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How Are We Coping With Self Isolation: Insight From Around the Country And The World With Maite Uzal

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Photo by Emilio Madrid Kuser 

Maite Uzal graduated from the Musical Theatre Conservatory Program at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (NYC). Before that, she was a litigator in her native Madrid, Spain, where she appeared in productions of Les Miz (Fantine) and Martin Guerre (Bertrande). NYC credits include Hyppolitus, Death Of A Salesman and Uncle Vanya. Highlights in film include the feature, “Little Galicia” as well as the award winning short “Olvido”. She has originated the role of Semíramis at Repertorio Español, role which she has earned her a Latin ACE Award and an HOLA Award, and has collaborated with The Living Theater. Most recently she has originated the character Maite for the bilingual children’s TV show “Basura Aventura/Trash Bash” and could be seen as Golde in the 1st North American National Tour of Fiddler on the Roof directed by Bartlett Sher.

T2C: How are you dealing with home containment in NY when you were supposed to be in a Spain.? Can you also expound on your home in Spain, how your mom is doing and what it is like over there.

Maite Uzal: I miss performing tremendously and I wish I were in Spain next to my mother and closer to my family and friends. I have savings and plenty of things to keep busy with so I’m grateful for that and I don’t think I can complain. I have a lot of trouble falling asleep, I find myself in this weird state of alert that keeps me up until very late, even if I’m really tired. I talk to my mother every day, many days more than once. When we were sent home from tour my first instinct was to fly to Madrid but she was the one who reminded me that if I did that it was very likely that I wouldn’t be allowed back in the country to work when the tour resumed, and since Fiddler did have (and continues to have) solid plans to be back as soon as possible it was better that I looked out for my career first, given that she was doing perfectly okay health wise. We have been much more in touch now than we would normally, I have been overseeing her grocery shopping, sending her masks, massive batches of vitamin C and other care products. Every day I help her learn a little bit of this a song that has sort of become a hymn during these times called “Resistiré” (literally, I will resist) (Dúo Dinámico). We sing it every day over the phone. 

Maite Uzal photo by Shirin Tinati 

T2C: What would you say is the difference of being in self lockdown between NY and Madrid?

Maite Uzal: The shelter in place in Madrid has been strict and the severe measures adopted have only started to be gradually lifted this past weekend, when people have been allowed to go for a walk distributed in time slots depending on their age. Before that, you couldn’t go out unless you imperatively had to go to work (for which you had to carry an authorized form filled by your employer in case the police stopped you), to do groceries or to get a prescription. The police has been stopping people and escorting them to these places to make sure they were actually abiding by these rules. Here in NY we have always been allowed to go for a walk maintaining the appropriate distances and wearing masks. The Spanish Government has handled this crisis late and poorly, improvising measures and misinforming people. It continues to do so. 

Bartlett Sher, Yehezkel Lazarov, Maite Uzal, Sheldon Harnick

T2C: What have you been able to accomplish in this time?

Maite Uzal: A more honest relationship with myself and the ones who I care about, most importantly. And honest, though I believe is beneficial in the long term, doesn’t always mean pleasant. I have finished off many things that I had once started (books, sewing projects, the classic cleaning and rearranging of the apartment). I have started to write several ideas for film that I had been lazy to tackle for the past years. I’m not a great chef but I do prefer cooking and eating at home, so that has been nice. I’ve also had the opportunity to continue to submit auditions weekly and to be a part of my dear friend Shirin Tinati’s photo project “Intimate Distancing Photo Project” (photo outdoors in this feature). 

Maite Uzal Semíramis Photo by Michael Palma Mir 

T2C: What has this time stopped you from accomplishing?

Maite Uzal: It has prevented me from working and subsequently getting paid and most importantly it doesn’t allow me to be physically present with my family and friends. We are facing some hardships with our landlord too which is something I didn’t necessarily anticipate. And of course, I’ve put on weight, given that I’m nowhere near as active as I was pre-COVID

Maite Uzal

T2C: What kind of emotions does this time bringing out of you?

Maite Uzal: Restlessness (is that an emotion?), nostalgia, sadness of course. Also immense gratitude and joy for so, so many things one takes for granted. 

