Nightlife

Adventures lit by the last summer blue moon.

Super blue moon + 1 day, upon exiting the Delacorte Theater.

Wednesday evening, August 30th: Moonchase. A beautiful sunset was the opener...

... to trying to capture the super blue moon. 

I knew it was the night, but I went out to the terrace and didn't see the moon. I saw only a glow behind the super tall building next door. And I got lazy about going to seek it. But I had mentioned it to Sis, and she thought we were going and that I would call when I was leaving; she held off on dinner waiting. So when she called to ask, that was the nudge to just go. And we did, and saw it immediately, and it was brilliant.

Super blue moon, captured by the Panasonic Lumix.

With the mission accomplished, New York City late night food tradition called for a trip to the diner. This night, it was The Mansion - stuffed grape leaves and zucchini sticks for me, a soup and salad for the Sis. And then, because NYC diners always have an array of sky high cakes and all manner of pies, and the grape leaves were smaller than I anticipated and the zucchini relatively healthy, I heeded to the call of the carrot cake. I wasn't going to share, but as Sissy said, my eyes were bigger than my stomach, and the carrot cake bested even me, so Sissy did me the favor of partaking.

Thursday evening, August 31st: After the previous day's late night moonchase and dinner, I planned for this to be a low key evening. I reached out to an old boss, who has had some health challenges, to see if I might swing over for a wave-by visit, but didn't hear. And then Sissy called with a Buy Nothing offer of tickets to Shakespeare in the Park -

Waiting for the performance to begin.

... "The Tempest," as produced by the Public Theater at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. 

Sis was on the fence, but I jumped at the chance and convinced her to join. I do tend to like "highbrow" stuff like this a bit more than she. So she went for me. And it was so much fun! 

By the end of the show...

Not at all what we expected; a funny, thoughtful, modern, accessible, musical interpretation.

... the moon had risen over the stage and set.

And we got to see Renee Elise Goldsberry perform!

There is no season next year, as the Delacorte stage is scheduled for renovation. So we were most fortunate being gifted these tickets - a fantastic performance, and we caught it just in time before it closes at the end of Labor Day weekend.

Then a walk through the Park, the moon and lamps illuminating what appear to be restored natural log fences hemming in hydrangea and other plantings near the theater.

And farther east in our stroll, the billionaires' row lit skyscrapers became visible in the distance, pretty and magical, even if a bit gauche...

... and we walked onward, past the Egyptian Wing of the Met,...

... back toward home for a late dinner at Dorrian's.

Perfect afterwork August pursuits. And reminder to seize the opportunities that come with conviction, put in the bit of extra effort, and recognize the gifts for what they are, push out thoughts of looking gift horses in the mouth.