My beloved New York City never shines as bright as between Thanksgiving and New Year’s – it’s hardly an original opinion, and yet I can’t help but to reinforce it. I have blogged several other years about holiday decor (here from 2014, here from 2015,here from 2016, holiday markets, Dyker Heights lights in 2019 and earlier in 2014, how NYC decorated during the pandemic in 2020, etc., etc.). But my second-favorite city is London, and they certainly know how to do the holiday season extravagantly as well. I have visited many many times over the years, but only once before during the holiday season (in 2011). I was fortunate enough to spend Thanksgiving week in London just last month (2022). I simply couldn’t stop taking photos, and felt completely immersed in the holiday spirit during the entire delightful week. Here are a few of the highlights of the 2022 holiday decorations and markets as I came across them during my stay.
First, let’s talk about the Holiday Markets. They are all over London, and full of shopping, snacking, and eating opportunities. The market all along the south bank of the Thames was a lot of fun, stretching from the London Eye past the National Theatre and almost to the Tate Modern. There was a terrific market at Trafalgar Square, and a quite large and raucous one at Leicester Square. See here for a video of marshmallow toasting at the Leicester Square market.
Covent Garden, one of my favorite places to wander in London, has not only a Holiday Market added to the normal plethora of shops, but also fantastic decor, entertaining buskers, and restaurants along with snacks. Props to their classy use of a disco ball, which gives a subtle snow effect at night (see it here). I thoroughly enjoyed seasonal gingerbread and along with Ben’s cookies, which are always there – and always worth the wait!
Harrod’s was well-decorated as always, and I never go to London without including a lengthy visit to their food hall. In addition to looking at all the fun holiday foods, I was able to get several items to go for an impromptu lunch al fresco.
And Fortnum & Mason! Ah, to dream of receiving one of those huge Christmas hampers!
Borough Market is another of my favorite places in London, decorated festively, and providing an opportunity to have absolutely the best cheese sandwich in the world.
Somerset House has a wonderful skating rink – see here for a video including the cutest tiny skater.
Christmas trees are of course everywhere. I particularly liked the one at the London Transport Museum adorned with double-decker buses and the one at the Buckingham Palace gift shop entirely decorated by crowns.
In Hyde Park, they had set up a Winter Wonderland, with food, drink, and carnival rides. I discovered that a “helter skelter” is a traditional British ride where you sit on a mat and go down a curvy slide. There was a real ice slide that I went down – twice – on an inflatable tube, a haunted house, a fun house, and the opportunity to try “tornado chips” (a potato sliced in a spiral, skewered, fried, and dusted with garlic salt – absolutely delish).
The wonderful thing about London during the holiday season is that you don’t even need to seek out decorations – you will come across them everywhere you go. They are all festive during the day but particularly magical at night. As the days grow so short and the nights so long, this celebration of light and joy is particularly appreciated.
Of course I enjoyed the London theatre scene while there, and indulged in several pints of draught lager as well as an absolutely yummy gingerbread milkshake spiked with Bailey’s (find it at Byron), but what made this trip special was being immersed in the London holiday spirit. And then I was able to come home to New York City and appreciate this most special time here as well.
Here’s to many merry celebrations as we all end 2022, and look forward with hope and anticipation to 2023!
When one thinks of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, you often imagine rows of elegant townhouses and apartment buildings, interspersed with high-end shops, elegant restaurants, and schools with children in tidy uniforms. All those things are true, but they aren’t the entire story. The idea of the Upper East Side as a stuffy, reserved neighborhood is negated every October when walking through the gauntlet of Halloween decorations that adorn block after block in the neighborhood. Some decor is indeed elegant but much of it – much more than you would expect – ranges from spooky to terrifying. I have posted before about Halloween decor in NYC (here and here for instance) but this post is specifically about the Upper East Side this year, with a bonus of a dog costume contest held yearly in Carl Schurz Park!
I talked to a UPS delivery man while taking one of these photos and he said he felt he needed hazard pay to go to some of these houses, because he had no idea who would come to the door! I love the skeleton above – almost seems like a jaunty “Singing in the Rain” pose.
Another Instagram video, just to give more of the flavor of being in front of one of these houses.
Although a lot of those photos may make the Upper East Side seem like a terrifying place in October, there are more light-hearted things to enjoy as well! One of the best is the yearly “Halloween Howl” dog costume contest held in that well-kept secret treasure of NYC, Carl Schurz Park in the Yorkville neighborhood of the Upper East Side (I’ve blogged about it before, in general and after a snowstorm). Here are a few photos from this year:
Now, a lot of these same townhouses decorate for the December holidays as well, but there is nothing quite like the gothic excess of so many of these decorations! Walking to an appointment on the Upper East Side in October, with the first touches of chill in the air, and taking in the sights of what my fellow New Yorkers have done to celebrate the season in the city – and share it with others – I am reminded once again of how fortunate I am to live and work in this vibrant city.
