The day started early as Adam and I had to pack to come home. Well early for us. We left our apartment at 10:30.
First stop was coffee with my friend Drew.
Back story:
For the past several years Adam and I would go to NYC to see a City Center Encore production. And every time, I’d see me friend Drew in the restroom. So after the last time we started texting about shows we were seeing etc. and when I told him we were coming to NYC he suggested coffee. So we dropped by his apartment for coffee this morning. It was great to catch up.
After we had lunch at Cowgirl, which neither myself or Adam had been to in years. Hit the spot.
Then it was uptown to see Proof. I knew just enough to be dangerous about the show. But not enough to know what happened next. I enjoyed it a lot.
Afterwards we walked up the street to see Oh Mary! For the 6th time with Mya Rudolph. She was wonderful. And of all the replacements she truly made the character her own.
And then the show was over and Adam Beckworth walked me to 6th avenue and put me in a can which took me to La Guardia where I flew home. The new restaurant I work at opens tomorrow for the season. Lousy timing for a vacation.
Adam drove halfway home tonight and will finish the drive tomorrow. It feels nice to be in my own bed. Especially with Judy beside me. She’s a cat!
I just typed this on my phone so no editing. Screw the typos.
It’s the most fun I’ve had at a show in forever, if not ever.
It’s the Cats score, but reworked into a Ballroom setting, referencing the Ballrooms of the 80’s depicted in the movie Paris is Buring.
So may queer people. So many body types. Such amazing dancing.
And it’s SOOOOOOO SEXY!
The audience was a part of the show from the moment it started. Clapping. Snapping fans that were sold at merch. There were at least three times that the performers got standing ovations during the show.
And they finally figured out how to get Grizabella to the Heavy Side Layer NOT on a hydraulic tire. It was beautiful.
It was exactly what we needed after the experience we’d had earlier.
Yes. I did. I actually asked to speak to the manager!!!
Adam and I had a reservation at 5:30 for dinner tonight. The only reason Adam wanted to go there, was because last year, when we dined there the mashed potatoes, and chocolate cake were some of the best he’d ever had. He wanted to relive that.
However, the rest of the meal last year was less than stellar. The service was weird. It started fine, but at some point, the server got annoyed with us, and basically treated us like crap from then on. The timing of the food was weird. Our second course came before we were ready for it, then we waited almost 30 minutes for our main course. When it did arrive the mashed potatoes were cold. Not like they had been plated 15 minutes early. Cold as in, they’d been in the walk-in and just pulled out. When we finally got the warm potatoes, as I said, they were great. But the meal was just weird.
So tonight.
We arrived and were seated at 5:20 for our 5:30 reservation.
We get situated and start looking over the menu. A server assistant comes by and offers water, and we ask for tap. Then after a longer time than it should have been our server arrives. Guess who. The same server we had last year. And it’s awkward from the word go. It’s like we were being waited on by a high school student. She’s asking us about our show, but asking kind of weird questions. It’s clear she knows nothing about the theater world, which is fine, but she keeps asking more and more questions, then responding with no idea what she’s talking about.
At this point, we discuss leaving. This is not the experience we want to have, and it’s not going to be cheap. However, we don’t want to be those people, and really, once we’ve ordered it will be fine.
Finally, she asks if she can take our drink order. And we ask for two minutes. This was a mistake because it’s another five or so minutes before she comes back. When she comes back she asks for our drink order. Adam orders a Kettle One martini, dirty with regular olives. He specifies regular olives. I order a Bulliet Rye Manhattan, not the one on the menu, but a regular Manhattan. We also order our meal. Shrimp cocktail to start. Two apps to share after that. And we’ll split an entrée. She walks away and by now we have decided it will be fine.
Then at least seven or eight minutes go by and she reappears to say that they don’t have Bulliet Rye, and gives me other choices. I choose Michter’s. She disappears again. 90 seconds later our shrimp cocktail lands on the tables.
No sign of the drinks.
And we wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.
