When I first became a full time magician, the travelling part took a toll on my fitness and health. After tweaking my travelling routine, I’m the healthiest and most energetic I’ve been in my adult life! Here are 5 tips that can help you stay healthy when driving & flying!
1) When Flying: Get some exercise at the airport before boarding.
I used to sit at the airport and read before every flight, and I’d feel sluggish and lethargic at the end of the day – a few years ago I switched to walking around the airport before boarding, and it’s made a huge difference! Now I walk around the airport and listen to audio books or podcasts before boarding. Getting 30-90 minutes of light walking in before boarding will make you feel a lot better for the whole day, and be less worn out when you land! This is a lot easier if all your carry on is on wheels.
2) When Driving: Pack healthy food and lots of water
Driving for a long time isn’t great for your health and energy, but eating healthy on the road can make you feel a lot better! Most experts agree that nutrition is about FOUR times as important for health and fitness as exercise is.
Packing healthy food ahead of time has a number of benefits: You know you are going to have food you like. You don’t have to stress about finding somewhere you like. You will be less tempted to eat worse than you do in your day to day life. Eating healthy by picking up food while on the road CAN be done, but it’s takes a lot more time discipline and time.
3) Lower your stress level
Travelling can be a lot less stressful
The day before:
* Have a checklist you can reuse for things you have to bring. I use the same checklist for every flight, every car ride, and every show. It completely takes out the guess work, makes things less stressful, and allows you to be more consistent without any extra work
The day of:
* Breath. Take deep breaths during long drives
* Listen to things that make you laugh or think. Keep your brain engaged.
* Bring noise blocking ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones on the plane.
* Allow extra time to get where you are going.
4) Get enough sleep
Travel days can end up being a lot longer than you anticipate, so get enough sleep the night before!
5) I was bluffing about there being a 5th tip!
Bernardsville News – By P.C. ROBINSON Contributing Writer
BERNARDSVILLE – Don’t expect Mine Avenue resident Simon Mandal’s comedy magic act to disappear anytime soon.
Mandal, who with wife, Ruth Darcy, moved to the borough from Chatham three years ago, has performed “The Simon Show” more than 5,000 times before such A-list corporate audiences as Google, MGM Resorts, Princeton University and ABC-News, among others.
He also performs “close-up” magic, meeting unsuspecting “victims” one-on-one at private events, Boy Scout meetings and street festivals.
The slight-of-hand – and its associated improvised comedy – comes naturally to the 37-year-old London native who came to the U.S. as a child with his Irish-born parents.
“I guess I’m wired for it,” he said over hot chocolate and an Asian chicken salad at The Bernards Café. “I was always a funny kid – genetic predilection.”
Not that honing his craft was as easy as saying abracadabra.
“Starting out, it’s fun but it’s brutal,” he said. “You need to figure out what’s good for you that the audience will get a lot out of. Now, I’m really enjoying it. It’s a good, steady life.”
His craft also, well, does something magical to people when they experience it.
“It takes them out of the moment and re-sets their stress level,” he said.
Does that also go for Ruth, the Pfizer business analyst he married five years after they met at a Manhattan comedy club?
“She’s a huge fan. She thinks I’m a genius.
“You’ll print whatever I say, right?”
Those interested in enjoying their own up-close magic can do so when Mandal appears at Chatham’s annual Fishawack Festival on Saturday, June 11.
Like most performing artists, Mandal got the magic bug in his very early years in Kent, England, about an hour and a half southeast of London.
“I saw this hilarious comedy magic act on TV, and while I can’t remember who did it, I can’t remember ever laughing so hard,” he said.
By the time he and his parents moved to the U.S. and made nearby New Providence their home, he had his own magic kit and was learning the trade.
After graduating from high school, he attended Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, then transferred to the William Esper Studio in Manhattan, the alma mater of such well-known actors and comics as Kathy Bates, Larry David and Amy Schumer.
