Parlez vous Olympics?!

Yes, I've got Olympic Fever.  I admit it.  I adore the Olympics, always have.  Even the commercials make me cry!  My family has always watched sports and used them as quality family time.  When I was growing up, we would go over to my grandparents' house on Saturdays and watch the PBA Bowling tour and then Wide World of Sports.  Then, on Sundays during football season, we would go back over and watch the Browns game.  During baseball season, sometimes my grandfather would put the tiny portable tv on top of the big tv and we would watch baseball AND Wide World of Sports!  So, I come by my love of sportswatching naturally.  I think I might miss my family the most when I'm watching sports by myself...

Favorite sports moments?  Off the top of my head:  I think I remember my dad waking me up to watch Hank Aaron hit 715.  My whole extended family gathered around the tv during a picnic to watch Mark McGwire hit #62.  There may have even been some sneaking away from my sister's wedding reception to see the Indians in the World Series.  We played softball as kids, and the Indians in the 70s weren't big deals back then, so you could get them to come pass out trophies at sports banquets.  We met Buddy Bell and Joe Charboneau - so fun.  The Fumble.  The Drive.  The gal who hit me in the back in a softball game and the umpire called ME out (I can still hear my dad scream "THIS ISN'T DODGEBALL!!!).  My family gets as riled up about this stuff now as we did way back when.  Sports are fun. 

Anyway, most indelible sports memories are from the Olympics.  Even all these years later, I can still remember being excited at seeing Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci.  We all wondered who would light the flame in LA and Atlanta.  Nancy v Tanya?  The Battle of the Brians?  Some of that stuff is more real to me than my real life.  Which is kinda scary, I guess...

I love having Opening Ceremonies parties.  I've had quite a few over the years - some big, some small.  Last Friday's party was small, but grand.  In fact, the Ceremonies were so theatrical, it was nice to be quiet and watch and marvel, rather than have a lot of voices shouting over each other at each new element.  Not that I don't enjoy that, too.  Plus, it was nice to not cook myself into a frenzy for once and just enjoy some wine and my beautiful gal pal's company.  That's a perfect sports memory, if you ask me.

Review - Swing State (at NYMF) and a weekend in NYC

So I had a busy weekend after all, even though I was bone tired.  Still am, to be honest.  Saturday, I had a rehearsal for an event I'm attending tonight.  After the rehearsal (where we had an awesome view, btw!  see it on the right), I texted a friend that I haven't seen for a while to find out if she were free for dinner.  She wasn't, but she was seeing Swing State at NYMF and would I like to come, too?  Sure, why not??

Since they moved NYMF (the New York Musical Theater Festival) from September to July, it was rather off my radar.  I only know a few people involved this year, so I haven't been paying much attention.  My bad.  But a mutual friend directed Swing State, so I was glad to tag along.  The performance was billed as sold out, but I was persistent at the box office, and the very kind gal gave me what she said was the last ticket.  I saw a few empty seats in the house, though, so I felt badly for the people who didn't get in. 

I knew absolutely nothing about Swing State when I went in, but had a vague opinion in my mind about its subject matter, thanks to the title.  I was a little bit right, but mainly wrong, in my assumptions.  I'm happy to say I've never seen this story told before, which was a definite plus.  A definite minus, however, is that the storytelling of this original subject matter was a bit confusing to me.

The musical concerns two characters, a schoolteacher and a chiropractor, in rural Ohio.  The fact that the schoolteacher is a born again Christian and the chiropractor is gay is the supposed conflict of the piece.  But it's not.  She never rejects him and he never ridicules her.  Well, he disagrees with her about something, but still.  So that conflict isn't really developed well.  The chiropractor's motivations were all over the place and his character was really diffuse.  And I'm not sure why the schoolteacher had to be a born again Christian, as opposed to a Christian her whole life.  It can't have only been because there was a song called "Born Again...Again," can it?  It's like the writers wanted to make her a kind of wackadoodle, but not, to hedge their bets.  So the balance of the piece was off from the get go, in my opinion, and the ending was just...odd.  Intellectually, I guess I understood it, but I felt like the inherent drama that was trying to be built previously just fell apart, as if the ending was "oh, nevermind."  That bothered me, because I think some important things could've been said in this musical.

