Broadway At Bryant

Thursday afternoon i got myself to Bryant Park for Broadway at Bryant.

 I got there on time which was late for Broadway since there were already bodies in the closest seats. (I was glad I made it more than anything period)

The first three songs were from The Lion King. Although I've seen the LK in theater, those songs gave me the chills. Which left me a bit astonished that I was able to detach myself from the heat and the crowd enough to experience that moment. I guess that means I'm back on track and that, that show is bloody good.

Then the The Addams Family went on. The song that struck me as solid was, 'Just Around The Corner.' What of it?  It's a song about how evident death is, and it was sung and danced to as if this were a wonderful message...The Addams Family humor, is so not like Aladdin. (Robin Williams did a great job at making me laugh with that. I like that type of laughter too.)

I couldn't really hear what was going on with Next To Normal (The third performance of the four.) due to the two ladies behind me who were catching up on old times. That was precious. (Wednesday Addams humor.)

Thankfully the chattery women left before I lost my zen, and before Wicked went on..... Um, I think I have to go see Wicked now? I got emotional when I heard, 'For Good,' the song that the Wicked Witch of the West sang with Glinda the Good Witch. When I saw those two get along I felt hopeful. That's what Broadway is supposed to do, right? It makes you feel.

Point being? (Although I already wrote about Bryant a lot.) I was able to have a taste of three and a half Broadway shows by simply showing up at the park for an hour. There are two weeks left of Broadway at Bryant.... And yis, I get that it's at a weird time (12:30 - 1:30 p.m. on Thursdays.) for workers who wear blue or beige, but there's always lunch and long coffee breaks.

High Line Park

The High Line Park

 Whether the theme for a park calls for relaxation or activity the end result that persons aim for when constructing a park is happiness and balance. This is why I'm drawn to parks. And yips, I agree with the H&M T-shirt I bought a few weeks ago that says, "The best things in life are free." (Is it ironic that I bought it?) I'm almost sure that nature is a major source of happiness.

Near the 17th Street entrance there is a sitting area or an observatory nest that permits the public to   people watch & to experience the motions of NYC.

The flowers that are planted among railroad tracks are incredible when compared to the past. The trains that previously moved along those tracks were used to transport produce, milk, and meat across the Avenues directly into factories. Yet, something tells me the primary transported goods were meat, hence the meat packing district.


Underneath the bridge there is a window exhibit which we can thank artist, Spencer Finch for. The windows vary in color because Finch documented how the sun changed the hues of the Hudson River for 700 minutes, each minute has its own color. This reminds me how nothing is one color. It also reminds me that we are forever changing.

Also underneath the bridge, one can hear bells that are associated to New York. (Church bells diner bells, & bike bells.) A different bell sounds at every minute that passes due to Stephen Vitiello.

Another interesting factor about the High Line are the movable wooden benches that are connected to the tracks.

(View High Line's Event Page for future happenings.)  

'We need to talk'

We need to talk
By Ivan Jenson
~
do you have a moment, we need to talk?

ok shoot.

for some time now you have not noticed the branches on the trees and how they wait for green, or the dogs that run in the rain, not to mention the alternating expressions of nuns in the cafe’s, or the dark black hair of Asian students, or blonde fire hydrants, or the sensual tease of hope...

so what

well, I just thought you should know that gray afternoons in April, or leaning stop signs, or girls fiddling with their almost auburn hair, or strangers with umbrellas, might not always be there for you...

and your point is?

the point is that there is a reason why white wine is waiting, why windows have stayed slightly ajar, why unknown civilians might suddenly become your lovers...

ok then, tell me why?

it is because this mathematical equation, this multi faceted mystery might just care about you, and is therefore willing to put up with your apathy, disdain, and all around bad attitude.

Is there anything else you want to say, I have to be somewhere?

just that the mist and the mystery will be there for you when you are ready.

well, I am not ready yet.

we understand.
~
Ivan Jenson is a fast rising fresh poetic voice on the international publishing scene. He has enjoyed unprecedented success publishing his poetry in the US and the UK. His poems have appeared in 'Word Riot,' 'Mad Swirl,' 'O and S Poets,' 'Artist Magazine,' 'Blazevox,' and many others. He is a novelist, artist and poet living Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ivan Jenson

Vesey & North End

When walking along the water at Battery Park, I found this pond with lily pads, ducks, fish, and a small water fall. Or maybe it's a fountain?

