The City That Doesn't Sleep (Big Apple Chronicles-Day 4)

Hubby Tony and I did much of our New York sightseeing during the day, but we never got back to our hotel (except for a few days when we stopped in for a short mid-afternoon nap) until long after sundown.

Jersey Boys

We saw two shows. The first, Newsical The Musical, was an Off-Broadway show that lampooned current events and pop culture headlines.  I enjoyed it, but some of the skits would have been more amusing if I knew more about the source material (I'm proud to say I have never watched Here Comes Honey Boo Boo), so those jokes really went over my head.

The second performance was classic Broadway.  Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, and has been running since 2005.  We were going to buy same-day tickets to this show using a discount code.  Tony called the theater and found out there was a hefty service charge for phone orders.  We walked to the theater (about nine blocks) and an hour before show time got better tickets (in the eighth row) for a lower price.

Sunset in Manhattan

Another night we watched the sun set from Top of the Rock observation deck, which is located at the top of the 30 Rockefeller Plaza ("30 Rock") building.  We got our tickets, then got on a large elevator for the trip up.  There is a 3-tiered observation deck on the building's 67th, 69th, and 70th floors.  The lowest level had both floor-to-ceiling windows and an outside terrace.  The middle level was completely outdoors, with large panels of safety glass, and the top level provided a completely open air, unobstructed panorama.  The views were stunning, but it was chilly that night, and a brisk wind made it feel even  colder.  We watched the sun go down and the lights come on in the buildings, then decided it was time to leave.

Yankee Stadium

We had one evening activity planned before we left home--a baseball game, which Tony had gotten tickets for even before the season started in April.  Ironically, the National League New York Mets were going to be in St. Louis that week playing our hometown Cardinals.   However, New York also has an American League team, the Yankees, which has a long history; Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Yogi Berra were all Yankees.  On game night we took a subway north to the Bronx and Yankee Stadium for a match against the Seattle Mariners. We got to the stadium early and walked around, then found our seats (behind home plate at the very top of the stadium).  It was a chilly night, and I hadn't brought enough warm clothes; Tony was cold, too, and we ended up leaving before the game was over.

On our last night in town, we attended a free concert in Prospect Park close to the Brooklyn Bridge that had been recommended by our Central Park bike tour guide.  We got there late so we missed the dance lesson that started the evening.  The opening act was a DJ who spun dance music, followed by an Afro-Cuban band.   As we listened, we watched the sky get dark as sun slipped behind the Manhattan buildings.  It was a great way to start bringing our week to a close.

Highlights of Vacation Day 4:

• Breakfast from a deli 
• Subway to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Bought tomatoes from sidewalk produce stand to snack on
• Lunch at Carnegie Deli
• Back to hotel for a nap
• Took subway to Yankees Stadium  (in the Bronx) for a baseball game

Five years ago today: New Thing #136--Rinse it Well