Hi there! I’ve come to the decision that this post will be my last post on this blog. I haven’t decided to stop blogging, I’ve just decided to start a new one! While I love writing about theater, I felt like there was more I wanted to write about and explore, like my love for healthy living and fitness. So, I’ve moved to a new link: collegiatebananas.wordpress.com. I’d love for you to check it out – there will still certainly be Broadway and theater posts, because, afterall, that is still my favorite thing to write about. Thanks!! Cheers, and happy blogging!
Broadway Show League
To whomever said theater and sports don’t mix, I’ve got some proof right here that they do indeed make a lovely pair.
This past Thursday, I attended the softball games of the Broadway Show League in Central Park. This is exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of Broadway actors playing each other in softball. Each show has a team, and let me warn you, it’s pretty legitimate. There’s uniforms, cheering, home runs, head-first slides into home plate, and even some summersaults and backflips (the Newsies cast won in that department).
I went to help my friend, Irene, cover the games for her website. She created and runs Theater4Teens, which provides advice for teens pursuing theater, interviews with lots of young Broadway cast members, and behind-the-scenes Broadway videos. She’s only a senior in high school, and it’s amazing what she’s done so far with her company! We made our way around all six games – Rock of Ages vs. Motown the Musical, Jekyll and Hyde vs. Annie, Hands on a Hardbody/Cinderella vs. Kinky Boots, Newsies vs. Matilda, and finally Once vs. Nice Work If You Can Get It. What cracked me up was how it was clear what shows were where simply because of the way the players looked or how they acted. The Newsies field was covered with summersaulting male dancers, the Once field was covered with hipster-y looking men with a generous amount of facial hair, and the Book of Mormon field (which I caught a glimpse of as I was leaving) was covered with clean-cut looking men with no facial hair.
Constantine Maroulis on deck, rockin’ his bandana. I didn’t realize how creepily close I was to him and their dugout until I looked at this picture…oops.
We were lucky enough to snag some quick interviews with Andy Richardson from Newsies, Heather Tepe and Clay Thomson from Matilda, and…wait for it…Jeremy Jordan from Newsies. That last one was a treat, and as a huge fan of SMASH, I will admit, I was slightly fangirling and trying not lose focus as I video-taped his interview. They were all super sweet and funny, and it was so kind of them to take the time to talk with us! They also all seemed to love playing in the softball league, and a couple of them mentioned that it’s just like playing with a bunch of friends because not only do the actors within each cast know each other well, but all the casts know each other. Irene made a short video with some of the interviews and clips from the games for her website – check it out!
I hope I get to see some more Broadway softball within the next few months! Playoffs are coming soon and the games were actually great games to watch – some of these actors must’ve played baseball or softball during their pre-Broadway days because they were darn impressive! To end, I must fangirl one last time and post a very adorable wedding picture from Jeremy Jordan and his now-wife-of-nine-months. Weddings are just so happy! Congrats to them!
[Stolen from Jeremy Jordan’s Instagram]
Musical Improv
I had only been briefly exposed to improv in high school, when I would watch the actors play improv games before rehearsal while I worked on stage crew. My first semester of college, I convinced a friend to come with me to see the school’s improv troupe, and, lo and behold, it was love at first…er…show(?) for the both of us. Two years later, we still attend nearly every show thirty minutes early – just to ensure we get a spot – and with no shame. While there are certainly days when the troupe is “off” and the laughs come slower, I can always rely on a good half hour of intense laughter when I step into that blackbox theater.
While the improv troupe on campus will always have my full loyalty, I could not pass up the offer when one of my best friends (and an even bigger theater geek than I am because it’s her major!) stopped by the city for the weekend and suggested we check out some professional improv. We had planned on seeing a show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, which offers comedy shows every night and which I have heard great things about. However, due to some miscommunication and a subway mishap, which I and my pathetic still-lacking-subway-intuition will take responsibility for, we missed the UCB show and ended up at the Peoples Improv Theater (better known as the PIT), a theatre similar to UCB that offers a variety of comedy shows and classes. I apparently also need to work on my hosting skills because my friend, the guest, not only fixed my subway failure but also provided the backup plan.
