rockettes.

My very first time inside the Radio City Music Hall was epic. We got an amazing deal on tickets from their street team, our seats were near the center about 13 rows from the stage in the orchestra. Santa walked down our aisle! Our tickets were for the last show of the night which means the audience was fairly thin but the performers were definitely on their game.

The theater was amazing. The lobby boasted an amazing and humungous tree of lights that we managed to photograph, although I don’t think the photos convey the actual size with any accuracy. The actual theater had many many different levels and this amazing arched ceiling that actually served as a screen for some of the more inventive light displays.

tree of lights.

inside tree of lights.

I don’t know what I expected from the show. I guess I knew there would be synchronized kicks and music but i don’t think I realized there would be a story or quite so many dances, costume changes, dancers, technological intricacies, and that I’d be so enthralled. The photo above is one of the only ones where the dancers were not in perfect harmony but generally they were.

Bicycling Safely: 3

 

 

It’s been a while since I’ve caught a good cycling photo but this one was just too good to pass up. She was riding on the sidewalk, which is illegal so I should have yelled “don’t be a a jerk” at her but was more focused on the photo. I caught this as we were wandering on St. Marks Pl near Tompkins Square park.

 

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December already?

Today is Monday, December 5, 2011. I am typing this out because, then maybe I’ll believe it, and figure out where the November blur went. Seriously. Did I even blog about going to see Girl in a Coma at Webster Hall? I met Phanie Diaz before the show, apparently she likes to watch the crowd before they get to watch her. The show was amazing by the way, I’m pretty sure Nina’s crazy eyes pierced me. Joan Jet stopped by to check on her protégés and  getting a little taste of San Antonio while in New York is always good.

Phanie's drum set.

This is the best picture I could get once I realized that it was Jane Henson.

Oh and we got to see The Muppets a week before it opened in theaters thanks to my favorite Museum in Astoria, the MOMI, of course. Jim Henson’s wife, Jane and their daughter were both in attendance to honor his legacy. Jane looked a little like a Fraggle. The movie was muppetastic.

Thanksgiving kinda snuck up on me but there as turkey and football and leftovers. I vaguely recall making a cherry pie, whose remains may or may not still be tucked all the way in the back of my fridge, eek. We went out to see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade balloons the day before the parade which was on my list of things to do from last year.  Those were great.

Holiday lights and window decor are going up all around me and yet I remain shocked at the date. I’ve been a little buried in reading at work lately that writing hasn’t really come into play but I’ll update this week with Rockettes, Polar Bears, and everyone’s favorite: holiday markets!

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sarah silverman and a flea.

New York Comedy Festival. Even this photo of the inside of the theater before any performer set fot on the stage was prohibited. Seriously, the ushers were strict anti-photography! This policy made me sad.

You know how sometimes you have a plan to go somewhere or see someone and then something else really awesome takes hold of your day? We had tickets to see Sarah Silverman for this year’s New York Comedy Festival. I was super excited ’cause she’s hilarious but also because it was going to be at the Brooklyn Academy of Music or BAM! I hadn’t been there yet and it seemed like an awesome place. I couldn’t figure out why Paul was so intent on getting us out so early, the show was at like 8 and we were on a train before noon! Soon enough though I realized we were off the train at the Fort Greene Brooklyn Flea! Which, seriously, who doesn’t like a good flea?! and in the warm November weather we’ve been having it was just perfect.

Yay, new glasses!!!

Right off the bat I found several pairs of glasses that I was head over heels in love with. Choosing new frames is the kind of thing that I am horribly indecisive at. I can sit on the Rx for 1/2 a year before committing to something but this was so easy. They had a huge selection of frames that fit! AND they didn’t have some gaudy brand plastered all over them for me to wear on my face. It occurs to me that many readers here might be wearing glasses with brands on them, that’s cool. My old Calvin Kleins which just broke in my hands on my way home from work a couple weeks ago had the brand on them too. And it looked great, I loved them but I’m trying to move on. I bought 2 pairs straight away and haggled the price down a touch (hey, it was a flea!) and got the name of their recommended optometrist in Chinatown no less, to get the lenses put in. I can’t bring myself to chuck my beloved broken glasses yet though.

my old glasses. they broke just as I was wiping a bit of smudge away from them on the platform. I had to ride the rest of the way home with only one earpiece. It serves me right, they were several years old and I was just stubborn about getting rid of them.

rotary phone.