At the left rim (when facing the water.) of this pond there was a plaque that read, "The Continuous Life By Mark Strand." What followed the title was a poem by Strand. I was going to re-type it here, but I would rather you read it there while listening to the sounds of that spot. The sounds of the water fall, the cars honking, and the West Side Highway.

But I will say something about the poem.... You know when you just get it? And the reason why you get it is cuz you think it or thought it, but you haven't pieced it together in a sentence yet. And while those thoughts are sitting around munching on coffee cake, you're met by words you can run your fingers over, words that aren't yours, words that have originated from another who thinks the same things. Then, when you read those words, all that can be said is: I know.

That is what felt in words at then.

After then, I scooped up my dog and head to the stone structure just beyond the pond. When I got close enough I asked a man with a broom, What is this place? His response: the Irish Hunger Memorial. I said thanks then proceeded.

Along the entrance-way walls there are various quotes that survived the famine, as well as other quotes that are connected to hunger. The two that stuck with me are:

"I was then but four and a half years old; I have a distinct remembrance of that morning's scene: The remnant of our household furniture flung about the road: The roof of the house falling in and the thatch taking fire; My Mother and Father looking on with four young children." (Michael Davitt 1850)

And: "We all live in each other's shadow." (Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland)

After reading the walls I sat on the ground nearest the stone pathway to listen to the audio recording that was repetitively playing... While hearing sections from memoirs of Holocaust victims, I looked down at my panting dog. I was glad he couldn't understand.

When I was sure I heard each story I hiked up the hill. Dear New York, or Dear Battery Park City: Could you take care of the green area in a more caring manner? It looks haunted by what it could be, or was. I'm sure it was spectacular when the memorial was introduced to the neighborhood in 2002.

Yet, regardless of the memorial's up-keep there are details that surpass the physical state of things. The green, the grass and the flowers were transported from various llocals from Ireland. The landscape walls are built with stones from each Irish county in Ireland. And that the cottage which was brought over from Ireland was donated by the Slack family who emigrated to the US generations ago. (Those flowers seem to be a type of vine. When I touched, it felt spongy. I wouldn't mind sleeping on them.) 

The Irish Hunger Memorial (Which was designed by artist, Brian Tolle and landscape architect, Gail Wittwer-Laird.) is at Vesey St. and North End Ave. in Battery Park City.....Maybe you could go there and think about something that matters. I'm not only saying this to you, I say it to myself all the time.

Catriona Herd: 'Nature: Catching the Colour'

Catriona Herd

‘Nature: Catching the Colour’ Exhibition

During my Pace days I took two journalism classes: Features and News. (I did well with Features. And perhaps my writing was too whimsical for News.) Anyhow, the professor who taught those classes is Mark McSherry. Yeah, I guess he’s a “big hat” in journalism, and when you put that accomplishment out there on it’s own, it’s impressive. Then, when ya factor in that McSherry’s wife, Catriona Herd, the internationally known painter, I can’t help but think, what an awesome pair. 

 So, when I got word that Catriona was having an exhibition at the Broom Street Gallery, there was no decision, there was just, I have to go to that.  (I love when different aspects of life connect or overlap.)

At the exhibition I learned that Catriona studied at Scotland’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. At Duncan Catriona learned how to exact color, meaning, when Catriona looks at a sunset, she doesn’t see orange, she sees the 23 variations of orange. Hence the title of the exhibition. Also another reason why color is so important is because, "Scottish painters tend to use color since it's grey a lot of the time. You don't get color there.” (McSherry) (And that was a -- that is so logical I didn't think it -- moment.)

What Catriona primarily tends to paint are figures (portraits) and landscapes. But, due to this spring’s blossoms in Brooklyn, Catriona was inspired to create a series of flowers in bloom paintings. And as for the technique, all paintings are based off of plein air sketches. (Plein air sketching: When Catriona puts a painting of a lake frozen over on display that means she sat outside in the cold until she was pleased with a sketch. Honestly I think each painting should be sold with a few pages of what was experienced for the work.)

