After our ferry ride, we were headed to Broadway for the return of Cats. Friends, this was one of the most amazing experiences of my short motherhood. We had front row seats and in case you haven’t caught on, I have a little girl that we call Cat. Not in my wildest imagination could I have expected the girls to enjoy the show as much as they did. I was actually expecting them to fall asleep since they hadn’t napped after the ferry ride (see Part One). This amazingly decorated and intimate theatre captivated us from the moment we entered (late, by the way, because that’s just who we are).
This performance was thrilling for the girls. The actors come off of the stage to interact with the audience throughout the spectacular singing and dancing. During the intermission, Deuteronomy sits on stage and guests are allowed to take a photograph with him. Which was amazing for Cat to do because she’s tends to be scared of costumed characters. She was completely mesmerized.
We weren’t familiar with Cats on Broadway prior to seeing the performance, we just happened on some amazing tickets. Fortunately, the story isn’t complicated by any means because it is based on a series of poems by T.S. Eliot. We researched it afterwards because during the performance, I was confused by the lack of storyline but once you read up on it it makes a little more sense. I found that the lack of formal storyline made it more enjoyable for the girls. They were able to learn about each cat through the songs, music and dance performances without having to figure out overly complex relationships. This matinee was simply a divine introduction to NY for the girls and Broadway for Cal & I.
Off to Penn Station
From the play we walked back to Hotel Edison to retrieve our bags; then took a cab to Penn Station. Aside from a pretzel from a street vendor, we hadn’t eaten since McDonald’s so we needed some food. We opted for Friday’s in Penn Station. While getting ready to sit down, Cal realized that we had left our camera with the bellman at the hotel. He walked back to the hotel while I fed the girls. People, if you don’t get anything from this post, take this lesson – Don’t eat in Penn Station!! Pack a sandwich, have some crackers and waters, or some trail mix. I was completely flabbergasted at the price of a burger. Fortunately, I know my kids well enough to order efficiently. One chicken/shrimp combo meal and one kids meal fed all 4 of us but I paid $50. Learn from my mistakes.
Cal made it back to us just as we were finishing up. We played “guess the movie”, as we waited for our Amtrak to arrive in the station. Boarding the train went smoothly because the conductors assisted with the luggage (tremendous customer service). As the train pulled out of the station, “the end” rolled just before the credits and so ended our 18 hours in New York City.