NYC - Seven Shows in Five Days - Spring Break 2014
Mar 30th, 2014 | 02:35 PM
#1
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NYC - Seven Shows in Five Days - Spring Break 2014
Thanks to the Fodor community for helping us plan our recent trip to New York City. When we decided to return for a third consecutive spring break trip, my first step was to ask for theater recommendations. You did not steer me wrong!
First, I'll share some details.
At the end, I'll share the shows that we saw and my thoughts on them. (It may take me a few days.)
First, I'll share some details.
At the end, I'll share the shows that we saw and my thoughts on them. (It may take me a few days.)
Mar 30th, 2014 | 02:37 PM
#2
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Joined: May 2005
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TRANSPORTATION
In order to be flexible with our timing and see some things en route, we drove to NYC.
Tip: you might be able to use your local I-Pass, EZ-Pass, etc. to pay tolls. You may not save money, but it is certainly convenient.
Tip: factor parking costs into your lodging. We picked the hotel that we did partially because it offered free parking. (Rule of thumb - estimate about $35 or $40 for 24 hours.)
Tip: look for coupons. On departure day, we were leaving after an evening show and had to move our car from the hotel's garage. I did some research on the Internet to check prices and found a coupon that saved us $10 or $15. The coupon allowed us to pay $20 for 6 hours rather than about $35. (I had to pay $3 to use the computer in the hotel lobby to print out the coupon.)
Within New York, we mostly took the subway or walked. Last year, we estimated our subway usage and put that onto a Metro card. This year, we paid for a week's pass ($30 each plus $1 each for the card itself). Each person must have their own card. In retrospect, it would have been cheaper to pay per ride, but paying for a week was convenient. As a side note, I saved my card from last year. Even though it didn't expire until this coming July, the machine wouldn't let us top it up. It could be because we were switching from a per ride rate to a per week rate. Not sure.
We did drive the car when we went to the Cloisters. The route was convenient to our hotel and there was free parking there. It was quick and fairly easy. We also drove to a pizza place near the Cloisters. Parking was also free in that neighborhood, but it was hard to find and we just lucked out to get a spot. We did see something "novel or notable" there. Quite a few of the cars had a bumper protector installed onto their cars. It was easy to see why with the tight parking. Many of the cars in the area had been damaged.
In order to be flexible with our timing and see some things en route, we drove to NYC.
Tip: you might be able to use your local I-Pass, EZ-Pass, etc. to pay tolls. You may not save money, but it is certainly convenient.
Tip: factor parking costs into your lodging. We picked the hotel that we did partially because it offered free parking. (Rule of thumb - estimate about $35 or $40 for 24 hours.)
Tip: look for coupons. On departure day, we were leaving after an evening show and had to move our car from the hotel's garage. I did some research on the Internet to check prices and found a coupon that saved us $10 or $15. The coupon allowed us to pay $20 for 6 hours rather than about $35. (I had to pay $3 to use the computer in the hotel lobby to print out the coupon.)
Within New York, we mostly took the subway or walked. Last year, we estimated our subway usage and put that onto a Metro card. This year, we paid for a week's pass ($30 each plus $1 each for the card itself). Each person must have their own card. In retrospect, it would have been cheaper to pay per ride, but paying for a week was convenient. As a side note, I saved my card from last year. Even though it didn't expire until this coming July, the machine wouldn't let us top it up. It could be because we were switching from a per ride rate to a per week rate. Not sure.
We did drive the car when we went to the Cloisters. The route was convenient to our hotel and there was free parking there. It was quick and fairly easy. We also drove to a pizza place near the Cloisters. Parking was also free in that neighborhood, but it was hard to find and we just lucked out to get a spot. We did see something "novel or notable" there. Quite a few of the cars had a bumper protector installed onto their cars. It was easy to see why with the tight parking. Many of the cars in the area had been damaged.
Mar 30th, 2014 | 02:47 PM
#3
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Joined: May 2005
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HOTEL -
We stayed at the Travel Inn at 515 W. 42nd. We choose it for several reasons: free parking, reasonable rate, convenient location. Rates vary, I am sure, but we paid $150 for each of the first two nights and $165 for each of the second two nights for a room with a king bed (plus tax). Rooms with one or two queens were less expensive.
The rate did not include breakfast nor Wi-Fi. When I booked, I found no availability when I used orbitz, but rooms were actually available when I used the hotel's website or expedia.
The hotel is on the west side of Manhattan - very convenient to the Lincoln Tunnel.
