HAPPY EASTER & GO GATORS!!

Sunday==>HAPPY EASTER to all of my loyal and faithful readers and followers. It is warmer here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World - 52º and a bit overcast @ 11:30am.

Why don’t we get this posting started with Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s Off Broadway show ...

THE VANDAL, on a freezing night a solitary woman is annoyed, then charmed by a teenage boy at a bus stop==>B

The weird and sometimes creepy storyline is saved by 3 outstanding actors, Deirdre O’Connell, Zach Grenier and young Noah Robbins.

There is a plot twist at the end of the show that takes you totally by surprise and left, I think, almost everyone leaving the theater with a “did that really just happen” look on their face. I have to admit that even this morning Billi Pod is still processing just what it all meant.

The show ends its run today and has, as I wrote yesterday, received mostly very favorable reviews, especially the acting.

Moving on ...

Billi Pod’s plans for today are as follows ...

First, of course, write this posting for the edification of you loyal and faithful readers and followers, then ... about an hour “walk and wander” session in my ‘hood. Then ... 

At 2:20pm, on CBS, it will be my Florida Gators vs. Michigan Wolverines. The Gators are favored by only 3 1/2 points and that doesn't bode well because during the season we have had difficulty in winning close games, regardless of who we were playing.

The winner of the game will advance to The Final Four Championship Series in Atlanta, GA, and play Syracuse (30-9) on Saturday.

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting Billi Pod has to admit to you loyal and faithful readers and followers that he has trouble watching complete basketball games. He likes the final 5-minutes, not the grinding path getting there. Jus sayin ...

I don’t want to be negative but I have a kinda bad feeling in my gut about this game, I really do ... hope I am wrong.

Moving on ...

As I posted yesterday, I am having Easter Dinner down in Chelsea with my friends Michael Pederson and Dennis Dohman and 13+ of our mutual friends. It is always a lot of fun, with good food and lots of intelligent conversations. Almost everyone who will be in attendance can be classified as being “entertainment-involved.” 

So ... time to post this and head out for some much needed walking and wandering time ... 

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.03 miles (or, 8,816 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>1,293.47 miles

GO GATORS! CHOMP!! CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!!!

Billi Pod

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

THE GATORS and THE DARING DUO==>A

Saturday==>WAY TO GO GATORS!! ON TO THE ELITE EIGHT!!

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers and followers, my Florida Gators beat the upstart Florida Gulf Coast University 62-50, a final score that doesn’t truly reflect how badly we played in the first part of the game, or our difficulty in making free-throws, or our low field-goal percentage. In the end it was our defense that ultimately made the difference in the game and brought us to victory.

Kudo’s must go out to The Eagles and their coach, Andy Enfield, for advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in only their second year of NCAA eligibility.

The Gators will next play the Michigan Wolverines at 2:20pm on Sunday, carried on CBS. Michigan is coming off an amazing OT upset win over Kansas. The winner advances to The Final Four.

GO GATORS!!

Moving on ... with Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s Off Broadway show ...

THE DARING DUO, about two classical musicians who perform for a notorious gangster and then all Hell breaks loose==>A

It is gut-busting funny, informative and very well acted. By “informative” I mean there is an ongoing storyline thread involving some little known facts in classical music history. The on-stage interaction between Seth Rudetsky (who is also the playwright) and David Turner, as the soon-to-be-married couple, is spot-on believable.

I was also totally impressed with the staging in this very small and cramped performance space. The Director, Paul Castree, made good use of every available inch.

The show is part of the Midtown March Medley @ Shetler Studios on West 54th Street. There are two remaining performances ...

Saturday 3/30 @ 5:00

Sunday 3/31 @ 3:00

For more ticketing info go to:

http://www.midtownmarchmedley.com/the-daring-duo/

Billi Pod says==>see this show if you can, you will totally enjoy it.

So ... on this happy note ... let’s move on to today’s entertainment schedule for your favorite blogger.

This afternoon I will be in front of the tube watching the final pre-season game for the Yankees. They will play the West Point Cadets at West Point, NY, @ 2:00pm, carried on YES.

Then for the evening it will be an Off Broadway show ...

7:00==>THE VANDAL - “On a freezing night a solitary woman is annoyed, then charmed by a teenage boy at a bus stop.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket) 

This one-act show has gotten mostly very favorable reviews and stars Deirdre O’Connell, Zach Grenier and young Noah Robbins. Looking forward to finally seeing this show.

In closing ... in response to several inquiries regarding my plans for Easter Sunday ... well ... first @ 2:20pm I will watch the Gator/Michigan game, on CBS, and then @ 6:00pm I will have dinner with my friends Michael Pederson and Dennis Dohman at their Chelsea apartment. We will be joined by 13+ of our mutual friends. Yeah ... gonna be a great day.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.61 miles (or, 5,717 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>1,289.44 miles

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

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 Baseball Predictions

Friday==>TGIF for all of my Worker Bee friends and also for all of you loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the morass known as cyberspace.

