Boston Day 3!

Fenway Park. I don't really have bucket lists because I'm not a planner. But Fenway Park was definitely on the list, if I had one. We had tickets for the game that night but decided to ride the T down to Fenway for a tour. A lil tip, get off on Kenmore and not Fenway. No idea why Kenmore is closer to Fenway than the stop called Fenway but it is. The Boston subway is fast and efficient but still has those confounded steps crawling back to the streets.

The Fenway tour is a must. Our guide was full of information and told it in a fun way. We went to the stands, found the seat with a pole right in front of it, and then climbed more steps to the Green Monstah where we could look over the baseball cathedral. Then to the press box and the suites. and finally, to the right field stands where the red seat is (Ted Williams 520-foot home run landed there). It lasted about an hour and was loads of fun. The museum contains all the Red Sox memorabilia you would want to see.

Johnny Pesky's zippo to light up heaters in the dugout. Old timey gloves that quite honestly were worthless. 

Back on the subway to hit the Freedom Trail before going back down to the ballgame. The Freedom Trail is up hill. Ugh. But we managed to get to Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market where the food court is full of every possible combo you want. More chowda, more cannoli's and more souvenirs. Then back to Boston Commons via the subway.

Then the game at Fenway vs the Giants.

Back on the subway to Fenway with the masses of people. Got lost again and probably circled the entire stadium to find our gate. Entering the stadium and going up the ramp reminded me of the first time I ever did that, at Wrigley Field when I was a kid. I still remember the green field and this view was just as fine. Tickets just to the 3rd base side of home plate, a row of 4 seats and full of Giants fans. The Red Sox dominated the game so us Giants fans simply could take in the Fenway experience. Take me out to the ball game, the 8th inning Sweet Caroline, and the vendors including an actual chowder vendor. I was chowdered out, so we stuck to Fenway dogs, beer and pretzels. 

I cant emphasize how much fun that was for this old baseball fanatic to finally see Fenway. I almost wished for the old 3 1/ 2 hour games just to be there longer (no not really). The game ended at 9:45 and we got on the subway and were back at the hotel at 10:15pm. 

It was over. Day 3 done. Back to Omaha tomorrow. There's just not enough time. 

I want to go back already.

Boston Day Two!

 

Day 2 begins with a daily trip to Boston's finest restaurant, Dunkin, of which there is one every two blocks. Then it's off to find the Edgar Allen Poe Statue to pick up the Old Tyme Trolley to tour Beantown. We had purchased this day pass from a broker at the hotel. Don't do that, just book it online and you will save some money.

The Old Tyme Trolley is just that. A trolley with comfortable seats. The driver, Townie, was a real Bawston guy. He had the accent; he had the temperament, and he had the ability to entertain. He started busting my chops as we waited for the 9 am departure time. I guess wearing a Red Sox hat and a Seattle Supersonics t shirt might confuse people. We only went a couple of stops before hopping off at the Boston Tea Party ships. Yeah, its touristy, but it was fun to listen and participate in a rabble-rousing speech from actors playing colonial roles. You then tour the ship, go into the bowels and back up where you get to throw "tea" into the Boston Harbor. Suck it King George! You can then tour the museum with interactive films and are released thru the Abigails Tea Room where for 5 bucks you can have as much tea as you wish including the 5 teas popular in 1775. 3 of the 5 are hideous. 

Back on the trolley and we were let off near the Old North Church and the North End. A walk uphill will do ya in. Then another walk down a hill past a cemetery full of colonials. There's the Old North Church which is closed on Mondays. There's Paul Revere's house, a tiny little thing that housed 16 people. Then there's the food of the North End. Mikes Pastry has cannolis and Boston Creme Pie to die for.  Across the street is Galleria Umberto, a pizza place where you can get two slices and a pop for less than 10 bucks. The pizza is pan style and wonderful. 

Back to the trolley for the rest of the trip. Bunker Hill, Old Ironsides, Faneuil Hall, the Gahhhhden, Cheers, all the while with stories from Townie that were both informative and funny as hell.

Back to the hotel where I can tell a story in 3 pictures.

There was a Robert F Kennedy Junior fundraiser at the hotel and there were actually people going to it. The lone demonstrator across the street got a big thumbs up from us. The guy is a nut. Period.

Day 2 in the books. 

Boston Day One!

Up early for a short taxi ride to the Daniel P Moynihan Train Station for a 3-hour trek via Amtrak to Boston. I love the train. Always have. Off we went on the Northeast Express with plenty of leg room and seats in the "quiet car" which means shut the hell up. Thru Connecticut and Rhode Island and all I have to say is Amtrak tracks must go through the shitty neighborhoods in New Haven and Providence cuz woooo...it looked bleak.

