I was awake early, so was showered before 9am. We went down to the restaurant for breakfast - I had tea and toast, and tried some grape jelly. It wasn't half bad. Once ready, we headed back to the subway station and headed to the Times Square area to see whether we could get some tickets for How to Succeed, having established that there were no legitimate ones available for the matinee (though I was dubious about trusting touts). We did no good, so walked towards the Rockefeller Centre, passing the original Copacabana Club on the way, and Radio City Music Hall. Having turned up the right street, we passed a shop where I selected an enormous diamond. Very nearby was a Godiva shop, with chocolate-dipped strawberries in the window. Geoff decided that we should get some, and we got a 'cone' of small ones (two each). They were divine!
We went into the Rockefeller tower building and got our tickets for $23 a piece. There's a fantastic Swarovski crystal chandelier hanging through a few floors. We read some interesting information about the construction and history of the whole Rockefeller complex, and then got into the lift (we also had to go through a security check). When the lift began moving, the lights dimmed and everyone looked at the ceiling. I decided it must be some trippy video and so chose not to look for fear of feeling sick. The lift took us up 46 floors very quickly. At the top, we visited various observation decks, and I took lots of photos. My memory card decided that it was full, so I swapped it for the spare 512 MB card. The view north looking towards Central Park was stunning, and the Empire State Building looked quite wonderful and imposing. It was difficult to see the Chrysler building because a hideous building was blocking it.
We went back down, and I realised that the reason for people staring rapt at the ceiling of the lift was because you could see up the shaft and get an appreciation for how fast it was moving. Very cool. From the foyer, we went to check out the area that's used for ice skating in winter. In summer, it's set up with restaurant tables.
We found the nearest subway, and took it to Central Park West, so I could see the Dakota Building and Strawberry Fields. The Dakota Building is lovely, but unmarked, and fairly non-descript. It was worth seeing, though. We crossed the road, and went into Central Park to see Strawberry Fields. Apart from a sign, and a nice mosaic on the path spelling 'Imagine', it's just part of the park. Geoff left to go back to the hotel to practise, and I sat down to plan what to do next. While I was sitting there, a tour group came up, and after their spiel started singing Imagine. Corny.
I was in dire need of food by now, and so left the park, and walked south around the outside to a tavern serving food. I got a Turkish 'taco', which was lamb, tasty, a bit like a kebab but more stewy meat, and also rather small. I sat on Sheep Meadow with hundreds of other people talking in the sun, many in beach garb, and many with frisbees or footballs.
I wandered north without much of a plan, saw some croquet and bowling greens, a music festival in the band shell (fenced off), and some roller skating. I decided to try and find the Producers fountain (Bethshaba?) so continued in what I thought was a northerly direction. I went past the entry to the zoo, and a children's area, and some baseball pitches. I saw a fountain in the distance, and made for it. Turns out it was the wrong one, and I'd managed to go in a circle and ended up in the far south-west corner. I took a path north until I was back at the tavern, checked a map, and then navigated much more carefully to find the fountain. It was very cool! 'We were fated to be mated, we're BIALYSTOCK AND BLOOM!'. The rowing lake was just behind it, and apart from the expected rowing boats, there was a proper Venetian gondola, and lots of little turtles. It was incredibly hot, and I only sat long enough to plan my next move.
I decided to head east, tending north, with the aim of walking down Fifth Avenue, and taking in some shops. I found my way successfully, passing another lake with remote control yachts on it. Turns out there are no shops on that part of Fifth Avenue, but I'm pretty sure I did find the location for filming of the road crossing scene before the walking frame tap dance from Producers. I walked until 53rd Street, and caught the subway.
Back in Queens, I bought a few things from the man in the deli across the road from the hotel (bananas, and apple, some tasty looking crackers, and a muesli bar) and then went online at the hotel. Try as I might, I couldn't get the memory card on the camera to believe that it had lots of space on it. I also booked a ticket for How to Succeed, on the last Saturday in NY. Yay! I had a shower, and we headed out again for Jon's gig.
We got off at the Spring St stop, and had a short walk to the Ear Inn. We bumped into Jon at the bar straight away, and he gave me a hug and a kiss. It was so good to see him. We somehow managed to get a table, and I had a glass of prosecco. The woman who served us was Australian. I ordered a cobb salad with char-grilled chicken, tomato, avocado, lettuce, egg, bacon, and blue cheese. It was huge, and spectacularly good. A couple came in, and Jon suggested that they sit with us. The woman was an Israeli reed player called Anat, and her partner was Colin. They were good company, though Colin rather over-played Anat's talent.1
The quartet played the first set on their own (Jon, Matt Munisteri, and two others who I didn't know), and the sound in the pub was just amazing. The pub itself had stood there since the late 18th century, and has a very interesting history (http://earinn.com/). The band started their sit-ins in the second set, starting with Anat. They played Les Yeux Noir, and made an absolutely brilliant job of it. Then a young violinist called Jonathan Russell got up and played Caravan. He's good, but a little too fond of showing off and playing endless solos.
Gradually, they added three guys from the Paris Washboard Band (clarinet, trombone, and (brilliant) washboard - played by a really comical and fun (and attractive) guy), another trumpeter called Gordon Au, Geoff, and another trombonist. By the end, they were tossing solos around between the brass players, and then between the clarinettists, and then the violin, and then a brilliant bass and washboard dialogue. The whole place was screaming! The crowd loved it, and there were musos outside who couldn't even get in. What a truly memorable and world-class experience!
