My New York trip

My trip to NYC this year was an eventful, fun time. I arrived in Manhattan, from LaGuardia, at around Noon on Friday, Oct. 10th. I got there before Susie, so I checked in and went on a trek around the Chelsea neighborhood to find some food. I found a small pizza place, one of many, and sat down to eat my slice. It was a big slice, but thin and crisp, with mounds of ground meat and dollops of ricotta and marinara. Not bad.

Susie arrived around 1:30 and we dropped off her luggage as our room wouldn’t be ready till around 3. We found her a slice and had a conversation. Walked the neighborhood till 3 and found our room on the first floor of the Hotel Chelsea to be full of character (i.e. old and not updated). The room was large with two double beds, and a small kitchen. It looked out over an alley next to a residential building with balconies and window unit air conditioners. There was a deck below, where residents must enjoy a little outdoor privacy in the middle of the large metropolis.

That night we had tickets to see the Broadway production of Young Frankenstein. On the way to the show we ate at the Brooklyn diner (see Saturday for the results of that dinner). I had chicken wings with celery and sour cream/gornanzolla dip. I was excited to see the show, as I had seen previews during the Tony’s. I was looking forward to seeing Megan Mulolly, but I would learn later she was no longer in the show. The show was still very good and funny. The many drinks may have helped. Our next stop was Sardi’s. We had enjoyed our time there last year and wanted a new experience. We had drinks and met up with a ‘producer’ and his friend. They were very enjoyable folks. Robert K. Bloom (he was emphatic about the K in his name) and Sal were affable fellows and Robert seemed quite interested in Susie. Sal and I had a nice conversation while Robert and Susie talked politics. Sal told me all about his occupation as a freelance writer for technical magazines.

We closed the place and they all but kicked us out. So we went to a bar on 46th street called Don’t Tell Momma. It was a nice little bar on restaurant row as the locals call it. The schtik was that the employees all sing. It was like a karaoke bar, but the singing is done mostly by the waitresses and bartenders. They were very good, like aspiring entertainers. Susie appeared to be falling asleep, so I dragged her to a cab and headed back to Chelsea.

When we got back to the hotel, we noticed the bar in the basement was packed with mostly men, techno pouring from the door below the street, the noise easily heard in the lobby and in our first floor room. Susie, who makes friends very easily, spoke to the man at the hotel front desk and he was more than happy to get us in the booming bar downstairs. We didn’t stay long. Susie fell down and the beers we bought were $8 a piece. I went back to the room while Susie stayed at the hotel desk to talk to her new friend.

Saturday was a horrible mess. I must have eaten something the day before that gave me food poisoning. I woke up before dawn and threw up all day until around 4. I really felt like I was going to die. All our plans for that day were shot down. No NBC tour, no Beatles lunch, no heavy metal Bee Gees tribute.

Sunday was the opposite of Saturday. We hit the road early and walked thru the West Village, Soho(bought a belt at Yellow Rat Bastard shop), Little Italy and Nolita. I fell in love with Little Italy. So many restaurants and I was still feeling queasy from the night before. I could only stomach a wonderful Tiramisu and iced cappuccino from Cafee Palermo, where 90 percent of the menu was desserts. Further up the road in Nolita we happened upon a benefit showing of John Lennon’s art. We donated $20 and checked out the very expensive art that was for sale. We bought T-shirts.

We then went on a hunt for CBGB’s. It was fruitless. The locals advised us that the legendary place had closed completely a year before. So, we stopped at Slainte’s, an Irish bar and grill, to have a drink and watch the Saints win against the Raiders. Then back to the room to prepare for the Madonna concert.

The Madonna concert was nice. I was surprised at how good my seats were. I had floor seats. The stage had a catwalk, where Madonna and her dancers would spend much of the night. In front of the catwalk was the VIP section, the first three rows. Behind the VIP section was a walkway, maybe 6 feet wide, with a steel gate-like barricade behind it. I sat on the first row behind the barricade and 20 seats to the right of the VIP section, if you are facing the stage. I saw three celebrities in the VIP section; Chelsea Clinton, Kelly Rippa and Lindsey Lohan.

It was a wonderful show. Madonna played many of her most famous songs. Into The Groove, Ray of Light, Like a Prayer, a rock version of Borderline (who knew she could play the electric guitar?), La Isla Bonita. I really enjoyed it. And I met two nice guys, one from Houston (Matt) and one from NYC (can't remember his name). The concert was supposed to begin at 8 PM, but she started it at 9:30 and it ended about two hours later. I trekked back to the hotel room but Susie was asleep.

The next morning we went to 66th street to try and get tickets to The View. We were issued stand by tickets and had breakfast as we waited to hear if we’d be let in. Unfortunately, the show was full and no one on standby was let in. So, we hit 5th Avenue and Rockefeller Center before heading back to the hotel to pick up our luggage. Then to the airport and back home. It was a fun trip. Even with Saturday being a total loss, it was worth it.