Raising Bipolar

Well, Gam and I are back from New York and we had a great time.   We went non-stop the whole time and I am completely pooped now but it was all worth it.

Highlights from Day 1 and 2

A Behanding In Spokane – this is the play we saw the first night.  It was incredible.  For me, it was beyond incredible because I got to see Christopher Walken, who is one of my favorite actors, in person on stage right there in front of me.  He was great.  In fact, all four actors in it were great.   I would say the writing of the play was funny but not spectacular.  However, for me to see Christopher Walken was something I will never forget.  I was completely smitten.  And, as luck would have it, Henry Winkler (who I remember as the Fonz) was in the audience a few rows in front of us in faded Levi’s and a grey sweater. That was cool as well because I grew up watching Happy Days and he just looked so chill and normal.

The Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square - I got this hotel via Priceline blind bid and man was it nice for what Gam paid for it.  The location was great (right in Times Square), the beds were heavenly, the room was huge – especially by New York standards – and the service was excellent.  I would highly, highly recommend this hotel.  Our room did not face Times Square and this didn’t bother us but they do have rooms that overlook the Square if that’s your thing.

The Asian Massage Parlor in Chinatown – oh yes, this was an experience to last a lifetime.  Suffiice it to say we were in Chinatown, we were completely exhausted and my back was freaking killing me.  I saw a sign for a massage parlor where they massage you by the minute, and yes, we all know what these normally are but I was so tired I didn’t care, and it looked somewhat legit so I thought, what the heck.   Gam was very hesitant but I convinced her to go in with me.  Much to our surprise, there were no underage girls in there and the place seemed reasonably clean.  And, they did an excellent massage.   I know, I know, but they did.  We each got a 30 minute back massage and they were very professional and had ridiculously strong hands for how tiny of women they were.   When we were leaving they seemed very nervous as I took pictures of the place with Gam standing out front.  They even came out to kind of ’shoo’ us off but whatever, I got my pictures.  And much to their delight, I was not there doing any kind of Dateline investigation on the legitimacy of Asian Massage Parlors.  So, it all worked out.

Junior’s Cheesecake – incredibly good and insanely fresh.  A superior cheesecake.

Lowlights from Day 1 and 2

Chicago – The Musical – this is the play/musical we saw the second night.  It was terrible.  We left at intermission.  The cast was awful.  The lead blond looked like she was 100 years old and was not pleasant to watch and the lead brunette was Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child and she was not great either.  The male dancers were so waxed, buffed and fancy looking there was no way you could believe a woman would be ever even remotely attracted to them.  It was a total bust.

The Loud Copulating Couple In The Room Next Door – thank goodness they were only there one night but as if the bad play that night wasn’t enough we come to this man and woman that were definintely making the most of their stay at the hotel – at about 100 decibles – and it was really unpleasant.   When it continued on into the morning I finally complained and security came and they changed rooms but I was shocked when I saw them through the peephole (ok, I have my own issues).  I was expecting a hot young couple maybe in their early 20’s – strapping man, beautiful woman – or, conversely,  a older gross man with a prostitute.  But alas, no, it was neither.  It was a super dumpy looking middle-aged couple.   Go figure.   People are weird.

To be continued…