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RIP J.D. Salinger - William World News
Thursday, January 28, 2010
RIP J.D. Salinger
Bunch Of Phonies Mourn J.D. Salinger - The OnionLabels: Arts and Culture
posted by WFY @ 8:43 PM |
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Blog you should read: Rules for My Unborn Son - William World News
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Blog you should read: Rules for My Unborn Son
Up until yesterday's Q&A with We Love DC, I was unaware of 1,001 Rules for My Unborn Son. Written by D.C. resident Walker Lamond, the blog presents rules for a male to grow up and live by with a late 1950s/early 1960s white collar urban sensibility of masculinity and style. There is a lot to like and agree with in 1,001 Rules for My Unborn Son. The site features the rules as well as complementary quotations and photographs. The tagline is "Let's get some things straight before I get old and uncool." Rules can also be submitted via email and I have a few in mind. A book is also coming out today and it will be on my Christmas List this year. Lemond now has a son too.  Walker Lamond, 1,001 Rules for My Unborn Son, book, dcLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, The District
posted by WFY @ 10:00 AM |
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LOC Baseball Americana symposium to feature my former professor, Russell Frank - William World News
Friday, October 02, 2009
LOC Baseball Americana symposium to feature my former professor, Russell Frank
COMM Blog, the official blog of the College of Communications at Penn State (my alma mater), informed me that my former ethics professor Russell Frank will a panelist at Baseball Americana on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at teh Library of Congress Panel One: At Home
Even those of us who love a day out at the ballgame probably spend more of our baseball time in and around our homes, with our families, friends and neighbors. This panel explores the many ways we enjoy baseball at home, from watching it on TV, to following our favorite players and their all-important statistics, to playing baseball, softball and stickball in parks and city streets.
Moderator: David Taylor, American Folklife Center
Russell Frank, folklorist
Harry Katz, former head curator of LC Prints & Photographs
Claire Smith When I was an undergrad, Dr. Frank and I used to talk about baseball, we're both Yankees fans, quite a bit. I am hoping to get there tomorrow and see the panel. I will also note that Dr. Frank has a column again, (this week he talks about his "first" Yankees jersey) now on statecollege.com. I have been meaning to mention that lately. I almost emailed him about the Key Bridge jumper saga as well. Washington, DC, Library of Congress, Baseball Americana, Russell FrankLabels: Arts and Culture, PSU/Happy Valley, The District
posted by WFY @ 9:00 AM |
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The Awakening's new home is lacking - William World News
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Awakening's new home is lacking
 NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- I was not happy that "The Awakening" was moved from Hains Point, Washington D.C. to this new resort in Prince George's County. I don't blame the developer for buying of course, it was a shrewd move to catch the Park Service napping. I do fault the developer for the new placement though. The sculpture is placed in what can accurately be described as a sandbox. It looks like was just put there in the morning, whereas in the old Hains Point location, it had a sense of place even though it was merely covered by dirt and mulch. It felt like was coming out of the ground in dramatic fashion. Here, it just looks like it was put there without much consideration to its environment. PREVIOUSLY: [ flickr : The Awakening set/ slideshow] From 02.19.2008: The AwakeningFrom 02.14.2008: Awakening moving next week The Awakening, sculpture, J. Seward Johnson, Maryland, Prince George's County, National HarborLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Datelines, Maryland
posted by WFY @ 12:14 PM |
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Nationals Park statues - William World News
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Nationals Park statues
 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- I always though that statues of D.C. baseball legends was a must-have for the Nationals permanent home and I am pleased that they are now installed at the Centerfield entrance area. I was kind of skeptical of how they were going to turn out after I read Nats320's interviews with the sculptor. Now that I have seen them, that reaction was justified -- they are a big "meh." I like that they are there and I like that Walter Johnson, Josh Gibson and Frank Howard were selected as each represented a specific Washington team. However, I would like the statues just as much if they were "frozen in time" rather than having the motion effect. [ flickr : Photos tagged wtih nationalsparkstatues/ slideshow] Washington Nationals, Nats, Nationals Park, statuesLabels: Arts and Culture, Datelines, Nats/MLB 2009, The District, Washington Nationals
posted by WFY @ 10:15 AM |
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R.I.P. Olsson's - William World News
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
R.I.P. Olsson's
Olsson's bookstores officially closed for good today. I bought quite a few books at Olsson's over the years and enjoyed several booksignings there too. They will be missed. I really need to see if I have the Olsson's Kermit the Frog "Read" shirt. Overridden With Debt, Olsson's Ends Long Run - The PostOlsson's Books And the Tomes Of Our Lives - The PostPREVIOUSLY: Wither Olsson's Olsson's, bookstore, bankruptcy, dcLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, The District, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 6:45 AM |
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Carrie Fischer at Arena stage - William World News
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Carrie Fischer at Arena stage
Carrie Fisher has a one woman show coming up at Arena Stage (which is temporarily in Crystal City) at the end of the month. Called "Wishful Drinking", the show comes off as her sitting in a room with a drink in one hand and cigarette in the other telling her Hollywood war stories. So, it sounds like every DVD commentary or interview she's ever done, but in her "natural" element an without any censorship. I would be inclined to go, but with a pair of tickets costing around $125, I think I am going to have to pass. Carrie Fisher, Wishful Drinking, Arena Stage, Crystal City, VirginiaLabels: Arlington, Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Star Wars, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:59 AM |
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Wither Olsson's - William World News
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Wither Olsson's
Olsson's Braces For Chapter 11 Filing - The PostOlsson's the venerable local independent bookstore chain is on the verge of bankruptcy. "The book business is getting a little soft. It's not selling as much as it used to," Olsson said. "Our music sales went from 50 percent of our business to maybe 15. We lost a lot of revenue, and at the same time rents went up and real estate taxes went up. I don't know what we would have done differently. It's a killer." Olsson's used to have nine locations, but they are down to five. I went to a number of booksignings at Olsson's over the years, so seeing them in trouble is unfortunate. I hope they can get through it, but at this point I would be surprised. Olsson's, bookstore, bankruptcy, dcLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand
posted by WFY @ 10:00 AM |
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Photo exhibit at Canadian embassy - William World News
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Photo exhibit at Canadian embassy
Flashes of Memory - The PostI want to check out this photography exhibit at the Canadian Embassy. They were just moments in time, gone and forgotten, except that photographers from the Black Star Agency were there to catch them on film, and now they're on display in an exhibit of 330 photographs at the Canadian Embassy.
