New York City – Page 5 – Julie Brannan, NYC residential real estate

Showstoppers! Broadway Costumes Exhibit

Published on September 14, 2021September 14, 2021 by juliebrannan1 Comment

As Broadway reopens after 18 months of pandemic shutdown, there is an exhibit on West 42nd Street that highlights the incredible costumes that light up the stage (and screen). Open through September 26, tickets are required (go here for more information and to purchase) but proceeds go to help the talented people in the costume industry whose financial stability has been devastatingly impacted by the shuttering of the entertainment business. Here are my impressions from going a few weeks ago.

For a time-limited exhibition like this, I thought the layout and design was excellent. The exhibit aims to teach the observer about the work and design elements going behind these elaborate costumes, while giving the opportunity to see the details of the costumes up close.

Here you see costumes from the Broadway productions of The Cher Show (Bob Mackie), Side Show (a particularly challenging costume) and Six (which was going to have opening night on the very evening that Broadway was shuttered).

Disney productions are represented here: Aladdin, The Lion King, and Frozen.

Wicked – it’s interesting to see Elphaba’s costume up close and see that it is not a matte black. Adding texture and some subtle color gives the dress depth on the stage.

Costumes from Moulin Rouge, Chicago, and Cursed Child (Draco Malfoy).

Hamilton! I was fortunate to be able to go backstage before pandemic and see some of these costumes up close then. Apparently Lin-Manuel Miranda asked for Alexander Hamilton’s costume to be “the color of money” and after several tries this iconic green silk was confirmed. Being able to make the ensemble’s costumes able to dance in – without looking like stretchy dance clothes -is a particular challenge for most Broadway costumers.

I have also been backstage at Phantom and seen the costumes at close range. For solid black or white costumes like these for the Phantom and Christine, texture and small variations in color are used to keep them from appearing flat from the audience.

Costumes from non-Broadway productions were also highlighted. Here you see costumes from a cruise ship, from the circus, for a Broadway Cares production, from dance, and the iconic costume the Radio City Rockettes wear in the March of the Wooden Soldiers.

The exhibit also highlights the importance of cleaning and caring for costumes, with many from films being preserved since, unlike on Broadway where costumes wear through and are replaced constantly, a film is limited in time and requires fewer repairs or replacement of the costumes.

The exhibit ends on a positive note, with Broadway reopening happening on a rolling basis throughout the fall.If you are able to see the costume exhibit, it may improve your enjoyment of the costumes you see from your seat as you return to a Broadway theatre!

Immersing Yourself in Van Gogh

Published on August 16, 2021August 17, 2021 by juliebrannan1 Comment

Imagine living inside the bold colors, textures, and images of a Van Gogh painting – music swelling as the lush visuals move around you. It can be experienced rather than imagined, by going to the Immersive Van Gogh Experience in NYC through September 6 (tickets are limited and it seems to be sold out the last weekend, so act quickly), and in cities all over the United States and Canada over the next year. I went to the exhibit on the East River here in Manhattan recently, and some of my tips about visiting will be specific to the NYC exhibit while others are more general and should apply to other locations.

The NYC experience is at Pier 36 on the East River, closest to Montgomery Street and South Street on the Lower East Side, between the Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges. The 75,000 square foot interior space was designed by Broadway set designer David Korins (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen), a collaboration unique to New York.

Tickets can be – and should be – purchased in advance, and prices range from $39.99-$69.99 depending on the day of the week and the time of day. Masks are required, and the numbers are limited to keep the experience uncrowded as well as covid-safe.

Before entering the immersive area, there is a reminder of the basic facts of Vincent Van Gogh’s life – his production, lack of success during his lifetime, and posthumous spectacular fame. When MoMA first reopened last year, it was eerily uncrowded, and I posted a selfie of myself in front of his “Starry Night” in part because you normally can’t get ever close enough to see it properly.

The first two rooms in the New York exhibit are smaller, and feature mirrored pieces designed by Korins to refract the larger projections on the walls and let you catch glimpses of yourself caught in the visuals. I noticed that many people got to the first room or two and stopped, and those rooms were more crowded as a result. My first tip would be that when you first enter, walk through the entire exhibit and see everything briefly before settling down to one spot. Also, visuals and music are on an about a 30 minute loop, so try to figure out where you are in the loop (if you see images from the asylum at Arles, with those crows of foreboding, you are near the end). Ideally you would see the entire “show” in one space, and in NYC the best space is the third gallery, which is enormous and has seating.

