My time of day...

I’m not sure if I should be letting myself write these blogs when I’m so incredibly tired.  Anyway, if I tell you about Monday you’ll understand why and maybe you’ll forgive me if my writing is imperfect!  Enough self-deprecation, that’s not what you’re here for.

Josh, Justin, and I went on an exploratory journey to Williamsburg.  I. Love. Williamsburg.  This is my favourite place so far.  It has a real village to it.  Walking down Bedford Avenue, we stopped for breakfast at Café Verb (I liked the grammatical theme of the place).  I had an enormous latte, that I was unable to drink and another “everything” bagel.  Now, upon closer inspection, I think I’ve worked out that an “everything” bagel is seasoned with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and little crisps of garlic.  In any case, it was delicious and absolutely smothered in cream cheese.  The best.

I looked at some “sumptuous” (according to the sign) lingerie and we quickly covered Bedford Avenue before turning left towards the river.  We stumbled into a park, nothing special, but with something resembling the world’s tiniest beach and an awesome view of Manhattan.  As we all turned our backs to the city to have our photo taken, we noticed some playground equipment.  Of course we ventured over to play.  There in the middle of an industrial area was a tiny garden with flowers and bridges and sprung balance platforms and a wooden train.  We played for a while and when we were starting to get sweaty, we decided to move on.

Heading back to Bedford Avenue, I stopped to look in a few boutiques.  I tried on the most incredible gold tunic top, on sale, but unfortunately too large.  I dragged the boys into a shoe shop, The Shoe Market where I found myself a pair of brown leather brogues.  Photos to come, promise!  They are great.

Lust for shoes sated, we sated a more traditional hunger… Hunger for food… With giant pizza.  Quintessential New York, right?  I had a slice with tomato, mozzarella, and basil.  It was almost too heavy to lift.  Josh finished it for me, but I can cross that off my list of things to do.  Eat pizza in New York. Check.

We stopped at an amazing cheese shop and trawled through some vintage clothes before heading home (via the Williamsburg bridge) in an afternoon thunderstorm.

I needed a bit of a break before heading out again in the evening.  This was one event I was really looking forward to.  And be warned, because it the coming paragraphs I may completely out-geek myself in a musical theatre fan kind of way.

Josh and I, again, made our way to Times Square and walked to The West Bank Café and The Laurie Beechman Theatre (which is inside the café) to see The Joe Iconis Rock and Roll Jamboree. This was on of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.  The music was incredible and the performances were so far beyond amazing.  There was more joy on that stage than I have ever seen before.  The crowded room was full of tables and kazoos and energy.  You could tell this was an audience that really wanted to be there.

Do yourself a favour, get on YouTube and find Katrina Rose Dideriksen, you won’t be disappointed.  What an amazing talent.  And Krysta Rodriguez (who I mentioned in my previous post) and Joseph Tam (who made me cry in my living room in Every Little Step… Paul’s monologue from A Chorus Line, so freaking good) and, of course, Joe Iconis himself… I mean, this thing was seriously hot.  Anthony Rapp was the special guest; he was pretty much sitting next to me and his song was so great.

I struggle to be articulate when describing this event, because I was so impressed and, honestly? A little star-struck.

After the show we had some drinks, carried on to another bar, and before we knew it, it was 3am and we were walking through a deserted Times Square.  And that is an experience worth having.  What must surely be the busiest place in the world, empty, bar the odd stop-out and street cleaner.  I felt like Sky Marsterson singing My Time of Day in Guys and Dolls.

Getting home was a lengthy process, as there were part closures on our line, but we made it and after a shower I fell into bed at about 5am… Explaining my current fatigue.

But... I wouldn’t swap yesterday for a week’s worth of energy!

Love, of course… Jules xx