I'm being purposefully vague with plot points because I think seeing the events unfold without knowing them in advance would work better for you.  Even though some of the unfolding was confusing; well, at least it was to me.  But the actors are both quite good and have excellent chemistry, so they maintained my interest and my sympathy throughout.  My friend directed the show very well - it's a small space, but it's used intelligently throughout.  I never understand why singers have to use body mics in such a small theater, but that's just me, I guess.  I think the book and lyrics are much stronger than the music, even with their sometimes confusing quality.  Of course, my review is probably rather confusing too.  I'm too confused to write coherently.  :)    To sum up, I'd say if you're looking for a musical that tells a story you probably haven't seen before, go see Swing State.  Perhaps it will make more sense to you.

Since it was raining Friday, I thought it was the perfect day to try the Melt Shop, a grilled cheese restaurant on the east side.  I was too lazy for a museum, but not too lazy for a grilled cheese.  Clearly, I didn't pay attention to the fact that it wasn't a sit-down-indoors restaurant, or I may have postponed my sampling for another day.  But, since I was there, I went ahead and ordered.  I figured since I only live four stops away on the subway, how cold could my sandwich get?  ;) 

Thumbs WAY up for Melt Shop!  The tater tots were delicious, as was the barbecue dipping sauce, and the sandwich was amazing, too.  Please don't tell the vegetarian police, but I got the smoked turkey melt (sans bacon).  Love love loved it and I will have to go back again to try most of the other sandwiches.  Oh, and I also got a tasty vegetable wrap at Zuni Saturday night after seeing Swing State.  Thumbs up on the vegetable wrap.  I had some great food this weekend!  :)

Sunday, I went to New Rochelle for a picnic and had a grand time.  I always love going to Grand Central and taking a train somewhere - I feel like I'm in a movie.  Plus, it was a beautiful day to be outside with work chums and their kids.  I was happy to eat barbecue and to spend some quality time with a five year old and eleven year old.  And the adults, of course. :)  Enjoy the photos from my sojourn to New Rochelle...



Review - The Sensational Josephine Baker, plus some other summer in NY tidbits...

We're entering the summer doldrums theater-wise, I guess.  I don't see much in July or August, as a rule.  But I was feeling a little bit of withdrawal, so I picked up a ticket to see last night's Off-Broadway production of The Sensational Josephine Baker at the Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row. 

The evening didn't get off to a great start when the show started about a half-hour late.  There was a school group of about 25 kids who were on their way, and I can understand trying to keep that kind of disruption to a minimum, but still, that's a long time to make the rest of us wait.

Finally the show began (and the kids did come in late with minimal fuss).  Apparently, this is an updated version of a show that ran previously in 2010.  The playwright and actress Cheryl Howard performed in Europe as Josephine Baker and became so intrigued with the woman's life and career, she wrote her own play.  I agree that Josephine Baker is a compelling figure, both as a performer and as a woman, but I'm not sure this particular piece is the most compelling example of celebrating her.


For one thing, this one-woman show isn't necessarily dramatic - events are presented chronologically, in more of a book report format.  I'm rarely a fan of "and then she did..." kinds of work.  The transitions can be clumsy at times: Howard will just wander back between scenes and wipe her brow or take a drink.  I can appreciate how exhausting this piece must be for Howard, she's onstage alone for over an hour, but I kept thinking the director should've been able to come up with a more interesting way to segue between scenes. 

The original songs that are used at the top of the show are pretty generic, so musically, it was hard for me to get really involved until the terrific period songs that Josephine Baker actually performed were introduced.  Also, at times, because the other characters Howard performs (including Josephine's grandmother and one of her rivals) are so compelling, sometimes Baker herself becomes a cypher.  I'm thinking it might've been more successful for me if the author had chosen one method, either Baker herself relating the story, or the other characters relating Baker's story.  I could be wrong, of course.  Oh, and I felt like there was at least one scene missing.  One moment, Josephine was singing with joy and the toast of Paris, the next she was vindictively screaming at her lover.  Again, I understand that, historically, once Josephine came back to the US, she experienced great pain and hardship, but it just happened so quickly onstage, I wasn't prepared.

