REFLECTIONS

Reflections

Today will be a week from the Fourth of July – our country’s always spectacular celebration of the birth of our nation. I was going to write about the baseball game and the fireworks over the East River and the wonderful time I had with my family, but I didn’t.

It was a word President Obama used when addressing us… reflection; a reflection on the horrific events of the past week. A reflection that stopped me from posting the happiness of that weekend. The scenes from Texas, Louisiana and Minnesota were overwhelming.

I was born in upstate New York – my family moved several times due to our father’s work and his final transfer was to Charlotte, North Carolina. Reflecting – I remember how shocked we were to see the signs saying “whites only” and “colored” when we moved there. And now, reflecting on this past week – certain atrocities may have changed – but our nation has a very, very long way to go before intolerance is no longer part of our lives and violence ends.

My family is interracial and I have family and friends in law enforcement and every day I am concerned for their safety.

With sadness, but with hope,

Kay

Kay’s Free Picks – SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKING LOT!

After the fireworks, the barbecues, the mojitos, the beer, the hotdogs and the s’mores – how about some free Shakespeare? No lines, no tickets and always free! The Drilling Company has been doing these outdoor productions since 1995 in a parking lot and the last few years also at Bryant Park. For more information about this great group and specific days and times of these productions and the rest that run through the summer, go to their website. The information below is from their site.

http://www.shakespeareintheparkinglot.com

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKING LOT

“The Drilling Company performs free outdoor Shakespeare in the Parking Lot behind The Clemente (Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center), located at 114 Norfolk Street (east side of Norfolk Street between Delancey and Rivington Streets), just three blocks from the municipal parking lot where the plucky New York cultural attraction started in 1995.”

JULY 7 TO 24

“MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM”
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a tale of love and enchantment that is simultaneously set in the woodland and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon. Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, ever fond of holding a mirror up to its own neighborhood, is adapting the story into a fable of the Lower East Side in the first production of its 2016 season. Kathy Curtiss directs.”

SHAKESPEARE AT BRYANT PARK

In Midtown – behind NY Public Library – between 40th and 42nd Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues.

July 21 to 23

“As You Like It” with music by Natalie Smith
“The magical comedy is set in the classical Victorian era and everything becomes Steampunk when the scene shifts to the Forest of Arden. This production premiered in our parking lot last season. The New York Times wrote, “it’s easy to find magic here” and praised the leading performances as “wonderful by any standard.”

Kay’s Notes* “All the world’s a stage” says Will

This will be my first time going to one of their productions. My first inclination is to go to Bryant Park as it is much easier for me to get to, but inwardly I’m being pulled and tugged to go to the parking lot – where these performances began and sit among the cars! I just figured it out, I can do both. Love this City!

Shakespeare cartoon drawing – courtesy of the Drilling Company

*Disclaimer – I try for correct info on Kay’s Notes and my posts but no guarantees people.

ME AND 999 OTHERS TO SING “THE PUBLIC DOMAIN” AT LINCOLN CENTER

August 13 at 5pm

Outdoors on the Plaza – Free!

Here is my first post on this exciting event — more to come as I go thru the rehearsals! Take a look at the website. I walk around singing and humming more than usual these days, as I ready my scratchy vocal chords for the performance and my debut at Lincoln Center!

From the website:

What is the public domain?

In the spirit of the Mostly Mozart Festival’s conception, the world premiere of the public domain by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lang will be a performance that not only welcomes the public as a free and open event, but will also be performed by the public. A piece inspired by the theme of the collective knowledge shared amongst us all, the composition will be performed on Saturday, August 13, by 1,000 volunteer vocalists from throughout New York City, conducted by Simon Halsey, Choral Director of the London Symphony Orchestra.

the public domain – Lincoln Center

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center

It’s official – it’s summer!

The City will be bouncing all summer long with hundreds of fabulous events. Here are some of the major sites I use to find out what’s happening. I will keep updating this post as new things pop up and they will. To get us started and so we can mark our calendars –check them out. Hundreds of free- easy to get to – events!

Lincoln Center www.lincolncenter.org

Central Park. http://centralpark.org

Hudson River Park http://www.hudsonriverpark.org

River to River Festival lmcc.net/news/river-river-2016- June 16-26.

New York City Go http://www.nycgo.com

Free Shakespeare http://www.shakespeareintheparkinglot.com

And, don’t forget the beaches – we are surrounded by water!

Rockaway Beach — ROCKAWAY BEACH – 1 SON AND 4 GRANDDAUGHTERS A FEW YEARS AGO!

Kay’s Notes:

Important to know: There really is so much to see and do and so little time. I make a list and mark my calendar (on my phone and the one on my wall) otherwise, I wake up and realize that I missed the event the day or night before that I really wanted to go to.

Good to know: Picnics and blankets in the parks are so much fun. Bring books, newspapers, balls, and get ice cream and gelato from one of the food trucks. Now sitting on a blanket is great – but getting up from a blanket can be a challenge and…the process of getting up is not a pretty sight, if you know what I mean. So you might want to bring a folding chair.

Restrooms: – Will take a little work …each site will have restroom locations on their sites so you might want to take note of them before you go there.

*Disclaimer – I try for correct info on Kay’s Notes– but no guarantees people. Photo of Central Park courtesy of NYC

Kay’s Picks – NYC Pride March Sunday June 26- Event Passed

(Photograph: Filip Wolak)

The March takes place in NYC on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at noon.

IT’S FREE!

It begins at 36th Street and Fifth Avenue and ends at Christopher and Greenwich Streets in the West Village. See the route map here.
This year’s theme is Equality Needs You. Last year’s March was a joyous occasion coming mere days after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, but now, there’s a serious note as we realize how far we still have to go.
Because of the Orlando shootings, there will be added security this year, with hundreds of security guards throughout the March. Nothing has been cancelled.

For more info on the March and other events go to: http://nycpride.org

Write up and photo – courtesy of TimeOut NY and NYCPride.org

Fleet Week in NYC will return 2017

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“Fleet Week New York, now in its 28th year, is the city’s time-honored celebration of the sea services. It is an unparalleled opportunity for the citizens of New York and the surrounding tri-state area to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today’s maritime services. The week-long celebration has been held nearly every year since 1984.”(the photo and excerpt above are courtesy of Fleet Week New York).