Thursday==>AWESOME!!

Friday==>Your favorite blogger is happy to report to his loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the morass known as cyberspace that Thursday was an AWESOME day for him in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World ... so ... let’s get this posting started ...

At 6:00pm I met up with my friends Dian Crystal aka My Lady and Marty Kosarik aka Whatever at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant, Meske, located on West 47th Street in my Hell’s Kitchen ‘hood.

It had been a while since we had eaten there. We got things started by each ordering our usual, the Vegetable Platter, shown in the picture.

It was great, as usual. We had a lot of catching up to do. I am happy to report that Marty’s health continues to improve and he is in much better physical condition. The last time I saw him was back on December 22, 2013, when My Lady and I “escorted” him back to his West 147th Street apartment. 

When we finished our great meal we leisurely braved the cold weather and walked over to 45th Street for our entertainment event, the highly acclaimed Off Broadway show ...

NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 - “A wickedly sharp theatrical event about the elegance and allure of Tsarist Russia, when lovers spoke by letter and the night sky was set ablaze by The Great Comet of 1812.”

In this operatic (meaning virtually no spoken dialogue) adaptation of parts of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” young and impulsive Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines. When she falls under the spell of the city's most charming rogue, Anatole, it is up to the disillusioned Pierre, a family friend, to help her pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation.

Wow!! What an outstanding theatrical event. It is performed in an elaborately appointed salon, with claret-colored velvet draperies and period paintings adorning the walls. The performers move all around the room, often mere inches from the audience, which is seated at rather cramped tables.

The cast is stellar and it is backed by an 8 piece orchestra, located throughout the room. Also, some of the performers play instruments from time-to-time.

David Abeles as Pierre, Phillipa Soo as Natasha, and Lucas Steele as Anatole are absolutely terrific.

I can certainly understand why the show has received such glowing reviews and why Marty was so enthusiastic about us seeing it with him. He had seen it earlier when it was downtown. 

If you decided to see it, I strongly urge you to take the time to read the synopsis and study the “family-tree” drawing in the program.

Billi Pod’s report card==>A

It is playing under a tent, known as Kazino, on West 45th Street. It has a running time of 2:30, with intermission, and runs through February 2nd.

Billi Pod says==>see this show before it closes.

Moving on ... 

Tonight’s entertainment event is an Off Broadway show in early previews ...

8:30==>I AM THE WIND - “A glorious afternoon on the water turns into a devastating meditation on life and the depths of friendship. Two friends spend a day boating, stopping off for drinks and a meal before pushing on to the open ocean. As the winds rise and the sea swells, the men confront each other, themselves, and the inexorable mystery of fate.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

This drama is playing at Theater C in the 59E59 Theatre Complex (one of my favorite venues) on E. 59th Street, has a running time of 90 minutes, without intermission, and only runs through January 26th.

Now ... what about New Jersey Governor Chris Christie I know many of you are anxiously asking your inner selves? Well, inner selves, you knew that he was going to deny any knowledge of and/or involvement with the bridge closing and that is just what he did in an almost 2-hour rambling news conference.

The following headlines in today’s papers pretty much sums things up ...

FAT CHANCE NOW, CHRIS -  Bridge scandal eats away at Prez hopes.

(front page of the Daily News)

IGNORANCE IS CHRIS - Christie denies role in GWB scam, fires aide. 

(front page of the New York Post)

‘VERY SAD’ CHRISTIE EXTENDS APOLOGY IN BRIDGE SCANDAL - Fires Aide and Cuts Ties With Adviser - U.S. Starts Lane Closing Inquiry. 

(front page of the New York Times)

Oh, yes ... it’s gonna be so much fun watching this play itself out. Oh ... and please keep the applications for a share of the George Washington Bridge coming. For more info see yesterday's posting.

So ... on this happy note, will close this posting out, with ...

STAY WARM EVERYONE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.34 miles (or, 5,161 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>17.15 miles (average 1.91 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.”