This week Chizz and I decided to take in a show. I just cut out a list from New York Magazine about 5 must-see plays. Because we "must", we did. We chose the first play on the list, Clybourne Park.
In short, it was great! As I have admitted before, I LOVE live performances of almost anything. I tried to remember the last time I saw a play that wasn't a musical. Other than Sleep No More, it has been quite a while. Years. I was surprised at how refreshing it was, not waiting for the characters to break out in song to sing their main point.
The play takes place in a house, two acts - each act a different year 1959 and 2009. In a way, the central character is the house. Two different, but very remotely connected families live or lived in the house. The play centers around the racial mindsets of each time period and how people felt really depended on which side of the issue you were on. Surprisingly the sides switched over the years. The first story featured issues surrounding the first black family moving into the neighborhood and the second story involves a white family moving into the house. The plays discusses how the communities react in each time frame and how each community is not so comfortable with the change about to happen.
It has been nominated for 4 Tonys. The same actors play characters in both time frames and I think the juxtaposition of their different roles is interesting. In one era, an actor plays a neighbor "concerned" where his community going. In the next act ,he plays a new-comer wanting to make his own mark on a neighborhood. Almost opposite roles.
Sounds pretty deep, huh? Would you be surprised to find out it was a comedy of sorts? Really kind of a farce. Forcing people to laugh, sometimes uncomfortably, at either how ridiculous some long ago widely-held beliefs were or in awkward recognition. Funny but powerful. I like plays that make me think about the premise long after the show. Entertained and engaged. Definitely four thumbs up from Wendy & Chizz!!
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Why
does my neighbor have this on his patio?
Is he a wizard, ala Harry Potter, and he just received a mail delivery from Hogwarts? Is it some kind of night light to keep low, low flying aircraft away from our building (if so, thank you!)? Perhaps an early bear warning system? (I know bears can climb to dizzying heights. I haven't seen any yet but I haven't seen all of Central Park, there could be some there.)
Chizz says it is to keep the pigeons away.
I like my ideas better.
Is he a wizard, ala Harry Potter, and he just received a mail delivery from Hogwarts? Is it some kind of night light to keep low, low flying aircraft away from our building (if so, thank you!)? Perhaps an early bear warning system? (I know bears can climb to dizzying heights. I haven't seen any yet but I haven't seen all of Central Park, there could be some there.)
Chizz says it is to keep the pigeons away.
I like my ideas better.
Thursday, 24 May 2012
The Emperor is Buck Naked Here
A few weeks ago, my friend Trophywife (her choice!) came to visit me. She lives in Massachusetts and was in NYC for the weekend with some of her friends for pre-wedding celebrations for the daughter of one of her friends. This is the stage we are at in our lives, too old to be going to our own friends weddings, too young to be going to our kids but getting closer year by year. The girls had a whole bunch of different activities planned and they were kind enough to include me in several events. It was a total blast!
One of the things they wanted to do was to see a Broadway show of some kind. They had a few discussions and someone came up with the idea of seeing Sleep No More, which is based on MacBeth. I hadn't really heard about it before but since I love seeing live performances and I love hanging out with Trophywife and Trophywife's friends, I was game. Trophy and I decided to do some research beforehand to help us get an idea of what we would be seeing. We discovered that the entire performance is done silently (although that is not entirely accurate) and that the audience sort of wanders through this warehouse that has been converted into a hotel which acts as the stage where all the action takes place. The idea is that as an audience member you walk through the hotel, going into various rooms and see if you can find any action going on. We still weren't sure what it was all about but it sounded intriguing. All of the reviews online mentioned it was incredible and people go back 3 or 4 times to see it all because it is almost impossible to see everything in one visit. Sounded good!
Our group numbered 7, including the mother and grandmother of the bride. We had all worn comfortable shoes - a tip we picked up in our research. When we gave our name to the bouncer at the front, they asked us to wait off to the side and then they brought us into the venue - our group by ourselves, no one else that was waiting in line. At first I was impressed, obviously we were getting some special treatment. They made us check our coats and purses (you aren't allowed to carry anything inside, except of course your credit card to use at the bar). Then the guide gave us each a playing card (the same card, the Ace) and took us to a curtained area, told us to go through the dark hall and eventually we would find the bar. Now when I say this was dark, I mean it was pitch black, could not see your hand unless it was on your face dark. We all held hands, walked along the hallway, feeling the walls, turning this corner, or that corner until we finally found the bar. I wasn't quite sure why they did it this way other than to set the scene a bit, kind of disorient us. When we got to the bar, although we were the first "customers" there were other people in the bar, characters sitting at tables having conversations and waiters/waitresses serving us drinks. We all got a drink and sat at a table waiting to see what would happen next.
A few minutes later, a man instructed all those with an Ace card to go into the next room. We were handed white masks (imagine part Phantom of the Opera and part Mardi Gras) and told us once we put them on, we weren't allowed to speak or whisper or make a sound from that point on. It was then we figured out that we were actually in an elevator decorated like a room (ala Disneyland Haunted Mansion). We felt the elevator descend. Or did it rise? The character in the room was giving instructions but I really don't remember what he said. At one point, he pulled me into the room more. I thought I might have been too close to the elevator door. When it opened, we all turned around. Trophywife walked out and I was following her. The elevator operator quickly grabbed my arm and he pulled me back into the room and the door closed. She was on her own!!! I felt kind of bad. The next time the door opened he left a few more walk out, and apparently did this several times. I am suspecting this was done so not all of the audience was on the same floor at the same time.
