A Bay Ridge Icon Has Closed!!!!!!!!!!!!! What Will Become Of The Building????????????

                            When I was a young ingenue, darlings--and I really was! -- I moved to Brooklyn in December of 1983.  Just in time for Christmas season in Manhattan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               At that time, the building pictured above was known as the New Royal Restaurant.  The Bay Ridge Avenue subway stop was mine because I lived in that neighborhood, over at 6647 Bergen Place.  Many a night, after a tiresome day at work, or when it was too hot to cook--I had no AC then, though my bedroom had two windows that got a wonderful breeze from the bay.  And the view was gorgeous.  Still, it seemed like some nights I would float up the subway steps, and straight into my seat at the New Royal.  Margaret, the waitress, always served me, and I almost always had Chicken Parm.  It was delicious.  Not so when I had the scallops the night before visiting my father in Florida, back in 1992, when I developed a terrible GI illness that ruined the vacation.  I remember my father taking me to see a doctor, and all I got was a lecture on sexual morality and told to see a GI person when I returned to New York.  I did, and there was no sexual component to what I had, and it mysteriously cleared up on its own.  After three weeks, and a loss of eleven pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Fifteen years later, after living in Woodside--the less said, the better--I come back to my beloved Bay Ridge, not only to find the New Royal is now Emphasis, but the staff and quality were lacking.  Something happened in those 15 years, and it was not good.

                                   Emphasis says it has been around for 21 years, and while that may be true, my experience proves it was around as a restaurant longer than that.  Try 30 or 40 years.

                                      It closed for good on January 9, 2026!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Still, I mourn the loss of a place once important to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     As Sally Bowles says, "It isn't that long a stay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Girls, Imagine A Broadway Show Featuring These Four Gentlemen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                    

                                                                                       

            

                                                                                   

                     These are four of the most talented men Broadway has and two of them--Jonathan Groff and Aaron Tveit --are working hard, eight shows a week.  The other two, Jason Danieley and Josh Grobin--have put in their time; I have seen Josh and can attest to his talent and that he is so scrumptious, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!      

                          So, why not a show featuring all four of them?  What could it be called?  "Gorgeous Hunks?"  "The Men Of Broadway?"  "Give Us Your Panties?????????"   While the last is apt, because panties would fly like crazy ever single night, I think "The Men Of Broadway" is best, because too often women get singled out on the musical stage, with men pushed to the side.  But here are four powerhouse male performers that can hold their own with any femme.

                          Maybe a revue show where they do covers that made them famous and go through the repertoire finding duets that these men could sing.  Imagine the four of them doing "Love Child?"  Even Miss Ross would love that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Think about it, girls!  We need to see Jason, Jonathan, Josh and Aaron on stage more often!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                I would run to get tickets to this!  Holding up my panties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why Do Apples In The Supermarket Remind Me Of "Snow White????????????"

                           First, darlings, they are so suspiciously shiny.  Like someone has been polishing them over and over to make them look enticing to the patron, like the Witch/Queen made the apples look enticing for Snow White.

                            The reddest ones are the worst, girls!  They may look the most polished, but they are dry and tasteless.  Trust me; I have fallen for this trap!  David and I were at the supermarket yesterday--now that he is retired, I lose track of what day of the week it is, because our routines have changed.  Not in how we do them, but when.

                              We did food shopping yesterday, and when I saw all these apples, I instantly thought of Snow White.  The dwarves warned her to watch out for the Queen, but they only knew one Queen.  Like apples, there are many different kinds, and I ought to know, because I am one of them

.                                Remember, there will always be the Wicked Queen, but I am and always will be The Raving Queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is why she looks so jealous!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    No poisoned apples for my girls!  Only Golden Delicious!  And the green ones!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, They Have To Bring Back Those Shop Rite Can-Can Ads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Not since the days of Cole Porter and Gwen Verdon has the Can-Can been so much fun.  When younger, I used to do the dance in front of the TV during the commercials.  But at my age now, oh my God, my hips!!!!!!!!!!!!  But both are still mine, unlike Liza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             And those lyrics!  "For tasty corn, asparagus!"  I mean, it just makes me want to whip up a batch of both right now and mix them together.

