How best to tour White Water State Park than with Executive Director Bob Whitt and on segway. The Segway Hut is located just near the parking, along side of the Dr. Frank P. Lloyd, Sr. Visitors Center...how convenient. Although the park is 250 acres of urban greenspace we did not tour all.
The most prominent are the cluster of museums and abutting Indy Zoo, which I later visited all. There are also two outdoor entertainment spaces. One is called the Celebration Plaza and Amphitheater. The other is The Governor's Lawn where major concerts are held. No events were scheduled during my visit. I guess I'll have to return to Indy. I absolutely loved the segway and it becomes easier each time I ride one. You can get lots of info on the park by going to www.inwhiteriver.wrsp.in.gov.
One of the attractions is the Indiana State Museum, where the IMAX theatre is located. I saw one of the best movies called Born To Be Wild and in 3D to boot! It is about orphaned baby elephants and orangutans being brought to areas to grow up and go back into the wild.
Time for lunch and just right there at the Tea Room. Had to indulge in the Velvet Chicken Soup, a salad and tea, of course as we spoke with Kathy Moore. Aside from Indianapolis tourism there is one devoted to downtown Indy as well.
I took a quick tour of the museum to see one entranceway exhibit of women from the Indy 500 and the facade of a public school that was formerly on this location.
Indiana was my next destination as I "Air Tranned" to Indianapolis and then whisked off to the Omni Severin Hotel in the downtown area. Then met up with fellow writers Melody Schubert and Leroy Worley. Let me tell you that it is much easier to dine with others in order to taste more on the menu. Time for lunch at Harry and Izzy's just down the block from the hotel. I was dared to try the shrimp cocktail as the sauce is made with fresh horseradish. If steam could have come out of my ears it would have, but you can see the expression on my face. The steak encrusted in black pepper wasn't mild compared to this.
I keep finding a taste of Italy wherever I seem to travel. I had first come across an organization called the Indiana Italian Heritage Society. There is a canal connected with the White River State Park, the perfect opportunity for a ride on a gondola. I briefly met up with Ralph Tambasco, the President and V.P. Joe Giacoletti who gave me a book from Author Carol Faenzi, who wrote The Stonecutter's Aria. We all later chatted on my radio show.
Jeff Hutson is the owner of Old World Gondoliers. Old, open, black and made of wood. What's different about this one is that you don't get to hear a tour of Indy or the houses but Jeff singing live and without any music. One is asked to turn off their cellphones and simply enjoy. Check out the website at www.4gondola.com
Got word the Long's Bakery was on the way to our first attraction stop. The bakery is all about donuts! I think we wound up going there four times during the trip. Absolute best donuts I've eaten!
Now, we are off to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum with legendary cars including one that had the first rear view mirror. I got there about a week before Indy 500 was happening.
After exploring a bit and noticing that the streets and sidewalks were free of debris it was time for dinner. Sensu was another restaurant just down the block on Meridian. Sushi with an upbeat. We didn't really get a chance to walk around the entire restaurant as it was a nightclub atmosphere in the later p.m. I was more interested in the food.
Our intelligent waitress Heather Shaw chose a tasting menu for us which began with a fabulous sweeter tasting unfiltered sake. Here is a description of what we ate and in no particular order.
Specialty Dishes: Red Snapper Sashimi with Jalepeno, garlic chip and Ponzu sauce; Surf and Turf Roll of shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber topped with Kobe beef Tataki and eel sauce; Baked Snow Crab Hand Roll of cooked snow crab mixed with dynamite sauce and tempura crunch then rolled in sesame rice paper.
Cold Plates: Spicy Tuna Poke on Crispy Wontons is tuna with chile pepper, green onion, ginger and soy served on crispy wonton; Lobster tacos using lobster tail with avocado, red tomato salsa and cilantro in a warmed tortilla and a Maki Sushi roll called Krusty Crab of spicy tuna, krab and avocado drizzled with dynamite sauce and sweet soy battered and delicately fried.
Hot Plates: Toast and Jam of crispy shrimp toast with a spicy tuna jam; Sea Bass Enpapillote had the bass cooked "in a paper pouch" with sake braised shitake mushrooms; Kobe Beef Toban Yaki is a combo of kobe beef, enoki mushrooms, shitake mushrooms and asparagus. I believe that I will be returning to Indy!
The evening ended with us seeing the show The 39 Steps at the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre in downtown Indy.
My buddy Teri and I went to this cool place in an area of NYC known as Soho/Nolita. It's a combo of a restaurant-lounge-bar and called Lair, located at 201 Lafayette Street between Broome & Kenmare Streets.
We were introduced to owners Michael Levin and Illarion Parmit (better known as Larry). It was described to me as a "chicly rustic interior of exposed brick, distressed wood, hand-painted ethic art work are accented by the earth tone color palette and lavish throw pillows" and that's what I saw.
The front of Lair is where the main decor and dining is located. Pass that area to view a long bar and a few more tables for lounging. Into the back to the "hang out" space (or event space as needed).
Time to check out the menu and order a drink. Michael (who has had years of experience in bar tending) has what I found to be the tastiest sangrias. Teri preferred the red while I preferred the white.
Michael and Larry hired Chris Cheung as the Executive Chef who decided on a fare of Asian fusion tapas better known as Dim Sum. Here is what we ate.
