Manhattan Digest

Victoria Clark: From Demure Diva of Broadway to Sizzling Cinematic Chef

Victoria Clark is a gifted and fortunate actor. Unlike many of her colleagues who wait tables and do odd jobs between gigs, Clark is a tireless performer whose 3o plus year acting career has taken her from a debut in the 1985 Broadway production of Sunday in the Park with George to Mrs. Beane, a termagant passenger in 1997’s Tony Award winning Titanic. She also took home a Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Award for her sensitive portrayal of a woman coming to terms with her own regrets in The Light in the Piazza. Most recently, she waved a magic wand and made dreams come true as the Fairy Godmother in Broadway’s Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Now, Clark is showing a completely different side of herself in the new independent movie Archaeology of a Woman, opening this Friday at Manhattan’s Village East Cinema. The film has already received critical acclaim and director Sharon Greytak has been touted by The Independent as one of “10 filmmakers to watch in 2014.” In it, Clark plays Kate, a rising culinary star in the New York City restaurant scene. Just when life seems to be falling into place, Kate’s world is altered by her mother, Margaret, a spitfire who is recently diagnosed with dementia. Oscar nominee and Golden Golden Globe winner Sally Kirkland portrays this complicated woman who is keeping secrets buried in the archives of her troubled mind.

Greytak had tapped Clark to be in her film and after meeting at a Greek restaurant and talking it through, both decided that it would be a good fit. Clark had a personal connection with the subject of Alzheimer’s and dementia, having had a grandmother who battled it through the last year of her life. “She lived with us growing up and she was my best friend” Clark recalls. “She lived to be 102 years old, but the last year of her life, she had a doll that she carried with her and talked to. On her 100th birthday, she went around the room, reciting the names and praying for all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, so there was a stark contrast between that and what can happen when the machine starts to break down.” For Kate (her film character), life happens before she is ready. “It’s one of those times in life that we’ve all experienced where all the bad stuff happens at the same time.” And yet, in the film, Kate does find an outlet for life’s stressors by engaging in dalliances with a young police offer, played by the smoldering Karl Geary. (Audiences may remember him as the Irish doorman who is seduced by Samantha in an episode of TV’s Sex and the City). “I’m NEVER cast as the woman having sex,” Clark laughs. “But this is one of the reasons why I wanted to do the film. I get to show that side of myself and that character, which is really interesting. That is what (Kate) does to have fun.”

Clark’s portrayal of a chef, however, is more closely aligned with her personal interests. “My grandmother was a fantastic country cook and I spent many years in the kitchen helping to bake and also preparing cobblers, pies, and salads. My best friend and I were always trying new things. We made a whole pan of bakalava once. We even toasted the pistachios! Our families (in Dallas, Texas) were like ‘What is that?!!?” We said, “It’s an exotic Greek pastry!” But they didn’t like it, so we sat down and proceeded to eat the entire tray!” Admittedly, Clark confesses to being a less than tidy cook, whereas Kate is precise. “My fiance would prefer that I didn’t cook because I am so messy, but I love it. I like the process of it and find it so relaxing.”

Most actors prefer stage or screen but for Clark, she views each as uniquely different. “I am much more familiar with stage. To me, it’s like coming home. I’ve been doing it for so long and it’s a very familiar and comforting medium because you tell the complete story every day. There is something so nice about that. At 8:05, come hell or high water or whether you feel good or bad, we’re going to start telling a story and at 10:30, you take your costume off and there is something so lovely about the routine of that. Film appeals to a part of me that doesn’t like routine so much. You have to take things out of order and that takes a completely different skill set. Both are moment to moment and you have to stay focused, but in terms of the technique, both are very different, challenging, and fun. I hope that this experience will open up more doors for me to do more film work.”

Clark finds herself attracted to roles with strong women characters. “I like characters where an individual is just going about his or her life and then they have an opportunity to make a choice and do something that is impactful. I’m really drawn to those stories. I’m not gonna play a super model or an Olympic athlete. As an actor, I think about how I can make an impact in my chosen profession. How can I best use my time on this planet in a way that both enriches and elevates the human condition? I know that sounds a little ‘out there’, but I think about that all the time. Are the projects I’m choosing going to allow me to help anyone?”

