Selfie Saturday: The Big Apple

John and Mindy in Times Square

One of the best things about where we live is our proximity to New York City. In less than two hours via car or train, my hubby and I can be in the heart of Manhattan. We're both huge fans of NYC–especially Broadway–so it's always a thrill when we can head up for a little getaway.

That's how we spent last weekend, on a trip to the city in honor of our birthdays, which are a month apart. We had a blast, as always, and were able to take in two shows, several lovely meals, a museum, and lots of walking.  

From Peter Pan to Gloria Estefan

The two shows we saw were both fabulous. We started on Friday night with the amazing Finding Neverland, which is the story of author J.M. Barrie and how he came to write Peter Pan. We'd seen this show before and just loved it, but it was even better the second time around.

Considering that the musical is all about being a writer, it's no surprise that it's one of my favorites. I especially like the trio of songs where poor James is grappling with his story–and his deadline. In fact, according to this version of events, the ticking clock inside the alligator in Peter Pan was actually inspired by the ticking clock of his impending deadline. Gotta love it!

John with Laura Michelle Kelly, star of Finding Neverland

Getting Artsy

The Central Park reservoir in Upper Manhattan

On Saturday, we took a cab to Upper Manhattan and visited the Guggenheim Museum, which was a first for me. The building itself was gorgeous and fascinating, though I have to confess the collection wasn't really my cup of tea. (I had a lot of those "Why is this art?" moments as I gaped, clueless, at some of the displays. One of these days, I need to get my artist nephew to explain to me why a shoe made of tar or a typewriter formed from cement is considered "art.")  It was worth it to see the amazing building, but I won't be going back any time soon for the collection inside.  I hate to sound ignorant, but that's how I feel. :)  Most modern art simply baffles me. 

Inside the Guggenheim 

Back to Times Square

From the museum, we strolled through Central Park then headed to the TKTS booth in Times Square, where we nabbed half price tickets for another show, the musical On Your Feet. We'd been wanting to see it for a while, so we were excited to score some really good seats. 

First came dinner at a French restaurant on 44th Street...

A great French restaurant we discovered. Noisy but delicious!

...then finally it was time for our show, which turned out to be even better than expected. It's the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, starting when she's just a talented little girl who sings her heart out in her humble Miami neighborhood and moving all the way through her rise to stardom and then the tragic bus accident that nearly killed her. The star of the show, Anna Villafane, looked and sounded so much like Gloria Estefan it was uncanny, and she just carried the whole thing beautifully. Back at our hotel afterwards, we spent a good hour on YouTube, looking up the "real life" versions of various events depicted in the show.

And that's it, our fun time in the Big Apple. We came home on Sunday with sore feet and soaring hearts.

Be sure to check back next Saturday, when I'll share some of my favorite "stage door" photos from trips past.