Entertain Me

There is nothing I enjoy more than being entertained and inspired. I spend most of my free time searching for opportunities to get both. My favorite bits of entertainment tend to skirt around Broadway and go for more off-the-beaten path types of entertainment. It's cheaper and usually much more interesting. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. Works and Progress - This is a series at the Guggenheim museum that looks at all sorts of art (dance, opera, spoken word, even science) in a deconstructed way. I have seen the NYC Ballet "practicing" a new piece and receiving correction from the choreographer and then doing it all over again with all the corrections. It is sort of a peek-behind-the-curtain experience. Tickets are easy to get, and they are cheap. The best part? There is a reception afterwards in the beautiful rotunda of the museum with finger sandwiches, wine and mingling dancers. Heaven.
2. Burlesque - Sue and I have an affinity for burlesque. I don't know if it is because it is ever-so-girly, or because the dancers usually have regular bodies that make us feel awesome about ourselves, or the abundance of sparkly bits, or the theatrics that go into each dance, but we love it! Our favorite location used to be Corio, but I think that lounge is under construction, so we must find a new location.
3. Fall for Dance - This happens every Fall at The City Center. The series features all types of dance and different dance companies from all over the world. The best part? All seats are $10. The worst part? If you wait for more than 10 minutes after the box office opens, you will not get any tickets (I waited for 30 minutes this year and came away empty handed).
4. Spoken Interludes - This is a great reading series developed by author DeLaune Michel. They have monthly readings in Westchester, NY at a delish Indian restaurant. You arrive early, chat with all the fun attendees, grab your giant plate of spicy Indian grub and head upstairs for the reading. I have heard some of my favorite authors (Arthur Phillips, AJ Jacobs, Julie Powell) read from their books and then hang out afterwards to talk with the crowd and sign books. If you are lucky, you can catch an author on the train on the way back to New York City and chat their ear off (not that I have done that before....)
So, there you go. These are the things that inspire me every day. What inspires you?