Angela Lansbury, Emma Thompson, Michael J. Fox, Michael C. Hall, Mary Beth Peil, Cherry Jones are just a handful of Clark’s colleagues whom she has deep admiration. “All of them have dedicated their lives to the craft of acting and each of them have unbelievable senses of humor. I admire their strength. longevity, determination, and versatility. I’m really missing Joan Rivers today, too. (The interview occurred on Friday, September 5th, one day after Ms. Rivers passing). “She reinvented herself so many times and there will never be anyone even remotely like her. She was a true inspiration.” Working with Kirkland was also exciting for Clark. “She’s a fantastic person…lovely, funny, and brave on every level.”

When it comes to her craft and balancing her life, Clark offers some sage insights. “Life is full of ups and downs and you have to learn how to not be so in it. You have to distance yourself a little bit, change your perspective and say, ‘Ya know what…if you survive this, then you can survive the next horrible thing that happens to you. And then if you survive that, then you’ll survive the next horrible thing.’ It’s not that life is a series of horrible things, but our characters grow and that’s how learn. It’s no fun when you see them coming down the pike, but you get through. I’m not going to lie. It can be a challenge to balance all of these things, but a lot of it is just coming back to a sense of humor and breathing and asking what really needs to happen in the day. Sometimes life can be crunchy in the way the calendar falls. In this business, it is either feast or famine. People only want you when you can’t be there.”

Clark’s point was beautifully illustrated by life itself. Prior to our interview, she just learned that she was called to an audition and politely apologized for the brevity. Chances are good that this accomplished screen and stage stalwart will continue to dine at the feast of working actors.

Archaeology of a Woman opens this Friday, September 12th at Village East Cinema (189 2nd Ave. at 12th Street) For tickets and information, visit: http://www.villageeastcinema.com/ . To view the trailer, go to: http://bit.ly/1oldSDb .

New York Fashion Week: Todd Snyder Review

by Ryan Shea

Fashion week is in full swing here in New York City! Some of the biggest names in the industry to the green and up and coming designers have brought out their best of the best for what is to come for Spring 2015. My good friend and top of the line photographer Jason Jaskot was able to cover some of the best and the brightest shows, one in particular being menswear designer Todd Snyder.

Manhattan Digest, Todd Snyder — Credit to: Jason T. Jaskot

Here is a little more of a background about Todd Snyder via his website–

Iowa native Todd Snyder launched his eponymous menswear collection exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, Ron Herman, and Neiman Marcus for Fall 2011. Inspired by Savile Row craftsmanship, military tailoring, and a distinct New York sensibility, the line has garnered wide critical and commercial praise in the US. In 2012, the line was picked up by Barneys New York and select Nordstrom stores; simultaneously, Snyder was nominated for the CFDA Swarovski Award for Menswear and named one of GQ’s Best New Menswear Designers. More recently, Snyder was selected as one of the 2013 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists. During that time he launched his Todd Snyder + Champion collaboration with the iconic Rochester, NY-based sportswear brand, and opened his first New York boutique, called City Gym, at 242 Elizabeth Street in NoLiTa.

This success is a humbling reaffirmation of Snyder’s roots. In Dutch, his surname means “one who makes outer garments” and while studying textile and clothing design at Iowa State University, Snyder learned the art of cutting and sewing at the Des Moines haberdashery Badowers. He spent the following two decades honing his skills in New York, designing outerwear for Polo Ralph Lauren, working as Director of Menswear for the Gap, and SVP of menswear at J. Crew, where he revamped men’s styling, introduced formalwear, and launched a series of collaborations with heritage brands like Timex, Red Wing, Thomas Mason, and Alden that culminated in the popular Liquor Store boutique, opened in 2008. At the helm of his own brand, Snyder still strives to deliver on the rubric set forth by his Badowers mentor: “A perfectly fitted suit makes the man.”

Todd’s collection looked phenomenal, totally modern and tailored for the everyday man. His use of the standard colors were elevated to another level and overall from the looks of the photos this seems like this will be a big hit with consumers worldwide.