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.
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!
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?
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.
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.
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.
I’ll never forget hearing on March 12, 2020, that Broadway was going to be shut down until the week of April 13th. It seemed inconceivable to me that it could be true – after 9/11 it was shut for two days, and here and there a blizzard would shut down shows for a day. The idea that there would be no Broadway theatre for over a month was stunning. If someone had told me at that point, as I struggled to process this unprecedented shut down, that in reality Broadway theatres would be closed for at least 18 months, I would not have been able to believe it (or, perhaps, take it). Even when I was taking photos in an entirely empty Times Square that spring (the experience of which I wrote about in this blog post), it still seemed impossible to believe that Broadway, the heart of NYC’s pulsing vitality, would be shuttered for so long. But now the sleeping beauty is waking up, and it’s exhilarating. This is my perspective on Broadway’s reopening, as of the end of September, 2021.
The first time I walked into a Broadway theatre was to see a Disney on Broadway concert (Live at the New Am) at the New Amsterdam theatre. Vaccination checks were in place before the normal security screen. To hear the sound of a ticket being scanned was a delight. When the usher (above) declared “Welcome back to Broadway!” it was almost too emotional. The concert was fantastic, and so many lyrics of Disney on Broadway songs took on new meaning and the performers and audience reacted (for instance, “In the First Time in Forever,” the following: There’ll be actual real live people/It’ll be totally strange/But wow, am I so ready for this change!/’Cause for the first time in forever/There’ll be music, there’ll be light.
The first Broadway play to open after pandemic shutdown was the new play Pass Over, by Antoinette Nwandu. The opening night of previews, August 4, the crowd stood and applauded with stage manager Cody Renard Richards made the preshow announcements (you can see his experience here). After the first preview, the block of West 52nd between Broadway and Eighth was closed off and there was a jubilant block party with DJ.
The next time I was in a Broadway theatre was the Majestic, to see the premiere of a documentary about the Broadway shutdown and a few touring companies that managed to stay open in South Korea. The entire experience was terrific, from being welcomed with Josh Groban singing “Can’t we start again please” (from Jesus Christ Superstar), though the film. But when the end credits were over, the screen rose to reveal the iconic Phantom’s lair, and a bevy of Broadway divas (including Adrienne Warren, Ariana Dubose, and Sierra Boggess) singing “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard.
On September 2, the first Broadway musicals reopened: Waitress, with composer Sara Barielles stepping back into the lead for six weeks, and reigning Tony Best Musical Hadestown. I was at the first night for Waitress, and enjoyed the sticker on the front of the playbill saying “The Diner is Re-Open” along with the date. The audience gave a standing ovation (the first of perhaps 10 or 12 that evening) for the “turn off your cell phones” announcement – which at Waitress is a song. After initial bows, Amanda Kloots, the widow of original cast member Nick Cordero (who lost his battle with Covid-19 last year) came on the stage and everyone sang Nick’s song “Live Your Life.” His song is now also permanently included as one of the pies on the menu board on stage.
I was at the third reopening performance of Hadestown, and loved that their Playbill lists reopening night as well as opening night. The outside of the theatre is enrobed in the red flowers that feature so prominently in the production. Here they represent that “spring will come again” to Broadway as it returns and flourishes.
On September 14, Hamilton, The Lion King, Wicked, and Chicago all reopened. At 5PM that day, casts met in front of the Richard Rodgers Theatre and, led by Lin-Manuel Miranda, delivered a rousing version of “New York, New York.”
Two days before that, however, I had been very fortunate to be allowed to attend the final dress rehearsal of Wicked before reopening. These invited dress performances are not for purchase, and allow the show to run through with costumes, lighting, etc., with a crowd of friends and family. These are always special (I have been to a few) in part because what elicits applause is often very different for these crowds of insiders. I was able to compare that directly when I also attended the first reopening performance of Wicked on September 14. The audience for this was electric, from Kristin Chenowith’s welcome (including a witty “There’s no place like home!”) through bows. After the curtain came down and the lights went up, the audience refused to leave, however, applauding and standing for minutes until the curtain rose again. This time the cast was joined by composer Stephen Schwartz, who seemed unsure whether to say anything before finally stepping forward – almost to be hit by the curtain coming down!
I was at Hamilton at the second reopening performance on September 15. The cast is tight, and the energy level high. I could tell that the conductor was trying to prevent protracted applause from drawing out the show, however, as we can’t keep having shows that go three hours or more when they should clock in at 2 hours, 40 minutes!