We wandered around, room to room to try and figure out exactly what was happening. We wandered into an infirmary hospital type room. There was a nurse making beds. I watched her for a few minutes. Not that interesting. I wandered to another room. Found a forest, sort of. "Trees", branches stuck in the floor and coming down from the ceiling with statues in the middle. I found what looked like a Chinese pharmacy with big bottles of herbs. Another room seemed to be a hotel lobby, with a register and notes. Audience members are allowed and encourage to read and pick up things to a certain extent. So we read the hotel register, we read the notes on the bulletin board. We picked up pieces of paper. We finally found two characters engaged in a strange "battle/dance" in a bedroom with a bathtub. It was a woman and a man and I couldn't tell if they were dancing or fighting. They were moving around the room violently, grunting, looking pretty upset with each other. Jumping on boxes, the bed. Then the male actor left the room. I tried to follow him but got caught up in the group in the stairwell and lost him. Then I found myself in a bar/library room with several men playing cards. Nothing happened there for a while. So I left. I found myself back in the bathroom/bedroom. The man had just walked in and took his clothes off. Yes! Nudity! Now we are talking. The male character got into the tub and then you discovered that his hands were bloody and he was washing off the blood. The female character helped wash him and then he got out of the tub and fell on to the bed. Then he got up put his clothes on and ran out of the room. Yeah, I am not doing that again. So I wandered off to another floor and found a table with a whole bunch of characters, toasting each other. I think there was a ghost walking behind them that only a few characters could see, then all of the characters' motions seemed to be in slow motion. Then they all got up and left again. Crap, more running after characters. I ran after one, who collapsed on a feather bed. It seems quite a bit of this acting includes falling on beds. It is no wonder with all of the running that everyone has to do. I almost plopped down on the bed next to the character.
I could go on and on describing some of the other "scenes" but I am not sure what I saw. As it turns out, each "scene" is acted out 3 times. You have to put all of the scenes together to get the entire play and figure out the order. That didn't happen for me. I spent most of my time in a hot, plastic mask (imagine those Halloween masks from the 60s and 70s), sweating, running, trying to figure it all out. All in all about 2 1/2 hours.
Now I don't want you to think I had a bad time, I didn't and I think I lost weight during the performance - always a plus. But my good time had more to do with the company than the "play" itself. This is another example of modern art that I don't get. Like the art exhibits of fluorescent light tubes we saw at the Tate Modern when we lived in London. I like some modern art but displays that I believe intentionally try to make the viewer feel inadequate or stupid or uneducated are bothersome to me. Only the "cool" get it. The rest of us are out of it. And maybe that is true. I don't regret going, I had a good time with my friends. But really good art in whatever form, should make you want to see it again and again and again even if you don't understand it. I have checked the box on this one and I can't say that I would recommend it to someone. What I don't get is that almost all of the reviews I read about this before I went raved about it. There wasn't one dissenting opinion. I did notice however, that a few weeks after we went some less than enthusiastic reviews went up. But this play has been here for quite some time. I just think sometimes people go along with these reviews because they don't want other people to think they weren't cool enough or smart enough to get it. Just like the villagers did in "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian Anderson. If you aren't sure what you just saw, praise it. I guess that is the point.
One of the things they wanted to do was to see a Broadway show of some kind. They had a few discussions and someone came up with the idea of seeing Sleep No More, which is based on MacBeth. I hadn't really heard about it before but since I love seeing live performances and I love hanging out with Trophywife and Trophywife's friends, I was game. Trophy and I decided to do some research beforehand to help us get an idea of what we would be seeing. We discovered that the entire performance is done silently (although that is not entirely accurate) and that the audience sort of wanders through this warehouse that has been converted into a hotel which acts as the stage where all the action takes place. The idea is that as an audience member you walk through the hotel, going into various rooms and see if you can find any action going on. We still weren't sure what it was all about but it sounded intriguing. All of the reviews online mentioned it was incredible and people go back 3 or 4 times to see it all because it is almost impossible to see everything in one visit. Sounded good!
Our group numbered 7, including the mother and grandmother of the bride. We had all worn comfortable shoes - a tip we picked up in our research. When we gave our name to the bouncer at the front, they asked us to wait off to the side and then they brought us into the venue - our group by ourselves, no one else that was waiting in line. At first I was impressed, obviously we were getting some special treatment. They made us check our coats and purses (you aren't allowed to carry anything inside, except of course your credit card to use at the bar). Then the guide gave us each a playing card (the same card, the Ace) and took us to a curtained area, told us to go through the dark hall and eventually we would find the bar. Now when I say this was dark, I mean it was pitch black, could not see your hand unless it was on your face dark. We all held hands, walked along the hallway, feeling the walls, turning this corner, or that corner until we finally found the bar. I wasn't quite sure why they did it this way other than to set the scene a bit, kind of disorient us. When we got to the bar, although we were the first "customers" there were other people in the bar, characters sitting at tables having conversations and waiters/waitresses serving us drinks. We all got a drink and sat at a table waiting to see what would happen next.