Having complained, I will say that I think the show is a worthwhile visit, due to the amazing acting talent of Cheryl Howard.  She is a brilliantly charismatic performer and delineates the many characters beautifully.  She also performs Josephine's signature numbers thrillingly.  The end of the show, presented in a concert format, is wonderful and sends you out on a high note (even with the gasp of sadness that comes when you read the slides that are projected onstage).   I felt the thrill of young Josephine's first glimpse of freedom when she arrived in Paris, and I felt her fear of losing it all.  I just wish the script itself was more deserving of this wonderful performance.

I've been very lazy in the Summer Friday experiment department (and today I'm just too tired for a museum or a fancy lunch.  A nap on the couch is all I have the energy for...), but I have enjoyed several recent outings.

I finally went to see Pixar's Brave and LOVED it.  I definitely want to go back and see it again.  I loved seeing a female heroine not defined by a man and I found the mother/daughter story touching.  The score by Patrick Doyle was beautiful and the scenes of the gorgeous countryside were breathtaking.  If the storytelling isn't as thrillingly idiosyncratic as Up or the Toy Story trilogy, well, ok.  Thumbs still way up from me.  Oh, and the short film that precedes Brave, La Luna, is gorgeously enchanting.  I may have teared up at how beautiful it was...

I met a friend downtown at Tribeca Tavern, another locale I'd never visited before, and enjoyed myself.  I always enjoy seeing this particular chum - we have completely different tastes in theater, so it's fun to debate the merits (or lack thereof) of selected shows.  It's also nice to have someone on whom to practice flirting that won't go anywhere.  :)   Beer-lovers would adore Tribeca Tavern, they have scads of modestly priced beers on tap and in bottles.  I'm not really a beer lover, so I got a glass (or two) of a nice Malbec and enjoyed a thin-crust margherita pizza.  Tribeca Tavern is definitely worth another visit, though the grown men carrying skateboards rather threw me for a loop...

Another wonderful New York experience: I got to attend a rooftop cocktail party at a gorgeous location.  It was for work, but I still enjoyed myself enormously.  It became difficult to take many photos, since I had a drink in one hand and needed another hand for passed snacks, but I got a few good ones.  :)  The official photographer, Ken Goodman, also got some fun shots with me in them (he got the one at right).  It was a lovely evening and I am completely envious of people who can work in such beautiful surroundings.   Times Square is fun, but 'beautiful' it is not.  Let's all raise a glass and hope for more gorgeous nights this summer...

**five years ago, I adored Patti LuPone in the City Center summer production of Gypsy; three year's ago, I enjoyed Geoffrey Naufft's Next Fall Off-Broadway; last year, I had a good time at Death Takes a Holiday, though the guy playing Death took a holiday too (god love an understudy)... :)

A heart full of love: Semi-reviews and more...

My heart has been overflowing with love the past week or so, which is a happy way to be spending this too-hot summer.  I've seen shows either starring or written by much-loved friends, I've spent some quality time with my spectacular nephew (and the rest of the family), and I witnessed a sporting event that made me weep for joy - much like the victor and non-victor.  Happy happy joy joy...

I have a hard enough time being critical of theater, but when it features a dear friend, all objectivity goes out the window.  It's useless for me to even try to write a coherent review.  So, I won't.  Last week, I went to a theater in Ohio and saw a dear friend from undergrad days star as Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone.  In my seriously biased opinion, he was FANTASTIC.  Funny, moving, charming, quirky.  Really, really wonderful.  He's just a star.  The show was also very well done.  Kudos to everyone involved.  The sold-out house seemed to enjoy it, so maybe I wasn't the only prejudiced audience member.  :)   I laughed loudly and often - I may have even made my friend laugh at one point.  I'm too embarrassed to remember clearly...

I saw another dear one play Ko-Ko in The Mikado.  Some serious brilliance was going on there, plus I love the pure joy with which my chum performs.  It just radiates from him, which is rare.  Another star.  Show-wise, I will admit to not really liking the framing device set up at the beginning (but abandoned at the end), but the production was very well-sung and nicely paced.  Clearly, my friend was the highlight of the afternoon.  As he always is.  Always.  To add to the enjoyment of the day (which was staggeringly hot, yuck), we went to an Amish restaurant nearby and had some yummy fried food.  And pie.  A perfect afternoon spent with my best friends - my beautiful sister and my handsome friend.  Hooray!!