Then I was at the third reopening performance of The Lion King. The energy level was still very high, and I liked the Welcome Back insert with an invitation to give feedback.
That weekend, September 17-19, Times Square hosted a huge outdoor welcome back to Broadway, with some performances at the large mainstage, and others at a more intimate outdoor cabaret space. The final two hour concert on September 19 featured most of the shows open or that will open this fall. A highlight was a performance of “Music of the Night” with the current Phantom as well as three previous ones.
That same weekend I went to see David Byrne’s American Utopia, which I had seen four times pre-pandemic at the Hudson Theatre. Now at the St. James, some of the narration has changed to reflect our changed times (his words “Thank you for leaving your homes” has an entirely new significance now!) but the joy and uplifting message remain the same.
On September 21, I was back to see Six, which I had seen twice in previews – and which was hours from opening night when Broadway was shuttered. Now back in previews as of September 17, all six original Broadway queens are back, and the energy level is always high at this show! I loved that they had a “virtual stage door” QR code, since normal stage door interactions and signing of Playbills is not prudent in terms of Covid protocol.
So, speaking of Covid, how is Broadway different due to the need to keep us as safe as possible? First of all, to attend a Broadway show you must show proof of full vaccination and a photo ID to match. Because of this, arrival times need to be earlier than usual. Doors always opened on Broadway about 30 minutes before showtime, but now are opening from 45 minutes to an hour early to allow for vaccine checks as well as the normal security screening. Then, you must wear a mask at all times while inside. Theatres I have been to so far all have “Covid safety teams” and I have seen them roaming the aisles to monitor and ask people to raise their mask when necessary. Meanwhile, every person on Broadway has to be vaccinated, wear masks when possible (obviously it’s not possible for performers on stage) and get tested regularly.
But isn’t any inconvenience worth it??? The exhilaration of being in an audience with other people, experiencing the live performance of these talented people, experiencing emotions together – this is unique and its absence left a huge void during those 18 months away. Even walking home after a show, I have had that thrill of having had somewhere to go, something to do, with other people, after so many nights watching “Bridgerton” or “Tiger King” and trying to set up zoom cocktail parties with friends. Please go and support live Broadway performances! We need it, as a city and as individuals – and they need us.
As Broadway reopens after 18 months of pandemic shutdown, there is an exhibit on West 42nd Street that highlights the incredible costumes that light up the stage (and screen). Open through September 26, tickets are required (go here for more information and to purchase) but proceeds go to help the talented people in the costume industry whose financial stability has been devastatingly impacted by the shuttering of the entertainment business. Here are my impressions from going a few weeks ago.
For a time-limited exhibition like this, I thought the layout and design was excellent. The exhibit aims to teach the observer about the work and design elements going behind these elaborate costumes, while giving the opportunity to see the details of the costumes up close.
Here you see costumes from the Broadway productions of The Cher Show (Bob Mackie), Side Show (a particularly challenging costume) and Six (which was going to have opening night on the very evening that Broadway was shuttered).
Disney productions are represented here: Aladdin, The Lion King, and Frozen.
Wicked – it’s interesting to see Elphaba’s costume up close and see that it is not a matte black. Adding texture and some subtle color gives the dress depth on the stage.
Costumes from Moulin Rouge, Chicago, and Cursed Child (Draco Malfoy).
Hamilton! I was fortunate to be able to go backstage before pandemic and see some of these costumes up close then. Apparently Lin-Manuel Miranda asked for Alexander Hamilton’s costume to be “the color of money” and after several tries this iconic green silk was confirmed. Being able to make the ensemble’s costumes able to dance in – without looking like stretchy dance clothes -is a particular challenge for most Broadway costumers.
I have also been backstage at Phantom and seen the costumes at close range. For solid black or white costumes like these for the Phantom and Christine, texture and small variations in color are used to keep them from appearing flat from the audience.
Costumes from non-Broadway productions were also highlighted. Here you see costumes from a cruise ship, from the circus, for a Broadway Cares production, from dance, and the iconic costume the Radio City Rockettes wear in the March of the Wooden Soldiers.
The exhibit also highlights the importance of cleaning and caring for costumes, with many from films being preserved since, unlike on Broadway where costumes wear through and are replaced constantly, a film is limited in time and requires fewer repairs or replacement of the costumes.
The exhibit ends on a positive note, with Broadway reopening happening on a rolling basis throughout the fall.If you are able to see the costume exhibit, it may improve your enjoyment of the costumes you see from your seat as you return to a Broadway theatre!
Julie Brannan, NYC residential real estate 