                               Selling vegetables in "can-cans!!!!!!!!!!!!"  A Fifties housewife's dream!  Or working mothers who have no idea about the importance of buying fresh produce.

                                OK, so Shop Rite was middle class.  It still is.  But, hons, we love the logo, the song, and sometimes, in desperation, who has not shopped there??????????????

                                     The logo, to an extent, was symbolic of my childhood!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, Tonight "Svengoolie" Is Trying Something New!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                

                           Saturday night means "Svengoolie" in our house, darlings, but tonight the iconic horror host is trying something new, and I can only hope it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Starting this year, for one week a month, "Svengoolie" is turning over his show to The Sven Squar, pictured above.  You have seen them on the show, and if you have watched "House Of Svengoolie" at 10:30 and beyond.

                                Tonight, the squad is carrying the main feature on their own, and while I hope to see Nostalgiaferatu and Gweengoolie, I could do without The Imp.  They are going to show a real piece of crap that I have never heard of, an unheard of 2014 film called "Flight 7500," with a cast who went nowhere.  It is set on a flight bound for Tokyo, where everything that can and cannot go wrong on a plane does.  There is even a refence to "Jaws."  On a plane?  This might be worth seeing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   I like the squad, but I will miss Svengoolie.  I hope he is not slowly retiring, because if so, I am not sure the squad can carry on without him, or what type of movies would be shown.  "Svengoolie" shows mostly, fun, respectable films, and even an occasional gem.

                                  As am I, Baby Gojira and Little Pippin are skeptical.  So, tune in with us, and find out!

                                  See you at 8PM, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    

Girls, I Learned All About The Importance Of Coffee From Watching These Daytime Soaps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                    

                                  The first thing I absorbed from these shows, darlings, was the impotence of coffee  In almost every scene set in a living room or office, coffee was always served and consumed.  So, I learned the importance of always having coffee at hand, and today I always make sure I do 

                                     It was not until I reached age 18 and saw Nancy Kelly in the 1956 film "The Bad Seed" that I learned her contribution to the importance of coffee.

                                       In all these presentations, the wardrobe was always impeccable, and the hair was perfect.  Even with Nancy at her most histrionic, there was not a thread or hair out of place.

                                          Today, coffee has become as important to my life as "The Bad Seed."  Soap operas have had their day.  But if I don't have coffee first thing in the morning, well, darlings, then I am a total bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Well, not really.  But Baby Gojira knows to get that hot cup into my hands fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Thank God I am not dealing with a homicidal child.  I would need Double Espresso for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                Maybe that is what Nancy drank off screen to heighten her on screen hysteria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.      

                                                                                                                                                                                   

Theater Queens Know How To Behave, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       I know, I know, you have been waiting for me to weigh in on the "Mama Mia!" incident, and I will, but I had to wait till I found an incident demonstrating how Theater Queens behave properly.

                                        As a refresher, an unidentified man and his wife brought their teenaged nieces to a matinee performance of  "Mama Mia!" on January 3.  What show could be a more perfect choice?????  A group of obnoxious women sat behind them and let me tell you two things--these women were not from New York, and they were loaded the minute they walked into the Winter Garden Theatre.  They carried on loudly singing, as though at a party of their own, interrupting those in front and around them.  The unidentified man, who I wish would reveal himself because I think he is a hero, waited graciously until Intermission to confront these harridans, and when he did, he let lose, with the end result being the women deciding to leave the theater.  This was great for the audience, but can you imagine how stupid these women are?  To leave a show midway, having paid top prices to sit in the orchestra is senseless.  Because they weren't willing to control themselves?  Or did they think they had the right to act like this?  I bet they did, and Theater Queens, and others, do not want this type of audience member near them.

