Tomorrow, Boston.....

one day wonder, returning on Thursday early evening. A really short trip---did it have to be taken? Still a little ambivalent, but excitement mounting up. Took the 7 train to the new stop a few blocks away from where Bolt Bus departs, just so I would not be confused or confounded tomorrow morning. Complicated until you know it, but probably the best way to get there, will leave early tomorrow.
               Reports: Friday night War, at Clara Tow theater---really interesting play as Brandon J touches all the bases, racial, economic and otherwise with his writing. My first experience with his work---do definitely want to see another play of his and read those that have already been produced. Great performances by those two "old pros" Michele Shay and especially Charlane Woodard. Final fifteen minutes are "breahtaking" really very strong.
          Saturday, free morning, decided to go to Ditmas Park to explore and maybe find a drug store that will sell me Gillette sensor razors very cheaply. The latter did not happen, but walk was fascinating, from Caton Avenue to Newkirk---Marlborough Road between Albemarle and Berverly Road---almost seems like a suburban street---totally quiet and removed. Strange that one can be on Church Avenue amidst all the jangle of the commercial street, and almost immediately move into a quiet street of all private houses. Anyway, wandered south to Newkirk. Energy in this part of Brooklyn is completely divorced from the more "urban" sections like the slope of Fort Greene. Very quiet pace. Could imagine living there..how? Jumped on Coney Island Avenue bus and took it to Kings Highway. Coney Island Avenue still a very "sleepy" street, not much activity there, or foot traffic. Tired, took Q back to Manhattan and then 2 train home. Returned home around 3. One more trip to Brooklyn that evening? Possible? You bet---even I was surprised that I was doing it but sure enough, went out to Jack to see Amina's play about teaching  The Animals. Certainly a play by a beginning playwright, but very ambitious, tries to tell the story of five teachers in a suburban Connecticut school, with one scene for every month. Playwright knows the inns and outs of being a teachetr---the jubilation and frustration that almost seem linked together. Play goes on to long, and occasionally repeats itself, but there are some very telling and funny scenes. Glad I went, then finally went to Hops Hill, right next door, a bar that I had always wanted to go into but was a little bit intimidated up to Saturday. Of course, it helped that the place was almost empty, but bartenders were nice, beer was good and got to watch some of the Yankee game. Will probably feel more comfortable going there again at some point.
    Sunday: Rounndabout, She Loves Me. Oh, but I hate the attitude of the theater, charging incredibly high prices and claiming to be idealistic---all these rich people making donations for the "50th" anniversary of the place. Knew Gene F, who conceived of the place, luckily started out at a time that theater was dead in NY. He was really a very limited guy, who simply did not believe in his own mediocrity. And out of that, Roundabout was born. My friend Tom played Sipos in the play, he was wonderful, cast was basically very good, maybe a little too upbeat, but fine, audience seemed to feel a need to believe from the beginning that the play was perfect, no sense of discovery for them. Very different feel, being in that theater, but have not seen a Broadway play in a long time. Waited for Tom near stage door, but did not realize the really big crowd that would wait for the leads,. Unfortunately missed him---hope to see him soon and tell him how good I thought he was.
    After the matinee headed to South Fourth. Nice time there with Olivia, Harlo and others. Found out that for the first time in many years there would be no fourth of July cook out, but decided to go anyway---a nice holiday Sunday.
       Monday, not much in the morning, watched a bit of the Red Sox game at Finnerty's in the early afternoon, then off again to South Fourth where I had a good conversation with bartender Lana (have known her now for nine years---she is moving to Michigan to get married soon) and friends Todd and particularly Kathy, who I had not seen in a while. We compared plays that we had seen---she saw the new play at the Public----Privacy--payed $100.00 for it---Wow! Way out of my ball park. Left to go to Sunshine Cinema to see Les Cowboys, a movie that takes Ford's The Searchers for its starting point. About seven people in the audience. Movie very intense, beautifully filmed, very cold in its tone. Afterwards walked across Houston to one train. Nice walk, area pretty calm, considering it was July 4th. Went home and went to sleep.
   Long weekend, now over--woke up with some revelations about my relationship with my father, which still feels like there are a lot of unanswered questions. Oh well, will see what happens, Will probably not blog until Friday, unless there is some place to do it in Boston. Report of that trip should be interesting.....