Arriving in Boston and getting an Uber to the Hilton Park Plaza was easy. Unfortunately we arrived 3 hours early and to avoid a $75 check in early fee we began to walk. Now when I get stressed, I sweat and when I sweat excessively and feel like I'm going to pass out. A short stop at a cafe and some water and protein sent me to normal from I'm dying here.

The Boston Commons was right near our hotel. It was full of people laying on the grass, listening to a one-man band changing Dylan lyrics from the times they are a changin to the climate is changing. He was a trip, kind of a Wavy Gravy vibe to him. People feeding the ducks, riding the swan boats and sleeping outside, a bustle of activity. Seems like a cool place to chill.

The permeating of Cubs fans was in force. Cubs fans walking all over the place waiting for that night's game, which they lost thank goodness.

That evening a short trip to what turned out to be the hotel bar, M J O'Connors, a pub with food at 8 pm. The Sox game was on and a pint of Guinness and a cup of clam chowda was a must. 

And with that, Day one was done.

Appropriate!

 The usher led us to our seat with a "welcome to Appropriate". The poor bastard was a fill in usher, and I heard two different pedantic theater snobs correct him and say "its pronounced Appropri-ATE" to which he said I was instructed to say Appropriate. Bless their hearts.

Appropri-ATE is the story of a dysfunctional family coming together to bury their father. They must take care of the money and the dilapidated southern plantation. But what happens is anything but. 

What happens is the inevitable fights between family members with years and years of unloaded tension and grudges.

Sarah Paulson is the star playing a rather bitter toxic person Toni, without a good thing to say about anyone. Corey Stoll is her rather timid brother , Bo, a rich New Yorker without the ability to stand up to her. Michael Esper plays the addict brother Franz, a man with a 22-year-old hippie gal pal and a past of ignoring all of them. Natalie Gold (Kendall Roy's ex-wife on Succession) plays Corey Stoll's wife, Rachel, the only one willing to take on the bitter Toni.

These are great performances. Lots of dark humor cuts thru the tension and it's a welcome relief. 

The secrets of the father's life come to the forefront; he was a racist, which Toni refuses to believe. There is a tense scene where Toni calls Rachel a slur for Jewish people (the K word) that drew gasps. At the end of the first act, Bo and Rachel's little son comes downstairs in a costume he found that proves Daddy's racism. As if the pictures of lynchings Daddy left behind didn't prove that. The second act flew by and it was damn near 11 when we got out of there. It's so intense you won't notice the time.

One thing you will notice about the Music Box Theater is that the traffic sounds will permeate the inside. Honks, sirens, loud engines, more honking you will hear and not be sure at first if it's part of the play. Its not and it sometimes takes away from hearing a character's lines.

Is it Appropriate for everybody? Well no. If you want happy, go see Lion King. If you want reality, see Appropri-ATE 

New York Day 3!

 Well well well...Day 3 begins with a trip to Times Square to find the hop on hop off bus. The street hustlers descend on you like bees to the queen. Once you admit you are interested in the bus the negotiations begin. $75 each? Nah thanks I can book online for $62 ok then $62? Nah thanks I can do that online. Ok $58....sold sir.

The bus goes downtown basically past the parts of the city in lower Manhattan we've already seen. The Bridge, Wall Street, the charging bull...So we get off on the Battery Park stop and head for the best free tour ever. The Staten Island Ferry. Hustlers outside the terminal trying to sell you a ticket on the free  Ferry. This despite the signs saying don't buy a ticket from these con artists. We saw people stopping.

The Staten Island Ferry. which I'd never been on instead opting to spend hundreds on river cruises to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island is free. Have I mentioned that? You pile on like a Greyhound Bus and swiftly go up top to claim your spot (right side on the trip to SI and left for the trip back. Really, the trip is just as good as paying to see the Statue if you have no interest in getting off. Once you get to Staten Island, the masses tend to get off and get back in line to go back because nobody really wants to be where all the racists live in NYC. A man with headphones and an enthusiasm for what he was listening to with a WOO HOO every 30 seconds seemed to be mental but he also conversed with people with a huge smile so he was probably more normal than us.

Back on the bus at Battery Park for the ride back uptown. Past Union Square where a man advertised he was eating an entire container of cheeseballs. 300 people showed up. Love New York.

NYU students had a tent city set up so as to not miss out on the cause of the day. 

Pizza stop at a NY style pizza place with pictures of famous people posing with the owner including criminals like Donald Trump. Also Obama and Hillary so at least the guys an equal opportunity poser. The NY style pizza was heaven.

So off we go to the upper east side where we will find 30 Rock. Top of the Rock is $35 each to go up. A studio tour was sold out (been there done that but MM had not). Up to the top we went, posed on the beam, looked out over the city, dodged the tourists and had a great time. 

