Having been to the Empire State Building 3 times, I can tell you that I'm no longer taking groups there- being in one of the first groups on top of 30 Roc is SO MUCH BETTER! You get great shots of Central Park, Empire State, Chrysler Building, New Jersey... and you get the world's coolest elevator ride up to the top. Our group loved it and it was worth it.
From the top of Rockefeller Center we directed students where to go for their Wednesday matinee tix. Jackie took a group to Lincoln Center to get student rush for South Pacific (success), I took students to get rush tix for Fences with Denzel Washington (no-go, but we did get valuable information about how to get them on Sat.), a fellow RHS faculty member and her husband to Million Dollar Quartet lottery (success- and the two kids that wanted Fences also made the lottery) and I settled in for the long TKTS line. My parents and the Coxes were on the other side of the line- and they ended up being ahead of us. So Brent got 4 tix to A Little Night Music with Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta Jones (Row B!) and my parents got great seats for South Pacific. Jackie was waiting for me (in the rain) at one of our favorite lunch spots, Nougatine at the Trump Building, but since I was taking forever, she came down and met me at TKTS. We quickly grabbed lunch at another great place, Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center. We ate our goodies in shelter from the rain next to the A Little Night Music theatre in the hotel breezeway of the hotel we stayed at with our 2002 group. Altogether, our group saw the following shows for their matinees: Wicked, Million Dollar Quartet, In the Heights, South Pacific, and A Little Night Music.
A Little NM was great- we were all the way to the left, but I could rest my arms on the stage if I cared to. There was a man sitting next to Jackie that looked like he wanted to join in on our conversations (I wasn't noticing it but it was cracking Brent and Amanda Cox up- they were sitting right behind us) and we got a special sneak peak of Catherine Z Jones when she flashes open her robe to her suitor- and since we were on the extreme edge of the audience, we could see her plastic/body stocking upper body.
We were really impressed with the simplicity of the set and the amazing singers in the cast. It was great (even if Catherine did strange choices in Send in the Clowns- we figured she was being so specific that she was directed that way).
After that, we ran in a downpour to the subway and went to one of the oldest steakhouses in NYC, Keens Chop House. They had all of these crazy smoking pipes on the ceiling and an actress got arrested in the early 1900's for refusing to leave (they didn't serve women then). She won her case. Jackie had crab cakes and lobster bisque and I had steak hash (which was so much I couldn't finish).
We then ran to the hotel to meet everyone for The Addams Family- which I led everyone to in a downpour. When I got to the theatre, I was literally wringing the water out of my clothes.
Now I'm conflicted with The Addams Family- I think the cast did the best they could with some weak material. Nathan Lane was fantastic (as was most of the cast- esp. Kevin Chamberlain as Fester and Jackie Hoffman as Grandma), the set was amazing (including all of the puppetry) and I think most everyone had a lot of fun with it- but I wanted more. I love Andrew Lippa (the composer) and except for the opening number and a fun duet between Wednesday and her fiance, I thought the music was pretty weak (but the orchestra sounded great). However, my group loved it and we got to have a great talkback after the show with some of the leads which was a lot of fun.
After the show, we went up to another of our favorite places Eatery for dessert- Jackie got a killer ice cream sandwich and I had red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Happy 10th Anniversary! Nothing like spending it with 71 other people (and a hotel room with your parents!)
2 comments:
So funny. i remember this day very differently. The hype of dinner - all day being told, "Don't you worry, I have a special surprise for dinner." Thinking it was a place that would be chosen as something the two of us would love.
And then, after getting soaking wet, arriving to find a steakhouse. Which is only my favorite place to eat when I'm dieting. And I don't diet in NY.
And sitting down and looking at the menu to find exhorbitant prices. Gross pipes hanging over us from the entire ceiling. And steak, steak, steak. And bursting into tears because after 10 years, one would think that ones' spouse would know what the other likes.... But trying. Really, really trying to hold it in.
And then bursting into worst tears when you pointed out, in front of everyone at our table, that I was crying.
And that restaurant bar? Only men. seriously. All. Men. Not much has changed in 100 yrs.
And then ending our 10th anniversary with the worst show I have ever seen on Broadway. How it ever made it? I will never know. Awful.
Certainly not the worst show- there were aspects that were amazing- and I never saw the restaurant bar. I selectively left your tears out of the post- but since you brought them up, my favorite part of dinner was Amanda and Brent trying to lighten up the party and Amanda's fish. To my defense, we thought that everyone (even Jackie) would like it because of 1- the history (highly recommended in the guidebook) and 2- NYC has famous steakhouses and we have never been to one before. Yes it crashed and burned, but it makes for a great story (and it would be hilarious to hear Brent and Amanda's take on the evening- so post something you two...)
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