About fifteen years ago my theatre girlfriends decided to go to New York to see shows. It has turned into a once every 3-5 years with them and other trips with grandchildren, husbands and for work. The main focus is Broadway shows, however we have also taken in a few of the iconic sites, jazz clubs and many museums. We sleep very little and always get in about 25,000 steps or more.
The Metropolitan Art Museum has something for everyone’s taste and the Modern Art Museum has a great gift store across the street with amazing gadgets. I’ve been to the Guggenheim; the building alone is worth the trip. One of my favorites is the Frick Collection on the Upper East Side. Of course, everyone must do the Empire State Building and visit the Statue of Liberty. Last trip we visited the 9-11 Memorial and Museum which is still very sobering. This trip I noticed several fire stations around town still have signs up with the names of those men they lost during the tragedy. New Yorkers for all their hustle bustle still pull together in neighborhoods or small groups and look out for one another.
Another attraction that meant a lot to me was Ellis Island as my grandmother came over in the 1920s from Croatia. She was only 12 at the time and with her older sister. Their mother had died in Croatia and they would be meeting their father in Chicago to continue on to Nebraska. I could sense her anxiety as I walked through the building listening to the audio recordings. One thing that stuck with me was the voice of an old Italian woman who remembered as a little girl saying good-bye to her mother who was shipped back because of some illness. The pain in her voice 75 years later was as raw as if it happened yesterday.
The food in New York is fabulous and while we have our favorite Greek Restaurant near Carnegie Hall and a cute little bistro in the Village, two places should not be missed. Nathan’s out on Coney Island where you can have their legendary hot dog. And Joe Allen’s in the theatre district where if you are lucky enough you will run into some actors after a show. I have not had that kind of luck at Joe’s however one morning at a place near Central Park I did see Angela Lansbury. I tried to compliment her, but she didn’t want to be disturbed and you have to respect that. We also went to Sylvia’s up in Harlem for the Sunday brunch and had a roaring good time with the live music and delicious soul food. The four of us walked out with cookbooks which I use often. I never knew the secret to great cornbread was pork cracklin’s (the fat boiled from pork skin). And don’t forget the food turcks. On a recent trip with my grandson, I had to coerce him into trying a Gyro from the truck. He agreed it was one of the best he ever had. I also did the hop-on-hop-off bus with him which was a good way to see a lot of the city quickly.
Of all the shows I’ve seen on Broadway so far, four stand out for me. Hamilton of course because it was so different, and we were able to see it right after it came out so no letdown because of all the subsequent hype. Good People, a serious show written by David Lindsey-Abaire, where I saw France McDormand (of FARGO) perform was memorable. Billy Elliott with an engrossing set design helped me win a bet. My boss, a new-by to Broadway, didn’t want to pay that much for the tickets. I bought them and told her if she didn’t like it she didn’t have to pay me back. She loved it, bought the CD and now won’t miss a show when she visits. Finally, Color Purple, the musical revival in 2015. I went to seer Jennifer Hudson and she was good, however I was blown away by Cynthia Erivo. She got a standing ovation in the middle of an act. I had never seen this happen before. It felt almost like a revivalist meeting. Very impressive.
One of my favorite places in New York is Radio City Music Hall. The Christmas show brought tears to my eyes with sentimental thoughts about growing up in the 50s, how wondrous and simple everything seemed back then. The Rockettes are worth seeing, and I would love to go back again during the holidays and take my daughter. I discovered a guided tour in the Grayline guide that covers Sex and the City, the Sopranos, Gossip Girls and Central Park movie sites. It’s definitely in my travel file for a future trip as well as a US Open Tennis match at Flushing Meadows.
Yes, it’s easy to see why so many people want to live in New York City and texperience the sheer energy both day and night on the streets. It’s an exciting city with new explorations every time you visit.