COLETTE COLLAGE WAS EXCELLENT!!

COLETTE COLLAGE

Totally enjoyed last night’s COLETTE COLLAGE - Musicals In Mufti Series @ York Theatre, about the life of the legendary French author==>A.

Colette had numerous lovers - young, old, male, female and lived an interesting and full life.

Christine Andreas gave an amazing performance in the lead role of Colette. What a voice and ... she was never off stage.

The rest of the cast was excellent, too. It continues to amaze me how they can get so much from a cast with only 30 total hours of rehearsal time.

And kudos, of course, to the creative team of Tom Jones, book & lyrics, and Harvey Schmidt, music.

Looking forward to the final show of the series, THE GAME OF LOVE, playing May 11 - 13.

In Yankeeland==>CC Sabathia came through with a stellar 8 inning job as the Yankees won 6-2 over Detroit.

As expected/anticipated, Freddy Garcia has been removed from the rotation and assigned to the bullpen. Good!!

It is a beautiful Monday morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, bright and a bit chilly==>46º @ 8:00am.

Today, being Monday, it is my usual errands and stuff day and then for tonight my entertainment event is ...

7:05==>YANKEES/ORIOLES @ Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, with Hiroki Kuroda on the mound for the Bronx Bombers. 

Can you believe it ... The Birds lead the AL East ... yeah ... I know ... I know ... WTF??

The weather is predicted to be 57º at the start of the game. I will dress warmly, of course.

OK my loyal and faithful readers ... I’ve tons of things and stuff to do today ... so ... 

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Happy Sunday Everyone!!

 I hope everyone out there in the hinterlands, boondocks and wastelands is having a great weekend.

Man, it is bright and sunny this morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, but it was only 44º @ 8:00am==>enuff already!

Yesterday’s 7-5 loss to Detroit at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, was very painful to watch because Freddy Garcia sucked yet again, giving up 6 runs on 5 hits in only 1 2/3rds innings. Hopefully he is now out of the starting rotation. 

Our 9th inning rally fell two runs short and, of course, I stayed ‘til the bitter end. I had dressed warmly so weather wasn’t a problem.

The local papers are filled with stories of gloom and doom in Yankeeland over the lackluster performances from all of our starting pitchers, including our ace CC Sabathia. The bullpen has been stellar but we run the danger of burning them out early in the season unless the starting rotation gets back on track by going longer into the games.

The rubber game of the YANKEES/DETROIT series is this afternoon at 1:05pm with our ace CC Sabathia on the mound. I will stay in and watch it.

Then ... for the evening Billi Pod’s entertainment event is ...

7:30==>COLETTE COLLAGE - Musicals In Mufti Series @ York Theatre - “The life of the legendary French author unfolds over a period of sixty years in this classic bio-musical about one of the most liberated women of all time. (Off Broadway - subscription series)

The York Theatre continues with its presentation of the works of Tom Jones and this will be a very enjoyable way to end a totally fantastic week.

In closing==>I am still trying to master the new formatting on this website. The main problem has to do with the placing of pictures in the body of the blog. Hopefully I will soon master it. 

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Billi Pod Says==>Friday Was EPIC!!

 Yes, my loyal and faithful readers ... in my humble opinion there is no other way to describe yesterday in Billi Pod’s World==>EPIC!! In every way, shape, manner and form it was, I humbly submit==>EPIC!!

But, of course ... I only report ... you decided ... so let me detail how things happened yesterday so you can make your decision ...

First==>of course, was oldest grandson Alex Falletta’s aka Army Guy safe return to Columbia, SC, to rejoin his wife Gina and their darling little Saylor. This occurred around 8:45am.

Then==>sometime around 10:30am, from my 41st floor window, I had an unobstructed view of the Space Shuttle Enterprise, on the Boeing 747, flying South over the Hudson River. Unfortunately I didn’t have my iPhone in hand to take a picture. It was awesome.

 Then==>around 12:15am, at the intersection of 42nd and 10th Avenue, I connected with Dian Crystal and her posse of Marty Kosarik and Vera Olichney, for my “Birthday Celebration Walk.” 