The parking garage was attached to the hotel. You could enter the building directly from it which made it easy to schlep in luggage or to go back out to the car if something was forgotten.
Wi-Fi was available for about $6 extra per day. Instead I used the cellular on my iPad. Computers were available in the small downstairs lobby, but they were not free. The fee was 20 cents per minute plus 50 cents per page printed with a $3. minimum. The room had a refrigerator and microwave. There was also an outdoor pool, but since it was 30 degrees outside, that was a moot point.
Some rooms were being rehabbed during our trip. Since we were mostly gone during the day, it did not affect us much. However, when I heard hammering one afternoon, I investigated and saw that a room across the hallway had been gutted down to the studs.
The location was good for us. There was a 711 down the block and a CVS across the street. We were also very near two Subway restaurants, a coffee shop, and a Burger King with scores of additional restaurants nearby. We were about 10 minutes from the metro and 15-20 minutes from Times Square and many of the Broadway theaters.
We stayed at the Travel Inn at 515 W. 42nd. We choose it for several reasons: free parking, reasonable rate, convenient location. Rates vary, I am sure, but we paid $150 for each of the first two nights and $165 for each of the second two nights for a room with a king bed (plus tax). Rooms with one or two queens were less expensive.
The rate did not include breakfast nor Wi-Fi. When I booked, I found no availability when I used orbitz, but rooms were actually available when I used the hotel's website or expedia.
The hotel is on the west side of Manhattan - very convenient to the Lincoln Tunnel.
The parking garage was attached to the hotel. You could enter the building directly from it which made it easy to schlep in luggage or to go back out to the car if something was forgotten.
Wi-Fi was available for about $6 extra per day. Instead I used the cellular on my iPad. Computers were available in the small downstairs lobby, but they were not free. The fee was 20 cents per minute plus 50 cents per page printed with a $3. minimum. The room had a refrigerator and microwave. There was also an outdoor pool, but since it was 30 degrees outside, that was a moot point.
Some rooms were being rehabbed during our trip. Since we were mostly gone during the day, it did not affect us much. However, when I heard hammering one afternoon, I investigated and saw that a room across the hallway had been gutted down to the studs.
The location was good for us. There was a 711 down the block and a CVS across the street. We were also very near two Subway restaurants, a coffee shop, and a Burger King with scores of additional restaurants nearby. We were about 10 minutes from the metro and 15-20 minutes from Times Square and many of the Broadway theaters.
Mar 30th, 2014 | 05:01 PM
#5
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,622
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Yay yay, an early spring ( really, late winter) report!
Free parking was a big bonus for you. How was the hotel re cleanliness, service, noise levels, other things?
7 shows in 5 days!!!! This is going to be great, let it roll.
Free parking was a big bonus for you. How was the hotel re cleanliness, service, noise levels, other things?
7 shows in 5 days!!!! This is going to be great, let it roll.
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Mar 30th, 2014 | 07:28 PM
#8
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>>How was the hotel re cleanliness, service, noise levels, other things?
The room and the hotel were fine.
Cleanliness: The room was clean. The bathroom was clean. Public areas were clean. I didn't notice any garbage in the parking garage either.
Service: Check in and check out were quick and easy. We didn't require any extra services, so can't speak to that. However, last year, we realized that we had forgotten a pillow AFTER we had driven through the Lincoln Tunnel on the way home. We didn't want to figure out how to turn around or to pay the toll again, so kept going. Back home, I contacted the hotel. They had found the pillow and said they'd send it back. Not only that, but they didn't charge us for the shipping!
Elevators: There were two and they seemed pretty quick. They weren't crowded. (I've stayed at hotels where the elevators were slow and then when they came, you couldn't get on them because they were so crowded.)
Noise levels: I didn't notice any bothersome sound levels from other rooms. That said, one morning when we slept in, I heard the hammering from the remodeling. I also heard it when we came back one afternoon. I suppose that was understandable.
If I were to compare it to the range of hotels that we've ever stayed at, it is not one of the ones where I say a little, "Wow," when I enter the room - in a good way. On the other hand, I wouldn't say "Wow," in a bad way either (GGG).
The area is slightly gritty. I felt comfortable walking back and forth at night with my husband. I might feel a little uncomfortable by myself. On the other hand, there's not too many places where I'd feel comfortable walking by myself at night.
Happy birthday, emd3.
The room and the hotel were fine.
Cleanliness: The room was clean. The bathroom was clean. Public areas were clean. I didn't notice any garbage in the parking garage either.
