WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE BOB AND REUEL? ... AND WHO ARE THIS BOB AND REUEL ANYWAY

2016 NYC APRIL 26-MAY 4.

NEW YORK NEW YORK!

TUESDAY, APRIL 26.

 We're up and at 'em, waiting for our Uber car by 5:35 AM. No big bulky bulgies this time (referring to our luggage not to us alas) but our New York experience and our wherewithal well-fitted into 2 rollaway carry-ons. We don't really "dress" for the theatre, theatre being the point of this visit to our old homeland and I've already booked 5 shows through our TDF membership in the 40-ish dollar per ticket range, (love those ishes) leaving "slots" for as many as six more plays at Tkts 1/2 price since two slots are reserved for lunches with friends (here's to the laddies who lunch). Philosophical question: When is a lunch a luncheon?

HUMAN MAILING-TUBE

With all of our pre-screen TSA and Global security clearance credentials we should have been able to shoot through screening in less than 5 minutes but for--mini-adventure #1-- the fact that we packed my tea things and Infuser kit in my carry on and everyone knows that stuff looks like a bomb requiring elaborate time consuming inspections.

Still time aplenty to enjoy the grown ups lounge (thanks expensive Platinum card) and with our auto $20 credit some egg and bacon breakfast croissants.

Neat, no middle seat occupants on our row so space like pashas. Note: that's possible when booking rear of plane seats. Update. Guy headed for London decides to take Bob's middle seat after the doors are closed. Whazzat?

FEATURE FILM in-flight is JOY, much lauded Jennifer Lawrence flick. with Bradley Cooper. Why not? It's free.

Depiction of Joy's disfunctional family very funny. They become menacing however when they inhibit the saintly Joy from realizing her dream to make the fortune she inevitably does selling her mop invention on QVC. As always with this director, it's slightly surreal and one wonders what biographical facts got dumped or twisted in service of this ultimate rooting interest story that consequently carries emotional punch-- albeit too neatly. As always Lawrence is perfect. 

Back to the flight-- much turbulence. At one point a flight attendant falls into my lap. Too bad it's the female version. 

There's Bob across the aisle reliably napping while I watch quasi-trash tv instead of making notes from Lavender Scare for the full-length play I think I'm going to write for the Arch Brown contest. When I read  this a month from now, I'll know if I did. Unlike the one-actor I just submitted to Left Coast Theatre Co. On that subject that-necessarily I'd add--I didn't have time (or the design) to develop rooting interest like aha the just seen movie Joy but with this . . .

     Then lo and behold as we're supposed to be landing at JFK (we've been in a "holding pattern") El Capitan says we've been diverted to Hartford Connecticut (huh?). I turn to Bob who removes his earphones for my confidence "Looks like we'll miss the show," that being Disaster the musical, one of those I ordered in advance. My bad. Note to self: Don't pre-order tickets for arrival days. But what's up with this?

I turn to Bob again. "There's something they're not telling us. " We ran out of fuel and need to stop at Hartford for a refueling that doesn't pass my sniff test. Then the attendant tells passengers that connecting flights are probably also delayed so not to worry. They ran out of fuel too? 

Well maybe I've applied a dash more paranoia than required as we sit here in Hartford being fueled gobble gobble. Bob meanwhile reveling in his "I told you so".

So we're aloft at 6:05. (Our arrival at JFK was supposed to be 4:12.) we touch JFK's tarmack at 6:45. We ain't making a 7 pm  curtain.  In fact a $75 cab ride later and we're in our pretty fabulous digs at 8:05 marveling at the views over Broadway. It's the perfect NYC one-bedroom pied a terre in the perfect location--Broadway between 48th and 49th.

Where to eat? Fall back (or spring forward?) to old habits and it's the Thalia on 8th and 52nd. We are seated next to a woman and two men. One of the men seems to be trying to impress the others for some project or another though he's clearly a famous person who has worked with Lord Lloyd Webber, "For a billionaire he's . . . ; I told him . . . ", further name dropping Glen Close etc. (he's a writer, director?) about whom they all have opinions. Bob says to me as I bend to listen to this show biz insider patter, "you're in theatre heaven." I, "I'm in voyeur heaven." Great cheeseburger and, shame, fries gobbled up after a day of "fasting" and a bottle of merlot. Easy to drop a Franklin these days.