A few minutes later, a man instructed all those with an Ace card to go into the next room. We were handed white masks (imagine part Phantom of the Opera and part Mardi Gras) and told us once we put them on, we weren't allowed to speak or whisper or make a sound from that point on. It was then we figured out that we were actually in an elevator decorated like a room (ala Disneyland Haunted Mansion). We felt the elevator descend. Or did it rise? The character in the room was giving instructions but I really don't remember what he said. At one point, he pulled me into the room more. I thought I might have been too close to the elevator door. When it opened, we all turned around. Trophywife walked out and I was following her. The elevator operator quickly grabbed my arm and he pulled me back into the room and the door closed. She was on her own!!! I felt kind of bad. The next time the door opened he left a few more walk out, and apparently did this several times. I am suspecting this was done so not all of the audience was on the same floor at the same time.
We wandered around, room to room to try and figure out exactly what was happening. We wandered into an infirmary hospital type room. There was a nurse making beds. I watched her for a few minutes. Not that interesting. I wandered to another room. Found a forest, sort of. "Trees", branches stuck in the floor and coming down from the ceiling with statues in the middle. I found what looked like a Chinese pharmacy with big bottles of herbs. Another room seemed to be a hotel lobby, with a register and notes. Audience members are allowed and encourage to read and pick up things to a certain extent. So we read the hotel register, we read the notes on the bulletin board. We picked up pieces of paper. We finally found two characters engaged in a strange "battle/dance" in a bedroom with a bathtub. It was a woman and a man and I couldn't tell if they were dancing or fighting. They were moving around the room violently, grunting, looking pretty upset with each other. Jumping on boxes, the bed. Then the male actor left the room. I tried to follow him but got caught up in the group in the stairwell and lost him. Then I found myself in a bar/library room with several men playing cards. Nothing happened there for a while. So I left. I found myself back in the bathroom/bedroom. The man had just walked in and took his clothes off. Yes! Nudity! Now we are talking. The male character got into the tub and then you discovered that his hands were bloody and he was washing off the blood. The female character helped wash him and then he got out of the tub and fell on to the bed. Then he got up put his clothes on and ran out of the room. Yeah, I am not doing that again. So I wandered off to another floor and found a table with a whole bunch of characters, toasting each other. I think there was a ghost walking behind them that only a few characters could see, then all of the characters' motions seemed to be in slow motion. Then they all got up and left again. Crap, more running after characters. I ran after one, who collapsed on a feather bed. It seems quite a bit of this acting includes falling on beds. It is no wonder with all of the running that everyone has to do. I almost plopped down on the bed next to the character.
I could go on and on describing some of the other "scenes" but I am not sure what I saw. As it turns out, each "scene" is acted out 3 times. You have to put all of the scenes together to get the entire play and figure out the order. That didn't happen for me. I spent most of my time in a hot, plastic mask (imagine those Halloween masks from the 60s and 70s), sweating, running, trying to figure it all out. All in all about 2 1/2 hours.
Now I don't want you to think I had a bad time, I didn't and I think I lost weight during the performance - always a plus. But my good time had more to do with the company than the "play" itself. This is another example of modern art that I don't get. Like the art exhibits of fluorescent light tubes we saw at the Tate Modern when we lived in London. I like some modern art but displays that I believe intentionally try to make the viewer feel inadequate or stupid or uneducated are bothersome to me. Only the "cool" get it. The rest of us are out of it. And maybe that is true. I don't regret going, I had a good time with my friends. But really good art in whatever form, should make you want to see it again and again and again even if you don't understand it. I have checked the box on this one and I can't say that I would recommend it to someone. What I don't get is that almost all of the reviews I read about this before I went raved about it. There wasn't one dissenting opinion. I did notice however, that a few weeks after we went some less than enthusiastic reviews went up. But this play has been here for quite some time. I just think sometimes people go along with these reviews because they don't want other people to think they weren't cool enough or smart enough to get it. Just like the villagers did in "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian Anderson. If you aren't sure what you just saw, praise it. I guess that is the point.
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Regression
At home in California, Snake loved going to concerts. He went to some pretty big concerts, pretty big names in large stadium venues. But his absolute favorite thing to do was to go to a show in a really, really, really small venue and see some of his favorite, although very often not popularly acclaimed except by a very small segment of music lovers, groups. Sometimes he would come home with a t-shirt or cd from one of the groups. He explained that many of the groups sold merchandise not necessarily for profit but to pay for the gas to their next show. He usually only paid $10-15 per ticket so these bands were not raking in the dough at these shows. He also liked the intimate surroundings of these small clubs. The crowds were small, sometimes as small as 30 people or as many as 200. It is a lot easier to work your way up to the front of the crowd by the stage with small crowds. He came home with prizes too, set lists, guitar picks, the occasional drum stick. Snake would also take photos on his phone to show me the different groups and I could see how close to the stage he got. If there were 3 or 4 acts on any given night, he sometimes would get to chat with some band members either after their performance or right before they went on. The bands would hang out in the venue either selling their merchandise or watching the other groups perform. During the summer, Snake would go to shows several times per week.
