Monday Night Movies at Bryant Park

Last night, we went to see the original "Manchurian Candidate" (1962) at Bryant Park. It is part of their series of old movies shown every Monday throughout summer. You only need your mat, bring your own food and sense of humor (especially when lining up for the ladies' room) and you're all set. Movies start when the sun has completely set. All you have to spend on is the subway and you're all good. They're showing Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant next week. Something to look forward to.

Jologs New Yorker in the Berkshires

Ok, so technically, this post should be in another category... but it is still true to the theme of a jologs having good fun in a place where you normally need to be a non-jologs to enjoy.

I spent an entire month in the Berkshires, a grouping of upscale towns in Western Massachusetts (about 3 hours from Boston). The place is known as the summer destination of wealthy New Yorkers seeking to escape the heat of the city. The Berkshires is the epitome of New England life. WIth its gorgeous houses and million dollar views of lakes and mountains, I could hardly remember the time when I lived in the ghettos of the BX.

I was fortunate enough to receive a fellowship from the American Institute of Economic Research (we are thinking of changing it to the Alcoholics' Institute of Economic Research). For a month, there was a bit of work and lots of hard play. We were all housed in a summer mansion built in the 1920's whose "backyard" was surrounded with evergreens, views of the mountains, and even a lake!

Twice-a-week movie nights were a treat with really good wine and cheese being served. So "Commanding Heights" was hardly a movie that draws crowds, but the perks of sitting through the history of the Great Depression was well worth it.

Although restaurant food in the Berkshires was disappointing, what with its mediochrity and priciness, grilling in the "castle" was something to look forward to. Best of all, my newly found Swiss friend was the in-house bartender fixing us some White Russians even before dinner found its way to the table. Lobster night was also an unforgettable meal.

There was also some hiking to the falls and the open air theater at Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home. It was the life--picnic (of course, wine is never lacking) in the Tanglewood lawn while listening to the orchestra play just made me wish the month would never end. Best of all was the presidential float trip. Every session, the AIER's CEO would take the summer fellows to a canoe trip down the Housatonic River. We took two canoes and three truck inner tubes (AKA giant salbabidas) which we tied to the canoes. All we had in the boats were the paddles (which was kind of necessary) and two coolers full of all kinds of booze. Certainly, boating and boozing make for really good stories. What could have been an hour long canoe trip down the river took us three hours and two coolers.

All in all, it was a great trip. It was a month where I got paid to have fun (ok, so I worked a little). The Berkshires were a treat in itself, but the people I met will forever be remembered as the instruments to my eventual alcoholism.

New York Under $15

What does one with no income for three whole months do in New York? Alright, two summer classes in June occupy most of the month. But what about the weekends? When even movies are restrictive at $10.75, one must be resourceful. I begin this series of blogs that I call "Jologs in New York" to show how one can have fun in New York with virtually no income and a hell lot of self control vs. shopping, because I was referring to myself as the one with no income. The perils of grad school...

Anyway, to the unfamiliar, i will attempt to define the word jologs. The term has been said to be coined to refer to fans of the masa idol Jolina Magdangal. But since that has yet to be confirmed, the term is another version of the early 90s' skwaking which is another term for squatter.

I do consider myself jologs for the following reasons. First, and obviously, I am not one who has unlimited funds (especially since the shame of asking from parents at my age has started to surface!). Next, and more importantly, I am openly a Juday fan. Although Juday has become less jologs over the years, I believe that you can take the person out of the jologs, but you can't take the jologs from the person. WHA??? Nevermind.

Anyway, I start this series with the Public Theater sponsored Shakespeare in the Park. Central Park, that is. The day begins with a purchase of a $7 fun pass (unlimited for the day). Then off to Astor Place (downtown) where the Public Theater keeps its HQ. I start lining up for the ticket (you're given 2 per person) with some friends at 1030AM. They start giving out the tickets at 1PM. I know it sounds like hell, but bring a book, pack a lunch, and spread your mat and you're all set. The wait was actually pretty interesting--watching people pass by... if you're lucky, famous people pass by. Like Julia Stiles who paid a visit to the Public Theater HQ. Sidewalks can be pretty interesting. So once you've got the tickets (takes two minutes for them to give out all the tickets once they start), you've got a hell lot of time on your hands before the show which doesn't start until 830PM.

Well, since you're pretty full from your packed lunch, you can take the 6 train to the Brooklyn Bridge. Snap a couple of pics, sit down and watch the cyclists and joggers a bit, just enjoy the breeze on the bridge. Crossing the entire bridge takes up quite some time. Once you get tired of this, you can take the 6 again to Chinatown where you can grab your dinner. This place by Manhattan Bridge on Bowery offers a meal of 3 dishes for under $5. Talk about a good deal, huh. After the wonderful Chinese buffet you just had, you're ready to continue maxxing out your fun pass by taking an uptown train to Central Park. The theater is right by the Great Lawn where you can, once again, spread your mat and wait for the show to start. Hopefully, you'll find Liev Schreiber as Macbeth worth the entire day of free fun (well, almost free).