New York City Trip: Day 5

Original Post Date: March 17, 2006

St. Patrick’s Day in New York! We slept in this morning, which was so nice! We made the 10:30 ferry after our usual stop at the bakery.

We didn’t take the South Ferry train, because we were going to the Lower East Side. Because of construction, we ended up walking through Battery Park. We got offered Rolexes and handbags. I didn’t make eye contact. I’m getting very good at ignoring pushy vendors. We also saw some guys dressed up like the Statue of Liberty. You’re supposed to get your picture taken with them, but they were a little creepy.

We happened upon a memorial to the World Trade Center. It was a sculpture that had been on the grounds. There was the eternal flame there, too. It was lit on September 11, 2002. If we hadn’t gotten detoured by the construction, we never would have found it!

Our first stop was Chinatown and Little Italy. Well, okay, it’s more like China Big City and Very Little Italy. The boundaries used to be so definite, and not it has blended together. Pretty much, Little Italy is a lot of restaurants.

Shauna and I went off in search of a Hat Shop we had read about that sold Bowler hats. We found the address, but it wasn’t there. So, we were going to take the subway back to Chinatown, but the signs were very confusing. We got on the right train, but it was going in the wrong direction. We didn’t realize this until the train went out of the tunnel and across the Williamsburg Bridge. Whoops! Normally when you get on the wrong train, the next stop isn’t too far away. But, when you have to cross a bridge, it takes o much longer! So, we crossed the river into Queens. Or maybe Brooklyn. I’ll have to check. It was a very lovely station, either way. Then we got on the correct train and went back across the river.

Back in Chinatown, we went down Mulberry Street and saw lots of Italian Restaurants. Boy, they smelled GOOD! We met the girls at a Chinese Restaurant for lunch.

After lunch, it was time to head up to do some shopping. Shauna and I got on the train right away, but the other girls got held up. Ashley has problems with her Metrocard, and it sometimes won’t let her through. So, we got off at the next stop and waited for their train. Luckily we all go together again.

We went to Bloomingdale’s first. What an amazing store! It’s huge and a total maze! Shauna and I just looked around for a bit and then left. There was no way we could afford anything there. When they have a DJ in the jeans department, you are in a super fancy store.

Our next stop was Tiffany’s. On the way, I had my crowning moment of the trip. We were about 2 blocks down the street and these old ladies, probably from England, asked me if Bloomingdale’s was close by. I told them to stay on that street and it would be on their left. They couldn’t miss it. Little did they know that I only knew that because I had just been there myself for the first time. Someone thought I knew where stuff is and I didn’t have to look at a map or say “I’m sorry, I’m not from here.” Yay!!

We got pictures of us having Breakfast at Tiffany’s. We’re such dorks. It was a croissant, and not a pastry like Audrey Hepburn had, but it’s the thought that counts.

We had decided not to go to the St Patrick’s Day parade, but who knew that it lasted all day! It was 3 o’clock and the parade was still going on. It made getting around on the sidewalk very, VERY hard. But we managed. At one point, we were walking along the parade route, in the same direction as the parade, with a marching band. We were in step with them. Without thinking about it. Once a band geek, always a band geek.

We saw the Plaza Hotel. They are in the process of restoring it, so there was scaffolding everywhere. After a little searching (So much construction everywhere!) , we found F.A.O. Schwartz. That was an amazing store! Life-sized stuffed animals, huge toys, the huge piano keyboard (featured in the Tom Hanks movie “Big”). We had to get Emily something, but everything was so expensive. We settled on a bear wearing a robe with “F.A.O. Schwartz on it. We had it shipped directly to her (which cost way too much, but we don’t have room to pack it home.)

Next, we walked along the South edge of Central Park to Carnegie Hall. It is gorgeous! The old architecture in New York is just breathtaking. We would have loved to have seen the inside, but we’re saving all the backstage tours (except “Wicked”, of course) for our next trip.

Then it was time to head back to Time’s Square to meet the girls for dinner. We went to the Hard Rock Café. It was 4 o’clock and really too early for dinner, but it was Friday and St. Patrick’s Day, and we knew we’d never get in later. They told us it would be a 25 - 30 minute wait, and it ended up being 5 minutes. Not bad! The food is so expensive there, so we all split a jumbo platter of appetizers and each had a side dish. And we got dessert.

Then Shauna, Ashley, and I split off and headed to J.C. Penney’s. Okay, that was the lamest J.C. Penney’s ever. They have very few things on display and then computers everywhere that you can use to order online. Lame! Then we went to the “Spirit of Broadway” store. It was packed full of souvenirs. Some cheap, some tacky, others good. Lots of funny t-shirts.

Next we headed uptown to the Lincoln Center. We wandered around a bit; tried to find the Julliard Bookstore but couldn’t. We killed time until we could get into the show I just HAD to see in New York: “The Light in the Piazza”. That show is the most gorgeous piece of theatre that I have seen in a long time. Years, even. Beautiful score by Adam Guettel, grandson of Richard Rodgers. The set was breathtaking. The show was...WOW! Amazing. Victoria Clark played the lead. (She was the original Alice Beane in “Titanic”, so I’ve loved her forever!) She won the Tony for this role. What a performer! WOW!!! We were so glad we went tonight and not Wednesday. She doesn’t do the show on Tuesdays and Wednesday nights. I’ve heard her understudy is fantastic (She plays Senora Nacarrelli. She was wonderful in that role.), but I only wanted to see Victoria. Bonus that Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdink in “The Princess Bride” was Senor Nacarrelli) and Giuseppe was played by the guy we saw as Bill in “Kiss Me Kate” that was on PBS. Michael Berresse. He’s an amazing dancer and very funny.

I just can’t get over how incredible that show was. It’s been a long time since I have seen a show I knew practically nothing about. (I kind of knew the story and I had heard only 2 songs.) I cried at the end, of course. Now, normally when I cry at a show, I get over it, wipe my eyes and I’m done. This one had me choked up. I was trying to talk to Shauna and Ashley, and I sounded like I was going to cry again! Crazy!! I can’t wait to see this show again! The tour is coming to Denver!!

Saw some interesting people on the subway and ferry on the way home, but I need to go to bed! Tomorrow is a long day. I don’t think I’m going to bed at all tomorrow, so we can see another show!