We walked North up 10th Avenue. It was very windy and a bit chilly. At 72nd Street Marty left us. We continued up to 78th Street (get the connection ... my 78th birthday was on Monday) and then  over to Columbus Avenue where we had an awesome lunch at The Ocean Grille. The food, presentation and service was stellar.

After lunch Dian, Vera and I walked South back to 42nd Street, for a total distance of approximately 4.O miles. Dian and Vera continued their walk downtown.

Then==>my entertainment event for the evening was EVOLUTION, a one-woman show that juxtaposes the evolution of whales with the story of a modern woman’s self-transformation==>B+.

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting I have to say that I have no clue what the play was about, but the performance by Patricia Buckley, who plays four roles, and the special effects and staging was awesome.

Then==>I made it back to PHC in time to catch the final inning of the YANKEES/DETROIT game, with the Yankees getting a highly unlikely 7-6 win in the bottom of the 9th with a walk, wild-pitch and then a passed-ball bringing in the winning run.

So, my loyal and faithful readers out there in the morass known as cyberspace, I hope you will agree that yesterday was==>EPIC<==but ... it is up to you, because ...

I report ... you decide.

Moving on ... I gotta ask ... where the f**k did Summer go in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In the World? I mean ... it was down to 39º @ 8:00am this morning and the wind is gusting. At 11:45am it is only 47º. WTF!!!

Which leads me to today’s entertainment event ... which is ... tada ...

4:05==>YANKEES/DETROIT @ Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built.


The forecast for the first pitch is 57º but it will feel a lot colder than that with the wind swirling around the stadium. Trust me ... I will dress warmly.

Freddie Garcia will be on the mound for The Bronx Bombers. He really needs a good outing if he has any chance whatsoever of remaining in the starting rotation.

Speaking of starting rotation ... thus far they have been lackluster at best, including our ace CC Sabathia. Everyone is anxiously awaiting the return of Andy Pettitte. Yes, I know that it is very early in the season but our starting rotation was supposed to one of our strongest points and it hasn’t worked out that way so far ... jus sayin’.

Anyway ... 

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Billi Pod’s Update

As I am writing this posting update I am still full of joy and relief that Alex is home, safe and sound, with his darling Saylor in his arms.

It actually makes it rather difficult to sit in front of this ‘puter but I know I have an obligation to you loyal and faithful readers out there in the hinterlands and boondocks and wastelands ... so ... here goes ...

This is what is happening in Billi Pod’s world in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World ...

I will shortly meet up with Dian Crystal and her posse of Marty and Vera at the SE corner of 42nd and 10th Avenue and then we will head North up 10th Avenue to 78th Street, catching lunch somewhere along the way.

The weather is windy and a bit chilly==>48º @ 11:00am.

My entertainment event for the evening is ... 

8:30==>EVOLUTION - “Combines the paleontology of whale evolution with the contemporary tale of a woman's extraordinary transformation and her family's attempts - by turns comic, tragic and poetic - to prevent it.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket).

Yeah, I know ... sounds kinda weird doesn’t it? It is playing at the 59th Street theater complex and they usually do pretty good stuff.

The Yankees had yesterday off. They return to Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, to begin a 6 game home stand, 3 with the Detroit Tigers and 3 with the Baltimore Orioles. I will see 3 of the games.

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s concert ...

ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK @ Carnegie Hall, performing works by Filas and Dvorak==>A<==as usual.

My comp. seat was in the orchestra, 4th row, which was a bit too close. At intermission was able to get a good seat further back.

Gotta get ready to join the posse ... so ... 

Welcome Home Alex!!

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX IS OFFICIALLY HOME!!

At 12:14pm, Sunday, May 1, 2011, CWO2 Alexander Falletta aka Army Guy, piloting his Apache (Longbow) helicopter, lifted off from McEntire Air Force Base, in Columbia, SC, heading to Fort Hood, Texas, to begin his deployment overseas, first to Iraq and then to Kuwait.

At approximately 8:45am, Friday, April 27, 2012, Army Guy and a plane load of his brothers-in-arms landed in Columbia, to be greeted by his wife Gina, his darling daughter Saylor, his mother Kathi, and his step-dad Dr. John.