We ended up at a 9:00 PM show featuring two improv troupes, Kosmos and HELLO, performing as part of the NYC Improv Festival. At the front of the PIT is a bar, apparently called the “Love Bar” and appropriately covered in red, which led to a 1950s-esque hallway that serves as the theater’s lobby. The theater, called the Striker Mainstage Theater, is a generously-sized blackbox.
Nothing could have prepared me for the improv show I was about to witness. While, as I had said, I had seen many improv shows before this one, I had never seen musical improv. To say I was pretty darn impressed is an understatement; this wow-ed me. Each troupe began with a suggestion from the audience, and from there, the rest was completely made up on the spot. Both groups had a single pianist, who offered music when he or she deemed appropriate, while the performers provided their own lyrics and harmonies. That night, I saw two extremely amusing, original, never-before-seen and will-never-be-seen-again musicals, one about a gay communist and the other about two lovers on an airplane, both of whose sex is unknown (try to tell me that’s not interesting). Not only do I love laughing until I cry, but I love the creative aspect of improv. It’s cool to see how the performers interact with one another and to see what path the plot takes, because it always ends up somewhere the audience would never have guessed.
Did I mention that all this fun cost only $10? I’ll take it!
Law & Order for the Broadway Soul
Long time no see, eh? I am not at all proud to say that it has been exactly 54 days since my last post. Upon starting this blog, I promised myself that no matter what life threw my way and no matter how busy I got, I would take the time to write a blog post at least once a week. What’s one less hour of sleep a week, anyway? With that logic and a self-made contract on my side, the blog went great the first few months. Then the inevitable happened and things got crazy, between school and interning and school and (attempts at) catching up on sleep and school. It feels great to be writing again, though, and I hope that I can dedicate time once again to the blog! Minus the self-made contract this time, because evidently that idea failed.
Lots has happened in the theatre world over the past month, from Tony nominations to the cancellation of Smash to Wicked‘s welcoming of Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena (anyone else see this amazing pair in Dogfight?). Yet I will dedicate this post to something that has been around for over a decade.
Instead of unpacking the suitcases and boxes from school or going for a run – clearly I have my priorities straight – I opted to spend some quality time on Netflix with a quick episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. My excitement only grows each time a Broadway actor shows up in an episode, and sure enough, Karen Olivo graced the screen tonight as a distraught (hence the face below) mother.
Olivo is joined by other Broadway big-names, from Aaron Tveit to Bernadette Peters to Jesse L. Martin to John Gallagher Jr…and the list goes on to include other Broadway stars as well as ensemble and swing members of every show. In a special panel of cast members and producers, called “Law & Order: 20 Years and Counting,” held at the Paley Center for Media in California in 2009, series creator Dick Wolf pretty much summed it up when he said: “If you go to the theater and you’re in New York and you read the Playbill and an actor doesn’t have a Law & Order credit, he’s either just gotten here or he’s really bad.” The panel also mentioned Law & Order’s “contribution to the theatre” by providing many actors with jobs, and how the pool of actors working on Broadway has helped the television show in return. You can watch the two-minute video here.
So, in a celebration of the 23-year relationship between Law & Order and Broadway, please stop reading and treat yourself with some Netflix!
Motown the Musical!
I didn’t have to shop around for any man the other night at Motown the Musical because I found my guy in Berry Gordy, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and all five of the Jackson 5.
I apologize for that cheesy opening sentence and the two corny Motown references, but I couldn’t resist! I will also apologize now for the five Motown references that will follow (and one complementary Les Miserables reference). Bear with me – I can’t help myself.