Todd has recently collaborated with notable sportswear company Champion. As stated on the website, “Inspired by Champion’s Glory Days, each piece is a collectible part of sartorial history and has been made for the maximum amount of versatility and utility.”

Buffboyzz Takes The Manhattan Gay Scene By Storm

by Ryan Shea

Something that I happen to love is surrounding myself with people who have enough drive and tenacity to get themselves where they need to be and not rely on everyone else to do their shit for them. About a year and half ago I met the incredibly sexy and smart Jeffrey Wachman, who at the time met with me to discuss a book he was writing. The former Nasty Pig model was smart, in both the book and street way and I was immediately entranced by his personality, good looks and way he discussed his life. So when I found out recently that he launched the booming and successful Buffboyzz here in Manhattan, I knew I had to meet up with him again.

Buffboyzz is an all male revue located in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen at the trendy Bartini. It is a two night a week event starting at 6pm on Sunday’s and Tuesday’s and can go until the later hours in the evening. They also have a separate event for Long Islander’s out in a place called Show World located 45 minutes out of New York City in West Babylon, as well as a new event starting on September 8th at the popular Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. With the franchise of Buffboyzz increasing at a skyrocketing pace, I got the chance to sit down with Jeffrey and his partner John Greco to discuss said success and what you as a customer can expect upon arrival. Take a look.

Buffboyzz, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Buffboyzz

So tell me how the concept of Buffboyzz started?

John– Buffboyzz started in July of 2005. I started it that year after the Gaiety Theater closed which was a male strip club in Manhattan. They used to do all nude male dancers seven days a week, it was like the shrine of male strip clubs in New York for some time. As many of you know, they cleaned up Times Square and knocked the building down and that place was history. With that I started a party in the Lower East Side at this place called Thirteen Little Devils on Archer Street on a Sunday. Had about 15 guys that would dance that day. From there, we went over to Stonewall Inn for a couple of weeks, and then we wound up doing Sunday’s at this place called Heaven if any of your readers remember that. It was on 16th Street and 6th Avenue, and we were there for quite some time.

From there I was called to Florida, and I went down there for a year and a half. I co-managed a local strip club down there which wound up closing in 2008. I then came back to New York and started doing a place called Show World out in Long Island on Sundays. From there I hooked up with Jeff a little more than a year ago.

Jeff- Actually me and my husband were searching around for shows in New York City, a place to have a good time and hang out with the boys. John said, “You know you guys should come here and work, instead of spending money you can make money”. So I took him up on the offer, did it and made a lot of money. Dancing really isn’t my thing though. I’m such a business minded person that if I am going to dance, I am going to create a job for 100 dancers that is much bigger than me just dancing.

John- So my goal was with him was to get back to New York City even though I was running a pretty successful show in Long Island. Everything is here in Manhattan from my friends, colleagues and email contacts they were all in the city. I bugged Jeff for a couple of months to do this, like “Let’s do Manhattan, Let’s do Manhattan, Let’s do Manhattan!”

Jeff- It was never a question for me of whether I could’ve done it, it was just that at that moment in time I had so much going on for me outside of what he wanted to do. From the club I was running. the book that I’ve written, and the store I was managing with my brother I was spreading myself way too thin. At that time too I had just gotten married to my husband and had probably saw my husband only four months out of that entire year. So when he approached me about doing a party, and some initial resistance, I finally caved in and said “Let’s give this a shot”. Then I said “Let’s do this on a night where there is nothing going on in New York City”. I said we are going to take Tuesday nights and did it first at Bartini in Hell’s Kitchen.

The party was going really well, we were almost hitting the 100 person mark in our first couple of months of doing this. After some internal problems at Bartini we moved to a club called Secrets on 29th and 10th. It was such a desolate and quiet area that we were lucky to maintain what we were doing, but it was also fueled by the fact that I know that me and John could get this done. We kept on moving, even with the outside voices saying “You guys are crazy, this isn’t going to work, etc.” We started seeing the numbers coming back and then out of the blue the owners sold Secrets. The new owners at Bartini’s called us and asked us to come back to the original location, which we agreed and figured it was meant to be. After the continued success of Tuesday’s we decided to move ahead and do Sunday’s on top of that at Bartini just to see how it would go.

