I was able to leave work early today, ran down the subway and amazingly got a seat. We had gone one stop when the conductor announced that there were extreme delays due to “police action” at Atlantic Ave. Oy. I get a bit claustrophobic sitting in a subway that’s not going anywhere so I left the subway and had a LOVELY walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.
As usual, the City is filled with tourists. And after I noticed that, I further noticed that tourists are tourists no matter where they are. They stop, they stare, they speak in funny languages and you know what, they got me to appreciate the City that I live in. Perhaps I would never have stopped to look at skyline of lower Manhattan or the sun glistening on the East River. But I did. And it was good. Perhaps somewhere there is a Croatian stopping to look at Diocletian’s Palace in Split with a new eye.
The “new age” portion of the blog has now ended.
Here’s 3 Broadway musicals I have seen recently. I reviewed three here. Now here’s 3 more. Take note if you’re coming to NY and want to catch a show.
1. Sister Act – a fun feel-good musical that will have you singing along and tapping your toes. The story is essentially the same as the movie, but the music is different. Wimples, stained glass, a giant statue of Mary and lots and lots of sparkle and glitter make this show fun for the whole family. I probably would NOT pay full price for this, but if you can get 1/2 price or discount tickets, I would recommend it.
2. Spiderman – This show, to put it bluntly, SUCKED. Do not waste your time or your money. That’s 3 hours I will never get back. My show-going pal Kung (who sees everything on Broadway and off-Broadway) and I actually discussed whether or not we should leave at intermission. We decided to stay in case “something happened” and indeed it did. Spidey missed a connection whilst flying over the audience and was left hanging there. A disembodied voice told us there were technical difficulties, the actors singing on stage just walked off and the stagehands had to come, unclip Spidey and reset the whole gizmo flying thing. I’m sorry, but when people are paying over $100 per ticket (not me, but that’s what they go for) I expect a professional performance. The whole rest of it sucked too. SKIP SPIDERMAN!
3. The Book of Mormon – The hottest ticket on Broadway. I laughed, I cried and I ran out and bought secret underwear. It was completely rude, crude, vulgar and absolutely fabulous. Ben Brantley said it way better than I: http://theater.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/theater/reviews/the-book-of-mormon-at-eugene-oneill-theater-review.html DO NOT BRING THE KIDS! And if you are sensitive to foul language & obscene gestures this may not be the show for you. But it most certainly was the show for me. LOVED IT!
This concludes the public service portion of this post.
The piece above was another plate in a series I did. I am currently working on more coasters like the ones I did here. I really do enjoy making these although they are extremely time-consuming.
I’ll end with a few pictures from Croatia. (The Husband took close to 900 photos and I took over 1,000. We are still sorting through them!)
Garlic and Peppers in the Market
The walled “Old Town” of Dubrovnik
The crystal clear blue water of the Adriatic!
20 comments
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August 11, 2011 at 11:08 pm
jimmyboi2
What a beautiful, colorful set of pictures AND art glass! I especially love the garlic and peppers… and the Plitvice Lakes.
Do they have subways in Hrvatska?
PS I don’t like musicals BUT I will give “The Book of Mormon” a try (whenever) because I am fixated on the Temple Ceremony. FIXATED.
xoxox
August 11, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Carol King
Croatia was beautiful. The Adriatic was so many beautiful colors of blue and so clean and clear. The fresh fish, fruits and vegetables were at the market in the morning and on your plate in the afternoon.
PS: I know about fixations! You don’t have to tell me! LOL
PPS: I don’t know if they have subways in Hrvatska. They didn’t have any in the places I visited.
August 12, 2011 at 12:31 am
kk2n777
Does being mentioned by name in this great blog signify the end of my anonymity on the web/blogosphere? Well, there are worse way to lose my online virginity…. I am being purposely vulgar in celebration of your approval of “THE BOOK OF MORMON”. You are much kinder than me in judging “SISTER ACT” but we both agreed that “SPIDERMAN: TURN OFF THE DARK” is probably the worst musical on Broadway. Three hours and not one memorable song. If we had left at intermission, we would have missed that only redeeming moment of technical difficulty. Anyway, I look forward to seeing more shows with you.
Oh, yes, love the plate! 🙂
August 13, 2011 at 11:34 am
Carol King
Yes, Kung, you are now famous. If you wish, I can call you John Doe, my theatre going friend so you can return to anonymity. Can’t wait to see some more shows, And I would most certainly see Mormon again. Maybe in the winter when the tourists go home. Glad you like the plate. Thanks!
August 12, 2011 at 12:36 am
lesliepaints
OMG! You have to watercolor Plitvice Lakes! I know you have achieved that color in some previous paintings, Carol. Beautiful. This post is rich. The plate is a gorgeous mix of colors and I like that flower on the right with petals bent backwards. Can hardly waitto see what you came up with for coasters this time. The picture of Dobrovnik. Could you imagine trying to paint those roofs? A friend of mine sent me a photo similar to that and challenged me to paint it. I’m still looking at it. …and looking at it. 🙂 Thanks for a great post! Someday a play…….
August 13, 2011 at 11:39 am
Carol King
I have so many photos of Plitvice lakes. They are on the list to paint. You can read about Plitvice Lakes here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plitvice_Lakes_National_Park
And yes, I also have the old town of Dubrovnik on the list for painting. Those red roofs were in every town we went to.
Glad you liked the plate.
August 12, 2011 at 10:20 am
Alex Zonis
Your photos from the trip are gorgeous! There is a painting, more than one, in each one of them! Look at these roofs! You can crop the garlic and peppers image to close up view and do an amazing semi-abstract!
Love the plate! These plates get more and more beautiful under your hand, can’t wait to see the coasters!