                                          "Mama Mia!" does have an interactive segment at the end of the show, where the actors sing some of the favorites, and the audience gets to sing along with them.  It is a lovely moment, and had the women waited till then, they could have seen the show and had this experience.

                                               This reminded me of the end of "HAIR," when the cast sings "Let The Sunshine In," and the audience is invited up on the stage.

                                                 Next week we are seeing a revival of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," and if it goes like the original, audience members are called upon to be spelling contestants.

                                                     But none of the aforementioned interrupt the flow of the show.  The women at "Mama Mia!" did.

                                                        Here is an incident where audience members knew enough to behave accordingly.

                                                         Last year, David and I went to see "The Baker's Wife" at CSC.  I was curious to see the show, and to see how Ariana DeBose would handle the famous song, "Meadowlark," which had been covered by the likes of Patti LuPone, Lindsay Mendez, Betty Buckley, Liz Callaway, and others.  It is the most important moment in the show, and this audience knew it, because, as the time drew near for the titular character to sing it, the house went silent and was so for the five plus minutes it took for her to sing this song.  She stopped the show with tumultuous applause, and the audience recognized the importance of this moment as almost a tribute to the song and its singer.

                                                               So, people do know how to behave at the theater.

                                                                I have always said people should be screened before entering a t theater.  As well as their bags, check their personal behavior.  If it is off, deny them entry.

                                                                  May those "Mama Mia!" women never show their faces on Broadway again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Something Else Celebrates An Anniversary This Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         June 30th of this year will mark the 90th anniversary of the publication of Margaret Mitchell's novel, "Gone With The Wind."  Of course, I am giving it a reread this year.  I think it will be my ninth time.

                                         Now, I don't want to hear any guff about GWTW not being PC.  Listen, the book and the movie are still available, but neither I nor anyone else is pointing a gun at folks insisting they experience it.    Hey, if you don't want to see or read it, DON"T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I wish I had had that sense with "Pulp Fiction."  Well, at least Amanda Plummer in the opening was good.

                                             This novel and film got me through adolescence.  It is a story of survival, and that is what resonates with me.   And I stand by it.  No one is going to deprive me of my enjoyment of "Gone With The Wind."

                                                What a role model Scarlett is for all us girls.  And that high and mighty Miss Suellen was the real bitch in the story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     However one feels, it cannot be denied this is an anniversary worth celebrating.

                                                      And I don't want to hear any negativity about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guess What Film Turns 40 This Year????????????????????????

                                When I saw those opening shots, and the camera panned through the small town, I said to myself, watching "Blue Velvet," "Oh, my God, it's Highland Park."  The town even had a Lincoln Avenue.  And, near the end when Jeffrey (Kyle MacLachlan) says to Aunt Barbara (Frances Bay), with those cat eyed glasses, "Aunt Barbara, I love you, but you're going to get it," I thought, "Oh, my God, she looks like Nana!"  Nana was my maternal grandmother, who lived with us.

                                   I felt the film was mirroring some of my life, until, with multiple viewings, it became a part of my life.  Girls, can you believe this year will be 40 years since David Lynch released his masterwork?  I certainly hope there will be an anniversary screening in NYC sometime this year.

                                     Poor David Lynch did not make it to the anniversary of this classic.  Neither did Dennis Hopper or Dean Stockwell.  But Kyle MacLachlan and Isabella Rossellini are still here, and hopefully they will be on hand to celebrate the anniversary of this enduring classic.

                                       And "Blue Velvet," like so many films I talk about, is meant to be seen on the screen; It just does not work even on today's heightened TV screens.

                                          So, join me in a toast--with coffee--to this 1986 gem.

                                         And remember, it has nothing to do with "National Velvet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                         Happy 40th, "Blue Velvet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Girls, Join Us Tomorrow Night, As "Svengoolie" Presents Something I Never Heard Of--"The Skull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                              Note to all my girls: this is usually posted on Saturday, but tomorrow my nephew and his family are coming to visit, so I figure I had better get this one out today.

