My "informal" review of the Dawn 15 day repo cruise 11/01/09

[terrymtex01]

I want to start this review by saying for the most part, this is only my opinion and not a combined opinion of mine and Doug's. If I do post something we have discussed and agreed upon I will try to mention that when I post, but this is really just my thoughts. We will do a more "formal" review together. I tried to take notes all along the trip so that I could give as much info as possible. One thing I commit in writing this review is to be as honest as I can be. The reason I say this is I know I will say things about some crew members who are very popular here on CC and some will not like me posting what I do. I have always tried to allow folks on CC to have their opinions so I hope I get the same back. I am just saying what my thoughts, feelings or opinions are. I do realize they are just that, mine and if you had them with a couple of dollars you might could get a cup of coffee somewhere.. 8-)

NYC - We woke up at 3AM Saturday morning as we had a 6:15AM flight on USAir from Dallas to NYC with a connection in Philly. As usual we woke up, stumbled to our patio and had a cig. We came back inside and as I was flipping the switch on my coffee maker, the phone rang. Now I had not posted this (at least very much) but we were very nervous that we would not be able to make this cruise. Doug's Grandfather and my Father are in very bad health so we had possibilities from both sides that we might not be able to take this cruise after all. So of course, being 3AM the only thoughts in my head were that someone had passed away. I answered the phone.. "Hello??".. for what seemed like hours, but was just a few seconds, there was a pause. It was so-and-so with USAir and they wanted to let us know our 6:15 flight had been canceled. So in the micro second between her telling me that our flight had been canceled and the beginning of her next sentence I imagined the worst, of course. That we would have to drive to NY instead of fly. Yes, I know, there are probably hundreds of flights from DFW to NYC every day, but it was 3AM and I had not had any coffee. 8-)

So the very nice lady went on to tell me that they had moved us to a 7AM flight and one that we did not have to connect on. We did stop in NC or SC but we did not have to get off the plane. It was a very nice flight all the way to NYC. Got to NYC and to my great relief all of our luggage had made it as well. Walked right out the door and caught a taxi right away. It was too funny watching the taxi driver try to squeeze our two weeks' worth of luggage into his trunk, but somehow he did it.

We stayed our one night in NYC at the Omni Berkshire Place Hotel at 52nd and 5th in Manhattan. Very nice hotel with a very nice staff. The room was rather small (from a Texan's point of view at least) but have read other reviews of the hotel rooms and they are big for NYC hotel standards. The room was clean and that is most important to me. Our view. Well... my first time in NYC I was so excited about the wonderful view we would have from our hotel room. I knew it would not be that great of a view as we had been given a room on the 6th floor. But I just couldn't wait to see what it was. Got to the room and threw open the curtains (much like Ava Gabor in the opening of Green Acres) to see the view of construction. Yes, on our side of the hotel they were reconstructing some high-rise next door. Ahhh well... there are worst things that could happen.. no big deal.

Being my first time in NYC I had a list as long as my arm of things I wanted to do or see while there. Mind you we had maybe.. MAYBE ten hours tops to see all I wanted to see..Oh..wait... have to eat.. Ok.. 8 hours.. Well.. did we pick a great hotel to stay at. Although it would be tough on anyone to do or see all I wanted to see in just one afternoon/evening, we did get to see and do a lot of it because most of the things were right there near our hotel. We had been on the go since 3AM CST (4AM EST) and it was about 2PM by the time we got checked into the hotel. So we were hungry. Now one thing I HAD to have while in NYC was authentic NYC pizza. I don't mean some place that says it is NYC pizza or whatever.. (like the only kind I have ever had).. but the real deal. So we asked the hotel Concierge if she knew of a good pizza place. "Darling" she said in her beautiful NYC accent.. "I know just the place, if you don't mind a short walk". Now please understand that in Texas.. we don't walk to ANYWHERE. In Texas it is practically your birthright that you have a car. It's expected. It's demanded. It's even the law, I think. 8-) So I should have been much more probing in my questions, but I just said "No, a short walk will do us good".

I don't know how many blocks later, me holding on to buildings as I walk, gasping for air, sweat running down my face on this cold winters day in NYC, peeling off clothes as I am walking, one shoe lost blocks ago in a huge crack in the side walk, we turn the corner and there, glowing like the beacon of light from the Statue of Liberty was our destination... Angelo's, which just happen to be right next door to the Ed Sullivan Theater where they film the tonight show. I don't know where they came from, considering we were in NYC, but I swear buzzards started circling around me as I gathered every bit of strength to make it those last 200 steps to Angelo's. Well worth the trip. OMG the best pizza I have ever had. Now I know what pizza is supposed to taste like. Half way through my glorious pizza, I this dark feeling came over me. At first I didn't realize what it was.. but it kept creeping up on me until I realized what it was. This huge horrible sense of doom.... We had to walk back the same distance to the hotel as we had just walked to get to Angelo's. After this pizza, death would be ok. That is how good the pizza at Angelo's was. I had rested, wiped off the sweat from my forehead, so I was ready to hobble off to our next destination.