WED APRIL 27

TERRACE ON 4TH FLOOR. WE'RE ON 16TH.

LOBBY OF 1600 B'WAY

Appreciating our NYC condo even more this morning and getting ideas for our impending kitchen and bath renovations in San Diego. Wonderful shower. Wonderful toasted bagels for breaky and leisurely morning. Having our ID photos taken; hey this be a security building. Foray to--you guessed it--the local liquor store on 8th for provisions.

THE NECESSARIES

WHAT'S TEAM USA?

The heavy laden bag requiring a return to the condo before food shopping at Food Emporium on 8th. Such lovely victuals for at-home consuming.

Nice roast beef sandwich  to start while we watch The Donald be "presidential" in a foreign policy speech which he reads in a strange manner from teleprompters. If he masters this format, consider me scared. Not the kind of scared he wants the electorate to be.

THE CRUCIBLE at the Walter Kerr Theatre. 2PM.

$36 a ticket plus the $4.50 TDF fee is pretty damn good for a highly regarded production of  Arthur Miller's 1953 polemical (what else?) drama. Long line to get in--wonder if that's the new normal--as bags are checked for explosives. The name leads are Ben Wishaw as the everyman John Proctor and Saoirse Ronan, fresh from her Oscar nom for Brooklyn, as the too-much of the flesh Abigail Williams, Sophie Okenado as Proctors wife and Ciaran Hinds as the Deputy Governor. (The meeny). Lots of Brit film credits from this lot. They are all brilliant. And lots of students in the audience reminding Bob of the time we took his St. Peters College class (before they made him Dean) to see Checkov's The Seagull and famous old actor/director John Houseman disagreeably had to hold the curtain for the class who, bored, talked and laughed through the play to our great embarrassment. Expect this will hold the younguns' attention better. We'll see.

At intermission Bob notes that this production is very powerful. I agree but believe that it would have been better seved in its original colonial setting. The audience is smart enough to make the analogies without a modern aura.

Bob thinks (we've seen all of the play now) otherwise that the milieu upgrade might have made it seem less stuffy. Magnificently acted and directed. It's got me all in a tizzy, a whirlwind of thinking, because I'm about to write a play about the DC gay "witch trial" scares that got gays fired in droves and Miller's play is a response to the McCarthy hearings.

THE POWER OF WINE

"HOME COOKED"

STREET SCENES ON THE WAY TO THE THEATRE

THE HUMANS 8 pm at The Helen Hayes an adorable small B'way theatre though getting through the crowds from 48th to 44th St is a challenge; note, take 8th Ave.

We're high in the balcony and I joke with our very NY accented neighbor's that we get a great view of the 2nd floor of the set, The bathroom. It's all that matters. Theatre banter. No intermission, we are warned. By Steven Karaam. Starring Cassie Beck, Reed Birney and Jane Houdyshell, the latter having eaten up all the reviews of this well received play.

In fact this is a not unique play about a disfunctional family getting together for Thanksgiving, all of whom are wounded. There's the Alzheimer's grandmother, the parents with financial and marital problems, the daughters one of whom is a lesbian with health issues, the other whose unpleasant apartment we're in, a failed artist making her way with a boyfriend working his way out of depression. Beautifully directed and acted, some chuckles from recognition that we all share problems like these but finally The Humans is a well executed slice of someone else's lives.

Consequently after buying earplugs at Duane Reid--the construction noises last night were unacceptable despite the double panes--we need to fall upon a blueberry pie ala mode at home.

STARS ON BROADWAY

GOD PUNISHES THOSE WHO DON'T EAT ICE-CREAM

THURSDAY APRIL 28.

How lovely, we get to see our dear friend Hugh who arrives at 12 and shares prosecco as we breathlessly all try to "catch up".

TRIO AS SEEN THROUGH MARTINI GLASS

 BECCO RISTORANTE.

