Mother/Daughter NYC Trip Report and Thanks
May 26th, 2008, 08:29 AM
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Mother/Daughter NYC Trip Report and Thanks
Just back from our trip- really went off without a hitch. Our non-peak arrival and departure times made for smooth airport experiences.
Hotel Michelangelo- Thank you for the suggestion Fodorites. The location was great, especially for a theater focused weekend. It was so nice to be able to walk to dinner and to the theaters. At someone's suggestion, I asked for a renovated room- and got one, and was upgraded to a very spacious junior suite! The room didn't have much if a view matters (not to me), but the amenities were all nicely provided. Lots of nice touches, responsive staff, many have worked there for a long time. Turndown staff empties trash mid-day, helpful, knowledgeable and friendly concierge, etc. The internet rate we got through the hotel $325 seemed like a very good one for the level of the facility.
Our first afternoon involved meeting up with DDs friend and her mom, and going on a 'pilgrimage' to Levain Bakery because DD had seen it on a Food Network Throw Down. It is tiny but delicious (74th and Amsterdam). We walked over to Central Park to the Imagine mosaic, and they just chilled out exploring the park, climbing rocks and taking in the scene. It was also Fleet Week- so lots of sailors and marines were available to admire.
Dinner at Roberto Passon- thank you Neo Patrick! Just right and delicious. I had a (handmade) pumpkin filled raviolli- wonderful, well priced and right sized (not a mountain). Flavorful, interesting- and I felt that I was in a neighborhood restaurant, not a tourist trap. We could have gone back a few times.
Spring Awakening was terrific, great songs but not for the conservative crowd- and I had gotten front row center seats, just on the website-face value! back in January. It was a great experience to be 3 feet away from the actors at times (there are steps down to the audience). It was the debut of the new Melchior- Canandian, Kyle Riabko- he did a great job. THe show was being filmed by a Canadian company, and DD was interviewed by the Toronto paper. We waited and had photos and autographs after the show- the cast was fun and gracious. DD was in heaven.
Saturday was for wandering and lunching with local family- at the Water Club on FDR and 34th- sedate, elegant and excellent food- great place on a sunny day, right on the river.
Back to Central Park in the afternoon, with the friend and her mom- did the classics- carriage ride, pedi-cab ride up to the boat house- a nice boat ride (note to others- cash only!_and enjoyed the jazz coming from the fountain plaza. Yeah, all cheesy, but all fun!
Dinner Sat. night (thanks again NeoPatrick) at Vnyl- it's funky, it's kind of loud, a great laugh at itself 70's kind of decor, but the food was good, well priced, the staff was hilarious and it was a skip and a hop to see Altar Boyz (again, great seats 3rd row- from ticketmaster). Very fun show.
Sunday- 7th Avenue street fair was going on outside our door, so we enjoyed that before catching a subway down to the Village. We did the foods of NY tour. We ended up leaving after 2 hrs- DD was a little worn out- but we enjoyed it just for the experience. Our guide was ok, but low key, and a bit reserved. The food stops were fun- but a weird combination to take in over a short time (pizza, sourdough bread with olive oil and one-half with pesto, fried ravioli, thai steamed chicken dumpling, chocolate chip cookie, gelato- even with just doing tastes, it was a little weird for me. I liked the history tid bits of the Village, and learned a lot that I didn't know.
We did a little village wandering and then had to head back uptown to do some street fair wandering and head to the airport.
Hotel Michelangelo- Thank you for the suggestion Fodorites. The location was great, especially for a theater focused weekend. It was so nice to be able to walk to dinner and to the theaters. At someone's suggestion, I asked for a renovated room- and got one, and was upgraded to a very spacious junior suite! The room didn't have much if a view matters (not to me), but the amenities were all nicely provided. Lots of nice touches, responsive staff, many have worked there for a long time. Turndown staff empties trash mid-day, helpful, knowledgeable and friendly concierge, etc. The internet rate we got through the hotel $325 seemed like a very good one for the level of the facility.