Finally, a runner appears with our drinks. My Manhattan doesn’t look like a Manhattan, but I’ll make it work. BUT. There are three blue cheese olives in Adam’s martini. Neither Adam nor myself like blue cheese. In fact, we both kind of hate it. So he asks for the martini to be remade.
Did I mention that the shrimp cocktail is on the table. We are waiting for our drinks before we eat.
And we wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.
During this wait we are discussing whether we want to stay. As I mentioned its going to be an expensive meal. It hasn’t started well. And we’ve been there for a bit and we still don’t have our drinks.
It’s about this time the martini arrives and I look at my watch. It’s 6:05. We’ve been in the restaurant for 45 minutes and we’ve just gotten our drinks.
I look at him and say let’s go. We don’t want to make a seen, but we’ve decided we’ll walk down the street, have a cheeseburger, then get a drink at The Rum House before the show. He wants to pay for what we’ve gotten even though we haven’t eaten or drunk anything. I push back but I’m over ruled. The server comes by and he explains that we are going to call it a night and would like our check for the things we’ve gotten.
The server walks away.
And we wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.
Finally, I’ve had enough. I go to the host stand and ask if we can please pay our check. The host looks at me like I’m crazy. Then the server appears and hands me the check. I give her my card and she goes away. At which point I turn to the host and ask him if he can tell me what time I was sat. He looks at me and smirks and says, “You were seated when you arrived and requested to be seated.” I’m not having that so I say, “Yes, and you have a machine at your finger tips, that will tell you exactly what time we were seated at said table.”
He pushes a lot of buttons, and I can assure you, it takes not one button pushing. The counter is on your name; it will tell you. He says you were seated at 5:20. And I say, yes, it’s been 45 minutes and we’ve just gotten our drinks. And NOW, I would like to speak to a manager!!!
I wasn’t angry during any of this. Just annoyed.
But get this.
We wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.
Finally, she appears, just as the server arrives back with my credit card.
I explain that we are leaving, why were are leaving, and she says, I’ll give you my card next time you want to come in let me know and I’ll make sure you have a different experience. I say, we don’t live here and she say’s well let me get a card for you anyway.
By now Adam has arrived, and we wait, and wait, and wait.
Fun fact: Carry your cards on you.
She brings the card. We leave.
We paid 100 bucks for food we didn’t eat or drink. The manager was nice, but if it had been me, I’d have insisted that the guest not pay anything. I’d have immediately cancelled the charge. And I would have made a bigger effort to apologize.
Then we walked to Joe Allen. Got right in, and 15 minutes from the time we left the first restaurant, we had drinks in hand, and our appetizer had just been delivered.
We really didn’t want to be those people, but it was clear we were not going to get the experience we wanted and sitting there was just going to annoy us even more. So we left.
Adam and I attended church today. There is no other way to explain what we experienced. We were moved beyond anything we experienced this week or probably ever.
I won’t speak for him, but the show I saw today at 2:00, is single-handedly the best piece of the theater I have ever seen.
Death of a Salesman.
I’ll give you the back story. I’ve never seen this show.
And fun fact. I’ve never read it.
I was supposed to read it back in 1989, when I was a TA at the University of Kentucky. But. My friend Marie Henderson taught my class Death of a Salesman and I taught her class For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enough.
I knew what the play was about. I knew how it ended. But I didn’t know any of the gritty details. And today, I’m glad to say that that is true. I got to experience the show, without knowing what was coming next and it was stunning.
First of all, script is a work of art. It’s truly brilliant. The way we move from present to past, not always knowing why and when is a amazing. You add to that the performances from today and you get something amazing. I’ve attended lots of serious shows before, but I’ve never sat in an audience where the actors hold the audience in their hands as much as today. There was no noise. No shuffling. No coughing. Complete silence as we watched Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf unfold the story we were watching.
When intermission arrived, I felt like I’d been beaten up emotionally. It got worse in act 2.