This week, I learned that the acorn didn't fall far from the tree. Snake came by his love of music genetically. Chizz also loves music, although not the same genre as Snake. He also likes the more obscure groups or groups on their way up. A few weeks ago, he mentioned that a group he likes, Sons of Bill, would be playing in a small NYC venue and he wanted to go. Since the tickets were only $12, how could we not? We were hoping it wouldn't be a mass of people. One thing we have discovered in our old age is that we are past the point where a good time is squeezing as many folks as you can in a place. We went to Jazz Fest a few few weeks ago, and while we had a wonderful time, it was hard at times pushing your way through tens of thousands of people to see the headliner. Also not thrilled about bulldozing my way into a bar to stand 8 deep to get a drink and then lose half of it to someone's elbow. Much rather find a place I can sit down and breathe.
I mentioned the venue to Goldengirl and she told me that it was very close to her dorm at NYU. Really? I was starting to feel strange about this. Wait. Would we be surrounded by hip NYU students? Would people think we were the parents of the band? Would we be the oldest people in the place? Goldengirl reassured me. Yes, yes you will, she told me. Great. But I was also reassured that they had a bar in this place, so how bad could it be?
We went and actually had a pretty good time. The venue is small, it holds 300 people and I would guess at maximum there were 200 people there. Four different acts played. We missed the first one and the second one was just taking the stage when we got there. I would say there were about 75 people when we first arrived. The second group, Hounds Below, started playing. They are from Detroit and are apparently doing an east coast swing because they announced where they would be the next few nights. I thought they sounded pretty good, until they started singing. The music was good, I just didn't care for the lead singer's voice. They sang about 6 songs, and then pointed out the merchandise they were selling in the back and asked that people buy because it would help defray the cost of gas for the trip! I can't remember ever being at a show where that happened!
While they were setting up for the third group, The Liza Colby Sound, we got a beer and I had a chance to look around a bit and kind of size up the crowd. I was pleasantly surprised that we were not the oldest people in the room. There were actually several groups of people that were our age or older, so I didn't feel very conspicuous. Which is a good thing. Liza Colby is a hard rocking gal. She mentioned she didn't usually have performances on Friday nights because she usually worked as a cocktail waitress on that night. I think it must be a bit harder for a women rocker to be successful. She was pretty high energy and reminded me quite a bit of Tina Turner. In doing a little research on her, I found out her dad wrote the theme for ESPN's Sports Center (You know the one) and others. I enjoyed her quite a bit.
And just so you are not left wondering. No I did not rush the stage to get any of the swag being handed out. I didn't want to break a hip or anything. Right Goldengirl?
This week, I learned that the acorn didn't fall far from the tree. Snake came by his love of music genetically. Chizz also loves music, although not the same genre as Snake. He also likes the more obscure groups or groups on their way up. A few weeks ago, he mentioned that a group he likes, Sons of Bill, would be playing in a small NYC venue and he wanted to go. Since the tickets were only $12, how could we not? We were hoping it wouldn't be a mass of people. One thing we have discovered in our old age is that we are past the point where a good time is squeezing as many folks as you can in a place. We went to Jazz Fest a few few weeks ago, and while we had a wonderful time, it was hard at times pushing your way through tens of thousands of people to see the headliner. Also not thrilled about bulldozing my way into a bar to stand 8 deep to get a drink and then lose half of it to someone's elbow. Much rather find a place I can sit down and breathe.
I mentioned the venue to Goldengirl and she told me that it was very close to her dorm at NYU. Really? I was starting to feel strange about this. Wait. Would we be surrounded by hip NYU students? Would people think we were the parents of the band? Would we be the oldest people in the place? Goldengirl reassured me. Yes, yes you will, she told me. Great. But I was also reassured that they had a bar in this place, so how bad could it be?
We went and actually had a pretty good time. The venue is small, it holds 300 people and I would guess at maximum there were 200 people there. Four different acts played. We missed the first one and the second one was just taking the stage when we got there. I would say there were about 75 people when we first arrived. The second group, Hounds Below, started playing. They are from Detroit and are apparently doing an east coast swing because they announced where they would be the next few nights. I thought they sounded pretty good, until they started singing. The music was good, I just didn't care for the lead singer's voice. They sang about 6 songs, and then pointed out the merchandise they were selling in the back and asked that people buy because it would help defray the cost of gas for the trip! I can't remember ever being at a show where that happened!
While they were setting up for the third group, The Liza Colby Sound, we got a beer and I had a chance to look around a bit and kind of size up the crowd. I was pleasantly surprised that we were not the oldest people in the room. There were actually several groups of people that were our age or older, so I didn't feel very conspicuous. Which is a good thing. Liza Colby is a hard rocking gal. She mentioned she didn't usually have performances on Friday nights because she usually worked as a cocktail waitress on that night. I think it must be a bit harder for a women rocker to be successful. She was pretty high energy and reminded me quite a bit of Tina Turner. In doing a little research on her, I found out her dad wrote the theme for ESPN's Sports Center (You know the one) and others. I enjoyed her quite a bit.