Founded in New York in 1935, Black Star was one of the great photography agencies of the golden age of photojournalism, supplying many of the classic black-and-white images seen by millions of people in Life, Look, the Saturday Evening Post and other magazines now long gone. Some anonymous philanthropist bought Black Star's collection of 291,049 photos and donated them to Canada's Ryerson University, which lent this tasty sampling to the embassy, where they will be displayed until Aug. 29. Sounds good, perhaps next month. Canadian Embassy, Black Star Agency, dc, photographyLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, International, Photography, The District
posted by WFY @ 6:17 AM |
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George Carlin dead - William World News
Monday, June 23, 2008
George Carlin dead
Last Wednesday, when the the Kennedy Center announced that it was awarding the Mark Twain Prize for Comedy to George Carlin ( The Post) and I thought he was an surprising choice. For one thing, I thought it would be odd celebrating the comedian of the "seven-dirty words" fame at the Kennedy Center and perhaps even weirder, Carlin going along with it. Doesn't the President and First Lady usually show up at that event? That would not have worked too well methinks. Carlin did have a good quip about though -- "Thank you Mr. Twain, have your people call my people." Carlin died yesterday of heart disease in Santa Monica. When he was on, Carlin was as good as it got, but since around 2000, he had not been that good, mostly repetitive and angry for the sake of being angry without being funny. His first book, Brain Droppings was great, but his last two have pretty much rehashed it. His contributions to comedy and satire are great, just not lately. Comedian George Carlin Dies in Los Angeles at 71 - The PostGeorge Carlin, 71, Irreverent Standup Comedian, Is Dead - The TimesGeorge Carlin, 71; comedian tested limits of speech and society - The LA TimesHumorist George Carlin Dies at 71 - NPR George CarlinLabels: Arts and Culture
posted by WFY @ 12:42 PM |
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Newseum opens today - William World News
Friday, April 11, 2008
Newseum opens today
The Newseum is now open. Admission is free today, but starting tomorrow, $20. The price seems steep, especially with the Smithsonian's free admission, but it is worth it I thought I would round up some articles about the museum, some pro, some con. I reviewed it last week after attending a preview. Cityguide : Newseum - The PostNews under glass - The Wash. TimesGet Me Rewrite: A New Monument to Press Freedom - The TimesMassive Newseum opens window on journalism - USA TodayNews museum to open in Washington - BBCTo Do: Skip Newseum Opening - SlateNewseum's an attic packed with storied stuff - The Boston Globe Newseum, museum, dc, Washington, mediaLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, History, Media, The District
posted by WFY @ 12:49 PM |
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The New Newseum - William World News
Friday, April 04, 2008
The New Newseum
 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Since I am a "special friend" of the Newseum, I was able to get free preview tickets to the new museum. Erica, Fritz, dl004d (another media stuides major -- I'm not alone!) and Grand Marnier came along as well. Back when the Newseum was in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Va., I went to original Newseum, which closed in late 2001/early 2002, several times over the years. In fact, when I worked in Rosslyn I parked in a garage at the old Newseum. The beginning starts of our visit was a little awkward.. Newseum guides recommended we start on the lower level, past the Berlin Wall and into the "holding center" to wait for the next showing of the 4D movie. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it sounds. Several panels of the wall and a death tower are on display. The wall is not much more than a giant Jersey barrier with graffiti on one side, the barbed wire is all missing. After moving on into the holding center, 4D glasses (stylish!) are given out and a video about "getting it right" is played. The 4D movie about the power of the media in America is quite good, both for the technology and the message. It is also unintentionally funny in the beginning. From there, we took the elevator to the sixth floor. They have an outdoor observation area that details the history of Pennsylvania Ave. and provides excellent views. The view of the Capitol building would be absolutely perfect, but for the fact there are maple leaf flags all over the adjacent building, an embassy, across the corner. It is a harsh reminder of Canadian domination on American life. The sixth floor also includes digital versions of today's newspapers. Moving down to the fifth floor we checked out the history gallery. Newspapers in clear display drawers are heavily featured as well as other artifacts from news gathering. This area is significantly bigger than the previous Newseum -- you could spend all day right there. One disappointment though - the FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD Daily News was not featured. How can you skip that if you are having a gallery of famous newspaper fronts? I skipped the books gallery - next time I'll check it out. I recall there being an exhibit about Edward R. Murrow on that floor as well. The fourth floor features a 9/11 exhibit with a TV antenna from the World Trade Center, a time line of events and newspaper front pages. Photography is prohibited, which was fine with me. Having felt my office building shake when the Pentagon was attacked, I don't need to have reminders of that day. Also on the fourth floor was an exhibit on the First Amendment, which was quite interesting. We were reminded that burping is not covered by the First Amendment. The third floor featured the Journalists Memorial and (if I recall correctly) the bombed out remains of Arizona Republic reporter Don Bolles Datsun. He was killed in the 1970s while investigating mafia. World news is also explored on this floor. I found the color-coded Press Freedom map of most interest. Since being "On TV" was not of any interest to me, the third floor was skipped. You can do a newscast there with assorted backdrops. It did not seem very well organized. The second floor is the Hall of News with a large screen featuring still photographs of major news events and a ticker that uses mixed-case letters instead of all capitals, which pleased dl004d. A satellite and news helicopter hang at this level. Interactivity is a big part of the Newseum experience. There are touchscreen monitors all over the place. There is a downside to this though, the touch screens provide many opportunities to see bad news like the Challenger explosion or several different assassinations. It gets to be a bit much. Despite spending over four hours in the Newseum, we really just skimmed it. It would probably take several days to see everything there. Also, we stopped by "The Food Section" a cafeteria with Wolfgang Puck food. The prices were high, but the quality was fairly good. On that level there is the first satellite news truck as well as a small exhibit on comics. Overall, all were quite pleased with the new Newseum. I am sure I will go back sometime, but at $20 admission, it will probably be a while. Even at that price though, the Newseum is a good value if you can devote a day to spending in it. [ flickr : Newseum sneak preview/ slideshow] Newseum, museum, dc, Washington, mediaLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Datelines, History, Media, Photography, The District
posted by WFY @ 12:27 PM |
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The Awakening's move - William World News
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The Awakening's move
A Head Start for National Harbor - The PostDistrict Treasure Goes to Pr. George's DevelopmentMore about the move of The Awakening moving to National Harbor with some details about that project. There is also a video: PREVIOUSLY: [ flickr : The Awakening set/ slideshow] From 02.19.2008: The AwakeningFrom 02.14.2008: Awakening moving next weekFrom 10.18.2007: Grounds for Sculpture The Awakening, sculpture, J. Seward Johnson, dc, Hains Point, East Potomac Park, National HarborLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Maryland, The District
posted by WFY @ 12:25 PM |
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The Awakening - William World News
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Awakening