Later I saw a little girl trying to play with an old rotary phone and very angrily asking how it works. “How does this work?!” she kept asking her family before she finally slammed the receiver down and stormed off in a major huff.  Her confusion was ridiculous and highly entertaining. I know my seven year old goddaughter probably wouldn’t know how to use a rotary phone either. I look at that and look at my iphone and wonder what communications will look like in a few more years. It really wasn’t so long ago that my mom had this very style of phone in the family home, she still has one in this shape but has buttons in place of the dial. It’s oddly comforting to use it when I visit. Whatever is next, I’m sure someone will be selling the old stuff at the Brooklyn Flea.

UT Longhorn t-shirt.

My husband and I really enjoyed perusing the racks of overpriced t-shirts meant for hipsters to wear ironically, I’m sure. There was one from my alma mater selling for $20! I thought at those prices I could buy a new macbook pro by selling my burnt orange collection (says the woman who purchased 2 pairs of likely used frames at the Brooklyn Flea). I wonder why my lovely friend Jennifer & her Hipster’s Guide to Indifferent Exercise would say to that!

The Fort Greene location was outside but the vendors told us that in two weeks they’d be heading indoors so my winter flea adventures can continue! Am I nyc flea crazy?

Brooklyn Academy of Music. I totally must return here! There was a bar and a cinema and a lots of cool things going on here.

BAM. opera house.

I think I forgot to mention that the Sarah Silverman show was awesome. She was the MC so she did all her bits before and between the other acts. Somehow I still expected her to come back and do a final set but nope, Reggie Watts thoroughly confused the audience and then the house lights came up and she didn’t come back. Don’t get me wrong, I love Reggie Watts, I saw him on Conan’s The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour while I was in San Fransisco for a conference and he was awesome, but on this night his comedy/act was above my head mostly. BUT let me tell you, I laughed (despite trying not to) when Tig Notaro pushed her stool across the stage. So, that maybe tells you where my comedy standards are? Kumail Nanjiani also really brought it with his slaughtered-snake-at-a-kids-birthday-party-where-normally-a-monkey-would-be story. Nate Bargatze’s story about the necessity of being a clown before transitioning to being a magician was hilarious.

…

thank you friday: 1, free, friends, nyc.

lock screen. Yes this is my actual lock screen on my phone. I love this particular photo which I took in my very own kitchen. That ceramic skull is one of my most prized possessions. I bought it in San Antonio a year ago before we moved to New York. It's a great touchstone.

Today’s blog post is sponsored by the number 1. The number one is the first step toward something. We all might start at some zero spot but we move forward, each day we take our first step out of bed, that first sip of coffee, and in tiny ways we are constantly beginning something new and amazing. I don’t often take the time or appreciate the perspective to allow myself to see it that way. Sometimes I feel like, “this again, I did this yesterday” but today I’m making sure I take it all in. Today is the ultimate palindrome of dates (you know if we ignore the pesky “20″ in our current year, whatevs). Some (lots) of people think it’s silly that so many of us are so happy with the date. Really, it’s just a date, there will be a new one tomorrow, but that’s what is amazing, there really will be a new one tomorrow full of it’s own tiny and huge adventures. Anyway, it’s fun and as far as I can tell it’s making lots of people happy and silly at the same time. So a super duper thank you for the number 1 and it’s other numbered friends for making me smile and appreciate the new beginning each step gives me.

I’m thankful for chance encounters (even if they’re with my husband). There are gazillions of people in New York City at any given moment. We’ve been over the statistics of how many are on the train and all that before. Anyway, it happens more often than I would have expected that my husband and I end up on the same train just a car away from one another without planning it. His commute is shorter and our schedules differ (mine is standard and his can vary widely). Anyway, last night he had to work late and I opted to hang out with a friend. Then I texted him when my train surfaced in Queens and a minute later he texted that he’d just arrived in Queens too, he was just one train behind mine so I waited and we got to walk home together. It was awesome.

free stuff tastes so amazing.