The third gallery in NYC also has an elevated platform, but my own personal experience was that being there felt less immersive that being on the floor. And what is the experience like? To me, I kept being reminded of an experience at the Rose Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History (no longer offered, sadly) called “Sonic Vision.” That show featured music from Radiohead, Moby, and others, and the music at Immersive Van Gogh is mainly original music by creator Luca Longobardi, but ranges from Thom Yorke and Edith Piaf to Handel and Mussorgsky (see the Spotify playlist here).The somewhat overwhelming experience of being immersed in visuals with music is trippy – I used to say that going to Sonic Vision allowed me to go on a psychedelic trip safely without having to take drugs. There is an element of that here – but with somewhat of a storyline to the experience, and the knowledge of what Van Gogh’s life was like, there was an emotional depth to it as well. You can stay as long as you would like, but I would suggest you need at least an hour – the time you figure out the space before another loop of the experience begins, the entire (about 30 minute) presentation, and time to go back and take photos or see things you might have missed in the first walk through. You can go back and forth between the galleries.

There is an extensive gift shop as you exit, and not just Van Gogh related (not sure why “I’m glad you are as weird as me” candles were included), before you exit and find yourself right on the East River on Pier 36, walking along the back of the building to get back to reality. The real world is discernibly less vivid – but Van Gogh lived in the real world and was able to create gorgeous hyper-reality with his imagination, so the exhibit serves as a reminder to dream in color. I have no idea what Vincent himself would think of this exhibit, and I did wonder that a few times while there, but what would life be indeed, if we had the courage – as he did – to attempt anything?

“Restart Stages” at Lincoln Center, Summer 2021

Published on May 10, 2021 by juliebrannanLeave a comment

As of mid-May in New York City, we feel on the very brink of real reopening as our vaccination rate increases and our covid positivity level decreases. Many limitations will be lifted May 19th, and Broadway tickets are on sale now for performances beginning this September. Lincoln Center launches its “Restart Stages” performance schedule tonight (May 10) and will be offering multiple opportunities to enjoy the arts through September (check out the calendar here). In addition, they have transformed the iconic plaza into a lush green space with real grass, courtesy of MacArthur “Genius grant” recipient Mimi Lien. Here’s what it was like to be there on the first day it was open.

If you want to visit, you need your mask, and to keep distance from others.

The entire plaza is covered in lush green grass, and it swoops sinuously up on the north and south sides.

There are occasional swoops of green added for extra places to sit or relax.

There’s even an upside-down swoop with free books and a shady reading space! There’s a pop-up sandwich shop for snacking as well.

My favorites were the grass-covered chairs and tables, though!

Elsewhere around the Lincoln Center campus, there are multiple outdoor performance spaces, some smaller and more intimate but others quite large like this one. Tickets are generally free, and can be won through an online lottery through the Today Tix app. Winners get a “pod” of two tickets – good luck and I hope to see you at Lincoln Center!

Empire State Building Sunrise Experience

Published on January 19, 2021 by juliebrannan4 Comments

One of the things about living in a place like New York City is that often you don’t end up exploring many of the things that visitors consider a “must do” (unless, of course, you have visitors and accompany them!). But one of the silver linings of this pandemic time, when so many things are not available, is that you can find yourself drawn to figuring out what it is that you can do. One of my daughters discovered that the Empire State Building has an experience, limited to a very small group, where you watch the sun rise from the 86th floor observation deck. So, the day after Christmas in 2020, we found ourselves walking through the quiet city streets before dawn on a very cold and windy morning on our way to enjoy this experience.

Tickets are extremely limited – only 30 people – and on the morning we did it, there were only 18 (including ourselves). Our temperatures were taken, masks were required, and we filled out a health questionnaire upon checking in. Sunrise on Dec 26 was at 7:19, so we checked in at 6:30 and were allowed up (4 to an elevator) at 6:45.

We had noticed even while walking there that the sky was brightening toward the east, and when we walked out to the observation deck, there was a definite sense of dawn even though the Chrysler Building was still illuminated.

Being up there with so few people meant that often you had the feeling of having the deck – and the views – and the city! – to yourself.

From the deck, you could see not only the dawn, but the way the morning light hit buildings in every direction, giving them a pink glow.

I see many, many more sunsets than sunrises, so it was lovely to see the light slowly increase.

Finally, the sun appeared above a low bank of clouds on the eastern horizon! Over the next half hour, the morning sun rose and no longer gave a rosy glow, but simply illuminated the city – from One World Trade south to the entirety of Central Park looking north to Harlem. At 8AM, they were going to let regular ticket holders come up, so just before that, we left and were offered a private ride to the lower floor that held a display on the history of the building as well as a few fun photo ops. There were no other people there, and I can only imagine how crowded it must be usually (or how hard it is to get that perfect King Kong shot!).