So the main event comes on. Sons of Bill or SOB as I like to call them. Chizz and I had been kind of loitering by the bar, no surprise. We worked our way into the crowd, well not really a crowd more of a group. Sons of Bill is comprised of 3 brothers (I guessing their father is Bill) and then two other guys. While the lead singer (a son) mentions his brothers quite often, I think the other two guys (the drummer and bass) are only referred to twice. And the bassist went to middle school with these guys! In this band you get no glory unless you are a son, it is in the name. Anyway they were pretty good and I was surprised how most of the people seemed to know they lyrics to the songs. I guess I shouldn't have been . In a small crowd, most of these people were probably fans and would know the words. The lead singer was handsome but spent most of the performance with a scowl on his face. I am guessing part of his troubled troubadour persona. After the show, the band members gave out the set list and some guitar picks. I did not see anyone get a coveted drum stick though.
All in all, a fun evening. I couldn't help but think of all the comparisons between Snake's shows and this show. Gas money request? Check ! Small venue/manageable crowd? Check! Inexpensive? Check! Feeling like we got a bit more than we paid for? Check!
And just so you are not left wondering. No I did not rush the stage to get any of the swag being handed out. I didn't want to break a hip or anything. Right Goldengirl?
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Airport Thoughts
I have been travelling a little bit lately and with travel comes downtime and with downtime, my mind tends to wander. And then I have thoughts. Here are some of my thoughts in no particular order:
1. If I am a terrorist going through security in the United domestic terminal at SFO, I will travel with preteen children and have them carry my terrorist carry on luggage. Recently, I saw a TSA agent waive at least three families through security (i.e. they did not go through the body scanner, metal detector or their luggage get scanned, both parents and children). The agent called them forward and just had them go through a side gate. The only thing they had in common was having kids in the 9-12 age range as far as I could tell. However they did make a 75 year old get out of her wheelchair to go through when she could not stand without assistance. Also made a mom carry a three-six month old through. Personally, I think EVERY person goes through security or none at all.
2. Most TSA agents are fairly agreeable in a difficult situation but when you run across a bad one, he or she is a class A jerk. One passenger in a line I was in recently was trying to get a TSA agent's attention. Not sure for what reason but the agent didn't see him. The man said things like "excuse me", "sir", "agent". Nothing. Then finally, "hey". With no response to the agent who was pretty close by, I pointed out the passenger to the agent and he looked at me pretty coolly and said "I heard him. I just don't respond to rudeness. 'Hey' is for horses". Maybe the guy shouldn't have used 'hey' but he didn't start with that. All of which the guy behind me pointed out when he said "the guy didn't lead with that". The TSA agent said something like " I don't have to take ANY attitude. I can make his life pretty miserable and miss his flight too". Some people take a little authority and abuse it. Sorry to say I have seen this kind of thing happen fairly often and usually way out of proportion to whatever they are responding to. Really? You would make him jump through hoops, miss his flight, all because he said "Hey"? Wow. Good. For. You.
3. The absolute worst thing to happen to airline travel is the fee to check luggage. Those of you that know me, know this has been a bee in my bonnet for quite some times. The charge for checked luggage has caused boarding times to increase. No matter what they tell you. Just about every person boarding a plane these days has a piece of rolling luggage, most to avoid the fee, and there simply isn't enough space in the overhead bins for all of that luggage. For example, my recent flight had 8 boarding groups. After the SECOND group had boarded, they made an announcement that all overhead space was filled and all remaining carry on rolling bags needed to be bagged and checked. And of course, they only had one agent to do that. I time it. Once that announcement was made, it took over 45 minutes to board the remaining 6 groups. Because then every single person with a bag that has to be checked doesn't hear the announcement and had to argue with the gate agent for a minute or two. Then the agent had to print out the luggage tag for each piece. It was painful. And unnecessary.
So if you are an airline executive you are probably saying right now "You are right, Wendy. But how do we solve this problem? Do you have an idea?" Why yes, I do. Thank you for asking. Airlines have this backward. Charge to bring bags on board. Bags checked into the belly of the plane - free. Each person can bring an item or two that WILL fit under the seat in front. If someone wants to bring one (and only one) rolling bag on board then they pay. In advance. Figure our how many bags can be accommodated in the overhead bins and then sell no more spaces than can accommodate actual pieces of luggage. People that want to pay for the PRIVILEGE of bringing luggage, will. It will cut down on the insufferable delay on boarding and deplaning. Leaving the plane takes almost as long. Getting luggage out of the bins, trying to roll it out, determining it won't roll and then inevitably picking it up and carrying it out -- it all takes time. (And this reminds me, if you can't lift your carry on over your head, you have no business bringing it on board!) All this pain could be eliminated if we charged to bring luggage on aboard. And I have no doubt. While getting on and off planes has always been cumbersome, it has never been to the extent that it became until after the airlines started charging luggage fees. The airlines have it backward. Not surprisingly.