I’m thankful for free stuff. It makes me so very happy. Last night my friend C and I went to Jack Rabbit Sports on the Upper West Side to check out their 2012 Marathon spiel. She’s an awesome runner (you’ll never hear her admit it though) but a recent injury sidelined her (she’s in a boot and probably can’t finish her 9+1 for 2012) so she was getting kinda bummed about her prospects and I thought this would cheer her up. It did. AND we got free JRS Tech-Ts to boot. Who doesn’t love a good FREE tech-T??? I do and on an awesome side note, I got to hear the infamous Coach Cane speak (he coached Aliontherun). He walked right by me, is it weird that I was in total awe? I’m cool with that. Oh, this free stuff thing is a twofer keep reading… later at The Lunchbox, the owner, who is this really great guy and always has a smile for everyone that passes by, sent over some free chips and salsa while we waited for our food and it was the absolute greatest gift ever. I mean, hey it was totally unexpected (I knew the tech-T was coming) and totally free and to top it off the homemade chips were freaking delicious. Free stuff rules.

our view at jrs.

Lauren's most recent medal from the St. Louis 1/2. She is amazing. (I hope you don't mind I swiped this photo from your twitter feed)

Friends and compliments are awesome. My friend Lauren (who I haven’t physically see in person but we tweet and she beats me at Words With Friends constantly since she moved to Chicago and I moved to New York) recently tweeted to me “I want to live your life, even just for one day” and I was blown away. I don’t know what prompted that but I was humbled. She made my day and more. The thing is, she is someone I admire! She is a runner, she perseveres in the face of challenges that weaker people would crumble at, and she’s pursuing her graduate degree in a field she is passionate about. She is amazing. I do love my life and I do try to enjoy our city as much as possible. There are ups and downs but even my friend C from last night is constantly telling me that she’s in awe of my relationship with my husband. I try to tell her we’re normal. Every moment isn’t roses and awesomeness but we know how lucky we are and we make an effort to constantly remind one another of that.

Poet’s walk is ridiculously picturesque. Since I mentioned how much I love my city I thought I’d share a recent photo from a walk down poet’s walk. I dare you to get a bad photo here. It is impossible. Every time we walk down this path (almost any path in Central park) I am filled with a sense of awe. I can frequently be heard saying “I can’t believe we live here.” Strangers probably think I just arrived yesterday, but no, it’s been a year…

poet's walk. November 5, 2011. i love fall.

What are you thankful for???  sweater weather perhaps? snail mail? free stuff? (oh wait, I’m just making another list.)

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ING NYC Marathon 2011: spectator recap.

ingnycm2011. view from the train station.

So, last year I think I was a little intimidated and so we didn’t go out to watch the marathon (and let’s be honest, I was still bummed that I wouldn’t be running my own half) but I was not going to let that get me this year. I’ve been following a lot of runners on twitter/blogosphere and hearing about how amazing the INGNYCM is in person. Saturday our festivities began with a walk through Central Park and a peak at the finish line. We approached the finish line from the North and came upon the finisher areas before we reached the actual finish line. I noticed that the post marathon trek was kinda long. I tried to imagine how I’d feel about walking that post-race distance after the 26.2 miles not to mention how long the racers might have had to walk pre-race. Maybe instead of 26.2 it should be considered 26.2 + a 5k?  Anyway, there were lots of people in the park sharing the excitement of the marathon. Runners were posting in front of the finisher area and taking the opportunity to snatch up overpriced gear with the marathon logo plastered all over it. Make no mistake, if this were my marathon I’d likely be a billboard everyday for weeks.

ingnycm2011. runners.

In Austin I could walk 5 minutes from my apartment and stand along one of the main routes used by most races in town so I’ve gone out to watch a few in the past. I’d never seen a finish line like the INGNYCM where spectators could pay for the opportunity to gaze upon the athletes. When you think about it those bleachers likely could be replaced with twice as many people standing so it’s kinda selfish but whatever, I’m not here to judge.

ingnycm2011. marathon route. this was in central park.

Sunday, we’d planned to make our way over to the Queensboro Bridge and see where the best spot would be to watch. In my head I’d be able to go down there find a spot to spectate and even be able to wander around a little and choose another spot as I saw fit. We passed a Dunkin Donuts and a few other eateries and decided we’d be able to grab something later. As it turned out there were already a ton of people on the route at about 10:15. I managed to squeeze in and there was no moving after that. We were in a shady spot and the far side of the street had much more openings and some sun. We debated going to the other side a few times but ultimately we stayed. I figured we could change our minds later if need be. There were plenty of people moving back and forth from side to side during the wheelchair race and even after the first elites passed us by.

ingnycm2011. mary keitany.

ingnycm2011. female elites.