Walking back home to make coffee at what would normally be very close to the start of my day, I reflected on the experience. It was expensive, but the privacy of being up there with virtually no one else there made it worth the cost to me. Would I have preferred it be sunset rather than sunrise? Well, yes – but I can see that there is no way for them to clear the observation deck for a private sunset experience like they can at sunrise by simply opening earlier to a small group. Would I have preferred for it to be less cold? Definitely, although in the warmer months the sunrise is earlier so you have to be there earlier as well (as early as 4:30 near the summer solstice). The ESB sunrise experience runs most days in the peak tourist season (and yes, that will come again!) and only a few days per month the rest of the year. For the price, you want to be sure the weather is good because the tickets aren’t refundable if it is rainy or snowy and you can’t see much. For this reason, I waited until two days before to book – and in more popular times, it is possible that all the slots are gone by then. So all in all, I was very glad I went and very happy with the experience of seeing my city welcome the sun from King Kong’s personal favorite perch.

2019 Dyker Heights Holiday Lights

Published on December 19, 2019 by juliebrannan2 Comments

As we head into the shortest days of the year, we fight off the dark with celebrations of light. In previous years, I have written about how New York City celebrates publicly (see here for 2015 and here for 2016 posts, and here for last year’s post on holiday markets). Several years ago, I had access to a car regularly, and drove to Dyker Heights with my family to see the famed holiday lights (see that post here). This year, one of my daughters and I decided to take the subway (D train from midtown) and walk (about 20 minutes from the 18th Avenue stop in Brooklyn), and on a cold evening with some snow flurries, the lights once again did not disappoint – and I believe they have become more elaborate since the last time I was here in 2014. This tradition in Dyker Heights began in the 1980’s and since has increased every year, with many residents paying professionals $20K or more to deck out their homes. On weekends, traffic is bumper-to-bumper, and the sidewalks can be packed – so go on a weeknight if you can. The best viewing is roughly 11th Avenue to 13th Avenue, 83rd to 86th Streets. Here are some photos of what I saw this year:

As we head into our own Roaring Twenties, I wish light and joy in the hearts of all!

Halloween on Governors Island

Published on October 21, 2019 by juliebrannan3 Comments

I have written before about the experience of taking a short ferry ride from lower Manhattan and ending up on Governors Island, walking and biking around a little bit of country with killer views of iconic skyscrapers (read my previous report here). In addition, for years I have taken the drive up to the Historic Hudson Valley to see the Blaze, a massive display of carved illuminated jack o’ lanterns. This year I discovered, to my delight, that there is a Halloween ticketed event on Governors Island called Rise of the Jack O’ Lanterns (also held in other locations outside NYC) so of course I needed to check it out.

This year the experience started October 18-20, and will conclude later this week (October 24-27). The ticket is timed for the ferry you will take over, and you aren’t allowed to get on an earlier or later ferry, so be on time! The earliest time slot is 6 PM, and the latest is 10:40. There tend to be discounts for later times, and of course some time slots are already sold out. The ferry leaves from the Battery Maritime Terminal, the same one that is used for regular ferries to Governors Island.

At least in my opinion, some of the old houses left on Governors Island are a little creepy even during daylight hours, so being around them at night with mysterious music playing and thousands of illuminated jack o’ lanterns around is certainly enough to put you in the Halloween mood. I will say, though, that it is not particularly “scary,” so is appropriate for all ages.

All the jack o’ lanterns are hand-carved by artists out of real pumpkins, and the night I was there an artist was on site demonstrating the elaborate technique needed for such detailed compositions. Many are traditional spooky themes, but others reflect popular culture.

There were several in memoriam (see Luke Perry, above), plenty of Disney princesses and Game of Thrones tributes, as well as Harry Potter.

I loved the jack o’ lanterns themed to artists.

I kept looking for a “She said yes!” jack o’ lantern near this one, but couldn’t find it. Erika, did you make it to the RISE and were you impressed?

The jack o’ lanterns are mostly on pillars raised up so that you can easily observe the details.

One of the more surreal experiences on Governors Island is when you suddenly see the towers of lower Manhattan while immersed in this rural setting. Every now and then while viewing jack o’ lanterns I would glimpse One World Trade.

On the way back to the ferry there is an opportunity for unimpeded views of Lower Manhattan. The views are terrific when seeing during the day on Governors Island, but the night time view is simply magical.