T2C: If you were to equate this time to a song or song cycle what would it be? 

Maite Uzal: I’ve been listening to Sixto Rodriguez, “Let it Be”, “Landslide”, “The Promise” (Tracy Chapman) and “Blowin’ in the Wind” recently. 

T2C: What message would you like to give the world right now?

Maite Uzal: Love! Valor! Compassion!

Maite Uzal

T2C: What is the first thing you will do when we are no longer self quarantined? 

Maite Uzal: See my friends here in the city, go to Bikram Yoga Harlem to take class and immediately after that hop on the next available plane to Spain, if the travel ban has been lifted.

T2C: What are the things that are getting you through this time?

Maite Uzal: Daily conversations with friends and family, coffee, music, Tennessee Williams, patience, and sense of humor. Also the relentless work and support of my Manager Bob Blume at Step Forward Entertainment and my agents at Eris Talent and TTA (UK) who keep in touch constantly and continue to give us guidance via IG talks and manage to provide audition and exposure opportunities even in these very challenging times for the industry (please stay safe!). And Christine Ebersole, always.

Maite Uzal

T2C: What haven’t we asked you that you would like to say?

Maite Uzal: Simply but wholeheartedly thank you to all essential workers who are in first line of battle and you can never thank people who are being loving and patient with you enough. I also want to specially thank my Fiddler on the Roof family out there: I miss them and they give me something truly beautiful to look forward to come back to. To all of you, thank you and stay safe.

Suzanna, co-owns and publishes the newspaper Times Square Chronicles or T2C. At one point a working actress, she has performed in numerous productions in film, TV, cabaret, opera and theatre. She has performed at The New Orleans Jazz festival, The United Nations and Carnegie Hall. She has a screenplay and a TV show in the works, which she developed with her mentor and friend the late Arthur Herzog. She is a proud member of the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle and was a nominator. Email: suzanna@t2conline.com

Family

‘The Best Hug in The World’ is a Terrific Tale of Love

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Tommy Feight’s “The Best Hug in the World”  is a tale of magical moments that will appeal to both children and their parents. Illustrated by graphic designer Daniel Klein, the charming book tells the story of a young boy’s love of hugging.

Rather than being a celebration of heartfelt moments, however, this emotional journey is anything but straightforward for young Shams and his father. The sweet, brown-eyed boy at the center of the story is determined to become the world’s best hugger, but his noble quest is fraught with setbacks.

Join Shams and his father as their father-son relationship is tested like never before. “The Best Hug in the World” is packed with endearing characters, genuine love, and a profound message that will resonate with parents and children alike.

Buy this book online today, and share heartfelt story times with your children that teach invaluable life lessons.

Kids these days have so many distractions and things available to keep or occupy their attention and unfortunately, books are probably way down on that list and they should not be,” says Feight. “With video readily available in all formats I fear soon we will have a nation of idiots who can not read and can only speak in little pictures. That is why I decided a book club would be a good idea. Just imagine being the first person to put a computer in Steve Jobs’s hands? He would never have been able to build Apple without reading and books, so now take some of our brightest and innovative minds and imagine you were the one who helped put the knowledge in their head. When you do that you could help someone who may grow up to change the world! When you think of it on that level such a little egg corn could grow into an extremely powerful oak that could one day yield a Forrest. This is why I feel this is something we all have to do. Feight Club is fully registered and approved as a 501c3 Nonprofit.”
To order your copy today please visit HERE.
 

 

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Entertainment

Macy’s, The 4th and The Drones

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Macy’s had a drone show for the first time ahead of the start of its 4th of July Fireworks this year. Spectators cheered when 500 drones formed the shape of the Statue of Liberty on East River.


The drone show took place before the Macy’s fireworks celebrating the United States’ 247th independence day.

The drones formed LL Kool J, a radio, Stars and Stripes, a turning Statue of Liberty, an American flag and spelled out the word “Macy’s,” all while Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” blared along the water.

It truly was spectacular.