We were perched on Crescent street just before the runners made the turn onto the Queensboro bridge and had the perfect view of the first female elite to swoosh by us. Mary Keiteny came by entirely alone. I kept craning my neck out but there were no followers for at least two minutes. Finally we saw other female runners rounding the corner and reaching Crescent. The pack was in hot pursuit but from our vantage point, Mary’s lead was pretty darn commanding. I was in awe of their intensity all the same. It is hard to believe she missed out on 1st place by a matter of 3 seconds but in my book she won the 1/2.

ingnycm2011. here come the runners.

The men on the other hand flew by us in a super tight  pack with no clear standout yet. They were running so closely I was afraid they’d kick one another but as it turns out this racing thing is old hat to them and no one collided. I don’t think the elites were even the tiniest bit cognizant of the crowds cheers and waves of excitement, they were too focused on the task at hand: win.

ingnycm2011. male elites.

ingnycm2011. fred lebow statue. this statue of the nyc marathon founder was positioned in Central Park near the finish line.

Not too long after the elites were well into Manhattan was when we started to see crowds of everyday runners. Maybe I should call them pre-elites or something, they are certainly not average people. I feel like if you are putting this much time and effort and training and commitment toward something you should get more than just a medal but a title too. I suppose that’s what the word marathoner is for? Anyway, at first it was a trickle and then suddenly it seemed like there was a log-jam of runners on us. The cops that patrolled our stretch of the “police tape do not cross” looked like they might get run over, literally and they were suddenly pushing us back further than before. I kept looking into various marathoners eyes and wondered what they were thinking and if I’d be reading their race recap later. I called out names of those who had printed them on their clothes and surprisingly several actually heard me and smiled. Oh and on a side note, it a was a good thing we didn’t try to grab a spot on the sunny side of the street! Once the full force of the INGNYCM was on us there was absolutely no hope of crossing that street.

ingnycm2011. runners.

It was fun and I was totally in love with everyone that passed us by. There were a lot of runners who looked like they were in the zone or were mentally preparing for the climb up the Queensboro bridge (which I can tell you from my 5 Boro Bike Tour is no easy task) and some looked like they’d hardly broken a sweat at all. One man jogged  pretty swiftly backwards looking for his team mates and another few doubled back to where their friends were and exchanged old water and Gu for new stuff. There were several who tried pumping up the crown with arms raised and smiles for all.

ingnycm2011. backward runner.

ingnycm2011. running interviewers & captain america.

And no race would be complete without costumed runners right? Well, we saw more than I expected. Forrest Gump might have been my favorite but there was also minnie mouse, and super man. Iron Man & Captain America looked like the most uncomfortable costumes since they ran with a mask on! There was a male and female runner who ran with a video camera and stopped on the side of the route to do an interview with each other? Oh and I saw Amy Freeze but was too start-struck to snap her photo. She’s my current weather-runner-bff.

ingnycm2011. enthusiastic runner.

ingnycm2011. costumed runner - mouse.

ingnycm2011. costumed runner - troy polamalu.

ingnycm2011. costumed runner.

ingnycm2011. costumed runner - forrest gump.

ingnycm2011. before it got super crazy, this officer decided to get his own photo memories.

Some people ran with flags…

ingnycm2011. flag bearer.

Others wore flags…

ingnycm2011. flag wearer.

Oh & if you are still reading, after standing at my spot for a couple of hours and cheering my throat was a bit hoarse and my legs were stiff. Imagine if I’d actually run the thing!

Also my husband, who loves sports and going to sporting events was so not into it. I kept checking on him beside me during the excitement and he was dutifully still standing with me but that was about it. He said he didn’t know anyone running personally and there was no one to cheer for. I said we’re here to cheer for everyone! We’ll go to a hockey game or something soon and he’ll be totally enthralled and I’ll wonder who we’re there to root for, I’m sure. The way I see it every person out there was racing against themselves. They might have been trying to PR in their 10th marathon or just trying to finish their first, it didn’t really matter because they were out there putting not just a few hours of one day into something but hundreds of miles and hours and personal growth and prioritizing into it. I was inspired by each runner out there.

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broadway flea.

