horror

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Day 7:

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.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Day 3:

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 23^rd 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 47^th 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.

Tomorrow is another two show day.