Now some of you may understand this, and I think I may, however when we left Angelo's we notice the door to the Ed Sullivan Theater was open with a door man there and a sign "See box office for tickets to see tonight's taping of the Tonight Show". I found that odd since it was a Saturday night. I can only assume that it was because of the pending holidays maybe? I thought they only taped Monday through Friday? Oh well.. we had bigger and better things to do. On to the Titanic Exhibit. I had read several people here on CC say how terrific it was and I HAD to go see it. Only problem was.. I had left the info back at the hotel... Should we walk back to the hotel and get the info? We thought we were only a couple of blocks from the exhibit where we were. Listen.. I would still be in NYC looking for the Titanic Exhibit before I would have walked all the way back to the hotel just to get the info on where it was. All I could remember was that it was at the dead end of "Shubert's Alley" and I was fairly sure Shubert's theater was a very famous theater in NYC. So how hard could it be to find?

As a Texan, I was a duck out of water in NYC. I couldn't tell you what direction we headed out in, but I believe it was South. Doug kept thinking it was somewhere to our right as we were walking down the streets, so every street corner we came to we would look down the street to the right to see if we saw an alley way or the Shubert's Theater. As we were walking along this one block, all of a sudden I became dizzy. Not like I'm going to fall down dizzy.. but like an out of body experience. I swear to you I heard a chorus of angels start to sing. I saw a glow of light start to envelope my body, coming from my left side. Thinking this was it, that I was going to the sweet hereafter, I couldn't stop myself from looking over to my left at the light .. the wonderful warm light that was overtaking me. And what did I see. Yes.. you guessed it. Heaven. It was beyond my belief. Mamma Mia, the stage production. Tears began to run down my face. I have made it to Nirvana. Just as my soul started to drift away from my body and head immediately to the box office I hear the voice of doom itself say.. "We had a deal. No football for me.. no Mamma Mia for you while we are on vacation". But ... But... But.. I look at Doug.. But I meant no Mamma Mia on DVD. Doug.. this is.. this is.. well just look.. It's the real deal.. And I'm within 100 feet of it. "Ok.. but think of all the many wonderful things you wanted to see here in NYC you won't get to see if we go to Mamma Mia". Now if you are still reading my posting.... I have to tell you.. no greater love hath any man had for his domestic partner than I had at that moment. I just couldn't do it to him. I just couldn't make him sit through Mamma Mia...AGAIN. Bravely and with a quivering lip, I took one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, and I continued on our trek to the Titanic Exhibit.

[DMH15]

Terry - you totally crack me up! You are to Mamma Mia the way I am to Le Mis. OMG have seen it 5 times in NYC and 3 at Dallas Summer Musicals. One time in NY Marius was played by a soap star from General Hospital, which I watched faithfully. It was Ricky Martin right before La Vida Loca!

BTW, Letterman is at the Ed Sullivan... Hello Deli is next door.

Can't wait for more....

[Harleycat]

Originally Posted by terrymtex01

I want to start this review by saying for the most part, this is only my opinion and not a combined opinion of mine and Doug's. If I do post something we have discussed and agreed upon I will try to mention that when I post, but this is really just my thoughts. We will do a more "formal" review together. I tried to take notes all along the trip so that I could give as much info as possible. One thing I commit in writing this review is to be as honest as I can be. The reason I say this is I know I will say things about some crew members who are very popular here on CC and some will not like me posting what I do. I have always tried to allow folks on CC to have their opinions so I hope I get the same back. I am just saying what my thoughts, feelings or opinions are. I do realize they are just that, mine and if you had them with a couple of dollars you might could get a cup of coffee somewhere.. 8-)

NYC - We woke up at 3AM Saturday morning as we had a 6:15AM flight on USAir from Dallas to NYC with a connection in Philly. As usual we woke up, stumbled to our patio and had a cig. We came back inside and as I was flipping the switch on my coffee maker, the phone rang. Now I had not posted this (at least very much) but we were very nervous that we would not be able to make this cruise. Doug's Grandfather and my Father are in very bad health so we had possibilities from both sides that we might not be able to take this cruise after all. So of course, being 3AM the only thoughts in my head were that someone had passed away. I answered the phone.. "Hello??".. for what seemed like hours, but was just a few seconds, there was a pause. It was so-and-so with USAir and they wanted to let us know our 6:15 flight had been canceled. So in the micro second between her telling me that our flight had been canceled and the beginning of her next sentence I imagined the worst, of course. That we would have to drive to NY instead of fly. Yes, I know, there are probably hundreds of flights from DFW to NYC every day, but it was 3AM and I had not had any coffee. 8-)

