‘A Few Steps Into Our Walk, I Heard a Tremendous Thud Behind Me'
Close Calls
Dear Diary:
New York City dog owners have their regular routes. For years, mine began with a right turn out of my Yorkville building.
One evening, I decided to turn left. My terrier tugged to go right, but my tug won out.
A few steps into our walk, I heard a tremendous thud behind me. I turned to see an air-conditioner that had tumbled from a window several stories up on the sidewalk just on the other side of my building's front door.
A young man stood nearby facing me. He had stopped short in time to watch the heavy metal crash down at his feet.
I walked toward him and stopped, with the air-conditioner between us. His face was ghostly pale, as I imagined mine was.
A woman rushed out of the building.
'Oh my god!' she cried. 'My air-conditioner! I opened my window and didn't realize it was keeping the unit in place!'
'Or, perhaps,' the young man said, 'that's yours.' He pointed toward a second air-conditioner on the ground a few feet away.
'Oh no!' the woman said. 'Mine hit another one on the way down.'
— Sylvie Farrell
Così Fan Tattoo
Dear Diary:
I have been attending operas for more than 25 years and getting tattoos for almost twice as long.
On a trip to New York in 2018, I attended a Metropolitan Opera production of Mozart's 'Così Fan Tutte' that was staged in Coney Island and featured actual sideshow performers, including a fire-eater, a sword swallower, a snake dancer and contortionist.
Later that summer, I returned to the city for an annual tattoo show in Manhattan. Some of the same sideshow performers provided entertainment.
As one woman came off the stage, I told her I had seen her earlier that year in the opera.
She looked at the heavily tattooed and pierced crowd.
'I'm guessing you'll be the only person this weekend who tells me that,' she said.
— Jil McIntosh
Lost and Found
Dear Diary:
I recently went to the Lost and Found at Grand Central, a musty office tucked in a subterranean corner of the terminal.
I explained to the man there that I was looking for my bright orange AirPods case, which I had left on a train about a month before.
He disappeared and then returned with a bin of at least 100 AirPods cases, each one carefully bagged and tagged. We looked through them together, one by one.
A young woman appeared at the counter. She said she was looking for her purse. Another employee disappeared into the back.
'I've been here four times since Tuesday to see if it's shown up,' the woman told me, an air of desperation in her voice. She ticked off some of the important things in the purse: her wallet, a favorite lipstick, a deodorant she loved.
I told her about my missing AirPods case. We stood there looking forlorn together.
The employee helping her emerged from the back. He was holding a purse. Her face lit up.
'Oh my god!' she said. 'I can't believe it!' She threw her arms around me, and we hugged.
By then, the man helping me had gotten to the bottom of the bin of AirPods cases. Mine wasn't there.
'I'm sorry you didn't get your case back,' the young woman said.
'Well, I'm really glad they found your purse,' I replied.
'Thanks!' she said, running off to a train. 'If it's any consolation, they didn't find my gloves.'
— Jennifer Bleyer
Home Alone
Dear Diary:
I was home in Brooklyn when he texted me: 'I just walked by your apartment.'
Smiling, I responded: 'Did you hear the dulcet sounds of 'The White Lotus' theme song?'
'Ah, you're watching!'
I paused, flirting with a rare moment of spontaneity.
'Do you want to watch it with me? I just started.'
The text came back: 'I just missed my train! But I would.' He was already at the subway.
'Oh, then never mind,' I told him, feeling sheepish.
'But I would,' he insisted.
I told him to holler when he was outside my window.
Ten minutes later, I heard my name.
— Louisa Savage
Loose Change
Dear Diary:
It was the 1980s, and we were going to visit relatives in Manhattan.
I had read that the fare boxes on the buses did not take dollar bills. You had to have quarters to pay the fare. So before we left for the visit, I went to the bank and got a $10 roll of quarters.
While we were in the city, we got on a Fifth Avenue bus near Central Park to go to Greenwich Village. I paid my fare and my husband's.
People kept coming on the bus and asking other passengers for change for a dollar. I made change for four people.
The man sitting in front of me turned around to face me.
'What are you?' he asked. 'Some sort of good Samaritan or something?'