Service: Check in and check out were quick and easy. We didn't require any extra services, so can't speak to that. However, last year, we realized that we had forgotten a pillow AFTER we had driven through the Lincoln Tunnel on the way home. We didn't want to figure out how to turn around or to pay the toll again, so kept going. Back home, I contacted the hotel. They had found the pillow and said they'd send it back. Not only that, but they didn't charge us for the shipping!
Elevators: There were two and they seemed pretty quick. They weren't crowded. (I've stayed at hotels where the elevators were slow and then when they came, you couldn't get on them because they were so crowded.)
Noise levels: I didn't notice any bothersome sound levels from other rooms. That said, one morning when we slept in, I heard the hammering from the remodeling. I also heard it when we came back one afternoon. I suppose that was understandable.
If I were to compare it to the range of hotels that we've ever stayed at, it is not one of the ones where I say a little, "Wow," when I enter the room - in a good way. On the other hand, I wouldn't say "Wow," in a bad way either (GGG).
The area is slightly gritty. I felt comfortable walking back and forth at night with my husband. I might feel a little uncomfortable by myself. On the other hand, there's not too many places where I'd feel comfortable walking by myself at night.
Happy birthday, emd3.
Mar 30th, 2014 | 07:32 PM
#9
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FOOD -
Food is not a big deal to us. We'd rather spend our vacation funds on shows (and that we did!).
ITALIAN PIZZA
We looked up reviews for food near the Cloisters (couldn't figure out where Kismet was and didn't think I'd like New Leaf) and discovered Italian Pizza at 94 Nagle. Their prices were downright inexpensive - two slices, four garlic knots, and a drink for $10. The restaurant was small and fast foody, but the pizza was good.
We also tried pizza at a couple of other spots. All were good - nothing was special.
SHAKE SHACK
8th Ave. at 44th St. - http://www.shakeshack.com/location/theater-district/ After seeing the ever present lines, I was intrigued and decided to make it a point to try out the Shake Shack (also 10 minutes from our hotel). I have to admit that this turned into three trips. The first time, I got a shake - good, but nothing special. The next time, I tried the Pretzel Concrete that I liked so much that I got it again.
Tip: If you are not getting hot food, there is a separate cold food line. There may be no line there at all when the regular line is out the door.
Tip: Good luck getting a table. Think about that if you are getting a full meal. I was disturbed to see a pair of girls saving a table for 4 (with 3 stools) while texting another person to see if she/he would meet them there. They still had not gotten food when I had finished my concrete and was leaving. Meanwhile families were trying to eat sandwiches and fries without a spot to put them down.
KATZ DELI
We'd heard of the deli and gone by it in a previous trip, but when we saw it featured on Sunday Morning last winter (http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/a-nyc-...tes-125-years/), we wondered why we hadn't made a point to go there.
I don't eat meat, but enjoyed my bagel and cream cheese and the experience. My husband, on the other hand said that his pastrami was the best that he'd ever had. He is still talking about it.
When you enter, they give you a ticket covered with mysterious (to me) numbers. You are told that if you lose it, you will be charged $50. Oh the stress. A google revealed that the big numbers are prices for the menu items and the adjoining small numbers show the appropriate tax. (We made it out without losing either of our tickets.)
COLUMBUS CIRCLE - TRUMP TOWER FOOD COURT - PLAZA FOOD HALL
After strolling Central Park, we ate at a food court in the basement of the Trump Tower - just south of the park on Fifth. My bagel with cream cheese was inexpensive. My husband's turkey sandwich with chips not so much. However, it was convenient, quick, and not a chain. There is also a much larger food plaza at the Plaza Hotel (now a Fairmont) at Fifth Avenue at Central Park South where we ate on a previous trip.
OTARIAN
During another walk between Central Park and our hotel, we walked south down 8th from Columbus Circle. There we happened upon the Otarian vegetarian restaurant. It was nice to have a number of choices. The food was fine - nothing that I dream about, but it served its purpose.
Food is not a big deal to us. We'd rather spend our vacation funds on shows (and that we did!).
ITALIAN PIZZA
We looked up reviews for food near the Cloisters (couldn't figure out where Kismet was and didn't think I'd like New Leaf) and discovered Italian Pizza at 94 Nagle. Their prices were downright inexpensive - two slices, four garlic knots, and a drink for $10. The restaurant was small and fast foody, but the pizza was good.
We also tried pizza at a couple of other spots. All were good - nothing was special.