 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On the final full day of its tenure at Hains Point, East Potomac Park, I visited The Awakening, a famous sculpture by J. Seward Johnson. After over 27 years in this location, the sculpture is being moved to the National Harbor development in Prince George's County, Md. Hains Point won't be the same without The Awakening. I visited or pedaled by it many times. It will be very odd, if not unsettling, to see that part of Hains Point empty the next time I bike through there. At least it isn't going far, though I wonder if we'll have to pay to park at National Harbor to see it when it is installed there. [ flickr : The Awakening set/ slideshow] PREVIOUSLY: Awakening moving next weekGrounds for Sculpture The Awakening, sculpture, J. Seward Johnson, dc, Hains Point, East Potomac Park, National HarborLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Datelines, Photography, The District
posted by WFY @ 9:29 PM |
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Awakening moving next week - William World News
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Awakening moving next week
D.C. Giant to Be Unearthed Next Week for New Digs - The PostAfter residing in East Potomac Park since 1980, "The Awakening" will be dug up and moved to National Harbor starting next Wednesday. The J. Seward Johnson sculpture was owned by the Sculpture Foundation and loaned to the National Park Service until it was sold last year to the developer building National Harbor in P.G. County. I'm really going to miss seeing "The Awakening" when I bicycle around Hains Point. I will have to stop by this weekend and get some final photographs of it. H/T: WTOPUPDATE 02.20.2007:The Awakening -- I stopped by Hains Point yesterday to take photographs before the move to National Harbor. [ flickr : The Awakening set/ slideshow] The Awakening, sculpture, East Potomac Park, Hains Point, D.C.Labels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Maryland, The District
posted by WFY @ 6:18 AM |
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Star Wars exhibit reaches Philly this weekend - William World News
Friday, February 08, 2008
Star Wars exhibit reaches Philly this weekend
 Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination, a traveling exhibit, is setting up shop in Franklin Institute in Philadelphia this weekend. Two years ago, during our Jaunary 2006 trip to Boston, we saw it at the Museum of Science. My brief review of the exhibit: ...has lots of models and costumes from the entire saga. The "science" of Star Wars galaxy is explained and compared with contemporary science from this galaxy. In some ways, we are not far off from things in the Star Wars universe, but sadly lightsaber technology remains elusive. Also, the Millennium Falcon is worth doing too. Sadly, we were not allowed to take any photos inside the Falcon. The Inky preview is critical of the "science" part of the exhibit which is a reasonable assessment, but not many people are there for the science anyway. Both Erica and I really enjoyed the exhibit, more so than the one the Smithsonian had in the late 1990s. Since Philly is less than three hours up I-95 from D.C. so you can make a day-trip out of the visit. If you want to make a weekend out of it gophila.com has a package. I recommend buying tickets in advance though to avoid the lines, particularly for the Falcon simulator which is a separate admission. The exhibit runs until May 2008. [ flickr : my photos tagged with starwars/ slideshow] Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination, Frankin Institute, PhiladelphiaLabels: Arts and Culture, Movies, Northeast Corridor, Pennsylvania, Photography, Star Wars, Travel
posted by WFY @ 6:00 AM |
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City Lights - William World News
Friday, December 21, 2007
City Lights
 SAN FRANCISCO -- For years had this desire to buy Marshall McLuhan's "The Medium is the Massage" off the shelf. I don't know why, but it strikes me as a more fun way to find it than ordering it. I was hoping I would be able to walk into City Lights and pull that off, but alas they didn't have one. They did have a McLuhan's "Understanding Media" which I picked up. I also picked up a copy of Howl by Allen Ginsberg and a themed bumper sticker. Oddly enough, I'm not a big fan of the Beats. Howl, which was first published by City Lights in 1955-56, is amazing poetry though. The City Lights staff was rather cheerful too. City Lights Bookstore, SF, San FranciscoLabels: Arts and Culture, Datelines, History, San Francisco
posted by WFY @ 12:08 PM |
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Golden Gate Park - William World News
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Golden Gate Park
 SAN FRANCISCO -- On the final day of the trip, we jumped on the MUNI and headed in the direction of Golden Gate Park which is actually several miles south of the Golden Gate. After a short walk through the park, we entered the Conservatory of Flowers which was he first of its kind when it opened in 1879. We enjoyed our time there, spending about an hour. Adult admission was $5 each. [ flickr : my photos tagged with conservatoryofflowers/ slideshow] We then headed in the direction of the Japanese Tea Garden. Along the way we saw this statue of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza (he's on Quixote's left) looking up at Miguel Cervantes.  I have two others as well. When we arrived at the Tea Garden, the sun had come out. We wandered around for about an hour taking many photographs of the garden. I'm partial to Japanese gardens and this one was quite beautiful. We also sat down and had tea which came to $8.67 for the two of us. Admission to the Tea Garden was $4 each. I learned from the Web site that the fortune cookie was invented by Makoto Hagiwara, one of the original landscape designers of the Tea Garden. [ flickr : my photos tagged with japaneseteagarden/ slideshow] We concluded our trip to the park following the Tea Garden. David picked us up and we headed out to Ocean Beach. [Check out all of my Golden Gate Park photos on flickr : my photos tagged with goldengatepark/ slideshow] Golden Gate Park, SF, SanFrancisco, California Labels: Arts and Culture, Datelines, Photography, San Francisco, Travel
posted by WFY @ 12:56 PM |
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Recent exhibits - William World News
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Recent exhibits
Over the last few weeks, Erica and I saw a couple of exhibits at D.C. museums. Edward Hopper - National Gallery of Art. Other than Nighthawks, I was familiar with Hopper's work. Three recurring themes come to mind when thinking back on the exhibition; "empty" New York, New England in sun and shadow and isolated people, particularly women in their bedrooms looking out the window. I enjoyed his paintings. Be advised that on weekends, the exhibit is quite crowded; expect to wait in line. We skipped the movie narrated by Steve Martin. The exhibit runs until January 21, 2008. Despite Jim Moran's efforts to charge admission to the Smithsonian, the exhibit is free. Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990-2005 -- Corcoran Gallery of ArtLeibovitz takes excellent portraits of famous people. Sometimes they even have their clothes on. I think I was most impressed by her Saravejo photographs though. There are also a few landscape photographs which segue into... Ansel Adams -- Corcoran Gallery of ArtAdams probably did more for the cause of National Parks than anyone since Theodore Roosevelt. His Yosemite photos are stunning in sharp, black and white. However, my favorite photo was of a New Mexican town as the moon climbed into the sky. The Adams exhibit runs until January 27, 2008. The Leibovitz exhibit goes until January 13, 2008. Admission for both exhibits is $14. We took advantage of the later closing time (9 p.m.) on Thursdays and avoided the crowds. Labels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Photography, The District
posted by WFY @ 12:38 PM |
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NSO Pops: The Music of John Williams - William World News
Friday, October 26, 2007
NSO Pops: The Music of John Williams
