Haiku #308

cards I bought at the charming Hell's Kitchen gift shop Delphinium,
to be sent to friends, colleagues, relatives, and my Congressmen

i will make music

and write my silly poems

and some letters, too

Haiku #307 - Finals Week

somewhere in Hell's Kitchen

is she's a bit stressed

you can probably find her

eating cookie dough

Haiku #306 - 42nd Street

musicians, tourists

stalk New York City like prey

42nd Street

Haiku #305 - All In a Day's Work

key change, schedule change
catching a bag of prop blow
all in a day's work

Haiku #304 - Deliver Me

Diesel likes Fresh Direct too.

a New Yorker waits

with glad anticipation

for her Fresh Direct 

Haiku #303 - Inner Voices

inner voices sing
to an audience the words
we can't say out loud

Running only thru Sun Dec. 2, 2012 - 3 1-act solo musicals, work of Nilo Cruz, Hunter Foster, many more talented writers and performers. Info & tickets here

Haiku #302 - NY Pizza - Little Luzzo's

delicious pizza

and if you still have some room,

a Nutella treat

Little Luzzo's - E 96th between Lex & Park:
I've only eaten here a couple times, and both times been surprised at how good (and cheap) this place is - it's a non-fancy Upper East Side joint on the same block as the train. My pizza disappeared before I could get a picture (whoops), but here's a pic of the Nutella roll:

it's not much to look at, but it was yummy

They must go through a lot of Nutella; the tip jar is an enormous Nutella jar.

Haiku #301 - Book of Mormon in Chicago

they know the show now
time to add lights and costumes
off to Chicago!

The Chicago company of The Book of Mormon, for whom I had the pleasure of playing rehearsals here in New York, will soon be off to Chicago for a run beginning December 11th. I was sad to say goodbye to everyone after spending 3 1/2 weeks in rehearsal with them, but look forward to visiting them and seeing the show in Chicago!

Haiku #300 - Thanksgiving

perfect autumn day

walk in park and brunch with friends

reasons to give thanks

Lysa and I pose next to Girls' Gate,
which evidently was created when people knew how to use apostrophes.

Kurt manages to channel Gene Kelly
and Donald O'Connor at the same time.

Haiku #299 - Linus & Lucy

Gary (drums) and John (conductor-Book of Mormon's Chicago company)
rocking it out at the end of rehearsal

Linus and Lucy

might sneak into rehearsal

on a little break

Haiku #298 - El Centro

with Alex, hanging before she rejoins the Book of Mormon tour next week!

nachos and girl talk

with honorary seestor

before she leaves town

Haiku #297 - NY Pizza

Bear strikes a pose!

pushing through the crowds

to meet a friend for pizza

on a quick lunch break

Siena Pizza - 40th St and 8th Ave

Just plain ol' greasy New York pizza, cheap, unpretentious, filling, convenient.

Haiku #296

there are weeks like this
remember to breathe when life's 
planned to the minute

Haiku #295 - Freelancer Weekend

couple of cocktails
plus two-and-a-half hour nap
freelancer weekend*

*file under "good problems to have" and "at least I got my nap!"

Haiku #294 - Volunteer

volunteerism
could be an everyday part
of our nation's life

...and other vaguely socio-political thoughts to be fleshed out another time.

Haiku #293 - Sandy Amazon Registry

supplies sent through the Sandy relief registry on Amazon,
stockpiled at a church that has offered its space for sorting and distribution
Photo courtesy Natalie Wilson

help from far away

send exactly what's needed

registry online

There are a couple different registries on Amazon (and probably elsewhere) - so if you want to help with the recovery effort by sending supplies, this is a great way to send exactly what's needed to a place where it'll be distributed to the people who need it most. 

Haiku #292 - Patzeria Friends & Family

Monday pizza day!
I forgot to take a pic
of my brocc'li rabe

I'll blame busy-ness and general hurricane discombobulation for my lack of a pizza haiku... I'll get back next week. But Patzeria on W 46th St I already mentioned as my favorite slice (I get the Grandma slice or the tomato-basil)...this is the sit-down Italian place on 48th and 8th that they opened about a year ago. I went in this evening between gigs and had a beer and a broccoli rabe at the bar and a friendly chat with the owner. Great place, great food, great people.

Back to normal pizza haikuing next Monday!

