The Radio City Christmas Spectacular 2011

    The last time I saw the Radio City Christmas Spectacular I was 12 years old.

Quite a lot has changed since then. This years show is called, The Rockettes Magical Journey and showcases an amazing new spin on the timeless holiday classic. 

     New 3D effects are incorporated into the show and coincide with spectacular dance numbers. Everyone in the audience gets a pair of 3D glasses so they can see the various 3D action sequences and participate in the live action adventure game. The company and product placement during the show was a bit shameless but great for a good chuckle. 

     Each sequence was perfectly timed and executed with the utmost precision. The "parade of wooden soldiers" scene was phenomenal and dates back to 1933. 18 dancers wobble across the stage with alarming accuracy while dressed as toy soldiers.  

     I was a bit perturbed by the live camels and the lonely looking donkey that were led across the stage. What caught me totally by surprise was the Hollywoodesque, sensationalized nativity scene at the end. 

 I was slightly saddened to see Christmas so blatantly packaged and commercialized with singing Santa's and glittering dancing girls but what else could you expect? This is New York. 

Over all the show was great. 

radiocitychristmas.com

Happy 125th Birthday Lady Liberty

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY LIBERTY

She is 125 years old today.

I've sailed passed this lady hundreds of times and I still remember the first time I laid eyes on her. I was seven years old and she was gargantuan. I was a big teenage mutant ninja turtles fan at the time and I had  one of their super cool t-shirts with a matching hat that had all the turles around the brim. I remember climbing the million and one steps to reach lady liberty's crown. And on the way up my hat fell off and whirled down, down, down.  I thought I had lost it for sure. I think i was a bit too short to see out of the windows of the crown and someone had to lift me up to be able to see. 

I got my hat back when we reached the bottom, to my relief. A kind park ranger had found it and held onto it until it was safely returned onto my curly head. 

Here's is Emma Lazarus' 1883 poem, "New Colossus", which is mounted at the statue:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Tomorrow, the statue will be closed for a year due to renovations. 

::Sadness::

But she will reopen and shall continue to welcome travelers to the Big Apple, New York City. 

^______^

Dust Jacket Surprise

Wow, talk about images that summon emotion! 

I walked into this gallery not know whose work was displayed. Each graphite image and hand printed text evoked a surge of feelings. It wasn't until leaving did I see the tiny plaque saying, Kara Walker. 
For those who do not know Kara Walker, she is a contemporary African American Artist who is well known for her depictions and explorations of race, sex, gender and social violence. Kara's most famous bodys of work consists of scenes made of wall sized black paper cut-outs.

This particular showcase is titled: "Dust Jackets for the Niggerati - and - Supporting dissertations, Drawings submitted ruefully by Dr. Kara E. Walker" 

It is being shown in both the Sikkema Jenkins & Co. and Lehmann Maupin Gallerys, 530 West 22nd St, and will run from April 21st - June 4th, 2011.

Kara Walker

Sikkema Jenkins & Co.

"All The Lovers"

    

Kylie Minogue: Aphrodite 

Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC, 2011

_____________

"Dance, It's all I wanna do so won't you dance.

I'm Standing here with you, why won't you move?

I'll get inside your groove, cuz i'm on 

fire, fire, fire"

"All the lovers, that have gone before, they don't compare, to you.

Don't be running, just give me a little bit more, They don't compare, all the Lovers"

_______________

Kylie was simply amazing live. 

I was totally blown away by her presence and her amazing voice.

Despite being surrounded by tons of crazed and belligerent fans I think my friends 

and I had a blast. 

Aphrodite is Kylie's eleventh studio album and her first in three years.

I'm totally in love with the Goddess theme and was eyeballing her dancers like crazy.

But over all, I can't help singing...

"All the Lovers"

Sakura Matsuri Festival: Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Cherry Esplanade

Cherry Blossoms

Exotic Emperor Tulips

Mini Tulips

Woven Wood 

Sculpture by Artist: Patrick Dougherty

http://www.stickwork.net/

Monte Flame Tulips

Yellow Ballerina Tulips

What a lovely day it was at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.

Spring is in the air and the Cherry Blossoms are in bloom. 

Now is the perfect time to go and experience the magic of the 

Sakura Matsuri Festival. 

You better hurry because these precocious pink petals will be gone May 1st.

Open 

Tuesday to Friday: 8am - 6pm

Saturday & Sunday: 10am - 6pm

Monday: Closed

Adults: $10

Children 12 & Under: Free

Students with id : $5 

Seniors 65 and over:  $5

Marionette Magic At Macy's

Marrionettes by Nicolas Coppola

Scenery by Kevin Frisch

Macy's Puppet Theatre is back again in Herald Square to tell the classic tale,

Miracle On 34th Street, in 30 minutes with highly decorative marrionettes.

Presented by Macy's and Puppetworks.org from November 26th to

December 24th 2010. Each ticket is $5.00 and sold only at the box office, 8th floor of Macy's Herald Square with continuous shows starting at 9:30am.

For more info visit http://www.puppetworks.org/ or call 212-494-1917

Monday - Friday 1-4pm

Check it out!

Priscilla is coming Priscilla is coming!

Queens on streets...

Fine and Fierce...

Legs in the air...

Press passes in hand...

& champagne in our cups!

Thats right folks, grab your Christian Louboutins and pop open some champagne because the queens are coming to New York!

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is making its way to Broadway at the Palace Theatre March 2011.

So get your feathers ready because it's gunna be fabulous!

Sippin On Some Goldfrapp

Dear Goldfrapp,

I thoroughly enjoyed your performance at the Hammerstein Ballroom last night.

You took us on a magical rocket boosted time machine ride back to when lamé, glitter and four layer harmonies ruled.

Despite the belligerant asian gang stepping on peoples toes,

the weed smoking gay boy crew flailing around like they were Madonna's back up dancers,

and the pissed of white girl who stood next to me with her fingers in her ears.

I can honestly press the 'I'm a fan button'.

Your live performance was the shiznik and I shall continue to shake my derriere to your unicorn beats.

TTB

Photos by: Tecktonik Bootz

Ready The Picnic Baskets!

Attention fine relations::

Grab your bikes and your picnic baskets folks and lets escape Manhattan!

Governors Island will reopen for the 2010 season on Friday, June 5th.

Visitors can take a free ferry ride from the Battery Maritime Building every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

With miles of car free biking, tours, art exhibits, mini-golf and tons of places to picnic, Governors Island is the perfect place to run away and escape your city woes, if only for a day.

For more information visit: www.govisland.com/

For Activities and scheduled events visit: http://www.govisland.com/Visit_the_Island/default.asp

Stay tuned for additional info.

^__^

Save The Date NYC!

OVO - Cirque Du Soliel @ Randall's Island

Last night I went to watch OVO, the new show by Cirque Du Soleil.

Let me just say, if you haven't seen a live performance by Cirque Du Soleil, now is the time to get on the good foot and purchase tickets because it's worth every cent. The costumes, the music, the abience and most importantly the performers, all absolutely stunning. This show is a Must See.

OVO will be performing in NYC from April 9th to June 6th 2010.