NYC Lessons Learned

Last week, I took a quick day trip to New York to see a show at 54 Below and to do some sightseeing that I hadn't - for some reason - ever done.  I learned a few things on this trip that I'd like to share with you.

~ The Amtrak train service is just so much more civilized than taking the bus.  I had my own seat, with leg room, a table to lean on, and my own personal plug to charge my phone.  I also had another seat empty next to me for most of the trip.  It was so darn lovely.  Of course, coming home, the train was late, delayed by about 35 minutes, and some crazy lady was having a fight with her boyfriend on her phone for about 3 hours. However, based on my last few experiences on MegaBus, it was still more civilized...

~ Story, the curated store I love so much in Chelsea, takes at least 2.5 weeks to turn over their store design.  Because it was still not open this time around, even after I walked blocks and blocks to visit it.

~ It is quite possible to completely miss the actual restaurant part of Eataly in WTC.  However, if you follow the signs that say Restaurant -> you may just discover it.  Also, you'll be quite happy you did, because their Cacio y Pepe is to die for!

~ When dropping things in your wallet, pay attention to where you're going.  The door you think you're walking through just may be a glass window.

~ Defiant Girl is still a super busy tourist attraction.  However, she's surrounded by awesome ladies to chat with who are all striking the same pose as she is for photos, so the wait seems a bit easier.

~ Sitting in a coffee shop in the New York Times building for 2 hours isn't as enjoyable as one might think.  

~ Sitting at a table by your self, on the same side as the famous people at 54 Below is so intimidating.  So much so that you just might have a mini panic attack, and act thoroughly unhuman for the entire evening.

~ New York on a bright, sunshiny spring day is still pretty darn special!

Viva Le France!

Somehow, France managed to do what England and the US couldn't - they managed to elect the saner of the 2 candidates they had to choose from.  They didn't elect a laughing stock or someone who had no business being in power.  Since I visited Paris, I've been less than thrilled with the country, however after the resounding victor of Macron, I have a growing respect for the country and the French people.  Yay France!

What I was most surprised to learn, aside from who won, was that they do their voting on a Sunday instead of the Tuesday elections we have here.  How much more civilized is that?  No one's working so they have the time and energy to go vote.  Here, it's such a pain to get to the polling places either before or after work, which is why our turnout is often so low.  I read a statistic today that said that this year's French election turnout was "bad" for them, however it's higher than the US election turnout for the last 20 years.  That's pretty crazy!  

So I suppose, all of this is to say, maybe if we can switch our voting over to Sundays, we'll never again have to deal with a moronic administration like we have now?  Maybe?  A girl could hope anyway...

AVAM Fun

I've lived in Maryland my entire life, and sometimes I think I've been living under a rock this entire time.  There are so many places in this state that I've just never explored.  I'm hoping to change that this year.  First up is the American Visionary Arts Museum.  This super cool museum is located in downtown Baltimore and I'm thinking quirky would be the best way to describe its installations.  I've only ever been inside once, but I honestly don't remember the outside being as awesome as it is.  I was early meeting friends for a wine fest today, so I took a few minutes to wander around the museum's outdoor crafts and fell in love with all the art. Can't wait to get back and actually go inside this time!

Can you just imagine how cool this building would be in the sunlight rather than clouds?

Obligatory AVAM Selfie

Street Art!

This is the inside of the glass tree above - so cool!

Friday Five

1. Defiant Girl on Wall Street is pretty amazing!  I loved getting the chance to see her and I loved that she's still standing tall in face of adversity - by the bull or from her critics!

2. First off, I respect the heck out of Jimmy Kimmel for coming forward and saying what he did about his son and the new healthcare bill.  He's been through so much this past few weeks, but he was still able to be funny and impassioned.  Secondly, I love that they booked Shaun White because of his ties to this same issue that Jimmy's son.  Shaun White hasn't been in the news in a while, so I'm sure he wasn't earning Jimmy any ratings, but what a great way to reach out and have Shaun calm some of their fears!       
        

3. I had the chance to see the songs of Lewis Flynn last night at 54 Below.  Obviously, Andrew Rannells was the big draw. However, they premiered 3 songs from their new musical Robin Hood, and I'm hooked! The music and the cast are truly stellar.  The show is premiering in Dallas but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it does so well, it reaches Broadway, because this really is some beautiful music!
         

4. A few weeks ago, ex-Raven Todd Heap had a personal tragedy in his life when he accidentally hit his daughter (whom he didn't realize had followed him into the driveway) with his truck, and killed her.  It's an awful story and I keep thinking about him and how truly tragic this is.  However, this week his family and friends joined in to celebrate her life with #HugsforHolly day.  Everyone was asked to wear pink (her favorite color) and do random acts of kindness.  To see so many people get involved was amazing!  Just look up the hashtag on Twitter, thousands of people joined in from ex-teammates to whole NFL organizations.  It was a beautiful way for a little good to come out of this tragedy.