Haiku #291 - Broadway Impact

The Broadway company of Book of Mormon celebrates Brian Sears and Nick Spangler, who were to run the NYC marathon and raised thousands of dollars to advocate for marriage equality through Broadway Impact. They were taken on a "cool-down jog" through the theater district and led up to the mezzanine where many company members were waiting to surprise them.

you can run away

or run to create the world

you want to live in

Props also to marathoners who ran supplies and volunteered in devastated neighborhoods today, and to my friend Dodd who ran his own marathon through affected areas, and raised thousands of dollars in pledges for the Red Cross recovery effort.

Nick (left), me (silly pose), and Brian (right)
Why yes, those are handmade "mylar" blankets!
I love theater people!

Haiku #290 - Roommate

long conversations
about how to fix the world
small-kitchen summit

Haiku #289 - Hurricane Recovery: 3-2 Clave

one two three, one two
this music knows me so well
and carries me home

Today after rehearsal, trudging through New York City's partially-restored subway system with thousands of other hurricane-weary New Yorkers, I flipped through the limited music on my phone for something to drown out the din in and out of my head. I chose In the Heights - a show that's been an important part of my life for over four years, especially last year when I was on tour with it. I haven't really played it or heard it since tour ended in June, and today it was like putting on a really comfortable, comfort-ing hoodie. Just what I needed to put a smile on my face and make it home.

In the Heights is a show about community and family, and I think anyone who worked on it can say they were touched by the sense of family that prevailed in the company. Maybe I chose to listen to it because earlier today, I found out that two (separate) people from the Heights family lost everything in the hurricane. Another member of the original company has set up a donation page here. If you can spare "one dollar, two dollar, one-fifty, one-sixty-nine", or 96000, please visit.

...You know that makes you want to watch the 96000 Tony awards performance ;)

Haiku #288 - Discipline

discipline's your friend
it makes you write haikus when
you just want to sleep

Haiku #286, 287 - Hurricane Sandy

traffic is brutal
exercise in pranayam 
and bladder control

blockbuster movies
apocalypse on the news
it's all the same now

I missed Hurricane Sandy because I was out of town for the weekend, which turned into nearly-a-week. I have to work tomorrow, so I ended up renting a car and driving from Baltimore, which was as close to New York as my original flight itinerary could get me under the circumstances. 

I'm very grateful to be able say my apartment and its inhabitants are fine. Quite a few uprooted trees on the way back in, and of course I've seen enough pictures and read enough status updates to know how easily I got off. 

Haiku #285 - Cafe Ollin

cure for common cold:

Cafe Ollin's chicken soup

straight from the carton

Haiku #284 - NY Pizza - Artichoke

my margherita, Lacey's artichoke, and Rod's dainty little vodka slice

Artichoke pizza

passersby salivating

looking at my slice

Haiku #283 - Cold

can never catch up
there's always so much to do
so instead catch cold

Haiku #282 - Fall Day

angular city
clear air and autumn sunlight
ev'rything looks sharp

Haiku #281 - Edwin Drood

went with my friend Christy to the 1st preview of the Drood revival  -
Didn't know the show and it turned up to be
right up my Anglophile, mystery-loving alley.
Cast great, staging, design and music beautifully done - go see it!

so many choices

how to spend a Friday night?

clap and cheer for Drood!

People, Places, Things:

Roundabout Theatre 

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Haiku #280 - City Hall Park

ketchup-alism 

and liberty coexist

in City Hall Park

People, Places, Things:

City Hall Park

Common Ground art exhibition (thru Nov. 30 2012)

‎"It must not be forgotten that the park is still the refuge of the people, the cradle of liberty."
-Henry B. Dawson

Haiku #279 - Freelance Feast/Famine

when it rains it pours
land of opportunity 
I'm not complaining!

Haiku #278 - Relentless

for the ambitious
in the city of New York
life is relentless

Haiku #277 - NY Pizza - $1 Pizza!

see dollar pizza?

don't get scared and run away

it's really quite good!

People, Places, Things:

Dollar pizza places can be found all over NYC. The one pictured above is on 3rd Ave in Spanish Harlem. There are a lot in Hell's Kitchen. Dollar pizza slices are a little smaller then average, and have not too much cheese (so you aren't dabbing away 3 napkins' worth of grease), and, because of the high turnover, are always fresh! Conclusion: Dollar pizza sounds like a bad idea, but isn't (though I don't recommend it more than once a week or so...)

