Share this:

“Fiddler on the Roof” has always been a rich musical in the story it tells and how it tells it. A couple of months ago I saw a documentary “Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles” and it made the production I saw tonight have even deeper meanings. With all its humor and excellent score, choreography and cast it tackles many subjects that are still affecting the world today such as uprooting families from their homeland.

 

The score with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick blend in with the book by Joseph Stein all based on the original stories Sholem Aleichem making a moving tale of “Tevye and His Daughters” and their life in the shtetl, a small village, in Russia in the late 19th century.

 

Family, life and traditions, as the opening song explains, are quickly changing, affecting the people in the village. We follow Tevye’s family as his 5 daughters break away from a life their father is, at times, scared of, but doesn’t allow his wife and kids to see his questioning of what is happening.

 

The show opens with “Traditions” introducing the star of the show, Yehezkel Lazarov, as Tevye, explaining the role of everyone in the village from the father and mother to the daughters, rabbi, matchmaker even the beggar who has a role to play as a member of the village. From that point on Lazarov is in command of the stage, his presence felt even the few moments he is off stage. He is funny talking to God in “If I Were A Rich Man” and just as tender singing to his wife, Golde, “Do You Love Me?”

 

Maite Uzal, as Golde, is a match for Lazarov whether singing with him or standing up to him in her sly and practical way.  Three of the 5 daughters, played by Kelly Gabrielle Murphy, Ruthy Froch and Noa Luz Barenblat, singing “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” show us the independent women of tomorrow while their parents singing “Sunrise, Sunset” show their love for their children.

 

Nick Siccone, as Motel the tailor who wants happiness with one of the daughters makes the joyful “Miracle of Miracles” flood the audience with that joy while Nic Casaula as a suitor for another daughter makes you believe that “Now I Have Everything” as he plans to take her away to start a new life.

 

Jonathan Von Mering as Lazar Wolf, the butcher,  Carol Beaugard as Yente, the matchmaker, are just a couple of the supporting cast, along with the ensemble, that contributes to a first rate company of a first rate production.

 

The choreography by Hofesh Shechter, based on the original by Jerome Robbins, as is the direction by Bartlett Sher, along with an 11 piece orchestra conducted by  Michael Gildein, aids every singer, dancer and actor to do their best and they all do.

 

“Fiddler on the Roof” is one of the best touring productions this season and no matter how many times you have seen it and, especially if you have never seen it, is a must see for all.

 

Running time is 2 hour and 50 minutes including a 15 minute introduction

Share this:

There isn’t a month in the year–just check my previous posts–that my geraniums and Cuban plant aren’t in bloom, let alone my ‘Christmas’ cactus!! (Can’t wait to see if it will bloom in December as it has the past 15 holidays!)

 

She even makes high King tide floods worthwhile because after we have all these beautiful Ibis walking around. And, come on, even the lizards afford entertainment.

 

By the way–just in case you care–only 123 days to go!

 

Share this:

Okay, I admit it–I am a netflix junkie. I have watched more TV in the past 3 months since I got netflix than I have in the past 2 years!!

I decided to cut the cable to save money and so I subscribed to a few different streaming services using their test periods for free. I signed up for Prime video ($6.06 a month) and netflix ($9.72) paying $16 for all the TV I can possibly watch! I am now thinking of getting vontronix but I’ll wait on that until I finish catching up on netflix, which might be 2025 though they are always adding new things.

I now know what binge-watching is all about after watching 2 seasons–22 episodes–of “Insatiable”, a wild series about a teenage beauty queen that covers everything and anything teenagers do and 7 seasons–91 episodes–of  “Orange is the New Black” about everything women do in prison and that’s only the beginning.

Last night I watched 2 seasons of “The Kominsky Method”–16 episodes, some only 22 minutes long!–which is a laugh out loud comedy about an old actor (Michael Douglas) with an even older agent (Alan Arkin) and, yes, they do everything old men do and some things they can’t do anymore.

I am learning from netflix that teenagers, women and men are obsessed with sex!

That’s it for now–have to get back to the next netflix program.

Share this:

Being creatures of habit after going to a Friday movie matinee we alternate going to lunch between this Arby’s, IHOP and Subway and this week it was Arby’s!
We had the ‘2 can eat for $8.99’ coupon and the ‘2/$4 Roast Beef classics’ coupon for a total of $13.90.

(For those who may not know don’t through out your ‘junk mail’ without going through it because at least once a month you will find a page of Arby’s coupons for a variety of items).

The ‘2 can eat’ included 2 small drinks, 2 small curly fries, 2 Roast Beef classics and 6 Mozzarella sticks so with the extra 2 Roast Beefs we had our fill for lunch.

 

The fries and sticks were hot and crisp while the sandwiches were served dry you have several sauce options at the condiment bar.

The service was fast and pleasant, the food hot and tasty and coming to $7 each for lunch certainly reasonable prices! (Of course there goes all the diet rules but I’ll discuss that with my scale on Monday!)

Share this:

There is something wrong when an audience member (me!) in more tuned into the soundtrack than into the film. From the beginning I was aware of the  music trying to make a scene more dramatic or suspenseful than it really was.

 

I knew more about Edison than I did about Westinghouse or Tesla and I did learn more about the three men but basically it is a story of men cheating, lying but, yet, being decent men.

 

Edison was a show-boater, brash, arrogant man who could charm reporters and would do anything to stop his rivals. Westinghouse was a more quiet man, one who believed you were a success if you left the world a better place than you were born into, yet wasn’t above doing public harm. Tesla is brilliant, opinionated and a very flamboyant dresser.

