Category Archives: My New York

I live in New York. See it through my eyes.

Potted Potter: 7 Books in 70 Minutes

Posted in Bookish, Broadway, Cultured, My New York by

Take two guys, seven books, seventy minutes and an assorted array of props and you have Potted Potter! This is a show that Harry Potter fans will truly enjoy.

Dan and Jeff take the audience on a hilarious ride from Platform 9 3/4 to Hogwarts as they fearlessly battle dragons, Slytherins and You-Know-Who. There’s a bit of crowd participation with a rousing game of Quidditch and tons of opportunities for laughter. There was hardly a time that I wasn’t laughing!

The one and only issue I had with this show was the closing number – there were times when I couldn’t understand what they were singing, I’m not sure if this had to do with the audio in the theater or the fact that they were singing really quickly and I just couldn’t make out the words, either way, it would have been great to hear all the words of the song! Since this was the very end it felt a bit anti-climactic, which was sad because I thought the rest of the show was hilarious!

Overall, it was a fun experience. I don’t think they are playing in New York anymore, but if you do get the opportunity to see the show in another state/place, it’s definitely a show to watch.

The Not So Amazing Spider-Man

Posted in Broadway, Cultured, My New York by

I went to see Spider-Man on Broadway and I was not impressed.

Let me explain.

The set was amazing! One of the best sets I’ve seen on Broadway. Think of a comic book panel; now pull that panel out so that it’s three dimensional. Add some lights, some flash, some bang. This was the set for the show. Spectacular! I loved it a lot. The set was impressive.

The acrobatics was breathtaking. Spider-Man (or men, since there were about 9) swinging over the audience was a sight! I can understand why they had so much trouble opening this show and so many accidents, the actors really do swing over the audience just like you see in the movies. The action was impressive.

What almost killed the show for me were the songs. Personally, when I think of Broadway musicals I think of singing and dancing – a memorable score, maybe a nice dance, but mostly wonderful singing. This was greatly lacking in the show.

I do want to point out that the actors could sing, however, the downfall was not their singing as much as it was the songs that they had to work with. The songs fit more into a rock concert setting than a musical. Some of the songs were a little on the low side (scale-wise) and I can only assume that they were played that way to be edgy, however, by doing so it lost its stage appeal.

There were a few songs – mostly the ones Mary Jane sang – that were good, this was because they were in a scale that matched her voice. I’m not sure I’m explaining it correctly, after all I loved American Idiot (a play based on Green Day songs from the album of the same name) but in American Idiot the actors sung the songs in scales and styles that fit their voices as opposed to trying to be a Green Day concert and that made a world of difference. They owned the music, and I didn’t get that feeling from the soundtrack of Spider-Man.

At first I thought it was just me, but I turned to my friends during intermission and we were all equally baffled at the music. If you must see the show, just make sure you’re not going for the music.

 

Street Lights, Big Dreams, All Lookin’ Pretty

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Time Square. Any time I think about heading to Time Square I shudder. With so many people, it can be a daunting task for an introvert (and generally shy person) to make her way to Time Square. However, I’ve been visiting Time Square at least once a week for the past five weeks, so I decided to look at it as a tourist would. What draws people to this place? What’s so fascinating? What makes them stop suddenly on the sidewalk just to look up, causing you to walk right into them because they didn’t think about the fact that a TON of people are also trying to walk on the same pavement? I digress…

Is it the policemen on horses? Or the generally friendly New York Police who aren’t shy to pose with tourists?

Is it the bright lights and the flashy ads that all vie for your attention, each one trying to outshine the other?

Or is it the themed food places with their overpriced, yet enticing food and drinks?

    

Perhaps it’s the excitement, the talent and the wonder of a spectacular show.

I’m not sure what the reason is, or why people flock there, but my guess is that it has to do with one, or all (and then some) of the above. It’s a place that can be exciting and intimidating. A hub of activity, a place for memories, a place built on dreams.

Harney and Son – Tea Time in SoHo

Posted in My New York, Plateful by

On Broome Street, just a few blocks away from my office, is a little tea shop called Harney and Son. They have a large collection of teas – in bags and loose leaf – for any type of tea lover. The front of the shop has tinned teas and a little tea tasting area where you can taste the teas that they have brewing, or shop for tea accessories.

Or, you can go to the back and sit for some tea and scones – and other treats. They have these large cups, and I usually get a small teapot which fills the cup about two times. The only downside to this is that you have to drink your tea quickly if you like it hot (like I do), or you have to pour it out a little at a time.

Their scones are pretty good, I’d count it up there in the “top 3 scones that I’ve had at tea shops in New York City”, and they come in pairs so you can share it with a friend.

I haven’t tried their ice cream yet, but I have it on good authority that it’s really good, especially the chai ice cream.

I love the utensils that come with the food, everything adds a woodsy feeling, like you’re picnicking outside, not sitting in the back of a tea shop. Of course, you can also order to go, but since it’s never really busy (or, I’ve always gone during quiet times) it might be worth it to sit and read or chat. I know that everyone that’s gone there with me has loved it! The next time you’re in SoHo, give it a try (and … um … invite meeee!!)

Think of Me Fondly

Posted in Broadway, Cultured, My New York by

My very first Broadway experience was The Phantom of the Opera. Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux (a French writer), The Phantom of the Opera was adapted for the theater by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The one thing that had been burned into my memory about Phantom was the Masquerade scene and I’ve always dreamed about a masquerade after that. Not a costume party, but a ball with elaborate masks and bright colours and it was just as I remembered it when I saw it again this month.

Next to the songs, the costumes were my favourite part of the play; they were all so fancy and beautiful and just as spectacular as the play itself. The story is always such a moving piece, a disfigured genuis living in the tunnels beneath the Opera House. A person who has never been loved before, falling for a beautiful young chorus girl and doesn’t know exactly how to express that feeling. And Christine, the beautiful young chorus girl, infatuated with her Angel of Music until she finds out that he’s the disfigured genius who lives in the tunnels beneath the Opera House. As the madness of the phantom increases with the body count, Christine finds herself protected by her childhood friend, Raoul, and a great and classical love story is born.

One of the charming things about this play is, while it has an air of seriousness about it, it does not lack humour; the diva-ish doings of Carlotta always brought a smile to my face and the comedic timing of Ubaldo left me in gales of laughter.

The Phantom of the Opera is most definitely a classic show, with its shows within a show, its wonderful costumes and its amazing score. If you find yourself in Time Square, don’t miss out on this gem!

** photo via The Phantom NY site.