WELL SERVED

A favorite in the old days with their Symphonia all you can eat pasta selections and we do. Three different kinds served up by 3 handsome ethnics serving from big pans. I have the wonderful antipasto and Hugh and Bob the Caesar salad which they seem to like. We've got a nice full bodied red that like all the wines is $29--which is amazing for NYC.  And then there is the desert sampler. We walk out for $159 and  a good time was had.

After our goodbyes to Hugh and promises to get together in New York next January, Bob and I walk up to Rockefeller Center, can't get into St Patrick's to view the renovations because there's a mass going on but get to make the circuit back along 5th to Central Park West, then to the Apple Store there to have a young person figure why I've got so little battery power, then

LOVE DESSERT SAMPLERS

back to home along Broadway. Whew.

A WALK IN THE NEIGHB.

ODD COUPLE

LOVE THE HAIR

"DESIGNER JEWELRY ONLY $5." WHAT A BUY?

"@TABLE W/JESUS" RESERVATION @ 12.

TRUMP EVERYTHING . . .

AND EVERYWHERE

THAT INFAMOUS ESCALATOR

THE SELLING OF EL PRESIDENTE?

PROCESSION

HERE'S LOOKIN' AT YOU KID.

WHERE'S THE SKATING RINK?

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE SANS FACES

"VAN GOGH'S EAR" (REAR)

CARE FOR A DIP IN HIS EAR?

FUN HOME 7 pm. 

Lo and behold we meet John and Greg in the lobby of Circle in the Square. We knew Thursday night was taken on their calendar but that it was for the same show we would be attending, goodness. Brief time on line with them as we all move on with our TDF member tickets. We'll see them on Sunday and then I'll be able to talk of my relationship with this musicalization of Allison Bechdel's comic novel, also Fun Home.

And I find it very affecting, remembering that the central character her father, Bruce, who put the make on me in my home when I taught at the local college where he lived and where he worked as the high school English teacher (and family funeral director) while his very young daughter Allison drew pictures in my living room. Needless to say I held back sobs in this theatre where the audience was responding to a powerful depiction of family disfunction characterized by repression--she as a lesbian, her father as a gay man leading a double life who, having a hard time facing it, killed himself and I--well I.

Joyous return as we visit the irrepressible M&M center, the first three floors of our condo building. Just a martini for moi and vino for Bob. Zzzz.

LIBERTY, EQUALITY, CHOCOLATE.

FRI APR 29
 Finishing the last of our bagels mit a "shmear" of cream cheese. Head east old man and this time the Apple Store on 5th doesn't stock the charger I need. What's a holiday without functioning toys?

APPLE STORE IN BIG APPLE

Heard at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, woman to husband, "This is where the thing is." You bet.

GETTING READY FOR MAY 1 GALA EVENT

LUNCH @ The PETRIE COURT CAFE at the Met where we've reliably dined before. Lovely big room graced by buxom lady sculptures looking out at Central Park, trees abloom. We loved the old Dorothy Draper designed dining court surrounded by pillars and statues but this does nicely. We order the 2 course pri fixe with muscadet wine. My thick textured and piquant tomato soup is wonderful. Bob's salad very pretty.

R. Salmon B. Pasta Orecchiette.

We're sooo happy.

Note, don't wear a sweater when going to a museum.

For Bob the American Wing is all that matters but the Egyptian pavilion being closed for the upcoming 1st of May bash we need to wander through other galleries to get there , such as the Japan galleries and the Michael Rockefeller Congo collection--magnificent.

RODIN, I THINK

BUT . . .

CPW PANO

 ALA HITCHCOCK HOUSE INSTALLATION ON ROOF

MICHAEL ROCKEFELLER COLLECTION (WE EAT IT UP. HO HO.)

MAKING UP FOR MISSING ALL OF THE JAPAN ROOM

HIAWATHA & FRIENDS IN AMERICAN WING

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S ROOM

WASHINGTON DOING HIS THING ACROSS THE DELAWARE

GIDDI YAP

On our way back in a cab (we've had luck hailing them today) from the Apple Store on Madison where I buy a hot pink portable charger to give life to my dead iPhone-- it does.  Charming sales gal does warn me that the charger is pink. "But it's easy to find." I show her my multi-colored Swatch watch. She, "I'm preaching to the choir."