Adam and I were discussing the choice to have some characters dressed in more modern garb as well as have some props that were modern. I thought it brought home that the play that was written in 1949, is more relative today than ever. We are just wheels in a machine. No matter how much energy and effort we put into our careers, at the end of the day we are all replaceable. Promises made, promises broken. We watch today, as employees are replaced by AI, or let go by DOGE, or their jobs are sent overseas and then we wonder why we are all full of anxiety and depression. You spend 25 years paying on a mortgage, just in time to watch your kids move on and leave the house empty.
By the time we got to the end of Act 2, I was devastated. I couldn’t keep my eyes from welling up as he got closer to the choice he was going to make. I wanted to stop him, but I could also relate to where he was coming from. I wanted to help his boys understand him, but also wanted to punch them in the face and tell them to grow up. The one innocent in all of it was Linda, who did her best.
The design was as terrific as the performances. Not the traditional Death of a Salesman set. It was more abstract, with a red Chevy on stage from almost the beginning. The lighting was evocative and helped tell the story.
When curtain call was over, we walked out of the theater silently. We’d just witnessed something special. It was a good 10 minutes outside, before we really started to discuss the show.
If you can get to NYC, I really suggest you make the effort. Performances like this are once in a lifetime, and I’m so glad I got to experience it
Brunch at Pastis. Pastis is one our favorite restaurants in NYC. It’s French. The food is usually very good. The service is usually very good. And we tend to end up at the same table every time without asking. It’s busy, and full of energy and we love it there.
Matinee: Death of a Salesman. See separate post.
Dinner: See separate post.
Actual Dinner: Joe Allen again. We learned the owner lives in Maine. Joe’s daughter.
Evening Show: Cats. See separate post.
It’s 11:23. We see two shows tomorrow and I fly home by myself at 10:00 Sunday night. Adam will drive part of the way Sunday night, and then drive on home on Monday. We are both excited to sleep in our own bed, however it’s been a great vacation.
Today was the best day of all the days we’ve had so far. Truly.
It started early, meeting Adam’s dear friend Ellen Goldin for breakfast at 10:00 a.m. at The Waverly Diner. Adam and I try to eat there once each trip. It harkens back to before we were together, stopping for a cheeseburger at 3:00 in the morning on the way home from the bars. I think they close at 10:00 p.m. now.
It was great catching up with Ellen, who we haven’t seen in a couple of trips. We caught up on our personal lives, then commiserated about the state of the world. She’s a nice voice of reason in the insanity that we are all living in. Plus, I got to order an egg sandwich, which I only get in NYC.
During breakfast, Ellen told us about a great world market that had just opened across the street, so we strolled over after. It was so much fun. The produce was far better than what we get in Portland, the meat was far cheaper than what we pay in Porltand, and it was the best prepared food selection I’ve seen since before I left NYC. Adam had a blast walking around. If I’ve not said it before a food store (grocery store) is his favorite place in the world.
After lunch, we subwayed up to Lincoln Center to see a movie. I have not seen a movie on opening day since perhaps when Gone With the Wind opened in 1939. Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I saw a movie on opening day. Adam and I barely, ever, go to the movies in Maine. However, he’d suggested we see The Devil Wears Prada 2 while we were in NYC, since we needed to do something this afternoon, and it’s fun to see movies in NYC where the theaters have more than 20 seats.
It was the largest movie theater I’ve been in in forever. We saw Blue Moon last November but the theater resembled a Portland theater. Today the theater had a balcony and the main level easily had 200 seats. It was also almost sold out.
We also go to indulge in some things we never indulge in. Fried Cheese. And. Popcorn. I love movie theater popcorn. Adam won’t share with me because I don’t get butter. I like movie theater butter, I just don’t like it on my hands so I never get it. He won’t eat it without it. However, I was happy to indulge in his fried cheese and the ranch dressing he paid extra for.
