New York City - Scotland Week

http://www.virgin.com/travel/news/new-york-city-scotland-week/

I wrote this piece for Virgin.com    Please go to site and click ROCKED if you liked it or LIKE on Facebook or link it and spread it.  But spread it fast as Scotland Week is coming to a close soon.

The Promise at 59E59

Scotland Week is once again upon us.  My first venture out this year was to see the Scottish play (not THAT Scottish play!) The Promise by Douglas Maxwell.  Lisa and Carri and I were guests of Scottish Development International and had a wonderful time as the event surrounding the New York premier of this play.

What a play. Wow. It is a one-woman show, but not really, it is a full play with one actor in it, a woman.  She is played brilliantly and untiringly by Joanna Tope.  Ms. Tope is one stage for 90 minutes of straight dialogue sans water.  They treat prisoners better than this!  How she did it is incredible. Well, I guess that is why they call her a professional actress.  There is no place for her to hide should she forget a piece of the rapid-fire dialogue. There is no break, no quick walk off stage. She is with the audience without a net and with an amazing story to tell which I will not ruin here.

Me with actress Joanna Tope at after party.

There was an reception afterwards. Lisa, Carri and I love receptions.  They had Scottish whiskey, wine (not Scottish I do not think) and Scottish canapes. Scottish canapes?!  WTF?  Well, there were wee meat pies, Haggis with a turnip coulis on a bed of oats, Cock-a-Leekie soup in wee cups, and fish and chips on a poke.  It was delightful a few pies I might add, but they were small.

We got to talk to Joanna Tope and she was so delightful. I found out the play originated at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow where I worked in the 1980's and I got to tell her so. She has performed this play in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh and now in New York.

Go see it through April 17th at 59 East 59th Street Theatre.

Tammy Grimes

Ellie, my connection to all things celebrity in New York, took me as her guest to see two-time Tony Award-winning Broadway legend and first wife to Captain Von Trapp/Leo Tolstoy and mother of madwoman from "Pulp Fiction" Amanda Plummer, at the Metropolitan Room in Chelsea.

Ellie and Tammy have been friends for years and we had amazing front and center seats to see her show.  In the category of "New York keeps getting smaller for me" we sat right next to legendary Glasgow-born photographer, Harry Benson.  I had met him at his show and reception in SOHO during Scotland Week.  It was great to see him again and meet his charming wife Gigi.  She is Texan and really wonderful.  Anyway, this was supposed to be about Tammy, but click on Harry Benson and you will be amazed at the photos that you know that he shot. What a life!

Tammy Grimes has that distinctive voice. It was no wonder she was asked to replace Glynnis Johns in "A Little Night Music" She has a much better voice, but they both went to the warbly school of eccentric voices and it is an alluring one to hear.

I felt for her as she forgot lots of lyrics, but she was still in good voice at 76 and looks wonderful. It was a pleasure.

Scotland Week, er, Tartan Week

I cover these caps. Please find me one and give it to me!

The Tartan Day Parade took place today on 6th Avenue in Manhattan. This parade is held every year during Tartan Week or Scotland Week. It depends who you talk to what the actual week is called as the name changes. There is a Scotland Week and a Tartan Day within that Scotland Week but there is also a Tartan Week and it all seems to be the same thing. Confusing. Seems like point #1 that the planning committee should get sorted.

Bands marching in front of Radio City.

It is not nearly as huge as the St. Patrick's Day Parade but that parade has about 120 years on this one. I was glad to notice that this parade is getting bigger though I personally saw no promotion for it. People seemed to enjoy it. It won't be deemed a true success until we see underage kids heaving into garbage cans along the side lines like you see at the St. Pat's parade however.

Men marching with a caber.


Dignitaries including Alan Cumming, Grand Marshall, second from right.

As a side note, the St. Patrick's Day parade won't allow gay groups to march (really!) and the Scots ask an out gay man to be their Grand Marshall. Love that.

The whole week, day, event thing is based on April 6th being the signing of the Treaty of Arbroath, basically Scottish Independence Day.

Here is the whole proclamation for my proclamation-reading readers:

The National Tartan Day Resolution:

Whereas April 6 has a special significance for all Americans, and especially those Americans of Scottish descent, because the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish Declaration of Independence, was signed on April 6, 1320 and the American Declaration of Independence was modelled on that inspirational document; Whereas this resolution honors the major role that Scottish Americans played in the founding of this Nation, such as the fact that almost half of the signers of the Declaration of independence were of Scottish descent, the Governors in 9 of the original 13 States were of Scottish ancestry, Scottish Americans successfully helped shape this country in its formative years and guide this Nation through its most troubled times; Whereas this resolution recognizes the monumental achievements and invaluable contributions made by Scottish Americans that have led to America's preeminence in the fields of science, technology, medicine, government, politics, economics, architecture, literature, media, and visual and performing arts; Whereas this resolution commends the more than 200 organizations throughout the United States that honor Scottish heritage, tradition, and culture, representing the hundreds of thousands of Americans of Scottish descent, residing in every State, who already have made the observance of Tartan Day on April 6 a success; Whereas these numerous individuals, clans, societies, clubs, and fraternal organizations do not let the great contributions of the Scottish people go unnoticed: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate designates April 6 of each year as "National Tartan Day".