So, again, I must repeat that the city is full of markets, fleas, and festivals. Some better than others and the Broadway Flea did not disappoint. Imagine, if you will, a charity flea where each booth is raising money for their charity and vying for a year’s worth of bragging rights, and then imagine that each booth is manned by actual on and off Broadway stars and crew-members. It was brilliant. Most offered really unique gifts like performance worn wardrobe, autographed playbills, their team bowling trophy, and home baked goods! The cast of Wicked immediately sold me on a banana walnut loaf that I saved for later (I never got to eat it – more on that later).

broadway flea 2011. mary poppins cast.

broadway flea. debra monk. she was super nice and I backed away from her out of sheer intimidation.

I recognized the children from the cast of Mary Poppins and as I was perusing autographed scripts at a booth suddenly Debra Monk just popped in and I realized everything there was hers. Each script showed signs of wear and tear and had her name on it, each trinket came from a set or a stage  that she participated in. It was really a great day. We saw piles of memorabilia just strewn about tables, there were autographed this and that and show-worn whatsits galore. It was hard to know where to start. Moreover, if you saw a show and didn’t buy their keychain or t-shirt, someone was likely selling it. We even did this giveaway where you paid for raffle tickets that were stapled together. if it said winner inside they you got tickets to an unknown show. I didn’t win but they did get my $10 and it was exciting to rip them open. I did hear “I won” and “I can’t believe it” called out from a few folks in my vicinity though.

The Rock of Ages table was where I really fell over myself. Have I mentioned that ROA was my very first Broadway show? We saw it in 2009 on our 1st visit to the city. We didn’t want to wait in the TKTS line which appeared to be 10 hours long and a guy handed us the ROA flyer and said the show was great and the prices were right so we decided to pay full price at the window for that. It turned out the prices were indeed good and the show was amazing (save for the very uninterested texter who sat beside me during the show). How better to fall in love with a medium than with 80s rock anthems and a love story or two?

broadway flea. rock of ages.

broadway flea. playbills. these are just a few playbills from just one vendor. there were a ton of them all over.

Anyway, I spied Justice and immediately gushed over her. It was embarrassing but what can I say I love her and the show. She was great about it. I don’t have a lot of experience bumping into celebrities or should I call her a Broadway star? Either way, I figured it was ok to talk to her since her presence at the booth was simply to raise money from adoring fans(?). I tried not to ramble too much but I did tell her that I loved her and the show and that I’d see it in April 2009 at Brooks Atkinson Theater and I thought the new cast was amazing and the new theater also wonderful. (they downsized theaters and many on the original cast are now on the national tour.) As I tried to peel myself away from her I realized my husband had engaged in conversation with a man I didn’t recognize at the ROA booth as well. They were talking about how awesome Austin is of all things. And right beside the man who must have been a backstage person was Sherrie! She was so normal and human and friendly and anyway, after we bought an autographed playbill and wandered away I realized I didn’t get a single snap of the booth or them or ask for a photo with them or anything. I am clearly a rookie at this. I wanted to go back and ask but then I thought I would look silly doing that. So I just glanced back at the booth longingly a few times as we made our way through the street.

One vendor offered playbills from shows older than me, older than… they were from the 1940s! I thought surely there was something I should buy but then I realized I don’t know what was amazing back then, I don’t have any point of reference, and also what would I do with this old playbill? Frame it in some place of honor in my home? To what end? So I perused a little and moved on politely.

broadway flea. wicked shoes. awesome.

The day of wandering and oogling Broadway memorabilia and its stars just made me want to see more shows. There are so many I haven’t seen and so many that have closed without me ever making it in the doors. At brunch my high continued with a super indulgent chicken and waffles from Southern Hospitality in Hell’s Kitchen and nothing could top the soulful sounds of the singer/guitarist who serenaded the dining room. The day of the Broadway Flea was one of the best days full of adventure and happy thoughts. It wasn’t until we were getting the bill that my phone rang. “Mom” it said, I had to run out of the restaurant to answer the call. “We are on the way to the hospital” I couldn’t breathe until she said “they called us, they said to come now, we are on our way,” I knew what she was saying and yet I had to hear her say it. I made her clarify that this was for my dad’s lung transplant. The day of the Broadway Flea 2011 is the day before my dad got his new lung.

broadway flea. southern hospitality. my meal before getting the call that my dad was on his way to the hospital.