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As a few friends and I shared a 40-something birthday, we thought it would be perfectly apropos to go see Sex And The City—the movie, that is. Skipping the trailers and dashing for seats during the first five minutes, we might have missed Carrie Bradshaw in her signature shoe store, Manolo Blahnik, but we didn’t miss the signature cocktails. We came prepared with Cosmopolitans in a beach bag, veggies and dip. It got a bit loud pouring the cocktails into paper cups, and when the spinach dip fell on the floor I was wondering how marinated my sandals would be by the end of the flick…a very memorable night that ended with more drinks and appetizers—four friends in their own Sex And The City drama.

I didn’t always have the patience for the TV show, but the movie was surprisingly okay. Besides the usual Carrie costumes that only Sarah Jessica call pull off (and sometimes not) the four friends displayed some quality acting. If you haven’t seen the movie and plan on it—stop reading right here. I’m about to give it away…

When Big leaves her at the altar (or nearby) in the movie, I wasn’t expecting to see a bed-ridden, circles-under-the-eyes Bradshaw, but this side of Carrie is one I can believe in. The designer “bag” dresses, the poodle skirts, the crazy hats, the vintage gloves, the Blah-Blah Blahniks are all great, but Bradshaw’s serious side is more flattering than the outfits.

I won’t go into more details … go see it and judge for yourself. The best part is they’ve all aged gracefully without appearing to have dived too deep into Botox or Restalyne (and whatever else is plumping out there.) So, when people say I resemble Sarah Jessica Parker, I smile and thank them. And like Carrie, I, too, get by with a little help from my friends…

—Joanne Schenker, canvas Arts & Letters columnist

By Joanne Schenker

Right in the middle of Woodbury’s little village, where the firehouse was recently renovated and the roads were re-paved and traffic was up the wazoo, is a beautiful bit of Nirvana. Yoga Oasis is a spiritual retreat that gives your body and soul everything it needs less the stress, daily “to-do” lists, and everyday worries of the world. Check it all at the door and strip down to the bare essentials because in this 110-degree room, you’re gonna sweat—for 90 solid minutes. But don’t worry, you’re not alone—you’ll be going through it with about 25 other people, who in no time will become your yogi friends. It’s Bikram Yoga, and it’s amazing, addictive, and life altering. Its benefits on the body are incredible—both inside and out.

Owner Mary Grace is a certified Bikram/Ashtanga instructor who will expertly guide you through the 26 postures with enlightening words of wisdom and gratitude. You’ll probably work harder than you ever have at any gym, but you won’t sweat in vain. Eventually you’ll become leaner, limber, and lighter in your mind (especially when the endomorphins kick in around 3 p.m.). The other instructors are excellent as well—if you’re lucky maybe you’ll catch James Onnikian teaching COGA (calisthenics/yoga), a high performance boot camp taught by this Golden Glove kickboxing champion. Don’t let the headstands and handstands intimate you. With time, you’ll be doing them, too.

In preparation for class, you’ll need a large towel (or two), a washcloth and a yoga mat. Don’t forget to bring at least two large bottles of water so you stay hydrated. The studio rents mats and sells water and other hydrating treats if you happen to forget yours. Dress as light as possible and drink lots of water before class, as well. Try to skip the caffeine before your practice, as it is dehydrating.

After the first class, you may feel tired. Very tired. That’s normal and part of the detoxing process. It may take a few classes, but you will eventually feel incredibly energized, and any aches and pains you might have had will probably melt away. It’s a moving meditation that will stretch your muscles, increase your range of motion, improve your circulation, and strengthen your core. Yoga Oasis offers a multitude of classes in Bikram, Ashtanga, and COGA. Teacher training, massages, and workshops are available as well. To get more information, please visit the website at www.yoga-oasis.com. For more information on the benefits of Bikram yoga, check out: www.bikramyoga.com.

Come share some sweat. You’ll be amazed at what your body can do. And your soul will thank you. Namaste.

By Joanne Schenker

This month LI Sound featured an article on The Paper Bag, the famous nocturnal musicfest that goes on every June at Mulcahy’s for the last 30 years. Basically, 60 musicians perform unrehearsed music (classics from the ‘70’s and onwards) for six solid hours to 1,400 die-hard fans. After three decades, the concert sells itself – there is no advertising budget…only around 300 people in the band and crew and their friends, plus friends of theirs “and so on and so on”…(I’ll date myself right now by asking if this reminds you of the Faberge commercial from the ‘70’s?) Much of the audience has been attending for 10 years, many over 20. They add as much to the concert in zealous participation, as the performers themselves. Profits are not part of this gig…the payback is purely in the form of wild enjoyment. As long as they can cover the cost of renting the hall, providing beer and hamburgers for the musicians and crew and videotaping the event, they’re all happy campers.

Kudos to Mike Guido, the creator of this little bit of Woodstock. With over 30 years experience as a professional musician, he has performed in rock bands, swing bands, jazz, reggae, even basement bands…you name it, he’s done it. For the past 26 years, he has played bass guitar, woodwinds and sings with The Jim Small Band. He also plays saxophone with the Stanton Anderson Band and has been the bassist with the Town of Babylon All Star Jazz Band for 14 years. He has taught music for over 30 years, 15 of them in Long Island’s public schools. He is currently teaching Concert Band, Jazz Band and Music Workshop classes at Island Trees Memorial Middle School in Levittown.

So, music is definitely his bag.

He’s got a great sense of humor, as well. Last year’s theme for the concert was The Dirt Bag…one can only imagine …mudsliding as in the days of Woodstock, perhaps? This year The Sleeping Bag rules. Although from 10 pm to 4 am on June 26th, Mulcahy’s will not see any shut eyes. Red eyes, yes. Sore throats, yes. But no sleepers.

By Joanne Schenker

About four years ago, I was on my usual night run to Borders looking for the next great read. As I was paying for my purchase, I noticed a flyer for The North Sea Poetry Scene. They were offering creative writing classes and poetry readings on the island. After attending a few readings (one very memorable one in The Conklin Barn in Huntington), I was hooked. It was wonderful to reclaim my passion for poetry—my first connection to the world of writing.

TNSPS’s founder, Tammy Nuzzo-Morgan, and public relations person, Barbara Reiher-Meyers are gifted writers and incredibly dedicated to the organization. Barbara’s weekly online calendar of events is an endless list of poetry readings, workshops and writing classes from Long Island to Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Keeping up with the calendar is a job within itself, but you will often find Barbara conducting readings, as well. Her energy can fill a room, her words follow suit.

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In the fall of 2002, Glide Magazine found a home on the internet. A place where musicians and music lovers alike could stop in, read a bit, chat with others and update their iPods. Now almost five years later, Glide has grown to become a premier online entertainment resource, covering today’s most innovative, up-to-the-minute artists in every genre under the sun - with a staff of writers recruited from the music community, of which I am very proud to be a part of.

Glide was founded by Shane Handler (Senior Editor), Eric Ward (Director of Business Development) and Brian Piccolo (CTO). In 2003, they partnered with Pixel Bridge, a web development company in Boston, and together they created the fully integrated media company, Glide Publishing, LLC. It didn’t take long for the public to catch on and as the readership grew, so did Glide.

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