4. The "fasten seat belt" light has two different and fascinating, in my not so humble opinion, effects on people. When it is on, usually during ascent and descent, I am always stunned by the number of folks who suddenly NEED to get something from their bag in the overhead compartment. Hey buddy! What's so important in your bag that you absolutely cannot wait 15 minutes to get it? Your Sudoku can wait. On one of my recent trips, the flight attendant had to tell a man not once, not twice but three times to sit down because the light was still on and we were in the process of landing! I think that on every flight I have taken (and I have thought hard about it, I mean every single one) in the past 6 months I have observed someone up when the seat belt light was on. Check it out when you fly next.
The second thing I noticed about the seat belt light is the mad dash to the bathroom the second that light goes off. If you get up to stretch your legs (or get that Sudoku), you could be trampled by the number of folks going to the bathroom. I know some people have issues but really people, I think you would be better served if you remembered your mother's practical admonition to go before you leave. Airports seem to have bathroom every 30 yards, probably for this very reason. Check them out, a lot of them have those cool Dyson airblade hand dryers.
This is the danger of letting your mind wander. There is a fine line between thoughts and rants, I have discovered. Maybe I should be playing "Draw Something" instead. . .
1. If I am a terrorist going through security in the United domestic terminal at SFO, I will travel with preteen children and have them carry my terrorist carry on luggage. Recently, I saw a TSA agent waive at least three families through security (i.e. they did not go through the body scanner, metal detector or their luggage get scanned, both parents and children). The agent called them forward and just had them go through a side gate. The only thing they had in common was having kids in the 9-12 age range as far as I could tell. However they did make a 75 year old get out of her wheelchair to go through when she could not stand without assistance. Also made a mom carry a three-six month old through. Personally, I think EVERY person goes through security or none at all.
2. Most TSA agents are fairly agreeable in a difficult situation but when you run across a bad one, he or she is a class A jerk. One passenger in a line I was in recently was trying to get a TSA agent's attention. Not sure for what reason but the agent didn't see him. The man said things like "excuse me", "sir", "agent". Nothing. Then finally, "hey". With no response to the agent who was pretty close by, I pointed out the passenger to the agent and he looked at me pretty coolly and said "I heard him. I just don't respond to rudeness. 'Hey' is for horses". Maybe the guy shouldn't have used 'hey' but he didn't start with that. All of which the guy behind me pointed out when he said "the guy didn't lead with that". The TSA agent said something like " I don't have to take ANY attitude. I can make his life pretty miserable and miss his flight too". Some people take a little authority and abuse it. Sorry to say I have seen this kind of thing happen fairly often and usually way out of proportion to whatever they are responding to. Really? You would make him jump through hoops, miss his flight, all because he said "Hey"? Wow. Good. For. You.
3. The absolute worst thing to happen to airline travel is the fee to check luggage. Those of you that know me, know this has been a bee in my bonnet for quite some times. The charge for checked luggage has caused boarding times to increase. No matter what they tell you. Just about every person boarding a plane these days has a piece of rolling luggage, most to avoid the fee, and there simply isn't enough space in the overhead bins for all of that luggage. For example, my recent flight had 8 boarding groups. After the SECOND group had boarded, they made an announcement that all overhead space was filled and all remaining carry on rolling bags needed to be bagged and checked. And of course, they only had one agent to do that. I time it. Once that announcement was made, it took over 45 minutes to board the remaining 6 groups. Because then every single person with a bag that has to be checked doesn't hear the announcement and had to argue with the gate agent for a minute or two. Then the agent had to print out the luggage tag for each piece. It was painful. And unnecessary.
So if you are an airline executive you are probably saying right now "You are right, Wendy. But how do we solve this problem? Do you have an idea?" Why yes, I do. Thank you for asking. Airlines have this backward. Charge to bring bags on board. Bags checked into the belly of the plane - free. Each person can bring an item or two that WILL fit under the seat in front. If someone wants to bring one (and only one) rolling bag on board then they pay. In advance. Figure our how many bags can be accommodated in the overhead bins and then sell no more spaces than can accommodate actual pieces of luggage. People that want to pay for the PRIVILEGE of bringing luggage, will. It will cut down on the insufferable delay on boarding and deplaning. Leaving the plane takes almost as long. Getting luggage out of the bins, trying to roll it out, determining it won't roll and then inevitably picking it up and carrying it out -- it all takes time. (And this reminds me, if you can't lift your carry on over your head, you have no business bringing it on board!) All this pain could be eliminated if we charged to bring luggage on aboard. And I have no doubt. While getting on and off planes has always been cumbersome, it has never been to the extent that it became until after the airlines started charging luggage fees. The airlines have it backward. Not surprisingly.
4. The "fasten seat belt" light has two different and fascinating, in my not so humble opinion, effects on people. When it is on, usually during ascent and descent, I am always stunned by the number of folks who suddenly NEED to get something from their bag in the overhead compartment. Hey buddy! What's so important in your bag that you absolutely cannot wait 15 minutes to get it? Your Sudoku can wait. On one of my recent trips, the flight attendant had to tell a man not once, not twice but three times to sit down because the light was still on and we were in the process of landing! I think that on every flight I have taken (and I have thought hard about it, I mean every single one) in the past 6 months I have observed someone up when the seat belt light was on. Check it out when you fly next.
