Wednesday 8 May 2013

1/5/13 – City Tour, Rigoletto and Beers at Café d’Alsace



Ben and I left E72nd Street bright and early today in order to make the most of our 9.30am member’s entry into MoMA. As he only has three days with us we ‘did’ the all of the main galleries and art works in just 1.5 hours – shame Dali’s melting clock was out on loan and ‘The Scream’ Exhibition had just closed. But, no time to lament, we had many more things to do.

Next was a glorious view from the ‘Top of the Rock’. I don’t think I shall ever tire of seeing the ever-changing view of Central Park from the northern view point on top of the Rockefeller Centre. In stark contrast to the browns and whites of the winter vista, today it was a glorious shade of bright green and the sun perfectly placed overhead to allow for some great shots.

The view south was wonderful too and I’m looking forward to seeing the final piece of spire on One World Trade Centre being put in place. The very strong winds we have experienced over the last few days has been preventing this very emotional moment from finally taking place, and the people of NYC are rarely patient, but they were for this. The moment meant a lot to them, so it’s worth waiting for – silently and without protest. 


After we left the Rockefeller Centre we took in the southern loop of the city bus tour and although the city looked a treat, the tour guide was appalling – I could have read the street signs out to everyone and saved us all a tip at the end of the ride. We got off the bus at Time Square and caught a cab to the Lincoln Centre where Rigoletto was playing at the Metropolitan Opera tonight.




What we didn’t realise until we got there was that tonight was also the premiere of ‘The Great Gatsby’ at the State Theatre next door. Ben and I did the two things that one does at movie premieres – one – stand on ‘tippy toes’ and try to catch a glimpse of the stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan or Australia’s own Joel Edgerton. (No use looking for Baz Luhrmann or Isla Fisher as they’re way too short!)


And two - critique all of the fashion statements that people at events such as this try to make. By the end of the red carpet parade Ben had become quite proficient at this most NY of art forms and can rightly claim ‘spot of the day’ with his correct identification of a large pale, over 60, blonde socialite not covered sufficiently by her pink miniskirt or diamanté encrusted bolero jacket.


Hollywood critic Todd McCarthy announced on twitter soon after that “The enormous production begins by being over the top and goes on from there.” Not sure if Todd was referring to our friend with the diamonds or the show but we had fun and both agreed that the job of a NY stylist must be a tough one – I mean seriously who wears pink on a red carpet! Peter, who had arrived separately, didn’t know what all the fuss was about and took his seat in the Opera House and wondered where we were?

We finished the night at Cafe d'Alsace on 88th and 2nd for a 10.30pm dinner and a few more beers!

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