Eric drove into Manhattan this morning, parked in Chinatown and rode his bicycle over to the job. He said it was pretty easy, but he wanted to buy a backpack.
I decided to go to TARGET this morning, before heading into the city to meet Stephen for the matinee. First, I stopped at MODELL’S, because I thought they might have backpacks. They did, but nothing good for Eric.
So, then I went down the block to TARGET and found exactly what I was looking for in 5 minutes. I also picked up a set of two baking pans, because he was cooking his chicken cutlets in take-out aluminum containers!
I stopped at STARBUCKS in TARGET on my way out and then headed into Manhattan. It was only 10:30am, but I figured there might be a lot of traffic and maybe I’d still pick Stephen up at noon.
Turns out, there wasn’t ANY traffic and I picked him up at the apartment where he stays (Riverside Drive and 88th Street) at 11:30am.
The exterior of the building where his friends live (and where he stays when he visits NY from Canada) is the exterior shot of WILL & GRACE’S apartment in Manhattan. I always feel very glamorous picking Stephen up or dropping him off there!
We drove downtown and parked on 42nd Street, since YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is playing at the HILTON THEATRE, which is on 42nd Street right off Broadway. We just went to a little Italian place for lunch, where you go along with a tray and can get pizza, pasta or salad. Nothing fancy! I got baked ziti (and I have to admit it was fabulous). Stephen got lasagna with vegetables on the side.
It was so great to see him again after a year and a half. He is wearing his hair very short (he cut it so it would be easy when he was vacationing in Libya) and I told him he looks like a school boy! So handsome.
He told me a lot about his trip to Libya and it sounded fantastic – so much history and so many beautiful landscapes. Sleeping out under the stars in the Sahara Desert sounds like a little too much roughing it for a girl like me, but Stephen’s a real world traveler and is always looking for the next great adventure! I wish I could have seen pictures, but he didn’t have any available yet.
Jimmy had asked me to get him a XANADU baseball cap while visiting in New York and Stephen and I had some time before and after lunch, so we wandered in and out of about 5 souvenir shops, but I couldn’t find one. One guy actually told us another shop to go to on 44th Street across from the Majestic Theatre, which is specifically a Broadway souvenir shop, rather than a New York souvenir shop, but they only had one left – white with gold lettering. I called Jimmy in San Fran, but he didn’t want it. He only wanted black. Oh well, we tried.
There may not have been any Xanadu caps, but there was plenty of Betty Boop (as always)!
I thought the guy sending us from his souvenir shop to another souvenir shop was very “Miracle on 34th Street,” and thanked him profusely. I ended up buying something in his shop anyway, because I wanted to bring back a souvenir for the boy who is watching CONRAD. I got him a small metal Empire State Building with a removable plastic King Kong. I think he’ll love it!
There's my handsome school boy!
We walked over to Times Square to see the new TKTS, which has been under construction for several years and just recently reopened. I had seen on TV that they built these big orange/red steps leading to nowhere. You can just hang out on the steps, or climb to the top to get an amazing view of Times Square and the traffic going downtown. We loved it!
Stephen's going to see Liza at The Palace, so I took these pictures of him by the poster!
Then, we walked back to 42nd Street and went inside. Turns out we had EXCELLENT seats, even though Stephen had purchased them at TKTS downtown (where you can buy tickets for the Wednesday matinee on Tuesday). We were on the aisle on the right side in row G, which was 7 rows from the front. I usually like sitting in the Front Mezzanine, but these were excellent seats with a great view.
When the show first opened, it was a star-studded cast with Roger Bart as Frederick Frankenstein, Andrea Martin as Frau Blucher, Megan Mullaly as Elizabeth, and Sutton Foster as Inga. Now, the only one left is Roger Bart. That’s not to say that the cast wasn’t excellent – they really were. It’s just that they’re Broadway stars and not TV or movie stars that are more well-known.