I’ve been a fan of Motown music for a few years and no matter how many times I listen to the same twenty Motown classics, I just never get sick of the harmonies and beats (and the big hair and glittery dresses, of course). You can imagine the pounding of my heart and the sweating of my palms when the holders of my tickets arrived later than planned and I thought my night would be spent standing outside the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre rather than sitting inside. Luckily, the tickets arrived ten minutes before showtime and I was in my seat for the start of the show.
Even before making the trek to the Theatre District, I knew I would love this show. I already had an obsession with the music, but I also couldn’t wait to see the cast. I was thrilled when I scrolled through the “Cast & Creative” page on the musical’s website and found that I recognized over half of the faces from one of my all-time favorite musicals, Memphis. My dad (who hates musicals, so the fact that he loves this one is a miracle) and I are Memphis mega-fans, and for anyone unable to catch it during its Broadway or national tour run, it’s also on Netflix! These actors and actresses that graced the stage in Memphis had some insane dance moves and powerful vocals, so I couldn’t wait to see them in Motown! Despite the reassurance from the music and cast, I still had my doubts during the first few minutes of the show. The opening number had me wondering if I’d be sitting through a concert rather than a theatre production. That wouldn’t have been a problem, again because of the fantastic music, but I prefer a developed story and characters to accompany the music. To my pleasant surprise, the show’s format ended up very similar to Jersey Boys, with the plot of the show providing a history of the Motown record label.
The show follows Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, from the start of his career in the music business and all through the twists and turns of owning the label, including his romantic relationship with Diana Ross and his friendships with Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye. I liked seeing the history behind individual songs, but enjoyed that actual performances even more. I tell no lies when I say that a not a single song failed to impress me. Also, props to the young actor, Jibreel Mawry, who played Michael Jackson. I heard it through the grapevine that he is only eleven years old! The kid certainly knew how to channel his inner MJ, moves and all! (Side note: As an avid Instagrammer, I shamelessly stalked the “Motown the Musical” Instagram page, as well as any actor tagged in a post, and discovered that Jibreel has an Instagram account. After this discovery and a discussion in a media class the other day, I’ve learned that kids as young as ten years old seem to have an even better handle on social media platforms than most people. Maybe I’m so shocked because I had no idea, but they just seem so young!)
One of the best things about this show also managed to be one of the worst. The audience had energy like I’ve never seen before at a Broadway show; I could truly feel the love people had for the music, the story, and the characters and I could tell that much of the audience knew Motown well. Still, some audience members took this love of Motown a tad too far, standing up and shaking it to a number of songs. These people not only danced in their seats, but probably danced in the streets after the show, too. Don’t get me wrong – I am never opposed to getting up and shaking it, especially to funky music, but in the middle of a Broadway show? It’s no problem during the curtain call, but the death glares of my friend, unfortunate enough to have seats behind three people who loved to dance, told me that she would have traded anything for different seats.
At the end of the day, Motown the Musical was a TON of fun and there ain’t no mountain high enough that could stop me from seeing this show again. Except for money. Money, that’s what I want.
I’ll leave you with another beautiful theater ceiling:
Motown the Musical is now in previews on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on W 46th Street, between 8th Ave and Broadway.
Gettin’ My Art On
Whip out that Elmer’s glue and smock ’cause we’re going back to Kindergarten – it’s arts and crafts time!
Am I the only one that finds cutting paper or using a gluestick therapeutic? I’m not sure if it’s the actual hand motion or how it takes me back in time to the days of recess and goldfish (okay, the goldfish days are still happening…). I find mindless collaging or painting a great way to de-stress, though unfortunately it’s often hard to find the time to do so. This week I have been off from school for spring break, and I made it a point to take time for myself and get my “art” on. While I chose “me” time this week over an English reading and Theology paper, both which have yet to be completed, I feel my mind is refreshed and ready to take on some Daniel Defoe and Augustine! I bet even those guys made sure to take some “me” time!
