Monday, December 8, 2008

New York Recollections

I still don't REALLY have time to post about my NY trip, but I'm doing it anyway. I feel I owe it to my fans (ha). It will be a clipped version. Not the usual poetic beauty and philosophizing. Then again, once I start writing, I'm sure I'll bloviate for at least a half hour...

Left SC at 4 AM on the train to Pennylvania Station. Sort of the reverse of "Chatanooga Choo Choo." Our ham and eggs were not in Carolina but Virginia. We had a private sleeper room and it was wonderful... 16 hours of sleeping/lounging punctuated by trips to the dining car. At breakfast and lunch, we shared a table with Gunterkin and Conchita (or something like that - he was German and she Spanish). They were an elderly couple and delightful conversationalists. A nice time and reasonably good food was had by all.

PM in NYC - we have an incredibly delicious plate of hot antipasta at Carmine's and Jay begins imbibing gins and tonic. This goes on for a while. More good times had by all, but better food.

Wednesday - picked up half price tickets to a matinee, The 39 Steps. Walked over to Rock Center and had lunch at the cafe, several feet away from the skating rink. Watched the Rock Center tree being erected. Had one of the most delicious salads ever. Later, saw Mary Poppins. Loved it so much I had tears in my eyes. Mary Poppins is one of my heroes. Bought a Poppins umbrella, with a parrot for a handle. Can't wait for it to rain...

Thanksgiving - Parade!! Not too cold, not too bad a view. Glad to have done it once. Wouldn't go again, though, unless I have tickets to sit at Herald Square. The downside to watching it live from Broadway is that you don't get to see any of the performances. I sort of missed watching it on TV in my pajamas.

We missed out on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, despite having reservations at a pretty good restaurant. The hub and I couldn't seem to jive on the "when do we nap?" and "when do we eat?" aspects of the day. Ended up at Alfredo's, which was not a bad accident. The original Alfredo recipe. Very different from what I expected. Tasty. Then on to Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular. They don't call that thing Spectacular for nothin! It's incredible! A hundred dancing Santas!

Friday - to the Today Show to see Barry Manilow perform 80's covers. However, I'm too short to see anything but the overhead lights, so I go to the second floor of the nearby Nintendo store to watch. There, I can see Barry's head at about the size of a quarter, but can't hear too well. Eventually the manager at Nintendo kicks me and the other Barry fans out. I therefore refuse to buy a Pokemon t-shirt, which I wouldn't have bought anyway, but I liked having a comeback.

Before leaving town, we have several hours to spend on 5th Avenue - and it's Black Friday! Shopping Mecca! Let me tell you, Black Friday at NYC Macy's is like swimming upstream against a school of bargain crazed fish. Almost as spectacular as Radio City Music Hall, but in an entirely different way. Fun, actually. Later that night, we fly first class back to SC. More fun, and "free" coctails.

Happy 10th Anniversary to us! Viva New York! Here's my beloved in a few memorable spots...

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Holidays in a Nutshell

Whew.... just got back from a huge trip east. A few days in South Carolina, hooked up with the fam and best pal Anne Marie. Then an anniversary jaunt to NYC. Took the train up, stayed on Times Square, saw THE PARADE, caught some shows, shopped Black Friday on 5th Avenue, flew first class back to SC. Celebrated an early Christmas there. Martinis and a movie with A.M. -- didn't see Lorri, but she'll be in Seattle this weekend. I can't believe we're already into December! More details on the trip another night...