SHAKE SHACK
8th Ave. at 44th St. - http://www.shakeshack.com/location/theater-district/ After seeing the ever present lines, I was intrigued and decided to make it a point to try out the Shake Shack (also 10 minutes from our hotel). I have to admit that this turned into three trips. The first time, I got a shake - good, but nothing special. The next time, I tried the Pretzel Concrete that I liked so much that I got it again.
Tip: If you are not getting hot food, there is a separate cold food line. There may be no line there at all when the regular line is out the door.
Tip: Good luck getting a table. Think about that if you are getting a full meal. I was disturbed to see a pair of girls saving a table for 4 (with 3 stools) while texting another person to see if she/he would meet them there. They still had not gotten food when I had finished my concrete and was leaving. Meanwhile families were trying to eat sandwiches and fries without a spot to put them down.
KATZ DELI
We'd heard of the deli and gone by it in a previous trip, but when we saw it featured on Sunday Morning last winter (http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/a-nyc-...tes-125-years/), we wondered why we hadn't made a point to go there.
I don't eat meat, but enjoyed my bagel and cream cheese and the experience. My husband, on the other hand said that his pastrami was the best that he'd ever had. He is still talking about it.
When you enter, they give you a ticket covered with mysterious (to me) numbers. You are told that if you lose it, you will be charged $50. Oh the stress. A google revealed that the big numbers are prices for the menu items and the adjoining small numbers show the appropriate tax. (We made it out without losing either of our tickets.)
COLUMBUS CIRCLE - TRUMP TOWER FOOD COURT - PLAZA FOOD HALL
After strolling Central Park, we ate at a food court in the basement of the Trump Tower - just south of the park on Fifth. My bagel with cream cheese was inexpensive. My husband's turkey sandwich with chips not so much. However, it was convenient, quick, and not a chain. There is also a much larger food plaza at the Plaza Hotel (now a Fairmont) at Fifth Avenue at Central Park South where we ate on a previous trip.
OTARIAN
During another walk between Central Park and our hotel, we walked south down 8th from Columbus Circle. There we happened upon the Otarian vegetarian restaurant. It was nice to have a number of choices. The food was fine - nothing that I dream about, but it served its purpose.
Mar 31st, 2014 | 04:46 AM
#11
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Joined: May 2005
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RE: The hotel - I might also have mentioned that there was a police station right across the street.
The hotel is between 10th and 11th on 42nd. All of the things that we did on this trip were to the east of the hotel. However, within walking distance to the west were the High Line and Circle Line tours.
I have seen negative reviews of the hotel on some sites. One of them was so outlandish that I wonder if someone just made it up.
On the other hand, like so many things, it depends on what you are used to. If you are used to staying in 4 star hotels and/or brand new hotels, you might think it is not that great. Hotel standards seem to have been going up and up over the years with upscale linens and even bath products. As I happen upon more and more of that, my expectations are changing too.
For the price, I think we did well with it. There are closer hotels and nicer hotels, but it worked for us.
At one of the shows, I chatted with a New Yorker about other shows. She asked how I liked Kinky Boots and then commented that she was disappointed in it. She liked it, but didn't love it. Her point was that she had gone in with such high expectations that it was hard for the show to live up to them.
The hotel is between 10th and 11th on 42nd. All of the things that we did on this trip were to the east of the hotel. However, within walking distance to the west were the High Line and Circle Line tours.
I have seen negative reviews of the hotel on some sites. One of them was so outlandish that I wonder if someone just made it up.
On the other hand, like so many things, it depends on what you are used to. If you are used to staying in 4 star hotels and/or brand new hotels, you might think it is not that great. Hotel standards seem to have been going up and up over the years with upscale linens and even bath products. As I happen upon more and more of that, my expectations are changing too.
For the price, I think we did well with it. There are closer hotels and nicer hotels, but it worked for us.
At one of the shows, I chatted with a New Yorker about other shows. She asked how I liked Kinky Boots and then commented that she was disappointed in it. She liked it, but didn't love it. Her point was that she had gone in with such high expectations that it was hard for the show to live up to them.
Mar 31st, 2014 | 08:30 AM
#13
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Joined: May 2005
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SHOW TICKETS
A couple of weeks before we left, I researched shows that we might want to see by, naturally, asking on Fodor's. I came up with a great list - but unfortunately, it was several shows longer than the time that we had available. What to do! What to choose!