So the very nice lady went on to tell me that they had moved us to a 7AM flight and one that we did not have to connect on. We did stop in NC or SC but we did not have to get off the plane. It was a very nice flight all the way to NYC. Got to NYC and to my great relief all of our luggage had made it as well. Walked right out the door and caught a taxi right away. It was too funny watching the taxi driver try to squeeze our two weeks' worth of luggage into his trunk, but somehow he did it.

We stayed our one night in NYC at the Omni Berkshire Place Hotel at 52nd and 5th in Manhattan. Very nice hotel with a very nice staff. The room was rather small (from a Texan's point of view at least) but have read other reviews of the hotel rooms and they are big for NYC hotel standards. The room was clean and that is most important to me. Our view. Well... my first time in NYC I was so excited about the wonderful view we would have from our hotel room. I knew it would not be that great of a view as we had been given a room on the 6th floor. But I just couldn't wait to see what it was. Got to the room and threw open the curtains (much like Ava Gabor in the opening of Green Acres) to see the view of construction. Yes, on our side of the hotel they were reconstructing some high-rise next door. Ahhh well... there are worst things that could happen.. no big deal.

Being my first time in NYC I had a list as long as my arm of things I wanted to do or see while there. Mind you we had maybe.. MAYBE ten hours tops to see all I wanted to see..Oh..wait... have to eat.. Ok.. 8 hours.. Well.. did we pick a great hotel to stay at. Although it would be tough on anyone to do or see all I wanted to see in just one afternoon/evening, we did get to see and do a lot of it because most of the things were right there near our hotel. We had been on the go since 3AM CST (4AM EST) and it was about 2PM by the time we got checked into the hotel. So we were hungry. Now one thing I HAD to have while in NYC was authentic NYC pizza. I don't mean some place that says it is NYC pizza or whatever.. (like the only kind I have ever had).. but the real deal. So we asked the hotel Concierge if she knew of a good pizza place. "Darling" she said in her beautiful NYC accent.. "I know just the place, if you don't mind a short walk". Now please understand that in Texas.. we don't walk to ANYWHERE. In Texas it is practically your birthright that you have a car. It's expected. It's demanded. It's even the law, I think. 8-) So I should have been much more probing in my questions, but I just said "No, a short walk will do us good".

I don't know how many blocks later, me holding on to buildings as I walk, gasping for air, sweat running down my face on this cold winters day in NYC, peeling off clothes as I am walking, one shoe lost blocks ago in a huge crack in the side walk, we turn the corner and there, glowing like the beacon of light from the Statue of Liberty was our destination... Angelo's, which just happen to be right next door to the Ed Sullivan Theater where they film the tonight show. I don't know where they came from, considering we were in NYC, but I swear buzzards started circling around me as I gathered every bit of strength to make it those last 200 steps to Angelo's. Well worth the trip. OMG the best pizza I have ever had. Now I know what pizza is supposed to taste like. Half way through my glorious pizza, I this dark feeling came over me. At first I didn't realize what it was.. but it kept creeping up on me until I realized what it was. This huge horrible sense of doom.... We had to walk back the same distance to the hotel as we had just walked to get to Angelo's. After this pizza, death would be ok. That is how good the pizza at Angelo's was. I had rested, wiped off the sweat from my forehead, so I was ready to hobble off to our next destination.

Now some of you may understand this, and I think I may, however when we left Angelo's we notice the door to the Ed Sullivan Theater was open with a door man there and a sign "See box office for tickets to see tonight's taping of the Tonight Show". I found that odd since it was a Saturday night. I can only assume that it was because of the pending holidays maybe? I thought they only taped Monday through Friday? Oh well.. we had bigger and better things to do. On to the Titanic Exhibit. I had read several people here on CC say how terrific it was and I HAD to go see it. Only problem was.. I had left the info back at the hotel... Should we walk back to the hotel and get the info? We thought we were only a couple of blocks from the exhibit where we were. Listen.. I would still be in NYC looking for the Titanic Exhibit before I would have walked all the way back to the hotel just to get the info on where it was. All I could remember was that it was at the dead end of "Shubert's Alley" and I was fairly sure Shubert's theater was a very famous theater in NYC. So how hard could it be to find?