Speaking of which, I get to buy a Mondrian watch at the MOMA museum store. Such great things there. Tempted to buy a Kit Kat clock which I remember from my parents' store. It sure wasn't $50 bucks then.

Home at 4, Bob demands martinis. We've still crackers and cheese aplenty from our initial food foray. Nice to get high watching Donald Trump bloviating. Commercial with old guy saying he can't row fast as young guys competing pass him by but he's ok because he takes a special drug. Gimme a break. (Or the drug.)

And then, just before we are to leave for the theatre I get an email informing me that my play "Wrong Turn" will be produced at the Pend Oreille Players (in Washington) annual festival, one of only six selected, July 8 and 9 and I'll get a DVD of the performance and, confession, am rather pleased. !!! Considering that another theatre company wrote that they are still reading because they got 550 entries. Next stop for me--Broadway (on the Hudson).

Speaking of which (Broadway):

THE FATHER starting Frank Langella. 8 pm.


We are prepared that it will not be Happy Days the Musical. What to make of it? Disappointing finally. Bob I think is spot-on that Langella as an aging man falling unwillingly into progressive dementia is not supported by the material. As always he's powerful, maybe too much for the role and I found him at times playing too easily to the audience. Here's a play where lighting--a director's choice--is jarring, here employed as startling and pulsating bursts of light between scenes that don't deserve that emphasis. We do see the protagonist growing more confused about reality and we experience that confusion too--that's something. Might it have been the translation from the French Bob wonders but it's by the great Christopher Hampton.

Some guy sobs throughout behind us. Alzheimer's is a terrible thing. Coincidentally today Will Farrell withdraws participation in a movie about Ronald Reagan and his Alzheimer's, bowing  to Reagan's kids who point out that Alzheimer's is no laughing matter. Very little laughter to be gleaned from this show.

 We stagger to the Food Emporium for necessaries--yes cookies count as necessaries--and home. After toasting to the success of America's next great playwright, Moi! (or oldest imposter) and have a great meal of the Emporium's reheatable  roast beef dinner.

SATURDAY APRIL 30

This time we've added jelly to our usual breakfast of bagel and cream cheese.

First day on line at TKTS and at 9:40 in the morn there's a huge snaking line. Tip. Start lining up at 8 especially since we're a block away. Lots of young things hawking different shows. Sensory overload from the kinetic billboards looming overhead. The line moves fast.

Back with our tickets for She Loves Me, $90 each? That's 1/2 price?

FROM OUR BUILDING'S ROOF DECK

A visit to the roof garden of our building--nice pano but we give it only a 6 out of 10 as an amenity. Certainly won't revisit it martinis in hand when we return in January. The 4th floor terrace, lounge and gym gets 8.5 "1/2 to a point more if there's a hottie" opines Bob.

What shall we do pre-show. I tell Bob these decisions are his responsibility so he suggests going back to the MOMA store for another watch for me and then to St. Patrick's to see the renovation.

ST. PATTY'S

CATHEDRAL OF CLASSY FOOTWEAR

Of St. Pat's I say I don't think it's the most beautiful church we've been in. Bob, "But it's an important 19th c gothic revival."   Nevertheless B passes on my offer to buy him a souvenir religious medal.

Our two best revisits ahead: the MOMA store where I buy two more watches, another Mondrian and a Jackson Pollack, wonderful additions to my colorful vinyl (mostly Swatches) collection. Bob has a hard job dragging me out of the place. The other? The local liquor store of course preparatory to our delightful lunch of chicken sandwich chips and the newly acquired Vino, topped by a carrot cake cookie. (We're on holiday is the excuse.)

SHE LOVES ME. 2 PM. Studio 54.

"HE LOVES ME."

So we get the best seats in the house--1st row aisle in this gorgeous old theatre.

Hundreds of teenagers filling up the balcony--where they belong. Pity their teachers giving up their Saturday for pandemonium. The kids should enjoy this charming show with a tv star they know, Jane Krakowski of 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

At intermission. We have been transported. Benati's voice is amazing and liltingly captures the charm of this delightful production. This is a brilliant experience. I confess to Bob that there have been tears in my eyes from the start. He too. One of the last plays he saw before going off to graduate school in Minnesota. Also that weekend he saw Funny Thing. "It was the golden age of musical theatre."