Those who don’t live in New York City might think that it’s difficult to experience a festive Halloween, but I definitely disagree! In addition to the RISE, Governors Island has trick-or-treating for children on October 26 (see details here). There are Halloween decorations all over the city, especially on townhouses (see a previous blog post on this topic here). The Cathedral of St. John the Divine has a marvelous Halloween Extravaganza every year that includes a scary silent movie accompanied by live organ music. And of course the famous Halloween parade takes over Greenwich Village the night of October 31.

I know I’m biased, but I do believe that New York City is the best and most fun place to live – any time of year!

Up to the crown of the Statue of Liberty

Published on June 26, 2019June 26, 2019 by juliebrannan1 Comment

The Statue of Liberty, given to the United States by France as a gift for our Centennial (statue only – we had to raise funds for a pedestal to put it on), is such an icon that it is easy to become casual about it when you live in New York City. As we approach Independence Day, I will share what it was like recently to go all the way up to the crown of the Statue. Personally, I don’t think it is possible to be unimpressed when up close and personal with this magnificent symbol.

Before launching into a description of what it was like, let me first explain that going up to the crown is not the standard trip to Liberty Island. The basic concept is explained here on the National Parks Services site: tickets must be bought in advance on the Statue Cruises website, limit four tickets, must show ID when checking in that matches names given at time of booking, all bags must be put in a locker before going up, and must be able to handle 162 small and tight steps on a spiral staircase. I will add that this isn’t a last minute decision – looking at the reservation system now at the end of June, the first ticket available is for midweek end of September, and to get a weekend ticket you would need to wait until November.

Checking in at Battery Park was a fairly simple process, although there is airport-style security that adds some time. You are recommended to check in and get your tickets no later than 45 minutes before the time listed on your reservation, since you need to get the ticket, go through security, and get to Liberty Island via boat. If you have the crown access, you are given a special wristband.

Once on Liberty Island, it is easy to find your way to access to the pedestal (included with crown access, of course, and what most visitors have). Before entering the Statue, you need to put everything except your camera/phone in a locker (25 cents to rent, and there is a change machine there).

Once you have passed the pedestal, there are guards to check that you have the crown access wristband. The number of tickets is limited so that it shouldn’t be crowded, but my advice is that if you see a small group go in, wait a few minutes before starting the climb yourself so that you don’t end up feeling you are just looking at the people in front of you. The stairs are metal, worn with plenty of character, and a very tight spiral. Going up, I was so interested in getting to the crown that I didn’t spend too much time looking at the inside of the statue. I didn’t think it was that strenuous to get to the crown; my anticipation had been that it was going to be harder. In fact, I was less sore the next day than I had been when visiting the Vessel at Hudson Yards.

Once you are in the crown, it is immediately apparent why this is something worth doing! The crown area is quite small, and there are two park rangers (remember, the Statue of Liberty is a National Park) there to answer your questions. When I was up there, most of the time it was just my daughter and myself plus the two park rangers, but eventually a family with two small children came – and that was about the maximum comfortable capacity. The views are hard to comprehend – that is her arm raised to hold the torch, folds of fabric sculpted in copper; that is lower Manhattan including One World Trade; these windows are the curves of her crown and those are the points of it, etc. To think of what the view from this crown would have been a century or more ago and all the changes in these views over time, and yet the experience of looking out from inside her crown is the same as what people have experienced for over 100 years – it’s sobering and thrilling at the same time.

There is no air conditioning in the crown or inside the statue while climbing the steps. I went in the spring on a cool day, and even then it got a little hot and stuffy. The park rangers said the heat of the summer, intensified by sun baking the copper statue, can be even dangerous – people have passed out. I asked about views when the weather is bad, because that is one of the disadvantages of having to book your tickets so far out – what if it is raining, or foggy (I lucked out and it was a very clear day). The rangers, being there all throughout the year and in all kinds of weather, said there are interesting experiences to be had regardless. In the rain, the sound inside the statue is apparently not unlike being in a house with a tin roof. Heavy snow, they said, makes a soft pounding sound inside the statue. When the wind is high, you can feel the statue sway and hear the whistles and moans made by the air rushing in all the little holes and gaps in the statue. And while you might not be able to see over to lower Manhattan if it’s fogged in, they noted that there is a ghostly beauty involved in sitting inside a cloud inside the crown of the Statue of Liberty! Summer time is peak tourist time, as well as having the worst heating danger, so if you decide to do this and have flexibility, pick another time of the year.

Heading down, you can see the steps that lead up to the torch, inaccessible to anyone other than maintenance workers on occasion.