Now wanna hear the romantic part about all this? Catriona (And family) travel for sketches. According to McSherry, “If she runs out of sketches she gets really grumpy, so we have to make a trip. Fortunately her Scottish friends tend to live in Portugal, or France, and we go to visit, and when she's there she does a lot of sketches.”    So when you see a painting of an old house in Portugal, it’s cuz Catriona found an old house in Portugal that said something to her. I can’t really explain how happy that makes me without getting whimsical about it. It’s like living a dream..But is it still a dream when you’re living it?

Yeah, I’m really glad that I went and saw. Unfortunately you won’t be able to see it as I did, but if you wanna take a look, or go shopping I'm inviting you to visit Catriona's Website.

'Stuyvesantowne'

Stuyvesantowne
By H.E. Mantel-HaroHalola
~
Across the River, West 'tis that

at the cliffs & clefts of Victoria above

blackish waters slick as Legislation, of Verrazzano

& not-so-merried ferries, the promontory sits of

visage, resplendented of red deer & red bear &

white Eagles' scat from Lady Liberty!

Why, in the glare of where, opossum

& red squirrel, vied in-passioned

imposters of small virtue in deed 

sought, wrought of purloin

for some vertu & bijouterie for

Manhattan!

- (The Chief Islander - so the Mythic goes!) -

But Hey!, it's up-on the BigScreen, now

playin' @ The Bijou, & in the dutri-plexes

& plexes of plexiglasse &

MegaPlexes of Tribeca, in the Tri-boros+2...

Avaunt! Above Verrazzano visage   

tramontane, There! The filth & flair

urbicide of City-fare, miasma which got us into

insouciant Dutch!

~

H.E. Mantel-HaroHalola of Hallandale Beach, Florida; published Poet/Writer, extensively in print and internet Magazines, Journals, Anthologies; awaiting the publication of Poetry collections, "Bananas' On The Moon...A Collection Of Revisionist Haiku" & "Sophistigates: A New Book Of New Poetry," musician-vocalist-songwriter, an avid reader, athlete, and devotee of Holistic Health through Vegan lifestyle, ecology and his Writing to Help Our Earth to Heal

Mitch Lj

Mitch Lj is Michel Saurin
 Mitch is from France

He is a French DJ, and a successful one at that
In New York, Mitch can be found at Kiss and Fly or at Gansevoort's  Provocateur
Mitch speaks French, English, Portuguese, and a little Spanish right?   

What is your definition of being a DJ? "When I work I don't feel like I'm working. It's like playing music for me. I'm on my computer creating something. For me it's like I'm sharing my energy."

What type of music do you play? "House music."

What does that mean? "Okay, House started from putting a beat on the disco, by putting percussion on the actual beat....And there's so many different kinds of house music.You can go from deep house,  very instrumental, very jazzy, that's where I started. I don't know if I told you my background?"

Let's hear it: "I come from jazz. I was drumming, I was playing piano. I played four years of piano, and meanwhile I started the saxophone for two years,  and I did the jazz drumming for 15 years...Then, completely randomly I've been attracted, I mean not really attracted, but I was needing some money when I finished my studies in France. (I was 23 when I finished business school. That's not in my field, but anyway I graduated. I did it.) Then I just focused on what I really like to do. Music....... But I didn't have any plans and the South of France there's like a few big clubs and that's it. And to live really well doing jazz and the stuff I was doing, it was not easy. So just to get some money I was drumming in clubs, like getting my percussions, my drums, and going in this club and playing with DJs, like special shows and stuff like that. I liked that. I really liked what I was doing and that's where I got fully into house music."

"The DJ that was playing there in this big club in the South of France, (Ponor is the name of the town, where there's really good wine also.) was playing this type of melodic stuff, really instrumental, and really like jazzy house music. And I ask him, ok explain me how to mix, and let me begin the party for you...That's how I got the virus. And then I started buying lots of music and lots of vinyls, because it was in vinyls at the time."

Did you do anything else during that beginning period other than the drums? "I was also, what's the name in English? A kid rescuer? A life guard on the beach. (Wha? That's shamazing!) Actually, it was funny because I was a life guard on the beach by day and by night I was playing percussion in the club just right next to the beach. It was a 100 meters away. I was going in and out, in and out. I was sleeping like three hours those nights."

"Then after that I moved to Switzerland to make a season there. I didn't know what to do after I graduated and stuff so I went there." Is there good musical energy there? "Also, but you get more money there. And I had some opportunity to work there, so I went. I did a season there, and then I went back for a year and I worked in a ski station.You have to start some where. It was good cuz I was snowboarding. So, I was snowboarding by day and playing the club by night. I was always mixing the two pleasures."