Haiku #276 - Conservatory Gardens Sunflower

in the Conservatory Gardens

radiant light shines

from the sunflower itself

on a fall morning

Haiku #275 - Doo Wop Guys

they sing and then say,
"smile - it won't mess up your hair!"
get some change, move on

Haiku #274 - Dreamers

only the dreamers

can slog through city nonsense

and not get weary

Haiku #273 - Chaplin

The band room door for Chaplin the Musical -
they call themselves the Flickers

playing for a show

inside jokes fly 'round the room

work is work and play

Haiku #272 - Zombies

people look at their
electronic devices
not at each other

Haiku #271 - Birthday Bash

the birthday boys: Ray (at the piano), and Brandon (on the mic)

Brandon and Ray share

October birthdays, ergo

drunken birthday bash

Haiku #270 - NY Pizza - La Nostra

Seriously. This is a small. 

i'm going to need
my roommate's help to devour
this "small" spinach pie

People, Places, Things:
La Nostra Pizzeria in my neighborhood - 110th and 2nd Ave. Nothing fancy, just average New York pizza - exactly what the doctor ordered for a cloudy, working-from-home, staying-in-my-PJs kind of day.

And probably three days thereafter, judging by the size of that pie. 

Note on linguistics/immigration/stratification: The menus and other material for this place say "La Nostra" (Italian)... the signage outside says "La Nuestra" (Spanish)...

 I don't think this place is very old, so I don't know what the scoop is behind that discrepancy, but it made me think of the different waves of immigrants who have come through this neighborhood.

Haiku #269 - Music Directors

music directors
meet over beers and discuss
nerdy things and life

Rachael, Emily, me

Steven, Brittany, Geraldine, Sarah

People, Places, Things:
Theatre Music Directors
Valhalla

Haiku #268 - Amigo Duende

amigo duende

let your imagination 

carry you away

Haiku #267 - Uncorked

deep in discussion
about the finer points of 
drama over wine

People, Places, Things:
Uncorked (cute midtown East wine bar)
creative meeting with Nat!

Haiku #266 - Metro Diner

Metro Diner, 100th & Broadway

what better on a

rainy Manhattan evening

than Metro Diner?

Haiku #265 - NY Pizza - Patzeria

Grandma slice from Patzeria.
That it doesn't look so great is due entirely to my lack of photography skills.

if I had to pick

one slice for the rest of life

it would be this one

People, Places, Things:

Patzeria on 46th St between Broadway and 8th Ave -

My go-to pizza joint when I'm in the theater district. Approx the size of a postage stamp. They also have a sit-down Italian restaurant with a small bar a couple blocks away. 

Juan usually serves me my pizza.
The place is filled with show memorabilia (eg upper left corner)

Haiku #264

even New Yorkers
have to do boring things like 
file their taxes - blarghhhhh....

Haiku #263 - Rehearsal Workshop

This group of New Zealanders got a taste of learning music and choreography before they saw Bring it On.

this is what it's like

to rehearse a Broadway show

make it look easy

People, Places, Things: 

Bring it On

the Broadway Workshop

Haiku #262

always on the go
in the city that neither 
sleeps nor lets me sleep

Haiku #261 - Rush Hour

a rush hour subway
crawling through the tunnel like
so much molasses

Haiku #260 - PSA for NY Pedestrians

treat sidewalk traffic 
like vehicular traffic
move or pull over!

Haiku #259 - Guantanamera

old friends, Latin jams

y plátanos maduros

Guantanamazing

People, Places, Things:

Guantanamera

Kurt, Alex, Perry, Christina

Haiku #258 - NY PIzza - Itza Pizza

the preferred meal of

a New Yorker on the go

is some kind of slice

People, Places, Things:

Itza Pizza

A favorite of Soviet spies???

This was a random slice day - I didn't have time to go to any of my favorite places for this week's haiku, so I had to try a new place! I had an eggplant slice at Itza Pizza on John St. near the World Trade center; it was decent, and did the job of providing a quick meal on the run. 