We both enjoyed the movie a lot. It was a thoughtless way to spend the afternoon, and it allowed us to revisit some old friends that we hadn’t seen in 20 years. It also allowed us to see all the characters in a new light. AND. It was nice to see a movie where the male characters were minor to everyone else. Who knew two strong women could command your attention for two hours.
After the movie we walked to Central Park and sat for about an hour. It was a beautiful day, and since we’ll probably get snow in Maine this weekend, we thought it would be nice to enjoy the fresh air. We both did some phone chores we needed to do, and watched cute boys jog by. It’s one of the best reasons to go to Central Park.
Around 4:30 we taxied over to Park Avenue for dinner. We were early for our reservation so Adam walked around the corner for a coffee and I sat by the fountain and texted with a few people. When he got back, we wandered down the street to our dinner reservation.
Tonight was our fancy dinner. It was at The Grill Room. It’s a restaurant that opened in the 60’s, and the whole space reminds of you of Madmen. It’s a midcentury interior and is beautiful. The Four Seasons ran it forever, then it closed in the mid-teens. It reopened a few years later with the current owners.
The meal was wonderful. We started with caviar and bubbles, which we hardly ever get. We followed that up with crab cakes and steak tartare and a Manhattan and a Vesper. We never say no to any of those. Then. Adam got the sole and I got the table side prime rib. We also shared a nice bottle of wine suggested by the sommelier. And to wrap it up we got a lemon chiffon cake and a baked Alaska. The assistant general manager had come by when we first got sat and discovered that we were both in the business, so she sent out an additional dessert, which I don’t remember what it was but it was our favorite.
Now comes the best part of the evening.
One of the reasons we planned this trip, was because Rocky Horror was being revived this spring. Adam has fond memories of the last revival, which I saw and loved.
But for me Rocky Horror, harkens back to high school. In the early 80’s in Lexington, KY, on Saturday nights. Rocky Horror played at the Chevy Chase theater, and then the Kentucky theater for $1. My theater friends and I would drive from Georgetown to see it. We would drive thru the liquor (In Kentucky, I think you can still drive thru the liquor store) store on the north side of town, buy a bottle of vodka, then stop for orange juice. We’d park for the movie, and drink screwdrivers in the car. Then we’d go in for the movie. (A pint doesn’t get four people very drunk, and we’d be sober enough to drive home two hours later).
I can still remember the first time I saw the movie. I was a virgin in Rocky Horror speak. I was obsessed. There were queer men. There were unspeakables on the screen. And everyone was having a blast. The summers of my junior and then senior year, I saw the film over 50 times. I learned every word of the call backs. I learned every lyric of the songs. It was me being able to be myself, without confessing to anyone.
In the late 80’s, early 90’s, Actor’s Guild of Lexington produced the live show. And I made the local paper, because I called out all the call backs during the show. I’m still not sure if they wanted that, or expected that. I do remember that it was a great production and I was so happy to see it live. I’m pretty sure Vic Chaney directed and @ I know Chase Clark played Rocky.
To say I was giddy with enthusiasm, tonight, would be an understatement. I was told by Adam that I couldn’t yell out anything, although a few people did. But that didn’t keep me from whispering the call backs to him for my favorite lines.
And my favorite call back is when Frankenfurter says, “There’s no crime in giving yourself over to pleasure” and the audience responds, “There is in Kentucky!”
My favorite part of the show tonight was watching the audience. The average age was 40+. There were people my age and older, singing along with every word. Bouncing and dancing in their seats. And then I look down into the orchestra and in the fifth row, house right, there is a 12 year old boy, singing along as well, with his parents. It made me so happy.
The show is a glorious chaotic mess. And it’s wonderful. There is glitter. And confetti. And fog. And sex. And hot women. And hot men. And real trans folk. And real queer people. And the lights are flashy and fun. And the set is flashy and fun. And the sound is flashy and fun. And the band is spot on. And I wish that I could see it 12 more times before we head home.
But alas that it not in the cards.
In the meantime, I’ll do the time warp back to 1949 and see Death of a Salesman tomorrow.
