Big Apple Big Top

We went to the circus today, the kiddos' first time.  What took so long?  We had gone to a circus-themed day at Van Cortlandt Manor a couple of years back, which we had enjoyed for its aerialists, steampunk band, and Circus Arts demos.  Sis even got a diabolo.  But, never a full circus, mainly because of our boycott of Ringling Brothers' Barnum and Bailey Circus over our ethical concerns regarding their treatment of their animals.

So we went to the Big Apple Circus instead.

It's a one-ring show in a real tent, with no seat further than 50' from the ring.

Better yet, they only use domesticated animals like horses, dogs, and rabbits--some of them from rescue organizations--instead of lions, tigers, bears, and elephants.  So, we could attend, in all good conscience.  (All of which is ironic, because we live not far from P.T. Barnum's home in CT and even attended the UU congregation of which he was a member!)

Mama and I had known about it, going back to my first days in NYC and further for her but, until about a year and a half ago, hadn't been coming into the city for shows.  Now was the time.

And it was wonderful!!!!

As we waited for the show to start, in the lounge, there was a young magician doing card tricks.  Bud was quite taken with his repertoire and watched intently.  Then Bud showed his own trick, which the magician liked.  So he explained one of his own tricks to Bud.  Wonderful!  (Bud's in his room practicing now.)

Trampoline artists.  People juggling each other with their feet.  Trapeze artists.  Aerialists.  A contortionist.  A quick-change act.  A group diabolo demonstration.  A dog-and-pony act, with a camel and llama, too.  A clown who played xylophone on himself and juggled a ball on pans to play "Ode to Joy" and got us all singing "Brother John" and "Happy Ba-bo" (he was a gentle French clown, not crass or buffoon-like; I liked him.)  But my favorite was Tato, who not only helped with the contortionist act by folding into a tiny box with another woman, but did this amazing juggling routine . . . while standing on a wibbly-wobbly rolla bolla!!  She juggled tennis rackets and balls and clubs and rings!!  And not even on solid ground.  LOVED it!!!

Of course, I remember going to the bigger aforementioned circus as a child, really the only game in town.  It was huge and we had seats way up high; it's one of the first times I remember having a sense of vertigo.  Of course, it was highly entertaining and quite the spectacle.  But I'm not sure I loved it and I think we only went the once.  I was never that interested in clowns (or trapeze artists or trained animals.)

Interestingly, when I worked at the high school after getting my MA, I became, quite by accident, the advisor of the Clown Club.  The previous advisor had been fired, when they discovered he had lied on his teacher application a few years earlier; no one would take it over and so, since I could juggle, I agreed to step in.  I recall that we met a few times to do magic tricks--I even went to a local magic store to get some props--and then we had a gig at a school even for younger children.  I even wore a classic black-and-white clown suit, with big ruff and pom pon buttons, my hair in pig tails and my big converse sneakers.  I juggled and the teen clowns did their own gigs.  I had quite forgotten that until we went today.

I think I enjoyed today as much as, perhaps even more than, the kids did.  But I imagine we'll all be pulling out the diabolo and juggling balls tomorrow.

Presenting the Hungry Family Circus!

Remember how we saw the traditional, old-fashioned circus a few weeks ago, with one tent of acrobats, trapeze artists, tumblers, etc., as well as other displays of juggling, stilts, etc?   Sis was enamored of the ancient Chinese yo-yo aka the Diabolo and learned how to get it started and keep it spinning, while Buddy was introduced to the rudiments of juggling.

Well, the circus continues.  I got Buddy a set of scarves and he has been practicing arcs and back-and-forth tosses.  And this weekend, a Diabolo arrived in the mail for Sis, who is really pretty good at the basics (and it's much harder than it looks!).  So this afternoon, Bud was juggling, Sis was yo-yoing, and I was juggling, too!  Mama was helping Sis with the finer points of keeping the spin going.  All we needed was some good old circus organ music!

It's like we were channeling P.T. Barnum, who lived around here (and was a Universalist, too!) a century and a half ago . . . .

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Mommy Hungry's Tips on Learning How to Juggle:

1. Get three bean bags, koosh balls, or hacky sacks (tennis balls are too hard to catch easily and bounce away when dropped).
2. Practice  tossing one ball back and forth in a nice arc.   If you drop it a lot, practice sitting down.  Also, to keep your arc in one plane, practice facing a wall so you can't throw the ball forward.
3. When you can do that, add the other ball and practice tossing back and forth.  See #2, if needed.
4. Now, put two balls in your dominant hand and one in  your other and continue the back and forth.
5. Repeat, repeat, repeat.  And don't get discouraged because it takes everyone time to learn how to juggle.
6. Best yet, once you learn, like bicycle riding, you don't really ever seem to forget and can surprise and impress friends for years (really, aren't you surprised I can juggle?  I used to be able to do pins for a few tosses!)

