Category: Blogpost

One sees the oddest things in New York subways. Like this group of strapping, young, fit, uh…let’s just say easy-on-the-eyes men walking around in a group, dressed only in boxers, robes, and footwear (and the odd hat & sunglasses, as you can see). Pete was talking to me (we had just went to Trader Joe’s) and my mind suddenly went blank as I saw these gentlemen come into view over Pete’s shoulder. “Sorry, I’ve suddenly become very distracted” I told Pete, who then began to noticed the be-robed adonises (adoni?) walking by. He took this picture with his iPhone andContinue readingYes, I’ll have some of that, please

Anyone who’s reading this: a favor – email jrbkaraoke2008@yahoo.com with the subject MELISSA LYONS 🙂 I’m helping a friend win a contest: www.jasonrobertbrown.com/weblog/2008/07/contest_update.php No spam, I swear.

I just signed up for the fun concept of a night of 1930’s music…American Idol style. A fun party made in honor of Dorothy Parker’s 115th birthday will be on August 20th at the Broadway Baby Bistro & Piano Lounge 318 WEST 53RD STREET • NYC (Between 8th & 9th Avenues) 212 – 757 – 5808. 20 contestants (including me) will be singing period songs and American Songbook pieces and have general fun together – regardless to who makes it to the winning 1st prize spot. But they do give out the Audience prize for most votes from the crowd,soContinue reading1930’s Idol – August 20th at the Broadway Baby Bistro

Today was really fun. Didn’t have temp job to drain my brain of creative force. I had two auditions in the same audition location (right at the Equity office on 46th Street) for two different companies – one in New York, the other in Florida. Got my hair out of its curlers (looking very much like my mom looks when she perms her hair – hi mom!) and got to the audition location around 8 am (an hour and a half before the audition(s) were going to begin). Dern – there were a lot of people there! I stood inContinue readingA good day

Season 2, Episode 2 of “How to Look Good Naked” on the Lifetime Channel is special – it’s not any woman, but my friend Grae who gets surprised by Carson and asked to do a Tango. Now, everyone who knows Grae was puzzled by the fact that she wanted to be on this show, seeing as how she’s such a positive, supportive and creatively awesome woman. I mean, she ran the Los Angeles Marathon and took on the name Hellcat for it. But, we women have doubts and fears and issues with our body, so woman-to-woman I can see whereContinue readingSee my friend…Naked!

Thursday, I went in for an audition for a North Carolinian production of “Phantom.” That’s “Phantom,” the other version of “The Phantom of the Opera” not written by Lloyd Webber. Had the morning to get ready, nice and easy, got there 1/2 hour before the official sign up time started, and there was already a decent line. But got a 3:10 appointment. Hung out, utilized the women’s green room (had never seen that in an audition room before…love it!), read a bit, listened to podcastmafia.com podcast. Finally went in and sang “This Place is Mine” and felt good about it.Continue readingUpdate, auditions and documentaries

There’s always that negative stereotype of New Yorkers: they’re all loudmouths who yell at you instead of talking in a moderate, even, “indoor voice.” I always thought this stereotype might have emerged from the idea that New Yorkers had more attitude or are more “in your face” than other people. Nope. Now that I’ve lived here for 2 months, I know now why many New Yorkers are well-trained in the art of yelling and have little concept of speaking in a normal tone sometimes: NEW YORK IS FREAKIN’ LOUD!!!! From the buses to the honks of taxi horns to theContinue readingWHAT???!? SORRY, OUR TRAIN IS HERE….WHAT????

Riding the A by May SwensonI ridethe “A” trainand feellike a ball-bearing in a roller skate.I have on a grayrain-coat. The hollowof the caris gray.My facea negative in the slatewindow,I sitin a litcorridor that racesthrough a darkone. Strok-ing steel,what a smooth rasp—it feelslike the newest of knivesslicingalonga longblack crusty loaffrom West 4th to 168th.Wheelsand railsin their primecollide,make love in a glideof slicknessand friction.It is an elationI wish to pro-long.The stationis reachedtoo soon. “Riding The A” by May Swenson from Things Taking Place: New and Selected Poems. © Little, Brown, 1978. Reprinted without permission, please don’t sue me.

It’s super-cheap for being a sit-in restaurant(we got two hummus meals and split a frozen dessert and paid $22 after the addition of a hefty tip). And only 20 minutes on the 1 train from our house to the 72nd stop! www.hummusplace.com Speaking of the train, on our way back, Pete and I found ourselves the only ones on what appeared to be the only non-air conditioned subway train car. We had the whole (albeit hot) place to ourselves! If you ever find yourself in New York in this position, take advantage of it. Run around. Swing on the bars.Continue readingNew favorite (& cheap) place to eat: Hummus Place!

This is one of the many lines spoken by the character of Maria Callas in Terrence McNally’s brilliant play,”Master Class.” The play is a fanciful recreation of an actual series of Master Classes that Callas did in the prestigious Julliard school during the 1970’s. Callas, who was a legend opera singer of her and all time, says this to a young singer who is quite at the mercy of her criticism. In any event, this one line has stuck with me for quite some time after I got to know the play. Although this line is spoken to the FirstContinue reading“You don’t have a look!”