IT IS OVER==>and Alex, Gina and Saylor will spend tonight together in their home in Elgin, SC.

Thank you Almighty God for returning Alex and his fellow soldiers back to their families and friends so that they may now return to a normal life.

Also==>Thank you Alex and the other members of Bravo Company, 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, for putting your lives in harm’s way to serve and protect this Country of ours.

I am so proud and so happy!

Granddaddy

It Is Confession Time!!

 Yes, my loyal and faithful readers ... it is Confession Time==>last night I gave away my ticket to the Tennessee Williams play IN MASKS OUTRAGEOUS AND AUSTERE and stayed in to watch the final game of the YANKEES/RANGERS series.

Yep, that’s right ... Billi Pod stayed in to watch a baseball game. I truly don’t think it was in anyway related to my 78 Block Birthday Walk earlier in the day but more related to the fact that I really didn’t want to see this particular show.

Luckily, I connected with a theater-nut buddy who did want to see it so I forwarded my ticket confirmation to him. Guess what ... he later said he thought the show was awful and that he fled at intermission, with “hordes of others” (his words, not mine).

Anyway ... with the Man Upstairs sometimes things don’t work out as you planned because==>the Yankees sucked, losing 7-3 in a game they were never in, and losing the series 1-2. Barf!

It was hard game to watch because Phil Hughes had another short-lived performance, going only 2 2/3rds innings, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits.

At least Jeter’s bat remains hot, going 2 for 4, with a batting average of .420.

Oh well ... moving on ... 

Tonight’s entertainment event is ...

8:00==>ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK @ Carnegie Hall - “The program is: Filas’s Song of Solomon and Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.” (complimentary ticket)

Of course, I have no clue where my comp. seat will be but it really doesn’t matter that much in Carnegie Hall because the acoustics in there are just awesome.

Late tomorrow morning I am meeting up with Dian Crystal and her posse, Marty and Vera, who will be coming up to Midtown from downtown, via The Highline. We will then walk up 10th Avenue to 78th Street (get the “connection?”) where they will treat me to a birthday luncheon. How nice. Looking forward to it.

Something EPIC is about to happen. I can’t share any details until it occurs ... but it is indeed EPIC ... so stay tuned.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Billi Pod Does His 78 Block Birthday Walk

 Good afternoon my loyal and faithful readers.

I am very happy to report that the weather here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, permitted Billi Pod to do his 78 Block Birthday Walk - HOORAY!!

Here are the details ...

12:30pm - leave apartment - 55º and windy.

12:38 - at subway station

12:44 - on A train headed North

12:56 - at 125th Street, walk over to Morningside Ave.

1:02 - begin walking South on Morningside - windy and kinda chilly.

1:09 - at 120th Street - continue on Morningside

1:39 - at 100th Street - walk over to Columbus Avenue and head back South

2:15 - at 78th Street

2:30 - at Lincoln Center - take a bathroom break and check email and stuff.

2:45 - head out South on 9th Avenue.

3:15 - back at 420 W. 42nd Street

Total North/South blocks - 83; estimated total mileage, including side streets etc. - 4.25 miles

Felt very good when I got back to PHC. Took a nice hot soaking bath and my legs feel great. The walk itself was fun and I took a bit longer than I ordinarily would, stopping from time to time to look at stores, buildings etc. Of course, I made a special effort to keep myself hydrated.

While this “adventure” was nice it nowhere near approached the 7.7 miles that I did on my 77th birthday. That was epic.

My entertainment event for tonight is something that can only be classified as strange ... 

8:00==>IN MASKS OUTRAGEOUS AND AUSTERE by Tennessee Williams. “The world’s wealthiest woman, her gay husband, and his young lover enter a disorienting mystery world where they are held captive by omnipotent corporate forces. (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This is his last full-length play and has drawn basically WTF???? reviews. This is also the responses from those of my theater-nut friends who have seen the show.

I am seeing it for the staging and special effects. The running time is 2:45, with an intermission.

