A neighbor of mine is the house manager of the Promeande Theater, a fantastic Off-Broadway house that's been a fixture on the Upper West Side for decades. I went to see all the shows, always treated to incredible performances, great seats, and special nights out.

It was my custom to give a thank you gift to my friend after every performance. I'd create a theme gift, always getting the idea as I was watching the show. Once the song "Life Is Just A Bowl of Cherries" opened a play so I bought him a pretty little bowl and a pound of cherries. Another time there was reference to a chocolate cake and he got one from Fairway! Most recently I saw the amazing TRYST; set outside London at the turn of the century - not this one, the one before - and the lead actress talked about a "nice cup of tea" and biscuits. The next day, a box of them and a selection of Twinings Teas wound up the knob of his door.

I ran into him on the corner the other day. He thanked me profusesly and told me, "You shouldn't have."

"I love to," I said. "But I know I don't have to. Maybe I'll skip next time," I told him.

Then he told me there would be no next time. The theater was being torn down. It would become a Sephora. A Sephora. There's already a Sephora directly across the street.

Tears came into my eyes. The theater, the sacred and beautiful and inspirational theater obviously didn't bring in as much money as make-up. The theater, so specific to life on the Upper West Side, was being replaced by a store that's already all over the country. Again taking away the individuality of the city for a corporatation.

It scares me to see where we, as a country, as as culture, are headed. And it makes me very sad.

I'm going to the theatre tonight. Playwrights Horizons. Another great theatrical institution. I am looking forward to the play and I plan on savoring every moment.