Today was a fairly boring day for Adam and Jeff. Until it wasn’t.
I’ll start with the fun stories for those who only read a paragraph or so.
Adam and I were meeting an old work friend of his. We were going to have a very quick dinner at Legasea, at the Moxy Hotel. It was near her work, and since she got off late and we had a show to get to it had to be quick.
We were running late, and my right knee was being a pain in the ass, so when I saw the long flight of stairs to the second floor, I requested the elevator. We pushed the button and waited. It came pretty quickly. We entered first, followed by two couples and a single man. The single man pressed the buttons we needed and the elevator began to move.
The elevator lifted about a foot, then dropped suddenly about a foot, then the screen you used for buttons went dark. We waited. Nothing. The single man pressed the screen but nothing was happening. At first we were all joking and laughing, until we realized that we were stuck.
I lived in NYC for a long time, and I’ve used elevators all my life, even in some questionable buildings, but I’ve never gotten stuck. It was true for everyone in the elevator.
The man standing behind me announced that we all should stay calm. No one was panicking, but okay. The man on the other side of me popped open a can containing a margarita. I jokingly asked if he had another and he showed me he did. Still no one was panicking.
Soon the single guy, who was next to the screen took control. First, he tried calling for help on the elevator system. No one answered. At my new job, if you call on the elevator it goes to 911. He tried again. Still no answer.
He then pressed the alarm. Now a loud alarm was going off. Still, no one was responding. Eventually, he pried open the door enough to realize we were still on the first floor. He ended up prying them open about 6 inches and suggested we call for help, at which point the woman behind Adam on the other side of the elevator let out a blood curdling scream. Like something you’d hear on Friday the 13th. The man in charge announced, no more of that, why don’t you let me call for help. So he stood next to the doors and began to call for help.
Here’s the fucked-up part. We could see people walking by, but no one was interested in helping. The alarm is still going off. He’s calling for help. And after what seemed like forever, maintenance showed up, pried the doors open from the outside and let us out. In all it was ten minutes at the most, but it’s a long time to be stuck, when you don’t know the outcome.
Adam was very sweet when we got out. He said, “I was just upset we weren’t standing together so I could hold your hand.”
Once we were out, we walked up the stairs, had dinner and caught up with our friend.
As for the rest of the day:
We had bagels again.
We saw The Outsiders again. With NINE high school groups. (There was a print out of the schools inserted in the Playbill). The show was great. And it’s a great first Broadway experience for kids, as there is fire, and rain, and the sets and lighting are wonderful. And it really is a great score. I cried again, even though I knew how it ended.
After the show we grabbed a snack at Shake Shack, and NYC institution at this point.
After dinner, we saw Beaches.
On the way home we stopped at Dante Apertivo for a night cap. I had the best boulevardier I’ve had all week. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if they’d had Rittenhouse as the base spirit.
Now it’s approaching midnight. I’m sleeping, so I’m going to shower and go to bed.
Not a lot of photos today as we repeated a few things.
Started the day back at Los Tacos No. 1. Who doesn’t love a good taco and fried quesadilla to start the day. Double Topo Chicos today because it was extra spicy.
Then we were off to the theater.
Today’s matinee was Fear of 13. A true story of a man who was sentenced to death for a murder he didn’t commit. It stars Adrian Brody. I have no photo there as they put a sticker on your camera when you went in. I still don’t know what for, because it didn’t stop people from taking photos. (I did grab a shot of the playbill from online).
They also went VERY out of the way to make an announcement to shut off your phones part of the show. It didn’t work. Six. Count them. Six cell phones went off during the show. And of course, they are always in the quietest part of the show. And I’d like to go on record saying that OLD people are the worst. At both the matinee and the evening show there were old ladies still looking at their phones after the show had started.
The show was serious, but with a good number of laughs. I loved the lighting as it wasn’t big and splashy and spoke more to the kind of lighting I like to create. Adam prefers when things are bright and moving. It was two hours with no intermission, but it moved along at a nice pace. Definitely worth seeing, if for no other reason than to see Adrian Brody in his underwear.
