TODAY WAS HUGE!!!

First, I met Karen and her parents and aunts at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market around 12 or so. We didn't stay long, and Karen and I had a bigger goal in mind: GET OUT OF NEW YORK CITY. One day. Nature. Spooky Things. These elements, of course add up to taking the Metro-North to Sleepy Hollow. 

So, we traipsed off to grand central, caught the 1:20 towards Croton-Harmon, and basked in our take off. I was making a video along the way (soon to be edited) about our excursion and we were H U N G R Y, with no time to eat before departure. 

40 minutes later, we are in Sleepy Hollow, and it begins to rain. We walked on the highway, smelling the grass (I miss that smell here in Bushwick), and trying to to get hit by cars. We clearly didn't look at the map correctly, but you know what? It was fun. We saw daffodils and beautiful homes and found the cemetery quite easily.  Like I said, Karen and I were really hungry, so we walked a bit further to the Horseman Diner for a Burger and a Rueben. 

Full up, we walked back out into the wind and rain. Our umbrellas were bending shields, but we were still all smiles. We explored Philpsburg Manor  and heard some stories from the actors, checked out the sheep, and got an in-depth tour of the manor house. We crossed the street into the cemetery to check out Irvings grave, but it was 5pm and completely pouring. We shortened our trek, walked the correct route to the train station, and put some more images to video. 

After a lovely orange cream Magnolia's cupcake in grand central compliments of Karen, we parted ways. I headed to Hunter College to see "Sharing the Legacy, Alwin Nikolais" It was the last event in a year long celebration of Nikolais centennial. An enormous tribute to his creativity and foresight, the event was filled with works such as Pond, Tensile Involvement, Mechanical Organ, Water Studies, Imago, and Gallery, reconstructed by Alberto Del Saz. 

The really special moment of the night for me was of course Aviary. Only performed once before, Aviary was restaged and reconstructed by Gerald Otte. Otte is a Professor at Hunter College and danced with Nik for many years. I loved seeing my classmates perform such a rare and beautiful work, and of course I was so sad I didn't audition last fall. Ah, well. We win some, we lose some. It was excellent to have the moment to be an audience member and really be influenced by the art form in it's final presentation, rather than the process. I think seeing shows is just as important as going to class. It keeps your eye on the prize, reminding you that while the journey is and can feel paramount, the audience sees the final destination. 

If you ever can, please see any Nikolais work. It won't disappoint you with it's amazing mind bending creativity, and before it's time total visual theater. 

I admit I'd like to write more, but the day-oh the day, it gets away from me.