"Have you ever stayed anywhere that was not what you expected?"

Well, a number of times things haven't been as wonderful as we expected, but we're pretty good at focusing on the positive. Making lemonade out of lemons, so to speak. Probably the worst was our first trip to Rome when we booked the Hotel Internazionale and arrived, were given what we were told was "one of our best rooms". It was HORRIBLE. We decided we couldn't stay there, it was early in the day, so we left our luggage and spent a few hours going door to door and being laughed at when asking if anyone had availability. Every room in Rome was apparently taken. We returned to the hotel and when we picked up the key at the desk, a clerk on the new shift asked how our room was. I told him it was horrible and disgusting and we had just spent hours desperately looking for another hotel. He moved us to another room that you couldn't believe was in the same hotel -- it was lovely. So we lucked out on that. And we once arrived in Bergen, Norway at what was supposed to be a wonderful hotel only to be given a key and told we were in their "annex" a couple blocks away. It was like a university dorm they were using for the summer and it was HORRIBLE. This time we were lucky to find another hotel and return our key to the hotel. They were upset but I showed on our contract we had until 6 PM to cancel and it wasn't 6PM yet.

Patrick, I was just reading about the Charlotte Moss Townhouse, it's in a five-story Townhouse at 20 East 63rd St. - have you been? From what I understand this opened recently and the website states it presents a "full breadth of Charlotte Moss' customized offerings and is the exclusive retail location of select international artists, craftsmen, and antiquaries". It's open Monday - Saturday 10-6. Considering your interior design background I would be very interested in your opinion on this! Thanks!
http://www.charlottemoss.com

Interesting, Margo, I'll go take a look.

How are you guys making out with the heat? I live in New Jersey and it was hot today and going to be hot tomorrow too.

And where have you 2 been having coffee this month? Stumbled upon any good coffee shops? Or do you have your regular favorites?

Can't wait to hear about week two!!

travelgirl2, we're from Florida -- what HEAT are you talking about? I must say, though I really liked those days in the 50s and 60s last week -- so refreshing.

Margo, it takes Lee a while to get ready most mornings, and he doesn't drink coffee at all -- never did -- so I run out and get a large coffee (I'm really into Americano's with an extra shot these days). Thalia has their little "to go" place right next to the entrance of our apartments, so that's usually it -- and they now know me. Otherwise, I've gone to my old standby The Coffee Cup at 49th and 9th, and I did do Starbuck's once -- we're surrounded by them.

what a lovely report but especially enjoying reading about the unforgettable memories you are creating during this long adventure.

can´t wait to try your rest. recs also!

I can’t believe a whole week has passed since I posted, but here it is: WEEK 2: Sunday, May 20 to Saturday, May 26.

Sunday morning, we walked the 9th Avenue Street Fair. Bought some much needed black socks (6 pairs for $10) and they are great socks. Had brunch at Iguana. This is odd, as I had seen they advertise a brunch special at $12.95 including a bloody Mary or mimosa, but when seated they only handed us major menus. I asked about the special brunch and first got a “we don’t have that anymore”. I said, “but it’s still on your website; I just looked this morning”. So the waiter brought us that small menu and said they don’t give them out because it no longer includes coffee or tea which is printed on them. HUH? WHO CARES? Anyway we ordered – huevos rancheros for me and wonderful ciliquiles with scrambled eggs for Lee. And although we asked for WEAK Bloody Marys, they weren’t. Really nice brunch, but the two women next to us said they had asked about the brunch menu too and they were told there was none even though it is posted outside!

Took the subway to Bloomingdale’s for underwear (do you get the idea we failed to shop before we left home?). Coming out of Bloomingdale’s we spotted the movie with Fracture right across the street, saw that it was about to start so went in. Exciting film.
This evening we saw The Fantasticks with discount tickets. Of course, I’ve seen this show about a zillion times, and have been in it as well. I think the most exciting thing was that Henry, the old actor (the part I’ve played) was played by Tom Jones – no, not that Tom Jomes – but the author of The Fantasticks. He was marvelous as was the whole cast including “the boy”, Anthony Fedodorv, an American Idol finalist of a few years ago.
We had dinner afterwards at Cara Mia on Ninth – Scampi on a bed of spinach for Lee and grilled salmon on a bed of asparagus, leeks, and corn for me, and we split a great carpaccio. Cara Mia is an old stand by, reasonably priced theatre district place.