 

There is really no suspense in “The Current War”–pun intended– and I still am not sure if this Tesla is the man behind the present day company but I do know Westinghouse did more than manufacture refrigerators!

 

Contrary to George K’s, the owner of The Gateway, joke about the performances being ‘electric’, (I had to smile! Hey, he owns the theatre and I don’t want to be banned) the performances are fine which are expected from such actors as Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Shannon, the standout is Tom Holland as Edison’s secretary.

 

“The Current War” is too long, ironically too darkly lit, while the score is more interesting than the story.

Share this:

First to Dollar Tree then to lunch before going to Winn-Dixie–our Thursday route which we occasionally change with lunch before of after! I had a groupon for the Siam Cuisine where I hadn’t been in awhile so off we went.

 

My first reaction was they have kept the place up and in good shape only to be told later that it was being torn down and made into a double-decker restaurant!

 

In any case Allen had the scallops with vegetables ($20.95) and I had the Pad Thai with seafood ($24.95). These were dinner prices as the groupon wasn’t good for lunch prices though it didn’t say that on the agreement. I didn’t argue with the server because I just didn’t feel like being upset before and while eating! :O)

 

The food was tasty but the plates were wobbling on the table! Obviously not the best dinnerware.

 

We were served a scoop of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup which I guess came with the meal–lunch and/or dinner?

 

With Allen’s cola the check came to $11.30 plus I left $8.70 tip so with what I paid for the groupon ($22) lunch cost us about $20 each. We would have done better with just ordering off the lunch menu.

 

As I said it has been awhile since I was at Siam Cuisine and it will probably be awhile before I go back again even considering the renovations they will be doing.

Share this:

 Only 129 days to go!!!

 

Some of you laughed when I said at this time last year I have to get ready to celebrate my 21st birthday on February 29, 2020–well, in spite of all I got done I still have a lot more to do!

 

In any case for those of you who will be coming to Fort Lauderdale in February (and you better tell me!) it is high season here and hotel room are not only hard to get but the closer to the beach the harder to get, the more expensive ($300 per night is a low figure!) and the more of a chance they won’t have any rooms available.

 

I would suggest you book a room as soon as possible and I am suggesting a few which are reasonable, close to everything and are highly spoken of by friends. They are close to shopping, dining and only about a mile from the beach plus all have their own swimming pools!

 

North Beach Hotel | Fort Lauderdale Hotel | Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel

The Link Hotel on Sunrise in Fort Lauderdale with Complimentary Breakfast & Pool

Courtyard Fort Lauderdale East/Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Ramada by Wyndham Fort Lauderdale Oakland Park | Fort Lauderdale, FL Hotels

And then, of course, there is always AIRbnb–look for a place between Sunrise &  Commercial Boulevards on Federal Highway.

Airbnb® | Fort Lauderdale – Vacation Rentals & Places to Stay

 

Share this:

We all have many titles during I life and I have reached the pinnacle, for me, an octogenarian Leap Year Baby–bet you don’t know many of those, if any!

 

Though at 80/20 years old I began feeling the getting old pains I really can’t/won’t complain as most occur getting up and out of bed while the rest of the day isn’t that bad. The only impediment that interferes with my life is the Peripheral Artery Disease I have which makes walking any distance more than 2 blocks more than a chore.

 

That 20—soon to be 21—year old still gets excited about everything in life from eating to movie and theatre going and, yes, Mother Nature!

 

Peyton, the young girl in the picture above, is Gateway’s great, great granddaughter (okay, she belongs to Becky’s granddaughter) and there isn’t a person here she doesn’t get a smile from. It is little–no pun intended–things like that which makes this Octogenarian Leap Year Baby feel young(er).

Share this:

In autumn in Fort Lauderdale the rainy season ends on October 15 but not the hurricane season!

 

In autumn in Fort Lauderdale the leaves fall one tree at a time!

 

In autumn in Fort Lauderdale my white geraniums take over!

In autumn the Ibis birds come out for a snack after a rainfall!

 

Welcome to autumn in Fort Lauderdale where the temperatures sometimes go below 80 degrees!

 

Share this:

I have been a huge fan of Pedro Almodovar since 1983 when I saw his “Dark Habits” and have seen about 15 of the 20 movies he has directed.  This, without a doubt, is one of his best if for nothing else the writing and direction of a scene between Banderas and Julieta Mallo though this is just one of many scenes that grab and hold your attention. I defy you to take your eyes off the screen in the scene between  Asier Flores, playing the young Salvador Mallo, and Cesar Vicente, a laborer with artistic abilities, that provides another scene with the older Salvador, played by Banderas, bringing back the past.

 

Many of Almodovar’s films have featured and/or revolved around beautiful women with one being Penelope Cruz who in this film plays the young mother of Salvador but in this one it revolves around 4 beautiful men, including Banderas who grows better looking every day he grows older!

 

Talking about Antonio Banderas, there is no doubt in my mind he gives one of the best performances, not only of his career but, of this year. There are so many facets to this story of an old(er) man and his journey to where and who he is today and the actor deliveries in every scene. Whether in flashbacks or current day we follow him every step of the way and the complex life he has lead.

 

“Pain and Glory” is in many ways a perfect film but not an easy one to watch as there is a lot of pain and a little glory.

 

PS If for no other reason I will have to see it again and find out what I missed those first 15 minutes!