— Marlene Hellman
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Buzz Feed
20 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
54 Best Father's Day Gifts He Actually Deserves
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This can charge his iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once. A MegaVolt24 jump starter if your dad basically embodies the Eagle Scout code of honor, and needs to be ready for any and every occasion. It has a 4000A peak power current, which basically means that this baby can jump start your dad's vehicle without him needing to rely on the kindness of the stranger next to him in the Walmart parking lot. A Churchill Steakhouse Ribeye and Filet Mignon Prime Steak box to bring a 5-star dinner straight to your father — leaving the house is not required. This comes with the seasoning, the finishing butter, a meat thermometer, and detailed instructions for each cooking style. Honestly, this will probably be the greatest meal he's ever had. Or a Valor Provisions lifetime membership because your dad takes his meat ~very seriously~, and now your dad can get access to the finest, mouth-watering, premium cuts of meat for 30–80% off! 🤤 A hanging curved lounge chair your dad can curl into and be as comfy (and, more importantly, as shaded) as possible while the kiddos or grandkiddos hop into the pool. Retirement life just got a whole lot better. A TheraGun because your dad deserves the absolute best massage gun on the market, and frankly, this one is definitely it. After hours spent pumping iron at the gym, this will ensure he can achieve the proper muscle relaxation he needs after toiling hard. A stainless-steel insert your papa can use to transform his plain old charcoal grill into a super duper fancy pizza oven — yeah, like the ones you can find in those priceyyy restaurants. Bon Appétit!! 😋 A multifunctional fire pit because nothing brings the family together like ooey-gooey-yummy s'mores. 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Your dad shouldn't have to suffer having metal poles digging into his booty throughout his entire drive — this seat has an ergonomic design and gel layer so his behind can be as comfy as can be. A car steering-wheel tray so your dad can enjoy his packed lunch in the comfort of his own car. And now, he even has a place to prop up his laptop, book, and drink if he's trying to use his vehicle as a private office when his actual workplace or usual coffee haunt is just too crowded for comfort. A viral, luxurious, TikTok-famous Last Crumb cookie box with a variety of a dozen cookies for the sugar-obsessed dad in your life. These sugary baked goods are handmade and sourced from the absolute best ingredients. The chocolate chip cookie (aptly named "Better Than Sex") is made from several different types of chocolate. A small, undetectable laptop mouse jiggler he can slide into the USB port, because he should have the freedom to get up from his desk, even when working from the comfort of his home. Now, he no longer has to scarf down that morning croissant for fear of showing up as "inactive" on Slack or Teams. He can feel free to take his time enjoying that coffee — this jiggler has got him covered. A Mason jar-inspired cold brew coffee maker that will save him some money in the long haul when he starts cutting down on those early morning Dunkin runs. He can say goodbye to the days of being late to work while stuck in a ridiculously long drive-thru line; his perfect cup can be made right at home — no heavy machinery or electricity required. A puzzle table with four built-in drawers if your father loves puzzles but tends to take over the whole dining table for weeks in a bid to complete his 1,000-piece set. Finally, his coffee table is protected from the jigsaw mess. 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This baby vacuums, mops, and can be controlled through an app on your dad's phone — so he can have clean floors and rugs from the comfort of his couch without ever needing to pause his Sons of Anarchy marathon. An Ember temperature control ceramic mug so your dad's coffee or tea will stay warm for hours. After all, you know better than most how slow of a sipper he can be when distracted by how badly his favorite sports team is doing this season. A Boxxle box wine dispenser because your dad keeps buying several boxes of wine, and this will make sure he drinks every last drop instead of... oh, I don't know... buying another case because he forgot he still had like two bottles in storage. A made-in-Italy diamond-cut decanter so your dad can feel like he belongs on the set of Mad Men as he sips that $10 bottle of whiskey (don't worry, his drink will look much more expensive than it really is). 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A Mercach exercise bike so he doesn't ever need to leave the house to close his Apple Watch rings. This bike has handlebar and seat adjustment so he can set it at the perfect height for him, *and* has a knob so he can add or reduce resistance midway through his workout. Seriously, who needs a gym? An incredibly well-made Bond peacoat by Billy Reid, because while your dad may not be the actual 007, he's certainly cool enough to pull this off. Your dad is gonna be *puts on the best British accent possible* "fashionable, very fashionable." A full beard grooming kit with literally everything your dad could possibly need to keep his favorite feature neat, trimmed, and kempt. It even comes in a little travel bag so he can take care of his beard wherever he goes. A Hexclad nonstick pan because the last thing your dad wants to do after whippin' up an amazing meal is spend a ridiculous amount of time scrubbing those pans (which he was probably going to put off doing anyway). 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Yahoo
