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[TCB]

PAGE SIX!!!

[S. Woody White]

Re TOD, I wrote this several years ago, back when our esteemed BK was still known as The Real A over at Sondheim.com.  It was the introduction to my overview of the CD to the revival of Forum.

The first show I saw on Broadway was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Before I got to see it, however, I once again proved myself to be a total jerk, and the problem was entirely my fault.

In June of 1997, der Brucer and I were on a trip to the East Coast, a combination of visiting his family in Philly and meeting politicians in Washington D. C. He had planned the trip so that we would fly from LAX to JFK, take the subway into New York, and then catch a train down to Philadelphia where we would rent a car for the rest of the trip. What he hadn't counted on were my fears of New York City, planted in my head by scary tales my mother used to tell me and amplified by even scarier tales told in movies, television shows, and the evening news.

We got on the subway (which threw me because it runs above ground for almost the entire run through Brooklyn) and I started to get a really bad case of nerves. I didn't have a clue as to where we were or where we were going, and I tend to panic if I don't know where I am. There was nothing der Brucer could say that was going to calm me down. The fact that I was trying to carry five pieces of luggage while he was holding only two didn't help matters. We finally got underground, traveling under the East River, and my panic attack just grew and grew. There were all these nice people on the train with us, and I was absolutely sure one of them had to be a mugger. Meanwhile, der Brucer was trying to comfort me and giving side glances to everyone else, to assure them that he wasn't traveling with a complete idiot while not being too sure of that himself.

By the time we got to Madison Square Garden to switch to the commuter train heading south, I was an absolute wreck. He finally grabbed one of the bags I was carrying (the lightest one, no fool he) and pushed me down the stairs to where the train was waiting. On the trip to Philadelphia, I explained my phobic reaction while he patiently listened. Finally, he told me in his best deadpan, "We're going to spend most of the week in Washington D. C. What makes you think it's any safer there?" Which made me stop to think. My mother had lived in both New York City and Washington, and had survived both. Could her upstate New York bias have prejudiced her view of the city? "Look, on the way back we'll have some time for ourselves. We'll take an extra day, look around, you'll see what New York is really like. You never had any problems like this when we were in London." And he gave me that irritating grin he gets when he really does know better, and settled in for a short nap.

The family in Philly was fine. The politicians in D. C. were, well, politicians. I did get to do some sightseeing during that busy week, finally getting to see for myself the Liberty Bell, the Star Spangled Banner, and the Lincoln Memorial. (Strangest of all was walking up to the Viet Nam Memorial and finding myself staring at my own name, but that's another story.) Finally it was time to take the train back for a day in New York. "First things first, we get tickets for a show," der Brucer announced. "Then I'll show you some of the town." And while he took another nap, I saw the city through the windows on our right, and yes it was big, but it wasn't really frightening, was it?

We parked our bags at the luggage check at Madison Square Garden, save the one we'd need that night, and headed north to what der Brucer proclaimed was the most important landmark in New York City, the TKTS booth at Duffy Square. "I'll get our place in line, you check over the boards and decide what you want to see," he told me. So I walked up to the l.e.d. signs alone, without him by my side to protect me, and looked over what shows were playing. We'd already seen most of the really long-running shows in either London or L.A., and I knew der Brucer, given a choice, would rather see a musical…hey, wait a minute! Sure, it was late in the run, but David Alan Grier had the lead in Forum, which I was sure der Brucer never seen. He smiled when I told him of my choice, we got our tickets, found a hotel room, and headed on out for a night on the town.

First we took the subway down to the Village, and he immediately led me through several wrong turns before getting his own bearings and buying us a round of drinks at Boots and Saddle on Christopher Street. After that, we wandered around trying to find someplace good for dinner, and Mario Batali's restaurant Po just happened to have a cancellation and could fit us in. (I love when that happens! I don't recommend going to celebrity chef restaurants too often, because of the damage it can do to the bank account, but this was worth it, right up there with Rick Bayless' Topolabampo in Chicago and better than Dean Fearing's Mansion at Turtle Creek in Dallas. Sorry, Dean.) Then it was time to head back to the theater district and some "Comedy Tonight."

