More Drama than a Shakespearean Drama with Shakespeare in the Park’s Current Julius Caesar

I moved to NYC in May 2008 and my very first job was working as an usher for the Public Theater, Shakespeare in the Park. It was a magical summer. I was working in my favorite theater, seeing live performances every night, and occasionally getting mistaken for world-class actors. Those first months in New York felt like a Sex and the City dream…I was dating the wrong men and working security at opening night parties attended by Cynthia Nixon.

Sure, my job sounded boring- guide people to their seats and stop them from taking photos- but working at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park was such an adventure. Anything could happen! One night I became best friends with Jonathan Groff for 10 minutes! Another night Hillary and Bill Clinton attended the show, sat in my section, and shook my hand and personally thanked me! These are all true stories! Then there was the time I smoked a doobie with the man who wrote Hair: The American Tribal Love Rock Musical!

These were amazing experiences (and blog posts!) for a 22 year old new to New York. So needless to say

The Public Theater Shakespeare in the Park has a significant place in my NY lovin’ heart.

shakespeare in the park julius caesar public nyc Read More

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My Sunny/Cloudy Weekend at Governors Ball NYC Music Festival

Never have I ever…been to a music festival. That was my lame but effective “Never Have I Ever” for years, but as of this weekend, it’s no longer true. Guys! I finally went to a music festival! And not just any music festival, the New York cliché of music festivals:

Governors Ball 2017

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At the beginning of June every New York summer, Governors Ball invades Randall’s Island for a weekend. (Contrary to its name, Governors Ball is not on Governors Island like you might think. This music festival is too massive for cute little Governors Island.) I always kinda sorta thought it would be fun to check out but tickets are expensive, especially if you’re not super into any of the bands playing…

But if you know me, you won’t be surprised that I found a way to get paid to attend Governor’s Ball.

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An Online Dating Photo Shoot, Really? Yes, Really Great, with Hey Saturday

After months and months of dates that all rated somewhere on the scale of MEH to FINE, I couldn’t help but wonder. It’s me isn’t it? What am I doing wrong?! 

I don’t want the wrong thing to be that dating is a numbers game. I don’t want it to be fucking timing. I want it to be something I can control, damn it! I want there to be something wrong with me!

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Okay, okay, that’s going a little far. You know what would be great? If it was just something wrong with my online dating profile! Can it just be that? That’s super easy to fix, no soul searching or therapy required! Like that time my profile said I was expensive instead of expressive. Read More

Falling Off the Blogging Wagon and Into a Midlife Blog Crisis

I’m sorry I haven’t written in while! I’ve just generally been a bad blogger this past month+ and it’s lame, I know. Ugh real life is sooooo busy, guys!

Is there a more cliché way to begin a blog post? I don’t think so!

Is there a worse feeling than letting down your readers and yourself by falling off the blogging wagon? Well, I guess I haven’t completely fallen off. I’m still clutching on to a rope at the back of said Blogging Wagon, being bumped and scraped along the World Wide Web as it continues to go on, almost without me. It’s hard to pull yourself back up, ya know? Especially when you haven’t been to the gym in oh, years, and your arms resemble those of Betty Spaghetti. Especially when you’re working a full time job and performing in a play and have friends you never see and maybe, just maybe, have actually met someone (really and truly) special…

If I write any more, y’all are going to start calling me Mary COMPLAIN instead of Mary Lane!

Next week is my nine year blogoversary – can you believe it? NINE YEARS of blogging!?
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A walk down memory/Mary lane… This was the first header the blog ever had. I stole it from Google and didn’t even credit the photographer! Such an amateur move!

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A NYC Sightseeing Free Ride on the Staten Island Ferry

If you’re visiting New York City, you may have heard the Staten Island Ferry is a great, money-saving activity. It costs absolutely nothing to ride and you get gorgeous views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. When you look at the $50+ tickets of most NYC harbor cruises, it seems like a no brainer. You don’t even need a ticket! You just walk on!

 

Experience one of the very few legitimately free things NYC has to offer! Take the Staten Island Ferry!

Staten Island Ferry NYC view Read More

“The Theater of the Disappearance” Installation Appears Brilliant on the Met Rooftop This Summer

There are some people who would accuse the Metropolitan Museum of Art of being boring and elitist, the epitome of hoity-toity. A relic of a bygone era, frequented only by snobs and tourists wearing I HEART NY shirts. We all know the museum cliché! So does the Met.

Which is why they have the Met Gala, the New York fashion event of the season, which happened Monday night so everyone and entire Twitter feed is talking about this week.

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Not me! I’m above the Met Gala. Like, 5 floors of galleries above the Met Gala. Like, so far above that red carpet, I’m talking about the Met Roof Top!

Did you know the Met Museum has a lovely rooftop garden? That’s open to the public April 14th to October 29th? That not only has fantastic views of Central Park and a full bar, but also features a site-specific art installation? Read More