He also studied privately with Gazzo Osborne, an English street performer whose many international venues include Key West, Fla., and comic-magician Whit Haydn.
Eventually, he hit the floorboards of Manhattan’s comedy clubs, honing his magic and improv skills while holding down an office computer job.
Finally, he quit his day job to follow his passion, a blend of improvisation, comedy and magic.
Like all successful magicians, Mandal must update and refresh acts to keep audiences captivated.
The ones he keeps, he said, “Are the bullet-proof ones.”
Just what is in his bag of tricks?
Those include a mix of acts he learned from mentors and created himself.
Some, like the find-the-ball-under-the-cup trick, are virtually immortal, their original forms first played in Ancient Egypt.
Whatever the trick, Mandal said “things happen” where he’ll understand the trick “in a new way.”
“There’s always another level to it. Some tricks might be easier and you can learn in a day. Others may take months but finally you get that a-ha moment where it all connects,” he said.
What’s the ultimate magic act?
As much as he enjoys the one-on-one performances, Mandal said “a really great stage show” is “as good as it gets.”
“I’ve been working on the show for decades. It’s always good, but to be really great it has to have the right dynamics.
“Close-up is a lot more forgiving,’’ he said. “It has the power of seeing something up close, and it’s less demanding on the audience because you have their attention for only 10 to 15 minutes.”
Close-up or stage, for Mandal the name of the game is psychological misdirection.
Mandal is not one for sawing Ruth, in half – “although I’d saw her in three,” he jokes – or using other contraptions to captivate the crowds.
He’d rather trick someone into thinking they know exactly what they saw, when in fact, they didn’t.
“Magic takes advantage of a person’s attention, getting them to remember things the wrong way. Intellectually it didn’t happen, but emotionally, it did,” he said.
See more press.
I just got done filming my first appearance on “Think Like an Entrepreneur”. A new series where a variety of successful business owners form a panel to discuss business topics. Because my business is primarily word of mouth and repeat business, I was one of those selected to discuss networking strategies. I shared a couple of tips that I used to grow my network and business. Keep an eye out!
Fun announcement – I’m almost done with my new book. It’s called “How to Outsmart Your Brain”.
The book will teach you about mental loopholes that have historically only known to magicians, and will give you insights on how to improve your thinking, and life.
Among other things, the book will give you a magicians perspective on: Perception, influence, memory, habit building, networking, relaxation, focus, negotiating, and happiness.
If you’d like updates, feel free to email me at Simon@theSimonShow.com
I will be performing four public magic shows at a fundraiser for the Madison Public Library on July 30th!
Informal shows are about 20 minutes, and start at 11, 11:30, 12, and 12:30.
The shows will feature a combination of magic, comedy, and audience interaction. This is an all ages event.
Full details below…
—————-
Touch a Truck Fundraiser for the Friends of the Madison Public Library
Madison Area YMCA
Saturday, Jul. 30, 10:00 -3:00 pm
The 2016 Touch A Truck event will be held on the grounds of the Madison Public Library and the Madison YMCA on Saturday, July 30th from 10 am-3 pm (rain or shine.)
There will be dozens of trucks to climb on and explore. Parents, great photo ops! You won’t want to miss it!
Ticket price includes:
Magic shows by Simon Mandal of the Simon Show.
Lionel “O gauge” train show with new and antique railroad memorabilia.
Face painting, balloon animals and tattoos for the kids!
Tickets now on sale HERE:
Toddlers to age 12 are $8 (in advance) and $10 at the door
Teen and Adults are $5.00
http://engagedpatrons.org/EventsExtended.cfm?SiteID=1689&EventID=278647&PK=
RIGGED TRIVIA LOOKS like an ordinary trivia quiz, but the game is RIGGED! Each question contains a SECRET, SIMPLE CODE that tells you the right answer!
Impress your family! Astound your friends! You’ll “know” the right answer to every question- in ANY SUBJECT- in ANY CATEGORY! History. Sports. Literature. Even Advanced Physics!