You want to know what was strange? I don't think I laughed once during the entire show. Der Brucer was almost in tears, he was laughing so hard. Me? I just sat there, enjoying the warmth, basking in the good spirits. This was light years distant from the New York I'd feared for so many years. Every line, every gesture was familiar to me, like I'd returned home. It was one of the most wonderful nights I've ever spent in the theater. I didn't need to laugh. I was too happy to laugh.

The next morning der Brucer asked me if I to fetch him a cup of coffee, hopefully to jump-start him into action. I went out onto the streets of New York alone, comfortable and looking forward to a marvelous day. Then I found out how much they were charging for a grande coffee at Starbucks. Nothing is ever perfect.

Batali doesn't run Po any more - he's got his fingers in lots of other pies these days, some of them pizza pies.  But by and large, this pretty well covers the TOD.

[S. Woody White]

My, I sure can be garrulous when I feel like it, can't I!  

[elmore3003]

I just heard from our leader who is en route from Newark to his temporary residence.  I am meeting him at Joe Allen's at 6:45 and I am extending an invitation to any DRs who would like to join us.  I phoned DR FJL and left a message on his machine and I will now email DR Jose.  

I am not intentionally omitting anyone, so if you read this and want to join us, please come on down!

[Matt H.]

Had an interesting afternoon of viewing.

Since I didn't want to watch a documentary on the Iraq war while I was eating (not knowing what kind of gore or gruesomeness was in it), I watched a FRIEND'S episode - the Thanksgiving episode with Brad Pitt as Rachel's nemesis. Simply hilarious.

[Matt H.]

Since the documentary was only 101 minutes, I had time for a couple of BONES episodes, so I rewatched two of my favorites from Season 1. The first involved two dead bodies that were traced back to a U.S. Senator. Heartbreaking episode in many respects, and a nerve-wracking one since a mob puts out a hit on Brennan.

[Matt H.]

The next was my second favorite of the first season (the CHristmas episode was my favorite). A body is discovered having been eaten by dogs in a warehouse, and Booth and another agent (played by the hunkalicious Adam Baldwin) are both on the case.

[Matt H.]

The documentary is called NO END IN SIGHT, and I really recommend it for some insight into how conditions with the insurgents in Iraq got so chaotic and unmanageable. Excellent information gathering, appropriate talking heads (of the ones who WOULD talk to the producer-director; many like CHaney, Rumsfeld, and Rice refused to speak in interviews). The ones who did speak had convenient memories or outright lied which was proven by interviews and recorded footage that told a different story.

The documentary is pretty current, too, taking us into 2007 and the newest estimations that this war will cost when all is said and done $1.86 TRILLION.

If you have the chance to see this, you should.

[Matt H.]

Tonight, I'm going to record ENTOURAGE so I can give the evening over to two movies: ALL FALL DOWN which I recorded off TCM and '300' on Blu-ray. Looking forward to both of these. I haven't seen ALL FALL DOWN in at least 20 years.

[Edisaurus]

Wow, who would have thought that China would fit inside a car!

As I was writing that, I was wondering: "Who will be the first..."

[FJL]

Larry - Please send my love to all the HHWers who show up at Joe Allen's.  Sorry that I can't make it.  Skip's still playing his show at 59E59, and it looks like he's been defrosting soemthing for dinner tonight.

[Edisaurus]

Safe landing, bk! Wish I could join y'all at Joe Allen's. Oh how I wish...

Back to packing wine glasses and fending off cats.

[Edisaurus]

Boy, do I have a lot of crap in my house that I don't use. I've been taking things to Goodwill and the used book store and just handing them boxes and more boxes.

There still will be an ungodly amount of crap to move.

[bk]

Will we never get to page seven?

[Matt H.]

Will we never get to page seven?

We're on the way to it.

