Sorry, Sorry, Sorry - Justin Allen Pifer - Winter Blues - Application Pending - Carnegie Hall Concert

Sunday==>Yes, my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... your favorite blogger failed to post yesterday ... and ... he is soooooooo sorry because it can be blamed on nothing other than the frigid weather here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

Yeah ... it went down like this ... 

Had lunch with law student Justin Allen Pifer, who is in his final semester at Pace Law School in White Plains, NY. We had a great meal at one of my favorite Hell’s Kitchen restaurants, 5 Napkin Burger, at the corner of 45th Street and 9th Avenue. We did some much needed/wanted catching up.

When we finished we split and I came back to the apartment. It was very cold out and it began to lightly snow. It got nastier and nastier.

Nothing of any interest showed up on any of my ticket services, so for the evening I considered braving the elements to walk the 2 blocks to the AMC Theater to catch a movie.

But ... when it came time to get ready to head out I just wasn’t in the mood to get all layered up and brave the elements ... so ... Billi Pod decided to stay in. He felt totally overwhelmed by the Winter Blues.

Yes ... that’s right ... the Winter Blues. He stayed in on a Saturday night here in Gotham City ... but ... please remember, before you become too judgmental ... since he is retired ... every night is a Saturday night ... anyway ... 

Now, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting I have to admit that it turned out to be a totally boring evening and he just wasn’t in the mood to sit down in front of this ‘puter and prepare a blog posting.

As the evening dragged on he regretted his decision to let the fucking cold weather prevail ... but ... that is what happened ... 

So==>Billi Pod is sorry to all of you loyal and faithful readers and followers. Please forgive him/me. 

Now ... your weather report ...

At 8:30am it is 14º, with wind chill down to -3º. Tomorrow is forecast to be the coldest day of the year. Oh well ... 

We will now move on (or back) with Billi Pod’s report card on the Off Broadway show he saw on Friday night ...

APPLICATION PENDING, a new comedy about the hilariously cutthroat world of kindergarten admissions at a New York private school. One actress, Christina Bianco, portrays rookie admissions officer Christine and over forty other roles, including all the wild personalities that she has to deal with on her first day on the job==>A

Folks, this is a totally enjoyable evening’s entertainment and a remarkable performance by Christina Bianco as she ricochets from one character to another in breakneck speed, without missing a beat.

The audience was laughing from the moment she came on stage until she walked off.

The special effects of incoming calls, outgoing calls, computer responses, cellphone calls etc etc etc are amazing.

Billi Pod says==>see this show, it is really funny.

It just opened to very good reviews, including The New York Times. 

This one-woman show is playing at The Westside Theatre on West 43rd Street, has a running time of 1:20, without intermission, and runs through April 19th.

Moving on ...

My entertainment event for today is a concert at Carnegie Hall ...

2:00==>MIDAMERICA PRODUCTIONS: Ensemble Spotlight Series @ Carnegie Hall. (concert - complimentary ticket)

Choral groups from China, California, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Oregon with Orchestral groups from St. Charles, Illinois, will perform a program of modern compositions and works by Mendelssohn and Beethoven.

Luckily, my exposure to the elements will only be on the walk to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and that is manageable ... at the moment.

So ... will close this out with another==>I’m sorry ... please forgive me.

STAY WARM EVERYONE IN THE TRI-STATE AREA

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.50 miles (or, 7,664 steps)

Total mileage for 2015==>187.04 miles (average 4.16 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.”

Freezing Cold - Snow Orchid - Application Pending

Friday==>What can I say except ... man ... it is freezing cold here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

Yeah ... I know that many of you loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the boondocks, wastelands and hinterlands are getting more than tired of the daily bitching and moaning about the weather up here in the Northeast ... but ... unfortunately the weather has a great impact on Billi Pod’s entertainment plans and stuff and ...

This blog is a record of his activities here in Gotham City ... so ... just live with it, OK? It ain’t gonna change ...

So ... Billi Pod will now report that at 8:00am this morning it was 8º, with wind chill it was down to -10º and, I think you will all agree, that is fucking cold.

It has warmed up a bit as I am preparing this posting ... yeah ... warmed up ... at noon it is a balmy 15º, wind chill 1º. It is also sunny, with blue skies and a few clouds. 

And .... unfortunately ... this will be the pattern for the weekend. Oh well ...

Happily, my show for this evening (details below) is in a venue only one short block away from my apartment building, and that is good.