Great post altogether! I appreciate the “public service” part. Clearly benefitting the public is your main concern :)!
August 13, 2011 at 11:44 am
Carol King
Oh Alex, If I could only stay home from work for the next few months to paint I would be so happy. But alas, I cannot. Nevertheless, I will paint when I can. Love your idea about the garlic and pepper image.
Just in case anyone didn’t know. I live for public service!
August 12, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Rick Daddario
aloha Carol – i really like how you got a great look-see into your own back yard. that happened to me in the “Great Northwest” (eastern Washington state bordering on Idaho) years ago – by… NEW YOURKERS. (yeah New Yorkers).
i was flagging (summers as a labor to work my way through college) for a road crew out on a very hot and desolate, altho along a river, highway for days that summer (in addition to other laborer work).
it was just into the summer – late June or early July – but already dry, when 3 kids (i was a kid too) came through in a little classic bmw style car (if i remember right) with the top down.
most people didnt like stopping because it could be up to a 45 minute wait in the middle of nowhere. these three hopped out and started looking around.
they were awed and ahing and wow and wowing. i looked up into the hill-mountains and saw what i always saw – cheat grass (that’s what we called it) stickery stuff, short scrub, sage brush, mullen etc.
those three 3 NYC kids looked up and saw the landscape covered in beautiful shades of brown and gold with some red and green – all velvet and shimmering.
wow. i looked again. i’ve never tired of seeing those velvet shimmering hill-mountains since that day – any time of the year.
those older kids (older than i was – i was first or 2nd year college at that time – they were probably seniors or may be even post-graduate level) those older NYC kids changed the way i looked at my own back yard for ever. and i like that.
just like you, getting that fresh perspective on our own back yard – wow. …and when i went to NYC – yeah, i was wowed too.
August 13, 2011 at 11:45 am
Carol King
Thanks Rick, Loved the story about a new perspective on “cheat grass”. Sometimes it pays to take a second look.
August 12, 2011 at 12:37 pm
Debbie Adams
It’s wonderful when you can appreciate your own city, as so many love to visit there.
Now, about these photos, Carol. The Plitvice Lake looks like it would be right up your alley for a fantastic watercolor. I really think you should try your hand at it…I know it would be beautiful.
The coaster is gorgeous!! I can’t wait to get home this fall to try some of these.
I haven’t seen a play in 10 years….miss those too.
Get to painting now. 🙂
August 13, 2011 at 11:52 am
Carol King
Hi Debbie, It is good when you can appreciate the place you live in. Often I take for granted the city around me.
Plitvice lakes was so gorgeous, it is indescribable. I will give it my best shot. I fear my best shot won’t even do that place justice.l
Glad you like the plate. These are just so fun to do.
August 13, 2011 at 12:49 am
AKLizzy
Amazing photos!!! The few that you posted had me wanting to see more (maybe not ALL of the 1,900 photos, but definitely lots more!!! =])
Thank you for the reviews of the shows!!
And yay for a new-found appreciation of home!! Your walk sounds lovely! I wish I had been there with you!!!
PS – the plate is gorgeous!!! =)
August 13, 2011 at 11:53 am
Carol King
Hi Lizzy, Not to worry, there are many more pictures to come. I will spare you the 500 pictures of laundry hanging off buildings.
You’re welcome for the show reviews. Next time you are here I want to see a show with you.l
Glad you love the plate. Is there a particular design YOU might like.
xoxoxox Aunt Carol
August 16, 2011 at 5:54 am
gageier
Hallo CAROL
Guten Tag wünsche dir eine schöne Woche,ja ich muss auch Google Übersetzung bemühen,denn ich kann auch kein Englisch ,trotzdem finde ich es toll wenn man schreibt,und so schöne Bilder sehen kann.Danke dir für deine Antwort,viele liebe Grüsse Klaus
August 16, 2011 at 9:35 am
Carol King
Hi Klaus, Google translator is an excellent tool. I use it to talk to some brazilian friends. They don’t speak English that well and I don’t speak Portugues. Now I can use it to speak to you in German.
Hallo Klaus, ist Google Übersetzer ein hervorragendes Werkzeug. Ich benutze es, um einige brasilianische Freunden zu sprechen. Sie sprechen kein Englisch, die gut und ich spreche kein Portugiesisch. Jetzt kann ich es verwenden, um Ihnen in deutscher Sprache zu sprechen.
KLAUS: Good day wish you a great week, so I must also try Google translation, because I can not speak English, but I think it’s great when you write, and seeing such beautiful pictures kann.Danke you for your answer, many kind regards Klaus
August 26, 2011 at 2:47 pm
wrjones
This is a very nice plate painting. I see you doing these only with NYC landmarks and selling them to the tourists. When Christmas rolls around and you are focused on your shopping list remember who gave you this brilliant idea that will get you out of office and subway and on to streets where you belong.
Here is an idea for a plate that may NEVER have been thought of … I “heart” NY You will be recognized for your originality.
August 26, 2011 at 10:38 pm
Carol King
Why are you not rich? With these ideas you should be making millions!
October 28, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Yousei Hime
Reading through my backlog of blog posts and this one caught my eye. This is why: It’s not likely that I’ll make it to New York, so if you see it, let us know what you think of Hugh Jackman’s One Man Show. Well … yes, I am a bit of a fan. Lucky you, near all that Broadway stuff.
January 21, 2012 at 9:43 am
gageier
Guten Tag wünsche dir einen schönen Tag die Zeit sie rast im sause Schritt und schon steht der Februar vor der Tür,mit dem Frühling in der Hand und wünscht dir ein schönes Wochenende dir.viele Grüsse Klaus