John- So we basically had two shows going at the same time in two different markets. We had Tuesdays/Sundays at Bartini in New York City and then for the Long Island folk we were still running that party Sunday’s at Show World.

Jeff- We realized that doing Sunday’s party we were able to produce consistent numbers like that, regardless of extenuating circumstances like weather and what not. We had a rainy Sunday three weeks ago and made more money that day than we did all month.

John- What New York needs now is a gay owned, male strip company every night of the week someplace. Both of us are gay, and I feel like gay owned and gay operated we got our company.

100-150 people that fast at Buffboyzz is pretty fast given the turnaround rate here in New York City. How were you able to do that?

Jeff- John has an email list that he has built for the past couple of years now, and some of the people were dancing twenty-thirty years ago. He is able to bring an older clientele whereas I am able to bring this whole new blood situation to the table where the bars are happy with the outcome, the dancers are happy with the outcome, and in turn with both of them happy it then makes ourselves happy. We have always established a relationship with the bar where we have to make sure they are happy, otherwise it isn’t going to work. So with the two different followings we have created something good. However, it is nowhere near where we want it to be, we are just making headway in this game.

John- Plus what we do that no one else does in Manhattan is we start early at 6PM. I always believed that when I worked at the other venues that there is a whole population in Manhattan that everyone forgets. Whether it is the older and married gentlemen or whatnot, I literally say in my emails “We are going to get you home by the 11 O’Clock news”. So the earlier crowd is going to come in, have a great time, and by 9 or 10 o’clock they are going to go home and then here comes to new wave of people. The second shit per se. At 11pm the line is out the door, its insane.

Jeff- It has gotten to the point that even at 2am where we are supposed to be done we are having to keep it open later and later as people are still coming in beyond that time. Which is a longer shift, but it means we are progressing.

So basically what you are saying is that it is a combination of social media presence mixed with old and new school principles?

Jeff- Pretty much yeah. We are building our brand basically on customer satisfaction and to not feel like you are being swindled by whatever dancer you are with. I have had dancers that have seen customers get too drunk and will stop what they are doing to make sure they get a cab and get home safely. This is the place to come to to really enjoy yourself and not worry about your wallet being taken advantage of.

What is the per dance rate here for all of our viewers?

John- It is $20 a song per lap dance.

What is the process of picking your men for the customers to enjoy?

John- They can find us and whatnot, but what we are looking for ultimately is masculine dancers. That is what we want and what our clientele is looking for.

Jeff- There is a variety of body types and ethnic backgrounds, and of course good looking is a must as that is what they are going to pay to see. I’ve been to places before where guys legit look like they swallowed the juice, not even injected it. I love the big guys and I love the small guys, I just love guys. So to me it is important to have variety when it comes to running an establishment like this.

John- And when it comes to finding that diamond in the rough, you would be surprised at the men who are making the most money here. It isn’t always the big muscle guys. You can be the hottest guy in the city with the hottest body. However if you have a bad attitude however you aren’t going to get away with it for that long. So if you look a certain way and are good to your customers with the right mind frame, you can go far in something like this.

What are you guys ultimately hopeful for with the Buffboyzz future?

Jeff- Seven days a week in New York and a much bigger place. We are also opening in Midtown and Chelsea this month, so be on the lookout for that as well!

To find out more information about Buffboyzz check out the official website! Best of luck to John & Jeff in the future!

Enough with the Pumpkin Spice Lattes B***ches!

by David Baxter

So, September has fucking started, and here in the Tri-State Area (who the fuck really uses that term?), Summer has informed us that it’s still not fucking over yet. [Read more…] about Enough with the Pumpkin Spice Lattes B***ches!

Comedy Legend Joan Rivers Passes Away At 81

by Ryan Shea

“It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers,” Melissa Rivers said in a written statement today. “She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends. My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother,” Melissa Rivers just released in a statement. Joan Rivers, the dynamic, brilliant, bold and fearless comedian passed away today at 1:17 PM eastern time at the age of 81.

Per ABC News– Joan Rivers, who co-hosted the popular E! TV show “Fashion Police,” had been hard at work recently, critiquing the outfits worn by stars at the MTV Video Music Awards and the Emmys with her usual acerbic wit. On Aug. 28, however, she was in New York City having surgery when she suffered cardiac arrest. She was rushed to the hospital, where she arrived unconscious and doctors kept her sedated. On Sept. 2, her daughter, Melissa Rivers, revealed that she had been placed on life support.