The second thing I noticed about the seat belt light is the mad dash to the bathroom the second that light goes off. If you get up to stretch your legs (or get that Sudoku), you could be trampled by the number of folks going to the bathroom. I know some people have issues but really people, I think you would be better served if you remembered your mother's practical admonition to go before you leave. Airports seem to have bathroom every 30 yards, probably for this very reason. Check them out, a lot of them have those cool Dyson airblade hand dryers.
This is the danger of letting your mind wander. There is a fine line between thoughts and rants, I have discovered. Maybe I should be playing "Draw Something" instead. . .
Friday, 20 April 2012
Not Sure This is What Judy Garland Had In Mind
Easter morning in New York City was gorgeous . A real spring day. No need for heavy jackets or coats. We had a plan and I was pretty glad we didn't need extra clothes to weigh us down. No, no, no, keep your mind out of the gutter. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I couldn't wait to do all the New Yorky things I had read about over the years and on Easter, one such of those events takes place - The Easter Parade.
It has been memorialized in its very own movie, starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire. The parade is an informal event, I don't think it is organized by any particular group. It seems to have started sometime in the late 1800s as sort of a fashion show. Women showing off their new spring hats and fashions after church on Easter Sunday. It has evolved since then. It takes places on 5th avenue between 57th and 49th streets. They close off the street and crowds of people show up. It was high of my list of to-dos when we moved here, so I got Chizz up and off we went.
It is not too hard to walk to the parade route from our apartment. We just cut through 
the park and since it was such a beautiful day, we weren't the only ones with that idea. Most of the cherry blossoms have bloomed and went in NYC but there are a few left and they are beautiful. We noticed quite a few families enjoying the weather. Breakfast picnics, games of ball and some kite flying. I don't know why, but kite flying always reminds me of spring.
the park and since it was such a beautiful day, we weren't the only ones with that idea. Most of the cherry blossoms have bloomed and went in NYC but there are a few left and they are beautiful. We noticed quite a few families enjoying the weather. Breakfast picnics, games of ball and some kite flying. I don't know why, but kite flying always reminds me of spring.
It seemed like the park was just filled with people. We took a walk up to the boat pond in Central park and there was a group of dancers there. Wasn't quite sure what this was about. Watching groups perform is a fine art. If you watch for a few minutes and walk away, no problem. But if you stay for the whole performance and they pass the hat, you really should contribute something. Sometimes you can time it just right, you get there right after they start, watch for a few minutes and then move on. Sometimes the timing is off and you show up for the end of their number and they pass the hat. I always feel guilty if I skulk off without contributing. 
there are children that participate and you can rent a boat to try it out, there are lots of adults who spend countless hours buildling then racing their boats on the pond. It seemed that there was some kind of race going on the day we were there because there were quite a few sail boats. The best thing at the model boat pond that day was this golden retriever. Somehow his tennis ball got into the pond, not sure if it was owner error or what. But that dog was 
straining at the leash trying to get to the ball in the pond. I am certain that is frowned upon, dogs in the pond, so the owner was struggling to keep the dog out of the pond while her husband figured out how to get the ball out. They finally found a branch or stick long enough to reach the ball and everyone managed to stay out of the pond. But it was touch and go there for a minute. If you look really closely in the photo, you can see the ball in the lower left corner.
So we finally meandered through the park and worked our way up to 57th/5th. The parade is less a parade but rather a group of people who wander through the cordoned off area in their hats posing for photos. As you will see from the photos, there were a variety of different kinds of hats. Some had a distinct Easter theme:
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| Notice the peeps and easter grass. |
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| Peep bunnies and large bunny hat! |
Some just celebrated Spring in their own special ways:
Some in ways that are clearly against the law:
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| Father and Minor Son Egg and Beer Can Hats |
Or should be against the law:
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| The only thing stranger than the side of this man's costume? |
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| The back! |
Some had topical "hats:
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| 100th anniversary of the Titanic |
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| Whitney Houston Hat. ???? |
Some I wasn't quite sure what they were trying to say
It seemed pretty apparent that every unemployed actor, singer and dance in NYC was there that day. Most of these people clearly enjoyed, no relished, being in the spotlight. They pranced, preened and posed all day long for photos. Most were very theatrical. I wonder, has anyone every been "discovered" this way?
These guys were clearly characters from the board game, Clue. Have I lost it? Is there some kind of Easter significance or connection? I am fairly certain these guys were actors. They stayed in character the entire time. We identified Miss Scarlett, the maid, Mrs. Peacock, Colonel Mustard and I think Professor Plum. People lined up to have their photos taken with them, like characters at a theme park.
Here are a few other chapeaus that we spied that day:
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| I just love the matter of fact look on this guy's face. Like wearing a bunny hat is an every day occurrence. Maybe it is. |
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| There is really a person underneath that. |
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| Every parade needs a drag queen. |
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| Chocolate eggs! |
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| Interesting. . . |
So afterward, we ended up at Rockefeller Center. They had some lovely topiaries, which my photos are not going to do justice.
We were surprised to find out the Ice Skating Rink is still open and people were there ice skating.