Haiku #257 - View of Manhattan

i can see my house!
tiny speck in concrete maze
from my window seat

Alas, I couldn't find my phone in time to catch a picture of the awesome aerial view I had of Manhattan as I flew back into New York this afternoon. But for the first time, I could pick out my pinprick-sized apartment building - never approached the city from that angle before. 

Haiku #256 - Wedding Eve

so much excitement

must find a moment of peace

bride-to-be makes fire

Haiku #255 - Peter and the Starcatcher

objects transformed by
the magic of theater
and people as well

People, Places, Things:
Peter and the Starcatcher
Nat

Haiku #254 - Blustery Day

cabbies aim for the
splashiest parts of puddles
makes the rain more fun

Haiku #253 - NY Pizza - Patsy's

I got to introduce my roommate Andrew to Patsy's;
J serves us our pizza!

Patsy's Pizza Pic!

...huffy local behind me

thinks I'm a tourist

People, Places, Things:

Patsy's Pizza - one of New York's original pizzerias. There are now several locations.

Haiku #252 - Book of Mormon

Rehearsal with Travis, Graham, Jablonski, Stephen, and Delius

pitchforks and top hats

just a normal day at work

at Book of Mormon

People, Places, Things:

The Book of Mormon (the musical)

We are rehearsing for coverage on Broadway, but you might get to see a couple of these guys if you see the upcoming Chicago production!

Haiku #251 - Gelato

whiskey gelato

with macerated kumquats?

don't mind if I do!

tour family reunion, before Cherie takes off to CA for a couple months!

People, Places, Things:

Kurt, Cherie, Greg and Cass!

Cones gelato

Haiku #250 - Diesel

Diesel really likes birds.

after a long day
all my cat wants to do is
run, pounce, bite my feet

Haiku #249 - West Bank Cafe

midnight, open mic
downstairs at West Bank Cafe
Josh plays piano

People, Places, Things:
Joshua Stephen Kartes
Laurie Beechman Theatre at West Bank Cafe
30th birthdays...

Haiku #248 Barber Chicken?!

Yeah, I don't know either.

only in New York

I've heard of barber-surgeons...

But barber-chicken?

People, Places, Things:

Spanish Harlem

Haiku #247 - 9/11 Memorial Concert

Ramiro, Moshe, Barbara, leader of STSANY Anna, Stephanie, Alexandra, Rebecca, Barry, Rafa, me, Enrique, Jimmy

[17 syllables of silence]
.....
.......
.....

It was a beautiful day today, 09/11/12. I learned to play the televi shaker at a percussion workshop, I played a concert for the September Concert, and I met with Nat about our play. I can't seem to think of a haiku that sums it up better than this quote from Rent, so I'll take this moment of haiku silence to say:

"The opposite of war isn't peace, it's creation." (Jonathan Larson)

And that is why I'm an artist. 

May creation be with you.
And also with you.

Haiku #246 - NY Pizza - Mariella

me w/ John & Phil (wielding pizza cutter)

pepperoni slice

from Mariella fuels a

New York afternoon

People, Places, Things:

This haiku is the first in (I hope) a weekly series haiku about my favorite pizza in New York...you know, a guide for hitchhaikuers...

Mariella is located on 8th Ave between 56th and 57th. The staff is friendly and nice, kinda old school New York, and it's classic, non-pretentious, greasy New York pizza. I usually opt for the pepperoni slice, and sometimes have a root beer to go with. Good for fueling visits to the south end of Central Park, the Time Warner Center, and/or Broadway shows a few blocks south.

Apparently there is another Mariella on E 16th & 3rd...I'm not familiar with that one!

Haiku #245 - My First 5K!

My friend Jason ran with me, so it was easier and more fun!

support women's health

make it to the finish line

collect free samples!

I felt good about this, for my first 5K!

People, Places, Things:
Abby and her awesome running blog
Jason
Race for the Cure
Central Park

Haiku #244

point A to point B
ev'rything takes twice as long
in New York City

Haiku #243 - New Baby!

Nat (way in the back) w/ the group of actors and directors who read her first draft aloud today.
We're going to meet next week to discuss music I'm to write for it! 

Nat heard her baby
read aloud for the first time
a play with music

Haiku #242 - the Duplex

John, multitasking-mixologist-musician par excellence!

real bartenders can
make drinks while keeping rhythm
on the tambourine

People, Places, Things:
the Duplex 
John, multi-talented bartender/singer/pianist/tambourine man