 

My nephew and I had a grand time together.  I love him so much - he even took a break from playing his violent video games so that he and I could play less violent games together!  My very lame attempts at winning Mario Kart made him crack up.  My even more lame attempts to beat him at video tennis made him crack up even harder.  Which makes my heart swell even more.  My nephew has the best laugh in the world.  I'm a very lucky aunt.  Oh, I'm also lucky that the family dog is so fond of me, too.  I always have a buddy ready to sit on my lap when I go to visit. ;) 

In other family trip news - we had a very fun nearly-whole-family picnic (we're a big family!), with lots of tasty food and a rousing game of charades (my team won, hello).  Monday, our day at the amusement park didn't go as planned - my sister got quite unwell, so we cut the day a little short, but at least my nephew got to ride a few of his favorites, I rode a couple with him, and it was a lovely sunny day with the family.  I'm a fortunate person in general, I think, but especially with regards to my family.  When we get together, we always have such a good time.  Sure, there are little squabbles and flare-ups here and there, but there's also a ton of laughter, hugs and kisses.  And many hearings of I love you.  Just what a single gal needs every now and then.

After a week of fun with my family, I flew back to New York, dropped my suitcase off at my apartment, then went to Second Stage to see Dogfight.  Dogfight is a world-premiere musical, written by boys I know and love, so again, it's hard for me to offer cogent criticism.  Plus, it's early in the preview process, so I'll only say a few things, since I'm sure they're making changes all the time.

I didn't see the movie, starring River Phoenix and Lili Taylor.  I don't know why I never saw it, but...there it is.  I knew the story, though, so that wasn't a surprise to me.  I have to admit, as (again) a single woman of a certain age, I found certain aspects of the plot desperately uncomfortable.  As I should've, yes, but it also made me dislike the characters I maybe should've been rooting for.  But I freely admit that's my bias.  The lead guy even looked a little like my ex-brother-in-law, who I'm less than fond of, so that hurt my chances to empathize with him.  It was an uphill battle for me, I will admit.  But the songs are terrific, both tuneful and smart, with really good lyrics, especially the duets between the lead couple.  The book is also smart and well-paced.  I do wish it were only one act, though.  I think the intermission ruins the momentum - it would play much better in one fell swoop.  In my opinion, of course.  The cast is first-rate and Second Stage has given the show a wonderful physical production.  I think I'll try to go back after it opens and see if I can approach the show with a less biased eye.  Regardless, I definitely think Dogfight is worth your time and you should go.  I'm very proud of the boys and I'm sure this is the start of big things for them.                                                                     

Finally, a sporting event for the ages.  Well, for my ages, I guess.  My Roger, the man I've followed and cheered for more than a decade, won Wimbledon for the seventh time.  And became #1 in the world again.  What a triumph!  It was so wonderful to show all the nay-sayers that Roger isn't done yet. He always knew it and I always knew it.  Now, everyone should know it.  It was a beautiful victory over a valiant opponent.  I cried with both of them during the trophy ceremony.  The victory over Djokovic in the semi-finals was one of the most satisfying victories I've witnessed by Roger, and the semi-final match between Murray and Tsonga was great fun.  All in all, it was a wonderful two weeks at Wimbledon and I'm sad it's over.  I love watching grass court tennis on HD.  Oh, and I'd like to thank the tennis gods for granting my wish for a final with two different players.  My favorite won, but I certainly would've cheered loudly if Murray had won instead.  I don't want to jinx anything for the rest of the year, so I probably won't put any other requests out to the tennis gods this season.  Probably.  The Olympics ARE just around the corner, and there will be lots of love and tears during that time, too.  Just to keep a full heart full... 

ABT - Le Corsaire

Last night was the last ballet in my ABT subscription series.  And there was much sadness.  But at least I went out on a high note!  Last night's Le Corsaire was off the charts awesome!!  :)

I haven't seen Le Corsaire in years.  I'm pretty sure the last time I saw it, my Julie danced with Ethan Stiefel as Conrad and Angel Corella as Ali.  How scary is it that two of those three are retiring this season.  Well, Angel is already retired - I'm so sorry I didn't get to see him dance one more time.  His performances were always spectacular.  But I'm glad I got to see Ethan last night - the crowd was ready to cheer lustily for him and he didn't let anyone down.

