Oh Dolls!
Had a great day today! Spoke to my good friend Josh Dixon who told me he's recorded two new songs! Listen here. Also spoke to my gal pal Bonnie Marsh about stretching! And then........did my favorite New York summer activity in the world: I went bike riding in Central Park! My goodness. This is some of the most fun to be had in the city. I'm warning you, its more tough than it seems. In the lower half of the park you dodge a million pedestrians, horses, runners, pedicabs and strollers and almost everyone of these obstacles aren't aware that there are bicycle riders zooming past them at great speed. You could really get hurt and hurt someone else if you are not aware and proactive. A few times I had to yell "left" or "right" to avoid a collision, which would have been more effective if I knew my left from my right (in the heat of the moment its easy to get mixed up), I successfully avoided tragedy. The REAL fun, however, is at the top part of the park where there are steep hills. I swear at the very North part of the park, you are literally pumping your legs in slow motion for what feels like an hour before you gloriously descend a winding path at a speed of what feels like 90 MPH. The wind gushes through your hair, you feel victorious for having made it to the other side of the hill and your legs are burning and you almost want to take your hands off of the handlebars and point them to the sky in an EVITA formation and then wave at the descamisados that you are flying by. Or at least that is the way I feel.
I thought of my Mom today. I think of her everyday, but today I really missed her. One of my favorite times ever with my Mother was the last time she visited New York and I took her bike riding in the park. My mother likes athletic activities and enjoys a good adrenaline rush like I do and I knew she would find my favorite New York activity just as enjoyable as I did. And I was correct, she did! That was a great moment we had together. So just as I am nostalgic for my mother, the most BIZARRE THING IN THE WORLD HAPPENED. I returned my rented bike (because really, unless New Yorkers have a "bike room" in their building, or a spare room to store their bike in, we don't hang bicycles from the ceiling like Jerry Seinfeld did in his sitcom. We rent bikes by the hour) to W. 57th Street. And went to use the restroom in the Time Warner Center. That magical place where they have all of my favorite stores. Well, I went into Borders Book Store. I randomly picked up a travel guide for New Mexico. Most of you know that is my home state. I flipped through it, somehow became interested in the section that covered the Taos area, where my mother owns a cabin.... and low and behold... there was a photograph of shoppers in a Taos market... and the woman shopping in the photo... WAS MY MOTHER! It was unmistakable. The black sunglasses with the gold ornamentation on the side, the facial expression, the mole next to her mouth and the mole directly above the mole next to her mouth. (Now my mother would hate that I am describing her as having moles.... she has always insisted to me that moles do not exist. BEAUTY MARKS exist!) My mother is a stunning woman. And here she was in a book. So I called her and told her. Also in the background was my Aunt Francis from Roswell, NM. My mother asked what her hair looked like. I described it, she confirmed that yes her hair was long when she had taken Francis to her cabin which was shortly after the death of my grandmother, Mary Salinas Rivera, and that she and Francis did come down the mountain to go shopping in Taos! And I had just been thinking of my momma while bike riding an hour or so earlier! It felt like a big hug from God.
Having this memories of my Mother and seeing her in the book came at a good time. I've been seeing ads for Father's Day lately and have instinctively been getting excited about finding the coolest present for my Father this year. My father passed away over four years ago. And for some reason, lately, I keep forgetting that and keep wanting to call him. But I still have my momma and I am so thankful for that and I feel like this moment today was God's way of reminding me that I am not alone. Not that I feel alone, but there's something about the absence of a parent who has passed away and the void that it leaves that always hurts. But I still have my Momma and thank God for that.
Speaking of parents. I've been fortunate to get to spend this holiday weekend with my son. Yes, my son. My shih-tzu, Cosmo Jones. I've told you that Jeremy and I were partners for 8.5/9 years and along the way of our beautiful time together we acquired the best little baby in the world, a rescued Shih Tzu. Jeremy flew to Mexico for his brother's wedding so I am staying here at his (our old) apartment housesitting and babysitting my baby. I can't tell you how good it feels to be woken up by the sound of his grrrrrring and his scratching at the bed. Cosmo is very bossy with me. And I love it. He is such a BRAT! Today, on his morning walk, he would only walk SOUTH! Refused to go North, West, Left, Right, he was only interested in walking toward the direction of downtown. Now Cosmo is only 14 pounds and can't go for more than 10 blocks without getting EXHAUSTED. Especially in the summer heat! So you know what this means, if he only would walk South.... I had to carry him home, which was in the direction of NORTH the whole way back. 14 pounds of fur in 95+ heat in New York City for ten blocks isn't as easy as you think. But I'd carry that little muffin 1,000 blocks in any weather if he wanted me to. He is my little angel! We're going to be starring in a revival of Sideshow together. HA.