Going down, I took more time to really look at the inside of the statue, the folds of her robe, the rivets and metal supports that hold her together. There was a place where the steps were very close to the inside of the statue, and I reached out and touched the copper (only two pennies thick!) of the statue itself.

Going down, we did get out and go around the pedestal, which gives some great views of the statue.

When I went in the spring, it was just before the new museum on Liberty Island had opened, so there was only a smaller display about the history of the statue than is now available at the museum.

On the way back, the Statue Cruises vessel stops at Ellis Island.

The views of lower Manhattan when heading back are lovely (on the way there, you tend to focus on the statue!).

Since going, I have found myself getting philosophical about my time inside the statue, looking out. Like the United States, the Statue of Liberty appears to be unified and all of one piece from a distance but once closer, you can see that she is made of many pieces, joined together. There are gaps between some of the pieces, but these make her stronger – so that she can sway under the stress of heavy wind rather than break. The thinness of her skin and the piecing together of her structure actually make her tougher, not weaker. Similarly, I think about this country, made completely of immigrants other than the native descendants still here; one nation seen from a distance, yet made up of so many pieces. In these days when immigration is seen as a political issue of “us versus them” rather than as a fundamental part of what makes this country what it is, let’s hope we can find a way to sway in the turbulent political winds that are blowing, rather than toppling.

Thoughts on the 2019 Tony Nominations

Published on May 27, 2019 by juliebrannanLeave a comment

Although I earn my living selling residential real estate in New York City, my unpaid second job might be called “patron of the arts” as I absolutely love experiencing the rich cultural offerings that exist in this city. A particular passion is Broadway theatre – so much so that when I moved after decades living on the Upper East Side, I chose Midtown West in part because of the proximity to the Theatre District. I see so many shows that I am often asked my advice on what to see by those who know me. I go to shows to enjoy them, not to be a critic, and it is extremely rare for me to think after seeing something that I would have been better off staying home. That being said, I do end up forming opinions, and sometime pretty strong ones, so it is always enjoyable to weigh in on the Tony Award nominations.

Best Play
Choir Boy
The Ferryman
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ink
What the Constitution Means to Me

Best Play is overshadowed by the absence of the play many thought would vie with The Ferryman for the win but ended up not even being nominated: To Kill A Mockingbird. There is speculation that the snub was directed toward the producers for some of the controversy associated with the handling of rights, which I have no insider info about and won’t speculate upon. However, I will say that this has been an exceptionally strong year for new plays, and all five of these are excellent. However, there is only one I have seen twice: The Ferryman. Epic and yet somehow still intimate in scope, I found it extraordinary.

Best Musical
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie

A good year for new musicals. Although I enjoyed Beetlejuice I probably wouldn’t have included it (personally I would have added Head Over Heels which I adored). I think The Prom and Ain’t Too Proud both have a chance of winning, but if it were up to me there is no question that I would go with Hadestown. I’ve been telling people to go see it since before it opened, based on my experience when it was Off-Broadway several years ago. However, after time spent in Canadian and London productions, it came to Broadway in spectacular form and is my favorite musical since Hamilton. I’ve seen in three times in previews (once from balcony, once from mezzanine, once from orchestra) and already have a date to see it again this summer.

Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
The Boys in the Band
Burn This
Torch Song
The Waverly Gallery

A good year for play revivals. I would probably go with The Boys in the Band here, which was a limited engagement so no longer on Broadway but will be on Netflix with the entire cast from this revival, so keep an eye out for that.

Best Revival of a Musical
Kiss Me, Kate
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

This was a strange year in that only two musical revivals opened on Broadway this year, and both are nominated. They could not be more different: Kate was tweaked to make the story somewhat less offensive, but Oklahoma! was completely transformed without changing a single word or note. This version is divisive and seems to be a “love it or hate it” production since the tone and sound is so different from what some expect. I saw it at St. Ann’s and again on Broadway, and hope (and expect) it to win this category.

Best Book of a Musical
Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations, Dominique Morisseau
Beetlejuice, Scott Brown & Anthony King
Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell
The Prom, Bob Martin & Chad Beguelin
Tootsie, Robert Horn

It’s possible Tootsie will win this category, but my vote would go to Hadestown.

