Missy | May 29, 2005
I went to the Botanic Garden this morning before heading next door to the ultra-crowded Basquiat exhibit. As I discovered (especially if you get there early on an otherwise beautiful holiday weekend day), it’s a quiet, peaceful place to think or, alternatively, clear your head. A non-random sample of photos:
Missy | May 22, 2005
Yesterday Josh and I had excellent seats at the lean, mean revival of Glengarry Glen Ross. (Note to Mike: you may have spent the last couple of weeks in fancy France, but there’s no mistaking the satisfaction that comes with some thrilling live Mamet. Find a way to go and see it, bud.) Gordon Clapp (of NYPD Blue fame) as Moss (Ed Harris in the film version) was a standout. The Mamet-speak fell out of his mouth with an ease and a bang. The play’s heavyweight is Liev Schreiber (as Ricky Roma, Al Pacino in the film), a powerful actor with impeccable timing. He has the most wonderful hands and his gestures accented both the hilarity and percussion of Roma’s cockiness. And the set design! Act II opens in darkness with an open curtain (unknown to the audience) and then a noisy flicker of overhead fluorescent lighting revealing a meticulously dressed office space on stage. The audience burst into applause.
It’s difficult to not relate the play back to the film (which has its differences, notably Alec Baldwin’s character, absent in the play), but I can say this: the hurling of insults is so much meatier–and funnier–on a live stage. Josh has a copy of the play, which I’d like to read. I really can’t imagine how difficult it must be to build a Mamet production, to rehearse those quick, overlapping lines, commit it to memory, find the right cadence and infuse it with a character. I haven’t yet seen Thom Pain, but this is easily the best production I’ve seen this season, which, granted, encompasses all of three plays to date. Liev is a shoe-in for Best Featured Actor at the Tonys (there are no lead performances in this play). The production isn’t without minor problems (the weak exit of former Hazard Duke Tom Wopat as schmucky James Lingk, Arrested Development’s Jeffrey Tambor’s occasional obvious beats, Alan Alda’s sometimes irritating vocal affectations channeling Jack Lemmon), but I’ll call this one a stunning success.
I’ve been remarking recently that I haven’t had any celebrity sightings since I’ve moved here. Well, Glengarry Glen Ross was celebrity a go-go. I saw Naomi Watts (whom I could swear I read somewhere is dating Liev Schreiber–she’s one lucky gal, I *heart* Liev, etc.) in the ladies room, quite literally powdering her nose. (No, that’s not a euphemism for something more sinister.) She looks exactly like that which you would probably envy/hate her for: young, tiny, skinny, and pretty. As we were working our way to our seats I saw Jerry Stiller, about whom I commented to Josh once in our seats. Actually, the story goes a little deeper than that:
Me: Did you see Ben Stiller’s dad at the back? I didn’t see Anne Meara anywhere.
Josh: Jerry Stiller? They’re sitting right behind you. Turn around.
Me: *not turning around, and embarrassed for talking so loudly*
A few minutes later I overheard her talking about people who come up to her and say really nice things about her work. I heard Jerry laughing throughout the play, and Anne commented at intermission, “They really make it their own.” Later on the way out, Josh pointed out Mel Brooks.
Afterwards we people-watched at Cafe Reggio in the West Village, saw some break-dancers in Washington Square Park, shopped for vintage eyeglass frames at Fabulous Fanny’s, and had dinner at Il Begatto in the East Village, where we waited out a torrential downpour. Not satisfied with calling it a day, we decided to see a movie. What to see? Josh was irritated that he wasn’t carrying around a copy of his magazine to check out listings (which I thought was funny and charming) so we were unable to locate where, say, Kings and Queen might be playing and, more importantly, when. I was too tired & soggy to risk going all the way up to Walter Reade for the Michael Powell series (Josh: as it turns out, we wouldn’t have made it in time for Black Narcissus) and instead we went back up to Times Square to find something at the big movie theaters and ended up seeing, wait for it…..Kicking and Screaming. It was actually kinda enjoyable. And, Mike Ditka=funny.
Missy | May 22, 2005
Yesterday Josh and I had excellent seats at the lean, mean revival of Glengarry Glen Ross. (Note to Mike: you may have spent the last couple of weeks in fancy France, but there’s no mistaking the satisfaction that comes with some thrilling live Mamet. Find a way to go and see it, bud.) Gordon Clapp (of NYPD Blue fame) as Moss (Ed Harris in the film version) was a standout. The Mamet-speak fell out of his mouth with an ease and a bang. The play’s heavyweight is Liev Schreiber (as Ricky Roma, Al Pacino in the film), a powerful actor with impeccable timing. He has the most wonderful hands and his gestures accented both the hilarity and percussion of Roma’s cockiness. And the set design! Act II opens in darkness with an open curtain (unknown to the audience) and then a noisy flicker of overhead fluorescent lighting revealing a meticulously dressed office space on stage. The audience burst into applause.
