The Magicanada Project

Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

Sorry for not posting last night guys, I had a long day and crashed before my computer even started up. For the sake of continuity though, I'm posting it now.

Me and Josh met Ricky Smith at 9am to get tickets for Exit the King, a Broadway show staring Geoffry Rush, Susan Sarandon, Andrea Martin, and others. Rush had just won a Tony 2 nights earlier for his role in the work, so we expected tickets to sell out fast. We were right. We ended up being the second last group of people to get the special, student rush, price. But we got 'em.

After that Josh went back to his place and I decided to head to the MET, and had the kind of day you can only have in New York. While walking to the MET (a beautiful 40 block walk through Central Park) I saw something so exciting I actually leaped in the air. It was philosophy school FOR CHILDREN- just like they used to have in Greece! Kids as young as 6 and 7 were learning about virtue ethics, Socratic dialectic, and more. The school was designed, or so the nice lady who gave me a tour told me, to instill a sense of wonder for knowledge, vitality for life, and joy of wisdom in children. I was in love. I asked about getting a job there and she mentioned when I finish my current program to get back to her, then she gave me some more info. Oh man, what a cool job that would be!

But it gets better. I leave the school and walk through central park. I decided to sit and eat some lunch (it was almost noon by now) and so I did. Suddenly this woman sits across from me, pulls out a harp, and begins to play the most beautiful music I had heard in a long time. I was euphoric.

I tipped her, got up, and headed to the MET. After checking out the newly renovated American Exhibit (on Josh's suggestion)- which was great- I headed to the display of medieval to modern weaponry (still a boy at heart I guess). I don't normally find guns beautiful, but they had on display a Samuel Colt gun, model 12406, that was one of 6 ever made, and it was stunning. Gold, Walnut, Black Steel, basically it was the kind of gun God would use if he ran out of thunderbolts.

But I had gone to the MET to see one thing, and that's where I headed next- the Francis Bacon exhibit.

Stop right now, open a new page, and look up Francis Bacon- not the Philosopher, though you should look him up too, but the artist... alright, lazy, here is a link:

http://www.artquotes.net/masters/bacon_paintings.htm

Anyway, the exhibit was magnificent. I wasn't very familiar with Bacon's work but became interested when I read a review of the exhibit in the National Post earlier this year. Some of the works were so powerful that I was honestly overwhelmed. When I finished the exhibit I wanted to buy a lithograph, or print, of one of his works but realized I didn't think I could bare to look at them for two long! As my friend Asi Wind said- it was beautifully horrible.

I left the MET then headed back to Josh's place, when Asi called. Turns out he had ALSO just left the MET, and ALSO just been in the Bacon Exhibit! So we got together for lunch, at this nice little bistro, and chatted. Asi is a FANTASTIC magician and puts on one of the best shows I've ever seen. I'm working on bringing him on tour- stay tuned.

Anyway from there I head to the show (Exit the King) with Ricky, Josh, and Bill Kalush. There were a lot of celebrities there, including Sigourney Weaver, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, and others. The show had a very strange, almost Samuel Beckett like feel to it, which, to be frank, wasn't my cup of tea. Afterwords we all agreed that Rush was much much better then a play itself, and if it had not been for him I probably would have fallen asleep. If you can get cheap tickets it's worth seeing for him. If you can't, save your money and go see Billy Elliot (which basically swept this years Tonys). Oh, and here's a funny thing- they now have The Toxic Avenger: The Musical. I know some of you will find this funny!

After we went out too dinner and talked magic and business. Bill obviously knows things about Blain that most other people don't, and listening to him speak made me more impressed with Blain- and I was a fan to begin with!

Finally we met up with Tony, Alex, and John to say goodbye (I was leaving at 8 the next morning), went home, and packed.

So, you can see why I was to tired to write!

I'm now in San Fransisco and tomorrow is the first day of the GGG convention, starting with Steven "Brickhouse" Youell. Tune in tomorrow!

Ben