The Economy May be Hairy, But "Hair" Helped with a Food Drive

With many raises cut, jobs in question, and unemployment up in New York, donations to food pantries and shelters are down in this less-than-stellar economy. So the New York Daily News/City Harvest food drive found a unique way to chip in yesterday—aspiring performers auditioning at an open casting call of the musical “Hair” were asked to bring canned goods along with their resumes.
Glossy headshots, pages of sheet music and cans of baked bean, soup and other staples were a common sight at the Public Theater on Friday, where the tryouts were held. By 8:30 am, more than 960 actors had already lined up for their chance to belt out 16 bars of a song and hand over their cans.
But New York, don’t despair if your singing chops weren’t up to par and you weren’t possessed by that renegade-counterculture hippie spirit—you can still donate food.
Donations are accepted at all police and fire stations across the city; Modell’s sporting-goods stores across the five boroughs; and the lobby of The New York Daily News (450 West 33rd Street in Manhattan).
The latest incarnation of “Hair” opens on Broadway on March 9.
So come on, New York, grab a can of pasta fagioli or black bean soup, and get yourself to your nearest police or fire station. Or combine a trip to buy sneakers for little Bobby with a drop-off that’s seriously needed.
Hair, hair!

Gingerbread People? Your Winter Homes are Ready at the Parker Meridien Hotel

If you were a gingerbread person looking for digs in New York, you would almost certainly want to settle down in one of the fabulous creations now on in view in the very chi-chi Parker Meridien Hotel (119 West 56th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues; 212-245-5000). The confections, which went on view this week, were donated by bakeries like Cupcake Café, Billy’s Bakery, Buttercup Bakery (which diverged from the traditional and made a subway car), and Soutine Bakery. While ogling the gingerbread houses (which are located in the atrium, and are decked out in frosting, gumdrops, marshmallows and more) is most certainly encouraged, their real purpose is to bring awareness to local bakeries and, primarily, to help raise money for City Harvest. The world’s first food rescue organization, City Harvest helps to feed more than 260,000 New Yorkers each week. According to the organization, each donated dollar helps them deliver and rescue almost four pounds of food; they salvage almost 25 million pounds of food a year that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Visitors, therefore, are encouraged to donate one dollar in order to vote for their favorite gingerbread structure. If you do so, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a 5-night stay at the Parker Palm Springs, airfare included. It’s a win-win situation!
The display, which includes eight magnificent abodes, will be on display though the end of January.
No nibbling allowed.