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A co-worker tipped me off that the National Symphony Orchestra Pops were doing a Williams show, so we snatched up a few of the last tickets for the first of three performances. Last evening, Erica and I got fancied up and headed to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for NSO Pops: The Music of John Williams. Like many people, Williams' work, especially Star Wars was the "gateway drug" to classical music. I have seen a few performances over the years that included Williams' pieces, but never a performance that was exclusively Williams. Conductor Erich Kunzel began the performance with a brief introduction followed by one of Williams' Olympic fanfares. After that, Kunzel shared with the audience the beginnings of the Williams-Steven Spielberg collaboration and playfully taunted a pair of late arrivals in the front row. I thought brass overpowered the strings a bit during the main Jaws theme, though. Moving on, Kunzel introduced the "Bicycle Chase" from E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial and the marvelous "Main Theme" from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The sound of the Tyrannosaurus Rex preceded the performance of the "Main Themes" from Jurassic Park which was followed by "Harry's Wondrous World" from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a pleasant enough piece, but not one of my favorites. Then, without introduction, the unmistakable first notes of "Main Theme" from Superman were played at I got chills. The Pops were really rolling now with all of the bombast of the brass that makes Superman one of the best Williams themes. I will confess I was slightly disappointed that the prelude was excluded though as it builds up wonderfully to the main march. I was pleased that the piece was performed without introduction, as it needs none. Kunzel slowed things down with the "Main Theme" from Schindler's List, a theme featuring a violin solo. The first half of the program ended with the upbeat "Raiders March" from Raiders of the Lost Ark. The second portion of the evening was dedicated strictly to Williams work with the Star Wars saga. Kunzel joked that George Lucas had gotten us all confused by starting off with the fourth episode, so he would start from the beginning. "Flag Parade" from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace began the second half, followed by Anakin's Theme and all of its dark foreshadowing. The highlight of the Episode I score followed with Duel of the Fates, accompanied by a choir of about a dozen people and two performers with light sabers in front of the stage. While the light saber duel was a little amusing and well done, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed with its inclusion. The duel was distracting and suggested that the music doesn't stand on its own; a notion that I disagree with strongly. "Across the Stars" from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones was next in the program, followed by the intense "Battle of the Heroes" from Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith. Again, performers with light sabers entered the front of the stage for a climatic duel. The piece was performed quite well, as were all the Star Wars pieces. On the whole, the Pops alignment was best suited to the Star Wars music. The Pops moved into the original trilogy with the "Princess Leia's Theme" from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Some unnecessary sound effects preceded "The Imperial March" from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back which was appropriately menacing. Performers costumed in storm trooper, tie-fighter and imperial officer uniforms marched to a review by Darth Vader, who naturally force-choked an officer near the end. By the way, I recommend that any Vader characterizations include a performer who is taller than six feet. The mood lightened with the Yoda's Theme and then "Parade of the Ewoks" from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Thankfully, no performers came out for either of these themes. The performance closed with the Star Wars theme, played awfully fast, almost Academy Awards telecast fast. For an encore Kunzel returned and offered that you couldn't do a Star Wars performance without a visit to the saloon, prompting the Cantina music. Though it was enjoyable, the Pops really didn't have the right instruments to really nail that jazzy tune. The costumed performers also came out and attempted to dance to the music. It looked exactly like you would expect it to. While I did have reservations about the costumed performers, I still thoroughly enjoyed the evening, as did Erica. The Pops sounded great and Kunzel picked strong selections for them to play. There may still be tickets to performances NSO Pops: The Music of John Williams tonight and tomorrow night which I cannot help but recommend. Labels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Datelines, Movies, Music, Star Wars, The District
posted by WFY @ 7:23 AM |
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Spamalot returning to D.C.: Don't bother - William World News
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Spamalot returning to D.C.: Don't bother
About a year and a half ago, my wife and I attended a performance of Spamalot, the Eric Idle musical based on the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, at the National Theatre. It returns to Washington in December, but take my advice and don't bother seeing it. I fairly had high expectations for Spamalot, I figured it would make me laugh until I hurt or bore me to sleep -- nothing in between. Neither of those things happened, it was decidedly in the middle. Instead of being atrocious or hysterical, it was merely amusing. The jokes and pacing were clearly written for an audience that was unaccustomed to Python, so the sheer absurdity is lost. For the uninitiated, the story has King Arthur recruiting knights to join his roundtable and go find the holy grail. Along the way there are incidents and accidents that result in singing and silliness. There are plenty of nods to Broadway, seemingly a requirement for any stage comedy, and a rousing performance of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" which was actually from the movie Life of Brian. Otherwise, the show is just mildly entertaining. Instead of dropping $40 or more a ticket, my recommendation is to go and rent Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the even better Life of Brian if you are looking for a Python fix. Spamalot, Monty Python, Eric IdleLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, The District
posted by WFY @ 12:04 PM |
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Grounds for Sculpture - William World News
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Grounds for Sculpture
 HAMILTON, N.J. -- Several years ago, an aunt told us about Grounds for Sculpture, a large sculpture garden on the site of the New Jersey State Fairgrounds near Trenton that J. Seward Johnson (who sculpted The Awakening) developed. We had hoped to go there last spring, but buying a house took precedence. Since we knew we would be in Jersey this month, we made plans to finally visit it. [ flickr set: Grounds for Sculpture] Both Erica and I were pleased with the experience. The grounds have over 200 sculptures representing several different media and styles. Of note are several of Johnson's Beyond the Frame series of sculptures interpreted from famous paintings, notably Manet's Luncheon on the Grass ( Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe). Other sculptures are less literal and more abstract. There are also peacocks walking around. I wish we had more time to spend there then we did as the visit could take most of the day, particularly if eating at either of the restaurants on the premises. We didn't do that this time, but we are inclined to go back another time. When we do, I'm also going to make sure that I have enough memory for my camera because I got very low. Getting to the Grounds is pretty easy and about three hours from Washington. Take I-95 north to I-295 north in Delaware. Follow I-295 north about 70 miles to exit 65B, Sloan Ave. Follow the signs for Grounds for Sculpture or better yet, follow the sculptures along the side of the roads, a nice touch. Admission is $10 for adults. Grounds For Sculpture, J. Seward Johnson, NJLabels: Arts and Culture, Datelines, New Jersey, Northeast Corridor, Photography, Travel
posted by WFY @ 12:50 PM |
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"Stand to the right" as poetry - William World News
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
"Stand to the right" as poetry
About two weeks ago, Garrison Keillor read a poem called "To the Man in a Loden Coat" by Deborah Garrison on The Writer's Almanac. I highly recommend that Metro riders read this verse about escalator etiquette. You can also listen to Keillor read it (after he goes over some birthdays). Is this the greatest urban poem ever? Well that is hard to say, but I think Deborah Garrison ought to be named the poet laureate of Metro. H/T Roads & Rails chat, washingtonpost.comLabels: Arts and Culture, Metro, Transportation
posted by WFY @ 6:12 AM |
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100% pure aderenaline --- Live on stage! - William World News
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
100% pure aderenaline --- Live on stage!