                                            This film has an A-list cast, starting with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.  It even has Jill Bennett, who the same year (1965) played Aunt Pen in "The Nanny," the one who hysterically screams "Nannnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyy!  Naaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"  Two died mysteriously.  Two lived in terror.

                                              Both this film and "The Nanny" were Hammer productions.  One thing that can be counted on from "The Skull" is blood, and lots of bosoms!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Baby Gojira is SO excited

                                                   And it may be potentially campy, too.  Because the title object is supposedly that of the Marquis de Sade!!!!!!!!!!!  Imagine that!  This should be a riot, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                        Believe me, after this, girls, you will want to view "Marat/Sade."

                                                       See you tomorrow at 8PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Oh Light The Heart That Lingers In Merano, Merano, The Spa No Connoisseur Of Spas Should Miss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                          On the original "CHESS" album, those are the first words one hears, darlings, and it sets a tone for the entire story.  "Merano" is in another place in the current Broadway production, but it whisks one off to what I thought was a fictitious world of magic.

                            Imagine my shock, when I discovered Merano is a real place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            As indicated, it is located in the South Tyrol of Italy.  Italy has been one of my dream places to visit, especially Venice, but imagine visiting Merano!!!!!!!!!   I could sing the "CHESS" score there.  I am sure others have tried!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               If only other places were not fictional, like Oz and Wonderland.

                               I would still take that plunge down the rabbit hole, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meet Mr. Squirrel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Honestly, David and I are staring to feel like the two Edie Beales of Grey Gardens.  Since November, Mr. Squirrel has been making periodic visits to our apartment, peering in at it and sitting up on his hind legs, blatantly staring into our place.  He has no sense of shame; he looks right at us, often sticks out his tongue, as if he has every right to move in, which is what I think he wants to do.  Baby Gojira is terrified, and I don't want some flashy tail rodents in this place.

                                         Oh, you think it is cute?  Well, wait till it happens to you.  Now it does not happen all the time, but every so often he creeps back here, scales the brick walls, and looks in on our place, which seems to fascinate him.

                                           Forget Disney's 1957 "Perri."  Perri stayed in his own environment.  Mr. Squirrel wants to live the high life.

                                            And that's not all.

                                             Sometimes two squirrels show up, and then I wonder if they are Mr. and Mrs.  I worry they will have babies near us, and how will we get rid of them, then?  I don't want to hurt the mother and babies or separate them.   Let her have the babies somewhere else.

                                               Can you believe this, girls?  And you should see them scale the brick wall!

                                               Who knew squirrels had exceptional taste?

                                                 Maybe they are gay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

           

Now, Begins The Long Winter Of Reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                               The Christmas decorations have been taken down and put away, and Krampus is back in Florida.  Now, the long winter sets in, the longest season of them all, when some, like yours truly comes down with SAD--Seasonal Affect Disorder.

                               My cure for this is lots of coffee and to read.  Right now, I am reading a short volume, "An Unusual Attachment," by Barbara Pym, which is rather easy.  I have plans for longer volumes shortly--mammoth ones--to while away the dreary gray of Winter.

                               Then there's the song "California Dreamin'," by The Mamas And The Papas, which always seems to perk me up.  But the opening lyrics are right.  "All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray."

                                  Girls, think of yourselves as characters in a Victorian novel, and your house a prism in which you sit and read.  Spring will be here before you know it.

                                    But don't let it stop you reading, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             When you are feeling blue, just listen to this!  It will perk you up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, Did You Know, Besides The William Morris Theater Agency, There Was A Similarly Named Man Who Was A Designer?????????????

                                  January has just opened the floodgates of fashion design for me, girls, and here are some samples by William Morris.  The above would be perfect for the living room, wouldn't it??????????

                                        And this....wouldn't this just be perfect for the foyer??????????????

                                This, I think, would make the kitchen look charming and cozy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 And how about this for the bathroom?  Calm and relaxation when it is needed.

