18 and...WHAT?!!?!

Well, you KNEW this blog was coming, right?! I mean, has there ever been a BETTER time to be in New York City?!!

Cliff and Heather went their own way yesterday, exploring New York for hours and hours on foot and subway before seeing and loving 'Wicked' Saturday night--we lounged around most of the day, then spent a wonderful evening at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

I have to give a shout-out of respect and appreciation here to TARGET. Many people are unaware of the many, many arts-related activities and opportunities sponsored by this corporation. Please visit the following site and scroll down to have a look at some of what they help sponsor: http://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-002065. Here in New York City Target pays for free admission to MoMA every Friday night from 4 to 8 pm and free admission to the Brooklyn Museum of Art on the first Saturday of every month from 5 until 11 pm plus free times for two other local museums.

This Sunday Heather and Cliff explored the main Library, then we met at 1:30 pm for the musical 'Spring Awakening.' Barb had relentlessly stalked their internet site until she successfully purchased on-stage tickets: For each performance there are around 30 seats available on each side of the stage itself. Cast members sit in-between audience members when not on the stage performing, and frequently sing from their seats here. In 2007, this musical won 8 Tony Awards, including 'Best Musical.' The cast is almost exclusively young (one exception being Kate Burton--Richard's daughter--who had played Ellis Grey--Meredith's mother--in 'Grey's Anatomy' and sat just in front of us), talented, and gifted singers who bring energy and authenticity to this 'coming of age' story. BTW, if you are offended by nudity or course language, this is NOT the play for you...

We had just enough time after the theater to head up Broadway to 76th Street and 'Time Out,' the bar and restaurant we had reserved a table at for the Super Bowl. We were seated in a relatively small back room with a bunch of other fans & at least 12 wide-screen TVs on the side walls and one huge projection screen at the front. My brother Gary and I were about the only people I knew who picked the Giants prior to the game--although Heather has been a long-time Giants fan and Cliff, and Barb, certainly cheered them on as well (while feeling, as most did, that the Patriots were just too darned good to actually be beaten). That belief was totally correct for the 18 previous games this season. This, however, was their 'and ONE' game!

Let's face it, the Giants were awesome and 'the better team' this day--as Chris Burman said on 'Prime Time,' the Patriots didn't 'give away the game' with mistakes, the Giants earned it. I don't think I have ever seen a better defensive Super Bowl on both sides of the ball or two gutsier offensive drives at the end of a game. Here was a Michigan quarterback running a high-powered version of the West Coast offense, while an SEC quarterback led a Giants team that could have been the big brother of most Big Ten programs ('Smash Mouth, Inc.'). If you didn't bet the Giants I hope you at least had the 'under!'

Following the game we road the high of victory down to Times Square, to be part of the celebration there and enjoy the many crazy fans who...well, did crazy fan-type stuff! Heather and Cliff must return home tomorrow, but Barb and I will definitely attend the celebration/victory parade on Tuesday morning. 'Till then....

Dan

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