“My mother has been moved out of intensive care and into a private room where she is being kept comfortable,” she added in a statement the next day. “Thank you for your continued support.”

In the past couple of days things have been mum as to an update on her condition since Melissa’s update on the 2nd, however word broke around 3PM on televisions and the internet regarding her sudden passing. It is crazy to believe from my point of view that literally a week ago I was watching Joan crack joke after joke on her wildly successful and hilarious show “Fashion Police” on E! which she cohosts with Giuliana Rancic, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopolous.

Joan Rivers follows the sudden passing of comedian Robin Williams who tragically took his own life last month. Hard to believe that we lost two comedy icons in such a short time for two completely different reasons, but nonetheless it is heartbreaking to millions of fans who adored both of them, one being me. Regardless of what people thought about her regarding her plastic surgery, her very extreme views on weight, appearance, politics and whatnot, you can’t deny that Joan paved the way for many female AND male comics today who use shock value to get an audience. I applaud Joan for saying what we are all thinking, and not giving a flying fuck what people say about her. We wouldn’t have a Kathy Griffin if we didn’t have Joan, and I know tons of people in the LGBT community are saddened by her death, being the gay icon that she is and her supports for the various AIDS charities that she championed for a ton of years (in particular “God’s Love We Deliver”. Check out the site here).

Love you Joan.

City Cellar- Why You Should Visit

by Ryan Shea

Meatball Slider in between a Garlic Knot? WHAT?

City Cellar, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: City Cellar

So yes, this website is called MANHATTAN Digest. I get it. But seeing as I split my time in between Long Island and NYC, I can’t leave out the island of long that I grew up on my entire life. I have been able to do some great reviews for this site about great food spots outside of the Manhattan area, however I think the one that I did this past weekend takes the cake in so many different ways. This spot is called City Cellar, located in the heart of Westbury, Long Island. Westbury, notably known for being right by one of the biggest malls in the country, Roosevelt Field. I have heard of City Cellar in the past, and have hit up Famous Dave’s, located right next to it, several times, but never went inside to see what it was all about. Cue to Saturday night where I took my best friend to experience what it had to offer, and we were quite impressed with more than just the food.

Something we particularly noticed about City Cellar is the amount of space the restaurant actually had. The high ceilings, roomy seating areas and wood finishing places City Cellar at a pretty high mark when it comes to its ambiance and decor. We were greeted by General Manager Daniel Sobey as well as Executive Chef and Syosset native MIchael Abbatiello, who has been apart of the City Cellar team for quite some time. On top of the fantastic and professional service done by our awesome waitress Maryann, we were excited to see what Chef Michael and his team had in stores for us.

Even though they have a whole menu prepared for us, there were two items that myself and my friend chose to add to the tasting. Even though the menu was quite intricate, something that I honed in on was their Meatball Slider, which consisted of a meatball with melted cheese and sauce wedged between, get ready for it, A GARLIC KNOT. Seriously, a freaking garlic knot, how has no one thought of this before? As much as I enjoy a diverse range of leveled cuisine, I am simply a semi-fat dude from Huntington who enjoys simple things like a slider. I have to say this is the best slider I have ever had, as the perfectly cooked meatball paired with the tasty sauce and cheese and the delicious garlic knot made the taste level that much more elevated. Perfection.

Other highlights from the menu that we were treated to was there Scallop course served over a Corn Puree. The scallop was seared and cooked very well and the corn puree balanced the scallop to perfection, with a blend of flavors that really enriched my palate. I have never in my life had Polenta, as I was told early in life it is reminiscent of grits, which i despise just like Newman from Seinfeld despises Broccoli (vile weed). So I was a bit hesitant when they served us their steak with onion jam on top of the plentiful portion of Polenta. Boy was I wrong. The flavor of it was bomb mixed with the unique taste of the onion jam and the medium rare steak that all together tasted really well. Other standouts was their butternut squash ravioli with a brown butter sauce. This is not on the City Cellar menu yet as it is something they are testing out but I highly think they should add it on with the cold weather coming. I would also recommend as a starter dish the Beef Carpaccio as they include the horseradish crema that melds really well with the simple beef they prepare.