Back down and out into the streets. Walking down the block to St Patrick's Cathedral. Again, the tourists have clogged up the entrance and as we enter notice there is a wedding going on. A small wedding with maybe two pews of guests....and thousands of gawkers. Love to see those pics. The bride and groom can claim that thousands attended and they wouldn't be lying. Lit a couple of candles for deceased parents and exited. It really is a beautiful place, believer or not. I find churches peaceful and a place to gather your thoughts even if the reason for their existence is making money for the cults. 

 Down the street is the palace of evil called Trump Tower. Yeah, its right there and flipping it off is a must do for any tourist. Fuck that evil prick and his entire family. Show your disgust. We did.

Catch the subway at Central Park for the short trip back to the Square to get ready for tonight's Broadway play entitled Appropriate or as we found out....Appropri-ATE.

Suffs!

 Suffs is a rather new musical premiering on Broadway about the suffragette movement of the early 20th century. Featuring an entire female cast, the musical gets going with the first of many catchy tunes "Let Mother Vote" sung by veteran stage singers portraying the older women of the movement pushing for gradual change. In come the youngs, not nearly as patient as the olds, egos clash and hilarity ensues.

The musical covers everything, from the resistance of women born in the 1800's who have spent 40 years accomplishing nothing, to the young white folks led by Alice Paul who want change now, and the black women who want a voice in two things, voting and civil rights.

The musical has a Hamilton vibe to it. You are learning a lot about history while at the same time enjoying the songs. 

Broadway is a bit different from the touring shows we get in Omaha. While the touring shows are great with tremendous talent, Broadway has zero weak spots in the cast. They all have earned their way to the stage in New York and blow you away. We had the understudy for Alice Paul that night and she was absolutely fantastic. Veteran Broadway actors and singers like Jenn Collela as Carrie Chapman Catt and Nikki M James as Ida B Wells, the back journalist shine. James belting out the tune "Wait My Turn" is especially moving.

The plays main message, to me anyway, is that no matter if its 1919 or 2024, humans will clash even those with a common goal will butt heads. It's apparent that though getting women the vote is the goal, sometimes this results in various factions brawling with each other. Those with political goals, those with personal goals and those with a burn it all down mentality will always fight with each other while the powers that be just sit back and chuckle.

The actors will make some sort of statement about an obscure event, turn to the audience and say "look it up". It really is a learning experience as well as a fun time.

Suffs tells you to "Keep Marching". It may just march into Tony awards.

New York Day Two!

 Day 2 begins on a subway ride down to City Hall. The NYC subway, just as you get used to it you have to leave. Its $2.90 or $11 for a day pass. Or you can put your credit card on the reader and get in that way. Except for me. So, I had to buy an antiquated paper Metro Pass. You ride the subway and can't help but wonder of the genius of it. HOW did they build this thing? Max's Mom just wanted stations with elevators cuz there are lots of steps getting back to the street from the bowels of hell. 

Wandering around the City Hall, there are tons of NYPD officers hanging around. Hmm wonder why? We find the Brooklyn Bridge just to walk across early because its not that crowded. Off we go. The Bridge is really no longer than the Bob we have in Omaha but because we are olds we need stop, allegedly to take in the view but in reality, its cuz we are old. Walk walk walk into the borough of Brooklyn where we get lost immediately. Google Maps is the devil. And I will insist 100% of arguments start over this piece of technology. But we find our way thru Brooklyn to the NYC Ferry ($4) which will take you across the Hudson or the East River to Wall Street.

More indecisions due to Google Maps so we get bagels and croissants from a street vendor and sit. The charging bull is our goal. We find the bull surrounded by tourists, mostly of the Asian persuasion and everybody wants pics so its kill or be killed. Just go up there and take your pic. Back uptown we go.

What are we looking for? Well, it's the Law & Order courthouse steps of course and the federal courthouse next to it where a certain former President is finally be held accountable for his criminal activity. Oh that is why NYPD is all over. (3 NYPD officers walk towards us, a kind of 2024 Mod Squad, one Asian officer one black officer and a woman officer, and all I hear is the Asian cop say in a perfect Noo Yawk accent "I said to da guy what da fuck are you doing man"). I'd have followed them to get the whole story, but I don't need to get arrested for stalking.

The Federal Courthouse is closed off. There is a corrections bus ready to take the Defendant to Rikers and I so hope it happens. The media is all over the street. Most of whom you recognize if you pay attention to the news. And then across the street is the pen of demonstrators kept in the park by barricades. There are 4 pro Trump demonstrators with signs, none of whom speak English which makes me wonder if they aren't paid to be there. It's really a joke that the pathological liar on trial thinks there "thousands of people" out there supporting him. We have no arguments because again they don't speak English.

The spot where the mentally ill man set himself on fire has been sandblasted but still visible. We get our jollies being there and head back to subway to get back to the hotel.

It's out first Broadway show of the trip.....Suffs.............Hey its the Jerry Orbach theater. Here's to you Lenny Briscoe!