Let’s get this posting started with something a bit different and that is ... starting the blog with Billi Pod’s predictions regarding the upcoming season for The Yankees ...

First, as I have commented several times before, it is going to be a long and painful season for The Bronx Bombers and by the end of the season in September they will be playing in an almost ghostlike Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built.

There will be tons of empty seats because Billi Pod predicts that during the season the Bombers will lose a substantial majority of close 1 and 2 run games. The lack of offense will become painfully apparent. The mounting frustration will take its toll on ticket sales and attendance.

A-Rod will experience a rehab “setback” and will be shut down for the season so he can “concentrate on 2014,” whatever that means.

Our pitching staff will keep us from ending up in last place in our Division.

So ... here are Billi Pod's predictions for the season's final standings ...

Season record==>85 wins, 77 losses - .525

The Yankees will end up in 4th place in the AL East: 

1. Rays

2. Blue Jays

3. Orioles

4. Yankees

5. FuckSox

Rays will defeat Tigers in the ALCS and advance to the World Series. I have no clue who they will face in the World Series because I just don’t follow NL teams.

So, my loyal and faithful readers and followers, there you have it. God, do I hope I am wrong.

OK ... now that is out of the way so let’s move on to something positive ... like Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s Off Broadway show ...

BEARS, about 3 bears attempting to survive after the civilized world around them implodes==>A-

The show is innovative, thought-provoking and extremely well acted. It is performed in the small Theatre C at the 59th Street Theatre Complex and that adds to the positive experience.

I am glad I finally got around to seeing it because it closes on Sunday ... so ... if you can ... catch it.

This is Billi Pod’s entertainment schedule for today ... 

7:00==>THE DARING DUO - “Soon-to-be-married couple, Jake (Seth Rudetsky) and Jonathan (David Turner), both touring classical musicians, agree to perform at the luxurious apartment of notorious gangster, Bruno Sterling. Their gig turns into a terrifying but hilarious caper where they're both on the run from the police and a murderer!” (Off Broadway - full price ticket)

This show is also written by Rudetsky and is part of the 4-show Midtown March Medley series playing at the Bridge Theatre @ Shetler Studios on West 54th Street. With this show I will have seen 3 of their 4 productions. I totally loved the first two I saw, UNBROKEN CIRCLE and ART AND SCIENCE and am looking forward to this show.

I am glad it has a starting time of 7:00pm with an 80-minute running time, because I will need to be back in the warm and cozy confines of PHC for my second entertainment event ...

10:00==>Florida Gators (3) vs. Florida Gulf Coast University (15), in the South Regional Semifinals, carried on TBS.

The Gators are favored by 13 points. I feel that it will be close game, with the Gators winning as our defense prevails.

On that happy note==>HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.21 miles (or, 7,020 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>1,286.83 miles

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

HANDS ON A HARDBODY==>B

Thursday==>Good afternoon to all of my loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the boondocks, hinterlands and wastelands.

Let’s get today’s posting started with Billi Pod’s report cards on yesterday’s entertainment doubleheader ... starting with the Broadway show ...

HANDS ON A HARDBODY, the musical about ten down-on-their-luck Texans competing to win a truck by keeping one hand on it the longest==>B

The show has an excellent cast but just a so-so story line. I really didn’t care who finally won the contest. The music and choreography is decent, however.

Act 1 is slow in developing the characters and I think that the show would work better as a one-act, with a 90 minute running time.

My comp. seat was excellent - row 4 of the front mezzanine.

The show is worth seeing with a discounted or comp. ticket.

When the show was over I came back to PHC for the usual fruit and cheese plate and soon it was time to head out to my second show, which had a starting time of 7:00pm.

The show was playing at St. Luke’s Theatre on 46th Street. I planned to arrive a bit early so as to not incur the wrath of the asshole who usually attends the box office at this venue.

Got there at 6:15pm. The box office was open. Asshole wasn’t on duty. No one else was in the lobby, which I thought was rather strange. I double checked the voucher from my ticket service and the starting time was indeed listed as 7:00pm.

Picked up my ticket and then spent about 30 minutes walking around. Got back to the theater at 6:45pm and ... WTF?? There was no one in the lobby area. I pulled out my ticket and ... GASP ... the starting time for the show was 8:00pm, not the 7:00pm listed on my voucher. WTF??

Well ... there wasn’t anything I could do about it ... so ... I walked over to the Mariott Marquis hotel and went up to the lobby area and spent the next 45 minutes people watching and playing solitaire on my iPhone.

