Last August, Allen, Susan and I gave Mom a trip to New York City for her birthday. We treated her to a flight and a ticket to the Broadway show, South Pacific. Who knew that as part of the weekend, I’d discover my new favorite Broadway show!
When Mom, Susan and I arrived, we immediately jumped in for a cab ride to the city – I wish I had gotten Mom’s expressions of terror on camera as the driver wove in and out of traffic! – and got settled at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square (thank you Marriott Rewards!). We were in the hotel room mere minutes before Mom launched into one of her famous…infamous?...commentaries on people of other races, nationalities and religions. This weekend’s doozy had to do with homosexuals. Oh boy.
As she’s flipping through an issue of New Yorker magazine, she began to recount how, when she was in Canada in August, Brian Gelfand (married to my cousin Sarah Patrick) asked her questions about the Mormon Church’s stance on homosexuals and gay marriage. She told Susan and I that he wasn’t asking in an accusatory or rude way, but that she started to feel defensive about the church’s position on gay marriage, as well as her own beliefs about homosexuality.
She then said, “Here I am reading in this magazine about how Iraqis treat homosexuals and I don’t think I’m that bad. The Iraqis execute homosexuals in the street.” Nice. That’s a really high bar my mother has set for her beliefs. After Susan and I picked ourselves off the floor from laughter/horror, we pointed out that while she might be proud of her liberal-mindedness, she probably shouldn’t offer into conversations that at least she doesn’t think homosexuals should be assassinated! Oy vey.
We finally put together a game plan for the weekend and we set off to buy tickets for a Broadway show. We decided to see West Side Story, which was performing across the street from the hotel. I’d never seen the play – in fact, I don’t think I’ve seen the movie – so I enjoyed it, but I thought the singing wasn’t as strong as it could have been. Still, it was a fun performance and one I’m glad I was able to see. When we all exited the theater, the three of us laughed that we’d each forgotten about the ending. We were all waiting for a big musical finale – quite the disappointment when the finale is a devastated girl bending over her murdered lover. There’s not really a way to make that scene a foot-tapping song-and-dance number!
On Saturday morning, we hit the ground running and set off for a brunch place that Susan’s friend had recommended. How I’ve been traveling to New York for 15 years and never learned about Max Bender’s is a mystery. Suffice to say, it’s now on my forever radar and I’ll be journeying back. Essentially, it’s a chocolate shop that serves chocolate with some food on the side. We went for brunch and stuffed ourselves silly just by reading the menu. Dozens of hot and cold drinks, desserts, appetizers and whimsical meals, each with some variety of chocolate. Yum!
Mom immediately ordered a chocolate milk; I ordered a milk hot chocolate with Italian cream (let’s just say, the hot chocolate was a bit better than a Swiss Miss mix!); but Susan had no idea what to order!
As an appetizer, we split a toasted bagel with a melted chocolate bar and peanut butter. Hello. That can be replicated at home! Mom ordered waffles; Susan ordered a Panini with cocoa-dusted French fries; and I ordered a Mexican egg scramble that came with a small dish of melted chocolate. It was the damnedest thing I ever tasted. It was like a Lindt chocolate ball had been melted down and placed beside my eggs. It sounds nasty, but it ain’t!
After brunch, we walked…waddled?...around the Grammercy Park area and then jumped a cab to the Brooklyn Bridge. Mom had never seen the bridge and was interested in walking across.
We made it about halfway across and enjoyed beautiful views of the East Side, Battery Park, Brooklyn, and we even caught a fleeting glance of the Statue of Liberty.
After some time on the bridge, we jumped another cab (no subways for the Shelden Women!) and headed into Central Park to enjoy the weather and changing leaves. It was such a beautiful fall day – one I was very grateful for since the last time Mom went to New York it poured for five days straight. She definitely appreciated the opportunity to see the city without having to wrestle with coats and an umbrella.
We then walked down 5th Avenue and did some damage in Henri Bendels. I don’t know why I like Bendels so much, but I do. I always find some little nic-nak in there that I like. After we each dropped $100, we made a quick visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and then jumped another cab to the Upper West Side, where we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Pomodoro. It’s an easy Italian restaurant that always delivers good food.
Finally, we were off to the main event – South Pacific at Lincoln Center. As soon as the lights dimmed and the music began, I knew we were in for a treat. It was such a beautiful production and I soaked it all in. During one of the opening numbers, “There’s Nothing Like a Dame,” which is sung by two dozen Navy seamen, I knew I was hooked. I could actually feel myself smiling and leaning forward as if I were a little girl begging for more. ” Yes, and then what happens??” I was hungry for more and more. It didn’t hurt that half of the men on stage were yummy or that our seats were fantastic. We were practically on stage with the actors. I announced to Mom and Susan during Intermission that I had just discovered my new favorite Broadway show and Susan concurred. It was well worth the money, and fortunately Mom loved it too. Happy Birthday!
On Sunday, we woke up and did something a little different. We rented a car and drove two hours to Hyde Park, NY to visit the FDR Presidential Museum and Library. I’m on a kick to see presidential libraries – the Reagan and Nixon Libraries in September, and now the FDR in October. Where will I go in November??
We all really enjoyed the museum and the grounds. The museum had a lot of interesting information and belongings of both FDR and Eleanor, including his Oval Office desk, convertible car, and his library as he left it the day he died. The FDR presidential library is the only library in the National Archives system that was actually used as a library/office by a sitting president. The building was part of the Roosevelt’s Springwood Estate and FDR used it as his office when he was home from the White House. It was pretty interesting to see the furniture, art and books from that period.
The tour also included a visit into his childhood and adult home, Springwood. It’s a beautiful manor on the grounds of the library that has been well restored. While we weren’t able to take photos, we were able to explore much of the home, including the front foyer, which had an abundance of art and stuffed birds; library, which was chock-full of books and leather furniture; the dining room and sitting room; and FDR’s mother’s private study. We then went upstairs and visited the bedroom suites, including FDR’s childhood bedroom. The house sits on the banks of the Hudson River, so with the changing fall leaves, we were treated to beautiful view when we exited the home.
Unfortunately, we had to cut our day short to return to the airport, but I’d be interested in going back one day to visit Top Cottage, which is where FDR planned to retire and where he hosted a series of state leaders and diplomats; Kill Devils Cottage, which was Eleanor’s home both during her marriage (apparently she needed to escape FDR’s infidelities) and after his death; and the neighboring Vanderbuilt mansion.
All in all, it was a great birthday weekend for Mom. We were able to see some great sights in the city, enjoy two Broadway shows, eat until we were happy, explore Central Park, spend a little money and get out into the country. A successful New York weekend!
Today I became an official resident of Arlington, Virginia....again! A couple of weeks ago I found a really nice 3-level townhouse in Fairlington that has a living room, dining room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a family room, a kitchen and an outdoor patio. I love it!!
I picked up my Penske rental truck from Dave Osborne last night and pulled it in front of 4720 29th Street South in Fairlington this morning at 7am. I had two movers from Two Guys and a Truck show up at 8am and 2 1/2 hours later, all of my boxes were in the house and the Great Unpacking Adventure began!