Le Corsaire is a goofball ballet, in my opinion.  It's got a wackadoodle plot that is filled with sublime choreography.  How they made that happen, I'll never know.  But, hey, there are pirates and harem girls.  Something for everyone.  The show last night didn't get off to a great start - the ballet opens with the character of Lankendem, owner of the bazaar and seller of women, alongside his merchant pals.  Well, one of the merchant pals took a tumble in the first bit of dancing, which was scary.  To his credit, he got up and pushed another guy as if to say 'hey, no pushing!'  But still.  And Lankendem was danced by Sascha Radetsky, who, again, was perfectly fine, but did nothing for me.  Sigh.  I know I'm a broken record here.  I wish I could put my finger on what it is about his dancing that doesn't excite me, but I can't.  I tried to really watch him last night to pinpoint something, but couldn't.  Oh well.  But, at one point when Ethan raised his arms and took over the entire room, I thought, you can't teach that.  You either have it, or you don't.  Ethan has it.  Sascha...doesn't.

Gillian Murphy danced Medora and was lovely, as usual.  I don't know why I don't warm to her either, because she is a fantastic dancer.  I need to put her in rotation more next year, because she knocked my socks off last night in the second act.  Stella Abrera was a lovely Gulnare and her dancing got better with each solo.  Her pas de deux with Sascha, who, incidentally, is her husband in real-life, was again wonky.  He just must get nervous partnering her.  But she has a lyric quality that is quite nice, and she showed her playful side in the garden dream ballet.  Craig Salstein was a very charismatic bad guy, and Victor Barbee was a nicely goofy pasha.  The gals who were the odalisques in the first act were terrific, as were the corps playing the pirates.

Saving the best for last - Marcelo Gomes as Conrad and Ethan as his slave, Ali, ROCKED THE HOUSE!  Seriously, is there anything Marcelo Gomes can't do?  He's gorgeous, a fine actor, a spectacular dancer and a wonderful partner.  The pas de trois in the second act was AMAZING!  Seriously, completely and utterly fantastic.  I'm pretty sure Gillian Murphy did quadruple pirouettes.  I've never seen quadruple pirouettes before!  The audience gasped!  And then, during Ethan's solos, I gasped!  I don't think I've ever made an out loud noise at the ballet before, but he did a variation that I'd never seen before and it was fantastic!  The crowd roared!  It was truly spectacular.  And then, the bedroom pas de deux between Marcelo and Gillian was out of this world.  Gorgeous height and extension, great passion and musicality.  Sooooooo wonderful.  The rest of the ballet is a bit of an anti-climax after that, though the garden dream ballet was lovely and the little tiny ballerinas were adorable.

The audience went absolutely insane during the curtain call.  Clearly, everyone knows that Ethan is only dancing one more time at ABT after this, so no one wanted him to leave the stage.  Gillian Murphy, his off-stage fiancee, gave him one of her flowers and he was so touched.  And the way everyone was so happy for him was lovely.  I didn't get a very good photo of his curtain call, darn it, but I like the one of the five of them.  I think it shows the nice rapport the dancers have with one another.  I can only assume that Saturday night, Ethan's final performance, will be insane.  I've been at two final performances before - Julio Bocca's and Susan Jaffe's.  They were both amazing nights and I'm very sad I missed both of this year's special tributes.  May both gentlemen go on to bigger and better things.  They will be missed at ABT. 

Seat neighbor report - the lady sitting on my right was, conservatively, 97 years old.  God love her.  She was so excited to be there, she was practically levitating.  And she levitated and bobbed her head and tapped her feet through the entire performance, as if the percussionist needed a little help.  It was a little annoying, but I took a deep breath and let it go.  :)   The guy on my left was intent on his program before the show.  Then, when the lights started to come down, he got out his phone.  To use it.  Uh, no.  He leans to me and whispers "what's the name of this building?"  WHAT?!  I told him and he mainly behaved through the first act, though he did get his phone back out to read his program.  Sigh.  Anyway, at the first intermission, he turns to me and asks if it's over.  Uh, no, this is intermission and there will be another one later.  He says "was that question stupider than my other question?"  I laughed and said, oh no, there aren't any stupid questions.  He said, "There aren't?"  I said, ok, there are some.  He then left for intermission, to smoke, I presume, because he reeked of smoke when he came back.  At the second intermission, after the audience went insane for the pas de trois, he says, "This must be a really knowledgeable audience.  Was that dancing particularly good?"  I tried to explain to him about the quadruple pirouettes and Ethan's retiring.  He said oh and wondered if the last act had another section like that one.  I said, no, the exciting dancing is over.  The pretty dancing is coming.  Then, he left.  I hope it wasn't something I said.  But I wish I had asked him what on earth brought him to the ballet last night!  Is. A. Puzzlement.

