Monday==>Yesterday was an excellent day for your favorite blogger here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World ... so ...
Let’s get started with Billi Pod’s report(s), in chronological order, on the day’s activities ... starting with ...
The classical music concert at Lincoln Center ...
ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall - The program was:
Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 1 (performed by Nicholas Angelich); and,
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 5
A totally remarkable and enjoyable concert.
My discounted TDF seat was super-excellent, in the orchestra, row O, dead center.
The program got off to a rather unusual beginning ... at the scheduled starting time of 3:00pm the orchestra was on stage, doing warm ups, with a lot of empty seats. Then, the director, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, who has been described as ...“the greatest generator of energy on the international podium” ... came on stage to tell us that 1/2 of the orchestra had been stranded overnight in Chicago, due to the weather, but they had just arrived at the Hall 5 minutes ago .. so ... there would be at least another 15 minutes before they would be ready.
I assume this also meant that the full orchestra would be performing without rehearsal time.
Sure enough, in 15 minutes the rest of the seats were filled and the concert got underway.
Nicholas Angelich’s performance of Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 was stellar and he received a well-deserved standing ovation.
Then, it was the highlight, Tchaikovsky’s majestic Symphony No. 5 elegantly performed by the orchestra and energetically lead by Nezet-Seguin. When it was completed the audience gave the orchestra a roaring standing ovation.
Yeah ... it was just what your favorite blogger wanted/needed.
I left Avery Fisher Hall with a big smile on my face.
Subwayed back to the apartment and waited to begin the next part of my events ... dinner with John Scott Reed aka Fabson.
We had an outstanding meal at Southern Hospitality, a BBQ restaurant located at the corner of 45th and 8th Avenue in my Hell’s Kitchen ‘hood.
I had their ribs and chicken combo-platter and it was delicious.
The restaurant wasn’t packed, as it usually is, so Scott and I had plenty of time for some much needed/wanted catching up. He is so involved in his job at FacebookNY. He loves his job and his teammates and all of the world-traveling he has been doing.
When we finished we split and I came back to the apartment and settled in to watch THE 87TH ACADEMY AWARDS CEREMONY, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and carried on ABC.
Man, the 3 1/2 hours plodded along and the first hour was totally boring, saved a bit by NPH’s opening musical number.
I really like NPH, but I was kinda disappointed with his performance as host. Most of his jokes just weren’t funny.
The highlights of the evening, for me, were John Legend and Common performing “Glory” from Selma, and Lady Gaga performing a medley tribute to The Sound of Music.
As far was the awards were concerned, I have no quibble with any of them. There were no real surprises or upsets.
In yesterday’s posting I listed my predictions for the 6 major categories. I was correct on 4==>Best Picture, Best Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress.
I kinda tied on Best Actor, won by Eddie Redmayne. I had predicted the winner would be Michael Keaton but said that Redmayne should win.
Totally lost on Director, won by Alejandro Inarritu for Birdman over my prediction of Richard Linklater for Boyhood.
One good thing for me during the show ... at each boring acceptance speech, except for Eddie Redmayne, I hit the mute button on my remote and then got off the couch and briskly walked around the apartment. Did the same thing at commercial breaks.
The 3 1/2 hour running time allowed me to record 2 miles ... not bad. This, going to Lincoln Center and walking to the restaurant resulted in total mileage for the day of==>5.60 miles. Yep, not bad.
So ... my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... this brings you up-to-date on Billi Pod’s excellent Sunday.
Moving on ...
Today will be your favorite blogger’s usual errands and chores day ... then ... for the evening will be ...
A Broadway show ...
8:00==>THE HEIDI CHRONICLES - “This Broadway revival of Wendy Wasserstein’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play charts 19 characters through 13 scenes in three decades and four cities, as three unlikely friends come to realize that the fight for what you believe in can bring you a long way … maybe.” (Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)
This show has a stellar cast headed by Golden Globe Award winner Ellisabeth Moss, Emmy nominee Jason Biggs, and Tony nominee Bryce Pinkham.
Tonight is the first preview performance.
It is playing at the Music Box Theatre on West 45th Street, has a running time of 2:35, including intermission, and runs through August 9th.
We will close this out with a weather update==>11:30am, cloudy, 20º, wind chill 7º. The overnight low is predicted to be only 2º. Brrrrr!!
Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.60 miles (or, 12,245 steps)
Total mileage for the week==>26.62 miles (average 3.80 miles per day)
Total mileage for 2015==>217.84 miles (average 4.08 miles per day)
Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”
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