How I'm Spending My Christmas Vacation

 Merry Christmas!

I hope you enjoyed all the time with family and presents under your tree.

I'm taking this holiday break off from travel, sleeping in, 

doing laundry on Christmas morning, chilling, 

taking a few days off from even working from home, 

and spending it binging on vintage movies, 

Doctor Who marathons, talking to people via technology,

working on back-logged UFO crafting projects,

enjoying a stigma free Christmas dinner of pizza and beer,

and FINALLY moving furniture and trunks that 

haven't been moved in 10 years to change out a tv for a new tv. 

A tv that's been sitting on my floor since it came back from DC in AUGUST.

(EWWWW. My carpet is gross. 

Good thing I'm putting the trunks back in the exact same spots to hide it.)

 Kids, when you open time capsules from the past, you find old technology.

This is a metronome and an answering machine.

I'm keeping one and recyling the other.

Can you guess?

Enjoy YOUR break. 

I'm also spring cleaning since it's humid enough to turn the air-conditioning on.

In New York

ON CHRISTMAS WEEKEND.

Spring cleaning. In capris.

In air conditioning.

In Late DECEMBER.

What is this? 

Seattle?

2015 Classic Christmas Movie Binge:

White Christmas with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney c. 1954
Thoughts:

• It's not Christmas until I watch this movie;
• I want Rosemary Clooney's dressmaker to come fit me;
• "What is Christmas with no snow?" As asked by Bing, Danny and Rosemary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH2KGboA35c&sns=tw … via YouTube;
• The mysteries of White Christmas: what happened to the General's kids that his granddaughter is living with him alone in VT w/a housekeeper?

The Bishop's Wife with Cary Grant and David Niven c. 1947
Thoughts:

• One of my favorite things about this movie on VHS is the inclusion of the non-trailer. They try so hard not to spoil it.;
• "Nobody expects him to be normal. He's a bishop." Truer words were never spoken.  (Pastors' kids' humor!);
• "X sent in $15." "We had them down for $10,000." Honestly, this movie is REALLY a tale of frustrated fundraisers during a stymied capital campaign.;
• "Tell me about you." Classic relationship building technique. Though usually the solicitors are the ones crying in frustration.;
• "some horrid little brass plaque" Ha, this whole scene about naming rights, a wealthy donor, & a v. patient fundraiser ... strike a little too close to home;
• "Did you have a profitable afternoon?" "Not particularly. Did you?" Fundraisers' conversations everywhere, verbatim;
• Seriously. If Cary Grant was a solicitor for my capital campaign or other fundraising efforts, we would hit all our goals; 

Desk Set with Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn c. 1957
Thoughts:

• "I have been forced to work in an atmosphere of hatred & suspicion." Ha! An angry rant of many public servants & frontline workers.; 
• The epic drunkenness and shenanigans of the company Christmas party is ... hic... Epic. Hic. Bon Voyage!  Wheee!!!;
• I love how this is basically about trained reference librarians vs IT engineers. Librarians for information literacy & authoritative sources for the win.;
• I have apartment envy for Ms. Watson's Upper East Side apartment just off 75th/Lex, esp. the built-ins for her books & her oven.;
• "Not Ms. Watson? "Well she runs it, but he's the boss." - library admin stereotypes that are hopefully changing; 
• "Maybe we're getting that air-conditioning finally." "Figures, it's November." - the librarian facility struggles endure;
• How many librarians (current, lapsed, future) watch this movie & get unrealistic impressions about office space, salaries for housing/clothes?;

Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck c. 1945
Thoughts:

• The "I'm tired" rant at the end of this is the best, esp Barbara Stanwyck's summation gestures. "In short... I'm tired!";
• "I am not in a flipping mood this morning." You tell them Elizabeth. You tell your boss to "flip" off.;
• Felix is probably my fav chef, with The Swedish Chef coming in a close second. Was Felix was the inspiration? Maybe;
• "Some people say yes. Some people say no." "What do you say?" "I am inclined to agree with them." I LOVE this conversational detour.; and
• MY Christmases in Connecticut certainly NEVER looked like this;

An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, c. 1957
Thoughts:

• What I really love the best about this movie, is that you don't even need to hear the dialogue, the non-verbal action is on point;
• "How do you get to Tomorrowland? (Tomorrowland). Close your eyes. Make a wish. And, you're there.";
• Oh no, Terry. Don't forget to look both ways before running across traffic. Something viewers shout every time we watch;
• "Everybody's doing it." "How nice for you. In your case, we'll make an exception." Quips. So many quips;
• Deborah Kerr's face when she flicks the champagne at the ladies at the bar is everything. I love the little gestures;
• and Cary Grant is just swooooony. So Swoooony;

Indiscreet with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, c. 1957
Thoughts:

• I have serious apartment envy;
• "I'm too old for this sort of evening. I always was."~ Alfred, the stick-in-the-mud brother-in-law;
• "Shall I see you to your elevator?" Past the doorman, lobbymen, the elevator operator, & live-ins = no privacy; 

Auntie Mame with Rosalind Russell, c. 1958

Thoughts:

• What is with these fake New York apartments, they set up such unrealistic expectations;
• "Nothing can ever really separate us." Mame to her nephew, Patrick. Yep. That's how we all feel;
• "I lived. I gotta find out what to do now!"  ~ Agnes Gooch;
• "idiotic, cockeyed nincompoopery" has to be brought back into conversation as an insult; and
• "Yes! Live! Life's a banquet..."

Jonathan Crombie, Romantic Lead in ‘Anne of Green Gables,’ Dies at 48

Jonathan Crombie, Actor Known as Romantic Lead in ‘Anne of Green Gables,’ Dies at 48 http://t.co/xYthCxthkT

— New York Times Arts (@nytimesarts) April 19, 2015

Such sad news. May he rest in peace. https://t.co/kyLRglGq9e

— Green Gables Fables (@GGFables) April 18, 2015

I can't even tell you how many times I watched the Anne miniseries growing up. Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie, they were it.

— Amy Boughner (@amyboughner) April 18, 2015

Gilbert Blythe passed away. My heart is sad. One of my 1st crushes (Just like all Canadian girls) #JonathanCrombie pic.twitter.com/Q635I76ffx

— Carolyn (@nursesweet) April 18, 2015

Jonathan Crombie, the actor who played Gilbert Blythe on "Anne of Green Gables," has died http://t.co/sF5DTD9jvf pic.twitter.com/wlnG69uJrA

— EntertainmentTonight (@etnow) April 18, 2015

To a certain sisterhood, Gilbert Blythe was the first heart stopping fictional crush. pic.twitter.com/WCpaGwM0ZF

— Elizabeth Hackett (@LizHackett) April 18, 2015

Reading that 'Gilbert Blythe' has died feels like a childhood friend has passed. RIP Jonathan Crombie. http://t.co/KjWjIb69BR

— Jocelyn Rish (@JocelynRish) April 18, 2015

Anne & Gil...one of the greatest love stories ever told. #GilbertBlythe pic.twitter.com/BnhHOtXK9C

— Krista Tingley (@kmacting) April 18, 2015

Per the CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/jonathan-crombie-anne-of-green-gables-actor-dead-at-48-1.3038948?cmp=rss

To be continued - but my heart? Is sad. So sad. Another piece of my youth has died. And too soon. Too darn soon.

May-be I need to clone myself?

I  know I've been so busy this month, that it's almost hard to remember what all I've done. So, I've had to drag out my now-bulging scheduler with its receipts, ticket stubs, programs, and notes to just document it all. (And take this all in mind after this week's posts, and you see that I will be resting/scheduling better for the rest of the summer.)

May was abnormally busy, which is saying something for this year.

~ It started out one Friday night early in May with two vocal recitals, back to back, by two of the graduating  sopranos who have been my work study students, one for almost four years. If you know me at all, you know how I feel about opera, so this was an evening of love for those young women. It was a LOT of singing ... in many languages.

~ The next day it was off to the City for dinner and a show with Poopeh. The show always ends up secondary for us, even though it is the purpose for the gathering, and we try to find a quiet restaurant to sit and catch up. We happened upon an out-of-the-way Irish pub in mid-town that was blessedly quiet around 5:00 p.m. on Derby Day and we got a very quiet table in the back. Thanks Maggie's Place, for being quiet and not touristy. We needed the time to catch up before the critically acclaimed, yet very dark, tour-de-force production of Macbeth featuring Alan Cumming in about 90% of the roles. The Scottish Play is a heavy production in general, but with one person playing all the roles, set in an asylum ... whoa. It was heavy. Thanks to Poopeh for the tickets. I never would have gone on my own if she hadn't insisted. (I have good friends. Seats in 1st row, center mezz. at the show where you do not dare speak its name in the theatre.)

