Mischief Managed

London, New York, Travel

I can’t positively say whether I dislike all big city airports; but I can positively say that I absolutely loathe both JFK (New York City) and Heathrow (London).

We accrue a lot of JetBlue points, and that’s where they from and to, so it is what it is. As you’ve probably gathered, I’m planning my first post-recovery trip to London for January. I’ll still be recovering, but I’ll certainly be well enough to take a familiar trip — I know London backwards and forwards.

I signed-up for TSA PreCheck — No more absurd security lines. No more taking off your belt, shoes, and jacket. No more carry-on screening. Leave your iPad, laptop, and that quart-sized bag of liquids and gels in your tote. This solves a lot of my problems with JFK.

For Heathrow, I did my usual — adding a day at the end of the trip and checking into a hotel directly inside the airport the day before my flight home. No need to get up early, worry over time, stress, or get on a plane exhausted. Just walk out of the hotel door and I’m already there.

I’ll still have to get off the train from the airport at Liverpool Street Station, which is way down deep in the center of the earth near where the devil lives. 36 meters/120 feet, or about 12 stories underground. Platforms and hallways are incredibly long, and then you meet the most extreme escalator you’ve ever seen in your life.

*Yes, that’s really the actual escalator I’m talking about.*

I like to be in a neighborhood, so I’m staying at a hotel in a buzzy pedestrianized area with an incredible location — Bankside, right on the River Thames, leaning against an ancient pub, across-ish from Shakespeare’s Globe.

*The hotel entrance is at the end of the red-doors building, right across from Wagamama. On the left, that’s the terrace on the river.* *The Globe is right behind you.*

I’ll be doing my usual history thing. There are a few medieval churches on the list, the Docklands Museum, the effigies at Westminster Abbey, the renovation of the National Portrait Gallery, a few locations from Bleak House that I’d like to see in person.

I have a contact that could get me in to play a historic pipe organ, but I haven’t decided yet. I’ll likely play the little pipe organ in the train station for sure. The Globe is doing Cymbeline while I’m there. Sadly, not a play I really want to see. I might go see the revival of Oliver though.

Welp, I’ll finally be able to spend that £2 coin I brought back last year.

Dickens & The Romantics

Musician, Theatre

That would be a good name for a band.

I’ve been writing to pass the time — I have a half+ draft of of a very Dickensian chamber musical written. If you’re familiar with Dickens and/or the Romantic Poets; it’s principally about the Micawbers, Nell Clenham, and Thomas Gray.

Its usual fate would be this: Printed out, bound, and put in a drawer unproduced. That’s 100% okay. I have a few of these unfinished on top of the upstairs piano. It would sting a little to banish this one though, because I think it’s quite good.

The last time I produced a musical I was swimming in actors and theater people. Since moving, I don’t have the theatrical friends I used to, we’re all spread out now. After a point, I don’t work very well alone. Eventually, you need to make demo recordings, bounce ideas around, and read out loud with another person.

I decided I’m going to be actively on the lookout, but I haven’t decided quite how. I’ll be looking for a baritone-tenor to work with, who could then take the role of Thomas as things progress.

I looked at the rates and specs for the Paramount theatre around the corner. It’s beautiful, but it’s way, way, way too big. I knew it would be. It’s a good thing — if it were 50% the size and didn’t have a balcony, I’d have been tempted to get out my checkbook.

There’s a super-cute small theater about a sixty-second walk from our house. (No kidding!) It’s a “nope” though. It’s marketed as a wedding/events/catering venue. Of course, its rates reflect that.

I think I probably gasped when I was given the dollar signs for this beautiful, quirky little place. But, being what it is, it would cost several thousand dollars for just one afternoon/evening. Plus, no piano. (And I don’t need canapés at intermission.)

My peculiar little five-person musical play would be most at home in a small 19th century lecture hall or an old stone meeting house, even the large parlor of a grand home. So, that search continues.

But first things first. If you know a “Thomas” candidate, send him my way! We’ll do a video submission. He’d be late 20s/early 30s, handy to Westchester, theatre experience, baritone/tenor, perhaps a bit awkward. I imagine an Adrian Brody type.

600 Years of Reading

Book Recommendations

These are the three books I have going right now, all excellent.

If you click the cover photo it will take you through to Amazon (if you like) and you can pick your favorite format. I’m not an affiliate. I just really like these books. =)

Ice and Country House are new releases and should be in bookstores within a few weeks.

It Doesn’t Come With a Monkey

Musician

To absolutely no one’s surprise, I’ve bought a barrel organ.

It’s one of those things that you imagine an Italian man with a monkey rolling down the street and cranking. Don’t be too concerned — The one I bought is a half-size version.

They weren’t produced for quite a while until a Spanish company started making them again in the 1950s. They were made in both organ and piano versions — something I did not know. Mine is a piano version. It has something wrong with the cogs inside, but that’s hopefully an easy fix. They’re pretty simple machines.

Here are some photos of what I bought and a few I found (same model) on the internet.

The barrel part of “barrel organ” is a metal cylinder that sits inside the instrument that plays six different songs. In a few minutes I’ll be off to research where I can buy different barrels so I can add songs.

I imagine buying a stuffed animal monkey in a fancy costume and taking the instrument and my new plushy friend to events at church or in the park across the street. =)

“O sole mioooooooo …”

A Walkabout

London

I decided to take it a bit easy today — favorite soda, comfy hotel bed, home renovation shows, old British movies, the park downstairs, and happy laziness. =)

I felt my usual iffy this morning, with the usual improvement. (It’s not a bad thing. I’m used to it.) It’s warm outside today, so I decided to go out early evening — I need to pack tonight and be on a train-to-a-plane in the morning.

I knew there would be lots of fun pictures in the immediate neighborhood, so a cappuccino and cooler temps sent me on my way by four this afternoon. =)

We’ll start with the Lloyds of London building. I took several photos, and it’s the kind of thing people either love or hate. You’d think I absolutely loathe it, but for some reason I enjoy the Lloyd’s building.