Chicago, Millenium Park (1)

Chicago, Millenium Park (2)

Catching up here !

Sorry, I'm a bit behind... I'm actually writing from Chicago where I have a few days vacation. Let me break my own rules here : to do the catching up I will only give you the last main news up to now and I'll do a new start from Monday.
Here we go : I managed to get 4 gigs in senior centers !! I will be singing on my own, with a sound track in the Mid West Center (where they "forgot" I was going to do it), in the Bronx, and twice in Coney Island.
Then back in Montpellier 2 ladies contacted me because they were looking for accommodation for the next 5 month. M & S were staying in a hotel. I offered them to rent my own apartment for 3 weeks while I will help them - assisted by F. over there - to find the right place.

Coney Island

Coney Island

Coney Island

Friday August 21

I went over to Coney Island for the last time today to cover up for R. I walked back again to the station with L, the aerobics instructor. L. has been living in Brooklyn since ever. She thinks this area could be developed. There are plots of land available and there has been discussions on the opportunity to build new stores there.
Ball room dance lesson in the evening. D. is particularly insisting now on showing me how to lead a partner.

Thursday October

Today in Coney Island I lost again at Bingo but at least I started to figure out the different coins : dime, nickel, quarter... hum still quite confusing ! With Y. , one of my room mate and friend, we had planned to meet up at the weekly free New Museum evening 7:00-9:00. (see : http://www.newmuseum.org/about/)I had a dance lesson at 6:05 so we agreed on 7:25. As it happened there was some kind of misanderstanding with D. The lesson was in fact at 7:50.
The good thing about it was I had a chance to watch the dancers in the studio. It is not only a place for teaching but as well for professionals to rehersal. There is for example a couple who are on latin dancing and are at the 3d top level in U.S.A. Absolutely amazing.
Anyway I sent a 1st text message to Y. to tell her I'll be delayed and then eventually a voice message to say that I won't be able to make it. And I erased the address of the museum from my digital diary. After the class Y. had sent me a reply to my text message saying : "no problem, give me a call when you'll be there" So I looked into my A-Z map book and eventually arrived at 9:00 at the wrong address ! (Yes I know it's one of my specialities :) They had moved a few blocks east since the map came out !
Poor Y. visited the museum on her own. We went on the train back home together though.

Wednesday August 19

I had committed myself quite a while ago to help out on serving lunch at the center in Bronx. Afterwards they had a birthday party. In those centers they usually celebrate all the birthdays once a month. They hired a professional entertainer. He song and most of all made every participate one way or an other. It was an opportunity for me to practice the rumba, cha-cha, meringue... It was really fun and the seniors loved it.
Unfortunately I had to leave before the end as I had a voice lesson with J. in Brooklyn. And then for a change I went back home reasonably early.

Brighton Beach Station

Tuesday August 18th

On Tuesdays my dance teacher D. operates in Coney Island. There were only two seniors so D. led a discussion instead. We compared the different eating habits between Russia, the States and France. D. and I then walked back to the station and went on the train together. We had then the opportunity to chat at length. D. told me about the ballroom dance competition held every year in Blackpool, U.K. (see : http://www.dancesport.uk.com/). D. aims at being one day World Champion.
His main goal is to have is own Dance studio in Manhattan. His idea is to have the the students not only learning ballroom dancing but also to intercommunicate between themselves i.e. to share their own knowledge's.
D. has a girl-friend from Vietnam. She is a dance instructor too.

Coney Island, W 28th Street & Marmaid Ave

Monday August 17th

After the morning in Coney Island. A lady told me about how was this neighborhood 40 years ago. There was only houses and it was more middle class. Now there are only buildings with minimum 15 stories. But there is as well a secured private estate. Then I went to the podiatrist. I have calluses and warts so I have to go regularly. The beauty aspect is dealt with in manicurist's and pedicurist's. At the end of the afternoon I had dance lesson and in the evening I went back for the last time to J. Street to collect my belongings and to give the keys back. S-Y has apparently already found an other sub-let. Well something over with.

