Snow just makes me happy. I’m loving how my neighborhood of Astoria looks covered in winter wonderlandiness. Fortunately, I don’t have to drive in it!

Photo from Wikipages.com

I had a very musical evening last night. It all began in the Grand Central subway, where I met up with a friend who was playing trombone in the terminal. Her band, called the Dramatics band, includes 2 trombones, a trumpet, a saxophone, and some awesome drums. They play jazz/ African fusion tunes in various subway terminals nearly every day of the week.

We went with her to Le Poisson Rouge, a relatively young venue in the West Village. There was a $10 cover for an evening of 2 shows, something I won’t normally pay. When you walk into the establishment, you’re greeted by a hanging fish tank and a dark room. The performances occur downstairs, through a red lobby with interesting throne chairs, in a large dark room with a spacious stage and ample seating. The space lacked the dinginess many other musical venues in the area possess.

The show last night began with Ethan Iverson, an inventive pianist. He played innovative renditions of a variety of jazz standards. My favorite was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which he played with melancholic intensity. Some of his other playing was a bit too much for me, a non-musician, but he clearly has a lot of talent. Next up was Gabriel Kahane and his band, a singer-songwriter group.  The band’s charming leader had me cracking up with his humorous anecdotes that punctuated their songs. I was most impressed with their violin player, Rob Moose, whose fast fiddling stole the show. We left as they continued their set, but had thoroughly enjoyed a melodic evening.

Photo by Nathan Bullock

Last week marked a historic election and true milestone for this country. But while so many people celebrated, looking with hope to the future, the country suffered a hit to civil rights more reflective of its past. Proposition 8 (a ban on gay marriage) passed in California, along with other anti-gay rights measures in Florida and Arkansas. Last night, I joined a protest against prop 8 here in New York.

Since many people, including myself, invested so much energy into the presidential election, opposition to proposition 8 did not receive its needed support until too late. Now that it passed, protests have erupted all over the country. Last night, New York City joined the list of protesting cities. Gathering in front of a Mormon church (one of the biggest promoters of the proposition), a large crowd came together with signs and chants to peacefully show their opposition to the gay marriage ban.

As the crowd swelled, the mood seemed almost cheerful.  Strangers conversing, complimenting each others’ signs. One of my companions had a sign saying “No More Mr. Nice Gay”, which drew some laughs. Some of my other favorites included “Why do you hate my friends?”, “I didn’t ask her to ‘civil union’ me”, and “Our Big Love is stronger than your small hate” with a picture from the acclaimed HBO series. We marched towards Columbus Circle, encountering spectators and reporters along the way.

It wasn’t until we reach Central Park West that I realized the size of the crowd. Definitely a healthy showing. There will be another protest this Saturday at 1:30pm at City Hall, 260 Broadway.

Photo from cnn.com

I went to vote right before work at a local Astoria school. The line was out the door – much longer than previous elections (though this is my first time voting there in a presidential election). But I was happy to see everything was well organized. All voters were directed to separate lines for their district and then separate lines for signing and voting. I felt so anxious as I waited, but I was happy looking around at all the people who came out to vote. When I got in that booth and pulled those levers (I love that we use levers!), I had a good feeling.

So brave those lines and vote! Remember “bad officials are elected by good people who don’t vote.”

Photo from broadwayworld.com

I went to see Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, starring Kristen Scott Thomas. A long-time fan of the play, I’d never seen it on the stage and was excited for this London-born (Royal Court Theatre) version to come to Broadway.

After dinner at good old Don Giovanni’s, we headed over to the theater a few blocks away. The scenery was perfect: minimal, yet set the mood. The first act set consisted of several trees dappled on the side of the stage and the side of a house.  As the actors took their places, you could almost feel the cold of a chilly, Russian evening (actually, it was pretty freezing in the theater, so you could feel it).  The costumes were stunning and perfect, making me envy these bored Russian aristocrats. Set, costumes, and characters came together to draw the audience into this production.

Kirsten Scott Thomas had a strong stage presence with just the right amount of drama for the overwhelming character of Arkadina. Nina’s portrayal by beautiful Carey Mulligan was very natural and genuine. Mackenzie Crook from Pirates of the Caribbean played a brooding Konstantin. I wasn’t hugely impressed by his acting, which seemed a bit too much of a one-note for me. But to be fair, I kept imagining his eye popping out of his head and rolling around the stage. The supporting characters were all very strong, particularly Peter Sarsgaard as Trigorin and Zoe Kazan as Masha.

In all, I felt the production was well-done and well-acted. The play is a bit like Seinfeld set in the Russian countryside in the 1800’s, with their rambling conversation (which I enjoy). But the pace was off in the second act and I could feel the audience getting restless as the play went on. I’m not sure if this was a problem with direction or acting, but some people actually left early. I stayed to the bitter end, but I opted out of the standing ovation.

Located on 34th between 8th and 9th, the License Express is an easy commute for most subway lines. When I arrived shortly before 4 (when it closes!), I found the office busy, but not packed. There’s a station for everything. Station 1: you go to the Information booth, get a form, and get a ticket. Station 2: you get your vision checked, your forms checked, and get a number. Station 3: Here’s where it gets fancy. A digital board displays which counter is serving which number and a computerized female voice announces “Now serving number —- at counter —-.”