Can You Keanu? Point Break LIVE!, Unique Stage Take on Film, Comes to NYC - PlaybillA former co-worker of mine, since relocated to Arizona, might be the world's biggest Point Break fan. Every Thanksgiving, he has a marathon of the 1991 Keanu Reeves-Patrick Swayze epic. It was with great delight he pointed out to me that there is now a stage adaptation. What is unique about the stage take is that the role of Utah (played by Reeves in the film) is played by an audience member (selected at random each night) who is thrust upon the stage (guided by a PA — who also serves as stunt double) and given his/her lines on cue-cards. "Keanu Reeves roles demand a special kind of acting," explains director Hook, on the show's conceit. "Essentially, in every scene, you have to look like you've just been dropped into a room and you have no idea what's going on." How true. I hope it stops by Washington. Off Broadway, Point Break, Keanu Reeves, theater, Patrick SwayzeLabels: Arts and Culture, Movies
posted by WFY @ 5:27 AM |
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Review: <i>To Boldy Go...</i> at Wolf Trap - William World News
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Review: To Boldy Go... at Wolf Trap
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Scott Suchman/Courtesy of Wolf Trap |
VIENNA, Va. -- On Friday night I attended the National Symphony Orchestra performance To Bodly Go.. with special guest Leonard Nimoy at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Last week our very own Don Whiteside expressed reservations about the performance, wondering aloud if would be "powerpoint-as-entertainment" and "how do you narrate a piece of classical music?" Don might be pleased to know that it did not actually come off as he feared (and I did too) and was in line with a typical NSO Wolf Trap performance. Opening with "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (aka 2001 theme) the orchestra, led by associate conductor Emil De Cou spent the first portion of the program playing works from sci-fi and fantasy films. The affable De Cou, introduced most of the pieces before they were played, as he usually does at Wolf Trap. Music from the classic sci-fi films King Kong and Bride of Frankenstein ("Creation of the Female Monster"), bookended John Williams' "Superman" theme. The "Imperial March," another Williams' classic, from The Empire Strikes Back led into "Star Trek through the Years." The first part of the performance closed with James Horner's "Epilogue"from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, with Leonard Nimoy reciting "the most famous split infinitive ( BBC) in the English language" off-stage. Following intermission, De Cou introduced Nimoy who then assumed a position to the right of the orchestra. His Vulcan salute was greeted with yells of "live long and prosper" as if it were a Skynard concert. Following some amusing banter with De Cou, Nimoy introduced the first of Gustav Holst's planets, Mars: The Bringer of War. Behind the NSO, NASA images of the red planet flashed on the big screen as the orchestra played. This would continue throughout Holst's trip through solar system, save for Earth which Holst must have thought redundant and Pluto which had yet to be discovered. My party and I were seated on the lawn, several yards left of center, not too far from the edge. This allowed a good view of the screen above the orchestra (there was also a screen hanging of the center of the Filene Center), though it proved initially problematic to due to the proximity of speakers. I am not sure whether the levels were adjusted to improve the sound or if my ears become used to the what I was hearing because following the Superman theme, I no longer noticed any of the mild distortion. I felt that the works in the first part of the program were played a little fast, though not quite Academy Awards (R) broadcast-fast. Perhaps an earlier start time would have allowed the performance to be a little less rushed. Following intermission, the pace of the orchestra seemed more leisurely and natural. Nimoy's narration provided insights on the mythology of the planet names and taught us all that in addition to being half human and half vulcan, "Spock was a Uranian." Also, Don's earlier concerns (which I shared) about the narration over the music were unfounded as the spotlight on Nimoy dimmed for the performances. Nimoy was not the only special guest Friday night. Astronaut Carl Walz, a veteran of nearly 200 days in space, including a long stay on the International Space Station, made an appearance which included brief remarks of encouragement to those who dreamed following him into space. Walz, clad in a bright blue NASA jump suit, was well-received. The atmosphere on the Filene Center lawn was fairly typical of Wolf Trap, though the crowd may have skewed younger than normal . Anyone expecting to see Klingons, Starfleet officers and Imperial Stormtroopers in the crowd may have been disapointed as no one came in "character." In all likelihood, it would have been the only disappointment though, as it was a perfect, surprisingly low humidity night filled with an enjoyable performance, conducted by someone with great reverence for the both the music and the sci-fi/fantasy genres and space exploration. Labels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Datelines, Music, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 6:29 AM |
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No One Mourns the Wicked - William World News
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
No One Mourns the Wicked
NEW YORK -- On Saturday, Erica and I saw a matinée of Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre on W. 51st St. I had seen The Producers on Broadway in April 2001, but this was Erica's first show on the Great White Way (or one of its side streets). I gave her the tickets this past Christmas; these were the earliest I could get. The Gershwin appears to be relatively new as theaters go, so what it lacks in grandeur it makes up for in functionality. We had seats in the upper reaches of the theatre and they were fine. The set is several stories tall and includes an enormous mechanical dragon, which is quite impressive. The sides are exposed ironwork and gears symbolizing the dragon clock that plays a part in the show. The plot -- an alternative view of The Wiz is a clever premise, but I think it could have worked better. The protagonist, Elphaba (EDEN ESPINOSA), a She-Hulk, is sent to Hogwarts to look after her crippled sister, Nessarose (JENNA LEIGH GREEN). Not surprisingly, being at the school proves that it is not easy being green. Through some miscommunication, she winds up rooming with the vapid blonde princess, Glinda (KATE REINDERS), who gives her a makeover and they become friends. Elphaba is also apprenticed to the headmistress (CAROL KANE’S UNDERSTUDY, I THINK) in sorcery. Then their favorite teacher, Goat-Boy (SEAN MCCOURT) gets fired a and after a scared Lion cub is brought to class in a cage, Elphaba starts a PETA chapter. Elphaba and Glinda then take a roadtrip to Emerald City where Elphaba feels at home because nobody is staring, they meet the all powerful Oz (THE GUY TED MCGINLEY REPLACED ON MARRIED WITH CHILDREN). Coincidentally, the headmistress from school is his press secretary. Elphaba is given a book of spells that Oz can't read (he is illiterate), but turns against him when he announces that it is her job to eliminate the talking Animals, like Prof. Goatboy. She flees to her parents' house, where she buys Nessa's loyalty by creating a spell to make her walk. Nessa also casts a spell to turn her boyfriend into C-3PO after he announces he doesn't love her. Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts, Glinda mutates into Eva Peron and sends "deeply shallow" boyfriend Fiyero, (played by Penn State WR DERRICK WILLIAMS) after Elphaba. Fiyero nearly captures Elphaba, but instead captures her heart. Then he gets lynched because interracial dating is taboo. Oz then has Nessa killed, which enrages Elphaba and makes her turn to the dark side of the force and become Darth Elphaba. After a little girl from Kansas shows up and steals Nessa's magic shoes, Elphaba tracks her down, but it defeated when a bucket of water is poured on her. Only she isn't! Using a mysterious green crystal, she regenerates herself and leaves for the fortress of solitude with Fiyero, who is now a brainless scarecrow. Okay, the real review: Overall, the play underwhelms -- the idea is fantastic, but the execution should be stronger. The first act has lots of exposition which borders on tedious at times. It does pick up as intermission approaches, and the second act is pretty strong. At times, the dialogue is a little forced by trying to be too cute, especially in Act 1. The biggest disappointment is the music. It sounds like watered-down Andrew Lloyd Weber/eighties music and the lyrics are nothing really special. The only song I can remember is "No one Mourns the Wicked," which was used in the beginning and the end of the show. The plot ties together pretty nicely, though, and concludes in a satisfying and enjoying way. I'll give it 2.5 stars out of four because it did not live up to the hype. The crowd reaction disagreed with me though, it was roaring. I guess it makes sense though, when half the shows are about 70s albums ( Mama Mia, Jersey Boys, Movin' Out) I can see how this would appear to be a miracle. Hopefully, Spamalot, which we are seeing this weekend, will live up to the hype. Labels: Arts and Culture, Datelines, New York, Northeast Corridor
posted by WFY @ 4:29 PM |
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Muppets in D.C. - William World News
Friday, May 19, 2006
Muppets in D.C.
Metroblogging DC readers have already found out the good news -- there is a Muppet exhibit at the National Museum of American History! It starts today and ends on Sept. 4. Bork bork bork!
Also, I moved the Metroblogging DC widget to the right navigation, underneath my photo. Labels: Arts and Culture, Muppets, The District
posted by WFY @ 12:29 PM |
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Damn Yankees at Arena Stage - William World News
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Damn Yankees at Arena Stage
 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- New Year's Eve (after another excellent dinner at Les Halles) Erica and I went to Arena Stage to see Damn Yankees. We had debated whether to attend given the current ongoing depressing news about the Nats, but ultimately decided to go for it. We are so glad we did. This was a my first visit to Arena Stage and their theater in the round square. The venue is not terribly big, so it has a really intimate feeling; like community theater, only nicer. By chance, we sat in the front row, which I recommend to anyone at this venue, particularly for this play. The plot of the show is pretty simple, a middle-aged Senators fan, Joe Boyd (Lawrence Redmond) spends all of baseball season ignoring his wife Meg (Kay Walbye), which she laments in "Six Months Out of Every Year," a song that made Erica laugh. Boyd, who played ball in high school is propisitioned by a one, Mr. Applegate (a fantastic Brad Oscar of "The Producers") to become the greatest ballplayer of all time, Joe Hardy (Matt Bogart). Hardy tries out for the Senators and soon he is the sensation of the league and the team is challenging the Yankees for the pennant. Hardy however longs to be back at home in Chevy Chase, realizing that he misses his suburban life. Along the way, Applegate becomes frusturated and sends in Lola (Meg Gillentine) to seduce Hardy. A reporter (Cindy Marchionda) finds out Hardy has no past, a commission investigates and exonerates him after Mrs. Boyd and friends testify that they know him. As said before, Oscar, a D.C. native relishes his role. He understands that if you get to play the devil, you get to have a lot fun with it. Bogart works in the Hardy role - strong, good natured, and kind of dumb; and Gillentine sizzles as the sexy Lola. Rwrooor! The motley crew of ballplayers looks and sounds just like you would imagine a hapless team in the 1950s would. After seeing Damn Yankees, I could only conclude that anyone who is against baseball in D.C. is just downright un-American. On the way out, another patron, in a red Nats cap, mentioned they ought to play "Heart" during the seventh inning stretch. Hmmm, I think I mentioned that in 2004 on the blog... Labels: Arts and Culture, Datelines, Nats/MLB 2006, Yankees
posted by WFY @ 3:55 PM |
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- William World News
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
PRAISE FOR MY HOMETOWNVienna Is Rated a Great Place to Stop -- Permanently - The PostVienna, Va., my hometown for 22 of my 28 years was ranked #4 in Money magazine's annual best places to live. Theoretically, this is great news for my parents as it should help raise the value of their home. I find it hard to believe that Vienna could be the fourth best town in the U.S., but then again, I don't read Money so I am not viewing it through the same lens. It is a pretty good place to raise a family though and compared with the rest of Fairfax County it is incredibly quaint. My last semester at Penn State, I did a term paper on the local weekly, The Vienna Times (which seems to be the only Times Community Newspaper without a Web presence) and interviewed the editor. She believed that it was "the best located smalltown in the country." There is something to that statement. How many other small towns are located next to a high concentration of jobs as Tysons Corner? One friend of mine, now currently in law school out in Frisco, is baffled by the results. I am not perplexed, but I have to think if it were a suburb of Chicago or New York, it would not place this high on the list. Vienna is exceptional because it does not have the soulless "just built" (as Money put it) aesthetic that most of Fairfax County has. I have to wonder why Falls Church did not make the list though. It has great schools, more charm, is closer to D.C. and has a downtown that is almost walkable. While I feel spending 22 years in Vienna was long enough for me, there are certainly some excellent reasons for families to live in Vienna. Great youth sports - I played football and basketball through Vienna Youth Inc., which was always well run. I also played two years of Vienna Little League.
