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South Street Seaport

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Heading to a concert at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport recently, I was pleasantly surprised to find the area vibrant and busy – people were eating, drinking, there was a DJ outside playing music as people danced, all with spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge on one side, and an enormous four-masted schooner, the Pioneer, on the other. With the Fulton Street fish market having moved to the Bronx in 2005, the area no longer has a pervasive piscine smell, and the new shopping area that opened in 2018 mixes a variety of shopping and dining choices next to one of the oldest bars in the city (The Paris Cafe, from 1873) and the South Street Seaport Museum, one of several that make up America’s National Maritime Museum. Here’s what this revitalized mix of old and new in lower Manhattan has to offer.

Entering the Seaport area from Fulton Street as it dead ends on the East Side, right away the lighthouse and cobblestoned streets give one notice that you are entering one of the original areas of Manhattan settled by Europeans. In 1625, the Dutch West India Trading Company built the first pier nearby, and the port was a focus of trade with England. During the Revolutionary War, the port was occupied by the British for several years, and after the war many merchants returned to England, marking a slump in the Seaport’s fortunes. But by the mid-19th Century the port was booming again. Many of the buildings burned to the ground in a fire in 1835 but it recovered quickly and was at its peak as a maritime trading center again by 1850. Such history in this area, and you can sense it as you walk on cobblestoned streets past low brick buildings.

It’s also important not to forget that New York City had a market near here, between Water and Pearl Streets, in the early 18th Century for selling enslaved persons captured from Africa. We in NYC often choose not to look on this part of our history, but in 1730 42% of people in the city had enslaved persons, a higher percentage than any other city other than Charleston, SC. At this time in the city’s history, between 15 and 20% of the population was enslaved, and enslaved people literally built the city and fueled the economy that made the city run. There is a plaque nearby first installed in 2015 that reminds us of this, see it and read more here. I also highly recommend reading the 1619 Project from the New York Times to learn about this aspect of the city’s history.

The South Street Seaport was home to the Fulton Fish Market until it moved to the Bronx. Now with formerly commercial buildings turned into restaurants and bars, this area has become a very popular place to gather in the evenings. The new Jean-Georges development, Tin Building, just opened this month, and has everything from full-service restaurants and a wine bar to food to-go and a culinary shopping marketplace.

It wouldn’t feel like the Seaport if you didn’t have lovely ships to gaze at (and you can pay to visit or even take a sail on some of them). Check out the Clipper City if you want to go on a sunset sail. The Wavertree, a wrought iron tall ship typical of those that would have filled the Seaport in the mid 19th Century, and a few other ships can be visited as part of your ticket to the South Street Seaport Museum.

Industry Kitchen, under the FDR drive, has great views and I have enjoyed dining there on several occasions.

There’s an ipic movie theater and lots of shopping in the more recently developed sections of the South Street Seaport. Ipic has reserved stadium seating and food and drink service to your seat, like my personal favorite Alamo Drafthouse (which now has a theater near the Seaport in the Financial District to add to their original location in Brooklyn).

The view as you walk around the Seaport next to the East River encompasses Brooklyn, lower Manhattan, and the Brooklyn Bridge. When I was there a DJ was playing music and people were dancing in the open spaces with this view as a backdrop (see my Instagram video here).

I was at the Seaport a few weeks ago for a concert at Pier 17 (Nick Lowe opening for Elvis Costello). Having been to two concerts there before lockdown, I was happy to see that the magic of this space for a concert venue is unchanged. When there aren’t concerts happening, you can go up to this space for drinks and enjoy the views as well.

The South Street Seaport is a part of New York City that reflects on its history – good and bad – and is adapting to serve the needs of the 21st Century. I was taken by the vibrancy of the area when there a few weeks ago, and it reminded me in some ways of the area around One World Trade, which has completely transformed itself over the past decade to be a destination area for entertainment, shopping and nightlife. And like that area, there are new development residential condo buildings being built to keep people in lower Manhattan after work hours are over (or work-from-home hours!). 130 William, near the Seaport, is an important new development designed by famed British-Ghanian architect, Sir David Adjaye. Such a project would have been unimaginable even ten years ago, but is now part of this neighborhood which, as New York City constantly reminds us in so many ways, is evolving and will continue to do so.

Rise New York

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Have you ever been on the Disney ride “Soarin'”? It started out as “Soarin’ over California” at Disneyland’s California Adventure Park, and then a duplicate was installed at Disney World in Florida. You sit in a large device that simulates the experience of hang gliding while watching a large-format screen, originally showing scenes of different places in California, synching the visuals, movement, and even scents to create a sensory experience that I quite enjoy. (The visuals have been changed to fit the concept of soaring over the world, and now the ride in both American parks simulates flying over the Taj Mahal, an island in Fiji, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Great Wall of China, etc. There are also different versions of the ride now in Disney Parks in Tokyo and Shanghai which I have not yet experienced, but I digress . . .) Why am I discussing this Disney ride on a blog primarily about NYC? The answer is because there is a new venue in the Times Square area that culminates in what I can only accurately describe as “Soarin’ over New York City.” Well, of course I had to try it, and here is what I experienced.

