Week 5: New York

My big event for this week was...

That's right.  Phantom of the Opera ON Broadway!  Turns out if you buy tickets for weeknights in the second-to-last row, THEY ARE SUPER CHEAP.  Like $26.50 cheap.  As far as broadway goes, that's quite amazing!  I get out of work around 2:30 on Tuesdays so I left from work and headed into the city for some craft store stops.  I don't think I've ever been into the city on a weekday and there are lots of shops in the fashion district that are only open M - F.  My first stop was So Good Ribbons on 28 W 38th Street.  It was wonderful.  The owner was a funny black man that gave me a nice discount because they only took cash.  The shop is clearly ghetto, but fun at the same time.  I got some really cute navy blue ribbon with sailing flags on it.

My next stop was Trims De Carnival.  You can't not go into a store like that!  A little more sparkle, but not really what I needed.  It was just about three shops down.

My next and last ribbon stop was at Mokuba at 137 W 38th Street.  It is an amazing store.  They boast to have 50,000 types of ribbon and I think I believe them now.  Their selection is not so much crazy and unique in design, but unique in color and selection.  They will have simple ribbons but in 30 shades and 5 different widths.

  

Lastly, I had to make an homage to Mood.  I needed some knits, lace, and cheetah print for a scarf.  I found a beautiful silk cheetah print for on $14 a yard.  I'll have to do some modeling of it later.  This is some of the patterned and solid knits.

My good friend Brock worked in the theater district all summer so I asked him what his favorite restaurant is in the area.  He suggested Don Giovanni Ristorante at 358 W 44th Street.  Only about a block from my theater, it was the perfect stop.

As per Brock's instructions, I went for the garlic knots and lobster ravioli in pink sauce.  Only about $20 for dinner and I enjoyed every bite!

After that I walked around a bit and saw the sights of the theater district.  There are so many shows to see and so much going on.  It was a beautiful evening for walking around.

So, Phantom has been on Broadway since 1988, the longest running show of all time.  It has always been in the Majestic theater and it is the perfect place for it!  These are my crappy seats!  Which is still a great view, btw.

The run down theater look for the auction at the start of the show.

My view from my new seat for act 2.  I moved down because the theater was not totally full and nobody cared!  It was grand.  When all the black drapes get pulled off as we are going back in time, the theater transforms into the beautiful opera house.  You can also see the chandelier that "falls" into the audience when the Phantom cuts it down.

The beautiful architecture inside the theater.

It was an amazing show.  Seeing live human performance, no matter how flawed, will always hit the heart more than movies or studio recorded albums.  I can see how people get addicted to Broadway and all it's beauty and talent.

Times Square on my walk back to the train.