Circus Fun!

Leah loves the circus, as do I. This year we decided to take Louis along to the Big Apple Circus. Matt isn't the biggest fan so it was just the three of us.

Leah at the fountain at Lincoln Center.




Leah and Grandma the Clown


So cute!

Big Apple Circus is back in town

As one of my Facebook/High School friends said "Isn't this like the 40th time you've been to the circus this year?"

We sure do love the circus. Always a good time.

We had an especially good time this time around. We went to see the Big Apple Circus which this year was conveniently located in Eisenhower Park, not too far from home. We had ringside front row seats and they were well worth it.

We got to see everything literally right in front of us and at many points in the show we were able to participate! I was able to throw a cup of water on one of the performers (I was directed to by Grandma the Clown) during their remake of Singing in the Rain and it was a lot of fun. Leah got to play a game with one of the performers and we got a dollar from him for that! At another point the performer I threw water on was doing a music routine playing air guitar and his string broke so he used one of Matt's hairs to restring his guitar.

The only down side to sitting in the front row is during the horse act...they run around crazy fast and you end up with sand, saw dust and undoubtedly some horse droppings though we didn't see any.

It was all worth it. The acrobats were amazing, the jugglers were fantastic. There was this one act with a guy and his life-size dummy and at first the dummy really did not look like it could possibly be a person. That is how still it was and as the act goes on you realize it is a person. Phenomenal.

I can tell Leah has developed her own love for the circus and circus acts. She really gets into them and she gets very serious when she is watching the acrobats, dissecting everything they do. She asked if she could possibly learn to do some of those things. I told her with dance and gymnastics, hard work, dedication and good spirit for fun, she could eventually learn to do acrobatic type things as well.

Growing up in the Bronx our elementary school had a circus/tumbling/arts program, top of the line. Not the usual run of the mill program for a public school. I enjoyed every minute of it. It was incredible.

They now are part of a program in NYC with the Circus Arts Academy and they do clinics for kids. In another year or two if Leah is still interested I think we will sign her up for one.

Before we left for the circus Leah wanted to dress up so she chose a pretty summer dress.



Matt & Leah eating her popcorn




Random Pics of the Circus






Right before I was told to soak the guy with the umbrella. He was sitting in front of me serenading me and splash! went the water in his face.


The dog act was incredibly well done. All the dogs involved are dogs that have been rescued from animal shelters across the U.S.


This guy really is incredible. A birthday party for kids with him and the other two clown performers would be perfect.

The Greatest Show on Earth!

We received some tickets today for the circus from work. We took a random trip to Manhattan after work. The weather outside was dreadful and Leah wasn't crazy about going out in the rain.



She got over it once we explained to her we wouldn't be outside once we got on the train we wouldn't back outside until we got out of the train station in Hicksville later in the night.

We stopped at Burger King and grabbed some food to eat on the train. We were running short on time.



We went to see the lasted show by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. It is called "Zing Zang Zoom".

It was great. It featured one of my favorite performers (phenomenal magician/illusionist) as ringmaster, Alex Ramon. The animal acts were wonderful. The acrobats were exciting. We had a great time. Leah wasn't too scared and even happily clapped hands with one of the clowns, Mr. Gravity. We had front row seats. Really gives a completely different perspective being up close like that. After going to the circus and being that up close, it will be hard to not do it again.

Leah and Matt munched on snowcones that came in great containers.


During intermission Leah stretched out her legs and watched the next portion of the show as it was being set up.


Leah and Matt watching the performances closely.


At the end confetti fell on everyone. Leah played with it for a while.


Smile says it all.



Ride home went well. We did math/word problems on the train. Leah had her juice box and some snacks.


Leah with her light up toy from the circus.


You might think that at nearly 11 at night after a full day Leah would be tired but instead if bright eyed, wide awake.


Or maybe not.

Big Apple Circus

It has become a yearly tradition. Every year we go to the Big Apple Circus. We love it. One ring circus, always great performers, amazing acrobats. Intimate as well.

Leah had two favorites, well three really.

She loves Grandma the Clown.


The Kovgar Troupe was absolutely astonishing with their teeterboards. Amazing last performance for the show. They also do a great jump rope routine in the beginning.

Then there is Yelena Larkina who does a hula hoop act that is breathtaking. Quite beautiful. She is married to another great act in the show, and legendary juggler Kris Kremo.

We all had a wonderful time, cannot wait till next time.

Off to the circus

Matt got me tickets to the Big Apple Circus for Christmas. Off we went today. Spent the afternoon walking around, went to eat lunch at Big Nicks. Matt and I had burgers and Leah had a slice of pizza. Then we hung out at Lincoln Center. We were trying desperately to get Leah to take a nap but she resisted. Our concern was that she was once again going to fall asleep during yet ANOTHER outing. Definitely her trademark.











Leah licking Matt's face. And then wiping it off.





We waited outside the entrance to the circus, then went in and had a great time. At first Leah was scared of the clown but after about 10 minutes it was smooth sailing. There many children there her age and once she saw them participating, she was into the whole show. She especially enjoyed the guy on the bicycle and anything with people in the air.





I braided Leah's hair on our way home to keep her occupied.




Afterwards we walked around a bit, Leah did end up falling asleep, Matt and me had some hot dogs and papaya drinks at Grey's Papaya and then it was back onto the subway and the LIRR home.