"Then after that I came back to the South of France for the summer, and I started again to mix, but I was in San Copain. San Copain is really like the platform where there's all these clients. And you can make these contacts for business to pump up, especially as a DJ. So I stayed for six years, six seasons, every summer. Then I was traveling and playing here and there and having my own contacts and parties I started to travel and be really demanding because my music was not bad. Then after awhile I worked almost everywhere in like the biggest clubs in Europe, like ah North South, like Spain, Russia everywhere, London everywhere. And I also have this market in South America, in Brazil. Brazil that I love. My name is well known there, bigger than here in the USA actually." 

Where in Brazil? "Everywhere in Brazil. I started in Sao Paulo. Then I went to more famous places, like very fancy on the summer, like in Florianopolis, and Curichiba. Rio I don't like that much cuz the night life isn't really that great there. I mean the city is amazing, it's beautiful, but energy wise, like music wise, no, no, not the best, for house. I'm saying for house, I love house."

Do you ever get nervous on stage? "Not at all." Then...... "I'm used to it now. The first time you get there, you're a little bit nervous. It's like you have no mistakes, no mistakes. You can't fail, you cannot fail, no way, no way. But ah, that's what I do, that's what I love to do."

What made you come to the US? "I was going back and forth,  back and forth. Then I said, you know what? You have this field, this market, you can open also in America. And there, if you work there, you're gonna work everywhere because America is a (He did the universal gesture for strong, puffing up the arms.) well country and so.  So I decided to move everything, I just took my life and came here just with nothing. I got a visa, I got myself. I arrange everything. It was a mess. Yeah, it was really hard to get that. But I had a lot of press in Europe, so I could have it. And that's it so I came here and I started working for Kiss and Fly as a specialist for one year."

How did you get Kiss and Fly? "They contacted me. I never really contacted anyone. So no agents pulling for your cause? "Yeah also, I have three different agents.  One in the United States now that I signed with someone, William Morris. For South America I have another agency, the biggest also. And I'm working with one exclusive agent who is for Europe. It's organization. You have to...."

Onto France...Where in France are you from? "I come from a small small village from the South of France. I give you the name but you won't even know that." No tell me, I wanna know. "Okay I come form Sollies-Pont. And you know what we are known from there?" What? "For the cherries and the figs. Fig trees, we have a lot a lot, and we export a lot through all the world. That's what we do. But it's beautiful, you know it's like a little, very small town, beautiful. We also have a lot of vines around, a lot of wine around. And it's like chill."

Do you miss it? "I miss the vibe there, but I go like every summer one month to see my mom. She's living there." 

Okay so how do you feel about New York? "New York is the American dream. When you want something and you go for it here...You get one chance and you don't miss your chance you can go really high. And if you have some talent that's gonna really push you really high. Also you can get really low. So don't miss your chance. That's what I say about New York."

Do you like New York? "I love New York. The city itself? Yeah, it's all about the energy. It's all about the movement. And it's all about strategy, here." Whatcha mean? "Well, in my world, in what I'm involved in here, there's a lot of competition. But when you do everything with love and passion, if you really want it and you're good at what you do you're going to do well. And anyway when you have a strategy, when I say that is like you can be good, you can be the best DJ, or the most beautiful and talented artists in the world. If you don't have exposure, or when people don't know you,  don't see you, you're gonna disappear. So what you do is strategize. That's what I do. That's why I have the best agents. That's why I waited to have this one also. And that's it."

How did you learn this?  "I just feel it. I donno, I just feel where to go and I smell where it smells good for me...I don't know how to say that. You know when you don't feel good in a place or you don't feel good with someone and stuff?"

Any other projects? "In new York when I'm not working, spinning, I'm in the studio everyday every night. I remix, I produce originals, I work with different labels."

So with all this wonderful...Are ya happy? "Ah I'm very happy. I cannot be more independent, because I do everything by myself. I'm very proud of it. Ah, but there is this thing that. Okay, I think that every artist that's being successful and stuff like that, you have no life, in a way that you're always moving. That means that you're seeing people that you know some times from here and there, and here and there, but you don't have a certain circle of friends. I got a few close friends that I know from Europe, I also got close friends back home. But, in everyday, you're gonna interact with some people that you know from last time you came here and there. So I have good friends all over the world,  but that's not the point. There's not really someone that you could...Someone very close? No."