W&OD Bike Trail - While not unique to Vienna, it runs right through the center of town and adds tremendously to the quality of life. My brother and I spent countless hours with our friends along this path. Despite all the hills, we biked all over town in fact.
The Vienna Inn - Sure, it is not what it once was, but it is still a "real" local restuarant.
Central location - When my folks moved there in '79, people gasped when they heard how far out they moved. Now, Vienna is just about centrally located in Nortern Virginia. Also, it is right next to Tysons Corner and the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of jobs in Tysons Corner. To put it in perspective, there are more jobs in Tysons than Denver, Colo. It is also only 15 miles from D.C. and on the Orange Line of I-66. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts has a Vienna mailing address too.
All in all, a pretty good place, but you'll forgive me if I put down roots somewhere else when it comes time to buy a home -- I have done the Vienna thing. Hopefully, I can avoid living west of the Fairfax County Parkway...
Town of Vienna Web site
Vienna Inn
Labels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:00 PM |
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- William World News
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
WOLF TRAP SCHEDULE RELEASEDHellos, good-byes in Wolf Trap season - The Wash. TimesThe 2005 summer season at Wolf Trap has been announced. No "Tcheers for Tchaikovsky" this year, but it looks like they will get the 1812 Overture in on July 7. Prairie Home Companion opens the season on May 27. Alice Cooper, Brian Wilson, and Clay Aiken (who cares?) make their Vienna debuts too. Tickets go on sale on April 2. More from The Post: Wolf Trap Schedules a Star-Studded SummerLabels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Music, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:30 AM |
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- William World News
Sunday, July 25, 2004
SPECIAL SUNDAY EDITIONThere is just too much news to wait until Monday.
LOUDOUN EXPOS'ED?N.Va. Ballpark Backers Don't Own Most of Site - The Post
Score one for D.C. baseball. Since the NoVa ownership group does not own much of the land, they may not build the Diamond Lake town center development, meaning that that location would continue to be the middle of nowhere.
George Solomon - For Selig, History Should Be an Indication - The Post
Sunday has come to mean it is time for George Solomon to lobby for D.C. baseball. He points to history as something that gives D.C. an edge.
Group seeking to revive Grays' name - Post-Gazette
Another in-depth article on the effort to name a new D.C. baseball team after the Homestead Grays, who played many of their games in Griffith Stadium. They also played in Pittsburgh, which is why the P-G is covering it. There really is a compelling case to be made for this happening. I still favor naming the team Seantors, should it move to D.C., but I would be on board with Grays too. For one thing, the Grays were good, the Senators were awful. Visit the Web site: rememberthegrays.org.
Jim Salisbury - Expos will be moving into the D.C. area - The InqyFor weeks, people in the know have said that it's a fait accompli. But the commissioner's office isn't ready to announce it because there are still details to work out. The suspense is just getting terrible, isn't it?
John Markon - Cable concern has slowed shift of Expos - Times-Dispatch
Yet another theory (from Richmond) on why baseball has not made a decision to put the team in the most logical place, D.C.
EPISODE IIIPrepare to make jump to HYPE-er space! A few people have pointed out that the Star Wars Episode III title was announced yesterday. It is going to be called REVENGE OF THE SITH. It works for me, after three prequels, they finally got the title right! Thanks to Christopher and Fritz for the e-mails.
YANKS VS. SAWKSFighting Gives Way to Red Sox' Dramatic Knockout Blow in 9th Inning - The Times
Well, this might be what gives the Red Sox some life. I knew being up by 9 games in July was too good to be true for the Yankees. A brawl like the one yesterday came bring a team together. However, if history holds true, Boston will get close and still lose out, making it all the more painful for their fans. I'm rooting for history. They play tonight on ESPN.
THE PRODUCERSLast night, Erica and I saw The Producers at the Kennedy Center. It was a riot! I had seen the original cast on Broadway, the second weekend it was open -- a million thanks to Tom Harrison for that one. Anyhow, we had a wonderful time, it is such a funny show. We were in the upper balcony, so that may have been why the music (which is fabulous) droned out some of the lyrics. That was a little disappointing. The cast, with the exception of Alan Ruck who made the part of Leo Bloom his own, did not meet the high standards of the Broadway or film productions. Lewis J. Stadlen's speaking voice reminded me too much of Gilbert Gottfried, which was odd because he could sing quite well. Still, the play is so strong, that one can overlook those few issues and just laugh and laugh. If you can, go see it while it is still in town, it is the best show you will ever see. After the show, we sat outside and ate at one of our favorite restaurants, Les Halles. Labels: Arts and Culture, Movies, Nats/Expos 2004, Star Wars
posted by WFY @ 8:20 AM |
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- William World News
Monday, July 19, 2004
D.C. BASEBALL & SUBURBAN MARYLANDBaseball Struggle Draws in Suburbs - AP via WTOP
Another article about the Montgomery and P.G. counties and the Expos relocation. These two areas would basically be ignored if the team is relocated to Loudoun County, instead of D.C. Will MLB blow off all of those people to appease Peter Angelo$?
SPRINGTIME FOR CAMERONAlan Ruck - The Wash. Times
Actor Alan Ruck, who is probably best known as Cameron Frye in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is profiled. He is in town for The Producers, playing the part of Leo Bloom, which originally was played on stage by Ferris co-star Matthew Broderick. Too funny. It is going to be really intersting to compare him to Broderick; we have tickets for next Saturday. Labels: Arts and Culture, Nats/Expos 2004
posted by WFY @ 5:44 AM |
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- William World News
Saturday, July 10, 2004
TCHEERS FOR TCHAIKOVSKY!This evening, Erica and I are headed to Wolf Trap just outside of my hometown of Vienna, Va. for a National Symphony Orchestra performance. It will be our second trip this season to America's National Park for the Performing Arts, having seen A Prairie Home Companion there in May. Three years ago, I went to see this performance and enjoyed it immensely. And yes, they close with 1812 overture with live cannons.
