Posted by Robin on 4/9/2008, 3:28 pm
71.30.210.165
Yes, I'm the old timer since it was my seventh visit, gasp, but I'll thank you not to call me that to my face. The three greenhorns were my lovely daughters, Claire, nine, and Meredyth, six, and my sister-in-law, Sheena. (Notice: There will be no ages given for the adult women in the group.)
April 2-6, 2008
We traveled by Amtrak because my sis-in-law is afraid to fly. It is basically a fifteen hour trip from Ashland, Ky, to Penn Station, but the seats are very comfy and there is a lot of pretty scenery to help pass the time, plus in Washingtion D.C., we saw the Jefferson Memorial, the Washingtion Monument, the Capitol dome, and the Smithsonian without leaving the train. What a deal!
We arrived at Penn Station on Wednesday night about 11:00 p.m., and were utterly exhausted; however, we perked up at the sight of the Empire State Building all lit up. Gorgeous! What a terrific welcome to New York.
Radio City Apartments was our temporary home, and it was my third stay there. Normally, I stay in a studio with two twin beds, but this time we booked a one bedroom apartment: sofabed in the living room and two double beds in the bedroom. There was plenty of space plus two tv's...another satisfying stay.
We ate most of our meals at Backstage Deli, which is next door to RCA. It was very convenient to grab pastries, muffins, sandwiches, hot meals, etc., that tasted delicious, too. The nice older man, perhaps Greek, who owns it kissed me on the cheek when I told him we were leaving the next day. Hey, I told you we ate there a lot!
April 3rd: I let the girls sleep as long as they wanted but then it was off for a very busy day. We headed uptown by subway to the Natural History Museum. (Normally, I go to the Met, so this was a first for all of us.) The girls are big fans of the movie, "Night at the Museum", so they were extremely excited. We joined a Highlights tour and then left it once we came to the dinosaurs. Truly fascinating for all of us. The size and scope of the collection is astounding.
Afterwards, we crossed the street to get some pictures of Central Park. The daffodils were especially lovely that day and very much appreciated. Ah, spring...Then it was back to the hotel for some rest before that evening's performance of "Mary Poppins".
"Mary Poppins" was just a wonderful as I remembered from last year, and wouldn't you know, just like last year, Catherine Walker went on again for Ashley Brown! (Obviously, I am not meant to see Ms. Brown.) I love Catherine Walker, and she is positively perfect as Mary. Jenny's already done a report of the show, so you know that Jayne was totally on the mark as Mrs. Banks. It was a great thrill to see her after hearing her voice for several years now.
Jenny...What a sweetheart! Knowing it was Meredyth's sixth birthday, she brought a lovely daisy for my little one. Jenny was just as nice as I'd imagined from her e-mails. Next year, we hope to have dinner together since our chat was much too short. It was wonderful meeting her.
April 4th: We strolled around midtown to see the sites and Toys R Us. They had birthday money, so I told them they could get whatever they wanted as long the stuff would fit into their travel bags. They chose very well and are quite the little bargain hunters...just like Mommy. :-) Then it was time for 5th Ave and the American Girl Store. Claire is a huge American Girl fan. In fact, my girls got their first A.G. dolls this year for their birthdays, but Claire has had many of the books for years. We knew that Connie Porter, the writer of the "Addy" books, would be there for a book signing to celebrate Addy's birthday, so of course, we were there. Claire took her Addy book, and we practiced what she would say to Connie when it was her turn. Very cute. Connie was very sweet and patient. I wish you could have seen Claire's face...absolutely glowing. Meredyth was too shy to go up, but Connie signed a poster for her anyway. After looking long and hard for A.G. Christmas ornaments for souvenirs, we chose two doll messenger bags to use instead. Gee, only $7.00 each! That's a true deal in that store. It's on 5th Ave., for a reason!
Our feet were giving out, so we headed back to the hotel and called it a day. Well, they called it a day. My wonderful sis-in-law niecesat for two nights, so I could go to two more shows.
That night was "Sunday in the Park with George". I met a friend for the first time from the Tripadvisor board. She's a native New Yorker, and we had only chatted until that night. It was a great evening. We went out for Japanese and then to the show. In our chats, she had mentioned that a friend was in it, but it wasn't until that night that I found out it was the lead! Daniel Evans! She absolutely surprised me with the news that she had arranged for us to go backstage after the show, so I could meet him. What a night. The show is brilliant, like nothing I have ever seen before. Daniel and Jenna Russell play two different characters in each act, and they are fabulous actors. It's Sondheim, so if you're not a fan of his music, it may not be your cup of tea. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will never forget that night.
April 5th:
Our last day...This was a tiring one. We went to Battery Park to catch the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It always takes my breath away to see Lady Liberty, and it was the same for my girls and Sheena. The only downside was waiting in line for an hour and a half to get on the ferry, but it was a beautiful day, and there was the riverscape to take our minds off our sore feet! I'll never forget the lovely sounds coming from a steel drum player: "Ode to Joy". Only in New York! :-)
Back to the hotel to collapse before my last show: "Gypsy"!! I am happy to report that it surpassed my expectations and boy, were they high. Lupone is a force of nature. That voice! I think even if she weren't miked that she would shake the rafters of any theater. The whole cast was superb and everything/everyone clicked. I feel so privileged that I got to experience those moments in time. The show was that special.
Whew! You thought I'd never stop typing, didn't you? I'm done now. Step away from the computer.
Robin
P.S.
The English teacher in me wants to proofread, but I'm too tired. Forgive me.
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