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Featured

How to Clean a Disposable Vape

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If you’re one of the many former smokers around the world who has made the switch to vaping, it’s likely that your vaping device is in your mouth dozens of times every day – so if cleaning your disposable vape isn’t something that has crossed your mind before, it’s probably time to start thinking about it. After all, you clean your silverware every time you use it; why should your vape be any different?

In the past, keeping your vaping device clean was only necessary if you used a refillable device. If you used a disposable vape, you didn’t really have to worry because you’d be replacing your device after a day or two anyway. Today, though, the most popular disposable vapes have the ability to last thousands of puffs. That’s as long as an entire carton of cigarettes or even longer. If anything is going to be in your mouth thousands of times before you’re done with it, you definitely want to keep it clean.

Knowing how to clean a disposable vape isn’t just a matter of preventing microbial growth and germ transmission. When you’re not using your disposable vape, it’s going to be in your pocket and is likely to pick up plenty of dust and pocket lint along the way. Failing to keep your device clean could affect its flavor and may even impact its ability to charge when the battery dies.

The next time you buy a disposable vape from a high-end vape shop like Cloud City, you’ll need to know how to maintain it. Here’s how to clean a disposable vape.

How to Clean the Body of a Disposable Vape

If your disposable vape has collected a few fingerprints and stains while you’ve used it, you can remove those contaminants without any trouble by rubbing the body of the device with a soft lint-free cloth.

When you clean your disposable vape, you should never use any harsh solvent or other liquid on the main body of the device, and you should never immerse the device in water. That’s partially because water could get inside the device and damage its internal components. It’s also because many disposable vapes have decorative stickers – and if you clean your device with a solvent, it could cause the sticker to peel and come off.

How to Clean the Mouthpiece of a Disposable Vape

The mouthpiece is the part of a disposable vape that collects the most germs from use, so it’s the most important part to clean properly. While you’re cleaning the rest of your disposable vape with a soft cloth, you can use the same cloth to clean the device’s mouthpiece and remove old lip balm and other contaminants. You can disinfect your disposable vape’s mouthpiece using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Be careful not to get any of the alcohol inside the mouthpiece’s opening. Allow the alcohol to dry completely before using your disposable vape again.

Remember that alcohol vaporizes at a temperature of just 173 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much lower than the temperature at which the coil in a disposable vape operates. You definitely don’t want to inhale alcohol vapor – so after you clean your disposable vape’s mouthpiece, it’s very important to wait until the alcohol has evaporated completely.

For complete disinfection of a surface, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using alcohol with a purity of at least 70 percent. At that concentration, alcohol can kill most viruses, bacteria and fungi. In order to completely kill any germs that may be lurking on your disposable vape’s mouthpiece, the rubbing alcohol needs to remain on the surface of the mouthpiece for at least 30 seconds.

After cleaning the mouthpiece of your disposable vape, it’s a good idea to complete the project by rubbing the mouthpiece with a cotton swab that you’ve dipped in water. That’s especially the case if you’re using rubbing alcohol with a strength of 70 percent because the impurities in the alcohol may not evaporate completely when you’re done cleaning your device – and you might get a bit of a nasty taste in your mouth when you go back to vaping.

How to Clean a Disposable Vape’s Charging Port

The charging port is the final component that you’ll need to address when cleaning your disposable vape. It’s very likely that you carry your device in your pocket when you aren’t using it – and when you do that, the charging port can get clogged with dust and lint. If that happens, your device may charge more slowly than it should and may not even charge at all. If you have a disposable vape that isn’t lighting up and charging when you connect it to your computer, the charging port is the first thing you should address.

To clean your disposable vape’s charging port, you need to use a thin tool that isn’t made of metal. A USB port typically uses gold-plated contacts to ensure reliable power transmission – and if you use a metal tool to clean the charging port, you could scrape the metal away accidentally. In that case, the charging port may stop working. You’ll find that a toothpick is usually the best tool to use in this situation. Insert the toothpick into the charging port and use it to carefully scrape the contaminants out. If your disposable vape still isn’t charging after you’ve cleaned the USB port, you should try replacing the USB cable.