Last night I performed on "The Backroom" at Comix. Got to try out some new material and new edits to some hold hits. After the show went with Paul Case, David Hodorowski and Adam Sank to The Duplex. Adam sang at the piano and proceeded to do a comedy set mid-song, while being underscored by the pianist, and ended with the final phrase of the song in the piano bar. It was riveting. I was inspired and moved to tears. I said to Adam after... "THAT is your one man show." I've always thought Adam was talented but I saw something especially extraordinary in him last night. Something untapped. Gold. Adam is really a great guy and has been a good friend to me. Last night I fell in love with his talent. And I think we will be great friends and I sincerely wish big things for him and believe they will happen for him.
By the way, why is Vodka so delicious in the summer? I had a few last night and found myself literally meowing at the cab driver who took me home last night. Well it made a lot of sense to me at the time and was not at all unusual. And I stand by the meowing still today. Remember I said in an earlier post: me 24/7. Well sometimes that involves behaving like a feline.
Gotta go dolls. I've got material to write. So excited to perform in LA. And also for Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, the Matterhorn, It's a Small World, The Haunted Mansion, The Pirates of the Caribbean and my alma mater, The Jungle Cruise and The Enchanted Tiki Room. Yes. I as a Jungle Cruise skipper and the host of the Tiki room once upon a time. As other famous comedians like Steve Martin were before me. HA.
Here's where I rented the bike today:
http://www.centralpark-newyorkcity.com/
At $20/3 hours you can't beat it. Also that comes with a helmet and a bike lock. Be sure to ask for these things though because they seem to prefer that you forget and don't ask. But its best to protect your brain, after all this is New York City and its perfectly feasible to fly over your handle bars and get trampled by a tap dancing Broadway chorus. Wear a helmet. And you'll want a lock to chain your bike when you stop at the Shake Shack mid ride for one of the best hamburgers in the city and a peanut butter concrete (fancy gourmet term for shake.) Why a peanut butter shake? Because I am from Portales, NM, the peanut capital of the world, and that's how we roll. And if you're recalling that I said I am dieting and you're wondering why I am eating hamburgers and peanut butter concrete/shakes... well.... leave me alone.
Info on the Shake Shack:
http://www.shakeshacknyc.com/
Love,
Danny
Had a great day today! Spoke to my good friend Josh Dixon who told me he's recorded two new songs! Listen here. Also spoke to my gal pal Bonnie Marsh about stretching! And then........did my favorite New York summer activity in the world: I went bike riding in Central Park! My goodness. This is some of the most fun to be had in the city. I'm warning you, its more tough than it seems. In the lower half of the park you dodge a million pedestrians, horses, runners, pedicabs and strollers and almost everyone of these obstacles aren't aware that there are bicycle riders zooming past them at great speed. You could really get hurt and hurt someone else if you are not aware and proactive. A few times I had to yell "left" or "right" to avoid a collision, which would have been more effective if I knew my left from my right (in the heat of the moment its easy to get mixed up), I successfully avoided tragedy. The REAL fun, however, is at the top part of the park where there are steep hills. I swear at the very North part of the park, you are literally pumping your legs in slow motion for what feels like an hour before you gloriously descend a winding path at a speed of what feels like 90 MPH. The wind gushes through your hair, you feel victorious for having made it to the other side of the hill and your legs are burning and you almost want to take your hands off of the handlebars and point them to the sky in an EVITA formation and then wave at the descamisados that you are flying by. Or at least that is the way I feel.
I thought of my Mom today. I think of her everyday, but today I really missed her. One of my favorite times ever with my Mother was the last time she visited New York and I took her bike riding in the park. My mother likes athletic activities and enjoys a good adrenaline rush like I do and I knew she would find my favorite New York activity just as enjoyable as I did. And I was correct, she did! That was a great moment we had together. So just as I am nostalgic for my mother, the most BIZARRE THING IN THE WORLD HAPPENED. I returned my rented bike (because really, unless New Yorkers have a "bike room" in their building, or a spare room to store their bike in, we don't hang bicycles from the ceiling like Jerry Seinfeld did in his sitcom. We rent bikes by the hour) to W. 57th Street. And went to use the restroom in the Time Warner Center. That magical place where they have all of my favorite stores. Well, I went into Borders Book Store. I randomly picked up a travel guide for New Mexico. Most of you know that is my home state. I flipped through it, somehow became interested in the section that covered the Taos area, where my mother owns a cabin.... and low and behold... there was a photograph of shoppers in a Taos market... and the woman shopping in the photo... WAS MY MOTHER! It was unmistakable. The black sunglasses with the gold ornamentation on the side, the facial expression, the mole next to her mouth and the mole directly above the mole next to her mouth. (Now my mother would hate that I am describing her as having moles.... she has always insisted to me that moles do not exist. BEAUTY MARKS exist!) My mother is a stunning woman. And here she was in a book. So I called her and told her. Also in the background was my Aunt Francis from Roswell, NM. My mother asked what her hair looked like. I described it, she confirmed that yes her hair was long when she had taken Francis to her cabin which was shortly after the death of my grandmother, Mary Salinas Rivera, and that she and Francis did come down the mountain to go shopping in Taos! And I had just been thinking of my momma while bike riding an hour or so earlier! It felt like a big hug from God.
