Wednesday, January 11, 2012

530. RUSH SEATS FOR CARMEN


I think aliens have removed a lobe of my brain and replaced it with spicy mango achar. I am in a LOOOONG line at 3 pm for rush seats for the Opera Carmen. A friend of mine who is an Opera buff recommended this as a way to see great shows at an inexpensive price. And based on the line that is wrapping around the concrete catacombs of the Metropolitan Opera lower level, I am not the only one in search of discounted culture.

As I stand in this line that does not move, it strikes me that I am living in one of the most vibrant, energetic cities in the world and not taking advantage of it. There are not many places in the world where you can shop Bergdorf’s, Tom Ford, Gucci, Pucci, and Barneys (not that I shop at these places) by day; and then eat street-side halal food after a concert, show or sporting event or at 3:00 am. While Times Square is totally annoying, it has a primal pulse, a corner where the world comes together.

What about all the other things that this City has to offer? Ballet. Jazz. Mary Poppins. Lion King. Wicked. The list of theatre shows I want to see seems to multiple each year, except sadly, when I tally count the productions I have seen, it is a sad three shows.

I have not dined on Italian on Arthur Street. It has been months since I went to the temple or shopped at Patel Brothers in Queens. When was the last time I lounged in Williamsburg? I went to Coney Island once, but I didn't skip along the boardwalk or ride the ferris wheel.

I think I need to add dating Manhattan to my resolutions list. Who knows where life takes you. And if the day comes when I leave New York, I don’t want to have missed something amazing because I was busy doing something mundane.

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