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Long Weekend in NYC: Homeward Bound (Day 4)

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Charlie and I spent 3 days in New York City and saw The Music Man, Hamilton, Plaza Suite, and Aladdin on Broadway.

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th Avenue at 50th.

On our final day, Sunday, we were given a complimentary late check-out time by our hotel so we spent our time leisurely celebrating Charlie’s birthday after attending a service at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral 2 blocks up 50th Street.

Brunch menu at Tavern on the Green

We returned to the hotel to pack up our things so we could leave after brunch.  Then we took a taxi from the hotel to Tavern on the Green at the southwest corner of Central Park.  Frankly this is the first cab driver all weekend that did NOT need to put an address into his GPS.  I told him we were impressed.

I’m still challenged by selfies.

We had reservations at TOTG but I had called ahead to see if we could arrive early and they were happy to oblige.

Many of the people around us also ordered French toast.

Since we were there for brunch Charlie ordered brioche French toast which he declared the best he’s ever had.

French onion soup rivals some of the best I had in Paris.

I ordered French onion soup which was not on the menu but is always available.  (It was so good that Charlie also ate a crock after his French toast.)

Charlie’s dessert was a treat from the restaurant with warm wishes from our waiter Jose.

I had arranged in advance that we were celebrating a birthday so, along with a birthday card, TOTG provided a special birthday dessert.

A generous serving of crème brûlée.

I ordered my favorite crème brûlée which was outstanding.

The Imagine mosaic in Central Park is in honor of John Lennon.

After brunch we walked a couple of blocks north in Central Park to Strawberry Fields where we saw the “Imagine” mosaic.  Someone had added “Peace” in sunflower seeds in response to the attack on the Ukraine.

We had a grand time.

We taxied back to the hotel, called for our car which had been in  valet parking all weekend, brought our suitcases to the lobby, wished everybody good-bye, then drove back to Maryland. We had a wonderful weekend in New York, New York.

Always nice to return to home base.

Home, sweet home.

Jo

Long Weekend in NYC: Second Full Day

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We left Maryland on Thursday so our second full day in New York City was Saturday.

I captured a shadow of the Empire State Building from the 102nd Floor.

We’ve already seen 2 musicals: The Music Man and Hamilton.  We’ve been to Grand Central Station, the NY Public Library, and the Empire State Building.  Saturday, however was planned as a marathon with lots of sprinting interspersed.

Charlie enjoyed fresh squeezed orange juice at Un Deux Trois.

Charlie and I ate a leisurely breakfast at Un Deux Trois then headed over to the TKTS booth at Times Square to see if we could get some discount tickets for the evening.

We were a little early for the TKTS booth so we had coffee at Starbucks.

Starbucks was busy on Saturday morning.

MY first choice had been Company starring Patty LuPone but she came down with COVID.

We queued in Times Square in a line that switched back on itself about 5 times.

Instead I bought 2 tickets for Aladdin.

I wore all black except for a vintage yellow and black geometric print silk blouse.

We hastened back to out hotel to change into our evening clothes before matinee tickets for Plaza Suite at 2 p.m.

The grand drape opened to reveal the Plaza Suite scrim.

We found our seats in the dress circle of the Hudson Theatre.  The Neil Simon comedy starred Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker who were both a lot of fun.

We took in dinner and a cabaret at Birdland.

After the matinee we walked a couple blocks to Birdland Jazz Club where we were promptly given the best seats in the house.

We shared the audience with some special guests: composers and musicians.

The cabaret at 5 o’clock starred pianist Eric Comstock with Sean Smith (Bass) & special guest Barbara Fasano (Voice).  We enjoyed a light dinner while we watched the show.

The grand drape for Aladdin.

Our last stop of the evening was the New Amsterdam Theatre to see Aladdin for which we had purchased half-priced tickets earlier in the day.  This was Charlie’s favorite show of the weekend.

The boxes at the New Amsterdam are vintage art nouveau.

So different from the other theatres we were in this weekend.

The New Amsterdam is a gorgeous Art Nouveau theatre built in 1903.

How crazy is this little frieze over a door at the New Amsterdam?

We taxied back to The Benjamin after a really full day in midtown Manhattan.

NYC posts:

Jo

 

Long Weekend in NYC: First Full Day

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Charlie and I arrived in New York City on a Thursday and saw The Music Man on Broadway at The Winter Garden Theatre that evening.

This time we scored tickets to The Music Man at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway.

So great to be back in The Big Apple.

Our room at The Benjamin hotel at 50th and Lexington Avenue was spacious.

We even had a kitchenette.