Having this memories of my Mother and seeing her in the book came at a good time. I've been seeing ads for Father's Day lately and have instinctively been getting excited about finding the coolest present for my Father this year. My father passed away over four years ago. And for some reason, lately, I keep forgetting that and keep wanting to call him. But I still have my momma and I am so thankful for that and I feel like this moment today was God's way of reminding me that I am not alone. Not that I feel alone, but there's something about the absence of a parent who has passed away and the void that it leaves that always hurts. But I still have my Momma and thank God for that.
Speaking of parents. I've been fortunate to get to spend this holiday weekend with my son. Yes, my son. My shih-tzu, Cosmo Jones. I've told you that Jeremy and I were partners for 8.5/9 years and along the way of our beautiful time together we acquired the best little baby in the world, a rescued Shih Tzu. Jeremy flew to Mexico for his brother's wedding so I am staying here at his (our old) apartment housesitting and babysitting my baby. I can't tell you how good it feels to be woken up by the sound of his grrrrrring and his scratching at the bed. Cosmo is very bossy with me. And I love it. He is such a BRAT! Today, on his morning walk, he would only walk SOUTH! Refused to go North, West, Left, Right, he was only interested in walking toward the direction of downtown. Now Cosmo is only 14 pounds and can't go for more than 10 blocks without getting EXHAUSTED. Especially in the summer heat! So you know what this means, if he only would walk South.... I had to carry him home, which was in the direction of NORTH the whole way back. 14 pounds of fur in 95+ heat in New York City for ten blocks isn't as easy as you think. But I'd carry that little muffin 1,000 blocks in any weather if he wanted me to. He is my little angel! We're going to be starring in a revival of Sideshow together. HA.
Last night I performed on "The Backroom" at Comix. Got to try out some new material and new edits to some hold hits. After the show went with Paul Case, David Hodorowski and Adam Sank to The Duplex. Adam sang at the piano and proceeded to do a comedy set mid-song, while being underscored by the pianist, and ended with the final phrase of the song in the piano bar. It was riveting. I was inspired and moved to tears. I said to Adam after... "THAT is your one man show." I've always thought Adam was talented but I saw something especially extraordinary in him last night. Something untapped. Gold. Adam is really a great guy and has been a good friend to me. Last night I fell in love with his talent. And I think we will be great friends and I sincerely wish big things for him and believe they will happen for him.
By the way, why is Vodka so delicious in the summer? I had a few last night and found myself literally meowing at the cab driver who took me home last night. Well it made a lot of sense to me at the time and was not at all unusual. And I stand by the meowing still today. Remember I said in an earlier post: me 24/7. Well sometimes that involves behaving like a feline.
Gotta go dolls. I've got material to write. So excited to perform in LA. And also for Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, the Matterhorn, It's a Small World, The Haunted Mansion, The Pirates of the Caribbean and my alma mater, The Jungle Cruise and The Enchanted Tiki Room. Yes. I as a Jungle Cruise skipper and the host of the Tiki room once upon a time. As other famous comedians like Steve Martin were before me. HA.
Here's where I rented the bike today:
http://www.centralpark-newyorkcity.com/
At $20/3 hours you can't beat it. Also that comes with a helmet and a bike lock. Be sure to ask for these things though because they seem to prefer that you forget and don't ask. But its best to protect your brain, after all this is New York City and its perfectly feasible to fly over your handle bars and get trampled by a tap dancing Broadway chorus. Wear a helmet. And you'll want a lock to chain your bike when you stop at the Shake Shack mid ride for one of the best hamburgers in the city and a peanut butter concrete (fancy gourmet term for shake.) Why a peanut butter shake? Because I am from Portales, NM, the peanut capital of the world, and that's how we roll. And if you're recalling that I said I am dieting and you're wondering why I am eating hamburgers and peanut butter concrete/shakes... well.... leave me alone.
Info on the Shake Shack:
http://www.shakeshacknyc.com/
Love,
Danny
P.S. I was in a rush and had to get to The Drama Book Shop to purchase a script before they closed and didn't have time to buy the New Mexico travel book featuring... my mother! But I will buy in the next few days and will be sure to post that photo of her as soon as possible.
Danny, you rock. I truly enjoyed hearing about your NYC adventure today! I am hearing, what I believe to be gun shots???? Hmmmm.....in Santa Fe???? Suddenly having Chicago flashbacks. Um, no thank you. Maybe it's a vehicle back-firing? Or fireworks? Whoa, there's a 3rd... Do I call 911? I used to in Chicago? What should I do Danny boy?
ReplyDeleteHey girl! Quick: youtube Patti LuPone doing "As Long as he needs me" and you'll be a-okay!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story!! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Wow - that's pretty amazing that you just happen to flip and find your mom in the book. I truly believe you got it right when you said "a hug from God."
ReplyDeleteI just read this for the first time. So sweet of you, Danny! Means the world to me. Mwah!
ReplyDelete--Adam S.