Procrastination Vacation NYC Report
 

Decided to go to NYC for a long Veterans Day weekend at the last minute hoping that rooms would open up at good prices and they did. Checked the major hotels on the evening of the 9th and booked a $300/nt. room at the Marriott Renaissance for 10th and 11th. There were less expensive nice rooms in Manhattan but the location is very good, the hotel quiet, clean and the service very good. Made RT train reservations, did my laundry, slept a few hours, packed a bag, got to the station, picked up my tickets from the print your own dispenser, picked up a Timeout magazine, got a coffee and a bagged breakfast and even snuck in a shoeshine for my boots before the train got underway. Went through Timeout Mag on the train and decided what I wanted to do while I was there. Train got into New York on time and I took a cab to the Renaissance from Penn Station. Weather was clear and in the 60's. Room wasn't ready so I checked my bag and ran over to the Marlborough Gallery at 40 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 for the Fernando Botero Abu Ghraib show that closes on November 18th. It was an amazingly powerful exhibition of paintings and drawings of the prisoners done in the Botero style. Wandered over to the Spanish restaurant called Solera at 216 E. 53rd St. afterwards. Highly recommended, excellent food, service and atmosphere. A full late lunch/early dinner was about $60 for two of us with sangria. You can also go the tapas route in the bar for much less. Where did the afternoon go?

I love those quick weekend city trips. Please tell us more...

Where did the afternoon go? We wandered back to the hotel and checked in and got a lovely room on a high floor with a view of Times Square as requested. Walked a couple of blocks over to the Music Box Theater 239 West 45th Street and picked up a couple of returned tickets at face value ($96, 4th row orchestra seats) to the sold out play that had opened for previews the night before. The play was Vertical Hour written by David Hare and directed by Sam Mendes, starring Julianne Moore and Bill Nighy (my motivation to see it). The Vertical Hour tells the story of a young American war-reporter-turned-academic who travels abroad and finds herself caught in a most surprising romantic triangle, pulled between the affections of her lover and her lover's father. With lovely tickets in hand we visited with some friends who were also in town until it was time to go to the theater. The play was very serious and explored many current political topics as well as universal themes about life, love and family. It was Julianne's Broadway debut and I think she handled the role well. Bill Nighy was excellent as always. Drinks and snacks with friends afterwards at the hotel. Head-on amazing Captain's view of Times Square from the restaurant at the Renaissance.

Next morning, not awake particularly early but it is another beautiful day. Meet some people for brunch at the Belgian Pain Quotidien near Central Park and it's fresh and good as always. Head down to Soho on the subway for some shopping and poking around. Lots of fun and activity. I look at my watch to discover that time is running short and I still have two gallery shows to see that afternoon. Head over to Chelsea for the Chuck Close human portraits at Aperture 547 W 27th St 4th fl and Jill Greenberg's primate photos at Clampart 521 West 25th Street, neither show disappointed. It was the last day for the monkeys. Getting hungry by then so meander back to the hotel via Hell's Kitchen and stop at Hallo Berlin 402 W. 51st St (New York's wurst restaurant). The authentic German dinner was the perfect meal for the end of an autumn day in New York, $40 for two of us. Stop by and pick up two tickets to see Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me at $60 each, mezzanine but good seats. Met up with our friends again until it was time for the show. The audience laughed non-stop. There are several hilarious songs and Martin pulls a celeb out of the audience each night and interviews them as the character of Jimminy Glick. That night his victim was Chris Matthews from one of the news channels. He wasn't funny but Martin was funny enough for both of them. It was a marked contrast to the serious play the previous night and hit a perfect balance. Met friends for cocktails and snacks afterwards.

Lucky you!! I love Bill Nighy. Maybe I'll ask for all of his films for Christmas.

Birdie, I'm glad you agree. I think Bill Nighy was well received by the audience so I hope his reviews will be good. He has tremendous range and stage presence.

Woke up to a cooler overcast Sunday, packed my bags and checked them at the hotel. Headed over to Rockefeller Center for coffee and to see the Christmas tree which was up and they were scaffolding it for decoration. Picked up a breakfast tart at Europa Cafe and watched everyone milling around. Made the grand tour of the Fifth Avenue shops. The windows are to die for. No trip to New York is complete without a visit to Salvatore Ferragamo. But alas, it was time to collect the luggage and head for the train, which we did. Suffice it to say, Amtrak trains to New York are crowded this time of year, they warned people they would throw them off without the correct reservation but we didn't see them do it. The trip really could not have been better. Midtown is absolutely bonkers (what else is new) but so ridiculously convenient to the theaters. I may stay downtown and concentrate on music next time I go.

END

So did you buy any Ferragamos? I am a Stuart Weitzman kind of girl myself. We went last winter and hit his sale. Too much fun!!

Birdie, Didn't have a lot of time. The stores open late on Sunday but it was fun just the same. The color IS purple at Ferragamo this season and lucious to look at. Ah, to find a sale! Glad you found one at SW.