EXPOS NEWSBaseball Officials Visit Area - The Post
MLB had some folks visiting both ownership groups yesterday and there were "no comments" all around, except for MLB saying that none of the six groups in contention have been eliminated.
Thom Loverro - Angelos remains a hurdle for D.C. - The Wash. Times
For all the speculation that the Expos are coming to BeltwayLand, Thom Loverro thinks that one man, Baltimore owner Peter Angelo$ holds most if not all of the cards. He is probably right. This is why I do not even go to see my beloved Yankees play in Baltimore anymore, because I do not want to give Angelo$ a single cent!
Is O'Malley right to back baseball in D.C.? - The Sun
From today's Op-Ed page are letters to the editor about Mayor Martin O'Malley's recent comments supporting the Expos moving to D.C., comments that made him the Network Yurasko Baltimorean of the Year. It is very refreshing to see that out of seven letters that The Sun published today, six were not opposed to Washington having a team. The only opposition letter came from an attorney who represented the Baltimore franchise.
Steroid Scandal Fades as MLB All-Star Break Nears - NPR audio
Every week Wall Street Journal sportswriter Stefan Fatsis (is it just me or does that sound a lot like sounds a lot like Stepin Fetchit?) appears on All Things Considered to talk about sports. Beginning at 3 minutes 15 seconds into the interview he tells Michele Norris (who is hoping for a D.C. team, good for her!) that in a recent conversation with Angelo$, the Baltimore owner told him that he would not sue to block the 'Spos moving here or demand financial considerations. I cannot take Angelo$ at his word on this and I suspect that MLB owners cannot either, but they ought to anyway , move to the team to D.C. and make him live up to those words.
As a matter of policy, the team that plays baseball in Camden Yards will only be referred to as "Baltimore" and not by their nickname. It seems that the owner of that team no longer uses their city as to reference his team. I think that is a shame and disrespectful to the good people of that city that have loyally supported their team.
Peter Gammons - Minaya deserves legitimate shot - ESPN.com
In an interesting column about Expos GM Omar Minaya Gammons again assumes that the 'Spos are headed to D.C., going as far to say the District of Columbia in one paragraph. I sure hope he is correct. Thanks again to that alert reader in Fairfax who sent this in.
PENN $TATE TUTITION UPPSU tuition will rise - CDT
Starting in the fall, a full year of tuition at Penn State will cost over $10,000 for in-state residents. Wow. That is amazing and depressing. This will probably accelerate brain-drain too, since even more grads with student loans will have to look outside of Pennsylvania to get jobs that will pay enough to cover their student loans. Now, granted, I am not personally mad about the brain drain, since I am not a Pennsylvanian and I have personally benefited from that brain drain with friends and all, but it is probably bad for PSU in the long run. The Patriot-News has more.
MEANWHILE, IN PHILLYFull speed ahead on tram, DRPA says - The Inqy
I generally do not do Philly stories (unless it is about how their teams always choke in big games CDT), but I found an interesting story the other day, so I am running it. It looks like the Delaware River Port Authority wants to put a tram across the Delaware from Philly to Camden. Not taking into account the political and economic issues, this seems really cool. Labels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Datelines, Music, Nats/Expos 2004, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 8:11 AM |
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- William World News
Sunday, May 30, 2004
I know I said I would not be updating this site on Sundays, but I have elected to do so this week and not update it tomorrow. PRAIRIE HOME COMPANIONOn Saturday evening, Erica, my folks, and I to a ride up Trap Road to Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts in my hometown of Vienna, Virginia (or at least the outskirts of it) for the live broadcast of this week's A Prairie Home Companion. Originally, my brother was supposed to come along, but elected to hit the open road, or open Rhode Island, as it were; but that is a story for another time. The show was quite enjoyable, very topical, covering baseball in Northern Virginia (a cool reception from the Wolf Trap crowd, I might add), Memorial Day/WWII Memorial, and even a mention or two of the cicadas. Highlights included jazz singer Inga Swearingen singing "Summertime," the U.S. Army Brass Band playing "Flight of the Bumble Bee" on trombone, and Bob Edwards appearing on stage twice. All in all, a delightful evening, even if we arrived to late for the front lawn seats.
If you want to listen to the show, it is on WETA-FM at 6 p.m. every Saturday night (live!) as well as 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. Once they get the page for this performance built, I will link to it.
Odd Man In - The Times Magazine
A great article. From the MAGAZINE. On Christopher. WALKEN. That YOU. Really ought. To read. OKAY?
Tony Kornheiser - 'They Want You to Do a TV Show? C'mon, How Hard Is That? Look at All the Junk That's on TV.' - The Post
Now this must be what Sam was waiting for -- Mr. Tony writing about the new sitcom based on his columns. I give the show 12 weeks.
D.C. Proposal Would Secure Ballpark Site - The Post
This would be a very convenient site, much more so than next to RFK. Just think, there are 4 Metro lines right there. Now, of course there is opposition, but hopefully that can all be worked out. I like this idea.
George Solomon - Driving Home the Point - The Post
Columnist George Solomon makes the case for the Expos coming here after his 90 minute drive to Camden Yards this week. He even has a little chat with Peter Angelos.
Russell Frank - Tenure burgeons into professor's worst nightmare - CDT
One of my former (not old) profs, Dr. Frank, just got tenure, perhaps a "tragedy of a dream come true." Nevertheless, congratulations go out to him on his accomplishment and best of luck in the future.
Jock Lauterer - Of owls, a snowy rescue and homecoming - Chapel Hill News
Since we are talking about former profs, we might as well include Jock Lauterer, who returned to his alma mater of the University of North Carolina and is now the director of the Community Media department in their Mass Comm school. He writes for a monthly column for the Chapel Hill News where he was allegedly a "printer's devil" during his youth. Labels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Nats/Expos 2004, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 7:30 AM |
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William F. & William R. Yurasko
December 20, 2009
Alexandria, Va.
Photo by Erica Yurasko
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Christopher :
Friday, January 29, 2010 3:31:00 PM