[bk]

It was a nice flight, but long - it used to be that it took about four and a half hours from LA to NY, but it now routinely takes five hours and fifteen minutes.  Got a cab right away, so that was good, and it only took thirty minutes to get into the city.  The apartment is very nice save for one important detail that was left out - no central air.  There's a unit in the bedroom, which I now have on full blast, and which isn't doing all that much.  And there's a fan in the living room which is currently circulating hot air, and then there's a little loft where there's a unit, and I'm about to turn that on.  Not helping matters is the fact that no one has been here in a couple of months.  

[Matt H.]

I have some writing to do, and then I must head downstairs and clean the master bathroom.

WBBL.

[bk]

And the wireless is not happening at all.  So far, on the list of networks, only two are available and both barely give me one bar of signal - all the other require a password.  She's told me the name of one network that always works, but it's not in the list right now.  So, I'm on dial-up via AOL, which, of course, is slow but not horrid.  What's slow was trying to download a simple attachment, which took twenty minutes.  I'll bring the computer with me to the casting sessions so I can do further downloads there.

[FJL]

Welcome to NYC, BK!

[George]

[move=up,scroll,6,transparent,100%]

~~~VIBES AND XYLOPHONES~~~

[/move]

[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]~~~TO ANYONE~~~[/move]

[move=right,scroll,6,transparent,100%]~~~AND EVERYONE WHO NEED~~~[/move]

[move=down,scroll,6,transparent,100%]

~~~AND/OR WANT THEM!!~~~

[/move]

[JoseSPiano]

Good Afternoon!

Auditions are done for the day.  And now everyone else is "talking".  So...  Time for me to head out.

Laters...

[Jennifer]

BK that must be so annoying re: the wireless situation. I know i would be annoyed (just because the lady promised you it would work).

Good vibes for this and for the casting. ~~~~~~~~~

[JoseSPiano]

I'm not sure about Joe Allen.  I need to get out of this building and breath some fresh, NYC air.  Then I can make my mind up.  -I also need to "pace" my cash for the week too, so....  

[George]

I have been watching Miss Baayork Lee, et al, doing "Turkey Lurkey Time" on You Tube.

That is her in that number, right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EktVzsYjMJk

And, of course, to truly appreciate the number, you MUST watch Seth Rudetsky's take on it!  Talk about hysterical!!

[George]

The minister has two more sermons: today and next Sunday. And then I will be in charge.

And after that...THE WORLD!!!

[bk]

Jose, no need for cash tonight

[bk]

Jose, no need for cash tonight

[Tomovoz]

Our first trip to New York was 1994. We stayed with friends living in Scarsdale (which meant we could afford to stay in NYC longer than three days). We did the usual tourist things - boat trip, Empire State, Twin Towers, Radio City etc.  Out theatre outings were to "Passion"  "Kiss Of The Spiderwoman" and "Showboat".

I think the view from the Towers really gave us more of an idea about the height of the city.

I think we were surprised that we were not mugged.  All those warnings and the publicity - surprised but not disappointed!

We came into  Central Station each day - we thought the ticketing system etc on trains was so "cute".

I still remember all those smells of coffee and warm muffins and for me, the problem of overchoice when ordering a coffee!

[bk]

Man, I'd forgotten the "joys" of dial-up.  Holy moley on rye it takes forever to post something.

[George]

TOD for all DR's.

1) When was the first time you went to NYC?  2) How old were you?  3) Why did you go?  4) What impressed you most?  5) What surprised you most?  6) How did you get there?  7) Do you still have any "souvenir" or remembrance you got while you were there?

1) December, 1995 (the only time I've been)

2) 29

3) a local theater group went every other year, so I went that year

4) That there's theater everywhere...and famous landmarks...and it's all so big!

5) I never felt unsafe!  Granted, we never left mid-town Manhattan and I didn't go to Central Park, but just walking around felt so easy

6) Plane and taxi from and to the airport

7) I got souvenier programs from Sunset Blvd. and Victor/Victoria and quite a few photos and several keychains, which I collect. Several of us also went to see Regis and Joy Philbin (Kathy Lee was on vacation) and I got a panoramic picture of us four with Regis and I also got his autograph. I bought several CDs and vinyl records...the best vinyl finds being the original London cast recording of Children of Eden and the original London cast recording of 1776!!