On the first full day of our stay I had planned a really full schedule mostly to show Charlie places he’s heard about but never seen.  I have visited NYC many times in my life but some places are worthy of a second, even third, visit.

We both ate a hearty breakfast. For our morning brew I ordered a cappuccino while Charlie had a pour-over which was satisfyingly more than 2 cups of coffee.

From the hotel we walked down to 3rd Avenue where we stopped for breakfast at Little Collins.

Inside Grand Central Station

Then we strolled over to elegant Grand Central Station which was well-guarded by local, state, and federal agencies.

A reading room in the New York Public Library.

After looking around Grand Central, we walked 2 blocks to the main branch of the New York Public Library.  Really, I could spend a day here, looking at the books, looking at the art and exhibits, admiring the architecture.

Other visitors took our photo in front of the “building” and we reciprocated.

However, we had timed tickets for The Empire State Building — floors 86 and 102.

I captured a shadow of the Empire State Building from the 102nd Floor.

I may have mentioned in past posts that Charlie does NOT like heights. (Eiffel Tower) (Grand Canyon) (Reykjavik)  But there’s no denying that the vistas of NYC from the top of the Empire State Building are fabulous.  (Last year I watched both An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle which feature the ESB.  So romantic.)

Serendipity is decorated like a quirky old-fashioned ice cream parlor.

The iconic “Frozen Hot Chocolate” at Serendipity. Enough for two to share.

When we were finished we made our way to the Herald Square and 34th Street subway station (a block or away) where we caught the R-yellow train to Lexington and 59th Street (about a 20-minute ride) to Serendipity.

My outfit was simple but I was wearing a fabulous, 3-D gold belt.

I inherited this beauty from Mother.

We strolled back to The Benjamin and changed into our evening clothes.

We queued outside the theatre for COVID ID examination but lines moved quickly.

We took a cab to the Richard Rodgers Theatre so we could arrive before our appointed time of 7:25 p.m. Ticket holders were assigned an arrival time depending on their seats.  Again we passed the COVID protocols without issue.

The set for Hamilton.

The show was Hamilton which I had postponed seeing until I could see it on Broadway.  I was not disappointed — so rich and exciting.  Now I want to read the book on which Lin-Manuel Miranda based his musical — the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.

“Face mask” signs were highly visible in every theatre and enforced by roving ushers.

We caught a cab back to the hotel.

Looking uptown from the 102th floor of the ESB you can see Central Park and beyond. (Central Park is the brownish space just past the foreground buildings.)

Another fantastic day in NYC.

NYC posts:

Long Weekend in NYC: Arrival Day

Jo

Long Weekend in NYC: Arrival Day

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We have not had a long weekend in New York City since 2017.

Last time we had a long weekend in NYC we ate at Sardis.

Then we saw 3 Broadway shows and ate at some of the city’s iconic restaurants.

This time we scored tickets to The Music Man at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway.

Then the COVID pandemic hit and theatres were closed.  In August of 2021 there was a glimmer of hope that Charlie and I could make a winter visit to NYC when tickets went on sale for Broadway.  Hoping the worst of the pandemic was behind us, I bought tickets to Hamilton, The Music Man (starring Hugh Jackman) and Plaza Suite (starring Sarah Jessica Parker and her real-life husband Matthew Broderick).

We took a selfie at home at the start of our journey — Jo and Charlie.

At the same time I made reservations at The Benjamin hotel (diagonally across the street from The Waldorf Astoria) which is where we headed on a Thursday morning driving from Baltimore to NYC.

The kitchenette in our hotel room was a nice place to stash Charlie’s snacks in addition to providing a second sink.

After leaving our car with the valet we checked into our room which was a King Studio (room with a kitchenette).

The Russian Tea Room has not changed much since I was last here 30 years ago.

Knowing Charlie is always hungry we walked to The Russian Tea Room for a bite to eat.

This was delicious hot beet soup — borscht served with pickled red beets, seasonal vegetables and dill in a short rib broth and a braised beef pirozhok.

We shared borscht and afternoon tea.

The savory tray was followed by a similar sized sweet tray.

That was definitely enough food for both of us.

Curtain warmer for The Music Man at the Winter Garden Theatre,

We walked back to The Benjamin and dressed for a 7 o’clock curtain at the theatre.  We saw Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) and Sutton Foster in The Music Man.  Protocols were in place to not only check tickets but also COVID vaccination credentials.

There were two ushers assigned to walking around the theatre with signs that read “MASK UP” and reminded folks verbally if they did not comply.

We had both installed the “NYC COVID Safe” app on our phones so we were set.

50th Street at night in New York City.

After the show we walked about 10 blocks down 50th Street to our hotel.