Monday we took the subway to Brooklyn for pizza at Grimaldi’s. Lee has fallen back to his more usual trend of taking up to a couple hours to get showered and dressed in the mornings, so most of our mornings are pretty much just at the apartment, and a light breakfast in. We arrived just before noon to get two of the last places. By 5 after noon the line outside was substantial. Good pizza despite the patronizing waiter. I noticed that the people on one side of us had a very blackened edge pizza while the people on the other side had a nice golden brown one, which reminded me that last time here the one thing we didn’t care for was the amount of “burnt” taste to it. I said to the waiter “if there is an option, we’d like as little black as possible” to which he replied, “the black comes from the coal, we don’t use gas here”. I said just as firmly, “I’m not talking about black that might rub off the coal. I’m just saying we’d prefer one like this one and not like that one if possible. OK?” indicating the pizzas on each side. . (How silly was the idea that leaving it in the oven too long doesn’t make it black – the coal does?) Ours came out perfect. Even Lee remembered the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory on the dock a block away, but HORRORS! It is closed on Mondays, so no ice cream this trip!

We headed on out to Coney Island to go to the New York Aquarium – free with Bank of America this month. If we had been smart, we’d have done this last week when we rode clear out there for our Nathan’s Hot Dogs. There is a sea lion show that is more educational than entertaining – which is fine, and some nice exhibits of walrus, sharks, and otters, and some spectacular tanks of various jelly fish with tentacles up to 12 feet long.

This evening we headed to Birdland at 9:30 for Jim Caruso’s Cast Party. We ordered light meals to eat during the show. Overall we found the show to be pretty disappointing. This used to be a real Broadway show tunes type venue with lots of chorus kids and others performing. But tonight it seemed more jazz, folk songs, pop songs, etc. And many of the performers simply weren’t very good. We still had fun, but found it not nearly so good as the last time we were there. Still, we stayed till it closed out at about 1 AM.

Tuesday, we headed to Katz’s Deli on Houston to split one of those gigantic and wonderful pastrami sandwiches, and some potato salad. We sat next to the “When Harry Met Sally” table and had to endure two different people meekly doing their impersonation of Meg Ryan’s orgasm. Right down the street was the film Away From Her, which I had heard was fantastic, particularly for Julie Christie’s performance. All I knew was it was about “memories of a long time marriage”. Little did I know that it is all about Alzheimer’s, but Lee sat through it and didn’t recognize himself at all. However, he did remark it reminded him of when his father had to go to an Alzheimer’s home (which happens in the film). A very moving film.

Tuesday night we had tickets for Deuce with Angela Lansbury and Marian Seldes. We stopped at Sardi’s to do a drink first and the bar was closed for a private party, so headed to the bar at Angus MacIndoe’s instead. The two actresses gave great performers and we enjoyed them in this “dull as dirt” play which never seemed to go anywhere. This is one time I totally agreed with all the critics I’d read. Dinner afterwards in the little garden room at Le Madeline. We both had wonderful “lamb shank pappardelle” which was wonderful.

Wednesday we went right next door to the new Natsumi. We loved this place. We had Bento Box lunches. Each had 6 pieces of spicy tuna roll, four “patties” of light as air vegetable tempura, 2 shrimp and leek dumplings, steamed rice, and a choice of entrée – I had teriyaki salmon with steamed broccoli, and Lee had sliced sesame chicken with various steamed vegetables. They also come with a choice of miso or a very good salad. They have wonderful iced tea (but I learned the refills are full price – at $3.50 each. But the Bento lunches are a great bargain at something like $13.95 each.

I had been waiting for discounts for Love Musik and they started them again yesterday, so I had gone to the box office only to be told that because this is a Manhattan Theatre Club offering, the only seats you can get are rear balcony – others are held for subscribers. I went back to the apartment, and checked online and SURPRISE, the two exact center first row mezzanine seats came up for the discount price for tomorrow’s matinee, so I grabbed them – obviously just released. Anyway, thoroughly enjoyed this show about Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya – with Donna Murphy amazing as Lenya. My Tony best actress in a musical prediction is now torn between Donna Murphy and Christine Ebersol in Grey Gardens.

