{"id":331,"date":"2009-09-21T10:34:36","date_gmt":"2009-09-21T10:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/lifesapitch\/wp\/?p=331"},"modified":"2009-09-21T10:34:36","modified_gmt":"2009-09-21T10:34:36","slug":"sticking_around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/lifesapitch\/2009\/09\/sticking_around\/","title":{"rendered":"Sticking around"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve said it before<\/a>: Wendy at Ling Spa on the Upper West Side is a font of marketing ideas. There are few things I like more than hearing her stories about the fabulously wealthy women who come in all the time; my two favorites to date are the 1. the woman who claims her husband has never seen her without make-up (she sleeps with it on and only washes her face once a week, SO GROSS) and 2.  the 15-year-old whose mother suggested she get a Brazilian bikini wax “for her boyfriend,” which is even more gross. Last week, Wendy told me that the lady who had the appointment before mine gets a facial once a week. “What could she possibly be getting done?” I asked. “If you have money, I’ll tell you how to spend it.” she said.  Because I have a one-track mind, this led me to wonder if arts organizations offer enough ways for me to spend the money I have. <\/p>\n

I went to the New York Philharmonic opening last Wednesday night. The tickets were expensive ($72 – $255), and obviously people could buy tables at the post-performance gala. I can’t afford a gala ticket, but my friend and I wanted to do something fun after the performance; no point in wasting the pound and a half of make-up I had on my face. We went to O’Neals’<\/a> across the street. I had two martinis and a chicken sandwich and he had three glasses of wine and a burger. The bill was $100 even. No, our $100 isn’t going to make or break the Philharmonic or any other arts institution, but why not take it? Human beings are lazy. There are better burgers in New York City, but no, my friend and I were not traveling farther than across the street at that time. Given the opportunity to stay, I’m sure we wouldn’t have left Lincoln Center. <\/p>\n

No sooner was I thinking this that I received a “liner notes” e mail from Berkeley Rep<\/a>. I had bought tickets for the Green Day musical American Idiot<\/i> for Saturday afternoon since I would be in San Francisco to see Sondra<\/a> in Trovatore <\/i>that evening. After a lengthy note from the dramaturg about storytelling (which perhaps wouldn’t have been necessary if there was a story being told in the actual work – zing!), we came to this:<\/p>\n

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Specialty cocktails to help you rock ‘n’ roll
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Our mixologists have gone into overtime concocting irresistible libations to celebrate the world premiere of American Idiot<\/em>.
\nIn addition to Pabst Blue Ribbon (the beer of punks) with whiskey
\nchasers, we also offer a carefully chosen beer list that includes local
\nbrews Pyramid Hefeweizen, Bison Brewery IPA, and Speakeasy Brewery
\nProhibition Amber, as well as imports Heineken and Newcastle. <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

Now to our cocktails — may we tempt you with…<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n