A fabulous first day in NYC.

Jo

March, 2022: Intentions

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After a fairly messy winter we are finally heading into spring in Maryland.  We’ll be celebrating Charlie’s and Sug’s birthdays this month.

Now for my March list of good intentions:

  1.  Enact the surprise I decided upon last month.
  2.  Head to NYC for a long weekend.

    Last year we took a day trip to the 9/11 Memorial. This year it’s all about Broadway!!

  3. Work on a project at the shore house.

  4.  See a movie:  Hoping to see the movie musical Cyrano.
  5.  Get plane tickets for Hawaii trip.
  6. Read a book:  Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

    Around the World in 80 Days on PBS.

    I enjoyed the Masterpiece series on Sunday nights but suspect the book is different in many ways.

  7.  Get estimates for backyard deck.
  8.  Design and build a bench for the mud room.

    I should be able to build something like this in a compatible size for our mudroom.

  9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: CREATIVITY.
  10.  Write a goal list for April, 2022.

Jo

February, 2022: Well Intended

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Here’s what I did during my favorite month: February, my birthday month.  I did some cleaning, some knitting, some movie going, and just generally enjoyed life.

A quick knit project from old yarn remnants.

A lot of movies were released in February so in addition to #4 below I saw:

  • Moonfall
  • Dog
  • Blacklight
  • Uncharted

I’m holding up a bag of white vinegar to clean the rain-shower head in the master bathroom.

Now for my February list of good intentions:

  1.  Host a paw-tea for Dash.  We had a grand afternoon of casual chatting and snacking. Woof!!

    Why so serious, Dash?

  2.  Pack for trip early in March.

    Planning to visit both observation floors of the Empire State Building.

    I’m all packed with mostly my chicest black clothing except for a few bright pops of color.

  3.  Make a change in the mudroom.  I finished wallpapering an accent wall and hung some different art on it.

    These simple projects get more difficult as I get older.

  4.  See a movie:  Marry Me or Death on the Nile. I saw  and enjoyed them both.  I especially loved the costumes of Death on the Nile and was shocked by the Marry Me wardrobe.
  5. Plan a surprise for someone special.  It’s all planned but I must wait a little while before I can unleash the details.  Trust me, it’s not a big deal, just a little fun for my special someone.
  6. Read a book:  Short Stories by Jesus by Amy-Jill Levine is a provocative look at the enigmatic parables.   Duly read, studied, and discussed.
  7. Get 2021 tax information to our accountant.

    My aim is to get my tax return finished before the due date which happens to be April 18th this year.

    I sent him the entire planner (50 pages or so) and 2021 information.  I’m always happy when that’s finished for the year.

  8.  Sew together unfinished handknit sweater.

    A new/vintage sweater.

    I not only sewed the sweater together, I also finished the duplicate stitch embroidery on the shoulders.  It only took me 39 years.

  9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: CHEERFULNESS.
  10.  Write a goal list for March, 2022.

Jo

February, 2022: Intentions

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Here we are at my favorite month: February, my birthday month.

Now for my February list of good intentions:

  1.  Host a paw-tea for Dash.  Woof!!

    Any excuse for a party is good enough.

  2.  Pack for trip early in March.

    We haven’t had a theatre weekend in NYC since 2017.

  3.  Make a change in the mudroom.

    Hang some wallpaper.

  4.  See a movie:  Marry Me or Death on the Nile. Or both.
  5. Plan a surprise for someone special.

    This is a decoy!

  6. Read a book:  Short Stories by Jesus by Amy-Jill Levine.

    We’re using the study guide in a class so I’m reading the book.

  7. Get 2021 tax information to our accountant.
  8.  Sew together unfinished handknit sweater.

    Hats are more my speed now.

  9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: CHEERFULNESS.
  10.  Write a goal list for March, 2022.

Jo

January, 2022: Well Intended

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The month of January is flying by so fast we almost missed it.  However, we were able to enthusiastically knock a few items off our ever-growing list of things that must get done.

In addition to the planned list:

  • Saw the movie: The 355. I enjoyed this movie which was full of action and unexpected twists.  I hope there’s a sequel.
  • Had the shocks and rear tires on my car replaced with the help of Sug.  Apparently mice had made a nest near the shock absorbers.
  • Bought a some new blazers and a winter coat while everything was still on sale.
  • With Charlie’s help, put Christmas decorations back in the attic.  Everyday I find a few more which were scattered around the house.
  • Charlie started deep-cleaning the pantry.

    This is a great improvement.

    He found a dead mouse in a mouse trap.  We knew something smelled funny.

My January list of good intentions transpired as follows:

  1.  Host a party on New Year’s Day.

    The popover king was delighted to make dozens of popovers.