 ~ The next Monday after work, there was an open dress rehearsal of the Drama Division's Third Year Class presenting Twelfth Night up in the Stephanie P. McClelland Drama Theater. After the intensity of Macbeth on Saturday, a comedy was a good palate cleanser. There were some lovely moments in the production, and some stronger performances than other. It was set during Mardi Gras in New Orleans during the 1800s and actually worked better than you might think.

~ The next day after work, completing my slew of three plays in four days, was the Drama Division's Third Year Class doing Hamlet in the Drama Theater. I'm glad there was a comedy between the two tragedies. In these Shakespeare productions, the actors that had main roles in one play perform minor roles in the other play, so I got to see a different side of the actors and their range. The student playing Hamlet was quite good. I happened to be on a subway one night that he was on, and I overrode my usual reticence to just tell him how much I enjoyed his Hamlet. By their third year in the program, even the staff can start to tell who of the 20 or so in the class is going to "make a name" for themselves. I bet he's one of them. Sadly though, something was still rotten in the state of Denmark and everyone died.

~ Left abnormally early for me at least once ... at 5:30 ... due to the need to do copious amount of laundry. That was the night I got reacquainted with Grace. But I did manage to get my five loads of laundry done despite all the college kids in the building avoiding studying for finals and trying to do theirs! (These many weeks later, Grace has left .. but I am sure is lurking around to trip me up late and leave her mark.)

~ Rented a Zipcar to meander back to Manhattanville to see Marion. To combat the slightly musty/smokey smell I got in my ZipCar, I left behind the smell of MickeyDee's fries. You are welcome next Zipper. (read: when you have a car, you go to a drive thru for fries. Though they were meh...);

~ Spent time with Casey and her Ms. Addie, showing her the sights of the Big J and some of the Upper West Side. (More on that later - maybe on Casey's blog - as it's Addie's tale to tell, not mine);

~ Attended the Senior Dance Showcase at the Big J, featuring the graduating seniors of the Dance Division in solo pieces, duets, and a rousing final number ala Bob Fosse's Chicago. I'm getting jaded and/or I don't know dance as well as I know music and drama, but only about three of those student solos really stood out to me.

~ Worked at the Big J's 2013 Commencement seeing the next generation 'leave the nest.' For me that meant, caffeine, carbs, constricting clothes and allergy medication. But I also, truthfully can now say, I was "this close" to a famous Oscar winner, though again, I'm getting to be a jaded New Yorker. You do your thing and don't make a fuss. It's not the time or place ... but ... "no matter what occurs .... I will find you....*"  DEEP DREAMY SIGH ... it was pretty cool to be there.

~ Spent the rainy holiday weekend lazying about, getting sleep, and hanging with friends. No schedule. No plans. No agenda. No deadlines. At some points, no makeup.

~ and THEN, finally, to complete our quartet of Shakespeare for the month, attended a screening at the Film Society of Lincoln Center of the new movie version of Much Ado about Nothing directed by Joss Whedon .. and attended by JOSS WHEDON. (I've been a Whedon fan since I skipped out of a film class I was auditing post my B.A./pre-grad school to go home and watch the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So take that, Avengers Johnny-come-lately-band-wagonners!)

Oh boy howdy ... was that fun! The people next to me were friends with the moderator and I got to hear how nervous he was about it. The audience was strangely subdued (I thought) for a Whedon crowd, but comported themselves well during the Q&A. Not surprisingly there were many, many, many questions about his other work (Buffy, Firefly, the Avengers films), and then FINALLY a question about actual film techniques and camera work. I say FINALLY, because it was the Film Society after all, not a con. Anyway ... can you tell I'm trying to be all cool and collected about this? I'm not... it was Joss FREAKIN' Whedon!

And, the movie ... I'm going again. A few times. Aside from the fun of seeing my Whedonverse actors, and maybe Nathan's name originator, the acting, directing, and some of the camera work was really excellent. Given I took about 3 semesters of Shakespeare on Film, I need to watch again. I can tell you, if you ever saw the version with Keanu Reeves, it will totally get rid of that memory - no offense to Sir Kenneth Branagh and Ms. Emma Thompson.