We call it: a Party Game For People Who Hate To Lose.
It’s simple. Download the app for FREE and you’ll be shown the SECRET TRICK. Then go to the SETTINGS PAGE and “DISGUISE THE APP”. That’s right, there’s an actual button called “Disguise The App”- how awesome is that?!
The app will transform, like magic, into an innocent-looking trivia quiz called IVY LEAGUE TRIVIA. It will even appear as “Ivy League Trivia” on your menu screen.
Perfect for parties, bars, long car rides, any social situation. Challenge your friends to a trivia contest. Invite them to choose the category and the level. You’ll look like a friggin’ Jedi Master! They’ll NEVER SUSPECT the game is rigged!
Even better: teach your children the trick, and watch them “show off” for relatives!
Rigged Trivia was developed by Andy Breckman, an award-winning comedy writer, and his friend, magician Simon Mandal.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help us spread the word! Follow us on Twitter. Even better, tape the game in action, and upload it to our Facebook page.
Hey genius– if you want to continue your “winning streak”, check out RIGGED WORD SCRAMBLE. It’s another Party Game For People Who Hate To Lose!
July 6, 2016 at 9:26 AM
WESTFIELD, NJ — On July 21, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., The James Ward Mansion, d’Luxe Events and Frungillo Caterers will team up to host a special event celebrating the life of Darren Lederman, a Westfield dad who died from leukemia in March.
Tickets are $50 each for an evening of hors d’ouevres, desserts, dancing, a tricky tray and entertainment. Money raised will go to help Darren’s children, Emma and Noah Lederman, and wife, Stacey Katcher Lederman.
For tickets, RSVP to ledermanstrongcelebrates@gmail.com with your mailing address. Checks can be made out to Stacey Lederman.
Danielle Aspromatis, owner of d’Luxe Events, said she grew up with Stacey and her brothers in Westfield.
“I did not know Darren and had been out of touch with Stacey for many years, but through the Lederman Strong Facebook posts and updates, I became so emotionally tied to Stacey once more,” Aspromatis said. “Their story is one that could happen to anyone of us with another flip of the coin. I am a mom and a wife and, as both, I felt like I had to do something to help them. I would want my community to help me if I had to endure what Stacey and her children have had to go through. Community is supposed to rally around those who need help. And as human beings, we should all be able to not only to put ourselves in others’ shoes to empathize, but we should all be able to take action, whatever small action that may be.”
Aspromatis specializes in wedding planning.
“I thought, wouldn’t it be amazing if the incredible vendors that I work with would help me throw an event where 100 percent of the proceeds could go to the Lederman family?” she said. “Love binds us together as a community and as a human race and that is what we were put on this planet to experience. Sometimes we have to deal with the opposite of that too — loss, grief and heartbreak. But we shouldn’t have to experience those things alone. It’s as simple as that.”
Sponsors and donors making the event possible include:
Event planner: d’Luxe Events
Venue: James Ward Mansion
Caterer: Frungillo
DJ/MC: Paul Anthony Entertainment
Desserts: The Dessert Ladies
Hair/Makeup: Beauty Artist Group
Photography: Bright Lights Studio
Beer and Sangria: Peerless Distributors
Magician: Simon Mandal, The Simon Show
Stationery: Little Black Dress Paperie
Florals: Blue Jasmine Florals
Sushi: Akai Sushi
Cinematography: Kaan Tulgar Video
Mentalist: Fred Berthalot
Red Carpet Photobooth: Randall L Photography
Wardrobe: Lord & Taylor Westfield
To learn about becoming a sponsor or to donate giveaway items, contact Aspromatis at dluxeplanning@gmail.com.
The James Ward Mansion is located at 169 East Broad St. in Downtown Westfield.
Bernardsville, NJ May 27, 2014 –NJ Students have something “magical” to celebrate this coming fall. Famed magician Simon Mandal, of Bernardsville, NJ is bringing funds (and magic) to NJ schools. Simon will float kids in the air, turn olives into watermelons, read minds, and donate 1/2 of ticket sales to NJ schools. This is the tour’s third year.
