In Eckleburg's Eyes - 4/11/2008

Thursday marked my second day in the Big Apple and my first ever Broadway show.

In the morning, NTC snuck out to retrieve some authentic New York bagels. When she asked our preferences, my answer of “blueberry” was mocked for being “goy” - Gentile. I picked up a lot of Yiddish on this trip. She also served us lox, which is a form of salmon (the distinction between lox and "salmon" comes in the manner the meat is cured). Lox with cream cheese on a bagel is evidently a delicacy in these parts.

After breakfast, we watched a video of NTC’s grandson MG’s 2007 football highlights. To say he is impressive wold be an understatement. The video documents only the first six games of the season but in those games he rushed for 1139 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. The film also featured several sacks from his strong safety position as well as punt returns and completed passes. As noted in yesterday’s blog, MG has decided to give up football to pursue lacrosse. I am sure his coach was thrilled with that decision. If and when I receive his permission, I will post the video on the blog.

We then left NTC and her cat Nanu’s loft to drop our luggage the Parker Meridien in New York where we would be staying the next two nights. To get there, we again took the PATH and a taxi. It was quite the chore toting the luggage around. Our taxi driver’s name was Petit-Frere Emanuel. I thought that this was a rib, but evidently Petit-Frere (“Little Brother”) is a legitimate name in Haiti. No, I did not discover this by ridiculing the man, but rather by asking my cousin.

I must note that there are many signs warning that $350 fines could potentially be levied for those drivers who toot their horns. This is comical as one would think the entire city was a tunnel the way people blast their horns.

On the way in, we passed Radio City Music Hall. I would have liked to have seen a show there, but from April 10-12, comedian Katt Williams was booked and I was not overly interested in him. It would have almost worth attending to experience my parents' reactions to him. Almost.

After securing our bags, we ate lunch at the Carnegie Deli. We did pass nearby Carnegie Hall en route. The deli is known for oversized portions and waiters who engage in disparaging banter. While our waitress, an "old lady" named Monica ("like Lewisnki"), was not especially rude, the food was terrific.

The walls are adorned with hundreds of photos of stars and celebrities who are almost stars featuring signed endorsements. A corned beef and pastrami sandwich is named after Woody Allen. The deli served as a filming location for his 1984 film Broadway Danny Rose. The restaurant is also referenced in Adam Sandler’s moving holiday classic "The Chanukah Song."

I was told that the true test of any deli is its pastrami on rye with mustard. If this is the case, it past with flying colors. I split the massive dish with NTC and was pleased. I also sampled a Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda, one of my mother’s favorites. As good as the meal was, the dessert - a cheesecake with blueberry topping - was better. Cheesecake is identified with New York for a reason.

My father then departed for meetings, leaving NTC, DNV, abd I to peruse the city. We spent a lot of time on 5th Avenue. We passed many notable stores such as Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. I was most interest in Tiffany & Co. as I am a huge Audrey Hepburn fan. She is linked with the jewelry store through her film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A very cooperative salesman showed us where the film was shot and that Audrey Hepburn was one of only two people to wear the Tiffany Yellow Diamond. The other was Mrs. Sheldon Whitehouse at the 1957 Tiffany Ball held in Newport, Rhode Island. Unfortunately, the diamond is presently on tour.

While on 5th Avenue I also stopped in the NBA Store. I was allured by a life-size Lego display of Celtics star Kevin Garnett. RAW, I thought about you. If I had several hundred dollars of disposable cash, I might have bought it for you.

There were various people in Elmo costumes throughout the city. I have no idea why. They asked for donations if you took a picture with them. I did. Why? Being seen with Elmo gives me a great deal of street cred with KJW.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon at Rockefeller Center. I saw the ice skating rink, the Today Show, NBC Studios, where Letterman is taped, etc. We sat and chatted for a long time at Brasherie Ruhlmann. It is a café in the European style. NTC caught us up to date on tales of husbands past.

We then officially checked into the Parker-Meridien hotel. Our rooms, though unfortunately not on the same floor, both overlook Central Park. NTC left us to find our way to our restaurant and theater as she has a life (and had plans with a friend).

On the way to our restaurant, we went into a three-story Toys R Us. It was massive. Steven Spielberg donated a dinosaur from Jurassic Park. It is one of many impressive spectacles in the store. While there, we received a phone call from my cousin HANW. She is pregnant! We were very excited.

We then walked to Sardi’s Restaurant where we had reservations for 6 pm. Sardi’s is located the heart of New York's Theater District (adjacent to the theater we would be at later in the evening) and has been in operation for 82 years. It is most known for countless caricatures of the stars who have eaten there. NTC instructed me to order something basic as the restaurant is more known for its ambiance than cuisine. Still stuffed from lunch, I only ordered a tiramisu. It was good, but the steak I sampled from my father’s plate (I did ask) was average at best.

We then ironically had some time to kill in Times Square. I do not know if they archive it or not, but there is streaming video of the locale here At my request, we shopped at the Virgin Megastore. I had been to the branch in Hollywood last year and this store was far bigger. It had three floors, one of which was devoted entirely to DVDs. It is pretty much my vision of heaven. Believe it or not, I bought nothing for myself at the store.

We then went to the St. James Theater for our 8 o’clock play - Gypsy: A Musical Fable. The play stars Broadway legend Patti LuPone. Her name receives top billing even over the title. To view LuPone's climactic number "Rose's Turn" on YouTube click here.

This version of the play opened on March 27 but had a 22 performance run (July 9, 2007 - July 29, 2007) at City Center peviously. It originated in 1959 with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The play originally starred Ethel Merman.

The feature is based upon the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee (1911-1970). Set during the vaudeville era, Gypsy features a stereotypical stage mother, Rose (LuPone), who travels the country with her two daughters and manager, Herbie who is in love with Rose. While daughters June and Louise wish their mother would wed Herbie, Rose continues to pursue dreams of stardom for her girls. When June deserts the act, Rose turns her attention to the shy, talentless Louise, whom she hopes to mold into a star. When the act is booked into a burlesque house by mistake, Louise is forced into the spotlight and world renowned stripper Gypsy Rose Lee is born.

The story was interesting and the play was beautifully performed as one might expect. The play “Wicked” which I saw last year at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles was on par with this Broadway show but is the only performance I have seen to match the scope of this production.

Some of the more interesting aspects of the stripper's tale occur after the play ends, such as her affair with noted Hollywood director Otto Preminger.

While I did not like LuPone’s character (I do not believe I was supposed to), I loved the play.

Tune in Monday for the conclusion of the Vinson family in New York.