This week I tackled a collaged frame that can hold tickets or photos:
I had fun with it and was surprised at how easy and quick it took. Even better, my tickets no longer lay in a heap on my dresser! A friend actually did something similar for a project in a Visual Arts class, in which she had painted and then collaged over an old picture frame, creating a spiderweb of string where a photo would be. I wish I had a photo of it, because it looked amazing and much better than my finished product. Her frame looked like a perfect contraption to hold tickets or photos, so I thought I would attempt to make one of my own! Unfortunately, however, this project has a serious side effect: I have a new obsession with paper maché and yearn to paper maché anything I can get my hands on. My poor roommate might just wake up one morning with the entire room covered in collage…
1. The materials needed for this project are mainly around the house items:
– A frame
– Scissors
– Tape (the stronger, the better)
– Newspapers, magazines, or anything you want to cover the frame with (I contemplated using old Playbills that I’ve kept from shows to make the frame as Broadway-legitimate as possible, but couldn’t bring myself to cut them up.)
– Small bowl
– String
– Elmer’s Glue
– Newspaper to put under the frame while collaging to protect the table
– Tickets or photos
– Broadway tunes for some background music!
2. I tore up newspapers (sorry, Mom – now you know where the newspaper that you left open on the kitchen table disappeared to…) and old magazines into small pieces. I made more than enough pieces to avoid running out while in the middle of paper maché-ing!
3. Since there was not much surface to cover with a frame, I only needed a minimal amount of paper maché goo. While I’ve read countless ways to make this goo and have probably tried most of them in past years of teaching summer camp, the one I used with half water and half Elmer’s glue worked just fine.
4. Time to get messy! A.K.A. the best six minutes of this project. I dipped each torn up piece of paper individually into the goo and pressed it onto the frame, making sure to cover every last inch. When the frame was somewhat dry – I let my excitement get the best of me and failed to wait until the frame completely dried – I painted one thin layer of Elmer’s glue over the collage to hold it all in place.
5. Now, the tricky part! A.K.A. the worst six minutes of this project. I don’t know how my friend got the strings pulled across her frame so tight, though I assume some kind of pins (I guess I was too enthralled by the front of the frame to even think of looking at the back), but with a plastic frame I had no choice but to use some heavy duty tape. I estimated the length of the string and taped one end to one side of the frame, and the other end to another side, criss-crossing and creating diagonals as I added more string.
6. Viola! While I would rather not end on a low note, I must end with a confession. I cheated. Unfortunately, the tickets did not stay within the string, which was not pulled tight enough to hold them in place. If this project had gone as planned and ended up as 100% successful, then the tickets obviously would not have needed help from a little bit of tape stuck to their back. But hey, I got my “me” time, and that, my friends, is 1000% success.
The Liebster Award
About a week ago I found a lovely surprise in the comments section of my blog – one of my followers (whom I am very thankful for) nominated me for the Liebster Award! Her blog is called Steph in the Screentime – check it out – and it’s great because there are several posts on “The Mindy Project” and “New Girl,” which are awesome TV shows! As a newbie blogger, I had never heard of this award, so I did some research to find out more. From what I understand, it is a blogger-to-blogger award in which one blogger nominates other bloggers who have under 200 followers and who he or she believes deserves some recognition for their blog. Those who are nominated and choose to participate must post 11 facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions from the nominator, create their own set of 11 questions for their nominations, and then choose 11 blogs to nominate. I think it’s great that this award gives bloggers the chance to support and encourage each other. And now a German lesson for you – “liebster” means “dearest” in German.