Dinner was at an Italian restaurant up the street from our matinee. Unfortunately, their website said open all day, but when we got there, they didn’t open for dinner until 5:00 and as we had a 7:00 show, we needed to eat early. So we moved on to Joe Allen’s. Joe Allen’s is on Restaurant Row, and for those of you not in NYC, it’s often frequented by actors in the area and the posters on the wall are all the posters from notorious flops from Broadway. Carrie. Dance of the Vampires. The big ones.
We grabbed seats at the bar. Ordered dinner and was waited on by the best bartender we’ve been waited on in forever. I’m surprised Adam sits at the bar there, because every time we do, I make friends with the person next to me and he hates it. I did not do that today, but there was a shared moment when the French Dip that I ordered arrived sans dip. The boat for the gravy was on the plate but it was completely empty. The foodrunner, the bartender, and everyone around me had a good laugh about it. It was delicious once the gravy was brought.
After dinner we went back to The Rum House, where we had the worst service we’ve ever had there. The server was short and snappy; didn’t seem to care we were there and I did something I never do which was to call across the restaurant to get her attention so that we could pay our check and get on to our show. She was busy talking to a table across the restaurant about her botched haircut and I learned that her mother always says don’t not spend money on your hair and your eyebrows. You’ll regret it every time.
Tonight, we saw Giant, a play about Roald Dahl. Who knew he was a bigot. Which is ultimately, what the play is about. It stars John Lithgow, who really is 7 feet tall. Well, actually 6’4”. He commanded the stage and turned in an amazing performance. So far, we are still batting 1,000 with our show selection.
After the show, we returned to our hotel, packed our belongings and moved to the apartment that friends loan us in the West Village. Their daughter, had been staying here this week, so we couldn’t get it until today. It’s a wonderful space, and is next to everything you might need. Food, drinks, bagels, coffee, subways, parking. In fact, we were able to park right in front of our building tonight. Of course, we are supposed to move our car in the a.m. but we usually just pay the ticket so we don’t have to get up early.
Adam and I have seen more straight plays (non-musicals) this trip than ever before. We also made the switch from the mezzanine (the first balcony) to the orchestra this time and we have discovered that there is more leg room and I don’t have to climb as many stairs, unless I have to pee.
We are both having fun, but we are ready to see our kitties and sleep in our own bed.
Day started later than I thought it would, thanks to Adam letting me sleep. It was especially nice since I didn’t sleep great last night.
We were up and out by 11:30.
We made our usual stops at Starbucks and McDonald’s then afterwards we walked across to Park Avenue to have lunch at Hillstone. This is the second time we’ve had reservations for lunch here, the last time we cancelled because we stayed out too late. Today was not the case. Adam has wanted to eat here for a bit, because it’s part of the Houston’s restaurant group. They have an excellent reputation for service and food.
My story about Houston’s is that I couldn’t get hired there when I worked in Atlanta. Of course, at the time, I probably wouldn’t have hired me either. I didn’t have the right experience. I use them as an example of strict management because when I applied there, they had line up and you had to look spot on, with the right number of pens, and they had to be a certain brand at that. I can assure you, that everyone was using the same pens today.
We were sat right away, and the experience was good. It an interesting team serving experience, where everyone takes care of everyone. My water glass was never empty, I never needed for anything. The portions were huge. The food was excellent. And for NYC the prices were actually affordable.
After lunch we walked down through Madison Square Park to Broadway then on to Fish’s Eddy. It’s a fun dishware store that’s been at 19th and Broadway forever. They sell vintage dishware as well as kitschy things, along with just normal plates and glasses. We actually found some pasta bowls that Adam is going to order when we get home. If you haven’t heard of them you should look them up online.
