Terra Blues
With our bellies full and all time restrictions gone, we were able to
slow down the pace a bit. We casually headed over to Broadway for a
show and were lucky enough to snag tickets to Say Goodnight Gracie,
a heart warming story about the life and career of actor George Burns.
Once inside the theatre, we found our seats and got comfortable.
Then Agent J started looking around and noticed that, lo and behold,
Mr. Soap Star from that morning was sitting next to us! Agent J was
all excited, but I was pretty creeped out. I was under the impression
that unless you're looking for them, and if you're a visitor to NY, the
chances of running into the same person twice is one in a million (and
you could probably quadruple that number if it happen to be someone
notable.) Thoughts of running into that weird guy from the club the
night before started running through my head and I had a bad feeling
that maybe I shouldn't have been so rude to him.
However, I able to bravely squash down those fears when Agent J
began to coax me into striking up a conversation with Mr Soap Star's
daughter, who was sitting next to me. I was on that opportunity in a
heartbeat... Just being able to talk to a New Yorker was reason enough
for me! And it was great because they were very nice people, and they
seemed to be just as happy to be chatting as we did. I did find it funny,
though, that good ol' Rule Number One went right out the window the
minute Agent J wanted to talk to someone.
Then it was showtime! Now, I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to be very impressed. Like most people my age, I thought I knew all there
was to know about George Burns, (Hey! I saw Oh God!) but boy-o-
boy, I couldn't have been more wrong. The story follows his life from
the time he was child and started his career by singing with his friends,
through his marriage to Grace Allen, to the time when he had to start
his life over after Grace's death... and beyond (OooOooOoo.) The
whole show was beautifully written, and Frank Gorshin (probably
known best for his role as The Riddler on Batman) Was George Burns.
Our seats for the show were far enough away from the stage that we
couldn't make out the small details, but Mr Gorshin's mannerisms and
voice were so perfect that it was almost spooky. I don't think I've ever
laughed, or cried, so much in my entire life!
After the show we waited around outside for an
autograph -which Mr Gorshin so graciously supplied!
I was amazed by his kindness and generosity. I knew
he had to be tired and he probably just wanted to go
home and go to bed, but yet, he was still an absolute
gentleman. Which, unfortunately, that seems to be a
quality that most popular performers lack.
Later, we headed over to Barrymore's for dessert and coffee.
Agent J said the place was a favorite hotspot for the Broadway
performers, but I didn't see any famous people. I suspect she
was having more fun with me. I can't complain though,
Barrymore's has some great desserts and even better coffee!
Sound like a full day yet? It was! But that wasn't the end of
Our day! Of course we had to go out for drinks after dessert.
(Can't go to sleep on a full stomach, ya know!) So we
wondered around town for a while looking for a good spot to
hole up and finally found this place called Terra Blues. It was
a nice little place and the band was great! We were able to talk
and just relax for a while... All in all, a perfect ending to a
wonderful day.
Agent J's Band Rehearsal,
Ellen's Stardust Diner
Day 4 started out with breakfast at yet
another diner. This time, for a change of
pace, we had omelets. It was delicious, but
I have to admit, I started to get seriously
sick of friggin' eggs! I am thoroughly con-
vinced that every form of nourishment in
NY is provided by chickens! Either the
meat or the eggs. I don't understand how
this could be, but I suspect it's because all
those New Yorkers with rooftop gardens
are secretly growing chickens up there.
After breakfast, this trip took its darkest turn as we visited the site where the WTC once stood. Granted, I wasn't expecting to feel all warm and cozy when we arrived, but I also wasn't expecting the almost overwhelming sadness that I felt. In fact, it would be hard to explain all the emotions that went through me, and to be quite honest, I don't even want to try.
So we'll just leave it at that.
We headed towards Seaport from there,
stopping along the way to shop, of course.
What better way to dispel the sadness than
the mindless act of spending? It actually
took a few hundred dollars, but the feeling
did eventually begin to fade.
The Seaport area is very nice. There were
a lot of faces with smiles, and the view of
the city skyline from the dock was breath-
taking. We were finally able to enjoy the
slower pace we had set for the day.
From Seaport, we worked our way back
uptown, checking out some popular places
along the way... We had coffee at the
Trump building (cool waterfall!) I got a
blister on my foot at the Plaza Hotel (sucky
restrooms!) And I finally got my picture
taken in front of Tiffany's (man I love that
movie!) Then it was time to head back to
the hotel room to get ready for another very
special evening.
We started the evening out with dinner at Dallas BBQ, where we had -You Guessed It-
chicken. I swear, I don't know who these people thought they were feeding, but our
portions of chicken, fries and cornbread were HUGE... And that was after a soup and
salad! "Texas-sized meals"? Boy, I'll say! They brought us enough to feed a small army! The food was very good there, however, and we did our best at polishing off our plates.
It was just too bad that we couldn't take the leftovers home...
After dinner, we waddled over to The Studio where I had the extreme pleasure of getting to hear
Agent J rehearse with her band, Heartless! This was to be the other highlight of the trip, but Agent
J made it even more special by giving me the chance to sit in for her drummer (which lasted all of
two seconds! "It'll be Easy," she said. "It's just a simple 4 beat," she said. "You can do it," she said.
Yeah, right! And somewhere over the rainbow pigs sprout wings and fly, too!) I still had a lot of
fun trying, though, and when their infamous drummer finally showed up, I had a new found
respect for his talent.
Once everyone got settled in and they started playing, it was clear to see that even though they're
considered amateurs, this group is definitely a bar above the rest. Agent J's voice as she sang all my
favorite Heart songs was more beautiful and powerful than most "professionals" I've heard, and the
guys were right there with her with their top notch playing. (Now, at this point, I could go on and
on about how Great they sounded, because they Did! But to be quite honest, Agent J is not just
some passing acquaintance, she's a good friend, and frankly, I'm afraid that if I say too much, I'll
send her on an ego trip that I'll Never hear the end of! So let's just say... ) I consider it a real honor
that they would let me watch them rehearse, and I'm looking forward to seeing them perform Live
this summer!
Love Ya J!
It's started raining on my last night in NYC.
So after rehearsal, Agent J and I just took our
time roaming around Times Square. Getting
dressed up and hitting the clubs didn't seem
like much of an option, and I suspect we were
both a little too tired to be dancing, anyway.
Which was probably a good thing, otherwise
we would have missed getting to see Antonio
Banderas and Melanie Griffith coming out of
the theatre after doing his Broadway Show,
Nine!
people around in his carriage...
But it did!
We later went to this 50's style diner called Ellen's Stardust. If anyone can top the excitement of
Antonio, it would be the dancing and singing waitstaff of Ellen's! Their enthusiastic antics can
make something so mundane as eating a piece of pie seem special!
In retrospect, I would have to say that one of the things that impressed me the most about New
York City is the high concentration of pure talent. Whether known or unknown, the city is full of
talented people who are working hard to achieve their dreams, and who clearly have a passion for
the arts, not just "stardom". It was very inspiring and deeply touching,
and I wouldn't trade this experience for the world!
Visiting New York was definitely one of the best vacations I've ever taken, and I would like to
thank Agent J for all her hard work at planning our trip and for making it so memorable.
You're a true friend J!
I'd also like to thank the members of TSO that performed at the Cutting Room for putting on
such an Awesome show, and for being such good sports where their psycho fans are concerned.
And finally, I'd like to thank the wonderful city of New York... Just for being you!
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