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Be More Chill, Music & Lyrics: Joe Iconis
Beetlejuice, Music & Lyrics: Eddie Perfect
Hadestown, Music & Lyrics: Anaïs Mitchell
The Prom, Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
To Kill a Mockingbird, Music: Adam Guettel
Tootsie, Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

A few things to note in this category: TKAM was nominated for its incidental music in a play, very unusual. Also, this is the only nod to Be More Chill which has been a YouTube and Off-Broadway sensation but which has struggled to fit in on Broadway. I will be shocked if Mitchell doesn’t win this for Hadestown, and well deserved.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
Bryan Cranston, Network
Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Driver, Burn This
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy

This is probably between Cranston and Daniels, and my guess is that Daniels will win. He has a difficult job playing Atticus, an iconic and yet paternalistic character while somehow also managing to signal an awareness of the paternalism. Cranston was the best part of Network, so it’s possible he could win. My sentimental favorite to win, though is Jeremy Pope in Choir Boy, a fantastic performance (and his Broadway debut!) that I will never forget.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Annette Bening, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me

Such a tough category! I have no idea who will win here. It could go to May for her terrific performance, to Donnelly for reprising the role for which she won the Olivier, for Metcalf for once again showing that she commands the stage in any role she takes on, or Schreck (unlikely, but perhaps a way to signal approval for the play itself which will likely not win). Who would I vote for? Metcalf, for becoming Hillary – or at least Hillary as we imagine her – without in any way doing an impersonation.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Derrick Baskin, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
Damon Daunno, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie

A solid group. I suspect Fontana might win this for his dual role of Michael/Dorothy in Tootsie (and it is impressive, in that even his singing voice is different as Dorothy). If I had a vote, it would be difficult, but I might go with Ashmanskas in The Prom.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
Beth Leavel, The Prom
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Kelli O’Hara, Kiss Me, Kate

I suspect SJB has his one sewn up, not only for this role but for all the terrific work she has done over the years. I would probably vote for her, too, but it’s a tough category for me.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Bertie Carvel, Ink
Robin de Jesús, The Boys in the Band
Gideon Glick, To Kill a Mockingbird
Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This
Benjamin Walker, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

This might be the most competitive category this year – I can see any one of the five nominees winning. A difficult decision for me to cast my imaginary vote, but I will go with Glick in TKAM.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Fionnula Flanagan, The Ferryman
Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
Kristine Nielsen, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Julie White, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ruth Wilson, King Lear

I think this category is between Keenan-Bolger in TKAM and White in Gary, but I believe the two women in Gary might split the vote. I would go for Keenan-Bolger, as playing the iconic role of Scout, a child, as an adult has to be difficult and yet she was able to completely inhabit that role in a very natural way.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
André De Shields, Hadestown
Andy Grotelueschen, Tootsie
Patrick Page, Hadestown
Jeremy Pope, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Ephraim Sykes, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations

Such a tough category! Here is Jeremy Pope, being nominated in a musical category as well as best actor in a play, which is highly unusual. You have two pairs competing against each other in the same show. I think a major absence in this category is Patrick Vaill’s Jud in Oklahoma!, which I thought was exceptional. For me this comes down to two excellent performances in Hadestown by De Shields and Page. I would be thrilled with a tie, as both of them are absolutely riveting in the show. If I had to cast a vote, I would tip toward De Shields because he simply owns the stage with the smallest gestures – when have you seen someone get applause for unbuttoning a jacket?

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Lilli Cooper, Tootsie
Amber Gray, Hadestown
Sarah Stiles, Tootsie
Ali Stroker, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Mary Testa, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

This is probably between Gray in Hadestown and Stroker in Oklahoma! Although both are wonderful performances, Gray’s is exceptional and arguably a leading role. I am hoping to see her win this one.

Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, Ink
Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
Bartlett Sher, To Kill a Mockingbird
Ivo van Hove, Network
George C. Wolfe, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

Five powerhouses of directing! All male, but hopefully the industry is slowing breaking down that monopoly. All five were masterfully directed, but my vote would go for Sher.

Best Direction of a Musical
Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
Scott Ellis, Tootsie
Daniel Fish, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Des McAnuff, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Casey Nicholaw, The Prom

I suspect this category will come down to Chavkin for Hadestown or Fish for Oklahoma! I am hoping to see Chavkin win this – I thought she also deserved the win for Great Comet a few years ago.

The Tony Awards will be shown live on CBS Sunday, June 9th, starting at 8PM, and you can bet I will be watching! If you want to throw a Tony party, the official site has some fun downloads, including ballots to fill out, Tony Award bingo cards, and such (you can find that here). I’m interested in your opinions, too, so don’t hesitate to reach out with any comments or disagreements (!) and I’ll see you at the theatre . . .

Hello, Hudson Yards!

Published on March 25, 2019October 10, 2022 by juliebrannan5 Comments

In October of 2014, 4 1/2 years ago, I wrote a blog post about a new neighborhood that was beginning to be built over rail yards west of Penn Station, Hudson Yards. In it, I concluded, “To walk in Hudson Yards is to be present at the birth of a new neighborhood, one that seems limitless in terms of how it will change the landscape of New York City.” In October of 2017, I was able to take a hardhat tour of the site, well on its way but still with far to go before being open to the public (see below for a few photos from that visit).

