La Boheme - orchestra seats

So I decided to rush for the city and watch "La Boheme", with Anna Netrebko as mimi... Though I did not reserve or purchase any tickets, hoping that I would be able to get stand up ticket in the family circle section (I did call the booth to make sure there were tickets available), but the show was sold out... and there were no ticket's left.  On my way out, I heard some people trying to sell their tickets, so I approached them... They asked me how much I was willing to pay, and they told me that their tickets were for $170.00 and $155.00, and I said I was willing to pay as much as $40.00... I got the $155.00... orchestra seat - a very good seat.

One thing I have noticed is that the sound is not as good from the orchestra seats, you can see the stage very well, but the sound is not as good as from the family section, and I have also noticed that in the orchestra section, people make lots of noise and they talk a lot - that was very disappointing.  Despite all the minor troubles, the performance was magnificent.

Stumbled

Some interesting stumble uppons


http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/AO9k8L/www.papervision3d.org/demos/panorama/
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8jxz3x/www.dafont.com/en/top.php
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/65tYMm/de-war.de/eurekacarpark.html
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1TV5fC/passfail.squarespace.com/: never thought boarding passes were so interesting.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1H33Nt/www.geekarmy.com/cool/484/elton-johns-improvisation/: haven't seen him... - they say he is a great musician - not amused... but funny.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/AJtJNM/citysounds.fm/ - neat page of sounds
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/AJtJNM/citysounds.fm/ - hmmm - don't know but nice design

Carmen at the Met

Last night I decided to go and watch the new Opera production of Carmen.  I left work and arrived with 10 minutes to spare.  I was really lucky to have found a parking spot on 56th street, in front of the 24 hours diner (same avenue where Fordham University is at).  


Once the car was parked, I started running towards the theater, I still needed to get a ticket - preferably a standing ticket.  The air was cold and it was cutting through my throat, by the time I arrived to the sales booth, I was told that it was all sold out.  While I was catching my breath, I noticed several gentleman at the door trying to sell their tickets (scalpers), so one of them approached me and asked if I needed 1 ticket.  He had a family circle seat, and he wanted $50.00, to which I paused and said I was not interested, then he asked me how much would I be willing to pay... I said $35.00, he replied that the ticket cost him $40.00... I said that perhaps another day, then he said that he would settled for $40.00 (with only 2 minutes to go before the opera would have started) I decided that this was fair for the new Carmen production, so I paid.


I was now heading towards my seat, my throat wast itching (I was concerned that I may have caught a cold (taking NYQuil as I am typing this entry),  but I decided it was all worth it.  When I found my seat, I was next to 2 german youths, they asked me how much I paid for the sit (they said that they attained theirs from a scalper)... I replied "$40.00, and you?"... they said "...$50.00"...and then they congratulated me.


To my left I had a gentleman that was a bit eccentric and emotional - he kept on moving during the entire show, and he kept of dancing on his sit to the rhythm of the music.  In front of me, I had students - this section of the opera is always packed with students and their teachers - the student in front of me was leaning forward, hence his head covered the center part of the stage, but this matter little since I was there to listen to the opera.


Here is what impressed me most:

• The stage was nicely done
• The ballet dancers that start opening both first acts (the first act and the one that starts after the intermission).
• The Spanish stomping and clapping dancers.
• The music was nice, forte, energetic, and well done (not history maker, but very enjoyable)

I think this Opera is very worthwhile to attend to.  I am happy for having spent those $40.00 on such occasion.

Crepuscular... she is

Today, while trying to finish up in the morning before heading to work, I noticed that Maggie started exercising and demonstrating her crepuscularity.

She is probably dreaming on how she will be catching her next mouse...

Maciej's move (part II)

So after Avatar's show at 23:20 (ending at 1:40AM) we headed for the van and decided to jus doze off a few hours prior to heading for Maciej's new home.









We must have slept about 3-4 hours, before we decided to head over the new apartment. We arrived around 7:00AM, and we decided that since Maciej needed to work today at 11:00AM, and the keys were going to be handed at 10:00AM, that perhaps we could get ahead of the game and move most of the light items.







Luckily the street was empty and there were no cars parked. We also lucked out because today, being Monday, we could only park across the street - there was a car parked on the wrong side of the street, to which almost parked behind of, but right at that moment we saw the traffic agent pull up a write up a ticket... Hence we parked on the on the other side of the road.


OK, so we started to move some items into the apartment, very quietly... Because we didn't want to disturb anyone... We moved stuff (about 65%) if the van contents... That was great... It was about 8:15 AM, and in less that 45 minutes we could finish up... Perfect timing.


Since we had plenty of time, Maciej decided to buy se breakfast, we headed towards this bagel store (very similar to Syosett's one)









At first I was just going to have a toasted bagel, since all these stores tend not to have vegan spreads... Wait this is the city... So... Ta-daaa











So I decided to get me an everything bagel with scallion tofu spread - not too bad


The shop was well stacked and it was very inviting and clean


From a small sweet bakery







Nice variety of cheeses





Even strings of cured mushrooms







So Maciej placed and pay for our breakfast orders...







And we headed back to our van where we ate our well deserved priced














Since things were going so smooth we figure that we could head to the rental agency and get the keys... So we drove off hoping to get the keys and finish moving in...well our fate decided that this was too easy... The agency mentioned that they have not revceived the lease, and hence the keys could not be surrender...


Things would start complicating a bit... To begin with we now had items in the place to which we didn't get keys for... Maciej had to be at work at 11:00AM... It was unclear when we would be getting the keys if at all...The van was alloted for only 1 day, so an additional day would incur double charges... Yes, things were getting more interesting...


So Maciej would be calling, through out the day, until finding out the final outcome...


The street where the car was parked alliowed ony for 2 metered hours fro 9:00-19:00... And I had to find somewhere warm because we had not much gas left in the van...


And found...

and

and

Luckily there was a WholeFoods about 4 blocks away... So I parked myself at wholefoods for 1hr & 45mins, before heading back out to place more credits on the meter.

Finally after 8 hours of waiting and going back and forth Wholefoods and the cargo-van, I received an SMS from Maciej, indicating that the keys would be arriving at 5:00 PM, then when I met with Maciej, it seemed that we were going to stay on the street for one more day... Maciej called again and persevered on his quest to obtaining the keys to his new apartment... we finally attained confirmation that the keys would be surrended to Maciej... and the rental office was only 2 blocks from the new apartment (thank you....)  At this point it was 5:35 PM ( 1 hour and 35 mins passed the rental car expected returned time).


Once we had the key (victory!) we started unloading the remaining items left in the van (yes - we did unload some items in the morning, since the door was unlocked, before the building main entrance was locked)

it was already dark... but finally, Maciej had his place...

It was now 6:35 PM and Enterprise Rent-a-Car would be closing at 7:00PM, would I be able to return the car in 20 minutes (we are by Houston Street, and the rental was about 50 some blocks away)... I decided to give it a try... and made it, they only charged us for 2 more hours...and the gas that I did not place in the tank...(we saved on an extra day and the extra tax and insurance cover)


When I got back to Maciej's new place, we decided that we had to have a nice dinner to celebrate... Maciej invited me to a very nice Indian Restaurant on 6th Street, Raj Majal, next to Taj Majal - between 2nd and 3rd Aves.  We order a full course of meal - starting with a soup

Followed by an appetizer of 2 samosas and 2 pakoras

Followed by the vast main courses

It was delicious... and well deserved... After 2 days of adventure and a few unexpected set of events... we made it.


After dinner Maciej walked me to the subway station, from where I headed to Penn Station, and eventually arrived home

where I was expected and welcome with one final task to fulfill...