Maccabi Games (1)

Maccabi Games (2)

Maccabi Games (3)

Sunday August 16

Day off off. I stayed at home most of the day to sort out things, do some cleaning in the house, picked up my laundry and wrote in this blog !
In the evening I went to the Maccabi Games Inauguration in Madison Square Garden. It's a huge stadium next to Pen Station. I was invited by JASA. The Maccabi Games are the Olympics for Israël and the Jewish Diaspora. The athletes are 12-16 years old from U.S.A. , Canada, Venezuela and Israël. The first one was held in 1982.
At the door they couldn't find my name on their list but they nevertheless very kindly let me in for free. However I didn't know where the Jasa people were so I picked up a seat at random. There was some broadway singing, some choregraphy and of course some speach and the procession of athletes. They had a ceremony regarding the 1972 Munich Olympic tragedy. I left at 9 (it started at 7) after the oaths.

Saturday August 15

By the way : we didn't have any rain for at least 10 days. Temperature are in the 90's and it is mostly sunny. A bit humid but bearable - for me anyhow.
I had commited myself to go to open "Coney Island" from 1 'till 3 p.m. There was a neighborhood party and they needed to get access to the fridge. I met the boarding committee of the residence association and went for lunch in a Russian restaurant in Brighton Beach where I am by now a regular too. Needless to say it's on the walk board facing the Ocean so I'm happy. Back to the center I actually didn't have to let any people in. They didn't ask to. I believe they had very few customers for their hamburgers. Every body was either away or on the beach 2 minutes away on foot.
Today I had the voice lesson with S. in Long Island. I was there around 5:30. She was obviously disappointed for me too that the show didn't take place. Nevertheless she encouraged me to get an other gig as soon as possible and we looked at new songs to work on.

Friday August 14

Early start again to go to Coney Island. I'm so overwhelmed every time I see the Ocean, watching people jogging, strolling, having a good time... On Fridays the seniors have aerobic and art & crafts. They have lunch - sandwiches and salads - paid by Jasa on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. I didn't stay for the art & crafts and I walked back to the station with L., the fitness instructor. L. told me how she came into teaching. She used to be in business while always very keen on fitness. Her husband being the Manager of a Gym, he asked her one day to teach fitness to a small group. And eventually, gradually, she saw that it was "her calling" and became a full time fitness instructor.
Back to the City I went through the routine "café-dance lesson". I really like the way D. teaches. He's very patient and has a nice way to humor you. Beside his job D. takes ballet dancing lessons three times a week.
At home R. is recovering from his burns, B. is mourning his cat, J is J, O. is coming back tonight from a business trip, Y. just bought a new camera. It's a 1970's Japanese copy from the 1st submarine camera created by French people in the 40's ! So she's got the perfect excuse to go to the beach every day :)

Thursday August 13

R. the director from the Jasa Coney Island center is on vacation. There are in facts 3 different centers in Coney Island. The one I'm at is on W 35th Street. While R. is away I go there every morning - except Wednesdays - to open up. Staff from the 2 other centers are coming into shifts to take care of things. But I'm coordinating and making sure it's going smoothly. Today I stayed until closing time - 5 p.m. Thursday the seniors only have bingo. I didn't win not even a nickel. No dance lesson tonight so I went straight home for a change.

Wednesday August 12

Day "off". I had the Spanish-French exchange with L. in Bryant Park. I told him about my last "adventures" in Spanish. Tried to anyway. L. told me in French about his last cooking and his 1st visit to Coney Island with his wife last week end. We had lunch together at a nearby self. Then an other trip with a suitcase to J. Street. I had a light dinner in a café - a "café" is in fact a restaurant, a "coffee shop" is a tea room and a "dinner" is a restaurant but as well a "restaurant" is a restaurant - next to the dance studio. I'm a regular client there by now. I only noticed the 2d time I went that they include 10 % service charge on the check (bill). I previously paid religiously 15 % tips. No wonder I had a big welcome the 2d time round !