It’s difficult to not relate the play back to the film (which has its differences, notably Alec Baldwin’s character, absent in the play), but I can say this: the hurling of insults is so much meatier–and funnier–on a live stage. Josh has a copy of the play, which I’d like to read. I really can’t imagine how difficult it must be to build a Mamet production, to rehearse those quick, overlapping lines, commit it to memory, find the right cadence and infuse it with a character. I haven’t yet seen Thom Pain, but this is easily the best production I’ve seen this season, which, granted, encompasses all of three plays to date. Liev is a shoe-in for Best Featured Actor at the Tonys (there are no lead performances in this play). The production isn’t without minor problems (the weak exit of former Hazard Duke Tom Wopat as schmucky James Lingk, Arrested Development’s Jeffrey Tambor’s occasional obvious beats, Alan Alda’s sometimes irritating vocal affectations channeling Jack Lemmon), but I’ll call this one a stunning success.
I’ve been remarking recently that I haven’t had any celebrity sightings since I’ve moved here. Well, Glengarry Glen Ross was celebrity a go-go. I saw Naomi Watts (whom I could swear I read somewhere is dating Liev Schreiber–she’s one lucky gal, I *heart* Liev, etc.) in the ladies room, quite literally powdering her nose. (No, that’s not a euphemism for something more sinister.) She looks exactly like that which you would probably envy/hate her for: young, tiny, skinny, and pretty. As we were working our way to our seats I saw Jerry Stiller, about whom I commented to Josh once in our seats. Actually, the story goes a little deeper than that:
Me: Did you see Ben Stiller’s dad at the back? I didn’t see Anne Meara anywhere.
Josh: Jerry Stiller? They’re sitting right behind you. Turn around.
Me: *not turning around, and embarrassed for talking so loudly*
A few minutes later I overheard her talking about people who come up to her and say really nice things about her work. I heard Jerry laughing throughout the play, and Anne commented at intermission, “They really make it their own.” Later on the way out, Josh pointed out Mel Brooks.
Afterwards we people-watched at Cafe Reggio in the West Village, saw some break-dancers in Washington Square Park, shopped for vintage eyeglass frames at Fabulous Fanny’s, and had dinner at Il Begatto in the East Village, where we waited out a torrential downpour. Not satisfied with calling it a day, we decided to see a movie. What to see? Josh was irritated that he wasn’t carrying around a copy of his magazine to check out listings (which I thought was funny and charming) so we were unable to locate where, say, Kings and Queen might be playing and, more importantly, when. I was too tired & soggy to risk going all the way up to Walter Reade for the Michael Powell series (Josh: as it turns out, we wouldn’t have made it in time for Black Narcissus) and instead we went back up to Times Square to find something at the big movie theaters and ended up seeing, wait for it…..Kicking and Screaming. It was actually kinda enjoyable. And, Mike Ditka=funny.
Missy | May 18, 2005
You know, I’ve seen bands live start songs over and I’ve seen ballerinas take a spill on stage, but last night when I saw Doubt an astonishing thing happened. During her first scene, lauded actress Cherry Jones interrupted the scene and started part of it over. It took me a few beats to realize she had broken character and was speaking directly to the audience. Apparently she was sick and had a fever. After being fed a suggested starting point from offstage, I realized just how many lines had been missed. Given her professionalism and that of the other actress in the scene, I never would have known. It was a minor disruption, however, and they quickly regained the rhythm of the scene.
The play, I must say, wasn’t as powerful as I think I had led myself to believe. It’s only partly about suspicion of misdeeds in the Catholic Church in the 1960’s, more about conviction of belief when it comes to human beings.
Meanwhile, I’ve been in a SAS programming class in midtown the past three days. How about this view?
Missy | May 18, 2005
You know, I’ve seen bands live start songs over and I’ve seen ballerinas take a spill on stage, but last night when I saw Doubt an astonishing thing happened. During her first scene, lauded actress Cherry Jones interrupted the scene and started part of it over. It took me a few beats to realize she had broken character and was speaking directly to the audience. Apparently she was sick and had a fever. After being fed a suggested starting point from offstage, I realized just how many lines had been missed. Given her professionalism and that of the other actress in the scene, I never would have known. It was a minor disruption, however, and they quickly regained the rhythm of the scene.
The play, I must say, wasn’t as powerful as I think I had led myself to believe. It’s only partly about suspicion of misdeeds in the Catholic Church in the 1960’s, more about conviction of belief when it comes to human beings.