And as a bonus there's a post-play discussion. Wonderful. Jane Krakowski is a howl talking about how she insisted on doing a split at 47. The actor who plays the villainous ladies man comes out as gay.

Contretemps with American In Paris tickets. The TKTS system is not working for this show so we need to cross the street to the Palace Theatre where it is playing and get a mezzanine box ticket at a smaller discount. $99 from $149. (oof)

After a rather too generous martini we are back at the Palace Theatre, Judy Garland not in evidence, just a piano On a bare  stage and us in a box sort of above it. Neat. I love boxes.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. 8 pm. Bob "the dancing's lovely but otherwise it's pretty boring" I "Yes, strangely disaffecting ." Second act is more "affecting." We get a sense of the story, the three men vying for the Leslie Caron-like heroine who as a protected Jew in the 2nd world war feels obligated to her sequestering family's  scion. So what? But there is a 15 minute Gershwin ballet and the hero, a primo dancer, is wonderful with his great tour jettes and gracefully lifting the talented dancer heroine. We have the advantage of being in a box , noblesse oblige not exercised. No after-play seminars with this one.

But home we get to Watch Obama's last correspondents dinner. Pizza and wine. And the Pend Oreille Players email clarifies that my play "Wrong Turn" is the one they chose for their festival, go for it. Actually I'm pleased. Vanity.

SUNDAY MAY 1

So I go out in the rain for the opening of the Tkts booth at 10 only to discover when I arrive that it opens at 11 on Sunday. The good news is that when I return an hour later I just show my ticket stub and am in the very short "7-Day Fast Track Line" and buying tickets to Fiddler. Then if it's Sunday it's Meet the Press!

VILLAGE TAVERNA

MOUSSAKA AWAITS US

Now the discussion how to get to the Greek Restaurant, Village Taverna, on University Place in Greenwich Village where we are to meet our friends. Taxi or subway? Bob wants us to leave at 11:35 for a 12:30 meeting?

      "Ok you win," Bob admits as I almost immediately hail a cab on 49th and 7th. And we stand in front of the Taverna for a half hour smelling the plangent aromas of Greek delicacies until John just retired from St. Peter's English department and Greg 2 years retired as an international lawyer arrive looking almost as they did 40 years ago except for grey hair. They've walked here from their condo on lower Fifth Avenue which they've had for . . . 40 years. Once seated we are soon joined by Larry who retired four years ago as math professor at St. Peter's and now lives in one of those fancy condos in Jersey City looking out at the New York skyline. (No such luxury existed there when I was growing up.) We all order Moussaka (Greg and Larry vegetarian, John and me with meat) except for Bob who has the better of the deal with Pasticio--layers of pasta, ground beef covered in bechemel sauce and like the Moussaka served in a "traditional clay pot".

JOHN AND BOB SHARING MEMORIES

Very pleasant being with our old friends. Bob later compliments me on keeping the conversation lively, not hard when I get to talk about myself as I do here when I tell of my (frankly tenuous) relationship to Allison Bechdel's Fun Home.

We cab it back (again not difficult to hail one on 14th Street), fast refresh before scurrying to 53rd Street for the 1st show of the day.

MAY DAY PRO-IMMIGRATION PROTESTERS

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at The Broadway. 3 pm.

This production directed by Bartlett Sher and starring Danny Burstein as Tevye. All those old chestnuts, If I Were a rich man, Sunrise Sunset sung and danced (brilliantly with great verve--not since Spring Awakening have we seen such kinetic energy on display--here hassids twirling and Cossack's kicking). Burstein is more of an actor's Tevye than his predecessors and that's to the good and consistent with Sher's concept--to emphasize the story of family life (Tevye's daughters will defy "tradition" and marry a poor man, a radical and a non-Jew) and of oppression under the Cossacks--my parent's story--as they are expelled from Anatevka. A great musical from the golden age of musical theatre.

We have virtual minutes to race to the Tkts booth and run up to the condo for our next theatre opportunity, this one about ten blocks away.

STRAIGHT 7 pm @ The Acorn on 42nd Street, part of a theatre complex we've frequented frequently.