A few days ago, in March of 2019, I was able to spend an afternoon in Hudson Yards only a few days after its official opening. Hudson Yards is not even midway to completion, and after following this development for so long, I thought there was a good chance I might be underwhelmed or (worse) disappointed. And yes, yes, yes, I read the NY Times review, and was told by the New Yorker that there is no good reason why any resident would visit Hudson Yards – but I would much rather experience something and make my own judgements! Spoiler alert – I enjoyed Hudson Yards far more than I had expected and see myself spending a lot of time here soon and in years to come. If you don’t understand Hudson Yards or dislike the constant change in NYC’s skyline and neighborhoods, check out my photos and experience – perhaps you will then also go and make your own decision. Like it or not, Hudson Yards is here and is going to be a major player in this city.

When approaching Hudson Yards, it’s hard to miss. Even this half, Hudson Yards East, of the total planned development is still partially under construction.

I walked to Hudson Yards from Midtown West, but an extension of the 7 subway line lets you off there if you are coming from elsewhere in the city.

The focal point of the development is the Vessel, a public sculpture created by Thomas Weatherwick. I will describe the process of exploring it later in this post. The building just behind the Vessel is the Shed, a performing arts venue that is being curated by Alex Poots, former Artistic Director of the Park Avenue Armory. The Shed is creatively designed so that it is a flexible space suitable for many different types of events.

The Shops at Hudson Yards are extremely welcoming, with high ceilings and wide walkways. I saw many restaurants I am interested in trying.

And so many shops, including smaller ones like Dylan’s Candy Bar and Li-Lac Chocolates:

The most famous retail tenant is the first Neiman Marcus in New York City:

The experience inside the Shops is very pleasant. There were lots of people (surprisingly so, just a few days after opening) but enough space not to feel crowded.

Eventually there will be the highest open-air observatory in the Western Hemisphere here, called the Edge. I will be there when it opens (likely next year)!

Leaving the Shops to climb the Vessel, I had a look at the Shed and can’t wait to start experiencing art here.

The Vessel (wisely, I believe) limits the number of people entering at any given time by requiring timed tickets, but they are free. I reserved mine in advance here but they do save some same-day tickets as well that can be picked up near the Vessel. However, if it’s a busy time, your ticket might be for a few hours from when you pick it up.

The Vessel is a concrete and copper outdoor sculpture with 2500 steps and 154 flights of stairs, eventually reaching a height of 16 stories. There is an elevator and ramps to make it accessible, but if you are able to explore it by foot, I recommend doing so. The stairs don’t seem too intense since they are short flights and you keep stopping to look at the views (however, you must wear comfortable shoes, and my calves were sore the next day despite not thinking it had been too bad while on the Vessel). It’s also not possible to do a direct trip, because the sections keep going up and down on each level. What I did was to go up (back and forth) on the Hudson River side to see those views, walk around the top to see all the views from there, and then walk back on the east side of the Vessel to see different views from that side.

The reflective quality of the copper led to some interesting photos. I predict that eventually everyone will be taking selfies of their reflection like you see people do in Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Gate” in Chicago’s Millennium Park.

What I found most interesting was the way the pattern of the sculpture kept changing at different levels.

Even the pattern of people on the sculpture constantly changes so that your experience of what the Vessel looks like is fluid. I look forward to seeing it at different times of day (sunset or evening would be very interesting) or different weather patterns. The Vessel is open in all kinds of weather, and I noticed that the steps were rough concrete to make them safer during rain or snow.

Since I am a real estate agent, I have also been to the sales offices at Hudson Yards. which are amazing. There is a 360 degree movie inside a room that really gives you the feeling for the neighborhood as it develops, for instance. 15 Hudson Yards is already closing apartments, and 35 Hudson Yards has just begun selling (the developer of Hudson Yards likes this building so much he will be living in the penthouse when it is completed). There are also two rental buildings available, 1 Hudson Yards and Abington House. From Hudson Yards, you can walk the High Line to the Whitney Museum, one of my favorite strolls in all of the city. I thought when on the Vessel that the people-watching from some of these apartments will be a little like some of the apartments elsewhere on the High Line, like the fabulous Zaha Hadid 520 West 28th. From others you will have spectacular city views of the Empire State or One World Trade buildings, or Hudson River views (from the larger and higher apartments, you can have them all!). Reach out to me if you would like to check out apartments at Hudson Yards. My belief is that this entire part of town will appreciate in value due to this development, much as the creation of Lincoln Center transformed its neighborhood

So go to Hudson Yards and decide for yourself what you think. It’s often difficult for people to adjust to change, but the constant drive for metamorphosis is what has made, and continues to make, New York City the vibrant evolving place to live that it is.