Tuesday August 11th

I went as planned to help out for lunch at the West side Center. As I came in the main room I noticed my show wasn't mentionned... Anyway I did the job as a waiter and afterwards I went to see a lady from the management to ask her what was going on. She just told me that the Director had probably forgotten about my performance... So I left quite frustrated and annoyed as you can imagine ! I went to J. Street to collect more stuff. That's actually quite funny. Because every time I had a dance lesson - and sure enough I had one in the evening on Tuesday as well - I came round with a bigger and bigger suitcase...
After the lesson - I had a bite beforehand - I went back home. There a small disaster happened : R. and Y. were seating outside on the steps leading to the back yard. I joined them with a hot mug of tea. I left the tea to cool off one step above R's back. All at a sudden he got up knocking over the boiling drink on his lower back ! He burnt himself 2d degree ! Since then R. got some advice and medecine to take care of that but still the poor guy is going through a bad time !
All in all a weird day.... :)

Monday 10th

I went as a volunteer waiter to serve lunch in the Jasa Manhattan West side center. Afterwards I stayed on to see a voice show by a Broadway singer. He was really good. What my performance is going to look like tomorrow in comparison ? I then had the last voice coaching before D Day. J recorded a sound track for me.

Before to go for the dance lesson I met up with L. who very kindly did some shopping for me : I have been so busy I needed some help there.

Sunday 9th : moving out from Jefferson Street

Eventually I got tired of the situation in Bushwick : not seeing a soul there. K. is away until mid-August and F. has been out of town too but I don't know when he's back. It was nice to start with to have the place for myself but I missed my friends from East Brooklyn. So I packed up a few things and moved back to the house in C. Street where they happen to have a room free.

Bronx : Van Courtland Park (1)

Bronx : Van Courtland Park (2)

Thursday August 6th : Bronx / Voice lesson

I went in a Jasa center in the Bronx to help out for lunch. But it was as well to listen to Y. , the pianist from Israël I had met up with in Brighton Beach. It is a very friendly place too. I had the opportunity to discuss with several members during the meal. Y's show was great. The idea was as well to get the public involved and he managed to do so quite smoothly.
From there I went for my 2d Voice coach-lesson. By now I have 3 songs almost up to a decent level for next Tuesday.

Tuesday August 4th : Coney Island / Voice coaching / Dance lesson / Dining out

I covered up for R. in Coney Island in the morning as she had to go to a meeting. I'm really starting to feel quite at home there now. R. clearly told me she was trusting me and she designed me to be in charge when she'll be on vocation next week.
I had then the 1st meeting with my voice coach. J. is in Brooklyn on the way to Brighton beach. She is a very talented young lady and is very strict and precise in her teaching. She records for me the lesson every time as a back up and she is going to record the sound track for my next performance too.
Then dance lesson again. D. insited this time more particularly on my body position which is very good for me as I had had bad habits for decades...

Monday August 3d : Chiropodist / Hairdresser / Dance lesson

I went back to the same chiropodist as last night but not to the same hairdresser. It's a long story. I chose the hairdresser by chance because of his name - Jean-Pierre (only the name is French) - and his location - mid-town. I think they did a good job and they are quite friendly too.
Second dance lesson and I'm starting to enjoy it. D. has a very nice approach in his teaching.

Central Park

New Haidresser

Carneggie Hall

Rainy Sunday and great encounters

Sunday was really an awful day weather wise. Not to step one toe outside ! Eventually I jumped on the subway to go to visit my friends in Crystal St. They had 2 visitors who were really interesting. M. is a Costume Designer for films, theater plays and all sort of performances. A. is a Polish English as a Foreign Language teacher for his fellow countrymen. So we had a lot to discuss and to learn from each other experiences of life. As it happens they live in my neighborhood and I hope to see them again soon.

The Lodger : Shakespeare on Silver Street by Charles Nicholl

Shakespeare lived in London full time for about 2 years in the early XVIIth Century. C. Nicholl did some research and investigation about it. This book is somehow quite dry but I'm glad I persisted until the end. It does tell us a lot on this period in London. For example we tend to forget how racist and prejudiced against foreigners this society was. And you had to attend a church no matter what !

The Lodger

Saturday : cleaning day and visit to Crystal St

While I was cleaning the apartment I heard some distressing news from B. , my friend from my former home in Brooklyn : his cat, B. , is really unwell. B & B went to the hospital this afternoon and there the vets couldn't see what was wrong with him.
I went to Crystal St to have a chat with B. , as usual we ended up talking about politics. I had dinner there and I saw O. , J. and R. Y. was out.