As we approach the ticket taker, he says "Straight? I guess that's kind of presumptuous of me." (Yes this is a multi-theatre complex but I note he does not say that to anyone else.) Bob and I find this play arresting enough to keep us occupied discussing it all the way back to the condo. Simple concept (Bob says too simple and could have been dealt with in one of those ten/fifteen minute plays I write) of a 26 year old man torn between his girlfriend and the younger guy he tricks with. Bob feels the central actor was inauthentic, didn't emphasize the pain of his dilemma (still in the closet) of having to give himself a label and that his girlfriend should have known better. I try to justify these things as the playwright probably did to himself (we stick together we playwrights) but I have to admit . . . Anyway glad we added Straight to our theatre arsenal this go around.

Weather not so bad as it was vaunted to be allowing us to walk the 9 or ten blocks without great discomfort from the theatre to Food Emporium so we won't starve. (Not bloody likely.) And the prepared meatballs and pasta meal will hit the spot.

RAINY DAY

GRANTCHESTER on PBS Masterpiece. Even in New York we can catch a favorite series (and one sponsored by San Diego wealthy worthies).

MONDAY MAY 2

A leisurely morning with nothing inked on our schedule before an evening play, Blackbird. This permits us to upgrade the usual bagel and cream cheese breakfast with some fruit so as to avoid scurvy. I get to do my prescribed rehab exercises, my props being a towel for table slides, pulleys hanging from the fridge for stretches, and a broomstick (from a well-supplied condo) for floor lifts.

Our essential trek to the Time Warner complex yields another favorite, PORTERHOUSE and its $28 park view 3-course lunch, though I'm the one with  the park view. I promise Bob a photo; he says that's ok, not as though he hasn't seen it. Monday is a good day for Porterhouse.

The wine, a $45 Johnson Family Pinot we think is from the Wilaimette Valley in Washington so we drink to my play which will be performed there; then discover it's from the Sonoma Coast. Oh well. It's awfully good. My light minestrone is unique, fresh vegetables, quite good as is Bob's Caesar salad. "Lovely". We are in the bosom of the plutocracy and enjoying it.

The guys across the way--looks like one recruiting the other. Apparently it's obvious "progressive digitalization " will be the future". Children 14 and 11. He gives them 20 minutes a day as does his wife, a family physician. Must stop eavesdropping. Not.

Our steaks, to die! "It puts to shame the expensive steaks we had with our ladies group downtown." Soft as buttah.

My cheesecake? Mwah! "Amazingly good" says Bob taking a taste. Bob's molten chocolate cake. "Very 60's but it's good." I don't know how it could be much better sayeth I.

Group of apparently Jewish ladies who lunch near our table. Bob hears "Sinatra", but I hear "box of matzo". One of us is more attuned to the Jewish idiom.

BLACKBIRD 8:30 pm.

At the beautious Belasco theatre (where I toiled as a Shubert Fellow), "You don't need your jacket to go to the toilet." That's our favorite usher. To Bob. "Did you hear me say that? I'm gonna get arrested." Then we see Michelle Lee (of See Saw fame; we saw her in The Allergist's Wife). She looks marvelous. Our usher lady tells us that she's really the Booth Theatre usher and Hughie there with Forrest Whittiker closed abruptly. (Apparently he--movie actor--kept going up on his lines.)

As to the play--essentially a confrontation between a rape victim--Michelle Williams terrific despite review saying she started at too high a neurotic level--and her rapist when she was twelve years old, Jeff Daniels. It's very powerful. The performers work at a very high level of intensity. (Bob notes that Williams looked drained at the curtain call.) There's  the ambiguity that she at 12 asked for it and he was not a child molester but there was real attraction and the revelation that he has a stepchild of twelve. Heady stuff. Bob rightly notes that we've seen some terrific theatre this go around. "Not uppers" as our friends reminded us at brunch on Sunday.

Home for TV politics (on the eve of the Indiana primary) drinks, cheese and the last remnant of pie.

TUESDAY, MAY 3

This time we've added jelly to our usual breakfast of bagel and cream cheese.