The lines (which are unavoidable) move fast and the multiple stations make the process seem speedier. The workers were oddly pleasant, something I don’t recall from prior DMV experiences.  The woman at station 2 actually told me “Good job!” when I’d successfully completed my vision test.  I’d say the full experience took maybe a half hour.  It probably differs with days or times, but if you come prepared you might find the License Express to be a pretty smooth ride.

After shouting our birthday greetings to our friends, I took a look at the drink menu. It consisted of a huge selection of beers (possibly very good beers), but not much else. Not a lot of wine options or cocktails. Not a big beer drinker, I settled for an expensive vodka tonic and waited a good 15 minutes for the server to bring it over. We managed to carve out a little corner for ourselves in the back section. I ended up waiting even longer for my second drink. After giving up on it arriving, I ordered one at the bar. Then, of course, the server came and I had two vodka tonics.

I’d say the place might have good beer, but it has bad service and a not a great atmosphere. The Ginger Man just isn’t a sweet spot.

Photo from gothamist.com

I’ve been noticing the growing number of fruity ice cream/yogurt shops in the city. They’re everywhere: Pinkberry, Very Berry, Red Mango, etc. In some parts of the city (ie. East Village), they’ve become the new Starbucks with similar establishments on opposite sides of the street, both packed. I know these companies are all competitors, but I’m surprised to find there’s so much room for competition for such a narrow niche. All these places look adorable and have very similar menus. Not that I’m complaining about having ample options to satisfy my sweet tooth in a relatively healthy way, it just seems odd how popular they’ve become in such a short time…

A few days ago, I planned to meet a friend for coffee and we ended up going to Red Mango instead. Maybe ice cream/ yogurt is the new coffee?

Photo from nytimes.com

I went to see the musical Spring Awakening last night. My only knowledge of the show had consisted of some snippets on television commercials and a musical number played at the bar Splash on a Musical Monday. I had the impression that it either took place a while ago or among modern day Mennonites and that it involved a coming of age story. The show surprised me with rousing musical numbers, a touching story, and interesting characters played by very talented, very young actors.

The story centers around two young people discovering love in a strict and conservative society. The main characters stand out with their unique ability to see another kind of life.  Some of the show’s vibrant numbers include “The Bitch of Living” and “Totally Fucked”. This modern voice gave a sense that youthful optimism and angst have always existed.  From school girl crushes to wet dreams and masturbation, this production freshly portrays young people discovering their sexuality and illustrates some of the negative consequences of abstinence-only education. The plot follows the romances and tragedies of these young characters.

The performance opened with the character Wendla, played by Alexandra Socha,  beautifully singing the song “Mama Who Bore Me” in her undergarments. After finishing the song with a bevy of powerfully-voiced young ladies,  Wendla questions her mother about how babies are made. She receives only the vaguest of answers about loving one’s husband. The show goes on to introduce a slew of private school boys, including the gifted Melchior, played by Hunter Parrish. The boys sing several lively songs that made me think of Green Day (particularly those sung by the troubled Moritz, played by Gerard Canonico,).  All the adult parts were played by a single man and woman who never sang – which reminded me in a way of the Peanuts’ portrayal of grownups.

As the romance between Wendla and Melchior blossomed, I found myself engrossed in the story. With their chemistry, this young couple actually made me feel their loss when they were separated. The story contained both raunchy humor and heavy tragedy. While I had expected a slightly hokey and light-hearted play, this production ended up being a beautiful story about  youthful sex, love, and the dangers of a closed-minded society.

Photos from Wikipages.com

Last night, I checked out a dinner spot that I’d heard a lot about: Otto. Located in the West Village, this Mario Batali restaurant serves up a variety of appetizers, pizzas, and pastas with a killer wine list. Unlike Batali’s Babbo (which I went to once and can’t afford again anytime soon), the dishes are very reasonably priced – $9 for a pasta dish, $12 – $15 for a pizza.

We were glad we’d made a reservation, since the place was pretty packed. There’s a wine bar in the front, with more seating options in the back. We were politely greeted by a red-haired waiter who aptly looked like Mario himself.  We started off the meal with a drink, possibly the most expensive glass of wine I’ve ever had (all wines by the glass were $12-$15, despite the reasonable food prices). But it was a bit more than a glass and super tasty.

For an appetizer, we ordered a three cheese platter which comes with three dips – apricot, some kind of honey, and black cherry (my favorite). I particularly enjoyed dipping the ridiculously tasty Coach Triple Cream goat cheese in that cherry dip – not what I’d expect a food segregationalist like myself would enjoy, but I’m already craving more. For my main dish, I got a delicious pasta with eggplant and ricotta. The food is meant to be shared, but you can also just order your own. The portions weren’t gigantic, but that worked for me and I still had some to take home for lunch today.

So this spot is my new favorite Italian. It’s got everything – wonderful food, good service, decent prices, and a lively vibe. It would work either for a date or for big group…I can’t wait to go again. It’s making me hungry just thinking about it!