Well, dear readers, I can barely believe it and yet I must believe it for it is true. What is true? I’ll tell you what is true: It is May. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, it is May, and it is my fervent hope and prayer that May will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. And little miracles because we desperately need some around these here parts, so do send your most excellent vibes and xylophones for some quick to arrive little miracles. Moving on, we had us another fun show last night – wonderful audience and our two new gals did very well. We had a little more than half-a-house, which has kind of become the new normal but I’m ever hopeful that will change sooner than later. I knew several folks so it was fun to catch up with them. And the extra thing we did before the show went very well – there were about thirty folks there for that. We performed about six things, and I spoke before each, giving a little context. They seemed to really enjoy themselves and I had a good time doing my thing and singing Ode to NoHo, the song I wrote that’s one of the new additions to the show. Since I haven’t shared the song, here are they lyrics. I had fun writing this.
WE’VE TALKED ABOUT L.A.
IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY
AND WE HOPE WE’VE DONE SO WITH AFFECTION
BUT FOR NOW, LET’S HAVE A SLIGHT CHANGE OF DIRECTION
THAT MIGHT BE RIGHT UP YOUR ALLEY
LET’S GO OVER THE HILL
FOR A FABULOUS THRILL
TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
BUT THE VALLEY’S SO WIDE
COULDN’T COVER IT IF WE TRIED
SO, LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE
AND JUST TALK ABOUT OUR FAVORITE PLACE
NEW YORK HAS SOHO
BUT WE’RE HERE IN NOHO
THE HAPPIEST PLACE IN THE WORLD
JUST LOOK AT THOSE MIXED-USE APARTMENTS GALORE
EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND THERE’S THIRTY-SEVEN MORE
AND WE’VE GOT A SUBWAY RIGHT HERE AT OUR DOOR
WE’VE GOT RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS
SOME ARE HITS, SOME ARE FLOPS
NOHO’S QUITE ARTY
AND NOT QUITE A PARTY
BUT STILL, YOU JUST GO WITH THE FLOW
AND NOHO’S GOT THEATER, IT’S REALLY UNIQUE
HAMLET SET IN POLAND WHERE THE ACTORS ALL SPEAK GREEK
MEDEA THE MUSICAL OPENS NEXT WEEK
IT’S NOT MUCH OF A SCHLEP
TO THE ROAD OR GROUP REP
NOHO’S A FABULOUS HIGH
WHEN YOU MEET AT REPUBLIC OF PIE
NOHO DELIVERS WHATEVER YOUR WHIM
WHETHER LUNCH AT THE FEDERAL, OR TIME AT THE GYM
AND IF YOU ARE FEELING QUITE GRIM
AND YOU NEED SOME ESCAPE, YOU CAN VAPE
RIGHT ON LANKERSHIM
NOHO IS CHEERFUL
BUT YOU’VE HAD AN EARFUL
OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ADORE
YES, NOHO’S ECLECTIC, IT GETS GREAT REVIEWS
THERE’S RIVERSIDE, MAGNOLIA AND TUJUNGA YOU CAN CRUISE
AND SKINNY’S HAS HIP-HOP AND DJS AND BOOZE
YES, THE NIGHTLIFE IT THRIVES
WHETHER UPSCALE OR DIVES
NOHO’S THE PLACE YOU SHOULD GO
AND BEFORE WE DIGRESS
WE’LL SIMPLY CONFESS
YOU SHOULD JUST SAY “YES”
TO NOHO.
And now, I am sitting here like so much fish, going through this wonderful new box set: Dimitri Mitropoulos, The Complete RCA and Sony Recordings. Sixty-nine CDs of this marvelous conductor. He was yet another Columbia recording artist that I discovered early on. I’ve always found him a wonderful conductor and maker of music and the best part about this set is the repertoire – yes, we have a few war horses, but they are the exception not the rule – not a lot of Mozart or Beethoven and those boys. It’s a bit more off the beaten track and so I get to discover stuff I didn’t know and hear superlative performances of stuff I did know. The sound on the earliest recordings taken from 78s is a bit sketchy, but after that things improve dramatically when tape is introduced. So far I’m really enjoying it immensely and I’ve already uploaded 31 of the 69 discs.
Yesterday was fine. I got nine hours of sleep, relaxed, did a few things on the computer, shaved and showered, and then moseyed on over to the theater to do the extra thing for NoHo Arts day and then our show. I didn’t eat until after the extra thing – we brought in Sharkey’s for the cast – and even then I only had a bit of Spanish rice and a couple bites of some chicken and vegetable thing – I can’t imagine that was over 200 calories.
So, when I got home, I ordered a Philly cheesesteak sandwich from Fat Sal’s, a jernt I hadn’t tried before. It was okay – a bit flavorless, but it hit the spot just fine.
Today, I’ll be up by eleven, the person getting my old couch is either going to come at noon-thirty or after the show. Either works. I’ll mosey on over to the theater at one and then we play our matinee. I’ll give a few minor notes to our new gals before the show. After, whether I go out to eat or not will depend on whether the couch pick up is before or after the show – I’m hoping before so I can eat out after, but we’ll have to see what happens. Once home, I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
This week is working on the project with David Wechter, catching up on stuff, meetings and meals, and doing whatever needs doing. And hopefully getting some little miracles.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by eleven, be at the theater by one, do our matinee, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, as I bid a happy hello to May – and it is my fervent hope and prayer that May will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.