When I got back to the theater I brought the issue to the attention of the very nice lady in the box office and she said she really appreciated the info and would contact the ticket service about it in order to have the correct times for future performances.

Now ... about the show ... 

ADDICTED TO SHOW BUSINESS, about the life and career of standup comedian Dave Konig==>A-

Very funny and often thought-provoking, especially when he talked about being Jewish and married to an ardent and devoted Catholic. He converted to Catholicism and then later returned to his Jewish heritage. He is still married and his kids are being raised Catholic.

I think he has one show left, next Wednesday. Worth seeing.

Moving on to today’s entertainment event ...

7:30==>BEARS - “The human world is going to hell in a hand-basket, but neither Growl Bear nor Timmy Bear, two grizzlies stuck in a suddenly deserted zoo, have the least idea what a hand-basket might be. Enter Susie, a new wild bear, who convinces them to enter the world of the wilderness. Growl, Timmy, and Susie must learn who they are, how to survive, and define for themselves what it truly means to be a Bear.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show has received generally favorable reviews and buzz and is playing at the 59th Street Theatre Complex, one of my favorite venues.

Now ... let’s move on some more with a little bit of sports (done for Marty’s benefit).

Opening Day for the New York Yankees is this coming Monday @ 1:00pm at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built. Yes ... I will be there in my new seat location.

The projected weather is: sunny, high 55º, low 37º.

The Yankees continue to be plagued with injuries and this is what their Disabled List (DL) looks like as of today ... 

Derek Jeter - ankle - projected return==>1-2 weeks

Phil Hughes - bulging disk - projected return==>2-3 weeks

Curtis Granderson - broken forearm - projected return==> 6 weeks

Mark Teixeira - sprained wrist - projected return==>8-10 weeks

Alex Rodriguez - hip surgery - projected return==>4-6 months.

Yep, it’s gonna be a long and painful season for The Bronx Bombers and their fans. 

It was reported in the local papers today that with a new estimated value of $2.3 billion, the Yankees are the most valuable franchise in American sports, surpassing the $2.1 billion Dallas Cowboys.

In MLB the top-5 teams are:

Yankees - $2.3B

Dodgers - $1.6B

Red Sox - $1.3B

Cubs - $1.0B

Phillies - $893M

The least valuable team==>Rays @ $451M.

In closing ... COME ON SUPREMES, SHOW SOME BALLS==>DO THE RIGHT THING!!

Had a very good walking day yesterday ... 

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.13 miles (or, 11,220 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>1,283.62 miles

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

ORPHANS AND ALEC BALDWIN==>A

Wednesday==>well, it is still cold here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World - 36º @ 8:30am. On a positive note - it is also bright and sunny.

Today is another doubleheader for your favorite blogger, so let’s get started with Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event ...

ORPHANS, the story about two orphaned brothers holed up in a run-down North Philadelphia row house and the wealthy kidnapped criminal who becomes a surrogate father to them==>A

This was the first public preview of the comedy/drama starring Alec Baldwin and all 3 actors were spot on. Amazing physicality from Tom Sturridge in the role of Phillip, the emotionally underdeveloped younger brother.

Baldwin gives a totally believable performance as does Ben Foster, in the role of the older brother Treat, a ticking time-bomb. Foster is the replacement for Shia LaBeouf.

Yesterday I posted about the controversy caused by the withdrawal of Shia LaBeouf after one week of rehearsals. Well, this is what the New York Times reporter Patrick Healy posted last night on FaceBook:

"First person giving a standing o at Bway 'Orphans' 1st preview tonight? Shia LaBeouf, in the very first row on the aisle."

Pretty classy don't you think? Billi Pod certainly does.

My TDF seat was excellent, in a first tier box, house right, all to myself ... like a rock star.

The show opens on April 18th for a limited run ending on June 30th. I think the critics are going to like it.

Moving on to today’s doubleheader ... first is ...

2:00==>HANDS ON A HARDBODY - “A musical about ten down-on-their-luck Texans competing to win a truck by keeping one hand on it the longest.” (Broadway - complimentary ticket)

The advance buzz on this show, in previews, is very very mixed as are the reactions of my theater-buddies who have seen it.

When the show is over I will have time to come back to PHC for the usual fruit and cheese plate and ... 

Then ... for the evening is ... 

7:00==>ADDICTED TO SHOW BUSINESS - “A one man comedic tour de force about the one addiction there’s no 12 Step program for!” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show is written and performed by 3 time Emmy Award winner Dave Konig and is playing at St. Luke’s Theatre, one of my least favorite venues because of the asshole who is the box office manager there.

Even though yesterday was a much nicer weather day I didn’t get in as much walk and wander time as I had anticipated because I still had some leftover in-house errands and stuff to do ... oh well ...

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.67 miles (or, 5,847 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>1,278.49 miles

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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