Friday==>Well, a major TGIF shout out to all of my Worker Bee friends and loyal and faithful readers and followers. Your favorite blogger here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, hopes that everyone out there in the hinterlands, wastelands and wilderness has a great weekend.
It is a very pleasant beginning to the weekend here in the City with azure blue skies, wispy clouds, a light breeze off of the Hudson River and a temperature of 64º @ 11:30am. The predictions for the weekend are sunny with highs in the low 70s and lows in the mid-50s. Yes ...
So ... let's get this posting started with ...
Last night’s entertainment event, THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall, was absolutely terrific and just what I was in the mood for. I needed a classical music fix.
The orchestra started with alborada del gracioso (Dawn Song of the Jester) by Ravel and then it was the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, which was wonderful and received a roaring ovation from the full-house audience.
As many of you know, West Side Story is on my top-5 favorite musicals list and, as some of you loyal and faithful readers and followers may remember from previous postings, I have a special tie to this musical. What am I talking about I know some of you are asking your inner selves?
Well, inner selves ... I will enlighten you by again sharing the following posting from November 8, 2008 --
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“In the summer of 1957 I was coming to the end of my tour of duty in the Army and was stationed in Washington, DC, living off-base with a bunch of army buddies, including one, Dan Hoik, who had a part-time job with the afternoon newspaper (the name escapes me).
One night Dan came in from work and told me that his Editor had given him two tickets to a musical that was finishing up its out of town tryouts and would soon open on Broadway. He asked me to go with him because he knew of my interest in the theater, even back then, and, also, the tickets included an after-performance party with the creative team, cast members and the press.
I asked him about the show and he said all he knew about it was that it was a musical based on a modern version of Romeo & Juliet. To this I replied - “no f**king way am I gonna see something like that, no f**king way.” Dan begged me and begged me to go with him and kept emphasizing the party afterwards. Finally I gave in and said I would go. According to some old notes I have the date was August 19, 1957 and it was the opening night at The National Theatre in Washington, DC.
Well, we were both blown away by the show. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, or, frankly, since. I remember though that some of the older people (I was all of 23yrs. old then) seated around us were horrified by the “coarseness” of some of the lyrics, especially in “Gee, Officer Krupke,” and there were audible gasps with the final line:
“Gee, Officer Krupke, Krup You!”
I don’t remember too much about the after-party other than it was at one of the posh hotels and had plenty of free booze and food. Someone pointed out a person named Leonard Bernstein and a very young looking guy named Sondheim, but neither name registered with me at the time.
The rest of the story is history, of course. I don’t know how many times, thousands I am sure, that I thanked the Gods of the Theatre for making me go to see a musical of a modern version of Romeo & Juliet.
Bottom-line I count this as the highlight of all of the theater experiences I have ever had.” (November 8, 2008)
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Yes, every time I hear music from West Side Story it brings back a flood of mostly highly positive memories from a time now long long ago.
Anyway ... after intermission ... Yefim Bronfman, the Philharmonic’s new Artist-in-Residence, performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. It was so beautiful.
When it was over the audience rose almost in unison for a roaring and prolonged standing ovation.
Yes, I left Avery Fisher Hall with a huge smile on my face.
The weather was good so I opted to walk back to the apartment.
In yesterday’s posting I said that I wouldn’t listen to the Yankees/Rays game ... well ... I was wrong ... of course I did, largely because it was to be Mariano Rivera’s final game at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built.
Thankfully, I was back at PHC in time to watch the highly ... and I mean highly emotional events that took place.
Mo came in with one out in the top of the 8th. It wasn’t a save situation because the Rays were winning 4-0 (the final score). He got 2 quick outs. He came back out for the top of the 9th, again getting 2 quick outs.
At this point Manager Joe Girardi sent Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte out to the mound to take Mo out of the game ... and ... Mo hugged both of them and cried. The stadium went totally nuts.
These are the headlines from today’s papers ...
“EXIT SAD MAN. Mo’s tears flow in Bronx finale.” - front page of The Daily News
“E-MO-TION. Mariano bids tearful farewell to Bronx in final Stadium appearance.” - back page of The Daily News
“Greatest Closure of all time.” - front page of The New York Post
“No Mo’ Mo! End of an era as Rivera bids farewell to Stadium.” - back page of The New York Post
“CLOSING SCENE. With Hugs, Jeter and Pettitte Record a Save for Rivera.” - front page of sports section of The New York Times.
Yes, it was a fitting tribute for a career-to-be-remembered.
Tonight the Wankees will play the first game of a 3-game meaningless series in Houston against The Astros.
On the mound for the Wankees will be ... who cares?
Yes ... I know that in yesterday’s posting I said that I would not report on the remaining games of the season ... but ...
The Ghost of George Steinbrenner came to me last night just before I fell asleep and told me in no uncertain terms that I had an obligation to my loyal and faithful readers and followers to keep you informed and up-to-date, regardless of how painful it would be to me personally ... so ... what could I do?
So ... just live with it.
Moving on ...
Have multiple options for tonight’s entertainment event. Considering several Off Broadway shows but leaning toward one of two movies, either “We’re The Millers” or the just released “Don Jon,” written, directed by and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Will make my decision later in the afternoon ... so ...
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!
Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.75 miles (or, 6,029 steps)
Total mileage since 7/1/13==>310.04 miles (average 3.52 miles per day)
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.”
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