books — Page 116

A Day in the City

January 24, 2019 at 10:25 am by Claudia

I’m back after my little journey to Manhattan. This line of people stretched way down the block – ticket holders for the Wednesday matinee. We’re a few months away from the two year anniversary of Anastasia opening on Broadway. There have been many cast changes in the past year as original cast members left at the end of their contracts to pursue other work. But there are several original cast members still with us – some from way back in Hartford. Christy, thank goodness, is still playing the title character and, as I said on IG yesterday, as many times as I’ve heard her sing Journey to the Past, I still get chills. She is simply extraordinary.

I was there to check in on the young man I was working with a month or so ago. He’s come such a long way. It was great to see him owning the stage yesterday. I had only a few notes for him, he’s doing that well. I got a chance to see and chat with Christy and several other cast members, but I tried to be efficient with my time since it was a two show day and the actors needed their break between shows.

I am so fortunate to have been with this show since the beginning. It has been a joy from the start. I never tire of seeing it or hearing the glorious score by Ahrens and Flaherty.

Grateful.

I went in a bit early so that I could make a few stops, one of which was to drop off a piece of jewelry for repair. I also stopped at two bookstores (see yesterday’s post), both within a few blocks of Bryant Park. I found the new book in the IQ series by Joe Ide. Perfect. And I picked up the new Country Home and Flea Market Style at Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue. Had time for a quick sandwich and then I headed for the theater.

A long day, but they always are.

Yesterday was unseasonably warm, as is today. It’s raining, the temperature is going to hit 51 degrees, then it will plummet overnight and we’ll be back down to very cold weather yet again. It’s been a crazy winter so far. As I was walking back to Port Authority last night, the temperatures were so balmy that I felt a longing for spring.

We’re going to watch Mary Poppins Returns and The Green Book tonight because we have to vote for the SAG awards by noon tomorrow. A double feature!

Happy Thursday.

The Dilemma

January 23, 2019 at 7:50 am by Claudia

When you start a book on a Wednesday morning that you purchased a few months back and with each new page, you have a dawning awareness that what you’re reading is undeniably familiar. Thirty more pages in and you know you’ve read it before.

Sigh.

And you’re faced with the fact that you have 3 hours of time to kill on a bus today and you need something to read, preferably fiction. You don’t want to take your new book from John Sandoe because you don’t want to ruin the cover. And you’ve just barely started it, so you’re not hooked yet. As you roam around the den, looking at the shelves, nothing calls to you. There are some books on your Kindle app but you don’t feel like reading from a screen. Maybe this Pat Conroy book full of essays on writing that you still haven’t read? You’re already hatching plans to make time for a quick stop at a bookstore – Barnes and Noble? That other one near Whole Foods? – someplace near Times Square because you only have a short amount of time until you have to be at the matinee of Anastasia.

The fact is, a great deal of my life is taken up with this sort of thing. What to read? Do I have enough books on hand to read? How many books do I take with me on a trip? Are they too heavy to lug in my suitcase/handbag/carry-all? Why am I not compelled to read the books in my TBR stash? What do I think would be the perfect book to occupy my mind while commuting back and forth to New York City?

Is it only me? I suspect not.

Anyway, I still haven’t made a decision and I’m soon off to Manhattan for the day.

We watched A Star is Born last night, part of our ongoing attempt to see all the SAG Award nominees before Don votes at the end of the week. I love the Judy Garland/James Mason version and tend to avoid yet another remake, but WOW! It was fabulous! Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga were simply wonderful. It’s so well done. Bradley Cooper will break your heart. He directed it and adapted the screenplay and let me tell you, he was robbed yesterday. He should have been nominated for Best Director. I don’t agree with some of the other Best Director nominees – I liked Vice, but Best Director? No. I wasn’t at all taken by BlacKkKlansman. I understood the point it was trying to make and wholeheartedly agree with that point and it’s based on a true story, but I thought it was clumsily acted and directed. So why was Spike Lee nominated? Just my personal opinion (and Don’s, as well) of course. Anyway, another lesson learned: give a remake a chance. This one is stellar.

We need to see Mary Poppins Returns and The Green Book and then we’ll be all caught up.

Propane was delivered at 7:30 last night.

We’re all set.

Okay, my friends, I’m off.

Happy Wednesday.

Sunday Snow

January 20, 2019 at 9:41 am by Claudia

We got a lot of snow, but less than predicted it seems. This “official” assessment is based on looking out the window. We’ll see the reality when we go outside to tackle it. We’ve also had sleet, which most likely compacted the snow. So far, so good. We haven’t lost power. It’s supposed to get windy later and the temps are going to plummet tonight and tomorrow, so we want to get things shoveled before then.

The oil wasn’t delivered. It won’t be delivered until Monday. So say a little prayer for us that we have heat until tomorrow. I’m more than a bit worried, though Don seems to think we’ll be fine. (That’s typical: I worry. Don doesn’t.) Needless to say, I wasn’t a happy camper when I found out they weren’t coming. On the other hand, not giving them enough lead time was our fault and, as they told me, they have 600 customers who were asking for deliveries before the storm. They’re working their tushes off.

We had the best time with Rick and Doug yesterday. Great conversation, lots of laughter – we could have stayed there for hours but we wanted to get to the store before the snow started falling. I thought you might enjoy these photos.

Doug, Sam, and Rick. Don took this and managed to get a great capture. Sam is smiling!

And you know who these people are. I bought that snake plant for Rick and Doug as a housewarming gift and it’s really taking off. And that fire! I wish we had a fireplace here at the cottage. Rick and Doug have two – one in the living room, as well.

So. Today is about snow clean up. Yuck, yuck, yuck. But it must be done.

I’m almost finished reading James Lee Burke’s latest – should finish today. Then I’ll start Something of His Art: Walking to Lübeck with J.S. Bach. Can’t wait!

Happy Sunday.

A Day in the City

The Dilemma

Sunday Snow

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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