After packing up, I got another hug from Jon, and he made us promise to spend some decent time with him in Davenport. He certainly doesn't need to ask me twice! Wotta guy! We got the subway back to the hotel, and didn't get to bed until 1.30. I was almost as exhausted as I'd been the night before. This time I slept well.
We went into the Rockefeller tower building and got our tickets for $23 a piece. There's a fantastic Swarovski crystal chandelier hanging through a few floors. We read some interesting information about the construction and history of the whole Rockefeller complex, and then got into the lift (we also had to go through a security check). When the lift began moving, the lights dimmed and everyone looked at the ceiling. I decided it must be some trippy video and so chose not to look for fear of feeling sick. The lift took us up 46 floors very quickly. At the top, we visited various observation decks, and I took lots of photos. My memory card decided that it was full, so I swapped it for the spare 512 MB card. The view north looking towards Central Park was stunning, and the Empire State Building looked quite wonderful and imposing. It was difficult to see the Chrysler building because a hideous building was blocking it.
We went back down, and I realised that the reason for people staring rapt at the ceiling of the lift was because you could see up the shaft and get an appreciation for how fast it was moving. Very cool. From the foyer, we went to check out the area that's used for ice skating in winter. In summer, it's set up with restaurant tables.
We found the nearest subway, and took it to Central Park West, so I could see the Dakota Building and Strawberry Fields. The Dakota Building is lovely, but unmarked, and fairly non-descript. It was worth seeing, though. We crossed the road, and went into Central Park to see Strawberry Fields. Apart from a sign, and a nice mosaic on the path spelling 'Imagine', it's just part of the park. Geoff left to go back to the hotel to practise, and I sat down to plan what to do next. While I was sitting there, a tour group came up, and after their spiel started singing Imagine. Corny.
I was in dire need of food by now, and so left the park, and walked south around the outside to a tavern serving food. I got a Turkish 'taco', which was lamb, tasty, a bit like a kebab but more stewy meat, and also rather small. I sat on Sheep Meadow with hundreds of other people talking in the sun, many in beach garb, and many with frisbees or footballs.
I wandered north without much of a plan, saw some croquet and bowling greens, a music festival in the band shell (fenced off), and some roller skating. I decided to try and find the Producers fountain (Bethshaba?) so continued in what I thought was a northerly direction. I went past the entry to the zoo, and a children's area, and some baseball pitches. I saw a fountain in the distance, and made for it. Turns out it was the wrong one, and I'd managed to go in a circle and ended up in the far south-west corner. I took a path north until I was back at the tavern, checked a map, and then navigated much more carefully to find the fountain. It was very cool! 'We were fated to be mated, we're BIALYSTOCK AND BLOOM!'. The rowing lake was just behind it, and apart from the expected rowing boats, there was a proper Venetian gondola, and lots of little turtles. It was incredibly hot, and I only sat long enough to plan my next move.
I decided to head east, tending north, with the aim of walking down Fifth Avenue, and taking in some shops. I found my way successfully, passing another lake with remote control yachts on it. Turns out there are no shops on that part of Fifth Avenue, but I'm pretty sure I did find the location for filming of the road crossing scene before the walking frame tap dance from Producers. I walked until 53rd Street, and caught the subway.
Back in Queens, I bought a few things from the man in the deli across the road from the hotel (bananas, and apple, some tasty looking crackers, and a muesli bar) and then went online at the hotel. Try as I might, I couldn't get the memory card on the camera to believe that it had lots of space on it. I also booked a ticket for How to Succeed, on the last Saturday in NY. Yay! I had a shower, and we headed out again for Jon's gig.
We got off at the Spring St stop, and had a short walk to the Ear Inn. We bumped into Jon at the bar straight away, and he gave me a hug and a kiss. It was so good to see him. We somehow managed to get a table, and I had a glass of prosecco. The woman who served us was Australian. I ordered a cobb salad with char-grilled chicken, tomato, avocado, lettuce, egg, bacon, and blue cheese. It was huge, and spectacularly good. A couple came in, and Jon suggested that they sit with us. The woman was an Israeli reed player called Anat, and her partner was Colin. They were good company, though Colin rather over-played Anat's talent.1
The quartet played the first set on their own (Jon, Matt Munisteri, and two others who I didn't know), and the sound in the pub was just amazing. The pub itself had stood there since the late 18th century, and has a very interesting history (http://earinn.com/). The band started their sit-ins in the second set, starting with Anat. They played Les Yeux Noir, and made an absolutely brilliant job of it. Then a young violinist called Jonathan Russell got up and played Caravan. He's good, but a little too fond of showing off and playing endless solos.
Gradually, they added three guys from the Paris Washboard Band (clarinet, trombone, and (brilliant) washboard - played by a really comical and fun (and attractive) guy), another trumpeter called Gordon Au, Geoff, and another trombonist. By the end, they were tossing solos around between the brass players, and then between the clarinettists, and then the violin, and then a brilliant bass and washboard dialogue. The whole place was screaming! The crowd loved it, and there were musos outside who couldn't even get in. What a truly memorable and world-class experience!
After packing up, I got another hug from Jon, and he made us promise to spend some decent time with him in Davenport. He certainly doesn't need to ask me twice! Wotta guy! We got the subway back to the hotel, and didn't get to bed until 1.30. I was almost as exhausted as I'd been the night before. This time I slept well.
1 After seeing her play two years later at the North Sea Jazz Festival, and watching the adoration she generated, I think perhaps he wasn't. . .↩