For their dessert menu we were treated to their Dessert Martini called “Decadence” which consisted of- Grand Marnier, Frangelico, Bailey’s, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur with fresh whipped cream and a chocolate swirl. Now you can see why they call it decadence as it was quite decadent. The Bananas Fosters Cream Pie was heavenly as it included salted caramel which is my own version of crack. So freaking good.

Just like I have done in the past with Long Island restaurants, I would HIGHLY recommend anyone from the Manhattan or LI area to come and try City Cellar. Not only is it a place you can go with loved ones, but they also have options to plan a big party for yourself or someone you know as they have the event space to carry something of a larger size. Overall, this experience was a 10 out of 10 in my book, and I am never that generous but I am giving credit where credit is due. Go check it out. Trust me.

City Cellar

1080 Corporate Drive, Westbury

(516) 693-5400

Official Site

DiMi Marc’s Trap’d Soul’s Tune- The Review

by Ryan Shea

DiMi Marc closes out strong with Trap’d Soul’s Tune

To be ambitious is one thing, but to go to that level and succeed on all points in what you are trying to achieve is damn near impossible, especially in the music game. Well DiMi Marc has done that and then some. After reviewing his first two mixtapes released in the past month I was eager to finish the trifecta with his third release, “Trap’d Soul’s Tune”. This one is the most inspiring of the three, the main focus would be keeping yourself motivated when a lot of outside noise seems to keep you down. What DiMi accomplished with the other two mixtapes he continues to do on this one and then some. Check out each song below and my review to go along with. Overall, just like the previous ones, this gets a 9/10 in my book. “Trap’d Soul’s Tune” is a great way to finish something that DiMi Marc already accomplished. Check it out.

Souls- Great introductory track with a unique relaxed beat. Reminds me a bit of “Hold On We’re Going Home” in the beginning then it gets hard towards the middle of the song. Good stuff.

Free Spirit- I think what makes this song so great is not the beats but the lyricism involved. It basically details the desire to be free and do whatever you want but your dreams and determination put you into that “Trap’d Soul” kind of mentality that you can’t get out of but want to stay in. Definitely one to listen to.

Factory- Reminiscent of what a lot of people think of the industry, “Factory” details how DiMi thinks how a lot of these people are factory based and not real in what they are doing, quite the contrary to what he is putting out. Just like “Free Spirit” this song has a great message worthy of a listen or two.

Wings- 80’s throwback in my opinion with the opening beats. I find that more than the other mixtapes that this one has a lot to do with reaching for your dreams and dealing with the road blocks along the way. This one details it the best out of the entire mixtape.

Level Up- The R&B on this is so freaking smooth and silky from Father Dude and makes me miss 90’s R&B more than ever. Beat wise this is the best on the mixtape, and the contrast between rapping and singing really blend well to make this song that much more elevated.

Critics- This mixtape for the most part has been mellow with it’s beat but this is probably the most turnt up song off of the whole damn thing. That is quite the change from the previous track but a good one in that it’s just another damn good one. Fuck your haters- it’s that simple with this song.

Masked- The song details how one goes through life with their guard up and the pain one can experience in their lives that they don’t let other people see. Not my favorite track off the mixtape but another good one in my books.

Amadeus- Love the slow piano in the beginning of this track. It’s a water down version of being turnt up with Amadeus, kind of the song you bob your head to while having a drink in your head. Love the skip beat in the chorus with his smooth vocals on this track.

Voice In The Wind- I would say of all the tracks on here lyrically and flow wise this is where DiMi goes the hardest, even with a calming beat in the background. Besides “Level Up” this is my favorite track and one you should listen to.

Love 4 You- Great way to end this trilogy, detailing all the love he’s got for the people that affect DiMi. Like a personal dedication page you use to see in an CD sleeve, but sung with a great beat.