Eleven Facts:
1. I played the flute for five years.
2. I don’t have my driver’s license (I’m workin’ on it!).
3. I love cheese and I wish I could eat it all day, every day.
4. I love kids!
5. I want to run in a half marathon or – I’m getting ambitious now – a marathon before I die.
6. I am eating stir fry and drinking a smoothie as I write this.
7. I’m rather tall.
8. I really don’t like snakes, or anything that slithers for that matter.
9. I love rain.
10. I would rather the weather be too hot than too cold.
11. I’ve had to get stitches in the same spot on my chin twice.
Answers to questions from Steph In The Screentime:
1. What is your favorite thing to do? Attend the theater, of course! But my all-time favorite thing to do is to attend the theater with friends and family. 🙂
2. What is your favorite movie? Tough question! Either “Godspell” or “Titanic” – I could watch either of them over and over and never get sick of it! I love 80s teen movies, too, like “The Breakfast Club” or “16 Candles” (so, basically anything featuring a teenaged Molly Ringwald).
3. What is your favorite tv show? Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, hands down!
4. Have you ever been out of your home country? Only once, on a middle school field trip to Quebec, which was absolutely beautiful and an experience I will never forget.
5. Where do you go on your vacation? A beach!
6. What’s your profession? Student.
7. What’s your favorite word? “Bubba.” So fun to say out loud. A friend also recently introduced me to another fun one – “brouhaha,” which means a noisy or enthusiastic reaction to something. I challenge you to use that word three times today.
8. What’s your least favorite word? “Onomatopoeia,” because I can never spell it (and yes, I had to look it up to write it here).
9. What’s your favorite sound? To go along with fact #9, I would have to say the pitter-patter of heavy rain. So soothing!
10. Do you have any pets? What are they? Unfortunately, no pets. I would love a golden retriever, though!
11. Do you cook? What is your specialty? I wish! The extent of my specialties is mac & cheese. My sister seems to be the one with the cooking genes in the family…
Questions for my nominee:
1. If you could travel to one place right this instant (teleportation style), where would it be?
2. What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
3. Biggest pet peeve?
4. If you could nominate one celebrity to be president, who would it be?
5. Favorite book?
6. Is there anything that you wish you knew how to do?
7. Nickname(s)?
8. Favorite pizza topping?
9. Favorite Broadway (or movie) soundtrack?
10. What fruits would your perfect smoothie include?
11. When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Blogs I nominate:
3. Haylie Hoang
4. Marama Whyte
As You Like It
Though I have very few complaints about Mr. William Shakespeare, next Friday evening it may be nice to have a date night with a man who has not been dead for 397 years and who dresses slightly more modern (not that I don’t love the Elizabethan doublets and breeches, but they might be better equipped for the Renaissance Fair). Still, William gave me a pleasant two-hour date with his famous work, “As You Like It,” and I would totally go on a second date with him.
The New Victory Theater is a theater for kids and families that presents all sorts of productions, from classic Shakespearean tales to traveling street dancers. It has staged the works of directors like Julie Taymor, Moisés Kaufman, and Tony Kushner, as well as those of acting companies around the world. The theater also emphasizes the importance of exposing children to theater, offering school and other educational programs for kids. I heard about the New Victory at a recent Career & Internship fair, and figured I’d check it out!
The theater is located on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Aves, right next to the Foxwoods Theatre, home to Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway. I’ve actually walked past the theater many times, admiring the Haunted Mansion-esque beautiful staircase and lampposts, as well as the colorful advertisements right outside the door. Inside the theater is on the larger side; it has an orchestra, mezzanine, and balcony, but all are small. And, of course, I had to look up and admire the ceiling, because theater ceilings are always a work of art (and fifty million times better than the white ceiling that I stare at before I hit the hay each night). Please scroll to the bottom of the page to view a complementary ceiling photo.
The production was done by the Acting Company, a classical theater touring group. I commend them for creating a version of a Shakespeare play that could not only hold a child’s attention, but also the attention of a college student running on four hours of sleep, sans coffee or any other form of caffeine. The company kept the show sophisticated, yet added some comedic and fun elements, such as huge animal masks and a funny wrestling scene. I loved the three phonographs that remained on stage throughout the show, which the actors used to play music, sounds, and even as props when needed (at one point, the phonographs acted as sheep, “baa-ing” as they were “herded” by the actors). I also loved the innocent awkwardness between the two lovers, Rosalind and Orlando, which had me cracking up through each of their interactions. I would have loved to sit closer (I snagged the cheapest seat I could in the balcony) because the facial expressions would have been fun to see!