OR, better still, buy the Juggling for the Complete Klutz book (with three bean bags!), which is what really helped me learn to juggle (after an initial lesson from my cousin, Frere Jacques) and probably where I got all the above ideas anyway!

And if I can learn to juggle (and successfully teach Mama . . .and maybe Goo (I can't recall)), then you can learn, too!

Lunch, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Saturday

• The new World Trade Center--we admire the tower from NJ
• Vince Lombardi rest stop--nothing like cinnamon buns for breakfast!
• Independence Visitor Center--big, new since we were there 10 years ago, and a great anchor for the site; kids pick up Junior Ranger booklet (and complete enough activities to earn their Independence ranger badge) and trading cards (which they earned by answering questions posed by rangers).
• Liberty Bell--but only from outside, as we wouldn't brave the lines
• Independence Hall, again just from the outside, but an up-close look at the "Great Essentials" documents--Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Constitution
• City Tavern:  Sally Lunn bread, Anadama bread, sweet potato roll, shrub, mushroom toast, lobster pot pie, chicken pot pie, fried tofu a la Ben Franklin, all served by costumed interpreters in a reconstructed 18th-century building.  My favorite stop, both for the food and the atmosphere.  I got the chef's Taste of History DVDs for home.  
• Ben Franklin's Print Shop, complete with Amos the mouse from Ben and Me, which we read before our trip.  This was the kids' favorite stop in Philly.
• President's House archaeological site discovered during building of new Liberty Bell center, with outdoor exhibition on Washington's slaves.  My second favorite stop.
• Free Quaker Meeting House
• Ben Franklin's grave 
• Shopping--hammered dulcimer cd, magnets, Philly puzzle, soap, mob cap, NPS pins and patches, Junior Ranger vest, books 
• And all the while, I hum, "Open up a window . . . It's hot as hell in Philadelphia!" from 1776.  
• Dinner at Iron Hill Brewery: pomme frites with garlic rosemary aioli, quinoa salad, egg roll sampler, shrimp, cheeseburger, ice cream, oatmeal cake
• Sis and Bud shared a pullout sofa in our hotel suite, but Sis came to us in the night to complain.  "Mom, Bud feels my warmth and keeps scooting over.  He thinks it's you and he wants to cuddle.  So I keep pushing him back, 'Stay on your side!'  I even threw Mr. Big over to the other side, but he just keeps cuddling with me!"
  

Sunday

• Competition begins early, with Bud's first two forms back-to-back.
• Gold in broadsword!
• Gold in staff!
• Sis plays DS and chats with Ma and Gong.
• We have chicken and broccoli, fried rice, pork buns, and noodles for lunch.
• Masters' performances of various wushu-kung fu and tai chi
• Team competitions are fascinating, with whips, double swords, etc.
• Gold in nunchucks!
• I asked Bud if he heard people cheering for him when he was doing his kung fu forms.  "No, Mom," he explained, taking his first position and sweeping his arm around in the way he usually begins, "I think, 'I am the best!  I am the best!  I am the best!'"
• We take some pictures, talk to his master, watch several more divisions.
• Dinner at the brewery again with Ma and Gong, before they head home.  Bud practically falls asleep at the table.
• We chill in the hotel, but kids get second wind won't fall asleep.

Monday

• We "sleep in" and leave hotel by 8:30-something.
• We head to Animals & Acrobats at Van Cortlandt Manor in Hudson valley, essentially an old-fashioned circus
• Boston Circus Guild:  acrobats, trapeze artists, other aerialists, all to "Emperor Norton Stationary Marching Band," all dressed in steampunk.  Kids love woman with hoops, trapeze work, partner acrobatics, etc.  Sis wants to be an acrobat!
• Lunch of hot dogs, turkey sandwich, pasta salad, bean salad, lemonades
• Double servings of Blue Pig local ice cream in the high heat--"double the yum!" Sis says.
• Visit the Cabinet of Curiosities, with Fiji Mermaid, mastodon, and invisible woman in a box!  Bud declares, "There is no magic!"  I tease him about being a realist.  Then I ask about the Tooth Fairy.  He stands perplexed then answers, "The Tooth Fairy is different because she's not creepy!"
• Circus Arts hands-on.  Bud tries juggling; Sis excels at this big yo-yo.  Both walk on tight rope and try stilts.  
• Flight of Raptors display birds of prey and Two by Two have animals, including a huge, hot, brown rabbit reclining in the shade of its enclosure.  "He's a melting bunny," Sis declared.
•  Mama, Sis, and Bud conspire to buy me an adorable giant stuffed hedgehog.
• We head home around 2 pm, missing traffic almost completely!
• We get the AC on quickly and sit around the rest of the afternoon, reminiscing about our great weekend.