~ Had way to many work meetings, interviews, and end of the year parties, including:

- the end of the year/meet the new VP margarita meet-up at a bar (skipped);

- a potluck in honor of the graduating work study students. (organized) Why is it that everyone wants to eat at the potluck, but no one wants to tell you what, if anything, they are bringing to the potluck? Or help clean up from the potluck? Just wondering.;

- the year-end staff meeting, and then the year-end staff party. (attended) There is a joke at School about the state of things being reflected in the appearance of, and quality of, shrimp at the twice-yearly parties. Given the shrimp bar, and ginormous offering of guacamole and salsa, things were okay this year.

Which indirectly brings us back to Hamlet. After the staff meeting, I went upstairs to grab my stuff. Behind the closed office doors, I thought I heard something weird for that hour of the night. I thought there was an intruder, or crazy person, until I started to realize there was a pattern to the ramblings, especially when I heard "neither a borrower or lender be" and "to thine own self be true." Turns out, the actor playing Polonius was pacing up and down the halls reciting his big speech to Laertes. 

~ Farewell lunches for colleagues like Ms. R--- who is leaving the Big J after a few years to pursue other opportunities. (attended, sadly).

Leading to the necessity of days off for:
~ food poisoning;
~ grocery restocking and retail therapy;
~ travel;
~ recuperating from sending an email to VP that had my stomach in knots, but one that had to be sent, because I needed stand up for myself and articulate my work needs. Since the new VP is starting to assess our working conditions, so I thought I better speak up for myself/my space. THUS ...

~ regrouping.

Also good for stress relief? Go to your work Mailroom. Get sheet of bubble wrap. Walk around popping it. It's good for you. But not good for coworkers. (EVIL LAUGHTER!)

Good grief.

When do Summer Fridays start?  Because I need a break! Really Really Really need a Long QUIET BREAK!

I am not a social butterfly. I'm NOT. Really. Actually, I'm the complete opposite of one.

So if anyone wants to send me lilacs or  lavender roses so I can alight upon them and rest a bit, I won't mind.

 See the smiley face? Do you?

*“Stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you. I will find you!”

― James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans

YouTube Tuesday: Firebolts

Harry Potter, the books and the movies, inspire all kinds of reactions.

"Did you ever feel so disappointed when you closed the book and realized that the story had to end? But maybe you were wrong and you are chosen, too…so grab your wand and go." ~Melanie Call, BYU's* Divine Comedy Troupe

You are not alone. See the footage here:




[*Only occasionally we will suspend all BYU mocking ... this is one of those times.]

The Calla Lilies are in Bloom Again

The answer to yesterday's paraphrase is:

"The calla lilies are in bloom again.
Such a strange flower, suitable to an occasion.
I carried them on my wedding day, and now I place them here in memory of something that has died. "

These lines are from the play "within the play," Enchanted April, in the play Stage Door, which in turn became a 1937 RKO feature starring the late great Kate, Katharine Hepburn. This clip is from the end of the movie, when Katharine Hepburn's character has an amazingly heartfelt performance that shocks most who know her.

The film also featured Ginger Rogers, a very young Lucille Ball (not as Lucy as we came to know her), Eve Arden, Ann Miller and some of the other great character and featured actors working in Hollywood.

I love old black and white films. They just don't make 'em like they used to.

YouTube Tuesday: Auntie Mame 1958 Trailer

One of my most favorite movies of all time, and a character that influenced some of my character.

But darling, I'm your ... Auntie Nettie!

Also delightful, the books from which the stage play and then this film were adapted.

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

Whether your holidays will include

crafts therapy, turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce and stuffing,

movie watching, or feasts with an international flair,

I hope your plates and cornucopias overflow with Good and Plenty.

Happy Thankgiving from Auntie Nettie's Attic.

Bach from the Dead - Action Figure Fascination

Hey there, The Shushing Librarian here.

Auntie Nettie's on a blogging break, so I thought I'd guest post for a day or two.

I saw this as I was browsing the Web for information. I now have a huge crush on this Bach Action Figure. So talented .. but keep that guy away from me. Do you know how many kids he had? His poor poor wives. (seriously ... those poor, poor women!)

According to the cnn.com ireport page, this is a stop motion music video by Ryan Gruzen. Bach from the Dead features an original music track, hundreds of still pictures, and hours in Adobe After Effects and Photoshop, and was inspired by all kinds of films and other artists. For more information, visit here.