We were arriving on Sunday and leaving on Thursday, so I planned to go to shows at every opportunity from Sunday night to Wednesday night. After some thought, I realized that we could arrive early enough for a Sunday matinee and leave after a show on Thursday evening. So my show count went up from 5 to 7.
Tip: I made a spreadsheet showing all the shows that we wanted to see using the grid at http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuz...Broadway-Shows .
I saved the file and deleted the ones that we had already seen or didn't want to see. I also added theater names and locations and running length of the shows. Not all shows are on the grid, so you may have to add something in contention. Also, double-check times. For one show, I found two different start times and don't remember where I saw the one that was wrong.
This helped me a lot before the trip as I made decisions about which plays to see and when we could see them. I took into account what nights were dark and the start time and length of a play for Thursday evening.
I came up with a list of seven shows to see and two or three maybes in case we couldn't get tickets for one of the seven. After doing this, I put the others in the order that I thought we might want to see them. I also changed the size of the times in the grid so that the time for the night that we'd likely see the play was big and the others were small.
Normally we get our tickets at the TKTS booth at Times Square or using coupon codes at the box offices. Fodorites told me that we would likely not be able to get tickets to Kinky Boots at all and maybe not Beautiful either. They were tops on my list, so I ordered tickets for those before we left. I was still able to use the coupon codes.
When I checked availability for Beautiful (about Carole King), there was good availability on Wednesday and I started to purchase them. Fortunately, I had trouble with the website and called the ticketing site to order them. I had thought we'd want to see it near the end of our trip since I predicted (correctly) that it would be a favorite. The ticket person told me that on Wednesday, Jessie Mueller would be played by her understudy. "Is she the main person?," I asked. "Yes." "Let me think this over," I replied.
So I did some research and found out that she was doing the Sunday matinee and then was taking a week off. No wonder the site showed lots of ticket availability for Wednesday and Thursday. For the Sunday matinee, I found two outer aisle seats in successive rows that were pretty close and jumped on them. They were great seats.
For Kinky Boots, I picked the Wednesday matinee thinking that the seats might be better for that performance. I picked two that were limited visibility - but close and on the aisle (a preference of my husband). They were on the outer left aisle (looking at the stage) and at a nice distance. I think our two seats might not have been there originally. Although they matched the other seats, there was a slight distance (an inch or two) between them and the rest of the row. Plus the row in front of us was shorter and there was no one in front of our aisle seat. They might not have been the absolute best seats in the house since we were at a pretty steep angle from the center of the stage and we may have missed some action at the back left of the stage. However, they were awfully good and we got them only a week before the show. I did notice later that the TKTS booth had tickets for this performance. I don't regret getting them in advance though, that's for sure. Our tickets were assured and were good seats.
Tip: For all of the other shows, I printed off the discount information from broadwaybox.com or playbill.com and took it to the box offices after we arrived. (I think you really only need the coupon code.) I really liked that method. First, we could talk to the agent about where the seats were. Next, we saved about $20 per pair of tickets in service charges. Since all of our shows were within a few block area, this was quick and easy to do. We did several upon arrival on Sunday (until crowds started forming for the matinees) and the rest on Monday.
My show spreadsheet came in very handy. When I saw the billboard for one of the plays (Gentlemen's Guide), I decided that it didn't look like the type of humor that I'd enjoy. I posted another note on Fodor's and found that I was (probably) right. So I choose a play from my just-in-case list and I ended up loving it. (Maybe I would really have liked Gentlemen's Guide after all, but I am glad that I saw If/Then.)
At another box office, the availability on the night that we had chosen wasn't very good. I still had another show to get, so I was able to confirm with my spreadsheet that I could just switch nights on those two plays (assuming that the other play wasn't sold out or something).
Having all this information on one page might sound obsessive. OK, it doesn't just sound obsessive, but I used it a lot. I'm not sure how I could have kept track of all the ticket buying without it.
A couple of weeks before we left, I researched shows that we might want to see by, naturally, asking on Fodor's. I came up with a great list - but unfortunately, it was several shows longer than the time that we had available. What to do! What to choose!
We were arriving on Sunday and leaving on Thursday, so I planned to go to shows at every opportunity from Sunday night to Wednesday night. After some thought, I realized that we could arrive early enough for a Sunday matinee and leave after a show on Thursday evening. So my show count went up from 5 to 7.
Tip: I made a spreadsheet showing all the shows that we wanted to see using the grid at http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuz...Broadway-Shows .
