GimletBlog

“Very true,” said Henry, “and this is a very nice day, and we are taking a very nice walk, and you are two very nice young ladies.”

Kelley and I both had most of the day to sightsee before returning home, so on this brisk, clear Sunday morning we walked north along the Museum Mile. Sadly, the Guggenheim is covered in scaffolding so it was not as impressive as it could have been. We stopped in at the Museum of the City of New York, an uncrowded and interesting little museum (and free on Sunday mornings!) which gave us an overview of some aspects of the city’s history. The maritime and theater exhibits were especially detailed and fascinating.

After touring the museum, we decided we needed our own Beechen Cliff and corresponding study of the picturesque, so we walked about a block to Central Park’s Conservatory Garden, bordered by the Vanderbilt Gate. We could tell that the garden must be stunning at the proper time of year, but mid-November only a few roses tenaciously clung to their bloom. Nevertheless the gardens were lovely and peaceful. We found a pair of crabapple alleés which would have pleased Eleanor Tilney — in a melancholy way, of course. We continued south through the park past the reservoir, back towards the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

There wasn’t enough time to attempt more sightseeing, so we walked back to our hotel, bidding a final, fangirly farewell to Theater Ten Ten on the way. After a short wait in the lobby, Valancourt the Super Shuttle driver made his much-anticipated entrance and I was spirited off to Udolpho Newark. Luckily, I was the first passenger and rode shotgun on an informal tour through Manhattan. While gawking at the shops, skyscrapers, Grand Central Station, Times Square, and Broadway, it became apparent that we had confined ourselves to the sedate, tranquil part of town. The airport wasn’t too crowded, and joy of joys, there was an empty seat next to mine on the plane. As a certain airline has, shall we say, a rather relaxed attitude towards returning baggage to its passengers, I arrived home around midnight.

This little getaway was so much fun. Short, but we made the most of our time, thanks to the advice of the local Pemberlians. Always wonderful to bask in the radiance that is the Virtue Queen, if only for a brief, shining moment. Kelley and I enjoyed the best company with fine conversation, and while we frequently chose to run mad, neither of us fainted.

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Oh! Mr. Tilney, how frightful! — This is just like a book!

Saturday morning we followed excellent directions given to us by a native New Yorker and fellow Pemberlian, and set out for the morning. On the way, we located the restaurant and the Park Avenue Christian Church, home of Theater Ten Ten. To our delight, the church was a Gothic edifice! Perhaps more Blaize Castle than Otranto, but still, very exciting.

We arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art before the crowds and spent most of the day exploring its long passages and galleries, as our passion for ancient edifices and artifacts was next in degree to our passion for — well, you know. While we weren’t able to see all the exhibits, we chose favorites to linger over and briskly worked our way through several others. I was thrilled to find a collection of red figure vases by the Berlin and Achilles painters in the Greek and Roman galleries; Kelley’s must-see was George Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. We especially enjoyed the special exhibit titled Americans in Paris, 1860-1900.

By mid-afternoon the museum was getting crowded, so we left, walking several blocks south along Fifth Avenue, then turning around to walk back to 86^th Street through Central Park. We saw the viewing station for Pale Male, the Model Boat Pond, and took in the vast array of families, dog walkers, pedestrians, and cyclists. We took another loving look at the church — it was on the way, I promise — and hurried back to the hotel to meet the other Pemberlians and (hopefully) the Virtue Queen, who was making her way north from Times Square. (more…)

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Catherine was all eager delight; — her eyes were here, there, every where, as they approached its fine and striking environs, and afterwards drove through the streets which conducted them to the hotel. She was come to be happy, and she felt happy already.

Last August I found out that an award-winning stage adaptation of Northanger Abbey would be running again in New York City in the fall. For all my interest in NA adaptations, I’d never been able to see one of the stage plays performed, and I had it on good authority that this was a very good one. I’d never visited New York City either and hadn’t taken a solo trip in several years. Clearly, the time was right for an adventure.

Adventures are not necessarily cheap, so I would have to confine the trip to one weekend, with the play being the event around which all other activities would be planned. I’ve always dreamed of visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so that was another must-see. Fortunately the Museum Mile was only a few blocks from Theater Ten Ten. I also made plans to meet up with a former college roommate (best known as the Virtue Queen, or VQ). Members of the on-line Republic of Pemberley are always up for an Austen-related get-together, so prior to the trip we worked out a pre-theater dinner.

I chose to stay at a brand-new Marriott on the Upper East Side, not far from the theater and also close to the Museum Mile. It was one of the more affordable hotels in the area, but even so to manage costs I shared a room with Kelley, a fellow Pemberlian and willing partner in all escapades Northangerian. The room was clean, quiet, and comfortable, and the hotel provided a complimentary continental breakfast.

My flight arrived in the midst of rush hour. As the shuttle slowly made its way uptown through Manhattan, it was encouraging to spot our pre-theater restaurant, even if it was unlikely I’d remember how to get there. By the time I made it to the hotel, I was a little travel-shocked and didn’t feel much like exploring an unfamiliar place at night. The front desk recommended Pinocchio’s Ristorante, a very nice little Italian restaurant only a block or two away. Even though it was a Friday night and we didn’t have a reservation, we were seated immediately, the service was pleasant, and the food was delicious. The dining area couldn’t have been much larger than my kitchen but they made the most of their space.

Upon returning to the hotel, Kelley and I discovered we had both brought copies of the play to look over, and as (1) neither of us turned out to be axe murderers, and (2) neither of us tire of discussing Northanger Abbey, the weekend was off to a great start.

Next: NA fangirls geek out in GOTHam

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