    Charlie and I hosted a popover party which had fewer guests than hoped for due to a surge in the Omicron virus.

    The only food offered was hot popovers with butter and powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.

    However, the guests that did come were congenial and helped us start the new year with an uplifted spirit.

  2. Begin making reservations for autumn, 2022 trip.  I have reviewed many accommodations for a trip to Hawaii and made reservations at 2 different places to stay on 2 different islands plus vehicle rental reservations.

    Hawaii is on our travel menu for this year.

    I limited myself to places with reasonable refund policies considering the possibility of airplane flight cancellations, quarantines, etc. I don’t have airplane tickets yet.

  3.  Make a plan to update the mud room entrance.

    I bought an inexpensive new rug for the entry.

    The new plan includes wallpaper, furniture exchange, woodworking, decluttering, and new rugs.

  4. See a movie:  Something with the word “king” in the title.  I ended up seeing The King’s Man last month which I liked very much.  To fulfil this month’s task I saw The King’s Daughter with Pierce Brosnan as Louis XIV partially filmed at Versailles.  It was truly a fairytale.
  5. Plan a party.  The party is planned for next month and the invitations have already been sent.

    Does this sound like fun or what?!

  6. Read a book:  Round Up The Usual Suspects: The Making of Casablanca. 

    At our Casablanca party I dressed as Ilsa.

    This book was a gift from someone who knows Casablanca is my favorite movie.  It is actually a non-fiction book about the making of a fictional movie — where, when, and how it was made and why it has become so iconic.

  7.  Touch up paint in living room.

    Before

    After

  8.  Add new floor protectors to chairs.

    Easy to apply felt glides with integrated nail.

  9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: ENTHUSIASM.
  10.  Write a goal list for February, 2022.

Jo

Planning a Fall Trip

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Charlie and I usually plan our big trip of the year for September or October.

Greece is on my bucket list.

The trip in 2022 was supposed to be to Greece.  After traveling to Iceland last October we decided to give the COVID pandemic a little more time to resolve itself and restrict travel to US destinations.

The Big Island is just south of Maui.

That being said our target became Hawaii — exotic, warm, and accessible.  If, per chance, we get stuck there we know the language and the currency.

We want to leave from Baltimore-Washington International and limit our airport stops.

Usually when I plan a trip I purchase the airplane tickets first then arrange for accommodations.  Fall flights to Hawaii are not yet available so I’m changing my order of attack to get a cancelable place (or places) to stay first.  Selecting travel dates without having plane tickets is somewhat daunting.  I plan to purchase our flights as soon as they become available.

A view from the lanai of our rental in Kona on the Big Island.

We want to travel to Maui and the Big Island (Hawai’i) since I have already been to Oahu and Kauai.  After doing some research I decided that visiting the Big Island first would let us arrive earlier in the day which seems to be a big advantage in terms of picking up a rental car and  checking into a rental property.

Hoping for a view something like this from our lanai.

Reservations on Maui’s western shore come with more choices and more decisions.  Although accommodations on the island are extremely expensive I am determined to have a “room with a view” and by that I mean a view of the ocean which adds to the expense.  I am taking time to read every review and look carefully at every photo before I make this decision.

We’re renting a vehicle like the one I drive at home. (Notice we saved a nickel at booking!!)

Additionally I have been warned to make car rentals as early as possible so I have already put in a reservation for vehicles on both islands.

Not sure we’ll actually see hot lava from our chopper but I’m sure we’ll see something spectacular.

The next chore is to line-up our excursions:  horseback riding, helicopter tour of volcano, sunrise at Haleakala. etc.

Jo

January, 2022: Intentions

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Can you believe it’s 2022 in less than 17 hours?  My theme for this year will start with the saying on our party invitation for New Year’s Day.

I’m hopeful we’ll go lots of places and do lots of things in 2022.

Now for my January list of good intentions:

  1.  Host a party on New Year’s Day.

    This is all we plan to serve.

  2.  Begin making reservations for autumn, 2022 trip.
  3.  Make a plan to update the mud room entrance.

    I’m hoping to brighten up the mudroom entrance while keeping it cohesive with the rest of the house.

  4.  See a movie:  Something with the word “king” in the title.
  5. Plan a party.

    Somebody’s having a birthday!!

  6. Read a book:  Round Up The Usual Suspects: The Making of Casablanca.
  7.  Touch up paint in living room.

    The wall near the thermostat needs a lick of paint.

  8.  Add new floor protectors to chairs.
  9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: ENTHUSIASM.
  10.  Write a goal list for February, 2022.

Jo