I would recommend using all three mixtapes for whatever mood you are in. Going through turmoil in your love life? Try Trap’d Soul’s Love. Want to get turnt the fuck up on the dance floor with you and your friends? Go for Trap’d Soul’s Will. Want a good mix of both and then some? Trap’d Soul’s Tune is all for you. Bottom line, DiMi Marc will make fulfill your ear fantasies with whatever sound you are looking for at that moment. Check out the link to all three and be on the lookout for big things in the future for this talented dude.

Theater Review: “The Last Days of Cleopatra”

by Ryan Leeds

Familial dysfunction in drama can often be the basis for a well-executed and entertaining train-wreck. Call it “Schadenfreude” or simply good old-fashioned entertainment, but when relatives unravel, our collective tongues salivate in relief. “Thank God that’s not us”, seems to be the familiar refrain. At Manhattan’s Urban Stages, one such family is on the brink of implosion.

Playwright Laoisa Sexton is an edgy new playwright who received the NY Times Critics Pick for her last work, For Love. Her latest work, The Last Days of Cleopatra is a challenging, slow journey into the souls of well-acted, but hugely unlikable Irish characters. The show centers around an unseen force, Tess, the dying matriarch. Her disjointed family assembles to revisit old wounds and sling accusations towards each other. Each of them rarely interact with one another and the lines are delivered in the manner of long, monologue-like asides.

Harry (Kenneth Ryan) is the father and fancies himself a ladies’ man, although he looks like Tom Skerritt gone through the ring cycle after a long night of Jameison’s. Furthermore, he takes no responsibility for his actions or inactions. His constant refrain is, “That’s what yer up against. Ye know it yerself.” His son, Jackey (Michael Mellamphy) is an insolent homosexual who is essentially bitter about himself, everyone around him, and the world he inhabits. Playwright Sexton steps into a role she created as daughter and sister Natalie, perhaps the most tolerable of this bunch. She earns her keep dressing in a variety of costumes for parties and role-playing.

The program notes that the setting is “Ireland in the middle of its’ never ending recession”, but after awhile, the audience begins to feel as though the play itself might also be never ending, as it seems to grasp for a target. This isn’t to say that Sexton’s writing isn’t merited. Irish immigrants may appreciate the inside humor and colloquial feel. Upon entering the lobby, there is a glossary of slang terms used in the show. The list is long and one can’t help but think that the play, as seen through the eyes non-Irish folks, lands like an episode of Seinfeld to someone who doesn’t understand English.

The Last Days of Cleopatra plays now through Sept. 7 at Urban Stages, 259 W. 30th Street between 7th and 8th ave. For tickets and more information, visit: http://www.thelastdaysofcleopatra.com .

Late Summer- New York City Photography

by Mark Giarrusso

Late summer in New York is always a slightly bittersweet time. Autumn is always beautiful here but the days are shorter, the weather will soon cool, and the leaves will change color and fall to the ground. New Yorkers know how dreary winter can be weather wise and they are always looking to make the most out of every summer day. Here are some scenes from around Central Park of people doing just that.

Summer in the City — Wedding Day, Central Park, NYC, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2014

Race Issues & Self Identification- Bear Or Life Problems?

by Ryan Shea

Self Identifying yourself, endless race issues- WHY?

Last month I experienced my first ever Bear Week, held in the historic Provincetown, Massachusetts. I had the time of my life, and it was the first article that I have ever written about the bear community that was 100 percent positive minus a couple of restaurant snafu’s. The main purpose behind that article is to really make that week, and any event in life, what YOU want to make of it. Just rely on yourself to have a good time and not outside voices that could influence your everyday decisions. So when I went to go post about it on my personal Facebook page, and thank the many people who made the week amazing, I wasn’t expecting a debate to occur about the exclusion of particular races as an end result. This was the comment that set everything off-

