My Return to the City!

I have exciting news! I will be attending law school beginning this coming August, and thus moving back to New York City! I am absolutely overjoyed to be returning to Manhattan, especially since I will be living downtown and won't have to commute to and from the Bronx. But have no fear, Full Moon, I will definitely be returning to the old neighborhood for some pizza! 

Law school, of course, will not permit me to see Broadway shows every weekend, but I am still looking forward to finding great little restaurants, going shopping (when I have the money), and exploring the best city in the world! I hope you will all continue to read my blog as I depart for this next adventure in NYC.

Stay tuned for more updates regarding my move to NYC! 

Here's to You, Harlem

Today I was finally reunited with my favorite city thanks to a class I am taking this semester called Women, Leadership, and Community Organizing. My professor has done a lot of work in the Harlem Children's Zone, so we took a day trip down to see the site and hear from the women who lead the community projects. And yes, you read that correctly. This was a day trip. Four hours there and just over five hours back, nine fabulous young women and a professor journeyed from Massachusetts to NYC for this adventure. Though we didn't get to spend as much time in the city as I would have liked, any trip to New York makes me happy, and this one was especially inspiring. 

I'll be honest with you. I was really nervous to visit Harlem. That fear was mostly instilled in me due to my mother's worrying (it's just because she loves me), but that stereotypical idea of Harlem definitely existed in my brain, too. Even for a girl that called the Bronx home for four months, this was uncharted territory. The only time I had ever stepped foot on 125th Street before was to take the bus to LaGuardia Airport. I have to say, thanks to the work of the women we met today, Harlem is becoming a neighborhood that many people are proud to call home. 

So while my day wasn't filled with broadway shows, celebrity sightings, or even a shopping excursion, it was still an NYC experience that I will never forget. The women from Community Pride, an organization that helps Harlem residents rebuild their communities, were so kind and enlightening. Not only were they willing to share with us their personal stories of how they came to be home owners, but they fed us an amazing meal and even invited us to return any time. We even received some awesome coffee mugs & pins when we visited the Community Pride office later in the day. 

Though the adventure was a short one, it was definitely worth the sleep deprivation and hours of driving through Connecticut. I really enjoyed getting to spend time with the girls on the trip. We shared many laughs and conversations during the ride. We've even decided that I'm a reincarnate of a Titanic passenger... and a drag queen. We'll see what this news brings for me. But in all seriousness, thank you to everyone that was involved in such a fantastic day! Special shout outs to Lacie, our calm, cool, and collected van driver, and our professor Lee for organizing the trip.  

Broadway | Priscila Queen of the Desert

During my stay in New York City last spring, I attended a CD signing for the soundtrack release of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. (Learn more about that event HERE). Ever since then I've been dying to see the show. While walking through Times Square with my friend Lisa last weekend, I saw the Palace Theatre and had a great idea. It was about 5 minutes of 6:00PM on a Friday night, and if any of you are big broadway fans you know that means we had literally 5 minutes to enter the lottery at Priscilla. Lisa and I entered our names and about 20 minutes later we were holding in our hands front row tickets to see one of the biggest shows currently playing on broadway. We couldn't believe our luck! Not only had Lisa never been to a broadway show before, but this was the first time she had ever entered a lottery. We were definitely meant to have those tickets!

As 8:00PM rolled around, Lisa and I sat anxiously in our seats with our newly purchased pink boas. When the lights went down, the magic of Priscilla began. The story revolves around three drag queens that take a road trip from Sydney, Australia to Alice Springs so that Tick, played by Will Swenson, can meet his son for the first time. Their journey west is sometimes rough-- their bus breaks down, they get lost, and they're even tormented for being gay. Yet the serious moments of the show only compliment the rest of the lively and upbeat music and dancing. If you enjoy disco and eighties music, this show is for you! From Girls Just Want to Have Fun to Like a Prayer, you will definitely be dancing in your seat. I know we were!

Priscilla also features some amazing costumes. They're brightly colored and change throughout the entire show! I would love to have the Barbie jacket that Nick Adams wears. And speaking of Nick Adams, the cast of this production is one of the most talented I've seen. Tony Sheldon, Will, and Nick are such a wonderful team. It also doesn't help that all of the boys in the cast are extremely good looking. If you're not drooling simply by looking at Mr. Adams, there are plenty of other lovelies for you to stare at! By the end of Priscilla, our cheeks hurt from smiling so much, our voices were sore from cheering, and our hands a bit tired from clapping so hard. What was left for us to do besides run to the stage door?!

For those of you that haven't been to this theater before, the stage door is located to your right once you exit from the left side of the theater. Barricades will be set up. This was definitely the best organized stage door I've ever experienced! The security people had a bag of black sharpies for the stars of the show so you don't have to worry about bringing one. Also, the performers were out the door signing and taking pictures within 10-15 minutes! I would say that Iusually have to wait a half-hour before anyone comes out. Considering all of the make-up and fancy costumes this cast is getting out of, I was really surprised when they came out so soon. 

