Hotel:
- Ramada New Yorker Link to my review
- Gotham Bar and Grill Link to my review
- Le Madeline Link to my review
- Theatre: Sweet Charity
New York City (April 2005)
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Hotel:
Hotel:
New York City: Gotham Bar and Grill (April 2005)
My spouse and I dined at Gotham Bar and Grill for dinner in April 2005. We stayed nearby at the Ramada New Yorker, which was awful, in contrast to our meal at Gotham, which was great. The restaurant was decorated with huge vases of blooming cherry blossoms. Gotham Bar and Grill is a New American restaurant located in Greenwich Village. It opened in 1984, and is owned by American chef Alfred Portale, one of the founders of New American cuisine, who is also its chef. He arrived at the restaurant in 1985. The menu consists of dishes that are New American cuisine, such as grilled rack of lamb, Maine lobster, mushroom risotto, roast squab, and garlic mashed potatoes. The modern, expansive restaurant is chic, located in the multi-level loft space of a former warehouse, with high soaring ceilings, tall floor-to-ceiling windows, and with pieces of parachute cloth billowing around its chandeliers. The restaurant's art collection has its own curator. The restaurant serves over 400 diners a day. In 1993, restaurant critic Gael Greene wrote that it was her favorite restaurant. Bryan Miller of The New York Times gave it three stars in 1985, Molly O’Neill of the Times gave it three stars in 1993, Ruth Reichl of the Times gave it three stars in 1996, and Sam Sifton of the Times awarded it three stars in 2011.
Theatre: Sweet Charity at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (April 2005)
Sweet Charity is a musical directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon. It is based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria.
However, where Fellini's black-and-white Italian film concerns the
romantic ups-and-downs of an ever-hopeful sex worker, in the musical the
central character is a dancer-for-hire at a Times Square dance hall. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1966, where it was nominated for 9 Tony Awards, and also ran in the West End as well as having revivals and international productions.
Christina Applegate starred in another revival of the show, opening on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on May 4, 2005, after a troubled three-city preview tour. The show went into production beginning January 25, 2005 at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. Audience-attended previews began February 8, with the Opening Night performance held February 17, 2005. The Minneapolis engagement closed on February 20. Applegate broke her foot in Chicago, the second stop on the tour, and was replaced by her understudy. Then, after the final leg of the tour in Boston, the producers announced that the production would not be continuing to Broadway due to lack of interest. However, two days later, the Broadway engagement was on after Applegate convinced the producers to continue. A week into previews, Applegate rejoined the cast.The show was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Applegate. Reportedly, pop icon Britney Spears was asked to replace Applegate when her contract expired, but declined the offer. The musical ended its Broadway run on December 31, 2005, after 279 performances.
On the street, after work, Charity gives to every beggar who approaches her until she realizes she has no money. Just then, film star Vittorio Vidal rushes out of the smart Pompeii Club, in pursuit of his beautiful mistress, Ursula. Ursula refuses to go back inside with Vittorio, who promptly takes the only-too-willing Charity instead. Inside the Pompeii Club, the dancers are dancing the latest craze, The Rich Man's Frug. To everyone's astonishment, the famous Vittorio is accompanied by the unknown Charity. She tries to steer him away from the subject of Ursula. Finally, he wants to dance. Not having eaten since breakfast, Charity faints. There is general agreement amongst the dancers that she needs to be "laid down". Vittorio asks "where?", and Charity recovers enough to prompt Vittorio with "your apartment!".
Lying down on Vittorio's bed, Charity claims she is no longer hungry. She admits she is a dance hall hostess, putting it down to "the fickle finger of fate" (a favorite expression of hers). Vittorio is struck by her humor and honesty. Starstruck, Charity asks for a signed photograph to prove to the girls she was really in his apartment. While Vittorio fetches props from his old movies for further evidence, Charity remarks on her good fortune ("If My Friends Could See Me Now"). Ursula arrives to apologize for her jealousy; Charity is swiftly bundled into a closet before Vittorio opens the door to Ursula. ("Too Many Tomorrows") While Charity watches from the closet, Vittorio and Ursula make love inside his four-poster bed. The following morning, Charity is escorted from the room by a mortified Vittorio. In the Hostess Room, the girls are disappointed that Charity failed to get more out of Vittorio. Nickie announces she is not going to remain at this job for the rest of her life, prompting the girls to speculate on alternative careers ("There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This"), but Herman brings them back down to earth. Charity decides to seek some cultural enlightenment from the YMHA on 92nd Street, where she gets stuck in a broken elevator with shy tax accountant Oscar Lindquist. While trying to calm him down, Charity learns that he is not married. She declares, "Oh Oscar... You're gonna be all right." After helping Oscar overcome his claustrophobia ("I'm the Bravest Individual"), the pair are plunged into new panic when the lights stop working.
