N.Y.C.

I don't want to overstate this, but this New York trip was the best.trip.EVER! Its not hard to please me in New York though. Throw a few Broadway Musicals my way, some Christmas decor and a star sighting or 2 and its a total success!!

I have been to the Big Apple several times. Once a couple of years pass, I get the itch and start having New York dreams (not kidding) and go again. I would pass up pretty much any other destination for a chance to go back to New York. Anyway....

First thing we did when we arrived was hurredly put our things down at the apartment we were staying and hop on a subway to Times Square. We stayed with our friend, Jonathan in Queens.

We really wanted to catch a matinee on Saturday so we didnt lose that slot to see a show. So, we got tickets to "Promises, Promises" with Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth. LOVE them both, of course.

This show is very fun. We really enjoyed it. After the show, they bow and Sean Hayes says "and now we are going to do something we have never done before. We are auctioning off a chance for one audience member to come onstage and Kristin will sing "Popular" from Wicked. WHATTT? I freaked out. (Without going into extreme detail, I am obsessed with "Wicked" and have been for about 6 years. I saw Idina Menzel in the show, but not Kristen) So, I am super excited. They started the bidding at $1,000 and I quickly supressed my dreams of being onstage with her. But, man that would have been awesome. Anyway, I did get a video of it which I will upload as soon as my camera will cooperate with this blog.

So, then we immediately get back in line at TKTS for the night show. That night, we went to see "Memphis". This was our favorite of the four we saw. So energetic, great music and set! Its a must-see.

Sunday we were waiting in line for the matinee and I hear someone behind me saying "Look, my show is up on the board" (at TKTS, shows randomly come available at 50% off, which is how we see all of our shows) and so I knew there was an actor behind me. I turn around and it was none other than John Tartaglia, the original "Princeton" in Avenue Q. Of course, I immediately knew who he was. Plus, I had just watched him on the Macy's Parade, promoting his new show. ANYWAY, I asked him if he was "Princeton" and he said "yes". He was SO nice. He asked us if we were in theatre, what we had been in etc. Then, introduced us to his family and was just the nicest guy. I was so pumped to meet him!!

So, we saw "The Addams Family" for the matinee, starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neworth. We were 7th row, so we were very close to them. The set was amazing too. The show itself was just "eh" to us. The least favorite of the four we saw.

Let's see, we then went on an NBS Studios tour. We visited the SNL studio, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Dr. Oz. At the end they have a mock news station and asked for 2 volunteers to deliver the news and weather. Who volunteered? You're looking at them.

That night, we went to see my old Birmingham roomate, Katherine, at her bar, Pourhouse. It was great!
Monday we went to Central Park and took a carriage ride.

We did some ice skating at Bryant Park.

Then we HAD to go to Tom's Restaurant where Seinfeld is taped. After making the haul, we ate there as well. Brent was very excited. I never really watched Seinfeld, so I wasn't quite as thrilled.

That night we decided to see a fourth show and decided on "Next to Normal". Wow, what a powerful show! Its about a family who experiences a tradgedy which causes the mother to go insance. Wonderful music, super sad story. I cried multiple times.

Ok, I am exhausted just typing this. After this show we went to "Dont Tell Mamas" which is a piano bar I have been to every time I've been to New York. They let us sing too!

Thank you sweet husband for a wonderful birthday present! I could not have asked for a better time!