My first trip to NYC was four years ago...a business trip for Bryan that he took solely so he could bring me along, knowing how much I'd wanted to visit the place. We stayed in a hotel on 51st street directly across from an entrance to Rockefeller Center and slightly down from the side doors to Radio City Music Hall. I spent a lot of time peering out my window, watching workers unload and haul in set pieces for a new show they were putting on. One morning there were long lines of heavily made-up, bunheads....all anxiously waiting for their turn to audition for the famed Rockettes. But it wasn't until this year that I actually ever went into the iconic and historic theatre.
We took an official tour and the place is every bit as awe inspiring as you would think. Just the immense history of the place took my breath away. We started our tour in the seats of the actual theatre which was pretty cool, seeing as we had all watched the Tony Awards just four days earlier on TV which had taken place in that very spot. Interestingly enough, once again they were having Rockette auditions while we were there. Did you know they have to re-audition every year? Talk about pressure! So though there is no age limit (or year limit) for how long you can be a Rockette, you can't rest on your laurels once you're in...you have to keep proving yourself each year to keep your spot. Also, I learned that apparently I can't ever aspire to be a Rockette. There is a height requirement. You have to be between 5'6"-5'10." My dreams are dashed! Except that even if I were tall enough, I can't really dance so I guess I have that problem as well...
While we were waiting for everyone to finish their tour I walked across a subway grate on the sidewalk out front and had a Marilyn Monroe moment. So I guess if I can't be a Rockette, at least I can pretend to be blonde bombshell? Except that I'm not blonde anymore...
After our tour we descended below ground to catch the subway...China Town and Little Italy being the next stop on our agenda of places to explore. Manhattan itself isn't very big. It just feels that way because its so jam-packed. But it's still kind of amazing how you don't have to go very far to feel like you are a world removed from where you just were.
We had dumplings for $1 at a little side street shop. Delicious! And the little Chinese woman inside was demanding and rude, "You! Money! Now get out!" It totally cracked me up. And then because it was so incredibly hot and humid that day, we got Chinese ice cream with flavors like maple bacon, ginger, pandam, zen butter, and durian. Good stuff!
That night we had tickets to see the Broadway musical "Matilda." Truth be told, I hadn't been overly excited that this was one of the shows we were scheduled to see as part of our trip. Oh, I had heard it was good and I knew that I'd enjoy it but there were other shows higher on my priority list. I didn't really want to waste my Broadway time on a kids show, you know? I was wrong. "Matilda" was incredibly impressive! I loved the music and the choreography. I couldn't get over the intricacies of the set. And the character of "Miss Trunchbull" was played by a man...which made sense but I hadn't known beforehand. And it was downright hilarious! The show was thoughtful and silly all at the same time. One of the songs was called "When I Grow Up" and had some thought provoking lyrics...
When I grow up I will be smart enough to answer all the questions that you need to know the answers to before you're grown up.
....I will be strong enough to carry all the heavy things you have to haul around when you're a grown up.
....I will be brave enough to fight the creatures that you have to fight beneath the bed each night to be a grown up.
I ended up being very happy with the choice of "Matilda."
FRIDAY:
Friday morning we headed to the Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center. The view up there is rather fantastic as you can imagine. And it gives you a really good sense of Manhattan, as you can pretty much see the entire island. I'm always struck with just how big Central Park is when I see it from above.
{Looking at the Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock...}
Afterwards everyone split up. Julianne, Liz, Alyssa and I meandered our way through the various shops in Rockefeller Center and watched Susan Sarandon be interviewed outside the NBC studios. We had lunch at a food truck (chicken gyros...yum!) and then cupcakes/cheesecake at Magnolia Bakery. And then we too split up. Liz and Alyssa had a hankering to check out the Museum of Natural History and Julianne wanted to finally see the Guggenheim. Julianne and I had planned to take the bus up 5th Ave. Until we realized that it was a one way street and no buses were actually running the way we were going. So we back tracked a bit and jumped on the subway. It was a rather complicated subway station and platform set up...but hey, we handled it like pros and I was super proud of us!
{Gyros from the food truck and dog walkers. How very NYC.}
The Guggenheim is a museum featuring mostly modern art. But the building itself is an architectural piece of art designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. I'd seen the building twice before. (On my first trip to NYC it was closed the day I tried to visit. Last year we made it into the lobby before Bryan nixed the idea of paying the entrance fee...I think he was less than enthusiastic about the art and more interested in finding lunch.) It was nice to finally go inside. I think maybe I don't really get modern art. Or maybe I get it, I just don't love it? It was interesting to see, I suppose. I'm glad we went. There was a gallery with a bunch of Van Goghs, Monets, Picassos, etc and I really enjoyed that. There was a fascinating children's exhibit where we spent the majority of our time. I guess in my mind art is something that you would potentially be able to display in your home. Much modern art is weirdly eclectic and not something that I would want to or even could put in my home. It's more of a display with a story or thought process/meaning behind it. Which is why I guess it is in an exhibit in a museum rather than in an art gallery with a price tag on it. One piece of art was literally a large analog clock on the wall and a transistor radio sitting on a shelf next to it. There was some sort of symbolism and reason attached to it, of course but I remember thinking "That's art? I could make that!" I'm showing my ignorance right now, I'm sure of it. Oh well. Anyhow, it was interesting all the same.
That evening we hooked back up with the rest of our group and went to see "The Lion King." Once again, this was a show that I'd heard great things about and expected to enjoy....even if it wasn't one that I would've chosen. But this time my experience was a little different. Oh, I did enjoy it. There were scenes that were incredibly magical. The puppetry was glorious and the Circle of Life scene specifically brought tears to my eyes. But the whole show seemed uneven to me. Parts were proudly tribal, while other parts seemed Disney cartoonish. It seemed to me (and maybe this makes me sound like a theatre snob) that the show was Broadway for the masses. People who were maybe not normally theatre-goers but who wanted to see something on Broadway while in NYC would choose something like this. It's recognizable. It's popular. It's Disney. And you could kind of tell just from the audience and their lack of proper theatre etiquette. Talking in the middle of the show, taking pictures, leaving their garbage on the floor like they are in a movie theater or at a sporting event. But what surprised me also was that this is Andra's (the high school theatre teacher) favorite show. She's seen in seven times and finds it completely inspiring. I respect Andra and her theatre knowledge and creativity SO much....the woman consistently impresses me. So it made me wonder if I was missing something, not liking Lion King as much. Not that we need to have the same opinions or tastes in shows....its just, in the case of so many other shows, we did. Hmmm.
After the show we decided that we needed to experience Shake Shack, long lines and all. And then ended the evening by people watching in Times Square. And speaking of Times Square...I'm over it. It's neat, certainly. Everyone should experience it at least once. But the novelty has worn off, I guess. I'd rather avoid the place (specifically the hordes of people) unless I'm seeing a show. Which of course is one of the main reasons I come to NYC. So I guess I can't be done with Times Square all together.
One last NYC update coming up....
1 comment:
Jon and I have the art discussion often. There is the art you love and put in your home, there is art that you appreciate for the sake of the artists talent, even if it's not something you would own, and finally, there's the 'art' that we agree is accepted as art only because of the performance that went into making it and so without the performance it's a frame full of trash or an analog clock and old radio. Our continued debate is whether or not, if an alien were to find it, out of context and without the action of the performance, would they think it was art? Of course not. They would be completely confused! So, can it really even be considered art anymore? If not, then should it have been considered art at all? I vote, No!
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