in pursuit of Magic in New York City

 To be specific, we have been in pursuit of magic shows in New York City. And to forgo all modesty, we've been pretty successful. We got help from Helen and Matt. I'd also thank the Google and their ad algorithm, which was on to us like white on rice.

It all started when I was extremely minding my own business waiting for a play entitled "The Immortal JellyFish Girl" to start at 59e59.  Helen texted asking if we'd seen the new Asi Wind magic show down there by Washington Square Park. I said we had not. I said I didn't even know what an Asi Wind was. Helen said it was a great show and we should go.

So we did.

Asi Wind Magic Show

It was afterwards that I realized Helen had an ulterior motive. She was seeking collaborators to figure out how the hell Asi had done some of his more magical magic tricks.

Unfortunately for Helen, we were zero help whatsoever. I'm like that dog that made it into the headlines. I'm referring to the dog who was supposed to be sniffing diseases or drugs or something but was distracted by a life-sized gorilla balloon. 

This analog may not be clear, so let me just state my point outright: when it comes to sleight of hand shenanigans, I'll always win the magicians choice award for most awestruck audience member. I have no strategy to watch the right hand without blinking or whatever. Even if I had whiskers, they wouldn't be twitching.

Anyway, after attending the Asi Wind show, Google relentlessly chased us all around to spend our money consistently and buy tickets for the SpeakEasy Magic show at the McKittrick. So sure, me, Tom, Helen and Matt headed up there last night.

It was fun stuff. Different. There were a whole bunch of magicians and they went around table to table like traveling minstrels of chance and mischief. 

We also played an interstitial game of bingo that we were instructed not to discuss. So I will not discuss, except to state that yeah. The whole suddenly we're all playing bingo felt like a shot across the bow for magic show purists.