Roger Bart really makes the show. His timing is so fantastic. He’s such a funny guy, but also sings and dances really well. He originated the role of CARMEN GHIA in the musical THE PRODUCERS and went on to play Leo Bloom. I saw him as Carmen Ghia, and also saw him as SNOOPY in YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN a few years ago.
If you saw him on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, or THE STEPFORD WIVES, you know he always makes an impression. Beth Leavel, who starred as THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is currently playing Frau Blucher, but she wasn’t there for this performance.
The view from the top of the steps, looking downtown
Stephen and I both really enjoyed the performance, but I can understand why it’s closing. It’s funny, colorful, fast-moving and entertaining, but it’s not FANTASTIC. I think when there were more stars in the cast it attracted a wider audience, but it just isn’t as funny as the movie. It’s almost EXACTLY like the movie, with songs thrown in.
The songs are funny and clever, and the dancing is great, but some of the jokes are well-known from the movie and just fall flat. You’re expecting them. You know they’re coming. You’re anticipating them, and then they happen and they just can’t be as funny as the movie. They just can’t. So, that was a little disappointing.
One great thing that did happen was during the scene where the monster visits the blind hermit. The hermit is supposed to light a match and then light a cigar for himself and the monster. If you remember the film (Gene Hackman played the blind hermit), when he goes to light the cigar for the monster, he accidentally lights the monster's thumb on fire.
The view looking uptown
Anyway, his matches either weren’t there or they weren’t working, so he said something about his hearing being so good since he was blind that he could hear the candle wasn’t lit, or the match was out, or something like that. Then, he walked offstage, saying he was borrowing matches from a neighbor. He returned saying something about not being able to find matches and using a lighter.
The view looking East
Then, he said something about “knowing it will be just as funny.” That got a big laugh and he said, “Even funnier.” That got an even bigger laugh. It’s great to see someone adlib because of a prop mishap. That almost never happens on Broadway – at least not that you can tell!
After the show, we got back in the car and I dropped Stephen back off on 88th and Riverside Drive and then headed across town and back to Queens. I got home in record time!
I picked Eric up outside the apartment at 6:00pm and we went to SUSHI VILLAGE nearby on Francis Lewis Boulevard.
Eric said, “I want to take you out for sushi, because I know you won’t be having it with your parents in Florida.” That’s true. As much as Jews love fish, most older Jews (seniors?) don’t eat sushi – especially seniors in Florida. Please, correct me if I’m wrong!
We started with Shumai and an avocado and tuna sashimi salad. Then, we had a Hurricane Roll and a Pink Lady Roll. One had spicy tuna and salmon. The other had shrimp tempura. Both had a little “kick” to them – nice and spicy!
We then walked across the street and bought ice cream to bring home. We got Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup ice cream. We’re really doing it up right tonight! When we got home I showed Eric the baking pans and backpack I had bought for him. He loved them both!
I still have to pack for my trip. It’s not so much what I’m taking as much as it is what I’m leaving behind! I’m only taking my toiletries, two pair of jeans, my leopard sweatpants and some tops and sweaters in my little pink carry-on. I don’t need pajamas (I borrow my Mom’s) and I don’t need jackets or cardigans, etc., because I can borrow my Mom’s. I’m taking my old laptop, so I can blog while I’m there, and I want to show my parents the computer and my sisters and I are hoping they’ll want to buy one of their own. Anyway, in all, I’m packing pretty light.
I was supposed to return my rental car tonight, but they closed at 6:00pm and I just barely got back here by then, so I’m bringing it back tomorrow morning and they’ll call me a cab to take me to the airport. My flight leaves at 2:15pm and I’ll arrive at 5:30pm – just in time for my parents to take me out to dinner!
I had such fun with Stephen today – or should I say “Canadian Stephen” as I am known to call him. He’s such a good friend, and so much fun. He said that the last few times he was in New York and I was in San Diego it just wasn’t as much fun. I told him that knowing we would be “Broadway Buddies” again when I return in the spring, and that we’ll get to see lots more great shows together in the future, made moving back to New York that much better!