Trip Report 5/20/09 - 5/25/09 Part One

Wednesday, May 20

John and I are on the same flight with Coleen going to La Guardia. We arrive around 10:20 a.m. and take a quick cab ride into the city via the TriBoro Bridge and FDR Drive on the East Side of the island. Our destination: The Algonquin Hotel on West 44th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. The hotel was delightful and in a perfect midtown location – within steps of Times Square, the theatre district, Rockefeller Center, and various subway lines. Matilda, the fluffy white Persian cat, was a lovable hostess and was always roaming (or sleeping ;-) in the lobby when we passed by. The rooms were appointed nicely. The hotel has a very “old New York” feel to it. New Yorker magazine cartoon wallpaper in all the hallways, Al Hirschfeld caricature sketches on the shower curtains, and complimentary New Yorker magazines in the rooms…what’s not to love? Rooms were clean, beds were very comfortable, and the Oak Room lobby was beautiful. We enjoyed our stay and will most likely use this hotel again for future visits.

After checking in and depositing our luggage, we walk up 5th Avenue to 59th Street (Central Park South) to have brunch at Sarabeth’s. We eat al fresco so we can people watch. I had the garden vegetable frittata and a four flowers juice (Orange, Banana, Pineapple, %26amp; Pomegranate). John had the chicken pot pie. Coleen had spinach ravioli. After eating we made our way back to the hotel to meet Steve and Larry. Coleen admired the jewelry at Van Cleef %26amp; Arpels, Cartier, and Harry Winston on the way back! We unpacked before heading back out for some shopping. We visited Lacoste, Kenneth Cole, Armani Exchange, and several shops in the Rockefeller Center area. One of John’s sunglasses lens fell out and cracked while entering the Kenneth Cole store, so he had to buy a new pair at The Sunglasses Hut. Coleen, Steve, and Larry took some time to see the inside of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

After an afternoon of shopping, it was dinnertime, so we went to Alfredo’s in midtown for a great Italian meal. I had a combination of lasagna and fettucine alfredo – very filling. After dinner it was time for me and John to go back to the hotel and get ready for “9 to 5: The Musical”. Coleen’s friend Mitch (Chi) was coming into town for a visit with her while we were at the show. “9 to 5” was pure, silly fun with terrific performances, an amazing set, and a catchy score by Dolly Parton. Chad hung out at the Marquis Theatre stage door afterward and got pictures with all of the principal cast members along with autographs for his Playbill. Coleen and Chi met us, and the four of us went to Roxy’s in Times Square for post-theatre dessert. Cheesecake was $10 (overpriced but creamy and tasty). Chad’s tiramisu wasn’t worth the money. We had a great conversation, and it was almost 12:30 a.m. when Chi headed back to New Jersey, and we went back to the hotel to get some sleep.

Thursday, May 21

A picture-perfect day: clear blue skies and sunny! We met at 9:00 in the lobby and headed next door to The Red Flame for a quick breakfast. We then walked over to Times Square to catch the blue A/C subway line into Brooklyn. We got off at the first stop (High Street) and walked down to the esplanade on the East River. We passed Grimaldi’s pizza and the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory along the way but were too full from breakfast to partake of either (something for next trip!). The views of the New York skyline were breathtaking! You could see the Manhattan Bridge, the Statue of Liberty in the harbor, and the tops of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building in the distance. The Brooklyn Bridge itself was a marvel. Walking across it was such a fun experience. Before we got on the bridge, we started following one of our City Walks cards through the DUMBO section of Brooklyn. We started on Water Street through an industrial section that looked like it was being revitalized.

We didn’t make it too far before encountering Jacques Torres chocolates. We spent some time there and all bought some treats to take home. The shop packaged our chocolates in sealable cold bags to protect them from the heat. Across the street was a French patisserie called Almondine, and we got waylaid there, too. We hadn’t expected to find such culinary treasures in such close proximity to each other. At this point, we were running out of time, so we had to abandon the walk and hightail it to the bridge. As you walk along the inclined ramp up onto the bridge you quickly realize what a landmark it is. It is longer than it looks, and it took us about 40 minutes to cross. We stopped a lot for pictures and to appreciate the marvelous views. You walk along a wooden platform that is elevated in the middle of the bridge with the lanes of traffic on either side below you – really cool! The platform is divided into two lanes: one for cyclists and one for walkers.

