Marie, Lenny & Karen/SCAPIN/BLINK/Jim and Janice Case/The Wankies

Wednesday==>I hope everyone out there in the morass known as cyberspace had an “interesting” Tuesday because your favorite blogger here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, certainly did ... so ... let’s just cut to the chase and get started ...

As posted yesterday, around 2:30pm I met up with my friend Marie Taylor. Actually, she and her friend, Karen Rubin, came over to PHC so I could show them the terrific 41st floor views of my Hell’s Kitchen 'hood and also some of the paintings I did way back in the mid-70s.

The weather was good, so we then walked down 9th Avenue to 19th Street and then over to the David Zwirner Gallery for ...

A Mercantile Novel” by Oscar Murillo - “A candy making factory has been recreated inside the gallery, where tens of thousands of candies are being produced and given away for free to gallery visitors.”

We met up with Marie’s husband, Lenny Gordon, who warned us that we would probably be less than overwhelmed with the exhibit ... and ... dammit ... he was totally right.

From my basic research I had expected to see an operational candy factory, which wasn’t the case. The factory was off-limits and unseen. Instead there was basically an open space with free samples of only one candy, a chocolate-covered marshmallow (which, actually, was pretty good).

Needless-to-say, we didn’t spend much time there.

We did visit other installations at the Zwirner Gallery and then several other galleries in the same vicinity.

At around 4:30pm it was time to split. Marie, Lenny and Karen took a bus back to their Upper Westside ‘hood and I walked back to PHC via the Highline.

The time with them made the afternoon very worthwhile and interesting.

I was hot and sweaty when I got back to PHC. Showered, had my usual pre-theater snack, a fruit and cheese plate, and then it was time for my entertainment event, the Off Broadway show ...

SCAPIN, an outrageously hilarious new musical that knocks Moliere's classic for a loop as it ingeniously incorporates masks, improvisation, slapstick and the sublime songs of the late, great Rusty Magee==>A-

What an enjoyable evening. It is almost impossible for me to describe this event because it is so different and yet so very entertaining as it explodes with improvisation and slapstick comedy. I can’t remember when I laughed as much.

The cast is terrific, especially Josh Tobin as Scapin and Desi Domo as Silvestre.

The house was almost full and was very much into the show. There are several occasions of direct interaction between the cast and audience members. 

My only problem with this event is the fact that the seats in The Studio are without padding and they get very uncomfortable after about 45-minutes. 

Billi Pod says==>if you want a totally enjoyable evening with lots of laughs, then see this show.

The show just opened, is playing at The Studio @ The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 2:15, with intermission, and only runs through June 8th.

Moving on ...

Billi Pod also has an interesting schedule for today ... first is an Off Broadway show ...

7:15==>BLINK - “Against the lonely backdrop of London the worlds of two shy individuals, Jonah and Sophie, collide and a charming, delicate and darkly funny love story unfolds before your eyes.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show, part of the Brits Off Broadway Festival, just opened, is playing at the 59E59 Theatre Complex on East 59th Street, one of my favorite venues, has a running time of 1:22, without intermission, and runs through June 29th.

After the show I am meeting former Judicial colleague Jim Case, of Clearwater, FL, and his wife Janice, at Joe Allen on Restaurant Row on West 46th Street.

Jim and Janice are in The City, briefly, following an anniversary celebration trip to Bermuda. Tonight they are seeing the well-reviewed drama A Raisin in the Sun, starring Denzel Washington.

Jim is also a Facebook friend. It has been a long long time since we had any face time, so we have a lot, and I mean, a lot of catching up to do.

We will close this posting out with some sports ...

Last night out at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, The Wankies (29-28) squandered another good outing from Hiroki Kuroda by losing 5-2 in extra innings to The Oakland Athletics (36-22). The bullpen imploded yet again and our bats remain limp.

The level of frustration in The Yankee Universe is typified by the following quote from an article in today’s NY Post ...

“By now even the most casual Yankees follower knows the Yankees couldn’t score in a Nevada brothel with Donald Trump’s money.”

Amen, bro ... Amen.

Tonight at 7:05pm will be the second game of the 3-game series. On the mound for The Wankies will be Vidal Nuno (1-2) vs. Jesse Chavez (4-3).

My loyal and faithful readers and followers, THIS TEAM SUCKS and there is no way to gloss over it. No, I don’t expect them to win every game, but I do expect them to be competitive.

As a partial season ticket subscriber since 1999 I can say that previous teams exuded the aura of ... “we ain’t out of it yet, we're gonna find a way to win.”

This team oozes ... “ain’t no way we can win this game, so let’s just go home.”

Oh, well ... 

In closing ... yesterday was the 6th consecutive day that your favorite blogger recorded at least 5-miles on his trusty WeightWatchers Pedometer, largely due to the excellent weather and his need to be out and about.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.13 miles (or, 11,216 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>577.70 miles (average 3.75 miles per day)

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.