Stay tuned for more posts from me, The Shushing Librarian -- who is definitely NOT as talented as this Bach or Ryan person.

Coming Soon, to a Fine Arts Theater near you

"I am coming: wait for me ...
Where are you?"

The latest film adaptation of Jane Eyre

Directed by indie filmmaker Cary Fukunaga, featuring Mia Wasikowska as Jane; Dame Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax; Michael Fassbender as Mr. Rochester; Jamie Bell as St. John Rivers; and an almost unrecognizable Sally Hawkins as Mrs. Reed

I already like this so much better than some of the other cinematic adaptations of this novel (ie. the 2006 BBC miniseries version), so what does that tell you?

One slight problem? I recently read Jane Slayre (a genre mashup ala Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) and as I was watching, I kept waiting for the vampires and zombies to make their appearance. Whoops.

Retroblog August 14, 1983

Today is August 14, 1983 Time 7:18 p.m

This week I got to see Snow White and the 7 dwarfs. It was funny. Friday we were going to go to the beach but it rained so we stayed home and had fun. Tomorrow afternoon Mom is going to girl's camp. And won't be home for a week. Yuk, a whole week with Dad.

I had to go and look it up, (the Internet is good for those kinds of things), but back in the day aka 1983, Disney did re-release Snow White to the movie theaters. This was way back before VHS (don't ask kids) or even DVDs. With cabin fever setting in and not so much a.c., the parents must have thought this was heaven-sent. Take the kids to a movie. Cool 'em off, entertain them, and get out of the house. YIPPEE. Hi ho, hi ho. Off to Jilson we go.

At this age I was still too young to go to girl's camp. Even though she probably had to deal with bugs and even more annoying girls, at least Mom got out of the house. Poor Dad. That means he had to put up with US for a whole week! I wonder what hijinks we tried to pull on him. The excuse of "Mom lets us do it" wouldn't have flown with him. It was a novelty for us, and a trial for him. Don't let the "Yuk" fool you. A whole week with Dad was, and still, is a treat.

Cultural Escapades

There are some really great things about living and working in one of the cultural capitals of the world. Within a span of a month (or even a day for some people) you can see a serious play, attend free concerts, learn about little known international instruments, and then see a sneak peak of a new film.

A few weeks ago I got to catch up with my dear friend Poopeh and see the Theatre for a New Audience production of Hamlet at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street that everyone was raving about. Our schedules are always so busy that sometimes it takes six months to synch up, so it was great that this get-together got organized relatively quickly. Four of the leads were Big J alumni from various decades, so it was wonderful to see how the School's Drama Department has contacts everywhere. I also had a wonderfully unexpected reunion with some friends from my Caramoor days during the first intermission ... one of those only in New York moments when someone in the crowd passes you by and you go, I KNOW that lady. I turned around and looked up into the seating risers and decided for once not to be my normally shy and retiring self, but go and say hello. Even after more than two years the couple was so lovely and gracious and gave me a big warm hug and kiss. It's good to know that you are missed and that you made an impression at a job -- though after 12 years one would hope so.

The next week I had a double dose of culture, with a lunch-time recital of harps and guitars (much like last year's, but with no fun lyrics) followed by an after-work musical presentation by my lovely colleague T***. As previously mentioned, T*** is a very accomplished domestic goddess, who has an interest in shakuhachi flute. She was recently awarded the jin-shi-han license (to teach shakuhachi) as well as her own Japanese name, and was asked by the Big J's international relations department to do a presentation for the students and interested faculty and staff members about this little-known instrument. Between the q&a, her fun anecdotes, and the very zen music, I felt very educated by the end of the day. These kinds of presentations are a great way to learn about the other side of your colleagues. I knew T*** rocked ... I'm glad that other people got to find out too.

T*** Yuuraka M*******d

Finally, last week I volunteered to help at a membership event for some of the Big J donors, where they were cordially invited to attend an exclusive pre-opening screening of The Soloist, a new film starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr., based on the book by Steve Lopez.

The event was at the Paramount Screening Room in mid-town, near the MTV studios and Shubert Alley/Theater District. I usually avoid mid-town at all costs because it is crazy with tourists to the point where you cannot walk down the street. This time I had no choice.

