Thursday, April 21, 2011

NYC 2011 ... Kayti's Best-Ever Spring Break!

Kayti & I went to New York City for spring break again this year.

We did some old favorites ... rode the ferris wheel in Toys R Us, ate oatmeal at Jamba Juice, shopped at the NBC Store, ate a delicious dinner at the Brooklyn Diner (sat where Dermot Mulroney, Neil Patrick Harris and Al Roker sat), and spent hours in the Strand Bookstore.

BUT THIS YEAR, we saw the "Addams Family" on Broadway (great music, loved Wednesday). We also went up to the Top of the Rock.

And ate soft pretzels on the street corner (our favorite lunch!).
And bought some very cool boots at Urban Outfitters.
And on Monday, we met cousin Steven for dinner at Serendipity for great conversation and Frozen Hot Chocolate. Steven attends Columbia and is Kayti's movie mentor. He brought Kayti an advertisement for a new play, "The Normal Heart," opening on Broadway Tuesday night, starring none other than Kayti's favorite actor, LEE PACE, along with Jim Parsons from "The Big Bang Theory" and Ellen Barkin.

To make an amazing long story short, Tuesday morning Kayti and I got last minute, just-releasaed tickets for the opening night of "The Normal Heart" ... seats typically saved for producers ... in the second row! The show was the best we've ever seen. It was the true, moving, profound and awe-inspiring story of the brave men and their doctor who first experienced the outbreak of AIDS in New York City and it was something we will never forget.

Of course, we will also never forget the opportunity to get autographs after the show...
AND PHOTOGRAPHS with LEE PACE (Oh. My. Goodness. Kayti could barely breathe after this ... and rightfully so!)

On our last day, we saw "La Cage Aux Folles" (fun, fun!) and ended our trip with a stop at one of our favorite NY retreats, Bryant Park, where we were moved by the Empire State Building shrouded in fog.
It was our best trip to date. We've got the hang of it now ... how to get around, how to schedule (or not) our nights and days, and where to stay, eat, and shop. And, most importantly, how to find the stars after the show!