New York Bus Trip - Jersey Boys

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A motor coach, chartered from Brown Transportation of Amsterdam, New York took members of Proctor's Theatre's Guild and their guests to a Wednesday Matinee performance of Tony Award-Winning Broadway Musical, "Jersey Boys." After an interesting "side trip" through the Latino food market section of Secaucus. New Jersey (which we would like to re-visit some other time), our bus left us off at Bryant Park in Midtown, Manhattan.

Bryant Park, a green oasis with a carrousel, takes up two blocks behind the New York Public Library on 6th Ave. (Avenue of the Americas) between 40 and 42 St. We scurried up to Christie's Auction House at Rockefeller Plaza. The first in a series of auctions of Post War Contemporary Art with Warhol's, Calder's, etc. was scheduled for that evening. So we previewed some of the work; which was both amazing and hard to comprehend. Several of the pieces carried projected price ranges up to $25,000,000 - count the zeros.

We crossed over to Broadway and had lunch - rare roast beef sandwich for Wes; mussles from the appetizer menu for me - at Rosie O'Grady's on the corner of Broadway and 52nd St. within sight of the August Wilson Theatre. The show was sold out and we had our tickets; but I stood in line to buy tickets for my sister, Zita, for Jersey Boys - the best I could do (on May 16, 2007) was two orchestra seats for Jan. 2. POPULAR, and deservedly so. The play is a fantastic musical telling of the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons story. Sort of like a "guy" version of "Mamma Mia" - lose plot; intense music; great fun! Our seats in the August Wilson Theatre at 245 West 52nd Street, were in "nose bleed territory," but no complaints here! The back row of the last Mezzanine proved great for seeing floor work with an added bonus of having no one tapping the seats behind us to the sounds of wonderful 50's music. The songs from "Silhouettes on the Shade" to "Sherry Baby;" "Walk Like a Man" to "Working My Way Back to You;" "Who Loves You Pretty Momma" to "Let's Hang On;" played in my head like a personal i-pod.

It was teaming rain and so windy that our umbrellas turned inside out when we left the theatre. Note - the guys who sell handbags and jewelry turn into $5 umbershoot salesmen at the first drop of rain. We braved the weather and struggled down Broadway to Toys R Us where we bought a birthday present for our grandson, Casey. The Times Square Toys R Us is like any child's fondest dream. There is a ferris wheel that is three stories high in the middle of the store. And almost as grand a Lego display as Legoland in Downtown Disney.

We joined friends fo dinner Croton Reservoir Tavern near Bryant Park at 108 West 40th Street. The Croton Reservoir Tavern is an American restaurant and bar feel that recalls the days of cobblestone streets and horse drawn carriages. The Tavern was named in honor of the Croton Reservoir, one of Manhattan's forgotten landmarks. Once the city's main water source, the basin was filled in to lay the foundation for the New York Public Library and Bryant Park. The food was great; service vert good (there were 9 of us - which is a challenge for waitstaff), and the atmosphere cosmopolitan New Yorkie with a diverse group of young careerists meeting for cocktails at the bar and comfortable tables and banquettes along the wall. Almost best of all; we were close to where so many bus charters drop off and pick up. We had been to the Bryant Park Grille on prior visits and love it for food, setting, and convenience. Now, Croton Reservoire gives us another option when we are on a bus tour.

Our bus left at 7:30 and we were back in Schenectady by 10:30.

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