Saturdays are for catching up

1/24

One of Reggie's BYW photos: Thomas Bo & co. in our Awakening Series

Last Saturday, David L’s wife Rachel had her 50th birthday party in Mc Alpin. It was the first event there since we’ve been doing the reconstruction. She’s got an amazingly large and diverse crowd of friends on hand. Including some of us from the Friday night Open Mic community. And as expected, most are enamored with this unique space. Surprised to find Reggie, the photographer who shot Thomas Bo’s Awakening concert at the church last December. (Great  black and white photos, btw) And there was carrot cake…from Carrot Top bakeries, arguably the best in the city, though the competition is tough…Not to mention that Carrot Top's founder committed suicide in the shop last November in despair over scanadalous rent demands by New York Presbyterian, their landlord, after 31 faithful years.

Two neighborhood guys come over. Start in with how they didn’t realize we are open.  I’ve decided not to get defensive about that anymore. And in fact, try and learn. They say it’s too dark. Need brighter lights under the scaffolding. Lights in our advertising window boxes. Make sure that all signs are up to date, no months ago posters still up. I smile. Call RL over, ask him to listen. Basically the same thing he’s been saying for over a year. He smiles. 

I will ask David S to get started on the lighting.

1/31

Saturdays wind up being used to catch up on what didn’t get done Friday. This week, I’m working on the service for tomorrow. Leila is almost always in to catch up on things. Sam G is upstairs running an all day audition for As You Like It. A very large group of young  Koreans is in to rehearse for their worship service tomorrow. At first I though this was the large American chorus Charles was hooking up until I noticed that they were all Korean. Including guitars, amps, etc. Stephen S comes in for his Saturday rounds, not quite expecting this.

 Later, Beppe and I stop in after seeing the Oscar nominated short films at the IFC. I’m showing him all the reconstruction. There’s still a theatre group in Mc Alpin, working into the night.