I saved the file and deleted the ones that we had already seen or didn't want to see. I also added theater names and locations and running length of the shows. Not all shows are on the grid, so you may have to add something in contention. Also, double-check times. For one show, I found two different start times and don't remember where I saw the one that was wrong.
This helped me a lot before the trip as I made decisions about which plays to see and when we could see them. I took into account what nights were dark and the start time and length of a play for Thursday evening.
I came up with a list of seven shows to see and two or three maybes in case we couldn't get tickets for one of the seven. After doing this, I put the others in the order that I thought we might want to see them. I also changed the size of the times in the grid so that the time for the night that we'd likely see the play was big and the others were small.
Normally we get our tickets at the TKTS booth at Times Square or using coupon codes at the box offices. Fodorites told me that we would likely not be able to get tickets to Kinky Boots at all and maybe not Beautiful either. They were tops on my list, so I ordered tickets for those before we left. I was still able to use the coupon codes.
When I checked availability for Beautiful (about Carole King), there was good availability on Wednesday and I started to purchase them. Fortunately, I had trouble with the website and called the ticketing site to order them. I had thought we'd want to see it near the end of our trip since I predicted (correctly) that it would be a favorite. The ticket person told me that on Wednesday, Jessie Mueller would be played by her understudy. "Is she the main person?," I asked. "Yes." "Let me think this over," I replied.
So I did some research and found out that she was doing the Sunday matinee and then was taking a week off. No wonder the site showed lots of ticket availability for Wednesday and Thursday. For the Sunday matinee, I found two outer aisle seats in successive rows that were pretty close and jumped on them. They were great seats.
For Kinky Boots, I picked the Wednesday matinee thinking that the seats might be better for that performance. I picked two that were limited visibility - but close and on the aisle (a preference of my husband). They were on the outer left aisle (looking at the stage) and at a nice distance. I think our two seats might not have been there originally. Although they matched the other seats, there was a slight distance (an inch or two) between them and the rest of the row. Plus the row in front of us was shorter and there was no one in front of our aisle seat. They might not have been the absolute best seats in the house since we were at a pretty steep angle from the center of the stage and we may have missed some action at the back left of the stage. However, they were awfully good and we got them only a week before the show. I did notice later that the TKTS booth had tickets for this performance. I don't regret getting them in advance though, that's for sure. Our tickets were assured and were good seats.
Tip: For all of the other shows, I printed off the discount information from broadwaybox.com or playbill.com and took it to the box offices after we arrived. (I think you really only need the coupon code.) I really liked that method. First, we could talk to the agent about where the seats were. Next, we saved about $20 per pair of tickets in service charges. Since all of our shows were within a few block area, this was quick and easy to do. We did several upon arrival on Sunday (until crowds started forming for the matinees) and the rest on Monday.
My show spreadsheet came in very handy. When I saw the billboard for one of the plays (Gentlemen's Guide), I decided that it didn't look like the type of humor that I'd enjoy. I posted another note on Fodor's and found that I was (probably) right. So I choose a play from my just-in-case list and I ended up loving it. (Maybe I would really have liked Gentlemen's Guide after all, but I am glad that I saw If/Then.)
At another box office, the availability on the night that we had chosen wasn't very good. I still had another show to get, so I was able to confirm with my spreadsheet that I could just switch nights on those two plays (assuming that the other play wasn't sold out or something).
Having all this information on one page might sound obsessive. OK, it doesn't just sound obsessive, but I used it a lot. I'm not sure how I could have kept track of all the ticket buying without it.
Mar 31st, 2014 | 06:30 PM
#14
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 861
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ACTIVITIES
Our trip was show-rich and we've been to NYC in the past, so we didn't try to do too much else.
The Cloisters
We had never been to the Cloisters, so we decided to check it out on one of our free days. We could have taken public transportation, but we realized that it would be an easy drive from our hotel and there was free parking.
For those who aren't familiar with the museum, it is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and has "big stuff" and "really old stuff." According to its website, "The Cloisters museum and gardens, the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, was assembled from architectural elements, both domestic and religious, that largely date from the twelfth through the fifteenth century."
Like the Met, the admission cost is voluntary and you are asked how much you want to pay. I wasn't quite sure where to start when we got there, so I asked a guard and the admissions person. The gist was that the oldest artifacts were in the room to the right as you enter and that it makes sense to go clockwise. Many of the artifacts are installed as part of the building, so it took me a while to realize what was old and what was not.
There are also gardens, but it was too early and too cold to visit them.