After two weeks, Oscar and Charity have continued dating, and she still has not confessed what she actually does for a living. At Coney Island Amusement Park they become trapped again when the Parachute Jump ride breaks. This time, Oscar is the calm one while Charity is scared — scared that she is starting to depend on him. Once again, Charity loses her nerve about telling him what her real job is. As the crowd look on, the couple kiss. On a slow night at the Fandango, Charity loses the opportunity to snare one of the few customers by a new co-worker, Rosie. Disgusted by the whole business, she quits. However, in Times Square, she wonders what the alternative is ("Where Am I Going?"). Sending a telegram to Oscar, she asks to meet him at Barney's Chile Hacienda. She admits that she is a dance hall hostess; he admits he already knows, having followed her one night and watched her dancing. He says he does not care and wants to marry her. Relieved and elated, Charity leaves ("I'm A Brass Band") and packs a suitcase on which is printed 'Almost Married'.
After a farewell party at the Ballroom ("I Love to Cry at Weddings"), Charity and Oscar walk in the park, whereupon Oscar announces that he cannot go through with the wedding, saying he is unable to stop thinking about the "other men". Eventually, he pushes her into the lake and runs off. Emerging from the lake, Charity, speaking directly to the audience, asks "Did you ever have one of those days?". Realizing that unlike Charlie, Oscar has not stolen her bag, she shrugs and reprises her opening dance.
The stage blacks out onto three neon signs, reading "And so she lived … hopefully … ever after".
Link to the review by the New York Times here
Christina Applegate starred in another revival of the show, opening on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on May 4, 2005, after a troubled three-city preview tour. The show went into production beginning January 25, 2005 at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. Audience-attended previews began February 8, with the Opening Night performance held February 17, 2005. The Minneapolis engagement closed on February 20. Applegate broke her foot in Chicago, the second stop on the tour, and was replaced by her understudy. Then, after the final leg of the tour in Boston, the producers announced that the production would not be continuing to Broadway due to lack of interest. However, two days later, the Broadway engagement was on after Applegate convinced the producers to continue. A week into previews, Applegate rejoined the cast.The show was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Applegate. Reportedly, pop icon Britney Spears was asked to replace Applegate when her contract expired, but declined the offer. The musical ended its Broadway run on December 31, 2005, after 279 performances.
Act I
The young woman Charity Hope Valentine is a taxi dancer at a dance hall called the Fandango Ballroom in New York City. With a shoulder bag and a heart tattooed on her left shoulder, Charity meets her boyfriend Charlie in Central Park. While Charlie silently preens himself, Charity speaks the pick-up lines she imagines him saying, and tells him how handsome he is ("You Should See Yourself"). Charlie then steals her handbag and pushes her into the lake (usually the orchestra pit) before running off. Passers-by discuss the apparent drowning but do nothing, until a young Spaniard finally rescues her. In the Hostess Room of the Fandango Ballroom, Charity tries to convince both herself and the other skeptical taxi dancers that Charlie tried to save her. Nickie, a fellow dancer, tells Charity that her problem is "you run your heart like a hotel — you've always got people checking in and checking out". The manager, Herman, arrives to tell them it is time for work. The hostess dancers proposition the audience in the front room of the Fandango Ballroom ("Big Spender"). Helene and Nickie try to comfort Charity about Charlie's absence ("Charity's Soliloquy").On the street, after work, Charity gives to every beggar who approaches her until she realizes she has no money. Just then, film star Vittorio Vidal rushes out of the smart Pompeii Club, in pursuit of his beautiful mistress, Ursula. Ursula refuses to go back inside with Vittorio, who promptly takes the only-too-willing Charity instead. Inside the Pompeii Club, the dancers are dancing the latest craze, The Rich Man's Frug. To everyone's astonishment, the famous Vittorio is accompanied by the unknown Charity. She tries to steer him away from the subject of Ursula. Finally, he wants to dance. Not having eaten since breakfast, Charity faints. There is general agreement amongst the dancers that she needs to be "laid down". Vittorio asks "where?", and Charity recovers enough to prompt Vittorio with "your apartment!".
Lying down on Vittorio's bed, Charity claims she is no longer hungry. She admits she is a dance hall hostess, putting it down to "the fickle finger of fate" (a favorite expression of hers). Vittorio is struck by her humor and honesty. Starstruck, Charity asks for a signed photograph to prove to the girls she was really in his apartment. While Vittorio fetches props from his old movies for further evidence, Charity remarks on her good fortune ("If My Friends Could See Me Now"). Ursula arrives to apologize for her jealousy; Charity is swiftly bundled into a closet before Vittorio opens the door to Ursula. ("Too Many Tomorrows") While Charity watches from the closet, Vittorio and Ursula make love inside his four-poster bed. The following morning, Charity is escorted from the room by a mortified Vittorio. In the Hostess Room, the girls are disappointed that Charity failed to get more out of Vittorio. Nickie announces she is not going to remain at this job for the rest of her life, prompting the girls to speculate on alternative careers ("There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This"), but Herman brings them back down to earth. Charity decides to seek some cultural enlightenment from the YMHA on 92nd Street, where she gets stuck in a broken elevator with shy tax accountant Oscar Lindquist. While trying to calm him down, Charity learns that he is not married. She declares, "Oh Oscar... You're gonna be all right." After helping Oscar overcome his claustrophobia ("I'm the Bravest Individual"), the pair are plunged into new panic when the lights stop working.
