What do these three all have in common?
Give up?
These things have been my most recent goings-on, and I, of course, have to tell all of you about them. Let's start with Hat Dawgs. Yes, I really mean hot dogs, but when one of your good friends grows up in Philly, it suddenly becomes Hat Dawgs. My friend Julie and I have been running amok lately. (You should look up the meaning of the phrase "running amok" and its origin...you'd be surprised...I was...anyway...)
So where was I? Oh yes. Julie. Julie is Farron's girlfriend. Farron and I have known each other for 17 years, which is just weird in itself and makes me feel old. These two have taken me under their proverbial wings and given me the opportunity to experience far more than I ever would have on my own in this city. Remmber the trapeze class? Julie. Remember trivia night? Julie and Farron. Remember the fantasy football league? You got it. Julie and Farron again. One of these opportunities arose on Friday night when Julie wanted to go to Coney Island. Since this is one of her favorite places in NYC and I had only gone there once during the winter, she thought that it would be nice to head south while it is still semi-warm. Unfortunately, we got out there and everything was closed. However, we did not let the moment pass us by without having a Nathan's hot dog. If you aren't familiar, Nathan's is the famous venue of the annual world famous Hot Dog Eating Contest featuring the famous Japanese professional eater Kobayashi and the American running champ Joey Chestnut. I just used the word famous a lot. This experience was not without a homeless man approaching us and asking us if he could eat our food, and a bride taking her bridal pictures in Nathan's itself. Ah, New York.
We then thought we would head down to the boardwalk. On our way, we passed an Indian family chilling in a parking lot in their lawn chairs listening to Indian music out of speakers in their trunks. And then...and here is the good stuff...we got to the boardwalk itself. Here, we came upon a tent set up in the middle of the empty boardwalk/beach with lighting and music and people dancing. Fair enough. But the music was some strange concoction of 80's type electronica with beats in the background and strangest mix of people doing their own interpretation of dance. First, we had the middle aged bald guy in a tank top doing moves I didn't know older white men should be able to do (see video below..sorry for the poor quality...it's the best I could do and be inconspicuous). Then there was the couple who were both wearing skirts. She was Asian and he was African American with a fro. They were doing some weird animalistic interpretative dance that consisted of crouching, the girl being on all fours, and him doing some twirly jump thing (again see video although it maybe too dark to see and peopel kept getting in my way). This entire scene was worth the hour long trip down there in itself.
Since everything was closed, Julie and I decided to head back to her place in Brooklyn since my only experience in the burrough proper was a trip to Target that was...well...fairly uninspiring. However, I loved it! Her neighborhood is super cute, and the feel was completely different from my hood. The architecture of the buildings was very interesting, and the blocks were all lined with trees. Everything seemed a little more chill. Since her roommates were home, we headed up to her rooftop to have some wine, and it was weird to look at Manhattan from outside Manhattan since her rooftop has a perfect view from across the river. It's so easy to just get drawn into it and forget that New York City is much more vast than it seems. I would love to spend some more time there getting to see more of the neighborhood since we were only there at night.
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| From Julie's roof |
Speaking of Fantasy Football. I just have to toot my own little horn now and report that I was again the highest scoring team in the league this week, and I won the trophy for biggest blow out. The boys in the league have been reported to have said that the girl teams would be miserably unsuccessful. I should also mention that first place in the league is Julie and a close second is me. What do they gotta say now? Huh? Huh?!? This Fantasy thing is quickly becoming an obsession. One of the biggest mouths in the league is Justin. Justin miserably lost the first two weeks (one of those losses was against me), and he looked like he was winning this week only to get beat by one point at the last second. I really started to feel sorry for him. But not sorry enough to prevent me from posting this picture of him as Snuggie Jesus
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| He's a grump. He deserves it. |
Saturday I had a huge surprise! Julie and Farron invited me to the comedy club for an improv show. I, suspecting nothing, showed up expecting nothing. However, I turned the corner and standing there was one of my dearest and bestest (I know it's not a word...shut up) friends since high school, John! I was NOT expecting this since John normally resides in England and I see him, oh, every several years or so. I was so happy to see him, and I never get surprised, which made it even better. Turns out he is living in the States for the next year and has been staying with his parents in Cape Cod. He's currently thinking about getting a job here in the city and is staying with Farron while he does some job hunting...which is perfectly fine with me since that has meant that we have been getting to hang out. Although we make fun of him since he seems to have picked up a weird Californian (born in San Fran), Texan (he says y'all, y'all), British (been living in London), Irish (his girlfriend is from Northern Ireland) accent, it's a pleasure to have him around. Last time I saw him was when Lauren and I went to the UK our last year of med school (see the aforementioned travel blog).
By the way, I saw a dog wearing shoes the other day. I hear this is normal.
Say it with me now. Ah, New York.
So what does this have to do with moonwalking, you say? Naturally, Farron and Julie presented me with yet another great opportunity. Julie set up a girls' night with a hodge podge of her girlfriends that consisted of Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. I, being unversed in the origins of the Apollo Theater, had no idea what was in store.
So here's what Wikipedia says
"The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with African-American performers. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places,[2] and was the home of Showtime at the Apollo, a nationally syndicated television variety show consisting of new talent.
The Apollo grew to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance of the pre-World War II years. In 1934, it introduced its regular Amateur Night shows hosted by Ralph Cooper. Billing itself as a place "where stars are born and legends are made," the Apollo became famous for launching the careers of artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Jackson 5, Patti LaBelle, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ben E. King, Mariah Carey, The Isley Brothers, Lauryn Hill, and Sarah Vaughan. The Apollo also featured the performances of old-time vaudeville favorites like Tim Moore, Stepin Fetchit, Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham, Clinton "Dusty" Fletcher, John "Spider Bruce" Mason, and Johnny Lee, as well as younger comics like Godfrey Cambridge. One unique feature of the Apollo was "the executioner" a man with a broom who would sweep performers off the stage if the highly vocal and opinionated audiences began to call for their removal."
Amateur Night is a tradition that has carried on, and I got to experience it tonight. First half of the show is the kids' half and my favorite part. These kids range from 5 years old to 15 years old, and booing is not allowed during this stage. I guess once you turn 16 life just gets tough. Anyway, these kids were so cute and so amazing. There was a boys hip hop dance group, numerous vocalists, and my absolute favorite a five year old cutie who could dance like Michael Jackson. He started singing the Jackson Five's "ABC" with the tiniest little voice, and all the sudden it was on. He was moonwalking, he was sliding on his knees, he was grabbing his crotch (but in a cute little innocent way of course). I wanted to pick him, put him in my purse, and take him home, but I was told this is a felony. Darn.
The second half of the show gets brutal. If the audience likes someone, they cheer. If they don't, they boo. If the boos are loud enough, the executioner comes out and takes them off stage. If the reviews are mixed, they get to sing the rest of the song with half the audience booing them. Brutal. Only one girl got completely boo'd off, but she was trying to sing an old Broadway song. With a nasal voice. In Harlem. Uh, no. Everyone else was mediocre. The girl that won absolutely gave her song every ounce she had so I am glad she won. The experience itself was phenomenal. If you are ever here on a Wednesday night...go.
I am certainly looking forward to my next opportunities with Farron and Julie. On the list. A walking ghost tour. Yesss! And this weekend...Atlantic City! Woo! I've never been. Always wanted to. I get paid on Friday. Atlantic City here we come.
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