FREEDOM TOWER
We wanted to see the new Freedom Tower, so walked there after visiting the Katz Deli. When you got close, all you could really do was look up at it. Seeing it from a distance would have been enough.
MACY's
Macy's has a spring flower show, so we stopped there. Last year, it was in a tent adjacent to the store in Herald Square. This year, it was all indoors (plus the windows). I think it was more impressive in the tent, but it makes more sense for them to have it in the store where people can also see their merchandise.
CENTRAL PARK
It was a bit cold to walk in Central Park (30's), but we couldn't visit New York City without at least walking through part of it.
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC REHEARSAL
We discovered that they sell tickets for rehearsals of the NY Philharmonic and fit that in on Thursday morning. I had also hoped to get tickets to see Katie (Couric), but the ticketing process didn't work well for me. Since the studios were close to the Lincoln Center where the Philharmonic performs, we walked by. There wasn't much to see, but we did see the line of people waiting to go in.
It goes without saying, we also did a lot of walking and visited Times Square a couple of times.
Our trip was show-rich and we've been to NYC in the past, so we didn't try to do too much else.
The Cloisters
We had never been to the Cloisters, so we decided to check it out on one of our free days. We could have taken public transportation, but we realized that it would be an easy drive from our hotel and there was free parking.
For those who aren't familiar with the museum, it is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and has "big stuff" and "really old stuff." According to its website, "The Cloisters museum and gardens, the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, was assembled from architectural elements, both domestic and religious, that largely date from the twelfth through the fifteenth century."
Like the Met, the admission cost is voluntary and you are asked how much you want to pay. I wasn't quite sure where to start when we got there, so I asked a guard and the admissions person. The gist was that the oldest artifacts were in the room to the right as you enter and that it makes sense to go clockwise. Many of the artifacts are installed as part of the building, so it took me a while to realize what was old and what was not.
There are also gardens, but it was too early and too cold to visit them.
FREEDOM TOWER
We wanted to see the new Freedom Tower, so walked there after visiting the Katz Deli. When you got close, all you could really do was look up at it. Seeing it from a distance would have been enough.
MACY's
Macy's has a spring flower show, so we stopped there. Last year, it was in a tent adjacent to the store in Herald Square. This year, it was all indoors (plus the windows). I think it was more impressive in the tent, but it makes more sense for them to have it in the store where people can also see their merchandise.
CENTRAL PARK
It was a bit cold to walk in Central Park (30's), but we couldn't visit New York City without at least walking through part of it.
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC REHEARSAL
We discovered that they sell tickets for rehearsals of the NY Philharmonic and fit that in on Thursday morning. I had also hoped to get tickets to see Katie (Couric), but the ticketing process didn't work well for me. Since the studios were close to the Lincoln Center where the Philharmonic performs, we walked by. There wasn't much to see, but we did see the line of people waiting to go in.
It goes without saying, we also did a lot of walking and visited Times Square a couple of times.
Apr 1st, 2014 | 04:48 AM
#15
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,622
Likes: 0
Spreadsheet obsessive? ROFL. You are among fellow obsessives re travel planning here, so need to apologize for spreadsheets. I love my travel spreadsheets. When I planned a two wk trip to Japan a hew yrs ago, I had a two inch notebook, with color coded tabs, for every day and place we were going, how to get there, recommended places to eat nearby, alternatives in case of bad weather, etc.
Embrace your travel spreadsheets. I love it. It's how you saw 7 shows in 5 days with discounts, alternatives, etc. Kudos!
Embrace your travel spreadsheets. I love it. It's how you saw 7 shows in 5 days with discounts, alternatives, etc. Kudos!
Apr 1st, 2014 | 01:12 PM
#17
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
Shows are coming up next, NeoPatrick. And you are definitely one that I need to thank for helping me come up with the list. I mentioned you to my husband several times.
I couldn't get all my notes typed into a Fodor-appropriate manner at once. Meaning, cut out details that no one would care about but me. (Or at least some of them.) LOL
I couldn't get all my notes typed into a Fodor-appropriate manner at once. Meaning, cut out details that no one would care about but me. (Or at least some of them.) LOL
Apr 1st, 2014 | 02:01 PM
#19
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
SHOWS
Disclaimer: I don't intend to include any spoilers. However, I may mention a little bit about the plot and I am going to give some tips to help you follow If/Then. If you are worried that you might consider any of this a spoiler, either don't read further or ask a friend who doesn't plan to go to the play to read this first and give you a heads up.