5. This makes me laugh because I'm pretty sure this would happen to me if I ever met Stephanie Block : )

When @StephanieJBlock met @Sally_Field at @TheTonyAwards junket
vs. After @StephanieJBlock met @sally_field at @TheTonyAwards junket pic.twitter.com/1kF7SP4W0H

— TheaterMania (@theatermania) May 3, 2017

The Creative Process or Lack Thereof

Most writers or crafters or just about anyone go through a spell of writers block. They sit in front of a blank page or a canvas and just stare, not knowing where to begin. It happens to everyone. However, when it seems to happen to me, it's not just writer's block, it's everything block.

For instance, my usual process for anything - crafting, writing, scrapbooking, cooking - is to mull around some ideas in the back of my head, until something great takes shape. Sometimes it really is something great, and sometimes only I think it's great.  But it works for me.  Other times, like the time I find myself in now, absolutely nothing happens.

Tomorrow, I'll be in New York, for the last 4 days I've been trying to decide on what to wear.  I literally stood in my closet this evening for 20 minutes trying to make this decision.  This isn't rocket science people! I like shopping.  I have plenty to wear.  I just can't decide on what piece I want to wear.  After the clothes debacle, I proceeded to stand in front of my bookshelf for another 10 minutes because I need a book to read on the bus, but the ones I haven't read yet all look unappealing. I bought them. Apparently, they were appealing at some point.  But not now.

I started to write a post in my head yesterday on my way home and another before I left work.  Neither seem like great ideas right now.  I can't even figure out exactly what I'm doing in New York tomorrow.  What's happening to my brain?  It's mush!  The creativity I was so proud of last week has seemingly gone out the window...

I really hope it's back soon, because really.  If it continues to take me this long to decide to wear each morning, I'll never get to work!

Tony Nomination Feelings

So the Tony Award nominations were announced today and I have to say, I have loads of feelings.  I've been anxiously awaiting this day for a while, because there was a chance that lots of shows I've seen would be nominated.  And that was definitely the case.  All in all I've seen 4 of the shows nominated for some type of award, and I have tickets for this month to see a 5th and 6th.  So I know personally just how wonderfully deserving these creatives are.

But there were 2 shows that I cared about so much more than the others so I've been keeping my fingers crossed that they'd receive the most love.  And, as it turns out, I needn't have worried.  Come From Away received 7 nominations and Falsettos received 5. Woohoo!  These were the 2 shows that touched my heart more than any other in this season. I collectively love the cast (and really would like to be their friend) and adore the music.  I listen to their cast albums on repeat constantly, and I tell everyone I meet to see each of them.  In my eyes they deserved all of the awards, but I'll settle for the 12 nominations they received.

What's even more fun to watch than the nominations is the reactions from these people that are so deserving of the attention.  It's been a non-stop love fest all day.  I love that the nominees are throwing hugs and congrats to their fellow nominees.  It seems everyone in the Broadway community is friends with everyone else in the Broadway community.  So it seems each nominee is rooting for a friend who's also nominated.  This is how award season should be done.  The heck with that cutthroat bashing of competitors - love and fun all around!

The only part I didn't enjoy about today was the price of tickets to the show.  I foolishly thought tickets wouldn't be too expensive so I was going to try to buy 2 for my friend and me.  However the lowest price ticket was $381.  That's insanity!  So it looks like I'll be watching - what should be an awesome show - from the comfort of my cozy couch.  There are worse ways to watch the Tonys...

Met Gala: I Have Questions

Each year, I watch the Met Gala from afar and each year I ponder what in the world these people are thinking.  It's a great concept for creativity - dress up based on a theme and then party the night away.  I get it.  Dressing up is fun, and raising money for the Met is a fabulous idea.  This all sounds rather simple in theory.  But when you see the outfits these A-listers where, it all sort of falls apart.

Now, I have to say, I have no idea what this year's theme actually is.  I haven't been able to find that helpful piece of information yet. But based on what I'm seeing, the theme is based somewhere between fishnets and enormous outfits.  Honestly, I see nothing tying these women's dresses together except the sheer size of the dresses themselves. The dresses are enormous - super long trains, big poofy sleeves, extra fabric everywhere.  I'd first like to know how you're supposed to walk around and dance at a party with a train that's 4 feet long.  I'd then like to know how these women even attempt to use the restroom without dunking that 4 foot train in the toilet.

It's a conundrum!  I seem to only be picking on the girls, but I've seen a few of the guys get into the mix of craziness too.  To them, I'd like to say what's wrong with a simple tuxedo?  No man can go wrong in a tux.  Pharrell Williams - I love you, but ripped jeans at a gala?! 

After seeing the initial style of the red carpet, I'm quite curious to know how the couples decide on what to wear.  Because it seems like a matching affair.  I'm guessing the women are in charge of that particular aspect of the evening.  And if it were me, I would rather just give my guy a nice tuxedo so I can be the star of the show in my giant dress.  Doesn't that make sense?  Or does that make me a bad person?

And lastly, my biggest question of the night.  When all the dresses are made to be insane - how are some websites judging the best and worst looks of the night?  They're all pretty cuckoo - it's impossible to have a bad look when the point is to be the most outrageous!