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‘The Gilded Age' Season 3 Trailer: A New Generation Rises as Carrie Coon Tries to Secure Her Status in High Society
'The Gilded Age' is ushering in a new era. The third season of the beloved HBO series marks the start of Bertha's (Carrie Coon) reign. She already has secured her status as the patron saint of the Metropolitan Opera: Can she now have the approval of the old money elites? The Season 3 logline reads: 'Following the Opera War, the old guard is weakened and the Russells stand poised to take their place at the head of society. Bertha sets her sights on a prize that would elevate the family to unimaginable heights while George risks everything on a gambit that could revolutionize the railroad industry — if it doesn't ruin him first. Across the street, the Brook household is thrown into chaos as Agnes refuses to accept Ada's new position as lady of the house. Peggy meets a handsome doctor from Newport whose family is less than enthusiastic about her career. As all of New York hastens toward the future, their ambition may come at the cost of what they truly hold dear.' More from IndieWire The Cast and Crew of 'St. Denis Medical' Found Joy and Warmth in the Show's Hospital Setting David Gauvey Herbert Reveals 'Ren Faire' Director Lance Oppenheim's Disarming Methods 'The Gilded Age' is an Emmy-nominated drama from 'Downton Abbey' creator Julian Fellowes. Along with Coon, the series stars Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Taissa Farmiga, and Harry Richardson. The ensemble also includes Blake Ritson, Ben Ahlers, Ashlie Atkinson, Dylan Baker, Kate Baldwin, Victoria Clark, John Ellison Conlee, Michael Cumpsty, Kelley Curran, Jordan Donica, Jessica Frances Dukes, Claybourne Elder, Amy Forsyth, Jack Gilpin, LisaGay Hamilton, Ward Horton, Simon Jones, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Ben Lamb, Nathan Lane, Andrea Martin, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Debra Monk, Hattie Morahan, Donna Murphy, Kristine Nielsen, Paul Alexander Nolan, Kelli O'Hara, Patrick Page, Rachel Pickup, Taylor Richardson, Douglas Sills, Bobby Steggert, Erin Wilhelmi, John Douglas Thompson, Leslie Uggams, Merritt Wever, Bill Camp, and Phylicia Rashad. 'The Gilded Age' Season 3 will debut at Tribeca. Fellowes is the creator/writer/executive producer of the show. Gareth Neame, Bob Greenblatt, and David Crockett also executive produce, along with directors Michael Engler and Salli Richardson-Whitfield and writer Sonja Warfield. 'The Gilded Age' is a co-production between HBO and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. 'The Gilded Age' Season 3 premieres June 22 on Max. Check out the trailer below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
New York Times
a day ago
- New York Times
He Reinvigorated the Met Opera's Chorus. Next Stop, Chicago.
When Donald Palumbo departed his post as chorus master of the Metropolitan Opera last year after nearly two decades, he could have easily taken a break. But Palumbo, 76, wasn't finished. 'I knew it was not a retirement situation for me,' he said. Now Palumbo has lined up his next position: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra announced on Tuesday that he would serve as its next chorus director — only the third in the choir's 67-year history — beginning an initial three-year term in July. 'I love this chorus,' Palumbo said in a telephone interview from Chicago, where he was rehearsing the chorus. 'I love this city.' Palumbo was a fixture at the Met from 2007 to 2024, helping turn the chorus into one of the most revered in the field. He could often be seen during performances racing around backstage, working with singers to refine bits of the score. He was chorus master at Lyric Opera of Chicago from 1991 to 2007. At the Chicago Symphony, he said, he hoped to work with the singers on 'creating an identity as a chorus from the way we sing, and the way we devote ourselves to the music.' Jeff Alexander, the Chicago Symphony's president, said that Palumbo had built a close relationship with the chorus during guest appearances over the years, creating 'an atmosphere of collaboration that yielded exceptional artistry.' 'We knew this would be the ideal choice to build on the legacy of this award-winning ensemble,' Alexander said in a statement. Palumbo, who lives in Santa Fe and will commute to Chicago, is already at work with the Chicago singers. He will serve as guest chorus director this month for Verdi's Requiem, working with Riccardo Muti, the Chicago Symphony's former music director. In July, he will begin his tenure as chorus director with a performance of Mahler's 'Resurrection' Symphony at the Ravinia Festival, led by the festival's chief conductor, Marin Alsop. While Palumbo has forged a close relationship with Muti, he said, he was still getting to know Klaus Mäkelä, the Chicago Symphony's incoming music director, who begins in 2027. (Palumbo said he has been watching videos of Mäkelä on YouTube: 'Everything he does musically is exciting,' he said.) Palumbo said he hoped to stay in Chicago beyond the end of his initial term in 2028. 'I certainly am not planning on having a cutoff point,' he said. 'I intend to keep working.'