BEAUTIFUL
Stephen Sondheim Theatre
124 W. 43rd (between Broadway and 6th)
2 hr. 30 min with a 15 minute intermission
http://beautifulonbroadway.com/
As I mentioned earlier, our first show was Beautiful, the Carole King Musical. We picked the Sunday matinee after we discovered that Jessie Mueller who plays Carole was taking a week off after the show and the part would be played by her understudy. Although, the understudy is no doubt talented, Jessie is the one that people are raving about. We had two single seats on the far left aisle in consecutive rows, M and N. The seats were great in that we were close. We did miss a little of the action at the upper left of the stage (they had some two-story staging) - but only a little.
I loved Carole King as a girl and one of her albums was one of the few that I bought. However, I was not familiar with her back story. (possible spoiler) Before she became famous as a solo artist, she had been part of a songwriter/composer team that wrote hits for other artists. Unless you are really young and never listen to classic rock, you will recognize all of them.
I received an email today saying that the cast album in now available. If you are interested in what songs are in the show, you can look here: http://www.sh-k-boom.com/beautiful?u...aign=beautiful .
Jessie did a marvelous job singing Carole's songs. Actually, all of the singers did a wonderful job. To give you an idea of their talent, one had recently left Jersey Boys after 1,500 performances as Frankie Valli (a record).
I also noticed and enjoyed the staging. The set was two stories tall with notable textures and interesting lighting. I am still wondering how they moved the piano around. Does anyone know? Was it like a remote control car?
This was the type of show where I sat and became teary-eyed thinking how fortunate I am to be able to travel to New York and see Broadway shows and that I picked Beautiful as one of them.
Disclaimer: I don't intend to include any spoilers. However, I may mention a little bit about the plot and I am going to give some tips to help you follow If/Then. If you are worried that you might consider any of this a spoiler, either don't read further or ask a friend who doesn't plan to go to the play to read this first and give you a heads up.
BEAUTIFUL
Stephen Sondheim Theatre
124 W. 43rd (between Broadway and 6th)
2 hr. 30 min with a 15 minute intermission
http://beautifulonbroadway.com/
As I mentioned earlier, our first show was Beautiful, the Carole King Musical. We picked the Sunday matinee after we discovered that Jessie Mueller who plays Carole was taking a week off after the show and the part would be played by her understudy. Although, the understudy is no doubt talented, Jessie is the one that people are raving about. We had two single seats on the far left aisle in consecutive rows, M and N. The seats were great in that we were close. We did miss a little of the action at the upper left of the stage (they had some two-story staging) - but only a little.
I loved Carole King as a girl and one of her albums was one of the few that I bought. However, I was not familiar with her back story. (possible spoiler) Before she became famous as a solo artist, she had been part of a songwriter/composer team that wrote hits for other artists. Unless you are really young and never listen to classic rock, you will recognize all of them.
I received an email today saying that the cast album in now available. If you are interested in what songs are in the show, you can look here: http://www.sh-k-boom.com/beautiful?u...aign=beautiful .
Jessie did a marvelous job singing Carole's songs. Actually, all of the singers did a wonderful job. To give you an idea of their talent, one had recently left Jersey Boys after 1,500 performances as Frankie Valli (a record).
I also noticed and enjoyed the staging. The set was two stories tall with notable textures and interesting lighting. I am still wondering how they moved the piano around. Does anyone know? Was it like a remote control car?
This was the type of show where I sat and became teary-eyed thinking how fortunate I am to be able to travel to New York and see Broadway shows and that I picked Beautiful as one of them.
Apr 1st, 2014 | 02:20 PM
#20
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Phew. OK, you are forgiven. I thought when you mention the three shows and getting tickets for them that was ALL the report we were going to get regarding shows. But now I wait patiently for the full story!
Regarding the piano, I didn't think about it when I saw it. But the stage, like most Broadway stages especially for musicals, is tracked. That means there is a whole layer, maybe a foot thick on top of the actual stage, and there are slots in various places where scenery, furniture, or props can "track on" or "track off" stage.
It's done mechanically from underneath that "false" stage, and the piano actually isn't as heavy as many other pieces of scenery that move that way.
Regarding the piano, I didn't think about it when I saw it. But the stage, like most Broadway stages especially for musicals, is tracked. That means there is a whole layer, maybe a foot thick on top of the actual stage, and there are slots in various places where scenery, furniture, or props can "track on" or "track off" stage.
It's done mechanically from underneath that "false" stage, and the piano actually isn't as heavy as many other pieces of scenery that move that way.