Cleaning Your Disposable Vape Promotes Good Hygiene and Improves Your Vaping Experience

As you’ve learned from reading this article, cleaning a disposable vape is a simple task that only requires a few minutes of your time. It’s also worth the effort because a modern disposable device can easily last as long as a couple of weeks before it runs out of vape juice. If you’re going to use a vaping device for that long, it can easily pick up some germs along the way. In addition to being best for hygiene, cleaning a disposable vape is also the right thing to do for the quality of your vaping experience. It’ll ensure that your device works reliably and charges quickly until it’s time to replace it.

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Events

Happy Birthday, Grand Central!

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Today, Wednesday, February 2nd, is Grand Central Terminal’s 109th birthday, and the shops are helping them celebrate. Visit the below stores and eateries in Grand Central to take advantage of one-day-only deals* that either celebrate Grand Central’s age (109 years) or our birthday (1913)!

Café Grumpy: 8oz drip coffee is $1.09
Central Cellars: bottle of Banshee Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2019 or O.P.P. Other People Pinot Noir is $19.13 each
Doughnut Plant: Grand Central–exclusive GCT mini doughnuts are $1.09 each
Grand Central Watch: 18mm nylon straps (in various colors) are $1.09 each
Li-Lac Chocolates: a 9-piece truffle box is $19.13, and caramel squares are $1.09 each
Pescatore Seafood Company: jumbo lump crab cakes are $19.13 for 2 pieces
Spices and Tease: Indian spice trio – 1 pouch of Madras curry, 1 pouch of turmeric, and 1 pouch of Garam Masala – is $10.90

Grand Central Terminal’s construction lasted for ten years (from 1903 – 1913). The building was designed by a Francophile architect named Whitney Warren, who wanted to bring a whole lot of Parisian flair to New York City with his Beaux-Arts style.

Did you know 750,000 people pass through the station every day. That’s almost half the current population of Manhattan. The space occupies 48 acres.

The station has very few stairs, relying on a network of ramps. There are 2,500 stars painted on the ceiling; roughly sixty electric bulbs add to the twinkling effect of the stars. The constellations, with the exception of Orion, are painted backwards. The star-spangled ceiling  is 125 feet high.

During the filming of a scene in The Fisher King (1991), 400 extras waltzed around the main concourse from the evening until the first trains arrived at 5:30 the following morning.

Grand Central is the setting for the opening scenes of Gossip Girl.

In Alfred Hitchcock’s classic North by Northwest, Cary Grant makes an amazing escape through the terminal. Like The Fisher King, this scene was filmed at night to prevent disruptions to train service.

In Superman (1978), Clark Kent battles Lex Luthor, whose hideout is located under the terminal.

At the very end of Francis Ford Coppola’s Cotton Club, Richard Gere and Diane Lane escape their mobster lives through Grand Central.

Fire Power, starring Sophia Loren, was also filmed in Grand Central.

 

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Featured

Happy Chanukah or is it Hanukkah? Day 1

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Tonight Chanukah starts at sundown. The word Hanukkah means ‘rededication’ and commemorates the Jews’ struggle for religious freedom when, according to legend, the leaders of a Jewish rebel army called the Maccabees rose up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt of 167 BC (BCE).King Antiochus had taken over the Second Temple in Jerusalem and soon after ordered an altar to Zeus to be erected. Judaism was prohibited, circumcision was banned and pigs were ordered to be sacrificed at the altar.The Jewish rebellion that followed was led by Judah Maccabee, (or Y’hudhah HaMakabi, meaning “Judah the Hammer”).The uprising spanned three years until the Maccabees gained control of Jerusalem.They wanted to rededicate the desecrated temple, but could find only one container of the sacred oil they needed which had the seal of the high priest still intact.Judaism’s central text the Talmud, dictates only pure olive oil with the seal of the high priest can be used for the Hanukkah. The candelabrum is required to burn throughout the night every night but although there was only enough oil for one day, the candles miraculously stayed alight for eight days – the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of kosher oil for the menorah. This event became known as ‘the miracle of the oil’ and is now marked  with an eight-day festiva

l.

Is it Chanukah or Hanukkah? In Hebrew, Hanukkah is pronounced with the letter ‘chet’. The letter “H” makes the closest sound. So both names work.

We here at T2C wish you a holiday of lights, hope and health.

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