Rise NY is located at 160 W 45th St, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, and is open every day beginning at 10 AM, until 8PM on most nights but until 9PM on Fridays and Saturdays. There are timed tickets available in advance, and walk-up tickets subject to availability. Although I went primarily for the ride, I was interested in the walk through history of New York, with a focus on Times Square, that was more extensive than I had guessed in advance.

After a simulated subway ride with introductory video, you walk through the initial history of the city and then through exhibits related to specific themes.

I hadn’t fully appreciated the importance of the development of the elevator brake to the development of Manhattan as we now know it, with skyscrapers, but it makes a lot of sense!

After an interesting display about the skyline, the next exhibit related to the entertainment industry, specifically television.

Given my own special interest in Broadway, I really enjoyed seeing the room devoted to its importance to NYC, with costumes and videos.

There were also areas devoted to the iconic Beatles performance at the Ed Sullivan show, the music scene including the Village People, and NYC in the movies (all video so I didn’t take photos).

After all these displays, the set-up for “Soarin’ over NYC” (OK, not its actual name but I can’t seem to think of it as anything else!). You go back in time to see the ball drop in Times Square in 1958 (although the ball has been dropped there since 1907, these were the early days of it being televised nationally).

Entering “Sky Studio,” we find ourselves in the same kind of simulator used for “Soarin'” with our items stowed – so once I had done that, I had no more photos of the experience.

Basically in the film accompanying the simulation, we are first watching the ball drop in the past. But a storm is coming! Lightning hits our perch and – wait for it – we travel forward in time and soar among the skyscrapers and icons of New York City. It’s fun, no doubt about it, if over in only a few minutes.

Is it worth going if you live here? I say yes but then again, I do everything! I learned a few things in the exhibit, and truly enjoyed the ride portion even if it is short. The price for this varies depending on the date, time, and whether you get VIP tickets (really just a “jump the line” pass), but count on about $30 for an adult with no discounts in 2022. This would be a fun thing to take visitors to when they come to NYC – you can do it all in about an hour, and it’s near Broadway theaters so you could fit it in before or after taking your guests to a show. And if you aren’t a New Yorker, I think this would be an enjoyable addition to a trip to NYC (just don’t forget to check out one of the observatories in the city, like Summit at One Vanderbilt, or the Edge at Hudson Yards). And if you are consumed with wondering what it would be like to hang glide over New York City, I am confident that this is a much more enjoyable – and safer! – alternative.

Steinway Tower: 111 West 57th Street

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Among the super-tall skyscrapers along “Billionaire’s Row” on 57th Street, it’s impossible to miss Steinway Tower, at 111 West 57th Street. It looks impossibly skinny, tapering dramatically (see below for a recent side view I took from Central Park West recently).

The skyscraper sits on top of the building that was Steinway Hall, a 16-story landmarked building that was the marquee showroom for Steinway pianos. The condominium is now closing on residences, some in the landmarked building but most in the tower. The idea of skinny “pencil towers” like the tower portion of 111 West 57th took off in Hong Kong in the 1970’s, and the mechanics of creating a stable building that is this high and this slender are so complicated that there is a documentary about the engineering of the building (you can find it here and it is really interesting!).

After watching this impossible skyscraper rise over the past several years, this month I was fortunate enough to see a model apartment on the 43rd floor twice, and even go up to the 76th floor to see a triplex penthouse still being finished. As you can see in the photo above, the tower is perfectly centered for a unparalleled view of the entire length of Central Park.

First, entering the lobby, the scale and grandeur of the design is clear. I loved how details like door handles echoed the iconic look of the tower.

In the tower, each apartment is at least one entire floor. As the building tapers, the penthouses become duplexes or triplexes. For the model apartment, a full floor, the elevator opens into the home, and looking to the north, the open living/dining/kitchen area features those full Central Park views.

Just as the door handles in the lobby reflected the silhouette of the tower, I loved that the cabinets in the kitchen resembled piano keys, another sly nod to the history of the site.

While I knew to expect the Central Park views, I was not expecting to see that the bedrooms with south views had such incredible NYC skyline views. I posted a few videos on Instagram from these rooms (see them here and here).

And the primary dressing room – with window – and bathroom with giant golden tub! I loved the bathroom so much I posted a video of it as well, and used one of my favorite songs to represent it (Jill Scott’s “Golden”). See a 360 degree view of the primary bathroom here.

Going up to the high-floor penthouse, the windows were dirtier since it’s still be finished, but the difference in the the view was pretty obvious.

It’s always fun to see a project when not finished yet, and imagine what it will be like when completed and filled with fabulous decor. This spiral staircase is going to be pretty dramatic.

And although I was not able to go outside, this penthouse has outdoor space! This is the view looking south. I believe the top penthouse has a wrap-around terrace with 360 degree views.

This full-service building also has a fabulous pool and large outdoor terrace for the use of residents. Let me know if you’d like me to make an appointment to show you this one-of-a-kind place to live in New York City.