During the rare moments when I found myself losing focus during the show, the three-person party that sat in the row ahead of me provided its own form of entertainment. There were two productions happening that evening in the New Victory Theater – one on the stage about two young lovers named Rosalind and Orlando, and another in the seats about a mother and her preteen son and daughter. I actually missed a good number of lines from the show as I watched this family with amusement. I had to laugh to myself as the daughter stole the son’s pack of gum and he tried to steal it back from her for an entire hour, all the while the poor mother hissing at them to keep quiet and the woman sitting beside them shooting death glares – this family reminded me way too much of my own. There have been many a time when my siblings and I were the loud-when-we-should’ve-been-quiet bunch. Also, just for the record, the son never got his gum back. It’s too bad; I was rooting for him!
Lastly, I must also commend the ushers, whose friendliness started as soon as I entered the front door and extended to the moment I sat down in my seat. Most of them were teenagers, part of the “New Vic Usher Program” that gives young adults a chance to be involved in the theater. I did not only enjoy the production itself, but I was happy to support a theater that has so many great educational programs for kids and families!
And now, as promised, enjoy this lovely photo of a ceiling.
Straight No Chaser
Last week I stepped into the world of Pitch Perfect, a hilarious movie about Barden University’s a capella groups that offers both super quotable lines and catchy soundtrack. Don’t worry – I am not about to write another entry about this movie (though it deserves one). Fast forward the collegiate singing days and you’ve got Straight No Chaser, a professional a capella group that originated at Indiana University in 1996. Yes, 1996, as in while most people only go downhill after their college glory days, these talented men are still living theirs.
Last Thursday, Straight No Chaser showed off their impressive vocals and harmonies at the Beacon Theatre (on Broadway, between 74th and 75th St.), which is the most beautiful theatre I have ever set foot in. Even the lobby is impressive, with gold decorations and a mural of a landscape to complement the beautiful chandelier at the center of it all.
Nothing beats the inside of the actual theatre, however, where a very beautiful, dramatic wood carving hangs from the ceiling. I expected to see another chandelier but rather found this impressive, er, “thing.” I can honestly say I have never seen anything quite like it before, but that could just be my lack of knowledge in theater architecture. I can’t imagine what fun it must have been for the lucky audience members sitting in the orchestra to look up and find that staring back at them.
My friend and I almost missed the opening number (we had to make a quick stop at the Apple Store a few blocks away, not to check out the cool gadgets but because we saw a puppy through the windows and couldn’t resist), but made it just in time to hear the mash-up of Fun!’s “Some Nights” and “We Are Young,” which I believe is a great a capella song because of the amazing harmonies. They did a variety of oldies and hits from today, and, of course, the “12 Days of Christmas,” which led them to fame with over 16 million views on YouTube (if you haven’t seen it, please take three minutes of your day and check it out, but let me warn you that you may get excited for the Christmas season, which is, unfortunately, a very long 303 days away). Their choreography wasn’t quite at the level of Pitch Perfect or Glee and included some corny dance moves, but it worked! After all, these guys aren’t exactly twenty years old anymore; even from the nosebleed seats I’m positive I spotted some receding hair lines and balding heads.
Of all the musical numbers, my favorite was the movie score medley, in which the group added funny lyrics (sometimes paraphrasing the story, sometimes questioning choices made by the characters, and sometimes suggesting alternate endings) to the themes from classics like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and Titanic. They ended the show by singing a song without any microphones, in which the theatre became eerily silent as each audience member intently listened. They said they wanted to bring us back to what it would have been like at one of their 1996 a capella rehearsals, which must have been even more special for them than it was for us.