THE ANTHEM==>TOTALLY AMAZING!!

Tuesday==>Have some very interesting plans for today so we need to get this posting started with ...

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

THE ANTHEM, the rollicking sci-fi musical inspired by Ann Rand’s dystopian 1938 novel, Anthem, about a future in which individual identity is a crime and the revolt of the young against the evil state==>A

What a totally amazing show!!

As mentioned in the press blurb, the show is indeed filled with “romance, rousing music, energetic dancing and high flying aerial acrobatics.”

The cast is absolutely and totally stellar, headed by Jason Gotay as Prometheus, Randy Jones (of The Village People fame) as Tiberius and Ashley Kate Adams as Athena.

I can’t say enough about the aerial acrobatics that are often within touching distance of the audience.

The show is virtually a rock opera with outstanding songs by Jonnie Rockwell and lyrics by Erik Ransom.

My only quibble with the show is that perhaps it could use a bit of trimming, maybe as much as 15-minutes.

Having said that, I totally enjoyed the evening and highly recommend it to those of my loyal and faithful readers and followers in the Tri-State area who are interested in something a bit “different.”

The show, still in previews, is playing at the Lynn Redgrave Theatre @ Culture Project on Bleecker Street in The East Village, has a running time of 2:15, with intermission, and runs through July 6th.

I left for the show almost 90-minutes early so I could have a nice walk and wander session down in The East Village. It felt really nice.

Moving on to today’s entertainment plans ... starting with ...

At 2:30pm I am meeting up with my friend Marie Taylor and we will either walk or subway, depending on the weather, down to the David Zwiner Gallery on West 19th Street in Chelsea to see ...

A Mercantile Novel by Oscar Murillo - “A candy making factory has been recreated inside the gallery, where tens of thousands of candies are being produced and given away for free to gallery visitors.”

At the gallery we will be joined by Marie’s husband, Lenny Gordon.

Sounds interesting and yummy, doesn’t it.

The exhibition runs through June 14th.

Then for the evening is an Off Broadway show ...

7:30==>SCAPIN - “An outrageously hilarious new musical that knocks Moliere's classic for a loop as it ingeniously incorporates masks, improvisation, slapstick and the sublime songs of the late, great Rusty Magee.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

This show, that just opened, is playing at The Studio @ The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 2:00, with intermission, and only runs through June 8th.

My only problem with this event is the fact that the seats in The Studio are without padding and they get pretty uncomfortable after about 45-minutes. Oh well ... nuttin’ I can do ‘bout it.

Moving on ...

On the sports scene, again, for you Marty ...

Last night out at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, The Wankies (29-27) SUCKED yet again as they lost 10-2 to The Seattle Mariners (29-28) in a makeup game. According to the papers, the game was riddled with limp bats and lackluster defense, including a grievous mental error by Derek Jeter.

Thank God my show time kept me away from this mess.

Tonight at 7:05pm, at The Stadium, will be the first game of a 3-game series against The Oakland Athletics (35-22), who have the best record in the American League. On the mound for The Yankees will be Hiroki Kuroda (4-3) vs. Scott Kazmir (6-2) for The Athletics.

Moving on ...

Had another very  good walking and wandering day yesterday, thanks to the lure of the azure blue skies.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.20 miles (or, 11,363 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>572.57 miles (average 3.74 miles per day)

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.”

ETHEL SINGS==>????

Monday==>Yes, it is another beautiful morning on this Back To Work Monday here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

Even though today is my usual errands and chores day the azure blue skies are calling to your favorite blogger saying ... “come on outside and do some walking and wandering - errands and chores are boring - we are not - come on out.”

So ... let’s get started with Billi Pod’s report card on yesterday’s Off Broadway show ... 

ETHEL SINGS, decades after Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed at Sing Sing for passing American military secrets to the Soviets, Joan Beber - a distant cousin of the couple - puts Ethel’s life onstage in a musical drama==>????

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting I have to share that I have real difficulties assigning a letter grade to this show. The acting, staging and sets are terrific, the cast is exceptional and the story line is emotionally involving.

BUT ... what has bothered me is my perception that the underlying message was that Ethel and Julius were somehow victims of ethnic bias and a “witch-hunt” when they both were actually convicted of being part of a Communist spy cell that did, in fact, pass on top-secret information to the Russians during the height of The Cold War.

The play also attempts to equate Ethel with Saint Joan of Arc because she chose the electric chair over giving the government information about her alleged collaborators. She also left two young children in the care of her aging Mother.

It is indeed troubling and I acknowledge that I may be wrong in my feelings regard the underlying message(s).

Yes, the cast is remarkable, especially Tracy Michailidis as Ethel and Adrienne Moore in multiple roles. 

OK, I know you are asking your inner selves ... is this worth seeing?