Tony Nominations 2022

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The Tony Awards given out next month will represent Broadway’s lurching progress toward normalcy (with periodic covid positivity shutdowns continuing) after the pandemic shutdown from March 2020 to September 2021. The Tony Awards for the truncated 2019-2020 season were held last September, and also served as a way to promote the reopening of live theatre in New York City to a wider audience. Those awards were anything but typical, however, since many new musicals and plays open in the spring to capitalize on the Tony nominations and awards, and the shutdown occurred before many had been able to open. “Six,” for instance, was set to open the very night Broadway was closed (March 12, 2020). Because of the shortened season, some categories had no nominations at all (Best Revival of a Musical, for instance) and Best Actor in a Musical had only one nomination (Aaron Tveit – and while that is not a guarantee of winning as over 50% of voters need to actively vote yes instead of no, fortunately he did win!).

While this season again was an unusual period (to be eligible, shows had to open between February 20, 2020 and May 4, 2021), the time included encompassed the normal seasonality of openings and the Tony nominations for 2021-2022 are robust. Out of 34 eligible productions this year, 29 received at least one nomination (even “Diana” received a nomination in costume design). All categories are competitive, with one even having seven nominees, and several with six. Since I have seen the majority of the nominees, I thought I would weigh in a bit on the bigger categories, both with my own opinion and what the general buzz is.

New Play

“Clyde’s”

“Hangmen”

“The Lehman Trilogy”

“The Minutes”

“Skeleton Crew”

I think it’s going to be hard for anyone to beat “The Lehman Trilogy” here, and it would get my vote. The only new plays nominated here that are still running are “The Minutes” (which I saw in previews pre-pandemic when Armie Hammer was still in it) and “Hangmen” (which is set to close mid-June) so I don’t think that “Lehman” having only run last fall will be a factor against it.

Revival of a Play

“American Buffalo”

“For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf”

“How I Learned to Drive”

“Take Me Out”

“Trouble in Mind”

Again, it seems that “How I Learned to Drive” will be hard to beat, and it would certainly get my vote. Simply brilliant.

Actress in a Musical

Sharon D Clarke, “Caroline, or Change”

Carmen Cusack, “Flying Over Sunset”

Sutton Foster, “The Music Man”

Joaquina Kalukango, “Paradise Square”

Mare Winningham, “Girl From the North Country”

While I absolutely loved Carmen Cusack in “Flying Over Sunset” (check out the cast recording!) and Joaquina Kalukango is giving a bravura performance that is perhaps the best thing about “Paradise Square,” if I had a vote I would cast it easily for Sharon D. Clarke in “Caroline or Change.” This was a Caroline whose simmering anger over the state of her life boiled over in a thundering “Lot’s Wife.” It would be wonderful if they could bring her back to do this for the Tonys.

Leading Actor in a Musical

Billy Crystal, “Mr. Saturday Night”

Myles Frost, “MJ”

Hugh Jackman, “The Music Man”

Rob McClure, “Mrs. Doubtfire”

Jaquel Spivey, “A Strange Loop”

Rob McClure’s nomination here is the only one for “Mrs. Doubtfire,” Crystal and Jackman are the old pros, but I think this comes down to two newcomers in their first role on Broadway: Myles Frost and Jaquel Spivey. My vote would go for Spivey, who carried me through Usher’s journey with intelligence, heart, and tremendous vocals.

Featured Actor in a Musical

Matt Doyle, “Company”

Sidney DuPont, “Paradise Square”

Jared Grimes, “Funny Girl”

John-Andrew Morrison, “A Strange Loop”

A.J. Shively, “Paradise Square”

I posted the playbill from “Funny Girl” above because this category features its only nomination, and I am glad to see Grimes singled out. I will also note that I love John-Andrew Morrison in “A Strange Loop” and it was hard for him to stand out in the six excellent performances being given by Usher’s Thoughts (L. Morgan Lee was also recognized in Featured Actress). For me, though, this award has gone to Matt Doyle in “Company” from the first time I saw his bravura performance of “Not Getting Married Today” as Jamie (changed from Janie in the original) less than a week before Broadway shut down for the pandemic. I’ve seen it twice since and he never fails to dazzle me with his ability to make the lyrics so clean and acted out so clearly – while going so incredibly fast.

Featured Actress in a Musical

Jeannette Bayardelle, “Girl From the North Country”

Shoshana Bean, “Mr. Saturday Night”

Jayne Houdyshell, “The Music Man”

L Morgan Lee, “A Strange Loop”

Patti LuPone, “Company”

Jennifer Simard, “Company”

I’m glad to see L. Morgan Lee and Jennifer Simard recognized in this category, but Patti LuPone is just SO GOOD as Joanne in the revival of “Company” I would be unable to resist casting a vote for her.

Leading Actor in a Play

Simon Russell Beale, “The Lehman Trilogy”

Adam Godley, “The Lehman Trilogy”

Adrian Lester, “The Lehman Trilogy”

David Morse, “How I Learned to Drive”

Sam Rockwell, “American Buffalo”

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, “Lackawanna Blues”

David Threlfall, “Hangmen”

Look at this category – seven nominees! All three actors from “The Lehman Trilogy” are nominated, which might split votes and lead to none of them winning (although I could see Simon Russell Beale doing it). Sam Rockwell fully inhabited the character of Teach in “Buffalo.” But my vote would go to David Morse in “How I Learned to Drive.”

