Summer in the City | NYC
There is something about NYC in the summer. While you have a large contingent heading out to the coast on the weekends, especially in June the city still keeps much of its hustle and bustle vibe with cooler (well cooler than Houston!) temps. I had a week full of client meetings to attend to, but thankfully my evenings were free to enjoy the city - and while the kids were at church camp and Hubby was working in Houston, mom was able to join me for the trip.
Actually got mom to take a plane selfie - a win!
I have been loving taking Southwest recently - being based in Houston the Southwest hub is Hobby Airport. Quite frankly with all the construction at IAH Bush Airport I try to avoid it at all costs. The location of Hobby is much closer to my house and the airport itself is much easier to park onsite and navigate - especially if you are with kids, or in my case, a mom who likes to bring along her walker for extra support. United has been struggling recently with so many delays and/or cancellations - I have had such success with Southwest direct route from Houston to LaGuardia all year long.
I am the queen of carryon luggage (no lost bags for me!), and couple that with TSA Global Entry it typically is a quick and uneventful 5-10 minutes through security to head to the gate. There is a Starbucks at Hobby Airport - but I can certify unless you get to your gate an hour early the lines and the false app timing promises will make it dicey on whether you actually get your drinks before boarding. Pappas restaurants used to be the pillars of fine dining options in the airport - Pappadeaux, Pappasitos, and Pappas Burgers. Hobby/Houston awarded the bids to other restaurants in the most recent lease auction and so now there is essentially nothing that looks appealing enough to waste the time and money on to try.
So what was on the agenda for 4 days in the city? During the day was clients, but night we had planned Broadway and restaurants. First up let talk art people!
Current broadway shows worth the time and $
The OUTSIDERS
Ah a trip back to middle school and 8th grade with all its angst! But seriously the make or break for me on a great musical is does the musical numbers transcend the play and are instantly catchy? If so you have a real contender on your hands and The Outsiders delivered on it. Mom had seen the cast perform on the Today show and was like “We need to go!” so I had purchased the tickets without really reading anything about the musical itself. We had great seats which for the 2 of us ran about $200/piece - so $400 all in to be in the orchestra on an aisle about 3 rows back on the righthand side of the theater. This musical was in the Jacobs theater which was a bit dated and not super accessible for those with mobility issues.The play was around 2 1/2 hours and it was great - just like the book obviously - but there is quite a graphic fight scene with lots of mimicked violence and blood and simulated thunder and lightening - so I would absolutely not bring anyone younger than my 14 year old to it (especially if they haven’t read the book already!). It was artistically beautiful but it is sad just like the book and was a bit melancholy leaving the theater TBH.
MJ The musical
Ok, let’s just forget for a minute the whole sexual abuse charges again Michael and his estate (which I did to be honest when booking the tickets!). As much as he was a tragic figure (and to me had such a sad life in which he is accused of awful sexual allegations) and he himself was victim to extensive abuse at the hands of family - he was such a talented performer. MJ The Musical mostly ignores and peripherally touches on the speculation and drama surrounding his personal life - but more dials in on how his upbringing influenced his musical and performance genius surrounding the creation and production of his Dangerous World Tour.
The music of course is all of the great hits from the Jackson 5 through his solo career and some select originals as well to the musical - and all of it was fantastic. The actors who portrayed MJ himself - wow! They were PHENOMENAL - I haven’t clapped and cheered this much in a musical since last summer when we saw the Neil Diamond “Beautiful Noise” production. This was truly a such a fun musical that when you left you couldn’t help humming all the songs of his you grew up singing. We were orchestra left on the middle aisle - amazing seats that ran us about $225/piece. The Neil Simon theater offers much more in the way of handicapped access to restrooms if that is an issue.
I know they say you can’t put a price on art - but if you could it would be about $200-250/seat LOL!
Other musicals i would pay to see again:
Neil Diamond “A Beautiful Noise” - saw this in June 2023 - and would go again just to sing Sweet Caroline at the end!!
Wicked - took the kids while in NYC years ago, and saw in London with my friend Julie as well - just a straight up good time!
Restaurants we visited
Katz’s deli
Ah the original - such an “experience” - TBH I will anger the masses but this is a hard pass for me point forward. I don’t need to spend $100 on a meal that I have to stand in line for, be pushed and prodded through like cattle, spoken harshly around and at the end of the EPIC battle just to get some pastrami or corned beef then have to go to ANOTHER line to get a drink - all to then be left with no place to sit and have to share with others a table. Just not my idea of an experience or a good time. Yes it is the oldest deli in the city, yes they sometime have table service (they told us they did then once we were in the building said they had decided to stop it for the evening). With a mom with mobility issues this was definitely not an accommodating place and the pastrami was (gasp!) tough and not that good. I have had much better food at Kenny & Zigg'y’s here in Houston and so point forward when I need my NYC deli fix I will simply drive to Post Oak & San Felipe and eat there.
Good news is I was able to keep it carnivore compliant by ordering my sandwich without bread, and the chopped liver was excellent!
Sardis
Ugh - another disappointment. What used to be the place to go after any theater show has devolved into a basic (not good) menu that is overpriced, the food is not fresh, the service lacks more than the food or menu and overall was just a sad experience to a place that used to be a fixture for us after Broadway. This meal put the proverbial coffin in mom’s ability to choose the restaurants point forward on the trip! (Don’t worry it got much better when I took over LOL!) This was not carnivore or keto friendly - and the most keto friendly item was the mozzarella and tomato salad I got for $22. Yup that below was $22….
Tavern on the Green
Hands down a must do in NYC! Gorgeous Central Park setting - iconic restaurant with solid food that actually warrants the higher price tag. The ambiance alone is worth going to - and I highly recommend getting reservations on OpenTable. Solid options for any diet needs - and the service is impeccable.
Gallagher’s steakhouse
This is another iconic institute in NYC - near broadway we were able to walk 20 ft from the Neil Simon Theater after MJ The Musical to the entrance of Gallaghers for an after theater dinner. Solid steaks, and can accommodate easily the carnivore lifestyle - I only miss the fact that steakhouses in NYC are not like their southern counterparts in finishing their steaks with butter - which definitely helps a lot if the steak is not the most amazing in flavor. The steaks here are solid, prime and aged - but I really do miss the richness that the butter finish offers. The creamed spinach was a moment y’all and PLENTY to share with a table of 4 - the 2 of us definitely could not finish the portion. If you tolerate carbs and sugar the desserts are not to be missed - but a latte was the only finisher I could tolerate!
Villard room at lotte palace
Hands down if you stay at the Lotte Palace - you must visit the Villard Room for breakfast - and if you loved Gossip Girl the TV show you need to go in the evening for a cocktail by the infamous bar - yes THAT bar that Blake Lively defiled in season 1. #iykyk
The breakfast is delicious - it is pricey - but it is a decadent experience to sit a lounge and feel like the pretty people do having a leisurely breakfast. Until the reality that you have work and calls and meetings to attend and you quickly get the check and head out. If you are not staying in the hotel make sure to get reservations on OpenTable to ensure you will get sat for service.
Carnivore accommodations are easily made - for the standard breakfast I sub tomato slices for potatoes and usually order some crispy bacon - the eggs Benedict is fantastic but I just remove the English muffin when it is served.