New York City Holiday Markets

Published on December 19, 2018 by juliebrannan4 Comments

New York City has a different kind of beauty in every season, but it never shines as bright as during the holidays. Many other years I have posted about the yearly holiday decorations (see here and here and here and here for instance!) but this year I wanted to shine a light on the many holiday markets that spring up, roughly from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. While it is very easy to find gifts for your loved ones on Amazon, I guarantee that the array of small vendors with unusual gifts will enable you to find something unique for everyone on your list. And while there is a certain level of comfort in shopping online in your pajamas, shopping in a NYC holiday market is an experience that surrounds your senses with holiday spirit. I can’t loop the jaunty sounds of Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy” theme, or provide the scents of hot cider and spruce candles, but I can show you some of the sights of the markets that brighten the city this time of year.

Central Park is without a doubt my favorite place in all of New York City (see a few previous love letters here and here and here and here!) and if you are walking out of the park in December toward the southwest corner, you begin to spy the stalls of the small but atmospheric Columbus Circle market.

Limited by its geography in size, this market is on the smaller side but has lots of interesting options.

The great thing about these markets is that you don’t go looking for a specific item, but as you browse, something may just catch your eye as a perfect gift for a particular person (a unique and beautiful wine stopper for the oenophile in your life?).

These ornaments make a terrific souvenir for visitors to the city, but can also be personalized to give as a gift to the host or hostess of the holiday party you are heading to during this month.

It’s hard to beat the visual drama of this market, with Central Park on one side and the towers of the Time Warner building rising on the other.

Another market limited in size by the constraints of its location is the one in Grand Central Terminal.

This one is just off the 42nd Street side of Grand Central, or if you are inside the main hall, just off that towards 42nd Street.

If you go to a lot of these markets, you will see a few repeating shops, but surprisingly the vast majority are one-of-a-kind. For example, the Harlem Candle Company, which I love, is only at the Grand Central market. For that matter, they have no storefront, so the only way to smell these candles based on the Harlem Renaissance is to find them at this market (most of the year they are online only).

Some markets only run for a few weeks, like the market at CityPoint in Brooklyn. The Arctic Adventure popup is throughout the season, but for a few weekends there is also a crafts-based market.

The market here has some vendors that are Brooklyn-based and only found at this market.

An indoor market, while less scenic, is certainly potentially more comfortable (I was here on a cold and rainy day!). And if at CityPoint, be sure to head downstairs to the DeKalb Market for lunch or dinner.

Now we are moving on to one of the larger holiday markets, the one in Union Square.

Easily accessible from multiple subway lines, this market is worth a few hours of your time, if you can spare it.

My recommendation for this market, if you can, is to go on a weekday. Seen here, it will still be busy but you will be able to get around without too many crowds.

Again, this is a place to wander and wait for the right gift to show itself. This stall sells kits for someone to make their own beer, or cheese, or sourdough pretzels.

At all of the markets, there will be some vendors selling hot cider, or cocoa, or holiday treats to eat.

I love seeing the Empire State Building off to the north through all the stalls.

Finally, I come to the Bryant Park Winter Village, perhaps the largest and most elaborate of the markets. There’s an ice skating rink under a large Christmas tree. Skating itself is free although skate rental does involve a cost.

Just behind the NYPL on Fifth and 42nd Street, blocks from Times Square, this market is a small-scale delight surrounded by the heart of large-scale Manhattan.

There are some very unusual shops here – this is from a very luxurious resort and spa in Montauk.

An actual outpost of the Metropolitan museum gift shop – the only one I’ve seen other than the ones in the museums.

Similarly, to see an outpost of the famous Strand bookstore is a wonderful surprise.

It’s hard to resist a stop of the Santa Claus Cafe, although at Bryant Park there are multiple options for food and drink, including a bar area to warm up with something alcoholic.

Imagine, you can even visit the North Pole before taking in a Broadway show a few blocks away!

As with the Union Square market, going on a weekday, but not during lunch or after work hours, will net the most space to walk around. However, this market is so large and well laid out that even in a crowd it doesn’t seem as overwhelming as the meandering Union Square can.

Aaah, New York City during the holiday season. In the immortal words of the sign seen at Bryant Park Winter Village, “this place does not suck.” I could not agree more.

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