Our first afternoon involved meeting up with DDs friend and her mom, and going on a 'pilgrimage' to Levain Bakery because DD had seen it on a Food Network Throw Down. It is tiny but delicious (74th and Amsterdam). We walked over to Central Park to the Imagine mosaic, and they just chilled out exploring the park, climbing rocks and taking in the scene. It was also Fleet Week- so lots of sailors and marines were available to admire.
Dinner at Roberto Passon- thank you Neo Patrick! Just right and delicious. I had a (handmade) pumpkin filled raviolli- wonderful, well priced and right sized (not a mountain). Flavorful, interesting- and I felt that I was in a neighborhood restaurant, not a tourist trap. We could have gone back a few times.
Spring Awakening was terrific, great songs but not for the conservative crowd- and I had gotten front row center seats, just on the website-face value! back in January. It was a great experience to be 3 feet away from the actors at times (there are steps down to the audience). It was the debut of the new Melchior- Canandian, Kyle Riabko- he did a great job. THe show was being filmed by a Canadian company, and DD was interviewed by the Toronto paper. We waited and had photos and autographs after the show- the cast was fun and gracious. DD was in heaven.
Saturday was for wandering and lunching with local family- at the Water Club on FDR and 34th- sedate, elegant and excellent food- great place on a sunny day, right on the river.
Back to Central Park in the afternoon, with the friend and her mom- did the classics- carriage ride, pedi-cab ride up to the boat house- a nice boat ride (note to others- cash only!_and enjoyed the jazz coming from the fountain plaza. Yeah, all cheesy, but all fun!
Dinner Sat. night (thanks again NeoPatrick) at Vnyl- it's funky, it's kind of loud, a great laugh at itself 70's kind of decor, but the food was good, well priced, the staff was hilarious and it was a skip and a hop to see Altar Boyz (again, great seats 3rd row- from ticketmaster). Very fun show.
Sunday- 7th Avenue street fair was going on outside our door, so we enjoyed that before catching a subway down to the Village. We did the foods of NY tour. We ended up leaving after 2 hrs- DD was a little worn out- but we enjoyed it just for the experience. Our guide was ok, but low key, and a bit reserved. The food stops were fun- but a weird combination to take in over a short time (pizza, sourdough bread with olive oil and one-half with pesto, fried ravioli, thai steamed chicken dumpling, chocolate chip cookie, gelato- even with just doing tastes, it was a little weird for me. I liked the history tid bits of the Village, and learned a lot that I didn't know.
We did a little village wandering and then had to head back uptown to do some street fair wandering and head to the airport.
May 26th, 2008, 09:25 AM
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Sounds like a great trip! My mom and I went to New York last summer and saw Spring Awakening (among others), and it was a great trip, and one of my best memories. I enjoyed the show more than she did-I've now seen it 3 times- but overall we had a blast, and it sounds like you and your daughter did too
May 26th, 2008, 09:43 AM
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great trip! We were your bookends: we were at the final performance of the original Melchior and Wendla. What an amazing evening!! Just about everyone in the audience were veteran S.A. goers (including our kids...) and the applause and ovations started from the moment the actors came out onstage. How those actors kept their composure with a wild audience response after every number was a real testament to their professionalism!
Glad to hear Groff's replacement is good!
Glad to hear Groff's replacement is good!
May 27th, 2008, 12:18 PM
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It's a great show, I am thrilled to have seen it with the original cast. Has your daughter seen other shows? Rent is doing a tour next fall that will star two of the original Broadway cast members, and a lot of people I know like both shows, so if it comes close to you I think your daughter might enjoy it.
I must say, I also enjoyed Roberto Passon on my most recent trip(thanks Neo Patrick!) My friend ordered the pumpkin ravioli and it was delish.
I must say, I also enjoyed Roberto Passon on my most recent trip(thanks Neo Patrick!) My friend ordered the pumpkin ravioli and it was delish.
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