                                January is shaping up to be an unusual month.  No telling what I may discover next!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  So, stay tuned, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Cannot Stand These "Kohl's Mom" Commericials!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Now, don't get me wrong, girls.  Like Stephanie Courtney as Flo on Progressive, I am happy that Ellie Kemper has this gig.  I had no idea she was on "The Office," because I could not stand that show, either.  But "Koh's Mom" is nauseating.

                            First, she is too preppy looking for her age.  And second, she is so icky, sticky, pure and wholesome that, as a diabetic, my blood sugar rises at the sight of these ads.

                            Who the hell thought this up in the first place?  Again, kudos to Ellie, but the idea was terrible!  Is this the best advertisers can do?  No wonder there is so tension and conflict within the media.

                              I know Stephanie Courtney has been doing Flo for over 15 years.  So, I guess audiences are stuck with Ellie as Kohl's Mom.

                                But, really, is Kohl's really quality?  Do you think ANNA would stop there?

                                I prefer Williams Sonoma, myself, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 

Today Is Little Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  It is also known as the Epiphany, Three Kings Day, and Twelfth Night--yes, like the Shakespeare play.  But most importantly--

                                 It is the official end of the Holiday Season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Wah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Tomorrow all the home decorations come down, and we go back to normal, which, after the holidays seems so dreary.  There is the Long Winter ahead, where I hope to read a lot of books, and things will eventually fall into place, but I sometimes get SAD during this period.  That is Seasonal Affect Disorder, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  It is hard saying goodbye to all the color and excitement we have had since Thanksgiving.  Every year one thinks it may last forever, but it does not.

                                    But the days are slightly getting longer, so keep one's eyes on the skies, and hope will fill the heart.

                                    Time to get on with the year, girls!  But, ah, the memories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

January Is Polar Bear Month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Polar Bear Clubs are prevalent all over the country, darlings, but the definitive one, as seen here, is the one at Coney Island.  Note the famous Wonder Wheel in the background.

                             Would you believe, girls, that this tradition started at Coney Island, back in 1903?  That is right. So, this has been going on for 123 years.

                               It is simple. One wears swim wear, goes onto the beach and into the freezing water on January 1, each year.

                                Have you seen some of the people who do this?  Their skin has a toughness and hardness that I can't decide is from age or having done this polar bear thing for years.

                                  To think, when I was in my Twenties, maybe even my early Thirties, I wanted to do this.  What harm could there be?

                                   Decades later, I know better.  Plunging into that water further than my feet would probably cause me to go into hypothermic shock and throw my heart rhythm so askew I would have to be rushed to the ER again.  Or worse.  It is not worth it.

                                     But, like watching those in Times Square on New Years Eve, it is fun to watch the Coney Island polar bears take the plunge????????????????

                                       How many of you are willing to do it, darlings??????????????????????

Girls, Would You Believe I Have Home Decorating Ideas Already??????????????????????????

                               The other day, I was thinking about a kaleidoscope, which is something I have not owned in a long time.  I thought about how the patterns are formed, and what they are formed with.  Then I wondered how a kaleidoscope is made.  I am sure I could find it online, but I would never be able to do it.

                              Then I thought--how about home decorating in a kaleidoscopic style????????????

                               Remember German Expressionism Cinema???????????  Or when the stage in the original, 1971 production of "FOLLIES" transformed into Loveland?  That was the concept I found to go with.  Let me show you some examples.

                            How about this for the kitchen, darlings, both walls and floor?  It would be the talk of the neighborhood, let alone the borough of Brooklyn, and even the pit bulls across from us would love it.

                 Now, of course, for the living room, stronger color is needed.  So, I suggest this; I cannot wait to get our living room looking like this.  What a perfectly pink place to relax in.

                            I honestly was not sure about this one, at first.  But then I decided the foyer, where one enters our place, would be just perfect.  It lets you know you are not slipping into the conventional.  Bust then, those who know me personally know that already.  But wouldn't this make for the most exquisite foyer?????????????????????????????