Totally enjoyed last night’s Broadway show SEMINAR on my second visit. New cast members Jeff Goldblum and Justin Long are excellent, especially Justin. The show still gets an A.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Yes, Billi Pod Is Now Officially==>78 Years Old.

Thanks to everyone out there in cyberspace for all of the nice posts, texts and emails yesterday helping me celebrate #78. 

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers ... the big 78 was yesterday and it was such an emotional and event filled time that Billi Pod didn’t post at all to Billi Pod Blogs so let’s begin this posting with an update on what went down since the last posting on Sunday ...

Sunday - 2:00 - THE LIMBAUGH LOVERS SONG BOOK, about ... tada ... Rush Limbaugh==>B+<==funny, well performed and totally politically incorrect. The weather was nasty, with rain, resulting in a very very small house in an already very small venue.

Before the show we were given plastic tomatoes and told we could throw them at the performer at any time, which we did. It was a fun time, that is for certain.

Sunday night was a total washout because ... The F**KSOX scum bags got their wish==>the 8:00pm ESPN game was rained out.

Monday, April 23, 2012==>Billi Pod Turns 78!!

Unfortunately this auspicious day got off to a very rough start because the weather was terrible. As you know, I had planned to walk 78 blocks from 42nd Street to 120th Street, but there was no way I was going to attempt to do it in the rain, even if it was just lightly raining.

And, of course, once I told my inner self that we had a rain-delay it slowly began to clear up. I guess I could have done it in the early afternoon but I already had something else planned and that was ...

2:00==>two staged readings of plays at the Beckett Theatre on Theatre Row. My fellow Dian Crystal posse member Vera Olichney had invited me to attend this event with her as her guest.

The two short plays were interesting but, folks, the highlight of the day  was ... drum-roll please ... Billi Pod’s birthday present to self ... tada ... the Broadway smash hit ...

 NEWSIES,  which focuses on the newsboys strike of 1899 as they take on Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst==>A+

I loved everything about this show, the book, the music, the actors, the individual performances, the staging, the sets, the spectacular dancing and especially the energetic young ensemble cast. You could feel the electricity between the characters.

Jeremy Jordan (who was in the short-lived Bonnie & Clyde) is superb as Jack Kelly the strike-leader.

This show received almost universal rave reviews, the exception being the New York Times, which gave it only a so-so rating. Well, folks, screw the Times ... this show is a mega-entertaining family-friendly show that is going to run for years, so put it on your “must-see” list.

When the show was over I came back to PHC, tried to answer all of the emails, texts and posts and then grilled a terrific Allen Brother’s steak on my George Forman grill, with a baked potato and grilled onions. I celebrated the day with my libation of choice - Fresca.

 On Monday night’s Daily Show there was the John Oliver/Herman Cain “interview” which I had attended and posted about on April 12th.

The “interview” is only about 6 1/2 minutes long and I have provided a link to it below. At the very end of the “interview” they pan the audience and you can see me about 1/2 way back to the right on the front row of the second section.

If you do view it, just remember that everything you will see is totally staged and we, the audience, were not present for the actual interview ... so ... check it out ...

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-april-23-2012/inside-the-political-curtain-with-john-oliver---herman-cain

This brings you loyal and faithful readers up to date ... so we will move on to today ...

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for this evening is ...

SEMINAR - “Now starring Jeff Goldblum as the literary guru who eats his way through 4 aspiring young fiction writers.” (Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Saw the show originally with Alan Rickman and liked it a lot. I like Jeff Goldblum and also Justin Long, who has also joined the cast. When it showed up on one of my ticket services I couldn’t pass it up.

In closing ... I hope to do my 78 block Birthday Walk on Wednesday, weather permitting.

WELCOME BACK ALEX==>can’t wait for you to head up to Columbia, SC, to join Gina and Saylor.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

April 21, 2012==>WHAT A DAY!!

 Good morning to all of my loyal and faithful readers.

You know, being virtually overcome with feelings of gratitude and relief over the safe return of grandson Alex Falletta and his brothers-in-arms makes it extremely difficult to report on other things. As expected, yesterday was an extremely emotional day for me and for my family. 