Ryan Shea, thank you for your work. I applaud your auto ethnographic script, however, there is an opposition to the experiences, in which you describe. To refocus one premise, one can make Bear Week what they want is a fallacy due to a multitude of factors. Although we attempt to hide it, the error of racial and economical differentiation it highly visible and widely practiced; often times these actions are unconscious efforts, while other times the conscious efforts are design to exclude. Case in point, racially, Bear Week has a number of ethnicities attending its function; instead of generating social activities that are diverse, one is left to select only from Eurocentric activities that are constructed and produced for the ease and comfort of those who subscribe to Eurocentric norms. Here, I do want to impress upon the notion that I’m not in favor of a dualistic event, however for an event of this magnitude, a conscious level of pluralism is expected. Secondly, to error of dividing participants along economic lines is highly documented by the accepted practices of location, location, location. Mind you, I know this is a widely accepted practice in US society and the reflection at Bear Week evidence this practice; still it promotes an air of eliteness and “A” bear list status. These two examples are minor grains of sand to a major beach of social inequalities of Bear Week, yet participants wallow in the joy of second citizenry of this event. Now, personally I’m a decent person, who has been described as easy on the eyes, in addition, I like to believe I’m socially well adjusted and very capable of engaging others. Even with these very desired qualities, many times I found myself marginalized, left out, and over looked. Initially, I didn’t have a response, however after much internal analysis of the external factors, I hypothesized that ethnicity and economics are major contributors to the pervasive inequalities presented by Bear Week facilitators and it’s participants. We can not excuse injustice, regardless of how it comes about. With that being said, these particular injustices regardless of how they are packaged must be underscored and addressed – so to look at what doesn’t happen as a lens for action, it becomes evident that it is not solely incumbent on the individual to make Bear Week what they want it to be, instead an examination into the institutionalized practices of Bear Week to motets might reveal a better way to organize the event so to truly offer an experience where one can own it, thus having access to the same levels of enjoyment as other participants. Truly, I am sympathetic to the participants, and as a participant I can see the joy in the surface of the event. But once there’s time for reflection, one can not escape the idea that if I wanted make Bear Week what I want, am I getting what I paid for…and Bear Week as advertised was certainly not it.

That was a lot to take in for one, but the gist of what this particular person is saying is that Bear Week, and many bear events, are not really what you make of it, it is what they present that you have to deal with. So if you aren’t of a certain ethnicity, financial or “popular” status where you are considered a bearlebrity of sorts, then this event really isn’t designed for you. I find this very troublesome for so many different reasons. For one- the outside voices that I neglected to listen to while I was there that pretty much said this entire event was Muscle Bear 101 wasn’t completely true. Were there Muscle Bears? Sure, but for the most part they were incredibly friendly and didn’t go by the Manhattan type attitude which is if you don’t look like us than you can fuck with or us. That is just one part of this.

The second part is race, which is something that has had more of an open discussion in recent years. A big debate I saw happen on some particular Facebook pages was the scandal surrounding last year’s Bear Week cover photo, which was all white men. Several people of color and Caucasian men scowled at this and were quite offended, claiming that this further proved a general mindset that the bear community is white designed and doesn’t particularly advertise any men of color as being apart of it. After a lot of back and forth about this, it seemed to have some sort of an influence as the 2015 cover photo now features men of many ethnicities. Now the new problem is that several people are saying that there are no hairy men in this photo, and the bear community is known for obviously being hairy. OY VEY.

My general response is the following to all of this- Why care? Why do we let a simple photo dictate what we do with our lives? I am a shorter blond cub with a bit of weight on him. Did I see that in a photo with only 7 MEN? No. Do I let it affect if I show up to something or not? No. Do I see both sides on this when it comes to the race issue- yes I absolutely do. My personal thoughts is that the photographer should go to the Boat Slip during Tea Dance and take a massive photo from the top of the deck where you can see every type of guy down below. That way if there is someone who doesn’t feel like they fit into this crowd due to size, color or whatnot, they can find something in that particular picture. Sort of like a Where’s Waldo of sorts, although from my POV it really shouldn’t have to happen that way.

I think the issue in today’s society when it comes to self identifying yourself not only in the gay, bear or any type of community is resorting back to your middle school years where you feel like you want to belong. In other words, conform to where you feel comfortable in that particular position that you are in. This goes way beyond Bear Week, it can be so deep as to how someone operates in life. At what point do we stop dealing with this whole mob mentality in life and really just go into something without fear of rejection due to how one looks? Are we really that shallow of a society where someone’s skin color or financial status determines what land they can actually freaking walk on? I think if that answer is true than we have a lot to work on as a community.

What do you think about this?

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Self Identifying yourself, endless race issues- WHY?

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