                           And lastly, the bathroom.  Definitely some light pastels for this one.  Nice and soothing isn't it.  Especially when one is having the experience I had the other night.  But for everyone this can be bright, powdery and comforting.  And think of those perfumed scents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            So, here are some early home decorating ideas to think about, as Spring slowly approaches.

                            Remember, color at all times, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                    

The Big Surprise Is "CHESS" Was Not Checkmate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           I was expecting that, darlings.  I mean, just look at this poster.  If you awoke in the middle of the night, and saw this, wouldn't you be scared?  Lea Michele looks like one of the Brides Of Dracula waiting to suck the next person's blood.  Rumor on the Rialto is backstage she keeps vials of the blood of her victims!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             But that is as far I am going to go with the Lea bitching, because she surprised me by giving a genuinely impassioned performance.  In one of the early numbers, trying to bring down Freddy Trumper from his high, I thought she was auditioning for the role of Fantine.

                                               Now, Lea has never been known for vocal subtlety.  So, most of the songs she does fine with, particularly "Nobody's Side," where I can say she genuinely stopped the show.  My caveat with her was with "Someone Else's Story."  It is not entirely her fault because the song has been moved to the wrong place.  But it is a song of reflection and introspection, and Lea cannot do that. All she can do is belt like a belting trained seal.

                                                 Let's talk about Aaron Tveit and Bryce Pinkham.  Playing Freddie Trumper, and The Narrator, respectively, they are the true stars of this show.  Tveit nails all of Freddie's demons without losing sympathy.  He is the second hottest man working on Broadway; the second act opener, "One Night In Bangkok," has him in his underwear, just like Jonathan Groff six blocks up.  I am telling you; gay men are having a time running back and forth between the theaters showing these show--the Imperial ("CHESS") and Circle In The Square ("Just In Time').  Tveit does a very moving rendition of "Pity The Child," which I was waiting for all evening, because it too had been placed in the wrong spot.  Who wants to wait till the end to get to know Freddie and Florence?  Shouldn't we from the beginning???????????

                                                   Despite what I have said, Nicholas Christopher is the true problem here. Having played a superb Pirelli in "Sweeney Todd," and gone on for Josh Groban several times in the title role, I suspected he had a voice.  And he does.  The trouble is his rendering of the songs, especially the beautiful "Anthem" which ends Act One, are feats of technique, but with no distinctive warmth.  Yes, he has the voice, but it is a one note rendition.  Compared to David Carroll in the 1988 original, Christopher cannot hold a candle to that.  And Michael Mayer has pretty much directed the actors on a one note, as though still doing "Spring Awakening."  Ugh!  Thank God for Tveit and Bryce Pinkham who make the roles their own.  I cannot recall The Narrator from the original, but he is a presence that livens this show greatly.  No, he does not appear in his underwear, but it is a nice thought.  The voices of these two men save "CHESS" from becoming the disaster it could have been.

                                                      I feel so privileged to have seen Judy Kuhn, David Carroll and Philip Casnoff in the original production.  Their presence was with me as I sat through this one.

                                                       See it for the haunting cult score all of us Theater Queens love, and the two gentlemen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                        And bring a crucifix to hold back Lea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Saga Of David's Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Next to my late Uncle Tom, who was my godfather, David is the only New Years Baby I know.  So, it was important to celebrate his birthday in a way I knew he knew it would be special.  So, unlike myself, no place where ANNA has been cited.  David has been craving Indian food for months, while I have been dreading it, for reasons that shall be clear.  But, for his birthday, I bit the bullet and took him on January 1 to Mint Bay in our neighborhood of Bay Ridge.

                               We each shared a Samosa, which was delicious. David had Lamb Korma, which was one of his favorites.  I had what I thought was the mildest dish, Chicken Biryani.  It usually is but here--WOW!  My mouth was flaming from spices!!!!!!!!!  We each had a dish of rice pudding for dessert, though, let me tell you, girls, the one at Something Greek is better.