Featured Actor in a Play

Alfie Allen, “Hangmen”

Chuck Cooper, “Trouble in Mind”

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Take Me Out”

Ron Cephas Jones, “Clyde’s”

Michael Oberholtzer, “Take Me Out”

Jesse Williams, “Take Me Out”

Six nominees in this category, and no clear favorite. I would probably vote for Michael Oberholtzer in “Take Me Out,” although again, you have three nominees from the same play which might split that vote and lead to another actor taking the award.

Leading Actress in a Play

Gabby Beans, “The Skin of Our Teeth”

LaChanze, “Trouble in Mind”

Ruth Negga, “Macbeth”

Deirdre O’Connell, “Dana. H”

Mary-Louise Parker, “How I Learned to Drive”

All worthy performances, but I will be shocked if Mary-Louise Parker doesn’t win for “How I Learned to Drive.”

Featured Actress in a Play

Uzo Aduba, “Clyde’s”

Rachel Dratch, “POTUS”

Kenita R. Miller, “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf”

Phylicia Rashad, “Skeleton Crew”

Julie White, “POTUS”

Kara Young, “Clyde’s”

I put the picture of the “POTUS” Playbill above because two in the ensemble were nominated here. By the way, I agree with the recent article in The New York Times that the Tonys need an ensemble category – none of the wives in “Six” were nominated singly but as a group they might have won. I might vote for Rachel Dratch in “POTUS,” or Uzo Aduba in “Clyde’s” – but anyone could win here.

Revival of a Musical

“Caroline, or Change”

“Company”

“The Music Man”

I would vote for “Caroline,” but with it having been a limited run and closing just after New Year’s, sometimes it is harder to stay fresh in the Tony voters’ minds. If so, then I think “Company” will win – although it is possible that Marianne Elliott might win (deservedly) for best director and “Caroline” win for Best Revival.

New Musical

“Girl From the North Country”

“MJ”

“Mr. Saturday Night”

“Paradise Square”

“Six: The Musical”

“A Strange Loop”

Until “A Strange Loop” arrived this spring, my vote would have been for “Six,” which I saw twice before the pandemic and have seen three times since. But having seen “A Strange Loop” twice now this spring, it would have my vote for Best New Musical without any hesitation. I also hope that Michael R. Jackson, who has been working on this musical for about two decades, wins for best book of a musical. It is possible that “Six” might win for best score. “Girl From the West Country” also has some critical acclaim so I would say it is likely the only dark horse if this win doesn’t go to “A Strange Loop” or “Six.”

Notable Snubs

As mentioned before, the revival of “Funny Girl” garnered only one nomination, for Featured Actor. “Plaza Suite,” the revival of Neil Simon’s play starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, had no acting nominations. The lead of the revival of “Company, ” Katrina Lenk, was not nominated for Lead Actress. I don’t necessarily disagree with these snubs, but I would have liked to have seen “Flying Over Sunset” – flawed as it was, it also was often quite brilliant and certainly original -nominated for Best Musical over “Mr. Saturday Night” and “Paradise Square.”

The Tony Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 12, starting at 7pm on Paramount+ and continuing from 8-11pm on CBS. Hosted by Ariana DeBose, recent Academy Award winner and Broadway veteran, look for an abundance of musical numbers as Broadway hopes to lure the casual theatre-goer back. Whether casual or devoted, go support the Broadway community, so integral to the very spirit of New York City, and don’t forget the established productions that have made it back from the pandemic as well!

Top of the Rock – Sun and Stars

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I have blogged about going to One World Trade Observatory, to the Empire State Building Observatory at sunrise, to The Edge at Hudson Yards, and to the new kid on the block, Summit at One Vanderbilt (comparing day and night visits). There’s one last observatory to mention, Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. I went once during the day and again after dark, to see how the view changed. Here’s some information about going, lots of photos, and – at the end – my own thoughts on how all of these experiences compare.

You enter Top of the Rock from 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. As you get checked in and head for the elevator, there are various facts about Rockefeller Center and about what you will see from the observation area (some, like the exact number of taxis and people you will see, seem unnecessarily and inaccurately precise!).

There are three observation decks, inside on the 67th and 69th floors, and then an outdoor deck on the 70th floor. This outdoor deck has stone barriers to above waist level, but then no obstructions to open air and open views.

One of the advantages to not being on the Empire State Building or One World Trade, of course, is being able to see the same!