Are you lying about any of this? "No."

If you've heard: 'Love Will Find A Way,' 'Summer Rain, 'Brooklyn Symphony,' 'Love Shine,' 'The Barber,' 'One People,' 'Set You Free,' or 'Reunion,' you have heard Mitch.

Baohaus

Apologies for not reporting on this sooner.

Bauhaus is a Taiwanese restaurant at 137 Rivington. Before the first Baohaus experience I watched Eddie Huang, (the owner) compete in a Ultimate Recipe Showdown, a food network challenge... Since my friend is a friend of Eddie's we made a day of it. We watched Eddie make pork belly sandwiches on the show, (I've been calling them Taiwanese tacos for some reason?) then we head to Baohaus to do our own tasting.  (Watch the show if you can. Eddie is really funny on it.) (That is crushed  roasted peanuts on the pork.)

And yow! So good! If you like sweet with your salty this is something to try. The pork was tender, and the roll! It tasted like jasmine to me, but when I asked I was told that it was a simple flour roll, with a touch of sugar for the kindness.

After returning, then returning, I kept having the same order. (This was BO, before oath.) Until last week when I ordered Uncle Jesse, the tofu option, with the Chairman Bao, the pork belly. (What? It doesn't count as long as I'm trying something new along side) And I've gotta say, bravo. You see, I always want tofu to taste yummy, want being the key word here. In Baohaus's case, their take on tofu tasted how I've always wished it to taste like.  Good.

So, when I finally got it together and decided to write about Bauhaus I contacted Eddie to find out a facts. I wanted to know how this idea became tangible. The start, I wanted the start!

This is how the start goes: Eddie was a stand-up comic who  had a show at the Laugh Lounge. During that time Eddie was securing appearances at random places. One of those random appearances was the cooking competition that was mentioned earlier. When Eddie got back form the Food Network contest he realized it was time to introduce Authentic Taiwanese style gua bao to Nyc due to all the fun he had on the show.

And there we have it! A restaurant!

When you go check out the family photos on the walls. And of course I love that. And if you try something else I wanna know about it! Also, also,  Here is a link to the Baohaus blog.

Brooklyn Bridge

I haven't been writing as often because I've moved...to ny city.

It's time I start following my own advice. I'm always telling others to just do it, and I have been in a sense, but I wasn't doing as much as I could. I was doing life the easy way. It's easy to hop on a bus, have a beautiful day in New York, then go home to quaint Cranford. It was the safe thing to do. 

Wells, Safe can go fly a kite. I asked for the bff necklace back. He begrudgingly handed it over. Safe doesn't like losing it's followers, I mean friends.

So yes, I'm here and today I did something that I've been meaning to do for years. I roller bladed over the Brooklyn Bridge. What held me back? I guess that would be the illusion that I have plenty of time to do the things I want before I expire. Nope, I'm not being a downer, I'm being honest with myself. This life will end at some point and I want to make sure I live my life like a bad-ass until then. (A beat.)

While blading up the bridge I saw three electric wheel chairs headed in my direction. When they got to me I moved over, stopped and watched the elderly lady who was followed by two elderly men in sunglasses (They all wore sunglasses.) speed towards the Manhattan direction. Um, they were doing what I wrote about in the previous paragraphs. Don't ever stop is how it should be. You're too old to move? Get a machine that will help you, because there is always a way to live life fully.

At the mid-point, where persons linger to take photos of each other or together, I stopped and stood there for a few moments. While there my mind felt clear, I could sense I made the right decision about the move. You know when ya feel like the wind is just blowing for you? Yeah, that's how it felt.

When I got to the bottom I was hoping to be greeted by a large ice-cream shop, but no such thing happened. I bladed along the main road in search of one, and nothing. What I did find was a cool spot to lay down for a few before heading back.  I had a treat anyway. (The sky.)

Wells, that was my morning. Now, I've got to go outside and live.

Happy July Fourth...........!!

p.s. If you ever wanna ride over rent a bike at the Seaport or at Battery Park. If you wanna blade over, go to Sports Authority.

p.s.s. If we don't like heights don't look down. You can see the road and water right through the cracks of the planks.