Once we entered Manhattan on the other side of the bridge in front of City Hall and Pace University, we turned right and started walking toward the Lower East Side. We passed many interesting legal/justice buildings including one for the Supreme Court. We meandered up along Centre Street up to Canal Street and walked through part of Chinatown before arriving at Orchard and Delancey and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. We had time to kill before our 2:00 “Getting By” tour, so we went across the street to IL Laboratorio del Gelato, which had creative flavors. Chad had a cup with pear and blackberry sorbets and espresso gelato. John intrepidly opted for a wasabi, thai chili chocolate, and espresso combination. YUM!!!

Our tour guide for the Tenement Museum was Ruth, and she was wonderful. Very passionate while describing the lives of the Gumpert and Baldicci families who lived in the tenement at 97 Orchard Street during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It really hit home how difficult the lives of these early immigrant families were and made us so appreciative of the many modern conveniences that we take for granted today. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the museum, but we explored the tiny apartments of the two families. The rooms have been preserved and decorated exactly how they were when the families lived there. It was fascinating (and a bit horrifying at times) to see and hear how they lived back then.

Once the tour was over around 3:30, we had time to walk north to East Houston Street and over to Avenue A. The Lower East Side still has a bohemian aura to it, and we walked through Tompkins Square Park before veering left and heading over to Union Square. We arrived at Union Square Café around 4:30 and intended to eat there, but they didn’t open for dinner until 5:30, and we couldn’t wait that long. So, tired though we were, we kept walking north to The Gramercy Tavern (a Danny Meyer restaurant), on 20th Street between Broadway and Park Avenue. Along the way, I had my first celebrity sighting of the trip. Standing outside ABC Carpet %26amp; Home on Broadway was actor Gil Bellows, best known as Billy Thomas on “Ally McBeal”. He looked very rugged and handsome in person!

We ate dinner in the tavern section of Gramercy Tavern; however, we were close enough to see the formal dining room, which looked very elegant. The cuisine was innovative, and our meals were all delicious! Coleen and I had something we’d never tried before: sea bream with lentils and apples. John had the stuffed meatball. Larry had a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw, and Steve had Kielbasa with a sauerkraut/warm potato salad mixture. For dessert we had chocolate pudding with salty caramel and brioche croutons and strawberry rhubarb shortcake. This place was excellent, and we will go back on another trip!

After dinner we had enough time to catch the subway back to the hotel and change for Billy Elliot at the Imperial Theatre. Our Row AA seats were eliminated to make room for an orchestra conductor stand, but we really lucked out because we were bumped back a few rows to Row F in the center orchestra (premium seating at non-premium prices!). Coleen got a prime mezzanine seat and saw the show from an aerial perspective. I cried no less than five times during Billy Elliot. A truly spectacular night at the theatre and quite possibly the best musical I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen A LOT of musicals!). If not THE best, it’s definitely up there with Rent, Les Mis, and a few others. I can’t rave enough about it. Hung out at the stage door afterward and got autographs and pictures with Kiril Kulish (Billy), David Bologna (Michael), and Gregory Jbara (Dad).

We were all on such a high after Billy Elliot that we couldn’t go right to bed. So we went to Ellen’s Stardust Diner on Broadway for post-theatre eats: nachos, French fries, and thick milkshakes laced with several kinds of alcohol. We had a good time listening to the very talented singing waiters and waitresses. Andrew, our waiter, served us well and was also quite easy on the eyes ;-) We kept encouraging Coleen to leave him her room number but couldn’t quite persuade her. A second milkshake might’ve done the trick! Finally called it a night and went back to the hotel and to bed by 1:30 a.m.

Trip Report 5/20/09 - 5/25/09 Part One

Enjoying your report. About to read part 2

Trip Report 5/20/09 - 5/25/09 Part One

I read part 2 first! Wonderful report and sounds a lot like the trip I will be on with my married friends....and anytime a trip involves a kitty cat it is a good trip. HA!

Thanks again for a fun report!

It sounds like you are all having lots of fun!! I%26#39;m confused. How many of you are there??? Love the fact that the Algonquin has a cat running around. Is he/she friendly?

On to part 2!

Yes, Matilda was a very friendly cat. She%26#39;s older, so she sleeps a lot. But she will let you pet her. She%26#39;s very fluffy and soft with an adorable gray, squished face!

There were five of us - my friend Coleen, our friends Steve and Larry, and the two of us (me and my husband, John). This was the first time we had all traveled together, and thankfully we all got along splendidly.

I%26#39;m glad all of you enjoyed the report.

Splendid report with lots of detail. Loved it. You make me want to see Billy Elliot again (saw it in London).

I look forward to seeing them perform on the Tony Awards June 7.

(You%26#39;re kidding about the alcoholic milkshakes, right?)