After that we headed south again to the Daryl Roth Theater to see Mexodus. On any other day, this show would not have even been on our radar, but who else has a Tuesday matinee. We are so glad we didn’t skip it. It’s a two-man musical about The Underground Railroad that ran south to Mexico, instead of north toward Canada. Until I heard about this show, I had never known about the southern underground railroad. The two actors cover that this is not taught in school.
The show starts strong and continues to get better. The two men who starred in and wrote the show, were terrific. I was moved to tears at the end, as they began to wrap up the story with references to how we all are one people, and are taught to hate.
Half the audience today was school age kids, and I have to say they were incredibly well behaved. In fact, their behavior was called out at the end by the actors who told them to hold onto their joy and not let the world shame them out of it.
After that, we took the subway north, to get a snack. Adam has seen Tic Toc’s about a pizza place on 50th street called Don Antonio. They are known for their fried pizzas. We were going to stop in for a snack before we got a drink before the show.
It’s a cute place, and the service was great. Adam ordered a fried calzone and the only thing that would have made it better was ranch dressing which they didn’t have.
Then it was on to The Rum House, for a quick cocktail before our evening show. We recognized the server from last fall, and after she slowed down, we commented on how nice it was to continue to see familiar faces there. To thank us for our compliment, she offered us shots, when she brought the check. And what 60 year old man doesn’t like a shot.
Next up. The Lost Boys. Based on the movie that I loved from the 80’s.
It’s big. It’s splashy. The set is three plus stories tall. There is flying. There are a million lights. There are lots of sets. There are lifts. It’s loud. There is fire. And fog is everywhere. And well it’s a ton of fun. It lacks the scare factor from the 80’s but it makes up for that with a fun score and a pretty cast. It’s still set in the late 80’s and the costumes and references are great.
It’s a mindless way to spend a couple of hours watching a spectacle. I loved it.
After the show, we cabbed back downtown to a bar called Seed Library. Fun fancy cocktail list. Laid back room. Service was great. My only complaint, was that the menu was short on bourbon cocktail choices. The ones I chose were great, but it would have been nice to have a wider selection.
After the bar, we walked home hoping to grab a snack and soda at McDonald’s. I’d assured Adam that the McDonald’s near our hotel was open 24 hours. But alas. I lied. It closed at 11:00.
So I convinced him that deli sandwiches would be a better choice, and now that’s he’s finished with his chicken sandwich, I think he agrees.
Now it’s time for a shower, and to do it all again tomorrow.
The best part of being on vacation is getting to sleep late. We typically have such late nights that we rarely start the day early. It felt nice at 8:30 to turn over and go back to sleep.
We finally got our day started at 11:30. We had a 1:00 lunch reservation so we needed to get up, to have time to stop for coffee and club soda. There is a Starbucks and a McDonald’s about 20 feet from our hotel. What more could a person want.
We got our morning libations and headed south in a cab to SOHO to have lunch at Balthazar. Balthazar is the restaurant Adam and I ever went to that wasn’t a diner in our neighborhood. One that first trip, we got chicken liver mousse, and steak tartare. Both are part of our restaurant favorites whenever we eat out. We also have them at home occasionally when Adam is feeling adventurous when he cooks. His version of both are great.
Balthazar is great, but the tables are SUPER close together. The kind where you have to pull your table out so that one of us can go in. I always sit on the outside, since I usually don’t fit in the tight space and I get super claustrophobic. We got lucky today, we were on the outside table, next to the window. However, it was still tight. Tight enough to admire the gentleman’s Rolex next to us. I love watches, and I have to admit, it was very pretty. And the table that replaced them one of the girls had an engagement ring the size of Texas. The tables were also so close that I felt like I was getting intimate with the super cute server, who kept reaching around me to pour water and wine.
Lunch consisted of chicken liver mousse, shrimp cocktail, frisée salad, and French onion soup for me. We then split a chicken club with fries for our entrée. I have to admit, that by the time the club came, I was stuffed so I picked at the fries and enjoyed the last of the wine.