Well, inner selves ... Billi Pod says that it is worth seeing, so you can draw your own conclusions.

This self-described “wild theatrical ride with music” is in early previews, opens on June 6th, is playing at The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 2:05, with intermission, and runs through July 13th.

Moving on ...

Tonight’s entertainment event is also something rather different, the Off Broadway show ...

7:00==>THE ANTHEM - A rollicking sci-fi musical inspired by Ann Rand’s dystopian 1938 novel, Anthem, about a future in which individual identity is a crime and the revolt of the young against the evil state. It is filled with romance, rousing music, energetic dancing and high flying aerial acrobatics.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Heading the cast is Randy Jones of The Village People fame.

The show, still in previews, is playing at the Lynn Redgrave Theatre @ Culture Project on Bleeker Street in The East Village, has a running time of 2:15, with intermission, and runs through July 6th.

Moving on to your daily sports fix ...

Yesterday afternoon out at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, The Wankies (29-26) lost 7-2 to The Minnesota Twins (26-28) as David Robertson blew his second save, and the game, allowing former Yankee Phil Hughes to get the win. Hughes pitched an excellent game, going 8-innings, giving up only 3-hits and 2-runs.

The only good thing about this game was the fact that your favorite blogger was at his show when Robertson imploded so he didn’t learn about the loss until the show was over.

Tonight @ 7:05pm, at The Stadium, The Wankies have a makeup game against The Seattle Mariners (28-28). On the mound for The Wankies will be David Phelps (1-2) vs. Felix Hernandez aka King Felix (7-1) for The Mariners.

On a positive note==>yesterday was another excellent walking day, largely due to the excellent weather. I had walk and wander sessions before my show and then after sunset, allowing me to record 5.69 miles. 

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers and followers, it was a nice way to end the weekend.

And ... yes ... azure blue skies==>Billi Pod will be with you in just a few more minutes.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.69 miles (or, 12,442 steps)

Total mileage for the week==>34.17 miles (average 4.88 miles per day)

Total mileage for 2014==>567.37 miles (average 3.73 miles per day)

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.”

The Diorama/Ethel Sings/The Yankees

Sunday==>Wow!! It is another beautiful day here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World - 67º and sunny at 11:00am, with a nice breeze coming off the Hudson River. After my show this afternoon (details below) this is definitely going to be a walk and wander day for your favorite blogger.

So ... my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... let’s get started with Billi Pod's report card on last night’s Off Broadway show ...

THE DIORAMA, two very different personalities collide when artistic Cecily moves in with her Wall Street lawyer sister, Janey, and - as one does - decides to construct a life-size igloo in the small apartment==>B+

The story line is pretty predictable but is also very funny, most of the time. Yeah, it is a rom/com with a major dose of drama.

The acting is excellent, especially Melissa Maclead Herion as Janey and Susan Louise O’Connor as the quirky younger sister Cicily, who you are torn between wanting to hug and wanting to bitch-slap.

Billi Pod says==>Worth seeing.

This comedy/drama just opened, is playing at The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 1:20, without intermission, and runs through June 14th.

Moving on to today’s entertainment event ...

3:00==>ETHEL SINGS - “Ethel Rosenberg, a determined mother of two, exceptional singer, writer and actor is caught up in the Young Communist League's fight for decent working conditions. Her husband Julius' need to ‘save the world’ will be his undoing. Ethel's love for Julius will be hers.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This self-described “wild theatrical ride with music” is in early previews, opens on June 6th, is playing at The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 1:35, with intermission, and runs through July 13th.

After booking the show I have been having the recurring thought that I have seen a staged reading of this show somewhere, and was unimpressed. Hope I am wrong.

Anyway ...

On the sports scene ... for you Marty ... of course ...

Yesterday afternoon out at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, The Yankees (29-25) beat The Minnesota Twins (25-28) 3-1 behind another stellar performance from our ace Masahiro Tanaka, who improved his record to 8-1.

Bad news==>Mark Teixeira had to leave the game in the 6th inning with soreness in his surgically repaired right wrist.

The final game of the 3-game series is this afternoon @ 1:05pm. On the mound for The Yankees will be Chase Whitley (0-0) vs. former Yankee Phil Hughes (5-1).

Let’s move on some more ...

Yesterday was another excellent walking day for your favorite blogger. I had walk and wander sessions both before and after my show and did my usual “walking regimen” while I was watching the Yankees/Twins game on my new (to me) 42” flat-screen TV. I recorded 5.40 miles, making the total for the month of May==>147.24 miles. Not bad.

In closing ... unfortunately I will be unable to have the anticipated face time with John Scott Reed aka Fabson. Sometimes “things” just happen and I totally understand.

HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.40 miles (or, 11,802 steps)

Total mileage for May==>147.24 miles (average 4.75 miles per day)

Total mileage for 2014==>561.68 miles (average 3.70 miles per day)

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.”