 

All of the stars were so nice and gracious. Tony Sheldon told me he liked my sparkly pink nail polish, one of the chorus boys asked us how the lottery seats were, and one of the divas, Ellyn Marsh, even recognized us from the front row! Apparently our big smiles and wide eyes let the actors know how much fun we were having. Of course, I had to snap a photo with the gorgeous Nick Adams and a few of the other performers. They were all so great both onstage and off!

If you're looking for a fun broadway show to go to, make sure to get tickets to Priscilla! The lottery begins 2.5 hours before each performance, and they stop taking names 2 hours before, as that's when the lottery takes place. You must have $40 cash only for each ticket. Although the seats are partial view, I would not have traded my front row ticket for anything! The amount of action you miss is minimal, and being up close is always exciting. Besides, the closer you sit the more likely it is that you'll catch a ping pong ball! Believe me, you do not want to miss Priscilla Queen of the Desert!

Getting Around in New York City

After living in New York City for four months as a student intern, I learned a lot about how to navigate through the city streets using public transportation and, when necessary, taxis. It isn't always easy, but with a few helpful tools anyone can get where they want to go even if they've never been to NYC before. Whether you're visiting the city for a short time, or moving there to stay, below are some tips to getting around in NYC that I picked up along the way. 

Tips on Traveling in NYC:

• Always know where you are going ahead of time if you can! I liked to get detailed directions to every location so that I would not stick out as a "tourist" on the subway. Here are two very helpful websites that will explain step-by-step how to use public transportation--

1. HopStop.com is the first place to turn to. It will give you detailed directions on where to pick up the subway, which lines toget on, and how many stops there are before you get off. Additionally, it allows you to customize your trip with a number of different options. For example, if you would prefer to only take the bus and not the subway, you can change your preferences.  HopStop will also give you the estimated taxi cost of your trip as well, if you decide you would rather take a cab.

2. If you are more of a visual person, Google Maps will show you the exact route you will be taking. Using its satellite imagery, you can virtually make the trip. Sometimes I liked to see how far away the subway station was from where I was going. This is especially helpful if you are going to an area that doesn't follow the "grid" of NYC.

• When traveling, do not bring a map with you! Try to memorize the directions, or write them in your phone as a note. That way you will blend in with the crowd and no one will notice that you're unsure of where you're going. Of course, if you have a smart phone, you can be looking at HopStop as much as you want! 
• If you get lost and need to ask someone for help, try to ask an MTA employee, or someone working in a store. They are more familiar with the surrounding area, and more likely to give you the correct answer.
• Another helpful website is MTA.info, which will tell you if any of the busses or subway lines are currently experiencing delays or undergoing construction. 
• When in Times Square or another tourist hotspot, do not stop in the middle of the road or sidewalk! It is annoying to everyone around you. If you want to take a picture, or you just want to stop to look around, move over to the side to allow others to keep walking. 
• Taxis can be very expensive (my trip from the city to the Bronx was literally ten times more expensive than public transportation). However, they can be very useful if you are traveling at night, or if you made last minute plans and you don't know where you're going. The yellow cabs you see mainly in Manhattan accept both cash and credit cards, but I recommend having around forty to fifty dollars in cash with you, as some cabs won't take plastic. 
• Overall, when you are in NYC, be safe and have fun! Enjoy being in the greatest city in the world!

Missing NYC Life

I can't believe that I've already been home for a month! There are definitely a lot of things I miss about NYC, but it is great to be with my family again. I also started working, which is such a relief considering NYC drained my bank account an unbelievable amount. As soon as I can, I want to visit the city, though. Here are the top five things I'm missing the most.

1. Broadway shows: I loved waking up on the weekends and traveling into the city to stand in line for rush tickets. I was so fortunate to see a number of amazing performances during my semester in NYC. Now I feel like I am missing out on them! There are so many that I haven't seen, and I don't know when the next time I'll be able to see another. Hopefully very soon!
2. Public transportation: Sure, busses and subways are not glamorous, but you can get anywhere you want to go just by swiping your Metro Card. During the hour commute from the Bronx to the city, I had plenty of time to read. Even though it is the summer and I have a lot of free time, I don't take time out of my day to read as often as I should. The subway was the perfect opportunity to relax with a book.
3. Arthur Avenue: More often than I should have I found myself buying pizza at Full Moon just two blocks from our house. Other times I ended up at the smoothie shop. Only once in a while did I end up in a bakery. No matter what treat I was enjoying, all I had to do was stroll down the street and the best foods were available to me. Believe it or not, I haven't had any pizza since I've moved back home. Ordering take-out requires more effort than walking down the street!
4. Random moments of awesomeness: One never knows what's going to happen in New York City. While walking down the street, riding the subway, or even just surfing the internet for NYC events, the unexpected will happen. During my first week, Mary and I ended up on an MTV show. While shopping in Macy's with friends we spotted Clinton Kelly. I even rode in an elevator with fashion designer Christian Siriano! These little moments are exciting enough to brighten up a day and make for great stories. In the city that never sleeps, there is always something out of the ordinary going on!
5. Forever XXI: I know, I know. I can shop at Forever XXI pretty much anywhere in the country, but in NYC the stores are bigger, better, and EVERYWHERE! Times Square? Check. 34th Street? Check. Fifth Avenue? Check. Union Square? Check. You get the picture! I would go after work and on the weekends to score cute clothes at reasonable prices. I could literally spend over an hour in the Times Square location. Even with all of the unique clothing shops in the city, I somehow always ended up at Forever. 