CHICKEN ‘PILLOWS’, CRISPY CHICKEN SKIN, JOHNNY BLUE SAUCE ROASTED BONE MARROW, X/O MARMALADE, SCALLION PANCAKES OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL, SEARED SCALLOP, TRUFFLE ESSENCE MANGO ‘NOODLES’ SALAD, ROCK SHRIMP, CHILI LIME LOBSTER, BACON, AVOCADO SALAD IN CRISPY WONTON ROLLS DRY AGED BLACK ANGUS BEEF DUMPLINGS CHICKEN AND FOIE GRAS SAN JIN DUMPLINGS EGGPLANT AND MUSHROOM SUI MAI
And for dessert: SHANGHAI WALNUT CRUSTED MARSHMALLOWS CARAMEL APPLES,’CRISPY PLUM’
I saw two more Broadway shows within this past week. One was Sister Act and the other a musical done by "tweens" called Helen On 86th Street. Here are the reviews.
SISTER ACT, GAY GAZUNTA HAY!
Sister Act is on Broadway and we’ve been blessed with the best! When standing ovations commence as the “ensemble” takes their bows, you know that a Broadway show deserves a ton of Tonys. Unfortunately there isn’t a Tony that is slated for a co- producer; in this case Whoopi Goldberg, who starred in the movie versions.
The locale is Philadelphia where nightclub singer Deloris Van Cartier (Patina Miller) is auditioning for her headline act in front of her boyfriend Curtis Jackson (Kingsley Leggs), who owns a nightclub. This will be the first of hearing what should be the song that will have you humming, “Take Me To Heaven”. Curtis is involved with much crime and upon hearing that one of his cohorts has snitched murders one as Deloris happens to witness. She is off to the police for safety as Curtis decides he now needs to kill her.
He will send his sidekicks Joey (John Treacy Egan), Pablo (Caesar Samayoa), who only speaks in Spanish and TJ (Demond Green), Curtis’ awkward young relative. Meanwhile, Deloris encounters Eddie Souther (Chester Gregory), one of the officers, who she remembers from high school having a crush on her and nicknaming him “Sweaty Eddie”. The cops need Deloris as a witness and to hide her before trial they decide on the Queen of Angels Cathedral where Mother Superior decides to make her “fit in” by posing as a nun and giving her the task of teaching an extremely poor singing choir as well as renaming her “Sister Mary Clarence”.
Now, you have to have the token “gay men” stint thrown in. At least here in New York City. Monsignor O’Hara (Fred Applegate) and Mother Superior (Victoria Clark) are discussing the church shutting down due to lack of funds and small congregation. Mother asks who will buy the church and he says, “Two bachelors who deal in antiques. Just last week I saw them eye the chapel, say the word ‘Gothic’ three times and then cling to one another for support”. They will be referred to and more! As for Sister Mary Clarence, she will help the choir with a much more modern style of singing hymns complete with rhythm and nightclub habits.
Where the movie version gave us songs that were “revised”, it is original music by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. That’s the next topic. Great Score!! Miller, who had starred in the London production, will have enough occasions to display her magnificent talent with songs such as, “Fabulous Baby”, “Raise Your Voice”, “Sunday Morning Fever”, “Sister Act” and “Take Me To Heaven”. Most of the numbers that she does sing are with the nuns.
Clark, who had starred in “Light In The Piazza”, shines with “Here Within These Walls” and “Haven’t Got a Prayer”. Gregory has “I Could Be That Guy” while Leggs gets to do his Barry White voice with “When I Find My Baby”. Marla Mindelle, who portrays Sister Mary Robert, delivers “The Life I Never Led”.
“Sunday Morning Fever” the reprise of “Sister Act”, the reprise of “Take Me To Heaven”, the reprise of “Fabulous Baby” as Deloris’ dream (where the “gay boys” come into play) and “Spread the Love Around” are the great production numbers to which we also have to thank choreographer Anthony Van Laast and all for director Jerry Zaks. And you don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy the humor. Hey, they even have Sister Mary Lazarus (Audrie Neenan) splurting a few Yiddish expressions. See it at The Broadway theatre!
HELEN ON 54TH STREET
I saw an off Broadway musical comedy called Helen On 86th Street at the American Theatre of Actors/Chernuchin Theatre, 314 West 54th Street. Based on a story that for the past decade has been taught in 10,000 high school classrooms across the country, the musical follows Vita Calista (Taylor Leigh Bera), a vibrant and unique 12-year old girl, as she learns to cope with an absent father, a single mother, a disappointing role in the school production of The Trojan Horse, and the daily pressures of a tween growing up in New York City.
It’s a story of loss, longing and acceptance, as seen through the eyes of a young girl wise beyond her years, which like the epic Greek stories it interweaves, carries a message of hope and redemption that will resonate with people of all ages.
Directed by Nicole Kempskie, the cast of 19 includes 15 actors under the age of 16, many with impressive Broadway credits. Not only has Kempskie directed this creative production, she has also written the show’s lyrics and book.
A very talented Taylor gave an outstanding performance. She not only has a fine singing voice, but her acting makes it clear that she has been on the stage.
It was Izzy Hanson-Johnston who got most of my attention. Her role in this play within a play was of the stage manager and was hilarious! Great facial expressions and timing. Obvious that she could dance.
Kathryn Markey, who has the role of Ms. Dodd, lucked out by getting the most humorous role. Of course it helps if you can deliver and she does.
There were two that I didn’t care for. I actually had to look at my playbill to see if Kevin Pariseau was a professional actor. The other was Clarice Mazanec who played the cello as part of the two-piece orchestra. Toward the end of the show she gets up, talks to Vita and goes into a song. I had to laugh because it was serious, rather than for the purpose of comedy. Not her fault.
Helen On 86th Street continues until Sunday, May 8. Check it out on www.helenon86th.com