The best part, however, was watching these guys perform. You could tell they thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and it was obvious how much they loved being on stage with each other and for their fans. Props to them for continuing to do what they love and not letting college graduation stop them. After the show, they sat in the lobby and took the time to meet their fans, which they deserve respect and admiration for.
After the show, my friends and I headed to 16 Handles (on Amsterdam, between 75th and 76th St.), a self-serve frozen yogurt place that I called “16 Candles” for a good five minutes before realizing that it actually had nothing to do with a coming-of-age film starring Molly Ringwald. The line was pretty long, but worth the fact that one can virtually get any delicious flavor or topping imaginable. My friend’s cup was covered with so many toppings I could not even see the frozen yogurt hiding underneath. The space offered only a few spots to sit, but we were lucky to find a few chairs at a high table to enjoy our snack!
Straight No Chaser’s new album, Under the Influence (they promised it’s PG rated), comes out May 7th and features awesome guest singers like Jason Mraz, Rob Thomas, Phil Collins, Seal, and Dolly Parton! Sounds aca-awesome to me.
Good Enough To Eat
So this blog post isn’t exactly related to theatre, but it has to do with food, which is just as satisfying!
Two of my good friends celebrated their birthdays this past week, so the only appropriate thing to do was to gather everyone up for some real, delicious non-cafeteria city food. The extremely thoughtful roommate of one of the birthday girls planned the dinner, including picking the place, making the reservation, etc. Props to her for finding a place that would deal with twenty loud college students celebrating not only one, but two birthdays. The original plan was to dine at Alice’s Teacup, a really tiny and fairy-tale-like restaurant (okay, I’ve never actually been there, but check out it’s website and tell me it doesn’t look magical), but because we needed a place that would accomodate a large group of people, we decided on Good Enough To Eat (or rather than “we,” I should say “my friend,” because she did all the work and all “we” had to do was show up and eat food), located on Amsterdam Ave and 83rd Street.
The name of the restaurant is more than appropriate, but I would suggest something more like “Good Enough Not Only To Eat But To Also Thoroughly Enjoy and Go Back Again Very Soon.” The place itself was beautiful and cozy, the food was tasty, and the service was great. It was very homey and looked like a kitchen of a barn house, with tiled floors and lots of cow decorations – my favorite a sign on the wall that read “The Girls” with a group of cows carved beneath it. A mini white picket fence not only greeted us outside at the door, but sat inside around a few of the tables as well. I also loved the beautiful masquerade masks that covered the walls.
The service also impressed me. We were a group of twenty people, and not only was the table ready when we got there, but the waiters and waitresses were extremely patient with us. We probably dropped a total of 4 or 5 utensils on the floor throughout the evening, which our waitress happily replaced. We asked annoying questions like what the space used to be (“a barbershop”) and what tahini was (“a very sweet and delicious sauce made from ground sesame seeds”). We also took forever to get our money sorted out when the check came and were probably obnoxiously loud. Large groups in restaurants are tough, and I would absolutely understand if we were a bother to our waiter (or rather waiters, because as a needy bunch we needed the attention of all of them at some point or another). Still, the staff gave us nothing but warmth, patience, and a wonderful evening!
Now, I realize I failed at this restaurant blog entry because I did not include the most important thing – a photo of the food. I ordered the Vegetable Burger, which came in a pita pocket with a side of tahini and a mustard-vinaigrette covered salad. I wish I had taken a photo, because my plate looked as delicious as it tasted – I blame its yummy flavor for distracting me and consequently causing me to forget to snap a photo. The burger was a generous size and while it tasted somewhat bland without the tahini, it was perfect dipped in the sweet sauce. The prices were not cheap, though moderate compared to the much higher city prices one can find elsewhere. Definitely worth the price, and once my college wallet heals a little, I will surely be back again!
I mean, just look at that picket fence and Valentine’s Day window!
Theater Lovin' 