Hot Times in the City.

6-21-12 SHORT HILLS: This is the second day of a heat wave with temps near 100° in the afternoon. Yesterday was the Summer Solstice, so the days now begin to get shorter as the sun works its way back to the Equator.

Yesterday we were in the city to see the Terracotta Warrior exhibit at Discovery—Times Square. These life-size clay soldiers, an army of thousands, guarded the huge burial tomb of the first emperor of China. There are enough figures to give one an idea of the detail and scope of the burial city. The supporting text and videos give plenty of back round info and provide a fairly complete picture of the story.

We met Lynn and Bill for dinner at a Thai place, and then we all saw ‘Clybourne Park’ at the Walter Kerr Theatre. It has enjoyed rave reviews and theatrical awards, but we were all a bit disappointed. There are two acts, the first is set in the fifties and the second in the present. The cast, direction, sets, costumes and dialogue are all excellent, but the plot falls short, the subplot is contrived and superfluous. It works as a pair of vignettes, but seems forced and hasn’t got a lot of laughs. The ensemble does what it can with the vehicle. It doesn’t compare to the Aquila Theatre’s ‘Macbeth’ and costs ten times as much.

 
Honey Bees are still out there and busy working.
Rosebay Rhododendron have pink buds, but lose the color in the open flower except for the stigma, in the center of the flower.
 
Roses continue to thrill.

Terra Cotta Cavalry.