While the daylight views were enjoyable, to me the real magic was going back at sunset and watching the lights come on as night fell on New York City

The experience of being there and witnessing the city’s transformation can’t really be conveyed in words and photos. The best I can do is this series of photos showing the Empire State Building first in a shot taken during the day and then in several more beginning at twilight and ending at full darkness:

Which observation experience is the best? Hey, I loved them all! If you live here, don’t think you are above going to one of these to have a great time; and if you are visiting, try to work in a few different ones if you can. The Edge and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt are certainly the “cool kids” of the bunch. One World Trade has the best “reveal” – the elevator ride up is an integral part of the experience, and then the way you first see the view is in fact breathtaking. The Empire State Building is the classic of course, with the disadvantage that you can’t actually see the Empire State Building while on it! Top of the Rock is a classic and you can see all the iconic buildings from it. One World Trade is far south, so a better view of the Statue of Liberty but a more distant view of the midtown skyscrapers. The Edge is far west, which is why the primary views are oriented east and south. SUMMIT, Empire State Building, and Top of the Rock are all in midtown, so your views are more balanced in all directions. And The Edge and SUMMIT have the most fun “experiences” – especially, I would say, SUMMIT, which is basically an immersive art experience with views.

Finally, there is the issue of going during the day versus at night. I suppose you could argue that you “see the city better” during the day, but to me, the city transforms into its essential self when the unbiased glare of the sun is removed. Then New York City is allowed to show itself as it wants to be seen – lighting what it wants lit, leaving in darkness what it prefers to hide. To love the city as I do means being able to do the same on a daily basis – choosing to see this place as its essential essence and in the light of my own romanticized gaze. The romance of seeing the lights of the city at night from a lofty perch is a win in my book – who wants to go with me?

A Day In Napa

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I love living in New York City, but love travel as well. Over the past decade I have become more and more enamored with California – such a delicious change from NYC! Most of my trips to California have been to So Cal, although I have been to San Francisco several times and once enjoyed a delightful drive along the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Cruz to Los Angeles. However, until recently I had never gone to an area I have always had on my desired travel list – Napa Valley. And I love wine! I have no idea why it took me so long, but a few months ago I finally did it, even spending a birthday visiting three wineries and experiencing tastings. Was it worth it? Spoiler alert: a thousand times yes! I’ll post photos of what I did in case it inspires you to make such a trip. It also allows me to relive the experience until I can get back there.

My companion (my daughter!) and I drove to Napa from San Francisco (this was a side trip as part of a longer vacation in SF). The first day there we walked from our hotel (River Terrace Inn) along First Street and enjoyed walking into shops as well as visiting two tasting rooms. Vineyard 29 tasting room had a cool elegant vibe, delicious wines to taste, and gorgeous comfy green velvet couches to lounge on while tasting.

Mayacamas Tasting Room was a nice atmospheric change from Vineyard 29 – this felt a little darker, like being in the cellar at a winery. Our server spent a lot of time discussing the qualities of the soil and the process of fermentation.

Despite a foggy day, cocktails at the Archer Hotel Sky + Vine Rooftop Bar provided a wonderful way to start winding down. The Archer Hotel also has the delicious Charlie Palmer Steakhouse for a hearty dinner to balance out all the alcohol!

The next morning it was my birthday, and time to head out into the vineyards on what was a spectacularly clear and sunny day. It is possible, but unlikely, that you can get a day-of wine tasting at the most popular wineries, so my recommendation is to reserve well in advance (several months is not too soon!). Tastings are never free, but trust me, the experience will be worth the cost. We had a fairly hearty breakfast, and then our first Uber driver arrived. As an aside, there are several choices for transportation to wineries. You can of course take your own car, but unless someone in your group is abstaining from the tastings, this is not a safe option. You can hire someone to drive your car all day for you, or hire a car and driver for the day, or use ride share apps individually from each stop. The first two of those options are pricey, and the third can lead to delays if you can’t find an Uber/Lyft right away and you have your next appointment coming up. My daughter, who for my birthday gift had reserved all the tastings (keeping our itinerary a surprise!), also pre-booked Ubers to fit our schedule and it was the perfect solution. Each driver was waiting for us every time we finished at one place and were ready to go to the next.

The first stop of the day was Silverado Vineyards, founded by Ron and Diane Miller and her mother Lillian Disney (Walt’s wife) and still run by third and fourth generations of the family. This was a gorgeous estate, and after being welcomed with a glass of rose’ we had a few photos taken on the terrace overlooking the vineyards. Then we went into the tasting room, which had the vibe of a luxe yet cozy club, with a roaring fire, and a private table next to a window looking over the vineyards. The initial tasting was set, but over the course of the tasting our guide spent a lot of time discovering our personal taste and bringing us additional selections. I loved it here and was sad to go. I did order some wine to be shipped home, and it arrived surprisingly quickly (in less than a week).

The next appointment was for Stag’s Leap, the winery that put Napa on the international stage when its Cabernet Sauvignon won the judgement of Paris in a blind taste test in the 1970’s. Caution: be careful to look for Stag’s Leap rather than Stags’ Leap if you want the famous Cab! We heard the interesting story of the legend of the notch in the surrounding hills and the white stag that leapt over it, as well as the litigation that led to the decision that the area is named based on this legend and so it was not possible for Stag’s Leap to prevent another vineyard from using a deceptively close name. Since then, the two vineyards have become friendly and even released a joint wine named the Accord. Stags’ Leap makes a great Petite Syrah, but if you are looking for the Cab that beat French Bordeaux when no one believed the United States could make a world-class wine, you want Stag’s Leap.

