2014 NYC THEATER TRIP

SUMMER IN THE CITY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26th

Janet Miller Haines, our Northern Stage Board Chair, and I are on our annual THEATER FIX trip to New York.

Our base is the Intercontinental Times Square hotel at 300 W. 44 St off of 8th Avenue. Right in the Theater district and across the street from Birdland, the big Jazz venue....

We arrived in the afternoon. The first thing I did was walk up to Vidal Sassoon on W. 56th street for a Summer haircut!!

JAnet and I set off for Dinner at "The Marshal" a small Farm to Table Restaurant on 10th Ave between 44th and 45th streets. Yummy veges at an outdoor table as the sun set over Manhattan.

Audra McDonald was a TOUR de FORCE in her one woman Show,  "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" at the Circle in the Square Theater on W. 50th. She was a perfect in every way Billie Holiday. The only problem was that Audra looked healthy ( which I'm sure she is ) and I seriously doubt that at the end of her life Billy looked anything like that.

We had a nice walk back home enjoying that sultry New York Summer night, a night cap, and off to bed.

WEDNESDAY, August 26th

Work in the morning in our COOL rooms. Lunch was at "Marseille" on 44th and 9th, which turned out to become command central. The Matinee was "A GENTELMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER" at the Walter Kerr Theater. Oh my goodness what an inventive story. We had a lot of fun but there were a couple of issues. Jefferson Mays plays many different characters and is outrageous
in all of them. Great performance. We missed Seeing the other main guy, Bryce Pinkham, was off that day  so we saw an understudy. Sorry to miss Bryce Pinkham. Also, I didn't love the music. I'm spoiled. But overall do recommend the show!

Our evening show was "BEAUTIFUL" the Carol King Musical at the Stephen Sondheim Theater ......EXCELLENT. LOVED  IT! It was my favorite of the week. Jessie Mueller played Carol very well. Tons of great songs of Carol's and just of the era in general and a very well told story.

After the show we went to a cool Thai restaurant on 9th Ave called "Room Service"... Martinis and Thai!

THURSDAY, August 27th

This was my day to travel to Long Island to have an afternoon voice lesson with my vocal coach and her fantastic husband/pianist. It was a wonderful session. Janet had lunch in the city with her grand daughter. I came back on the train just in time to go back to Marseille to have dinner with Janet and Kevin Loreque, our NYC actor friend.

Thursday evening was the very 1st Preview of a new show, "IT'S ONLY A PLAY" by Terrance McNally.  A funny show with a stellar cast..... Mathew Broderick, Nathan Lane, F. Murray Abraham and Stockard Channing. It was truly a love letter to the theater, and very delightful.

We returned home to the real world on Friday morning. 4 Wonderful shows and a good NYC Fix!

AUGUST WEEKEND AT THE MAINE COAST

Ray and I in the convertible for the weekend ...... off to some sun, sea, and sand!!

Departed Sunapee at 3pm on Friday, August 22 and headed for the White Barn Inn in Kennebunk,
Maine. The White Barn has a long history and is now an elegant country hotel with a great restaurant.

The White Barn Inn, Kennebunk, ME

Dinner Friday night was at Cape Porpoise, just North of town, at Pier 77 restaurant. The bar was fun, the food good, the views Great, and nice live jazz piano and bass in the dining room . It was a really
good place to start off.

Outside of town on a beautiful Maine morning.

Saturday morning we woke to clouds but they cleared up by the time breakfast was over. Nice continental breakfast in the dining room . They have a hot menu, but we didn't need it. The fresh fruits and berries were perfect! WE drove around the area and found Marges Lobster claw, a simple but yummy place in Kennebunkport for lunch. Then Drove up to Goose Rock Beach. There was no parking there, but I got out for a little walk on the sand. I needed to stick my toes in the ocean.
We actually started our Christmas shopping at a great gift shop in Kennebunkport, had a Roccocco Ice Cream, and headed back to the room for a nap and a bath!

The Beach in Kennebunk is a DOG BEACH before 9 and after 5. FYI

They grow amazing flowers! Ray shot this in town before lunch.

Dinner was at the White Barn and a delicious 3 course meal with excellent service from Angela and her team. Cyril, the bartender took us to the kitchen for a peek at the action with the chefs and all their stations. Very intense back there. Dinner ended with about 3 dessert courses, way more than we needed, but she just kept it coming!  Check out the place and their menu online if you're interested.

Maine Harbor Scene.... Ray's great photo

Sunday was a drive up the coast after breakfast to Portland.  This old town has been revitalized by a thriving arts, shopping and eating scene. Gorgeous sunny Summer day for exploring. We had lunch at the popular "J's" seafood and raw bar right down in the harbor. then went walking and shopping. I was ready for some retail therapy and Ray wanted to explore the art galleries. We did a bit of both.
I found Carla's for a new hat, and the Black Parrot for a dress by a neat Japanese designer, Niu.


Dinner was at "555" on Congress Street, and easy walk from our base, the Portland Harbor Hotel.
Nice dinner, Ray had truffled lobster risotto, and I had a nice halibut dish. No dessert tonight!

Monday morning was, well... Monday. So we packed up after breakfast and headed back home. Ray needed to check in at the office in advance of his Bermuda Board Meeting, and I needed to prepare for a three day ( 4 shows) theater trip to NYC with Janet.

But first we drove up the coast to Falmouth Maine. Lunch on the way home was at a fun place called the Garage at  Governer's Inn in Rochester, NH .

Another fabulous Summer day for driving, top down! Until it got too Darn Hot!! We had to put on the AC.

We love The Maine COAst in Summertime!!!