Lotus Moment: Down By The Cherry Lane

Why This Is Awesome: While on vacation during the final week of August, I took a moment to travel across the river for the history buff's idea of fun: a walking tour. My tour of choice focused on the infamous Greenwich Village hosted by Free Tours By Foot. Now, I already know a fair amount about the area thanks to my own cultural obsessions with bohemianism, literature, music and civil rights history, but since it's impossible to know everything, an opportunity to glean more details about our collective past while enjoying a walk on the perfect late summer day was a no-brainer.

I adored our guide, Renee, and her cool New York demeanor peppered with the patience of Job. Much to her delight, when I wasn't asking her questions, I was snapping photos with abandon. And one of my favorite pics from that day was of this quirky corner that bends into the renowned, but not nearly-renowned-enough Cherry Lane Theatre.

New York's oldest continuously running Off-Broadway theater was, by its pedigree alone, worthy of a photo. But then you add in its commitment to providing a platform for new voices among emerging playwrights, actors and directors, and this theater geek begins to question why she hasn't seen a play here yet.

So now thanks to the tour, I'm hoping to make my way down by the Cherry Lane sometime in the near future. I wish it was this week before Keith Hamilton Cobb's American Moor closes on October 5th, but unfortunately, I'll be out of town for most of the week and working 12-hour days for the remainder. I heard it's phenomenal and offers an eye-opening perspective on race, theater and Shakespeare. And I can't think of a better introduction to such an amazing space.