Act II
After being trapped in a broken elevator, Oscar and Charity are finally rescued when it starts working again. Oscar invites Charity to go to church with him, to which she hesitantly agrees. As they walk under the Manhattan Bridge to the church, the faint cries of the next person to be stuck in the elevator are heard. The Rhythm of Life Church turns out to be a thin veneer on hippie culture ("The Rhythm of Life"). A police raid breaks up the meeting. Traveling home on the subway, Oscar proposes another date and tries to guess Charity's job, deciding that she works in a bank. Charity lies, saying she works for First National City, Williamsburg Branch. As they part, Oscar kisses her hand, and dubs her Sweet Charity ("Sweet Charity").After two weeks, Oscar and Charity have continued dating, and she still has not confessed what she actually does for a living. At Coney Island Amusement Park they become trapped again when the Parachute Jump ride breaks. This time, Oscar is the calm one while Charity is scared — scared that she is starting to depend on him. Once again, Charity loses her nerve about telling him what her real job is. As the crowd look on, the couple kiss. On a slow night at the Fandango, Charity loses the opportunity to snare one of the few customers by a new co-worker, Rosie. Disgusted by the whole business, she quits. However, in Times Square, she wonders what the alternative is ("Where Am I Going?"). Sending a telegram to Oscar, she asks to meet him at Barney's Chile Hacienda. She admits that she is a dance hall hostess; he admits he already knows, having followed her one night and watched her dancing. He says he does not care and wants to marry her. Relieved and elated, Charity leaves ("I'm A Brass Band") and packs a suitcase on which is printed 'Almost Married'.
After a farewell party at the Ballroom ("I Love to Cry at Weddings"), Charity and Oscar walk in the park, whereupon Oscar announces that he cannot go through with the wedding, saying he is unable to stop thinking about the "other men". Eventually, he pushes her into the lake and runs off. Emerging from the lake, Charity, speaking directly to the audience, asks "Did you ever have one of those days?". Realizing that unlike Charlie, Oscar has not stolen her bag, she shrugs and reprises her opening dance.
The stage blacks out onto three neon signs, reading "And so she lived … hopefully … ever after".
Link to the review by the New York Times here
New York City: Le Madeleine (April 2005)
My spouse and I dined at Le Madeleine for lunch in April 2005. This venerable bistro went modern under chef Bruce Beaty (whose lively flavors reflected stints with Alfred Portale and Gilbert LeCoze). We feel miles from Ninth Avenue in the quirky all-weather courtyard garden. Lemon custard seals the deal. Grab a honey madeleine and catch that curtain.
New York City: Ramada New Yorker (April 2005)
My spouse and I stayed at the Ramada New Yorker in late April 2005. We remitted Ramada points for a free night’s stay, but even so, the condition of the hotel guest rooms is deplorable and we would not recommend staying here until some significant renovations occur. Nestled in Midtown Manhattan along 8th Avenue – just south of Times Square and north of Penn Station – stands an iconic Jazz Age-era building that has drawn some of the most influential travelers in history. You’ll know you’re close when you look up to see its Art Deco façade, proudly adorned with red block-letters: NEW YORKER. Welcome! Our Wyndham New Yorker Hotel in Midtown Manhattan seamlessly combines the grace and style of a bygone era with a contemporary sense of convenience and comfort. Though we have over 1,000 accommodations to offer, we do our absolute best to make every guest feel at home during their visit – whether you’re visiting us for work, play or a little bit of both. Relax in sophisticated rooms or suites. Enjoy a meal at one of our mouth-watering on-site eateries. Take advantage of amenities that include a fully equipped fitness center and complimentary Wi-Fi access. Enhance your meeting with our expansive-yet-flexible event spaces. And of course, venture out into New York City itself. The Wyndham New Yorker Hotel in Midtown Manhattan is within walking distance of Penn Station, Bryant Park and the High Line, so you’ll find no shortage of new sights and experiences!
For inexpensive (yet centrally located) Manhattan hotels, try: Ramada New Yorker, Portland Square Hotel, Herald Square Hotel, and Milford Plaza. All have their own websites where you can book rooms. None of those hotels have particularly pretty rooms (they are old and run-down), but they are reasonably priced, and most have private bathrooms (Herald Square has some rooms with shared baths, I believe). The public spaces (lobby, restaurants) look a bit better than the rooms.
For inexpensive (yet centrally located) Manhattan hotels, try: Ramada New Yorker, Portland Square Hotel, Herald Square Hotel, and Milford Plaza. All have their own websites where you can book rooms. None of those hotels have particularly pretty rooms (they are old and run-down), but they are reasonably priced, and most have private bathrooms (Herald Square has some rooms with shared baths, I believe). The public spaces (lobby, restaurants) look a bit better than the rooms.
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