The Fay tasting room is on ground level, so rather than looking off to the vineyards, you are looking directly at their Fay vineyard. Stag’s Leap has two areas with very different soil and drainage, S.L.V. and Fay. The tasting includes selections from both, including Heart of Fay, from the vines you are looking directly at. Our guide allowed us to go outside and walk to the edge of the vineyard while holding a glass, and it was wonderful to have that sense of place, tasting the end result of a process that started on the very ground you stand upon.

Our final stop of the day was Darioush. I loved how each of the vineyards we visited that day had a unique feeling and created a different experience. The exterior of Darioush feels like being in a fabulous European ruin! We were given a taste to enjoy while standing out among the vines, and then headed through cellars where barrels of wine were aging, into rooms with some of the owner’s acquisitions of great bottles from vintages around the world, and finally into an underground cozy room where we had a wine and cheese pairing. This was one of many different kinds of experiences offered at Darioush, and I truly enjoyed learning about the various pairings and how the right wine and cheese pairing compliments the experience of both.

What a splendid day, and an extremely memorable and enjoyable birthday! What took me so long to go to Napa? Don’t delay as I did if you enjoy wine and gorgeous surroundings. I definitely look forward to going back, as well as to trying Sonoma and perhaps even the Williamette Valley in Oregon for Pinot Noir tastings! Robert Louis Stevenson said “Wine is bottled poetry,” and who doesn’t want to drink a poem every now and then?

Sondheim at NYPL: “No One is Alone”

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When Stephen Sondheim died on November 26 of last year, we lost a towering figure in musical theatre. The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center quickly put together a pop-up installation of some of his correspondence from their archives, which proved to be so popular that they have recently enlarged it, adding set models from several of his musicals, and highlighting Sondheim’s interactions with collaborators. This exhibit will be on display through February 12, and if you are able to stop by, I believe it is well worth it (as with everything at the library, there is no charge). To me, the most interesting aspects were the way his playfulness and humor showed up in his correspondence with others. It’s easy to be so intimidated by someone’s talent that they seem more than human, but in this exhibition Stephen Sondheim’s personality and humanity shone through.

If you have never visited the Performing Arts Library, you need to put it on your radar. They often have very informative and entertaining displays about various areas of the performing arts. They also hold panel discussions and interviews with well-known artists. They are located just to the south of Lincoln Center Theatre. Bookmark their website!

The photos above show some of the additions made to the original display of Sondheim’s correspondence. The library has an interactive screen that allows you to go through and look at Playbills and production notes from many Sondheim musicals. In addition, they had an early design for a tree for Into the Woods, as well as early design sketches and models for the set design for Company and Follies.

On a screen, images of Sondheim with his collaborators, going all the way back to Gypsy and West Side Story, rotate through candid photos over the years.

The real heart of the display continues to be Sondheim’s correspondence, however.

Look at this thank you note to Broadway lyricist Betty Comden and her husband, “just A note” included!

I loved the personality shining through these notes to playwright Peter Stone and his wife, Mary. Given the date of the one on the left, he was presumably referring to A Little Night Music. After asking them whether they had seen it, he added,” If you adored it so much that you can’t keep away, come again as my guests. And if you didn’t like it, f*** off. Love, Steve.”

Here you can see lyrics written by Michael John LaChiusa in honor of Sondheim’s 80th birthday, and a congratulatory letter from Richard Rodgers to Sondheim on the opening of Company, with Sondheim’s reply (“no letter I have received on the show has meant more”).

I love these notes. In the upper right, he expresses thanks for the gift of a diary from Hal Prince and his wife, Judy, and then claims “I plan to do nothing whatsoever this year. Again.” In the upper left, he thanks them for a wire but says ” . . . we did get mugged. Surprise.” (Presumably, given the year, a bad review for Sunday in the Park with George?) And at the bottom, to Hal alone, notes on Sweeney Todd, which would have just opened a week before. After noting that the pies in the second act should look baked, and that the books coming down the chute when trying out the “special” barber chair should match the ones put in, he claims he dares not risk Hal’s wrath by giving the notes directly to the stage manager.

Stephen Sondheim won eight Tony Awards and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and has theatres named after him in both New York City and London. He died at the age of 91 on a Friday, after having seeing both a matinee and an evening show on Broadway on Wednesday, and celebrating Thanksgiving with friends on Thursday. A few days later – on a Sunday – the Broadway community gathered on the red steps in Times Square to celebrate his life (I was there, and posted a clip on Instagram that you can see here). As they sang “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George the word that rang out was “forever.” Just as the people immortalized in the painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat will be viewed forever, Stephen Sondheim – the icon, and the man – has changed musical theatre and will be remembered with respect and affection forever.

A look back at NYC filming locations for West Side Story (2021)

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I saw the new 2021 remake of West Side Story last week, and it made me think of when they were shooting some exterior scenes in Harlem. This was in the “before times” – before COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions -in the summer of 2019, July 13 and 14th. It was hot when they were shooting “America,” with temperatures in the 90’s. They had (I believe) wrapped that scene earlier on July 14th, and it was shot on St. Nicholas Avenue between 111th and 113th. As with most shots on location, when not actively filming, you are free to be in the area and look at exterior sets and equipment.

