Auspicious Beginnings

Installation #1 of the 2010 Broadway Travelogue

Left home in Youngstown a few minutes after 7:00 a.m., headed for Cleveland Hopkins. Stopped for gas and the Chase drive-through to deposit a check for work. Then hopped on westbound I-80 and started the 75-mile drive to CLE. Ran into S'bux for mocha and pumpkin bread, and then turned on the audio book of "Eat, Pray, Love".

Why CLE? Why not PIT? I like flying out of either PIT or CAK, as they're easy to get to. At CAK, I don't feel I have to stick to the two-hour window, as parking and security are always easy to navigate. But when I made these reservations, I knew I had a Sunday night rehearsal with CleveOrchChorus in Beachwood, so I scheduled the flight with just enough time to get to the Fairmount Temple after arrival. Earlier this week our Sunday rehearsal was cancelled, so now I had a Cleveland flight for no reason. Oh well. At least I'll get home at 5:00 or so, instead of 11:15!

I had not planned to schlep my laptop along, but a last-minute client request came in on Thursday afternoon, so I had lots of pictures to post and pages to update on a retail Web site. As I approached security, I carefully removed my laptop and phone and placed them in the gray bin. Proud of being so thorough, I walked through the scanner and waited for my bag. Oops. The screener lady pulled my bag off the belt and asked, "Did you forget your liquids?" Yep, I forgot my liquids.

Wanting to travel light and not check a bag, I had very carefully consolidated everything to one bag. All my carefully-packed weekend-on-Broadway clothes, my boots carefully tucked into flannel bags, my jewelry stashed in a mesh pocket. Yep, all pulled out and placed on the counter. Crap!

Liquids removed, bag scanned again, the TSA agent asked if I'd like to repack it myself. "Yes!!!!!" And as she walked away, she said, "Next time, if you'll remove your liquids, it will go through." Well, just talk to me like I'm an imbecile!

I made my way to the gate, found an electric outlet, and sat down to get as much work done as I could in the hour I had to wait, but the wireless signal was not strong at all (or too many people were killing time on Facebook!) so I only got about three pages updated in that hour.

The gate agent called the flight, I stowed everything, and took my little single window seat on the Embraer RJ135. I pulled out my knitting and tucked my bag under the seat. The door closed, we pushed back, prepared to taxi, and then the pilot came on the loudspeaker and said LaGuardia had put a hold on us because of 50 mph wind gusts over NYC. Finish the row; stuff knitting back in bag; pull laptop out; turn on tethering on iPhone; try to get more work done for 45 minutes. But my electronics were not cooperating. I could not get tethering to work, but could get the weakest of signals from the terminal. I updated one page in 45 minutes.

LaGuardia finally cleared us. Shove laptop back in bag; pull out knitting again. Lovely flight while finishing a scarf for PianoLady and listening to several chapters of "Eat, Pray, Love". As we approached Manhattan, we had to circle as all flights, landing and taking off, were using the same runway. We flew up the East River, up the coast of Connecticut almost to New Haven, then circled and flew over the mansions of the north shore of Long Island before approaching LGA and landing. Wow! I love flying and looking down at the world, and this was a real treat!

Next comes the perfunctory stuff: stand in line for a cab, ride into the city, update Facebook, check into the hotel.

PianoLady and I always stay at the Marriott Marquis. I use my points, and the desk staff always make over my Silver Elite status when I arrive. For the past four or five years, they've given me a corner or next-to-corner room overlooking Times Square. Each year I'm a couple floors higher than the previous year.

As I handed the young man my ID and credit card and he pulled up my record, there was a distinct lack of making-over-me. He asked, "Would you like to upgrade your room to a minisuite? There's a king bed and a pull-out sofa and it's only $50 per night extra." "No, thank you," I politely answered. I'm a heterosexual woman traveling with my heterosexual woman friend, and neither of us wants to sleep on the couch or share the king bed. I didn't say all that, but I sure thought it! Well, then, he continued, would I like to upgrade to a full suite. I replied, "You always give me a corner room, so I don't want to upgrade." "The corner rooms are all sold out," he responded. Yeah, right. My instinct says Marriott is just trying to increase their profit.

I declined all upgrades, got my room key, and headed up to the 41st floor, where I found my room to be in the center of the building, looking out on the office building next door. Bummed, pissed, and generally demoralized, I dropped my stuff and headed downstairs to find something to eat.

I was determined not to let this disappointment ruin my weekend, but also quickly realized this would probably be the last year PianoLady and I would stay at the Marriott Marquis.

Back in the room after a cup of split pea soup and a half an egg salad sandwich, I worked on the client Web site while waiting for PianoLady. When she arrived, having already heard by phone of my disappointment, she looked out the window and said, "But we can see the river." Ah, yes, there is brightness to this room. We can see the Hudson River. I'll shut up about my disappointment.

I worked until the last possible moment, called my boss to give him the status update, changed my clothes, and we set out for dinner. PL's neighbor works in the city and we always have Friday evening dinner with her. She had chosen Saju Bistro, across the street from Cafe Un Deux Trois, for our dinner location. We had a wonderful dinner, flirting with wait staff and Maitre d' in three languages. (I had warm goat cheese tarts and tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella. Yum. We shared profiteroles and lemon tart with passion fruit sorbet for dessert. Double Yum.)

Saying good-bye to PL's neighbor, we set out for the Palace Theatre, where we had tickets to see "West Side Story."

Let me reiterate that PL and I are both musicians, and we love our Broadway musicals. Love, love, love! And this production of "West Side Story" did not disappoint!

From the orchestra's opening note to the final applause for the orchestra at the very end, the show was a complete and absolute thrill. Our seats? Second row. I could watch the facial expressions of the conductor. I could see the spit from Tony's mouth as he sang. The dancing was impeccable. IMPECCABLE! The singing was fabulous - not a "pitchy" moment. The electricity between Tony and Maria was palpable. The set and lighting were brilliant! For the rumble scene under the bridge, when the chain link fence came down to separate the stage from the audience, and the bridge set slid into place, you would swear you were under a bridge. It was absolutely inspired!

As each song began, a thrill welled up within me. As hard as I'm trying, I'm at a loss for words to tell you how wonderful this production was. I kept thinking maybe we should go stand in the ticket lottery line on Saturday morning to try to get $25 tickets for the Saturday night performance to see it again.

The dance scenes were so well-choreographed and well-executed, I could have had sixteen eyes in my head and all the synapses to process all the signals, and still not have been able to catch everything that was happening on stage.

It. Was. Fabulous!

<Pause to breathe>

All too soon the curtain came down. PL bought her requisite magnet at the gift counter, and we headed back to the hotel. We kept regaling each other with our impressions of the show until I just had to turn over and close my eyes.

Day one of the 2010 Girls' Broadway Weekend: A complete success.

Saturday: Wandering through shops, "Promises, Promises", and Cafe Un Deux Trois.