October 11-15, 2024
I was so worried I'd over sleep that I woke up every 90 minutes. But I did wake up and made it to town well in time for my 7:30 train.
I stayed at the Leo House on 23rd Street. It is a small old hotel that was originally for German immigrants and tourists. It is a no-frills place and most rooms don't have a shower -- you use the one down the hall. I just so happened to get one of the few rooms with a small walk-in shower but I might have been just as OK with the one that had an actual tub. The shower curtain was very lightweight and the pull of the hot air kept causing it to cling to me. I had nothing to weigh it down with -- a few clothespins clipped to the bottom might have done the trick. But that was a small inconvenience! Big benefits are the nice buffet breakfast that is included in the super low price for a Manhattan hotel room. I paid $280 per night (no tax) but if you want to go in the dead of winter you can stay for as low as $179 a night!
The Leo House is on the same street, one block over from the famous Hotel Chelsea. I loved the floral ironwork on the balconies.
Saturday morning I walked down to Gansevoort Street. After getting a Mocha Espresso at the fancy Starbuck's, I walked along the long line of elephant sculptures, in town as part of The Great Elephant Migration exhibit that is traveling across the U.S.
Then I wandered over to Little Island, a relatively new park built on piers in the water with walking trails and an 815 seat amphitheater.
Saturday afternoon I saw "Stereophonic" a play with a good amount of humor and music. It is about a Fleetwood Mac type group who are recording an album while experiencing lots of interpersonal drama. The engineer character is played by Eli Gelb who delivered his funny lines very well. Amy Forsyth who played the female lead had a fantastic voice.
After the play I had a delicious burger at the Playwright Pub, one of 120 Irish pubs in Manhattan! I sat at the same seat at the bar where I sat the last two times I went there. Now it's a tradition!
I was beat after my long day of 18,000 steps and was in bed by 9:30!
The hotel doesn't have breakfast on Sunday so I headed uptown 26 blocks (sounds like a lot but it's only about 1 1/3 miles!) to Grand Central Station for my tour at 11. I had a breakfast of champions... a coffee and pretzel.
On the Grand Central Terminal tour I learned how Cornelius Vanderbilt got his start in the shipping and railroad businesses -- it all began when he was a teenager, taking people from Staten Island to Manhattan and back in his rowboat! He built the first Grand Central Depot on the spot where the current station is.
After the tour I had a huge nutritious omelet, served with French fries (how very Pittsburghian of them!), at Rosie O'Grady's.
At 3 pm I saw "Left on Tenth" starring Juliana Margulies and Peter Gallagher. It is the true story of writer Delia Ephron finding love again after losing her husband of 38 years -- and then going through cancer and a bone marrow transplant just four months later. It was enjoyable. There were only 4 actors -- a man and a woman each played multiple roles. I can only assume they spent every moment frantically changing clothes and donning wigs to come back on stage as a nurse, a neighbor, a friend, a doctor, etc.
On the way home from the theater I found a Michael's because I needed more yarn to make more crocheted flowers for my shawl. The store didn't have the yarn I needed but they had a different kind that compelled me to buy it and a larger hook and start on yet another sweater!
On Monday I had two high-in-the-sky adventures planned. First was Edge, a new attraction. A big platform on the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards. I had bought the express package but realized that if you buy an early slot, the express pass isn't really needed.
The clear walls slant outward. I could not get myself to stand right at the edge and touch the glass. I saw one kid leaning on the glass. NOPE.
In all the times I've been to New York I had never done one of the most touristy attractions -- the observation deck of the Empire State Building! And much to my disappointment, I almost thought I wasn't going to get there this time either. Somehow I stupidly bought a ticket for August 14 instead of October 14. I thought there was no way they would let me use it but I was wrong. I told the guy at the ticket place what I had done and asked if there was any way to see that I had obviously not used the ticket. He said yes, he checked it, and he was able to switch it to that day so I was able to go right up.
I wasn't scared up there at all, I assume because the walls are solid to about chest high. If felt very sturdy. But it was windy as all get out up there and I thought it must be brutal in winter!
Proof I was there! (There is a full wall of mirror inside so this is a reflection of me and what is behind me.)
Miscellanous things
A very fancy Home Depot!