[A word of advice to out-of-towners! People, please do not do the following or one of these days I PROMISE I will knock you over and swear at you like the commuter I am! Do not text and walk -- you have no idea how slow you are walking. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot do two things at one time. The same holds true for cellphones. Do not talk on your cellphone and wander aimlessly down the street, or stop abruptly, OR stop in the middle of the subway stairs to finish up your call and/or text. If you are on the stairs or the escalator, STAY TO THE RIGHT! Also, if you MUST take a picture with a camera or a phone, GET OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK! COME ON ALREADY! Sorry. Mini-rant finished, for now.]

Before the guests arrived, I totally acted like the blogger that I am and took pictures to prove I was there.

The room was on the third floor of this building and the elevator banks opened into this little lobby. The walls were covered with floor to ceiling pictures from some Paramount films, along with this bench at the end of the hall. It took me all night to finally go over and realize that it wasn't a just a place to sit to wait for the elevator, but there for a reason.

That plaque .... read it closely.
It's the bench from Forrest freaking Gump!

Matt's a good sport. I got him to pose for me,

and take another picture.
(Yes, I'm a geek!)

I am also such a theater dork that I was taking pictures out the window of the screening room to the area next door, which happened to actually be Shubert Alley. How strange is it that I first noticed the architecture, then I noticed the marquee.
I have to get tickets to this play. I loved the film as a teenager, so I can't wait to see what this production is like. I can't understand why Broadway has to be so expensive though!

All in all, it's been a great month for the cultural outings. It does make for some late night though.

Let's just put it this way, when Grand Central look like this ...

and you can almost see the tumbleweeds rolling by ...

and the clock looks like this ...

meaning you've missed the "early" train and you have to wait for another 30-60 minutes ... it's no wonder that even The Shushing Librarian passes out on the train!
The End.

Roll Credits

In the Heights -- In the Works

From today's Grey Lady:

November 7, 2008, 11:10 am

‘In The Heights’ Movie In The Works
By Dave Itzkoff

For fans of “In The Heights” who have yearned to see the hit underdog Broadway musical turned into a motion picture, it won’t be long now: Universal Pictures has acquired the film rights to the show, the studio announced Friday. The story of a community in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood, “In The Heights” won four Tony Awards this year, including best musical, as well as best score, for Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also stars in the show. Mr. Miranda will be a producer of the film adaptation, and Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the show’s book, will write the screenplay. Universal scored a blockbuster hit this summer with its film adaptation of the musical “Mamma Mia!”, and is also working on a film of the Broadway show “Wicked.”

Click here for my review.

Countdown delayed

Word on the newest Harry Potter film is that the release has been moved to NEXT summer ... I blame He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Now how am I going to bond with my father?

Let the Countdown begin

The trailer for the next Harry Potter movie is now out. Only 114 days until it's in theaters near you.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I think this will be a family bonding experience at Thanksgiving. What say you Pop? Is it a date?

Mistress of the Oblivious

Usually my friends call me Mistress of the Obvious, well, because, I like to point out stuff that is, obvious, ya know?

I think it's time to change my name. Just call me, Mistress of the Oblivious.

I was doing my errands at lunch yesterday, staying within a four block radius of work while I ran to the library, drug store, the produce cart, and the post office. I was in a rush, doing my thing, not really paying attention. (Also, as a "working" New Yorker, I have to keep up the mystique to all the tourists and day trippers, by wearing my sunglasses, ipod, and running about busily while not making eye contact.)

Well, there's a huge movie Loew's movie complex one block up from work, on Broadway, that had a bunch of activity in front of it; canopied tents were going up, hustle and bustle was occurring, much busy-ness. All I could think of was was that it was SO annoying when the public utilities had to shut down half the street and sidewalks at lunch hour to do repairs. I went out of my way AROUND the block to avoid the mess.

Imagine my surprise when I was watching the 10 p.m. local news and the reports were coming in, from the Upper West Side, for WORLD PREMIERE of the new Batman movie at the IMAX theater! Live from the Black Carpet.

YUP!

DUH!

I could have walked by the prep for a movie premiere and seen the BatMobile and BatCycle from the movie. Sorry bro! Here's some photos thanks to the BBC of what I could have seen (photo 6 and 7 are the vehicles).

Here's the NY1 Story.

Maybe I should learn to be more curious while doing errands at lunch?