Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Algonquin Hotel
I ventured forth and sat myself in a chair in the lobby of The Algonquin Hotel around 5:oopm this evening. I ordered a pot of tea and commenced with writing. It was not the inspired sort, oh no, this was the kind where one take a look at one's WIP and figures out where all the holes are and then sets about filling them. Drudgery. But, after much staring into space (which the waitstaff mistook as the desire to order something more or an impatience for my check) I was able to produce one semi-decent chapter..minus an ending. An important chapter, no less, a first kiss kind of chapter and it was hard as hell to write it. I wanted it to be dramatic without being cheesy and original without being gimmicky. Alas, alack. But, even if I had had an ending in mind I doubt I would have been able to concentrate because at around 6:15pm, said Hotel Lobby began filling up with an assortment of characters that I have not witnessed since I left the community theatre circuit. You see folks, it was cabaret open mic night at the Algonquin, and what a night it was. I heard some singers that made my eyes water and my skin tickle from their amazing sounds and emotional resonance, others that made me laugh by their song choice (the theme was Fear, Foreboding, and The Irish) or over the top charisma, while others made me stare down at my napkin in an attempt to keep a composed, neutral face...which if you know me at all, you know is a near impossibility. One woman was so...odd. She was playing the acoustic guitar and singing an original ditty which, to prevent a real facial expression outburst, forced me to pull my notebook from my purse and commit my snark to the page...one perfectly descriptive word: Phoebe. Now, if only I could find the right words to end that chapter....
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Why have you not told me about this place of fantasticness? I want to go to there.
ReplyDeleteEvery Sunday at 7:00pm!
ReplyDelete44th between 5th and 6th
"I wanted it to be dramatic without being cheesy and original without being gimmicky."
ReplyDeleteI gave up on that a long time ago. I just settle to being as true to the story as I can. I mean...I just wrote a paragraph about a jaded possibly flesh eating goat and I couldn't be happier.
Mia
The dress code for the open microphone absolutely needs to be upgraded. Some of the people are dressed for Central Park or like bus-loaded tourists on holiday, not a classy century-old famous New York landmark. I'm not saying suits and ties for men, but please, those shorts and jeans are disgusting and tasteless. Would a pair of slacks for men and dresses or slacks for women be too much to ask? It's a good thing the former patrons are not around to see these street-clad people and some of them are performers. Whatever happened to class and good taste? A little decorum would go a long way in adding to the ambience and atmosphere of the once glamorous and wonderful old hotel. If making one's self look presentable is a problem, then these individuals don't need to be there in the first place. Save the jeans and shorts for the park or the country, not a famous vintage hotel with a open microphone talent show.
ReplyDeleteHave been to this open mic at the Algonquin. Lovely way to spend an early Sunday evening and the food is marvelous. Just enough food on the plate and presented very appetizingly (is that a word). Was a little taken aback though by the way people were dressed. Especially some of the performers. If you want people to take you seriously and keep their undivided attention you need to dress the part as well. A good voice and stage presence is very important, but if I wasn't going there to hear and see a performer I could have stayed home and listened to a CD. LIve performances are so much better, but please let my eyes enjoy the music as well
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