I have always believed that you need to know where you are from to know where you are going. To apply this to travel, I believe I must first experience all the great things my hometown has to offer before I can go out and explore the world. The first time I learned what it meant to be a New Yorker I was in 8 th grade on a senior trip in VA. I was taken aback by the way people responded to our answer of where we were from. I suppose I had never thought about it before. But now people were visibly reacting with combinations of shock, fear, intimidation, admiration and intrigue.  This is my first memory of being proud to state that I was a New Yorker. Now I have a better understanding of why. As Alicia Keys and Jay-Z sing, In New York concrete jungle where dreams are made of/ there's nothing you can't do/ these streets will make you feel brand new/ big lights will inspire you let’s hear it for New York. Ever since I finished graduate school and had free time again, I have ...

This is a first- blogging about something I wasn't present for, however I almost forgot that. I am not in the habit of reviewing and recommending recordings from my DVR however this needs to be the exception. Back in February ( I know I am behind) HBO aired its taping of a one man show on Thurgood Marshall’s life. It was filmed in D.C. and was originally on Broadway from April – August 2008 starring Laurence Fishburne as Thurgood Marshall. Mr. Fishburne is electrifying in this performance. He is so natural in his character that there is no trace of him “acting.” He is present in the story telling. It’s as if he is really Thurgood Marshall up there retelling his life and reliving all of these events. Mr. Fishburne is unshakeable even when being interrupted by late comers in the audience- why are these the people who always have seats in the first rows?? I am a firm believer in never allowing in latecomers let alone during a filming but I digress. Mr. Fishburne is so incredibly cap...

In 2008 Vogue magazine, there was an interview with Daniel Radcliffe (a.k.a. Harry Potter). He was talking about his Broadway experience while performing a lead role in the play Equus. He said: “A great play goes beyond anything a film can achieve because you know that you’ve seen something special, something that people of future generations won’t see…its like a live concert- it happened once, and you were there.” I just love this. I torn it out immediately and every time I reread it I love it even more. It’s EXACTLY how I feel when I go to the theater. The magic that is in the air and knowing that what you are seeing is a unique experience no matter how long it’s been performed. And when it’s over and all I have left are the memories, the thought of being there, closing my eyes and remembering what I saw on stage and what I felt while watching it always brings a smile to my face. Hearing the soundtrack on my ipod brings be back to those places also. Some days it’...

Last night was typical for me. I spent 2+ hours in a room watching 5 A-list celebrities work their magic and then I got to meet them afterwards. That Championship Season stars Chris Noth, Brian Cox, Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric and Jim Gaffigan. The play centers on a coach and 4 of his star high school basketball players as they celebrate a reunion and relive the seasons for which the play is named. The story takes place in 1972 and the set design is incredible. This coach’s house seems so real I wish I lived there. It was a brilliant use of lighting, direction, and even personal belongings that creates the intimate but spacious setting for these characters. Act I was fast paced, serious, funny and intriguing. When intermission came we had only been there for 45 minutes and it felt like 15. Now with celebrity packed casts Act I is always exciting because you are waiting for the main entrance of the star who drew you into this event. Then there is the thrill of watching them...