Friday, November 30

JUST BEING in NEW YORK CITY

Multiple trips to any location has its benefits. It gives you the chance to enjoy your travel at leisure, freedom from the demands of a schedule. When you are at leisure, something wonderful begins to happen. You begin to find yourself JUST BEING. What does it mean to just be? I realize to some of you this concept may sound silly, after all, just being is a bit like a car idling, it is there, a sort of foundation of existence. You may say, 'so what?'.....and  I'd say, 'just being is a lot more interesting and satisfying than it sounds.' Don't knock it until you've tried it!

'Being' is enjoying the moment, being IN the moment and not being distracted by schedules and appointments. Being is the awareness of things that are happening right now, around you.  Being is relaxing and balanced. BEING is my favorite form of travel. Numerous trips to the same location or major city gives you the advantage for a more relaxing visit. You have already been the tourist on prior visits, now there are no hard and fast schedule, no appointments to keep, no big rush to get to the top of the Empire State Building.....you can just come and go as you please....you can just be.

NYC is one such place for Mr.P and me. We have a favorite neighborhood, favorite restaurant {we actually have our own favorite restaurants - seperate from each other, and bizarre as it may seem they are right next door to each other!}, favorite walk and favorite time of day. We enjoy becoming a part of the city as we are no longer tourists. On my quest to find new experiences for NYC, I came across Steve Cohen's name. Ever heard of him? Not me, well not until just the other day. I ran across his name on 'A Cup Of Jo'. Steve was a suggestion for one of JoAnna's NYC date nights. Steve is a magician who performs five times a week in a private suite at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Did your brain just come to a screeching halt? Well mine did when I began reading her post. I am SO not a fan of magicians or magic shows. They absolutely hold no appeal for me at all.......but I WOULD however go see Mr. Cohen's show. Check it out, this is Jo'Anna's post from a couple of weeks ago. ENJOY!

NYC Date Idea: Magic show

So. Alex and I are usually pretty skeptical, but last weekend our minds were blown...

Along with two friends, we went to see Steve Cohen, a magician who performs five times a week in a private suite at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. The dress code is cocktail attire, so Alex wore a suit, and I wore my striped dress. You take the elevator thirty-something floors and enter a luxurious hotel room with just a few rows of chairs. Suddenly, Mr. Cohen enters with a cheeky smile, and the show begins...

His incredible performance comprises mind-reading and sleight-of-hand card tricks, and his charming antics and quick wit makes him seem like a Yonkers-born Willy Wonka. (At one point, he even began giggling and jumping in the air.) Mr. Cohen prefers subtle mind tricks over pulling rabbits out of hats. "I don't do big, flashy magic,” he told The New York Times. "My magic is more of a thinking man’s magic."

We were totally enthralled. People were gasping after each trick. Normally, I can figure out most magic tricks, but these were watertight...or maybe just actual magic?

Perhaps the biggest jaw dropper was "Think-a-Drink." Mr. Cohen asked everyone in the audience to write down their favorite drink on a piece of paper. "Be specific!" he encouraged. "Don't just write, 'beer,' write exactly what kind of beer."

Alex wrote "Dry Tanqueray martini up with olives," and I nerded out with a Shirley Temple. Then we all passed in our papers, one audience member shuffled them up, and another audience member randomly chose five.

Then Mr. Cohen stood in front of the room with a teapot. Slowly, the audience member named the five chosen drinks—grapefruit juice, iced coffee, a 2002 Syrah red wine, a margarita and a vodka martini. And, right in front of us, Mr. Cohen poured each drink, one by one, out of the teapot.

HE IMMEDIATELY POURED FIVE RANDOMLY REQUESTED DRINKS OUT OF A SINGLE TEAPOT. Just like that.

"To shouts of 'Oh, my God,' Mr. Cohen slyly answers, 'Just call me Steve.'"

What a fun and wild night. I'd highly recommend it. You can find tickets here.


If you have not stopped by to see JoAnna at A CUP OF JO, you should. She has a great blog with lots wit, wisdom AND info. I know the next time Mr.P and I find ourselves in NYC, we will break our 'no schedule' rule and drop in to see Steve!

If you are planning a trip to NYC during the Christmas Holidays make sure to take time for a quick 
visit with Santa at Macy's,
or to press your nose to some of the most fanciful and whimsical Christmas window displays in the world,
or pop in to see the girls at Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular, 
or the NYC Ballet Company's performance of The Nutcracker,
skate by to see the most famous Christmas tree in the world at Rock Center,
or stroll through one of the many open air Christmas markets,
or eat your way through the Gingerbread Extravaganza at the Le Parker Meridien Hotel
or simply take a leisurely stroll down the Mall in Central Park. 

What ever you do, wherever this Christmas finds you dear friends, be safe, enjoy the moment, remember the real and true meaning of Christmas is the Birth of Our Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST........ and JUST BE!

Have a wonderful weekend!

ENJOY!
You just gotta LOVE NYC!

~THE DOMESTIC CURATOR~
RONDA

1 comment:

  1. The sensation of simply being in New York City is unique. Every minute is exciting thanks to the energy, diversity, and limitless possibilities. From renowned monuments to hidden secrets, the city that never sleeps never ceases to surprise. Just being here fills you with excitement and amazement, reminding you why New York is definitely the finest city in the world. I recall my car breaking down on the trip to New York.Fortunately, there are nyc towing company came into view like a light that illuminates the darkness.

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