NYC Trip Report: Shows/Restaurants
 

Just got back from NYC and will offer the following thoughts ...

Marriott Marquis - Choice of hotel determine by preceding business conference, but I would recommend it. Service is dependable and location is excellent for taking in shows. I was also happy to see that they are renovating the interior halls and rooms which were starting to look a bit tired and worn.

The Producers - Was lucky enough to see it with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. It was incredibly funny and entertaining ... A great show! Nathan Lane will be a hard act to follow.

Hairspray - Also fun and entertaining(very "light"), but not on the same level as The Producers.

NYC Ballet - Decided to do something different from usual Broadway show and saw "Sleeping Beauty." It was incredible. I would highly recommend this.

Gramercy Tavern - I loved the atmosphere (not pretentious), and the service and food were great, but the portion sizes were really TINY! I'm not a big eater, so I usually welcome the smaller portions served at many high end restaurants (especially with several courses and wines). However, I think these were the smallest portions I've ever gotten! For a price fix of $72 per person (with added $$ for some choices), I just don't think it was worth it with all the other choices in NYC.

Red Eye Grill - I love the atmosphere here and had a great meal. This is about the 3rd time I've been here, and it's always good. I would highly recommend this restaurant. Also, it's location on the corner of 7th and 56th makes it great for people watching both inside and out (since there's lots of windows).

Sparks Steakhouse - Excellent meal and service. One of the best steaks I've had in a while. Quite a "power" atmosphere inside, however a "smart casual" attire for dinner is fine.

Becco ("Restaurant Row") - OK meal ($21.95 price fix pasta sampling dinner) with a good appetizer.

I'm a little surprised by the "size's"
complaint at the Gramercy...
We've gone here every time we are in NY(1-2/year) and for us they have found the real size for the meal : not too much, not too small...
Not the habitual size of an "american"
restaurant like a steakhouse, but all
the "superior" restaurants we made in NY
(aureole, park avenue cafe,chanterelle,
the mark, état unis, craft,...)seem to
have the same size...
When we choose to go to a steakhouse we know the portions are large, but in "gastronomic" restaurant, portions
seem now quite standard, but perhaps they change the size since last year in april...We'll see next april and if
they change I'll post a post here...
Erik.

I was so happy to see your post. We have tickets for the March 20 8pm performance of The Producers. I was wondering, did they happen to auction or sell autographed theater posters after the show?

I didn't notice any signed posters being sold or autographed ... that would have been nice to get. Enjoy the Producers!

Here's a possible solution for getting a signed poster: Before the show, go to one of the shops in the theater district that sell theatrical memorabilia and buy a poster for The Producers. Then, after the show, wait by the stage door and with any luck you'll catch Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick and get their autographs. There are several of these stores in the theater district, including in Shubert Alley, which spans 43rd and 44th Streets just west of Times Square.

Thanks for the response. I will definitely purchase the poster before the show and if they happen to sell them for charity as they have in the past (I have Nathan on Forum poster along with various others) then I'll just have two posters! This is our second attempt at seeing the Producers as we had tickets for Thanksgiving weekend 2001 and after the September 11 tragedy our employers did not allow for vacation for a few months. We had to forego our NYC trip that year. I can hardly wait...two weeks and three days!!

The shows usually sell posters signed by the cast during the week that they campaign for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. I think you missed it for the year. We got ours the first year the show opened and I believe it was selling for $100. Most of the other shows sold theirs for about $40.

There is such a theater shop directly next to the St James theater. I saw The Producers two weekends ago, and would go again and again and again, if I could. Enjoy!

That "Shubert Alley" garage sale for Equity fights Aids was held in Sept. or early October on a Sunday when they close the street. We were there and found great stuff, including stacks of Christmas CD's for $1.00 each. They are Christmas songs sung by casts and stars from current Broadway shows. They had the ones from the past several years available. And they had thousands of posters and pictures available.

Regarding Grammercy Tavern -- was that the tasting menu you did? If so, I'd probably agree. I'm usually not into those. If I get something I like (and I usually do) then I want more than just a taste of it. I'd prefer to order a regular meal and get larger portions, although I agree with you, normally I'm very content with small to average sized portions. Those tasting menus just leave me wanted me more.