Today is JP and Linda’s last day. To celebrate and reminisce all the exploring we had done the past three days, we started off the day with Cosmos on the Rooftop. Nothing quite like Cosmos at ten in the morning!
We walked one more time to the Freedom Towers, paying respect at the two pools of water that represent where the twin towers once stood. It is a somber experience…every time.
Our final lunch was at Odeon on Broadway, just beyond the Freedom Tower. I had been here before on previous trips but, until today, I didn’t realize how close it is from my “home.” The restaurant was built in 1980 and the sign is an image previously used on the Saturday Night Live credits. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful few days; we ate outside on the sidewalk (closed in) and the food was delicious.
JP and Linda left for the airport at 4:30 p.m. and I went up to my room to take a nap. Was it the whirlwind of the weekend? Was it the wine I had at lunch? Was it the 10 a.m. Cosmos? I don’t know. What I do know is that I was meeting Pierre and Grant at La Bonne Soupe for dinner at 6; I woke up at 5:45 p.m. not feeling well.
Last September Pierre had asked if I would be interested in seeing a tribute to Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall; he was buying tickets for Grant’s birthday. Judy Garland? Carnegie Hall? Grant’s birthday? An evening with both of them? Of course I said “Yes!”
I quickly got dressed, called a cab and let Pierre know I would be late; to start dinner without me. I wondered why I was even going since I felt so nauseas; the last thing I felt like doing was eating dinner. But Pierre (a fellow drinking consultant – I’ll save that for another time) suggested I order a Ricard to help with my discomfort. It was astonishing just how much better I felt. On to the show!
First of all, Carnegie Hall (or as I referred to it without thinking, “C-arneguy” with the Basque accent), is intoxicatingly beautiful. It was built in 1891 and is comprised of three different stages. Stern Hall, the main stage, is five stories high and holds 2800 people; the acoustics are incredible. This stage has an extended stage and domed ceiling which project soft and loud tones to any location in the room with full richness. The hall has hosted symphonic orchestras, individual concert pianists and even rock ’n roll artists including The Beatles. It was home to Judy Garland’s one night performance in 1961. An old joke I recall from the past was someone asked, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer was, “Practice! Practice! Practice!”
The one night show was a tribute to Judy Garland’s historic concert at Carnegie Hall on April 23, 1961. Jessica Vosk (Broadway star who performed in “Wicked” and “Fiddler on the Roof”) sang Judy’s songs. There was an incredible orchestra behind her and they even showed clips of Judy performing and speaking on her television performances. Vosk was joined by Andy Karl, another talented Broadway star. Their duets were wonderful. In fact, the entire show was amazingly entertaining. At times, I felt like I was sitting with the audience in 1961. I am so glad my best friend, Ricard, was there to help me get to this amazing one-night show.
It’s been an interesting several days. Seeing the city as a tourist with JP and Linda and then attending a concert at Carnegie Hall as the quintessential New Yorker, are definitely both ends of the spectrum. It’s one thing to see all the amazing and historic buildings but then to also experience moments that this show had to offer is beyond anything I imagined when I decided to make this move. I didn’t come into this experience with too many expectations; though, in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have thought this would be my “new normal.”