Friends, Old And New

Saturday night presented a quandary: My wife and I
were invited to two 50th birthday celebrations, one for an old friend,
one for a new one. The solution was probably inevitable. We split up:
Rebecca stayed in the city and joined the party for a mom we see all the
time, and I ventured to Irvington,
to party with an old friend from college. Most people I know have
questioned the substance of their bonds with their old friends (who they
may not see that often) and new friends (with whom they have a limited
history)–and there was one touching moment on Saturday that
crystallized this dilemma for me. —

The party for my college friend (someone who I dated part of
senior year) was hosted at the home of one of her friends in Irvington and the vibe was very
loving and familial. There were a lot of kids at the party. There was a really
good cover band, led by the host. It was also clear that a
number of her friends from the neighborhood, in addition to the hostess, had made
the effort to make this a special night for their dear friend. (One of them, the Head of Education at their Temple,
was the mixologist—it was that kind of team effort.)

During the round of speeches, the hostess recounted how my friend
had been there for her when they first moved to the area and ever since, how
she’s become one of her best friends, how she always looks forward to
having deep and meaningful conversation with her, like “Could you believe what so-and-so wore last night?” 

The tantalizing question with old friends is: would you still
be such good friends if you saw each other more regularly? The tantalizing
question with new friends is whether the bond transcends the convenient
circumstances that have brought you together. 

Even though I was essentially a stranger to them, it was
nice to see how deeply my friend was embedded in lives of all these good people
who have shared the day-to-day of raising kids together and
being part of the same community.  

Perhaps I was feeling especially tender because—would you
look at that?—there was a yesteryear picture of me and the birthday girl in one of the
video montages. (Note to self: lose a zillion pounds.)    

Much later that evening, when my wife and I reconvened and
compared notes, I learned that we also made the video montage put together for
our other, newer friend—a small gesture, but appreciated, and good to come home to. 

Relevant Directory Listings

See More

Play On! Studios

<p>Play On! Studios offers theater day camps and after-school classes on the UWS that are guaranteed to give kids a summer full of acting, music, and fun they won't soon forget! Young actors will rehearse and perform in a full production, work with professional NYC actors/teaching artists, build up their skills in a nurturing, non-competitive environment and play lots of drama games!</p> <p>Creative Drama Camps are perfect for kids entering grades K-4. Campers will work each week to put on a brand-new show! Each session, they will receive a script, rehearse a production, make a set and costumes, and perform their play. Kids will also play drama games, play outside (weather permitting), and have tons of fun!</p> <p>Musical Theater Camps are aimed at kids entering grades 4-9. In Musical Theater Performance Camp, campers put on a complete musical production in a professional NYC theater! Campers will stretch their skills with drama exercises and games, vocal coaching, field trips, and building a professional set. Our incredible teaching artists and campers come together to put on a truly remarkable show!</p> <p>During the school year, classes are great for beginners or more experienced actors - sing, dance, and put on a play! Whether your child is just starting out, or ready for Broadway, we’ve got the class for them. Classes are available for grades PreK-8, after school or on Saturdays! Come play with us.</p> <p> </p>

Gaga Madness

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">Gaga is the hottest new sport in NYC. We've taken the fun of GAGA and pushed it into overdrive. Energetic coaches, pumped up music, sideline commentary, gear giveaways and more. Stay active and keep fit with this new craze that's sweeping the city.</span></p>

Adventuring Portal

<p><a name="m_-1473885667065203258__Hlk72147528"></a>Adventuring Portal runs Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) games for kids.   We have created a safe online space for tweens and teens to learn and play D&D.</p> <p>Our D&D Summer Camp session are a one-week experience.  Monday – Friday.  Each day will be 3 hours of gaming (with 2 breaks build in).  15 total gaming hours for $180.  If you have played with us before, you are entitled to 10% off.   </p> <p>Need your kids, nieces or nephews, grand kids or neighbor’s kids to be occupied for a bit so you can get work done & take care of your to-do list? Maybe your tween or teen is still a bit isolated and craves connection with their peers? Whether your teen/tween has played D&D before or is brand-new to the experience, this safe space brings players together to have fun and solve problems as a team in ways few other online opportunities do.</p> <p>All our games focus on experiential learning.   Our players leave knowing all the basic game play as well as experiencing: teamwork, bravery, compassion, generosity, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem solving, cartography and probability - all through online D&D adventuring!</p> <p>We are an inclusive organization and welcome gamers who are LGBTQIA+ and those on any spectrum. </p> <p>All girls’ groups available. </p> <p>I am a parent, a certified elementary school and middle school math teacher and last summer in the midst of the mess started Adventuring Portal, an online Dungeons & Dragons business for kids. There are so many benefits to playing D&D and I hope you will consider us as a great way for your child to safely socialize, grow as people and have a great time.</p>