After lunch we walked across to Hudson Street. It was a perfect day in NYC. Bright blue sky, and warm, but not hot. Not quite perhaps warm enough for shorts, but you definitely didn’t need a jacket.
We took our time walking as my right knee is in the throws of needing surgery. It’s not quite there yet, but the time is fast approaching. I have to take it slow, and not push it. I’d like to keep away from the doctor for at least another year.
When we got to Hudson, we hailed a cab and headed up town to the Whitney Museum of American Art. Neither Adam, nor myself had ever been and we thought it would be a great way to spend the afternoon. We started on the top floor with, as we were instructed to do, with a stop at the coffee shop, for a soda water. We grabbed a table outside on the patio to enjoy the view of the city scape.
We were sitting there, when we were approached to take a photo of a man with a very big, very expensive camera. I stood up to do and he kept speaking to me in a very thick German accent. I had no idea what he was saying. After he handed the camera back to me, he back to talk to us. I could only make out about every third word, but I did understand that before he retired he worked as a gas man installing pipes. He was concerned about the fact that NYC infrastructure is over 100 years old. He then perched his leg up on the railing so his crotch was somewhat in Adam’s face and begin to talk about how you need to have big hands if you want work with pipes.
I was sitting there watching the interaction Adam and the old man (probably in his mid 70’s) and I could see Adam getting more and more uncomfortable. I kind of found of funny, because Adam hates talking to strangers. When the man left to grab his glasses Adam turned to me and tersely said, “Save me.” I laughed and stood up. And we told the man to have a great afternoon and we started our tour of the museum.
It’s a wide variety of modern American Art, with Warhol, Jasper Johns, Edward Hopper, Basquiat, Georgia O’Keefe, moving to really modern art with artists who were born in the 50’s that I do not know. I have to admit that I like the older stuff more than the more modern stuff, but it was amazing to see the political overtones about race, war, etc. in the creation of the different pieces.
After the Whitney, we walked The High Line. For those of you not familiar, NYC took an old elevated railway line on the west side of the city and turned it a park, that wanders up the west side. It’s full of plants and art, and many times you are walking by buildings that you can see into. There are places to sit and in the summer, people sell wares and food etc along the way. It’s a great way to get from The Village north through Chelsea.
When we got to 23rd Street, we grabbed another cab to go up to Times Square.
In Times Square, we went to The View in the Marriot Marquis. It’s the revolving restaurant and bar on the top floor. We’ve been before and what it lacks in quality it makes up for in scenery.
We took the elevator up to the 47th floor and got seated at a nice table next to the window.
Do you remember how I mentioned that Adam doesn’t like to chat with strangers. Our server was a chatty Kathy. She asked about his tattoo. She asked where we were from. She would not stop talking. Even when we were ready to order.
Finally, we ordered, and she disappeared. Adam went to wash his hands and she delivered our drinks while he was gone. Thus began a conversation about our drink choices, whether he was a chef, and what brought us to New York. We also learned that she lived in California, Las Vegas, Boston, where she would drive up to Vermont.
Finally, we were on our own to enjoy the view and look at our phones. At which point I asked Adam if he would order a club soda, since she’d conveniently forgotten the one I ordered with my drink. He did and she brought it.
15 minutes later she reappeared to ask if we wanted another drink. We ordered and at which point she cleared our empty glasses. Including the soda water she’d brought that I’d take one sip from. I was soda waterless again.
It really makes me laugh when the soda water shenanigans start.
We finally paid our check, said thank you and left to go thte theater.
Tonight was Titanique. An amazing show about Celine Dion actually being on the Titanic when it sank. It’s a laugh riot. We saw it Off Broadway three or four years ago, and it’s bigger and better on Broadway. Once again, the audience was involved right from the beginning and they never stopped laughing or engaging till curtain call.
After the show, we grabbed a cab, headed back to our hotel and now Adam is watching TV and looking at his phone and I’m about to post this and take a shower.
I'd Like to Speak to the Manager!!! 