Lady Gaga Trip: Monday Evening

Since we had to leave for this trip to meet Lady Gaga with very little notice, we concentrated on actually getting out of town rather than on what we would do when we got to New York City. So, we had Monday evening to do something fun before the Lady Gaga interview the next day and hadn’t planned a thing.

We didn’t bring dress clothes with us, so we knew whatever we did, it had to be casual. We headed off to the Carnegie Deli, famous for its huge sandwiches. We hadn’t been there in nearly 20 years. The deli was busy, but not crazy crowded when we got there. Well, that means we were seated right away, but the small, square tables are pushed together in rows, and so we were basically inserted into the third of four tables in a row. That’s cozy.

While we perused the menu, Tito brought us huge kosher pickles to chomp on while deciding. Finding out they serve soft drinks and beers, we decided to partake in a
bit of ale. I ordered Amstel Light and Jim landed on a Molson Gold.  There weren’t a ton of choices for me, since I don’t eat meat, but Jim had a plethora of options to choose from. He selected a hard salami sandwich and I picked a Greek salad.

Carnegie Deli is an expensive option if you want a sandwich, but the portions are Flintstone sized. Does anyone ever really finish their meal there?  I got about halfway through my salad and Jim about three-fourths of the way through his sandwich.  How about desert? Our intimate neighbors to the right ordered up the lemon chiffon pie. I swear the table groaned when Tito set it in front of them.  Watching the cheesecake being trucked to another table, we thought we might have some, however, by the time we had eaten as much as we could of our dinner, it was clear that the cheesecake just wasn’t going to happen.

One thing to remember if you’re going to try the Carnegie Deli is that they do not accept credit cards. This caused us some panic at first, but then Tito pointed out the ATM at the back of the restaurant. Be aware of the $2.75 fee to use the machine. Our dinner, which included two beers, a salad, a sandwich and some fries, came to $52.95 plus tip.

How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying

We decided to walk around in Times Square after dinner and came upon the TKTS booth. It was already 7:30 p.m., and we were surprised it was still open. And no line! So we reviewed the tickets that were available, and we purchased tickets for the seventh row mezzanine for How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying. I had heard that
Daniel Radcliffe from Harry Potter fame was doing a respectable job in the musical. He was joined by John Larroquette, who starred in the sit-com Night Court back in the 1980s.

We were a little concerned because Jim was wearing jeans, and I was wearing black cropped pants and a casual top. Well, our fears were unfounded. It seems that Broadway plays are now attended much the same way as a Saturday matinee at a movie theatre.
People were wearing shorts, and a variety of snacks could be purchased before the show, including wine and beer in sippy cups to take into the theatre. Amazing. I remember when you could only purchase refreshment during intermission, and it had to be consumed before you went back into the theatre. If I sound as though I haven’t been to a Broadway play since 1980, that’s not the case. We saw Promises, Promises last year in New York. I’ve seen Rent on Broadway, along with Wicked in both London and San Francisco, among others. Now, I don’t care to dress up much, but I do think that our society is getting sloppy in their dress, which probably reflects the state of our minds.

Onto my impressions of How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying. The musical originally opened in 1961, starring Robert Morse, and this production marks its 50^th anniversary. It was made into a movie in 1967, also starring Robert Morse. The story
surrounds a young window washer’s study of a book by the same name as the
musical. Through a series of unlikely events, he rises through the ranks at the
Worldwide Wicket Corporation, stumbling a bit along the way and also picking up
a love interest.

The story is cute, but what is worth mentioning is the choreography. The dancing is lively and makes you want to get up and learn how to tap. There’s something about a man dancing his heart out in a suit that appeals to me.

Finally, my hat is off to Radcliffe and Larroquette.vFor one thing, neither is a career singer, but they can hold a tune. Neither are they dancers, and there are several numbers that are a true aerobic workout for both. Best of all, they seem to be having a great time. In addition, Daniel Radcliffe effects a believable American accent, seemingly without effort.

For the first time in my life, I actually got onto my feet for a standing ovation before being pressured to by my seatmates. If you are going to NYC anytime soon, I heartily recommend How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.

All Posts About the Lady Gaga Experience:

Lady Gaga Concert Winner: Me!

Lady Gaga Trip: Monday Daytime

Lady Gaga Trip: Monday Evening

Lady Gaga Day!