Guilty pleasures!

[Penelope]

Fantastic story Saffron!! How wonderful to be free to wander NYC too.

I have never been to the USA. I would love to visit New York though because I have been told that there is loads to do for free. Boat rides and etc. My friend has told me that I would hate Washington and Chicago because one is not safe to walk the streets and must take taxis everywhere. Not so NY I believe.

I would like the show you describe too....because I love the F-word. I don't use it out loud.....because I am a sweet old lady.......and it would not be appropriate. My mother in law who was 98 when she died looked like a little white haired angel......and it was great when she swore. For instance:- The OAP's in this country get a

[Saffron]

I have never been to the USA. I would love to visit New York though because I have been told that there is loads to do for free. Boat rides and etc. My friend has told me that I would hate Washington and Chicago because one is not safe to walk the streets and must take taxis everywhere. Not so NY I believe.

My dear Penny, you were misinformed about the 3 US cities. NYC is quite expensive, but very walkable. Chicago I like, but is expensive and very spread out. Washington DC is very accessible. Just about everything is free and the Metro (underground train) is very easy to use. I have visited many times and have lived near each of these cities. I must say DC is my favorite. Currently I live about 40 miles from Washington and get in every other month or so. Almost forgot, I have never been afraid in any of the 3 cities and walking is my usual my mode of transport in the city.

Saff

[Penelope]

Well, then we must certainly make the USA our next big holiday destination. We do talk about it a lot....but want to see all of it....so it is difficult to know which area to choose.

We see so many US programmes on our TV that we feel as though we know it. I, being a big, big fan of 'Ally McBeal', would like to see Boston. We don't have Ally McBeal broadcast any more, but I have the videos and I watch them when I am left to myself. But I don't feel the least bit guilty about this!!!!

Also my daughter bought us tickets (for my birthday) to see Vonda Shepherd at the Liverpool Empire. It was fabulous and I have all of her CD's I think. She must feel a bit cramped on that shelf with all my classical music!!!!

[ralphinlaos]

These stories bring back memories.

Here's a couple of anecdotes about me and the theater.

I was living in New York City, going to school, and had a small apartment. My brother and his wife and sister and her husband decided to visit, so I got theater tickets. It was for a very funny play, which I had seen before and had laughed long and loud (I forget the name of it now - something about an Italian family living in the Bronx). And I had completely forgotten about what a prissy pair my sister and her husband were (are). Anyway, there's this big, buxom blonde in the play, and her first entrance is to come banging out the front door in her housecoat, screaming, "What the f----s going on around here?" at the top of her lungs. My sister almost fell off her seat and immediately got the hiccups. She hiccupped through most of the play and had no clue as to the plot when we discussed it later. My brother and his wife loved it. (The next morning, I went to school and my sister and sister-in-law decided to clean the apartment. They put all my rugs out on the fire escape, went back in to clean, and when they came back all my rugs had disappeared).

My favorite memory of seeing a show: Harvard University has a small theater on-campus which puts on professional productions with visiting actors and actresses. Eileen Heckert was doing "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" and she was brilliant - just mesmerizing in a role which demands everything an actress has to give (a terrible harrigan of a mother whose own life has passed her by and she is taking her wrath out on her daughters). When the curtain came down, you could literally hear a pin drop - and then the audience just exploded. A standing ovation that seemed to last forever. I've had a lot of theater-going experiences but I'll never forget that one.

New York City is a walking city - it's just the best way to see everything and, since it's not too big, you can walk it from one end to the other - from Central Park down to Chinatown and on to the Statue of Liberty. And always lots of freebies, things to do that don't cost an arm and a leg. And, really, I've found that it's as expensive (or inexpensive) as you want it to be (outside of hotels and theater tickets, that is). I always loved the city most during the period from Thanksgiving to November - all the music and decorations and ice-skating at Rockefeller Center. But, like Saffron, I'd always buy discount tickets at TKTS - they always had something I wanted to see.

I really don't know Chicago that well; I've been there (almost got tattooed on State Street one inebriated night), and saw some good theater there, but don't know much from a tourists point of view.

And I do like Washington, DC very much. Especially in the spring.

I like Ricky Gervais in "Extras" and have no idea who Vonda Shepherd is.

Oh, and speaking of nudity in the theater. A woman I knew at work in NYC asked me if I would like to see a play with her. Of course, so off we went. It was Joe Orton's "Entertaining Mr. Sloan" and neither one of us had known that the leading actor took all his clothes off in act one and didn't put them back on until act two (it was Juliette Mills' husband - I forget his name). It didn't bother me a bit, but she was rather strait-laced and really not comfortable with it - but she bought the tickets, I didn't!

I liked your story about "Spring Awakening," Saffron. I knew there was nudity and swearing involved and that they had a few-on stage seats with some spectacular views - I guess your children saw some of them.

Somehow, Penny, I doubt you are a sweet old lady. Is "buggery" a swear work in England? Is "bloody?"

Ralph

[Penelope]

Buggery is a swearword in England Ralph.

All our swearwords are about sex.

The rest of Europe have swearwords about bodily functions......excrement and vomit.......but ours are about sex.....now what does that say about this nation?????

Still, my mother in law was a wonderful enigma.

[Saffron]

Buggery is a swearword in England Ralph.

All our swearwords are about sex.

The rest of Europe have swearwords about bodily functions......excrement and vomit.......but ours are about sex.....now what does that say about this nation?????

Still, my mother in law was a wonderful enigma.

Americans seem to have swear words for just about everything!

[Constance963]

I watch Survivor and yell at the stupid antics of the participants. (I just watched it tonight and my blood pressure went up ten points).



Ralph

I LOVE Survivor too Ralph. This season has been really good so far. Its one of the few shows I won't miss.

I also really like Lost and Little People, Big World

[Audrey]

My guilty pleasures include:

Dancing around the house with my ipod singing as loud as I can.
Pig Picking Cake.
All my shows on Bravo (Top Chef, Project Runway).
Vanilla Expresso Coolers from the local coffee shop.

[anotheradmirer]

I like blended cappuccino from a local franchise coffee shop. A cup of it costs me 40% of my average daily income. The coffee shop is situated across the road from my workplace. I had never drunk any coffee until I went into this coffee shop a year ago and got addicted to blended cappuccino. I sometimes order one with extra whipped cream with caramel instead of coffee powder. I try to limit my visit to the place, but since it's across the road, well, you know.

Here comes my real guilty pleasure, and quite a secret; no one knows this except my mom. I like reading the advice column in an English daily newspaper. I don't read it everyday but whenever I get a copy, I only read this column and the strips page. All letters are from different states in America. I always marvel that there are many questions in the world, well, in the states, and they are asked and answered. Some are amusing, some interesting, some funny, some profound.

[Biomachine]

My #1 guilty pleasure is watching television shows that are not educational, which includes Star Trek, House, and animated comedy like Family Guy and South Park.