Old-fashioned telephone booth.
Partially covered set pieces; vintage magazine rack.
Gorgeous old cars!
How they get those fantastic shots zooming up over the dancers!
Equipment.
So difficult to shoot on location, but the result is worth it!

On E. 131st between Fifth and Lenox, there was signage about demolishing buildings to make way for Lincoln Center:

The film was enjoyable on so many levels, one of which being seeing so many Broadway stars on the big screen. Ariana DeBose (“Anita”), from the original company of Hamilton and on to A Bronx Tale and Summer; Mike Faist (“Riff”), from the original cast of Newsies to Dear Evan Hansen; even Brian d’Arcy James (“Officer Krupke” – unfortunately not a singing and dancing role!). with a long resume including Next to Normal, Shrek the Musical, Something Rotten!, and Hamilton. Sentimentally, my favorite was David Alvarez (“Bernardo”), who won a Tony Award in 2009 as one of the three original “Billys” in Billy Eliott the Musical. I remember taking my daughters, who were a little younger, to meet and have things signed by the three young men. It’s fantastic to see him giving such a vivid performance now as a grown man on the big screen.

Looking back on these photos, two-and-a-half years ago but feeling like much longer, it’s clear that the 2021 release of West Side Story involves not only time travel back to the time of the show but also to the time of the filming. Even now, with the film in theaters only, not everyone feels safe seeing it on the big screen with vaccines giving protection but a new variant of COVID-19 running rampant. When you can see this version of West Side Story, however, I do recommend you check it out as I greatly enjoyed it.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, day and night

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When One Vanderbilt, a commercial office building next to Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan, was completed, it soared to 1,401 feet and became one of the tallest 30 buildings in the world. So – of course they had to create a public observation area! But, with the icons like the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock, and newer competitors like One World Trade and The Edge at Hudson Yards, certainly the developers realized they needed to do something a little different when they opened last month. Having been twice, once during daylight and once after sunset, I can affirm that they succeeded in doing just that with SUMMIT at One Vanderbilt.

To get there, enter just to the east of the Grand Concourse at Grand Central Station. At this point (November 2021), there is a vaccination check before seeing a brief film and getting booties to cover your shoes (the reason for that becomes pretty clear once at the observation area). After scanning your tickets, you have two photos taken – one of your group as well as an individual photo of each. All digital photos are linked to a wristband with a QR code that you wear while experiencing SUMMIT.

You go up to the 91st floor in a very fast elevator, and immediately see what is different about SUMMIT once you walk onto the first observation floor. There are floor to ceiling windows and you walk on mirrors (when you reserve, they do recommend that you not wear a skirt, for pretty obvious reasons!). The experience of seeing up and down, seemingly endlessly, is striking.

And what can you see? First is a picture-perfect view of the Empire State Building to the south, and much farther south, One World Trade at a distance. To the east, you look DOWN (a bit disconcerting!) onto the Chrysler Building, and to the west you can look down onto the New York Public Library and the skating rink in Bryant Park, over Times Square, and toward Hudson Yards. To the north, you see Central Park and the super-talls on Billionaire’s Row. You can see the Statue of Liberty, and every bridge, from the Verrazzano-Narrows to the George Washington.

And for bonus activities, there is a room with Yayoi Kusana’s Clouds sculptures, a place to get your picture taken stepping out over the side of the building onto clear glass, with clear glass all around you (called, natch, Levitation), and a very trippy room filled with floating silver mylar globes called Air by Kenzo Digital (see some videos of what that is like here).

When you go up one more level, you can see down to the people entering on the mirrored floor in addition to seeing the views from one level up.

One more level up has a Danny Meyer cafe as well as an outdoor observation deck with clear barriers but open to the sky above.

Of course there is a gift shop!

But what is it like at night, and with the Ascent elevator and enjoying a signature Danny Meyer cocktail? I was back two weeks later for the entire experience.

I found the experience to be much more exciting and beautiful at night, so much so that I feel just posting some full-sized photos is enough to make my point.

I mean, a full moon didn’t hurt! Also, this time I was able to catch my face in the clouds (below), triggered by scanning your wristband and linking the individual photo you took earlier to a moving cloudscape in one of the rooms.

But what of the Ascent elevator? See above, for an extra price, you can stand in a clear glass elevator perched on the side of One Vanderbilt, go up even higher, have 90 seconds to take photos, and come back down. There is an enhanced ticket that you can get that includes the experience, the Ascent elevator, and a Danny Meyer cocktail (menu seen in a photo collage above). Did I enjoy the cocktail (I got the margarita) – of course, it was delicious! But do I think you necessarily need to pay for the Ascent plus cocktail to enjoy yourself? No – if you need to save a little money, just do Summit without any add-ons. Speaking of cost, tickets cost more at night than during daylight, with an extra surcharge for sunset times. There is a $5 per ticket discount for NYC residents. Find out more here.

