THE GIRLS TAKE MANHATTAN: BROADWAY BINGE

Most every parent I know says the same thing:   The older your kids are, the harder it is to carve out time with them.   They move out (God willing); they have a significant other; many go on to have their own children.  So it was music to my ears when daughter Hannah proposed we plan a fall trip to NY for essentially a Broadway binge. 

Her timing was good -- the hubby is totally preoccupied in October with the seasons:  end of taxes, college football and baseball playoffs.  He probably won't even notice we're gone. November is out as he and I will be out of the country for 10 days (blogs to follow of course).  So from this evolved a way to spend time together, view fall foliage, and make a considerable contribution to the Great White Way (aka Broadway).

But hold on a minute.  She is very gainfully employed and making a good living.  No reasonable person would consider me and the hubby stingy in the parental category, but there are limits.  So her willingness to contribute $$ in a meaningful way was a big factor in the planning and further sealed her status as an adult.

A couple of giddy travelers taking a one-and-done selfie 
and our view shown below

Hannah furnished the list of her top choices (all of the marquees are above) and I procured the tickets. Hamilton was obviously the hardest to get -- not fabulous seats but we were happy just to be in.  And was it ever worth it.  I knew little about the show except for obviously it is about Alexander Hamilton (other than Benjamin Franklin, Hamilton may be the most important American who was not a President), but who would think that nearly three hours of rap music centered on American history would be so wonderful.  It was downright joyous to see school kids outside the stage door mobbing the show's stars. Whatever it takes to spurn interest in our country's history works for me. Fun Home has terrific acting and clever staging; Something Rotten is hugely entertaining and hilarious a la Mel Brooks (and should have won the Tony over Fun Home but I didn't get a vote); An American in Paris has a score that makes me swoon along with the most beautiful dancing. Finding Neverland had me crying at the end.  But the Curious Incident was just mind-boggling.  The young star is phenomenal in an extraordinary role (his Broadway debut).  Again the tears fell (and fell) ... 

Stage door post performance with (from top):  Brian D'Arcy James, John Cariani, Tony winner Christian Borle

Upper:  Hannah edging her way to Finding Neverland star Matthew Morrison in the huge throng; Bottom:  From Curious Incident Keren Dukes and remarkable lead Tyler Lea

Top to bottom:  Jonathan Groff, Javier Munoz and Daveed Diggs.  Diggs mobbed by the kids at left.

A couple of exceptional meals: Untitled, restaurateur extraordinaire Danny Meyer's latest outpost at the new Whitney Museum of American Art, and Jams, from NY-based/California-style chef Jonathan Waxman.  Both restaurants are open spaces with lots of interesting sights -- Untitled is the ground floor of the museum and completely glass-enclosed; Jams was jammin' (I apparently coined that phrase -- the hostess had never heard it used before) at nearly 10pm for our late-night/post theater supper.  For the best pizza, go to John's Pizzeria on W. 44th ...

Clockwise, from upper left: black bass; roasted cauliflower; chicken salad;
cheese offerings and sticky toffee pudding

Clockwise from upper left:   Pancakes with salmon & caviar on corn pudding (insane);
burrata with proscuitto; roasted vegetables; signature roast chicken with tarragon sauce

L-R: Barnard student Sofia and her mom (my long-time friend) Julie Shuer; Hannah and me atop the Whitney

The new Whitney is in the ultra-happening Meatpacking district of Manhattan. Lots of residential construction going on in the area, plus high-end shopping and restaurants.  What I especially loved about the Museum are the views -- whether taking the glass-enclosed indoor stairs facing the Hudson River or the outdoor stairs with panoramic views -- the sights are endless.  Of course, that doesn't even take into consideration the art:  enormous installations on white walls, to me very similar albeit a good bit larger than the LA's new Broad (see my last post).  Directly outside the structure one can either take an elevator or stairs to the High Line, which originates at that point and goes north 1.45 miles with lots of interesting things along the way or to just stop for a bit.  I loved my first visit to both and fully intend a return trip.

From top left:  View of the Statue of Liberty from the museum, looking down on the High Line
and different views as we walked along

It was great fun having lunch with my newish friend David Patrick Columbia who is the brainchild behind the New York Social Diary, a daily must-read for me.  We dined and talked at length at Michael's on W. 55th where David has an ideal table for meeting and greeting -- essential to his profession.  GM Steve Milligan is key to running a hectic lunchtime crowd, whether Michael is there or not...

NY cousin David Stone joined us for pre-theater dinner at Scarlatta

Hannah is already looking forward to part deux of The Girls Take Manhattan with another list of shows.  I couldn't be more thrilled that my kid still wants to spend quality time with her mommy ...