TONY NOMINEES ANNOUNCED--WE'VE NOW SEEN MOST OF THEM

And the news on Indiana primary Election Day, will Trump trump Cruz as polls suggest; Hillary or Bernie? Trump accuses Cruz's father of assisting in Kennedy's assassination. What next?

THE NAKED COWBOY--A B'WAY FIXTURE

AS IS JUNIORS

 

After attempting to get confirmation from the limo company (successful only as a text) we select JUNIORS on 45th next to the Shubert Theatre for today's lunch. (The place must be a madhouse on matinee days--not so today).  

. No wait for our bud lights and pastrami sandwiches (Going all Jewish for this event). The pastrami is good but not the best and the rye bread could be better. Nevertheless we escape for $50.--not bad these days.

Then the shopping spree ensues. First while the charming Asian boy sales clerk chats Bob up I select a Very colorful Swatch watch for myself and then in the M&M store at the base of our building-great fun--we personalize a cup of m & m's for our wonderful assistant "Don!" Each colored M&M bearing his name and the appropriate mark of exclamation.

VOILA! EACH M&M HAS DON'S NAME IMPRINTED

SHOPETH TIL WE DROPETH

STRETCHING THINGS

Returning home, we have a cookie and wonder what to do.

A walk. Heading to the eastside as the rain and cold assaults us, sense prevails and back to the coziness of our condo with its giant window on New York and the tv's little window into the miasma of current politics.

RESTING THINGS

LINCOLN CENTER

YES, THAT KOCH. BROTHER!

BALLET BOYS AND GIRLS

 

NEW YORK CITY BALLET 7 pm. Cocktails and we're off at 6:30 for a walk uptown to Lincoln Center. "Glad we're getting some culture this trip," says Bob as if 9 plays aren't "culture".

Since these are TDF member cheap tickets we're in the to row of the third ring (of hell I say--actually seats against the wall offering the pano view have their virtues).

     This will be a varied program--we passed on Sylvia---Bournonville Divertissements choreographed by one August Bournonville consisting of a Ballabille, Pas de deuc, pas de six and a Tarantella (who doesn't like a tarantella?). Then Jerome Robbins' "Moves: A Ballet in Silence" (I've seen it several times--it's a classic of modern dance--beautiful to watch; followed by Balanchine's Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux danced by Ashly Isaacs and Chase Finlay unclad and brilliant; and finally Balanchine's choreography of Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements danced by Tiler Peck and Ramar Ramarsar. Marvelous. The discipline of these great bodies defying gravity.

MAGICAL NEW YORK

Walk back like the old New Yorkers we are (I mean we were). And sandwiches, soup and drinks await. It's Trump (suddenly the nominee) and everyone's head is spinning.

WED MAY 4

10 PERFORMANCES. NOT A RECORD!

Leaving day means packing.

Our car appointment is 1:30 so we set out to forage for food at 11:30 at a place I find recommended on the blog of our last visit. It was very popular, "Eat"and its on the web. But when we arrive at 53rd and 9th we find its closed (such is the state of the restaurant business) so after passing countless bars and grills on 9th we wind up at default THALIA. Bob Chardonnay and very pleased with his skirt steak salad with its light vinaigrette dressing and I with their specialty vodka cucumber drink (although it's tiny) and of course the burger. By 12:30 the place is full, mostly ladies who lunch before their matinee.

And there's our limo, our driver Muhammad, a few minutes early. Yea.  That's god 'cause it takes 25 minutes through midtown traffic just to get to the Queens midtown tunnel. Our plane leaves at 5 so no worries anyway.

It takes almost an hour to get to the airport--but relaxing. And we head directly to and zip through our PSA pre-check security and discover the wonder of having our check-in pass on our mobiles. Now we know--if we can remember.

Straight to the lounge which is complimentary with our American Express Platinum with a  $20 credit for our drinks (or food if we must and we mustn't).

Our JetBlue flight assistant is a major hunk.

That bodes well for a pleasant flight. Seats much more comfortable than American. And he totes carriers of drinks over his head with ease. Kudos to JetBlue for providing this specimen and at the same time hiring the other flight attendant, a grossly obese woman whose hips dangerously encroach on the passengers as she bustles down the aisle.

FAMILIAR SCENE. HOME AGAIN JIGGITY JIG.