I think the easiest way to discuss it is to share with you, in brief chronological order, how the day went down ...

1:00pm - Awesome lunch with John Scott Reed at the Yaffa Cafe on St. Mark’s Place in the East Village.

Walk back to PHC, a distance of 3.25 miles. Weather terrific

4:00pm - begin watching YANKEES/F**kSOX game and we are getting our asses kicked big time, down 9-0 going into the top of the 6th inning. Have TV on mute.

 5:15pm - text from Gina that Alex has just landed in Maryland. OMFG!!

Fall to my knees (not joking) and Thank God for his mercy and protection of Alex and his brothers-in-arms.

I had known, of course, the date and approximate time that he would be leaving Kuwait but knew that I couldn’t post anything about the details until he and his Company were physically back in the good ole U. S. of A.

Prepare and post to FaceBook Wall and to Billi Pod Blogs.

Text friends and family that Alex is home safe.

Skip my usual fruit and cheese pre-theater snack.

7:00 - text from Alex that he is back and on his way down to Ft. Hood.

The Yankees begin an awesome come-from-behind rally.

7:15 - leave apartment for my show NOW. HERE. THIS. down in Union Square. Listening to game on my ancient Walkman.

The Yankees win 15-9==>AWESOME!!

8:00 - NOW. HERE. THIS. - From and performed by the creative team of [title of show]==>B<==OK but not [title of show] funny. Wanted to like it more. Honestly, had a bit of a problem keeping focused on what was happening on stage.

10:30 - back in PHC. Lots of emails and texts about Alex’s return. Thanks everyone.

11:15pm - text from Alex that they had safely landed at Ft. Hood, TX. YES!!

Really feel emotionally drained. Skip the usual late night meal and opt for fruit and cheese plate instead.

1:00am - Crash. Say prayers and immediately fall asleep.

8:00am - Sunday - wake up and a new day and new Falletta era begins ...

So, my loyal and faithful readers there you have what went down, but there is something I have failed to mention earlier... something that also added to family emotions ...

On Friday Alex’s paternal grandmother Betty Falletta, 89, of Lakeland, FL, died. Betty had been in declining health for quite some time so this was not unexpected, but still ... 

So, over a period of 2 days the Falletta family experienced==>(1) Gina and Saylor and their caravan travel from Winter Haven, FL, to Columbia, SC; (2) Betty Falletta dies: and, (3) Alex safely returns from his overseas deployment.

That, my loyal and faithful readers, is a lot to deal with in a short period of time.

Anyway ... what about today for Billi Pod?

Well, first let me share with you some of the headlines from today’s local papers, all dealing with, of course, the Yankees kicking F**KSOX butt ...

“Told ya! Yanks still kicking ass” - front page NY Post

“NEVER A DOUBT. Yanks erase 9-0 deficit, blow out Bosox” - back page NY Post

“WOW! Down 9-0, Yanks come back to lick Sox” - front page Daily News

“SOX TO BE YOU! Yanks rally from down 9 runs to bomb Bobby” - back page Daily News

“Two Late Touchdowns Lift the Yankees to a Surreal Victory in Boston” - inside story line NY Times

Nice!

Today’s entertainment event is ...

2:00==>THE LIMBAUGH LOVERS SONG BOOK - “Whether you love to hate him or hate to love him, come see Rush Limbaugh have a nervous breakdown and turn into a liberal.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Sounds interesting doesn’t it and the nice thing is ... it is playing at a theatre only a block and half away from my building, which is good because the weather is kinda nasty ... raining off-and-on.

Then for this evening ...

8:05==>YANKEES/F**KSOX on ESPN, CC Sabathia will be on the mound for the Bombers. The online buzz is that the F**KSOX are praying for the game to be rained out and according to the Weather Channel, they may get their wish.

In closing ... yes ... weather permitting, my 78 block Birthday Walk is still on for tomorrow, followed by an afternoon theater reading with my posse friend Vera and then the Broadway show NEWSIES.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

PS: The new formatting is just driving me crazy. The blog just doesn't look right anymore ...