Meanwhile, I’ve been in a SAS programming class in midtown the past three days. How about this view?
Missy | May 15, 2005
Addendum to the post below: I’d like to fasten a flowerbox on my fire escape rail. Anyone have advice as to what type of flowerage I can use that won’t require a large, heavy container, would do well in direct morning-to-midday sun throughout the summer, and doesn’t require a lot of tending other than watering every few days? Geraniums? Seriously, I have no idea.
Missy | May 15, 2005
Addendum to the post below: I’d like to fasten a flowerbox on my fire escape rail. Anyone have advice as to what type of flowerage I can use that won’t require a large, heavy container, would do well in direct morning-to-midday sun throughout the summer, and doesn’t require a lot of tending other than watering every few days? Geraniums? Seriously, I have no idea.
Missy | May 14, 2005
I started writing a post mid-week and then couldn’t find the time to finish. So I’m starting over.
You probably aren’t caught up in all the Tony award news but I was earlier this week, at least enough to drop the cash to get tickets for Doubt (my prediction for Best Play) and Thom Pain (based on nothing) (which is off-Broadway and therefore not eligible for the awards, but it’s supposedly terrific). Josh and I are in talks to see Glengarry Glen Ross starring Liev Schreiber and Alan Alda. Hot damn, plays! Woo!
Last night we had an awesome dinner of burgers & beer at Schnack (where I plan to return again & again) before heading off to BAM for Once Upon a Time in the West, part of a Sergio Leone series going on there. First let me say that there’s no way I would have sat through this if I had rented it on my own; I’m simply not a fan of the Western, especially those with long runtimes. And yet I surprised myself with how much I liked and appreciated it. Of course it was all the more enjoyable seeing it with Josh, a boy so fanned by Leone that he wrote his senior thesis on him. Now I kind of want to watch a bunch of Charles Bronson movies. There’s no question that the dude had a face born for the Leone close-up.
Tomorrow promises the massive Basquiat exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. LA and Houston, it looks like it’s heading your way later.
What else? I can’t seem to kick my Krispy Kreme addiction, no thanks to the pretty vast cafeteria at work. My breakfast consists of fresh fruit, a hard-boiled egg, a little cottage cheese, and a chocolate-covered, custard-filled Krispy Kreme. Oh! And I can’t wait for today’s’ dance class just so I can hit Dom’s on Lafayette afterward. Last week, thanks to Toby’s recommendation (”They’ve got huge Italian sandwiches with all the -amis!”), I went there and, bless them, had the best sandwich of my life. And since I’ll be in Soho, I really need new warm-weather clothes but, as Mihow said to me on Thursday as we were walking through said neighborhood to Von, “You kind of have to put blinders on in Soho”. Too much shopping opportunity, not enough cash.
That’s it for now.
UPDATE: Just now, while working on the Saturday crossword and some laundry with light rock on the radio, I decided I needed to step out for some things (read: a six-pack). Out I went in ill-fitting light pink terrycloth sweats spattered with paint primer, flip-flops, and a gold & white Bad News Bears baseball-style t-shirt.* Hot. Would I have done such a thing in DC? Probably, but I didn’t have the cool shirt back then. Here, though, nobody even noticed me. This is so my new small errands outfit (along with serving a dual purpose of being my pajamas).
* I occasionally find myself the recipient of hand-me-down film critic swag.
Missy | May 1, 2005
And….we have a dance class winner. I am pleased to announce Ezra Caldwell at Dance Space as my new favorite fun teacher. His (iPod-generated, not live) music rules (ranging from De La Soul to Spoon) and the class level is what I took “Advanced” to mean before I started trying out classes. Complicated and QUICK direction changes with difficult floor work; he goes through combinations twice only and then makes us do it without his assistance. Then change sides! Then reverse the direction! I botched a lot of it, needless to say. And yet, never has feeling lost felt so good. It was a happy place. Remember me complaining about technique yesterday? Today I was simply trying to not get run over and, in doing so, I necessarily had to make my movement more efficient so my brain could keep up. Fortunately for me, he teaches on Saturdays AND Sundays.
After the gloomy rain of the weekend, the sky finally revealed itself and that, combined with the endorphins, is making today a good day. Maybe I’ll get out and snap a couple of photos.
UPDATE: Click for subpar photos.
Missy | May 1, 2005
You may notice that things are starting to look a little different on this page. I know that I have no design skills to speak of (and that banner is probably temporary until I figure out something better, which is to say, recruit Mihow) but it’s time to move the page away from things DC. I plan to keep my list of DC links in the side bar simply because I feel like it and instead reorganize by adding a new list of New York-based bloggers.
UPDATE: I forgot my tag line! Until it comes back remember, we’re special in other ways. Ways our mothers appreciate, etc.