Don’t kill me after panning the place on Fodors several times, but we gave Havana Central near Times Square a second chance (mainly because I had a $10 off free coupon and it’s cheap anyway). We hadn’t been there since just after it had opened, so thought maybe it would be better. We were seated upstairs (I had asked for a quieter area, and it was – only “deafening” instead of “ear piercing” like downstairs. They couldn’t do my dry robroy – didn’t have a clue – so you should only drink mojitos or their other sweet drinks there if you can handle the sugar. We had ropa vieja (that had no Cuban flavor –it could have been my Midwestern Mom’s pot roast) and roast pork roast which was a little better, but even the black beans had almost no flavor.

This evening was Coram Boy, which had been a big hit in London but we had missed it. This production is amazing, but frankly due to the overwhelming production costs it is possibly closing this week. With a cast of 40, including a 20 voice choir, and a 10 member boy’s choir, huge sets and great effects, we both sat spellbound for this performance. How can you not be overwhelmed by a “non musical” show that ends with a 40 voice Handel’s Messiah Hallelujah Chorus as the curtain call? Stopped off downstairs from our apartment at Thalia for a dessert for Lee and cheese for me along with a drink (I’d been on Robroy withdrawal since missing one at Havana Central earlier).

Thursday, we had to get to Lincoln Center by 9:45 which we made for an open rehearsal of the New York Philharmonic with guest violinist – Julian Rachlin. These rehearsals cost $15 each, a fraction of the full concert price. This one was sort of stop and go unlike the last we saw which went straight through. And they didn’t do the full second half of the program – Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, which probably would have been the best of the program – but it’s part of their regular repertoire, so no rehearsal. Still Julian Rachlin was amazing, and I suppose his priceless antique violin on loan from the Bank of Vienna didn’t hurt any either.

Our splurge lunch today was at Asiate, high up in the Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle. We were disappointed not to get the window seats we had requested when we booked a month ago as there were two large parties, so all the window space had been taken up by these groups. But our food was delicious and we were pleasantly surprised by very fair prices for drinks and good wines by the glass.

This evening we stopped at Above at the Times Square Hilton for very overpriced drinks – considerably more than at Asiate, for example – before going to The Pirate Queen with our great 7th row orchestra seats (just to the side of the aisle) that we got via Broadway Box for $35 each. The show is huge, but I found myself almost nodding off – and I wasn’t even sleepy! It just seems dull. The odd thing is that despite the many comments about the silly Riverdance choreography (which I’m not really a fan of), I found that to be the best element of the show and so appropriate. Linda Balgord is also wonderful as Queen Elizabeth – and her over-the-top costumes help as well.
Had a nice dinner at West Bank Café afterwards – great roast organic chicken for me, and sea scallops on “smashed peas” for Lee – no, they weren’t like British mushy peas at all. I asked what was happening these days in their cabaret venue downstairs and the waitress said to come back tomorrow night for Friday night After Party.

Friday was laundry day – three loads including sheets and towels in the huge, clean laundry room in the building. Then we walked to 11th and 46th for GREAT barbecue at Daisy May’s. It was all good, but the sides of mixed beans with burnt ends and the creamy corn with cheese were outstanding dishes.
We walked to Times Square and decided to stop in from the heat and see Shrek 3 at the AMC cinemas – great theatre, not busy.
Tonight we had a wonderful dinner at Earth NYC, just north of the back of Chelsea Market. This place has an over-the-top décor including a huge wall of lighted candles, a huge birdbath of a stone water bowl filled with rose petals, and lots of RED. We had great summer rolls of shrimp and mint, shrimp pad thai which was one of the best I’ve ever had – not the least bit “gelatinous” like they often are, and an order of “shaking” beef. Everything here is bursting with flavors, too complex to identify. There were only about 6 of us in the entire place who weren’t Asian, also the only ones over about 30 years of age, but we loved this place!

Afterwards we stopped off at West Bank Café, for that Friday night After Party, our waitress last night had told us about. This was a highlight of our trip so far. After being disappointed at Birdland’s Cast Party on Monday, this totally made up for it. The entire cast of Talk Radio was there and several performed great numbers. The guest artist was from Les Miserables and she did a great rendition of I Dreamed a Dream, then one of Home from The Wiz. The very talented Christine Pedi from Talk Radio then performed the Forbidden Broadway parody version of I Dreamed a Dream, which brought down the house. (She’s a former award winning member of Forbidden Broadway). Then Cornell Womack from Talk Radio, who is a big burly guy got on stage and stripped to his green boxer briefs only, sat on a stool, and in a perfect falsetto voice became the little waif in Les Miz singing “There is a Castle. . .” I was on the floor – this was so funny. Liev Schrieiber sat staring amazed at his fellow cast member. A cast member from Xanadu did the greatest over-the-top Ray Charles imitation I’ve ever seen, and yet another Talk Radio cast member did Music and the Mirror from Chorus Line. Think SNL’s Molly Shannon doing the dance as if her life depended on it, and you have the right idea. Very funny. Anyway, we rolled out of the place at 2:30 and into bed after 3 this morning. What a lot of fun. We want to go back there each Friday night.