Stay tuned for more entries! 

Broadway | Twice as Nice [Wonderland & How to Succeed, Part II]

While there are currently a great number of broadway shows to choose from, during my last full week in New York City I decided to see two of my favorites a second time-- Wonderland and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I honestly didn't think I would see Wonderland again while I was here, but when I heard that it was closing I knew I just had to see it one last time. I tried for the lottery on Thursday evening, and I won! For $30 I was sitting second row center. During the entire show I was sitting there having a wonderful time, but I was also so disappointed. How could this great show be closing?! It is filled with catchy songs, great choreography, fun costumes, and some of the most talented actors on broadway. It's a true shame Wonderland won't entertain any more audiences. 

Not only was I lucky to win the lottery that night, but after the performance Janet Dacal (Alice) and Darren Ritchie (Jack) held a talkback session to answer questions from audience members. For those of you that haven't seen the show, Ritchie's character in Wonderland is the lead singer of the "boy band" The White Knightz. Their main number "One Knight" was definitely my favorite part of the show. It's an amazing song, but it's supposed to be funny, and I die of laughter watching these guys. Click here to watch their "music video." 

Anyway, at the talkback session, an audience member asked Darren if he tries to act like any certain boy band member in particular. His answer? "Football player Justin Timberlake." I have no words! To view the entire talkback, check out the YouTube Video:

On Saturday, I woke up bright and early to head over to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre to stand in the rush ticket line for How to Succeed. I got there two hours early, and got a great spot in line (about the 16th person or so). I politely asked the lady at the box office if I could sit on the right side of the orchestra, and she searched to get me the best seat there. My motives? I just HAD to get  a decent spot at the stage door! Last time I was seated on the left side of the orchestra and I nearly got trampled just walking out of the theater. I was going to leave as soon as the curtain call started, but didn't want to be rude and push the other girls sitting next to me out of the way. Instead I waited patiently, and as soon as the doors opened, booked it out of there. I got a good spot in the second row with enough room to stick my Playbill out to be signed. The problem? Daniel didn't come out! Apparently he doesn't come out at matinee performances. Understandable, since he has another show to do in a few hours, but I was still disappointed.

Even though Dan didn't come out I was still hoping to get some other autographs, but it seems the other actors have grown accustomed to just walking through the crowds as fast as they can. The smiled and waved, and kept right on going. I knew Christopher Hanke who plays Bud Frump sometimes signs, but he didn't even come out! Alas, I saw another great performance, but have another naked playbill. Hopefully my friends and I will be able to road trip it to NYC this summer so I can see the show again. 

Broadway | The Lion King

As many broadway fans know, getting tickets to see The Lion King at an affordable price is nearly impossible. Thankfully, my internship program gets the opportunity to do one "cultural" event during our semester, and we talked our residence director into bringing us to see the show. The Lion King is definitely what I would call "broadway royalty." The show has been playing forever, and since it's a product of Disney, you know it's going to be a lavish production. I was blown away by the intricate costumes and beautiful set. They were definitely the best I have seen so far. What I found shocking, however, was that I wasn't truly amazed by the performers.

During the first act, I felt a little disappointed. Many of the actors including Scar, Timon, and Pumba, had speaking voices that perfectly matched their respectable characters from the film version of The Lion King. The vocals, however, were certainly not broadway material. Likewise, I wished Young Simba and Young Nala had stronger singing voices as well. Sure, they're just kids, but a lot of broadway kids have amazing voices (think Carly Rose Sonenclar from Wonderland). I was much happier during the second act when Simba and Nala came out with great voices. 

All in all, I'm glad I got to see The Lion King without spending any of my own money! We were seated in the back of the center orchestra, and our tickets were $142! Outrageous! If you can afford to drop that much (and more) on a ticket, you won't be disappointed. Of course, this show is great for families with children of any age.

Can't afford tickets? Hakuna Matata! There are plenty of other shows that offer discounts at TKTS and have rush policies. Make sure to check out my other blog entries for more information. You can also view a great blog called Broadway Informer for more in depth info.