So ... let’s move on to Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event ...

SNOW ORCHID, in 1964 Brooklyn Rocco Lazarra is returning home to face his family after having suffered a nervous breakdown. His fiery wife, Filumena, longs for her native Sicily, while their two sons hope for a better life. As secrets are revealed, everyone is forced to re-examine their relationships, fears and dreams==>C 

In yesterday’s posting I predicted: “My gut tells me this is going to be filled with boozing, screaming, yelling, cussing, physical violence and basically unlikeable characters.” I was totally correct, especially about unlikeable characters.

The playwright throws in every imaginable dysfunctional family stereotype/cliché ... including ... incest, drug abuse, sibling rivalry, homosexuality, explosive anger, deception, physical violence, emotional disability, long-held secrets, unrealistic expectation etc etc etc.

The effect is to make the story line completely ... and I mean completely ... unbelievable and each of the four main characters totally unlikeable.

The thing that saves the show from a much lower mark is the stellar performances from each member of the 5-person cast. They do a great job with the material given to them.

Yes, I thought about leaving at intermission but opted to stay in hopes that Act II would get better ... it didn’t.

Billi Pod says==>you are hereby warned.

This show is playing at The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 2:15, with intermission, and runs through February 28th.

Moving on ...

Tonight’s entertainment event is an Off Broadway show ...

8:00==>APPLICATION PENDING - “A new comedy about the hilariously cutthroat world of kindergarten admissions at a New York private school. One actress, Christina Bianco, portrays rookie admissions officer Christine and over forty other roles, including all the wild personalities that she has to deal with on her first day on the job.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

The show just opened to very good reviews, including The New York Times. I am looking forward to seeing it.

This one-woman show is playing at The Westside Theatre on West 43rd Street, has a running time of 1:20, without intermission, and runs through April 19th.

Advance warning==>tomorrow I am having lunch with law student Justin Allen Pifer so Saturday’s posting will be delayed.

OK ... my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... time to post this and then briefly brave the elements for a quick trip across the street to the Food Emporium.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.11 miles (or, 6,805 steps)

Total mileage for 2015==>179.13 miles (average 4.17 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.”

Weather - New York Philharmonic - Snow Orchid - Bob Simon - Fairy Tale

Thursday==>Well, my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... the weather here in the Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, continues to be shitty ... yeah ... I know that is a nasty word ... but shitty best describes what has been going on here for the month of February.

Right now, at 11:00am it is 34º, wind chill down to 29º, manageable ... but ... we have rain, sleet and snow in the forecast for the afternoon and into the evening. Then ... for Friday, Saturday and Sunday we are promised freezing cold with lows in the single digits.

Man ... I am getting more than tired about this ... but ... ain’t nothing I can do about it except bitch ... so ...

We will just go ahead and get today’s posting started with ...

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s concert at Lincoln Center ...

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall - The program was:

MacMillian - Piano Concerto No. 3 “The Mysteries of Light” (performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet); 

Faure - “Pelleas et Melisande” Suite; and,

Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4

Billi Pod’s report card==>Totally Enjoyable

I was happily surprised by MacMillian’s Piano Concerto, performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet. It was involving and melodically pleasant, something that is rare in today’s so-called “modern” works. This performance was its NYC premiere and it was well-received by the audience.

The highlight of the evening was, of course, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, impeccably performed by the orchestra. The first and fourth movements are simply majestically beautiful. 

The audience gave the orchestra a well-deserved standing ovation.

Yep ... your favorite blogger was a happy camper as he left Avery Fisher Hall.

Moving on to tonight’s entertainment event ...

The Off Broadway show ...

8:00==>SNOW ORCHID - “It's 1964 Brooklyn and Rocco Lazarra is returning home to face his family after having suffered a nervous breakdown. His fiery wife, Filumena, longs for her native Sicily, while their two sons hope for a better life. As secrets are revealed, everyone is forced to re-examine their relationships, fears and dreams in this explosive family drama.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

My gut tells me this is going to be filled with boozing, screaming, yelling, cussing, physical violence and basically unlikeable characters. 

This show is playing at The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block (meaning I will only briefly be exposed to the elements), has a running time of 2:15, with intermission, and runs through February 28th.

Moving on ...

Bob Simon, a “60 Minutes” correspondent and veteran CBS News foreign correspondent, died Wednesday night in a car crash at 12th Avenue and West 30th Street in Manhattan. Simon was a passenger in a Town Car. He was headed to a medical seminar downtown. He was not wearing a seat belt.