                                   And that was that.  David was happy, and I was pleased.  But then we walked into our apartment, and my stomach felt funny. and I knew I had to head for the bathroom.  You guessed it, I was emptied out like a colonoscopy prep.  It took that short a time for the Indian food to react on me.  But it was not done with me yet.

                                    We went to bed, and right to sleep.  I awoke in the middle of the night--around 3AM--with a horrible stomachache, and the feeling I was going to throw up any second.  I knew it was the Indian food.  And we were supposed to go to The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular the next day.  I was running lists of friends I could pawn off the ticket to, while deciding if I had to throw up or not.  Nature decided for me; I went to sleep, and when I awoke hours later, the stomachache and nausea were gone.  And never came back.

                                    But that is it for me with Indian food.  At least for the next 364 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Yes, we made it to Radio City the next day, for the 2PM show, which was David's choice, but what a time we had getting in.  As I recalled several years back, the management of crowd control was not good, and has not gotten better with time.  We had a time with the whole system of Ticketmaster, I was trembling whether of not we would get in, because I had paid a hefty sum for those tickets, but fortunately it all worked out.

                                  The show was dazzling and brought me to smiles.  Girls, how many of us, when young dreamed of being a Rockette???????????  You better believe I did.  The coordination of the entire show--costume changes, animals on and off stage, use of film and other media--I could just imagine the chaos backstage and how many stage managers and techies it took to put this on.  If someone were to approach me in the forthcoming year, to say "We would like you to stage manage "The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular," I would say, "What?  Are you crazy?"  Then I would go through an Equity directory, find all the best unemployed stage managers.", and assemble a dynamite team.  Exactly like what was done here.

                                 Now, The Nativity.  Oh, my God.  I fell to my knees, like Jennifer Jones in "The Song Of Berandette."  When the angel appeared in the sky, and sang "The First Noel," I was in tears.  Then the curtain parted and we saw, the shepherds, the animals, the Magi, with Mary, Jospeh and the Baby Jesus in the manger.  I am telling you girls; I have said this and will say it again--I do not think the Real Thing could have been better staged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     For those who think theater craft is gone--and I know  many of you Broadway Theater Queens do--I urge you to visit this attraction.  You have one more day for it this year, so, if you don't make it now, plan on visiting it come Christmas season 2026.

                                       And Happy Birthday to David, my love.  I had as much fun as if it had been my birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        Happy New Year, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, "Svengoolie" Is Kicking Off 2026 With Something I Have Never Seen Before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           I am telling you, darlings, I have never heard of "Blood From The Mummy's Tone.'  It is a 1971 British film, so it may be from Hammer, and promises of lots of bosoms, which has Baby Gojira intrigued.

                             At least Svengoolie is not scraping rock bottom as he did last month.  Here is hoping better and campier films are offered.

                             And I want to see more of Nostalgiaferatu.  He is the best of the Sven Squad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               So, as always, join us at 8PM, girls!  The fun starts then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Kerwyn will be watching with us, too.  As will Cucumbo.  Here is to his movie finally being shown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Well, darlings, it is that time.  The ball dropped last night, I screamed, and this morning we face a new year. 2025 is now history, and so now we will have to make some new history for this year.

                                         Today happens to be the birthday of my beloved Daivd, so that is getting things off to a good start.  On April 7 of this year, this blog will turn 19 years of age.  And you know what comes after 19, darlings, so expect a big party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Of course I am anxious for the theater, book fiction, and films that come out this year.  Hell, I am anxious for culture, in general.  We seem to be in a decline; let us pull ourselves out of it.

                                               David and I did have some bubbly last night, but it was sparkling apple cider!  Perfect for ringing in the New Year.  Today we are going to a New Years' mass and then celebrating David's birthday.

                                                  Of course, I will share all that happens with you in the coming year.  And you are free to do the same.

                                                   Another year.  They do go fast, don't they?????????????????

                                                   Wishing a happy year for everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!