A blog about New York City, my books, and my cats. Mostly.
I look at this picture and think, “What a cute expression Bodhi is giving me,” and “Good God my couch needs to be reupholstered.” But it costs thousands! Which is insane. Except I had this couch custom made to my needs and it really is perfect. I love it and would rather give it a makeover than buy a new one. So, some day!
Someone I used to work with at the ASPCA’s Kitten Nursery, Yeva Usatova, rescuing a red tailed hawk. Oh my god. She’s a super-hero!!
In the early 1980’s I worked at Tiffany’s as a temp during the Christmas season. Before I left I treated myself to a pair of Elsa Peretti mesh earrings using my employee discount. In my memory I paid around $50 dollars for them, which felt like a tremendous splurge at the time.
Fast forward to a couple of years ago when I notice that one of the earrings is damaged. I took it to Tiffany’s for repair, and learned that it wasn’t going to be cheap. But the current value of the earrings was around $250 or $275, I was told (again, if memory serves, which it probably doesn’t). Not a ton of money, but I have always loved them, and it was nice to learn that they were worth around four or five times what I originally paid for them. I went for the repair.
Fast forward again to a year ago when I discover that one of the earrings is missing! Terrific. I looked everywhere and finally decided it fell on the floor and I probably sucked it up vacuuming. I moped about it and moved on. But every time I felt the urge to wear them I would grieve all over again.
Yesterday, when I was getting ready for the concert and reaching for a pair of earrings, I thought of a place I hadn’t checked, an inch or two away from where I normally kept the mesh earrings. “What if I accidentally dropped it into a different compartment in my jewelry box” (which is a work of art in itself, handmade for me by my brother Peter). I am such an idiot. Because there it was. A freaking inch away!!
Yes, I’m an idiot, but it was like a present from the universe. These are the earrings I’m talking about except mine do not have a diamond in them. Thank you universe!
A movie shoot I passed by the other day, on my way to work.
Everything felt vaguely familiar last night at the dress rehearsal for the concert tonight, but when they asked who had sung at Carnegie Hall before I didn’t raise my hand. Turns out, I have! While looking for the picture below, I saw that I had in 2015. I have only a slight memory of it and I can’t remember what I sang and with whom! God help me.
Even worse, I was looking for the picture below because one of the reasons I feel warmly about singing at Carnegie Hall is due to researching and writing about the 19th century conductor Frank Damrosch. Damrosch started a choir for lower income New Yorker’s called The People’s Choral Union. Then, because he wanted them to have the same opportunities wealthy members of choral societies had, he arranged for The People’s Choral Union to perform regularly at the then new Carnegie Hall.
Last night I was thinking the same thing, that it will be nice to sing there for that reason. And then to see that I already had sung at Carnegie Hall, that I’d already had that same feeling about singing where Damrosch (such a nice man) had conducted, AND that I’d posted about it all. Once again, TREMBLE young people.
After Frank Damrosch died, one of his students wrote, “the door to great things in music was not really opened for me until that year, when Frank Damrosch opened it wide for thousands, of which fortunately, I chanced to be one … Dr. Frank is our own hero. He was our friend.”
Here is a picture of The People’s Choral Union at Carnegie Hall.
I’m singing as part of a performance called “Gotham SINGS! Choral Festival and Ensemble Showcase.” Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.
I took this heading back to the subway to go home after rehearsal. My city is like a movie set, and quite gaudy, but since I don’t live in this part of town it’s fun to walk through from time to time. In the years I’ve lived here the signs for the Late Show set on the right have changed from “with Johnny Carson” to Jay Leno and now Stephen Colbert (who I adore). Except I can’t remember if it has always been in this spot. Because I’m old and that’s how it goes. TREMBLE young people. You’ll get here. If you’re lucky.