I read a review of SUMMIT recently in Curbed (read it here) that called it “a ridiculous experience” and said it can’t replace enjoying NYC from ground level. Frankly, I think that misses the point. Of course the quintessential way to experience the city is to walk it (my first post was about just that). That doesn’t mean that it isn’t also tremendously enjoyable and exciting to see the city in a different way – and SUMMIT is a very different experience. Whether you are a New Yorker looking for a fun new sensory trip, or a visitor wanting to add to the ways NYC can wow you, I don’t think you will be disappointed if you decide to give SUMMIT a try.

The Academy Museum in Los Angeles

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For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed watching the Academy Awards on television every year – filling out a ballot (sometimes with a little wager involved), having a party, and dishing with friends and family starting with the red carpet arrivals through the bitter end of a ceremony that usually ended late enough to make getting up the next morning on Eastern time challenging. So when I heard that the new Academy Museum was opening just before a planned trip to Los Angeles, I purchased required timed tickets. And when I saw there was a virtual experience where you get to receive an Oscar, well, there was no way I would pass that up! I usually blog about NYC, since it’s where I live and work, but who doesn’t love the movies? Since it’s a new museum, it might help others to see my experience of visiting the Academy Museum in October of 2021.

We are still dealing with Covid, the first step was to show proof of vaccination and get a wristband showing you had been checked. Masks are required at all times as well. Then another check in to prove the timed tickets and get a second wristband to allow access to the areas of the museum beyond the ground floor, which is free to enter. The outside of the museum is gorgeous, the site of an old department store in a classic mid-century LA style. Behind it, a fabulous new annex holds theatres as well as an outdoor domed space with panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills – including the sign. To avoid having others in my photos, I went straight up to this level at museum opening.

This area is breathtaking, and I have no doubt that this part of the museum is going to become an iconic part of LA. To get from the main building to this area, you cross over the Barbra Streisand bridge, just past a display honoring women in the film industry from the early days to the present.

Hanging from above, a model of “Bruce,” the shark from Jaws . . .

There will be some permanent exhibitions, and other temporary ones. There is a temporary exhibition now that allows you to enter the world of Hayao Miyazaki. No photography was allowed in the exhibit, requested by Miyazaki, but it was delightful. In addition to storyboards, videos, and details about how films were made, there was a place to recline and look up to a beautiful animated sky, and another to rest under the lighted tree spirits of Totoro.

On the same floor, you could see a zoetrope with a scene from Toy Story. A zoetrope illustrates how individual photos (or in this case, actual figures) can give the illusion of continuous motion (see the entire sequence here.)

Another exhibition highlights the importance of backdrops, using the famed fake Mount Rushmore backdrop for the end of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. The exhibit also uses this as an opportunity to explore the issues involved with the monument itself and how it has been viewed by Native Americans for whom this area was of significant religious importance.

Another exhibition explores the development of moving pictures, from early attempts of entertainment using shadow play, through magic lanterns and peepshows through the Cinematographie Lumiere, the first successful film projector.

The foundational exhibit at the Academy Museum is Stories of Cinema, and it spans three floors of the main building. Items on display here will likely change over time, but are guaranteed to deliver an almost-overwhelming “wow” factor!

These artifacts generally need no description whatsoever, but there is always interesting background information included.

There were several “Rosebud” sleds used for the making of Citizen Kane, but several had to be burned for the final scene, so this remaining one is certainly one of the most famous artifacts at the museum.

There is a room with famous Oscars, and, poignantly, an empty space for Hattie McDaniel’s Best Supporting Actress award from 1939. She had to sit separately from the rest of the cast of Gone With the Wind because of segregation, and her Oscar has been lost.

There is also a room featuring Oscar acceptances, with a rotating series of videos of famous acceptance speeches.

Perhaps THE most famous display shows the ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. This display is surrounded with a wealth of other items from the movie.

The two gingham dresses, one in sepia tone and one in color, were used for the scene where Dorothy transitions from the real world, in sepia, to Oz, in color. Shot in one continuous scene, a stand in for Garland wore the sepia dress, was shown from behind, and opened the door. At that point Garland, wearing the blue dress, stepped into colorful Oz.

Spike Lee has loaned the museum his extensive collection of memorabilia.

Hitchcock’s Psycho is one of my favorite films, so I particularly enjoyed this shower scene storyboard and other materials, including Hitchcock’s own first edition of Robert Bloch’s book.

There is an elaborate display of movie costumes in one room (here, from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Jordan Peele’s Us, and Rocketman).

The gift shop has an abundance of unique items. I like the logo on their tote bags, hats and shirts, featuring the look of the outside of the museum. There were paper clips shaped like Oscars, and even candles that supposedly evoke the scent of different movies scenes and types (POV: You’re the Villain was my favorite trope if not my favorite scent!).

And what of the OSCAR EXPERIENCE???? Well, I loved it. The staff helping explain the procedure remained in character, congratulating me for my win. You basically get to come out, look out to a full audience and pick up a real Oscar, and get a video of the experience afterwards (see mine here). I really found myself surprisingly thrilled by the experience (the tech person watching me from outside the filming area told the person I was with that I was channeling Sally Field, lol). Well worth the extra $15 to me – and when I win a real Oscar one day, maybe I will have learned to play it a little cooler . . .

If you want to visit the Academy Museum, get timed tickets and more information here.