New York, New York a Hell of a Town
Hey cool peeps out there. It appears that I am going to fall even further behind in my attempt to get all my pictures up on this, but don't worry, that's just because I have MORE pictures to share.
This week, I was talking to Teresa online, and she was telling me how she was getting into New York this weekend, and she just casually dropped the suggestion that I come down, since she has the weekend free and doesn't start work until Monday. And I was like, yeah, that would be fun. And then I just thought to myself, well why shouldn't I go? There isn't a single reason.
Every single person in my class has made it to New York several times this year, with the exception of me. I just prevent myself from going, and I have absolutely no idea why that is. And 110 in the Shade is currently performing a limited run in New York starring Audra McDonald, and I DESPERATELY wanted to see it, and I start work this week, so didn't know the next time I'd have this chance would be. So spontaneously I decided, yes, I'm going to go down to New York for the weekend!
Before I had finished talking to Teresa online, we already had our tickets for 110 in the Shade, and I was SO pumped about this trip.
I went the next day to South station and bought my ticket for the bus on Saturday at around 11, bringing me into the city by about 4 so teresa and I could grab some dinner before the show.
But before I get to that, other exciting stuff happened. It appeared devinie intervention was at hand this week as I got to see not 1, but two of my good friends from Arizona. Julia came out to Boston for her sister's graduation. So on friday we got to spend the day together. Unfortuneately it was raining the entire time, and my attempt to brave the weather and walk the streets was short lived. So we came back to my apartment, made hot cocoa and watched casino Royale instead.
I also even go tup the guts to make Julia dinner. I am NOT a good cook, and am trying to improve myself, which I think I am accomplishing, and this was the first time that I ever made an actual dinner dish for anyone. It was my patented teriaky chicken.
So saturday came, and off I went to New York. I got to Time Square, and found Teresa and we went and got some Italian food for dinner (chicken alfredo that was amazing, but sat like a rock in my stomach for the rest of the night). We then went off to get our tickets for the show, but then had about 2 hours to kill. Two hours in New York city, and two crazy kids with a camera? What are the odds, we took pictures?
First, here is me on the bus ready to leave for the big city. the ride down there was really nice because it wasn't very full, so I had my whole row to myself, which I lied across and took a nap on...
Here is me in front of the Drowsy Chaperone poster in Time Square, attempting to be Mary Poppins
Teresa and I next moved on to Toys R Us, here we are, attempting to scale the lego Empire State building...
They even made a lego Captain Jack Sparrow, which I thought was extremely exciting. By the way I am SO excited for that movie to come out this weekend!!!!!!!!!
We spent an embarassingly long time in Barbie's house, just because it was really funny to say that we were in there for so long
By the way, I saw Shrek 3 at 10 pm the night before it came out (I don't understand how that was legal or how we managed that, but yeah). Very funny movie, though not as good as the others simply because the story needed to be developed more, or cut down so that which they did have was developed fully.
Here is me with one of the stars of said movie...
I really like that picture by the way, even though my hair looks brown again in it.
Another thing Garrett is outrageously exicted for?
In the Toys R Us candy station, they have all the characters from the candyland game (except for the queen whatever her name is, Teresa looked tirelessly for her)
Like a true theme park, they take your picture upon entering the store, and like true college students, we take pictures of the pictures instead of buying them.
Then we went to what I had been waiting for my whole life, a broadway show starring Audra McDonald!!!
I basically just took my picture with every poster of her I could find
And I finally got what I had wanted since last November when it evaded me, Audra's signature. I did not however get a picture with her, we were a little towards the back and I'm sure I would have managed it if I had been forceful and patient, but it started to rain pretty good and I was nervous cuz I had a poster and my signed playbill that I didn't want to get ruined. But I did get a picture of her!
She's so beautiful! And just for the record, the show itself was good, she was freaking fantastic! Tony award worthy all the way! I can't even begin to describe how impressed I was by her overall performance, she was histarical, and then she was heart breaking, and the amount of passion that just emminated when she breathed! It was Incredible. The story is about a woman who isn't able to find herself a man, because she's outspoken and smart and strong, and what have you. Then a rain maker comes to town who re awakens in her a sense of her own woman hood.
Two best scenes in the show, the one where the brother told Audra that she was ugly (I did cry, as did she) and teh one where the rainmaker got her to say that she was beautiful (I think the whole audience cried)
Best night at the theatre I have ever had. And when it rained at the end! SO GOOD!
We then went to teresa's hotel where she was spending the night, getting only significantly lost on our way there. Then I was caught in bed with my lover:
The next day I headed back to the theatre district nice and early in order to get student rush tickets for Grey gardens. However, there was no one else there, so instead I went over to rockerfeller plaza for a short while, got a jamba juice, then came back two hours later and was still first in line. Front row center for twenty dollars.
After that I ahd three more hours until the show, so I first went to central park (by way of a bakery that had these INCREDIBLE chocolate chip cookies dipped in chocolate) and I layed on the grass for about an hour, appropriately I listened to Sunday in the Park with George as I watched the people pass by.
I then went back and hit Colony music, which was a mistake because it took ever ounce of will power I possess to not drop about 200 dollars on stuff I wanted, though I was smart and wrote down the things that caught my eye ;)
Grey Gardens was an incredible show. It's based off of the documentary by the same name, about Edith and Edie Bouvier, the cousins of Jackie O. They were the socialites of socialites during the fourties, and their mansion in the hamptons was the hotspot of all activity. Yet thirty years later the two women remained in the house that had fallen into disrepair with 37 cats and virtually no plumbing. eventually the house was condemmed, yet the women refused to leave.
The show started in the fourties, and then went on in the second act to the documentary, thirty years later. It examined the relationship between this mother and daughter and how they could have fallen so ungracefully to the depths they descended. The two main women gave some of the best performances I ahd ever seen, actually the entire company (which to be fair was only like 8) all were extraordinary. However, the show itself (very strong book, great music, wonderful set) was really upsetting and very disturbing, but in a very good, affecting way.
So both shows were complete hits! I was very happy with this weekend, as it was filled with such great theatre. But something that I started to think this weekend, that will come across as maybe pig headed, or ass kissing, btu I find kind of exciting.
Broadway has always been in my mind this idealized sort of image of that which I some day aspire to, but is always just slightly beyond my grasp. For the first time this weekend, I felt like it is something that I'm not that far away from. As I was watching these shows I was sitting there and I was like, I can do this, and I can compete with this. It really was exciting. I feel like 2 years from now when I'm leaving this school, there's nothing that will be saying that I can't make it in whatever I choose except for that which I can not really help, my age, my height, my hair what have you. So, yeah.
Also, something that I discovered last time I went to New York (over a year ago) but reaffirmed, I really don't like New York City all that much. Frankly, I prefer Boston and Scottsdale to it pretty infinitely. Part of it is just because I am so unfamiliar with the city, but it is SO overwhleming to be there, and I get so claustrophobic and it's so much dirtier than Boston, just, too much for me. Even central park, it's TOO big. I prefer the openess of the common and gardens, and how much smaller they are, so I don't feel so disconnected.
This was a very long entry, but I hope yall enjoyed. More pictures are to come!
P.S. Shout out of Congratulations to Sara and JD!
Comments
Anyway, I'm really jealous you got to see Grey Gardens.
You look so good with your glasses! You should wear them more often. And don't get so down on New York, I am very much looking forward to planning trips to see you on Broadway. I love your pictures. What a fun weekend!