Going to a Broadway play was on “the list”–we chose Once, the musical that won this year’s Tony Award. I had seen the movie, and the songs were just as beautiful as I’d remembered them. It was a lovely, sort of simple production–it felt very intimate for Broadway, which was absolutely wonderful. We loved it.
Afterward, we sat outside on the patio of Junior’s and drank enormous cups of coffee and ate giant slices of cheesecake.
Sort of suddenly we noticed a mob scene forming and blocking the road to traffic. We all arched our necks and stood up to see what was going on and I told Aron to go run and find out what was so exciting: “Use the go-go-gadget arm! Bring back photos!” Then a woman passed by and said “It’s Ricky Martin” in a dramatically mocking tone of shock. “OH,” I said, “that makes sense.” Because that’s right–he’s in Evita. “Makes sense!? Maybe ten years ago!” she said, laughing. Aron returned with photos of multiple people, one of whom was indeed Ricky Martin but he had no idea which. He told me he had a sense of which guy was the famous one because the older lady next to him suddenly exclaimed “Aye yaye yaye!”
Going to Times Square is always such a bizarre experience. It is exciting–when you don’t go often–and you suddenly are among all the lights and the talent and the old theaters. But it’s also sort of depressing: I can’t believe that Times Square is what so many people equate with New York. How has it come to be that the thing to do there is to pose with random people dressed as cartoon(ish) characters? Batman… fake Mickey or creepy Elmo… a Naked Cowboy… El Diablo with a sign about the Apocalyse… topless girls in Body Paint… What?!
It’s so nice that it’s pedestrianized, but man-oh-man, there are some wacky pedestrians.
Have a great weekend!
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