year. I don't know, i might be too tired. I'm trying to think of when I got back from San Francisco. I did editing and worked on our cases paper, which were mentally exhausting--though I'm sure I had a shit-ton of caffeine. But I didn't need to be sociable and pleasant to anyone. SO I dunno. I just hate missing it two years now that I'm back in town. Oh well, I guess.

So it's Oyster Egg Day in KoL---and Happy Easter to you real life folks---I got my basket, but there's no proclamation the main page and not a single f'ing egg has dropped. So I'm thinking Jick & Co. have a bug that delayed the Oysters. Maybe it'll be a double holiday like Sneaky Pete's. I haven't gotten drunk yet, so if it implements before I sign off today hopefully I can partake in the egg-hunting goodness.

The latest obsession is +44. (Click the music link below this post and you'll find my jabbering about them already.) The whole break up, secrecy, Tom's revolution and mental breakdown (in my opinion) fascinates me. Add in that they split early 2005 (i think) and I didn't find out until October 2006 when I saw +44's first video and thought I recognized Mark and then was almost positive when I saw Travis. Not to mention that Travis broke his arm during the filming of the video and when I watched them on Letterman (which I had fallen asleep and woke up just as they were being introduced) and noticed Travis was drumming with one arm. It's just a great, multi-faceted story. Mark's blog (which is updated more than mine, but I bet he doesn't have dial-up) keeps me hooked.

I have started practicing the guitar again. And I was re-introduced to the fact that I have very short fingers and my pinkie doesn't go to the top string without dislocation or go-go-gadget pinkies. I'm torn between giving up and hoping that somewhere there's an artist that doesn't have normal to long fingers and they have found a way to play and I just need to keep working at it. But then I think maybe I should take up violin, but I'm sure there's something inherent about me that will make me unable to play that either.

Learning to play the guitar is another of my life goal things. I don't know if I'll be able to fulfill that one. I need more. I'd like to get 100 or so, but now I have less than 32. There are somethings that people would put on that I just don't care about--like visiting all 50 states. What if I don't want to go to Wyoming? Huh? What about that then?

I'm not sure what else to write, but don't really want to end it like this. I could complain about the weather, but there's nothing I can do about it, so why bother. I just hope it's nice in NYC next week. I'm trying to get to Level 9 with my multi and buy a store in the mall, but that also means I need 60,000 meat (I think?). I'm finding jsut how frickin hard it is to adventure the first time around again. Even though I know stuff now. I forgot just how reliant I am on my ghoul whelp (or any familiar other than the volleyball and mosquito) and all the skills I've aquired along the way. I don't know how people who don't ascend can do it. Getting skills from others and bots just doesn't feel right.

Oh, I did a 14 day run. It was so cool, I ascended (I almost went oxy (eeep!)) and then clicked on my ascension tracker and there it was 14 days! Cool beans.

Well now I'm really running out of things to say. I've been horribly mis-spelling words all over the place. Yay for spell check.

That's all folks, sorry there wasn't a big finish.

Happy Easter. Eat an egg and some chocolate (dark, please) for me. Just not mixed together.

At the end of the day

Grey's Anatomy. My weekly Thursday addiction, I'm a junkie aching for my fix.

Justice, punishment. Tonight's episode is when Bailey asked the chief what punishment he would dole out to Yang and Burke for lying and putting patients' lives in danger since he had a tremor in his hand.

Chief said this isn't a courtroom, there's no real concept of justice within these four hospital walls.

And that made me think. I don't know if there's justice outside of the four walls of a courtroom. In "real life" when someone is lazy, mean, out of line, wrong or simply just not living up to expectations or following the golden rule--there is no justice.

I think that's why people are so eager to embrace religion--that's the ultimate form of justice. Rules, bound in a book and a great big finger waging at you from a pulpit. Of course there's also the ultimate justice in the "final judgement."

In the daily course of things, though there may be balances, often there's not swift and harsh actions.

People get sick. Friendships end. People die. Families drift. Lives changed. Altered. Destroyed.

Kharma's balances don't always come fast enough.

"I listen to you talk, but talk is cheap. And my mouth is filled with blood from trying not to speak." ~ Mark Hoppus, No It Isn't, (+44)