It was a wonderful season, in my opinion.  I'm so sad it's over.  They've announced what they're doing at City Center this fall and I absolutely have to find the money to go.  Ratmansky is choreographing a new ballet to Shostakovich music.  That sounds divine.  In the meantime, I'll keep dreaming of my princes, David Hallberg and Marcelo Gomes, and hoping that the whole world can somehow be just as beautiful as the ballet...

Review - Slowgirl, plus some Summer Friday fun

I've only seen a few of the new LCT3 series of plays.  I don't know why - I like new plays.  Well, whatever the reason, I've liked the pieces that I HAVE seen, plus, now that they've moved into their new space above the Vivan Beaumont, and since I've seen and liked some of the work of Greg Pierce, I made sure to get a ticket to his play, Slowgirl.  I'm also a big fan of Zeljko Ivanek and becoming a big fan of Sarah Steele.  Therefore, I had quite a few reasons to see this play.  :)

The new space, the Claire Tow Theater, is quite lovely.  It's all wood and glass, looking out onto the grassy area LCT has installed.  It was nice to have so much light in the lobby.  The theater seats about 100, I guess, and it's nicely put together.  However, they seriously need to rethink where they've put the seat numbers on the chairs.  They're not on the top edge of the seat, but on the bottom edge.  They were REALLY hard to read, especially towards the back where I was sitting.  There was no light and I actually had to get my flashlight out to see what my seat number was.  The ushers could probably make it a little easier by telling you what the seat numbers on each aisle are.  I guess it won't be as big of a problem now that I know how the theater's layed out.  But plenty of the 'matinee ladies' were completely confused about where to sit. 

One humorous seat neighbor note from before the play started: the gal on the other side of the gal sitting next to me asked for her pal's help.  She had to write a paper on the play and wanted to go out afterwards so they could talk about the play and make her paper better.  I will fill you in on how that turned out later on.  :)

I give a huge thumbs up to Slowgirl.  It's an intimate story about two people, trying not to connect, yet finding a connection regardless.  Zeljko Ivanek is Sterling, a single gentleman of a certain age, enjoying a quiet life of seclusion in Costa Rica.  Sarah Steele plays his seventeen-year-old niece, who has come to visit and to escape 'trouble' she is facing back home.  How the events unravel is really first-rate.  The further and further inside you get, the more and more you discover.  You may be able to anticipate where the story is going, but the how is more unexpected.  The dialogue is fantastic, very authentic and natural, and the pace of the storytelling and direction is also terrific.  The set is amazing and the sound design, putting you in the middle of the jungle, is also great.

Zeljko Ivanek is stunning as a man who has shunned human contact for years and is forced to confront a troubled teen, and, in so doing, confronts his own demons.  The way he speaks so haltingly, as if he isn't used to actually communicating aloud, is great, as is how his physical awkwardness dissipates as he decides how to handle his niece.

Sarah Steele, who I have enjoyed as totally natural both on stage and on screen, is really wonderful here.  She captures the cadence of this uninhibited teenager who at first uses language just to hear her own voice, but then, as she mines deeper layers, she uses it to come to an understanding of a long absent, but beloved uncle.  They achieve a wonderful chemistry, as these two wounded and unsure people warily come to some kind of understanding.