On Saturday we headed down to Chipotle on 9th Avenue at 44th for “fast food” that was really delicious and cheap. We both did burrito bowls – rather than tortilla wrapped burritos. We then walked to Grand Central Station to see the Cinema exhibit of pictures and some huge MGM backdrops from films using New York as a setting. This is a free exhibit in the Vanderbilt Hall there and is well worth seeing. Took a bus north to the Charlotte Moss Townhouse (thanks for the suggestion Margo Chester). This is an interior designer’s paradise of a gift shop, but take lots of plastic – it is pricey stuff. I liked four whimsical watercolors of Italian hill towns – but since they are sold at $2500 each or $10,000 for the set, I passed, as I did on the two interesting and decorative display boards of individually framed wood and stone samples. They are sold by the pair only for $30,000. Of course, there are many nice gift items for a lot less. Five floors of beautiful stuff.

Tonight was Moon for the Misbegotten with Eve Best and Kevin Spacey. I loved the show, and despite the lukewarm reviews for Kevin Spacey I found his performance very good, but it is clearly Eve Best’s show. She was wonderful. Hopped on the subway to go up to Arte Café afterwards (73rd and Columbus) where we sat outside on this pleasant evening for great veal saltimbocca with spinach.

And that wraps up another week.

Thanks for the update for your month...I'm especially enjoying the "arts" portion of your report, as I'm a musician who always yearns for opportunities you're experiencing this month.

Patrick,
What fun. That Friday night party sounds great! Where do you get all your energy? Yu cetainly do pack a lot into every day.

Really enjoying your report. I eat at the Chipolte on 42nd Street a lot and enjoy it for quick, cheap and good food.

I had the same reaction you did to Moon for the Misbegotten, really liked Kevin Spacey even though my husband and the New York Times disagreed. And that Friday night after party sounds wonderful, I hope I can go sometime.

Awesome week, Patrick!! Loved the Meg Ryan wanna be's at Katz. I always crack up when people want their picture taken sitting under the sign but have yet to see anyone re-creating the scene. What time did you go to West Bank Cafe for the After Party? I missed it last month and want to go in Sept. when I go back.

Great report Patrick. I LOVE Kevin Spacey so I'm glad you thought he was good, I would have been very sad if he was awful.

Glad you guys got some underwear. I hope you don't, but you're safe now incase you fall down and rip your pants.
It's nice of you to take the time to post each week..always a fun read.

Thanks for sharing again Patrick. Love reading your reports.

Great posts Neo - I can't wait until you hit Europe. Keep us informed!

You have no idea how much I am enjoying this post.

Will and I had to cancel our much-anticipated trip to DC and NYC - he had surgery in March and just wasn't up to a trip so we cancelled DC a month ago and still thought we would make it to NYC. Then we realized he just didn't have the energy and so we cancelled NYC the day before we were to leave.

I have just inhaled all of your report - so many things we were planning to do. Good to know the Birdland wasn't up to par! We are hoping to reschedule for October and will definitely do your West Bank Cafe if we *ever* get there.

I am loving your detailed report and G-d bless Lee - who just keeps on keeping on and to heck with what the "experts" tell us to expect.

Thanks - you are enriching a lot of lives. I'm living through your posts right now!

Hi there Patrick, I too am so enjoying your weekly report. And I love your restaurant/food reviews!

Bet your mother always told you to wear clean underwear in case you were hit by a bus, lol!

Enjoy this coming week..my good wishes to you and Lee.

Sounds like you had another wonderful week, and I'm thrilled for both of you.

I'm making notes of you restaurants; I was glad that you had gone back to le Madeline, I had just read some not so favorable reviews on menupages and was thinking of scrapping it for our June trip - sounds like food & service was fine for you?? I was thinking of going for lunch in the garden room.

I don't think I will be purchasing anything from Charlotte Moss - HA! But we will make it a point to get up there next month, nice that you could check it out too.

Enjoy the week 3 and keep the reports coming!

Great report.