Simon performs his magic at corporate events for Google, Mercedes & Macy’s, and at hundreds of private parties yearly. It is his work with charities, children’s hospitals, and schools that drives him.
“I think it’s so important for each of us to give back. We all have something special to give. It’s a joy to make people laugh and experience wonder for a living. Giving back to schools is an honor,” commented Mandal.
There is no cost for a school to be involved, and each school keeps 50% of ticket sales for an evening of magic. Want to add your school to the tour? Visit www.TheSimonShow.com or call 732-492-6071.
Famous magician Simon Mandal will present an hour of hilarious family entertainment on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at the Chatham United Methodist Church, 460 Main Street, Chatham, NJ 07928. The show will start at 10:00 AM. Sponsored by Chatham-Madison Kiwanis Club, this delightful show will mystify and delight children 4 and up, and adults. The show combines dazzling magic with hilarious family-friendly comedy. Family price is $20.00 – price of a single ticket is $10.00. Proceeds will benefit community youth activities and scholarships. Tickets are available at the door and from members of Kiwanis. To learn more, please visit website http://thesimonshow.com/
A big thanks to Newlyweds JP & Suzanne of Bernardsville, for this lovely, and unsolicited review online. Thank you for involving me in your beautiful wedding at the Bernards Inn. It was an honor being a part of the fun. Congratulations again!!!
John P.
09/19/2015
Quality of Service: 5 Stars
Responsiveness: 5 Stars
Professionalism: 5 Stars
Value: 5 Stars
Flexibility: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars
Simon Mandal, a.k.a. “The Simon Show”, performed strolling magic at the cocktail hour for our wedding. (see special events) Simon performs events as small as birthday parties, to charity events, up to large corporate events as well. One thing is for sure, that after what he did for the guests at the cocktail hour, if they go to any other weddings that Simon isn’t at, they will be disappointed. He was a huge hit with friends my age, my 4 year old cousin, and even my grandmother. THE RECEPTION WAS ALMOST DELAYED… because people wanted to see “one more” trick… then “just one more”… until Simon did a “big trick” that left everyone in awe and set the bar high for the rest of the evening. Many of our guests told us that this was the best wedding they had ever been to and we are confident that having Simon there as part of it made it a little more special than most… one might even say, magical.
Fun announcement – I’m almost done with my new book. It’s called “How to Outsmart Your Brain”. The book will teach you about mental loopholes that have historically only known to magicians, and will give you insights on … Continue reading “New Book Coming Soon”
Bernardsville, NJ May 27, 2014 –NJ Students have something “magical” to celebrate this coming fall. Famed magician Simon Mandal, of Bernardsville, NJ is bringing funds (and magic) to NJ schools. Simon will float kids in the air, turn … Continue reading “Why Are School Books Magically Appearing Throughout New Jersey?”
Famous magician Simon Mandal will present an hour of hilarious family entertainment on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at the Chatham United Methodist Church, 460 Main Street, Chatham, NJ 07928. The show will start at 10:00 AM. Sponsored by … Continue reading “Public Magic Show March 8, 2014 Chatham, NJ”
A big thanks to Newlyweds JP & Suzanne of Bernardsville, for this lovely, and unsolicited review online. Thank you for involving me in your beautiful wedding at the Bernards Inn. It was an honor being a part of … Continue reading “Review from JP & Suzanne’s Wedding”
Sorry, the show just sold out! If you’d like to stay in the loop for future shows, please email me at Simon@theSimonShow.com with the subject line “Add me”. Thanks!
Famous magician Simon Mandal will present an hour of hilarious family entertainment on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at the Chatham United Methodist Church, 460 Main Street, Chatham, NJ 07928. The show will start at 10:00 AM. Sponsored by … Continue reading “Public Show April 2013”
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