And not just "any" people were there ice skating. Look who we saw:
My new nephew, Charlie! Born at 1:44 a.m. Easter morning! Congratulations Auntie K & Uncle D and Big Sister, Zabba. And thank you, Easter Bunny!!!
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Survivor
Kiki came to visit recently on her spring break. She hadn't been to New York in a few years so she had a laundry list of things to do and see. Quite a few of them involved food. It is one of the ways you can tell she is my daughter. She also likes to shop, another way. Both of those things can be accomplished in New York easily. She also enjoys doing some sightseeing. I wouldn't say museums are necessarily her thing, although she will go to an exhibit if it is of particular interest to her.
One item on her agenda was the 9/11 memorial. It opened recently on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. We hadn't been yet. It is always on our list but for a number of reasons yet we hadn't made it there. When Kiki mentioned she would like to go, I offered to take her but Chizz said he thought it was time, so we went. Although there is no charge, you must obtain timed passes for the site, either online or at a location near the memorial Right now it is pretty easy to get the passes. Not sure if it will stay that way for the summer tourist season. The museum is not yet open, they are hoping for a September 2012 opening date. There was a small line when we arrived and, not surprisingly, they have quite a bit of security - similar to an airport. They have manage to "Disney-fy" the line, meaning there are so many twists and turns you aren't exactly sure where you are in line or how close you are to the front until you are there.
The first thing that struck me is that there is still quite a bit of construction going on, it is loud. you hear jackhammers, and hammering and associated sounds. The second thing that 
struck me is that there were a number of very young children there. We saw a Boy Scout group that included some Cub Scouts, who looked pretty young - first or second grade maybe. I just don't think I would have brought my kids to something like this so young, even given our situation. How do you explain it to them?
struck me is that there were a number of very young children there. We saw a Boy Scout group that included some Cub Scouts, who looked pretty young - first or second grade maybe. I just don't think I would have brought my kids to something like this so young, even given our situation. How do you explain it to them?
The memorial itself are two inverted waterfall type fountains laid out in the original footprint of the two World Trade Center buildings. Surrounding each fountain is a continuous ledge 
or platform inscribed with the names of the people who died in each tower, plus those in the planes, plus those at the pentagon, plus those in the first World Trade Center attack in 1993. It is a powerful presentation. One I can't really capture in photos. It was hard to get a photo of the entire site or both fountains in one shot. This shot captures the plaza in between the two fountains, off camera to the far left of the photo is the North Tower Memorial, to the far right the South Tower Memorial. People walk around the ledges and read the names. There are apps for your cell phone so you can find out where on the memorial a name is located. There are also kiosks located at the site that perform the same function. It is overwhelming looking at the names. The names are grouped by building and then together in affiliation, like all employees of certain companies are together unless their families requested their names be in a different locations. My understanding is that husbands and wives, if requested, were placed next to each other as well as other family members.
The fountains are beautiful and in a way mesmorizing. Kiki & I watched the water for some time and it almost appears that it is moving upward as opposed to falling.
We walked around the edge of the South Tower memorial and found the employees from 
Chizz's company. We found the name of his supervisor in the meeting with him that morning and the name of the woman he walked with down 30 flights of stairs. She decided to take the elevator down the rest of the way and went to the elevator bank at the 78th (?) floor. This was shortly before the second plane hit the tower. She didn't make
Chizz's company. We found the name of his supervisor in the meeting with him that morning and the name of the woman he walked with down 30 flights of stairs. She decided to take the elevator down the rest of the way and went to the elevator bank at the 78th (?) floor. This was shortly before the second plane hit the tower. She didn't make 
it out. I was taken by the number of names that included "and her unborn child". Victims I hadn't thought about before. It shows how young many of the people were that were killed. In the prime of their lives, having chidren, starting careers. One of Chizz's colleagues currently is a young man who lost both of his parents that day. He was 12 or 13. And now he is working at a company whose history is as connected to 9/11 as his own. We noticed a few people that left flowers but not many other remembrances. There isn't a place for things like photos and teddy bears and other symbols that people often leave. I am glad in a way. It makes it a more somber remembrance. There is a place for those other things but here I think it is good to keep it a little more reserved. 
Some names are touched so often, the etching is a little brighter from the number of hands that have touched it. Most of these names are those of the heros from the various planes, whose stories we have all heard. These men are the connection to 9/11 for those who didn't lose a member of their family or a friend or an acquaintance. It gives everyone a personal association.
One of the most spectacular images at the 9/11 memorial was the "Survivor Tree". The tree is a pear tree that was found during the rescue and cleanup effort in the days following 9/11. It was badly burned and scarred. The tree was taken to a nursery in the Bronx where it was nursed back to health. I read an article that quoted someone from the nursery indicating that it was touch and go but once it got leaves on it again that following spring, they were pretty sure it would survive. It has become symbolic. And when we were there it was in full bloom. There have been story after story about what the tree represents and how it can serve as a reminder of all we have been through, how we can bounce back, how we should never forget. I don't need those reminders, I have my own symbol and living here in New York City, I am reminded at least weekly, if not daily, of the joy and beauty of survival.
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