While covering the Gulf War in January 1991, Simon was captured by Iraqi forces, along with three other CBS News crew members, and imprisoned for 40 days. He later wrote a best-selling book about this experience.

Simon had been a contributor to “60 Minutes” since 1996.

This is a grievous loss to the journalism community.

Let’s close this out with something a bit more upbeat ... 

You are welcome.

Ah ... yes ... it is 11:45am and it is now lightly snowing.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.37 miles (or, 9,560 steps)

Total mileage for 2015==>176.02 miles (average 4.19 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.”

Happy Birthday Ginger Flowers - Commanders-In-Chief - New York Philharmonic - Brian Williams/Jon Stewart/A-Rod

Wednesday==>A major Happy Birthday shout-out to Ginger Flowers, who lives in Atlanta, GA, and is celebrating her 79th birthday today (yeah, I got her permission to give the year).

Ginger has lived in Atlanta longer than I care to remember. She is a retired Eastern Airline flight attendant.

Our friendship spans decades, beginning back when we dated in high school (Summerlin Institute), in Bartow, FL. We have maintained that close relationship to this day.

She has had some major health issues. I talked with her this morning and I am happy to report that she is back home, in good spirits and living her life in a positive manner, one day at a time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GINGER - Love ya lots and lots!!

Now ... moving forward to ... 

Billi Pod’s report on yesterday’s staged reading at The York Theatre ...

COMMANDERS-IN-CHIEF, after a chaotic rehearsal, 6 community volunteers stampede through a fund raising one-night-only tribute performance to our 44 presidents==>THUMBS UP

This performance was part of the Developmental Reading Series at The York Theatre Company at The Citigroup Center on East 54th Street. It was a rare exception since it is a straight play and not a musical.

Interesting story line with a lot of laughs and also plenty of historical references to ponder.

This was its first public performance and it definitely has promise. Hopefully, it will continue in the developmental process.

When the reading was over I subwayed back to the apartment where I spent the rest of the day/evening in its warm and cozy confines.

Yes ... Billi Pod gave himself a night off ... which was ... actually ... kinda boring ... but ... whatever ... it is what happened ...

Moving on to tonight’s entertainment event ...

A classical music concert at Lincoln Center ...

7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall - The program is:

MacMillian - Piano Concerto No. 3 “The Mysteries of Light” (performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet);

Faure - “Pelleas et Melisande” Suite; and,

Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4

(concert - season subscription series)

Really interesting program. I love Tchaikovsky.

Now ... on to the Breaking News scene here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World ...

First ... NBC has announced that Brian Williams, the host of “NBC Nightly News,” has been suspended for 6 months, without pay.

This, of course, created a fire storm in the local papers. Here are this morning’s headlines ...

BRIAN SHOT DOWN - Suspended 6 months - This time for real.

front page of The New York Post

BYE-BYE BRI! - Lyin’ Williams taken off air without pay.

front page of The Daily News

and, in The Gray Lady ...

Williams Suspended, at Low Point in His Career - 6-Month Hiatus and a Murky Future.

front page of The New York Times

Then ... speaking of almost unbelievable timing ... is the announcement that later on this year Jon Stewart will end his 16+ year role as host of “The Tonight Show” on Comedy Central. I am certain this announcement will be received with open arms by the major recipient of his on-air criticism, Fox News.

Who and what will replace him has yet to be announced, and, of course, some are already suggesting his spot should be filled by ... tada ... Brian Williams.

Next ... on the sports scene ...

Yesterday disgraced former superstar Alex Rodriguez met with Yankee brass to offer his apology for “his actions over the past several years.” 

This meeting, of course, also generated headlines ...

WHO’S SORRY NOW - As A-Rod begs for forgiveness, Yanks tell him to kiss 30M in HR bonuses goodbye.

back page of The Daily News

UNEASY TRUCE - A-Rod apologizes; Yankees will forgive, but won’t forget - Bombers to fight Alex on HR bonus money.

back page of The New York Post

and, in The Gray Lady ...

Rodriguez and Yankees Clear the Air.

hidden in a bottom corner of the sports section of The New York Times

Oh, the drama ... stay tuned ... 

Oh ... yes ... the weather ... at 11:30am it is sunny, azure blue skies, puffy clouds and cold==>27º, wind chill 17º.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.35 miles (or, 9,516 steps)

Total mileage for 2015==>171.65 miles (average 4.19 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.”