You can get a more detailed plot synopsis if you read some real reviews, but I'm going to avoid it here.  I knew nothing about this play when I went in and I think it's a nice way to approach it.  I highly recommend it, both for the wonderful dialogue by playwright Greg Pierce, and the fantastic performances by these two committed actors.  Oh, and about my seat neighbor - I'm guessing that her friend didn't get any good discussion afterwards, because the gal sitting next to me slept through the entire performance.  Start to finish.  I almost asked her if she had a good nap, but I refrained.  I feel bad for the lady writing the paper.  I hope she got through it ok on her own.  :)

I've been woefully negligent with my Summer Friday plans, but last Friday, I was determined to get to a museum somewhere.  Originally, I had considered going up to the Neue Gallery, then trying a tasty dessert in their well-regarded cafe.  But, as my work day went on, I started to get a craving for that tartine I had at Le Pain Quotidien a few weeks ago, with the avocado and chickpeas, so I decided to go there, satisfy the craving, then go to the Morgan Library, which was relatively close by.  The Morgan is another place I've shamefully missed since I've lived in New York. 

And, yet again, I loved it.  I can't believe I haven't been there before and I need to go back again soon.  I was again amazed at how crowded it was. I guess I need to stop assuming that no one else enjoys a museum. AND I was again annoyed that you couldn't take photos (sigh), but I did take notes so I wouldn't forget anything.  There was a couple there, maybe on a first date (I guess this because the guy was trying awfully hard to impress the gal with all his knowledge) who kept taking photos without consequence.  But I didn't tempt fate or break any rules.  No photos on the inside.  I did, however, buy some postcards and I took pictures of them when I got home.  So there will be a little art with the post.  :)

My first stop was at the exhibition showing drawings from Renaissance Venice.  They were beautiful, and laid out very nicely.  They were grouped as landscapes, portraits, and drawings commissioned by wealthy patrons.  There were also texts there with some of the drawings used as illustrations to the text.  The collection, which is part of Morgan's permanent collection, is quite extensive and I think I was in this room for over an hour.  Across the gallery from the drawings was a very interesting exhibit - Winston Churchill: The Power of Words.  There were original speeches of Churchill's, showing his edits, along with letters both to and from dignitaries from around the world.  His Nobel Prize was there, along with a certificate of honorary citizenship to the US, signed by JFK. This was the busiest exhibit room, with many interested people of a certain age, who perhaps had a more personal interest in Winston Churchill than I, so I admit to taking a little less time in here because of the crowd.  But I did find the room extremely interesting and I'm glad I saw it.

There are a couple of Ellsworth Kelly sculptures in the enormous lobby - you pass them on your way to the original library of Pierpont Morgan.  Before you get to the library, you see his office, where he apparently spent a lot of his time.  It was an amazing room, filled with art treasures, including Memling paintings and gorgeous stained glass.  It had an antique wood ceiling from Florence and many beautiful objets d'art.  The security guard started following me around, because I stayed in there so long, looking at every single piece of that amazing art.  I don't what he thought I could steal - maybe he just wanted to make sure I didn't take any pictures.  :)   But I can't imagine what it must be like to be able to sit in an office like that every day.

Then, you walk through an enormous rotunda, to get to the library.  The rotunda has a beautiful stucco ceiling, and gorgeously tiled floors.  In the rotunda is a copy of a Gutenberg bible.  Wow.  It's seriously awe-inspiring.  As is the library.  Majorly awe-inspiring.  In the library, besides the shelves and shelves of books (there are rows and rows of different editions of the Bible and the New Testament), there are display cases with amazing things:  an original manuscript by Edgar Allen Poe; an early edition of Dorian Gray; writings by Coleridge and Thoreau; music scores by Mozart, Schubert and Debussy; a very interesting letter from the poet Marianne Moore to Henry Ford, hoping to name his new car.  Maybe he should've went with one of her ideas rather than with Edsel.  There's a beautiful jeweled book cover of a fourteenth century text.  This is a gorgeous room.  There's also a smaller room off the rotunda, which was an office for Morgan's librarian, which has some beautiful things, including some artifacts from Mesopotamia, a Limoges book cover depicting the crucifixion, and an Etruscan footed cistera. 

Clearly, I need to be rich, so I can start to collect rare texts and art and have them housed in a beautiful brownstone.  Something to aspire to, I guess.  But it was a lovely afternoon at the Morgan - a nice respite from the heat of the city - and I definitely want to return.  There's going to be an exhibit of sixteenth century Florentine drawings in the fall...