As a Texan, I was a duck out of water in NYC. I couldn't tell you what direction we headed out in, but I believe it was South. Doug kept thinking it was somewhere to our right as we were walking down the streets, so every street corner we came to we would look down the street to the right to see if we saw an alley way or the Shubert's Theater. As we were walking along this one block, all of a sudden I became dizzy. Not like I'm going to fall down dizzy.. but like an out of body experience. I swear to you I heard a chorus of angels start to sing. I saw a glow of light start to envelope my body, coming from my left side. Thinking this was it, that I was going to the sweet hereafter, I couldn't stop myself from looking over to my left at the light .. the wonderful warm light that was overtaking me. And what did I see. Yes.. you guessed it. Heaven. It was beyond my belief. Mamma Mia, the stage production. Tears began to run down my face. I have made it to Nirvana. Just as my soul started to drift away from my body and head immediately to the box office I hear the voice of doom itself say.. "We had a deal. No football for me.. no Mamma Mia for you while we are on vacation". But ... But... But.. I look at Doug.. But I meant no Mamma Mia on DVD. Doug.. this is.. this is.. well just look.. It's the real deal.. And I'm within 100 feet of it. "Ok.. but think of all the many wonderful things you wanted to see here in NYC you won't get to see if we go to Mamma Mia". Now if you are still reading my posting.... I have to tell you.. no greater love hath any man had for his domestic partner than I had at that moment. I just couldn't do it to him. I just couldn't make him sit through Mamma Mia...AGAIN. Bravely and with a quivering lip, I took one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, and I continued on our trek to the Titanic Exhibit.

OMG..As a native Nu Yawker, I love this review. I've stayed at the Omni many times for business. Some of the rooms are small and some are a nice size, I guess you got one of the small corner rooms. By the way, the Omni is on 52nd off Madison, not 5th. Fifth is nearby but we always refer to the closest avenue..LOL.

In comparison to Texas, the Ed Sullivan theatre is not that far from the Omni, it's just down the road apiece, no further than aft to forward on the Dawn! I guess it's all prespective.

I look forward to more of your review!

[islandgirlejfan]

LOL! Everything IS big in Texas but not so in NYC (or Paris, France ) where hotel rooms are concerned. I used to go and see Uncle Eltie at Madison Square Garden every year and I have had closets bigger than the rooms we stayed in at the Herald Square or the Sheraton when we went to the special shows he played at Radio City.

Angelo's is AWESOME....had pizza there after the shows. New York style pizza is the main reason low carb diets will never work for me!

Since you mentioned the Ed Sullivan Theater, it really IS the coldest theatre up there! We went to see David Letterman as I was called at work by his staff before our trip and got tixs.....I have never been so cold on a hot July day. I came out into the heat and thought I would pass out from the temperature differences!

Looking forward to more!

[coka]

OH my goodness, Terry! I am loving this so far! I remember eating the best pizza everywhere in NYC when I first went there. Drove through Texas twice...yes, I understand the birthright to a car...but where was everyone on the tenth hour on the road when I could not stand it anymore and hollered to sister to light me up a cigarette because I was looking for something to keep me occupied while driving? I had quit for two solid years! LOL
Ahh, Mamma Mia! Saw it in Montreal a few years ago...(also saw the Titanic exhibit in Montreal) tried to talk sisters into seeing it when we go for girl's weekend in NYC in January...they are more interested in Jersey Boys. Jersey Boys in NYC?
Looking forward to more of your trip!

coka

[CanadianTwosome]

Ha ha ha Terry, you're hilarious. I have to admit, though, the first time I was in NYC, I walked so much the first day (and stood and wound and climbed stairs in that stupid three hour long line to get to the top of the Empire State Building) that I had trouble bending my legs the next day!

I can't wait to read more! I had a chuckle when I read the title too... just because of all the dress code discussions here - does 'informal' mean you're writing your review wearing shorts?

[terrymtex01]

So we are walking, block after block and I am getting so discouraged. I'm thinking we would never find the Titanic Exhibit. Every block Doug keeps stopping and taking picture after picture. Then all of a sudden he says "Baby.. do you realize what is just two blocks ahead?" "No.. what? A hospital? An oxygen tank? Doug where are all these people who supposedly walk the streets of NYC with guns? Think I could bribe one to end my suffering?" "No Baby" he says, "it's Time Square".

"No way.. where? where is it".

"See that white glowing ball up there? That is the ball they drop New Years".

Ok.. now I thought between the stroke I must have had a few blocks back and my near death experience at Mamma Mia my vision just had gone away. I could see the area he was pointing to as being Time Square, I could see the sea of people, but I never could see the ball of light. I became excited again. A few more blocks and I could check Time Square off of my "must see" list. Now people.. please forgive me.. I have only had a gander at Time Square on TV. Movies where you see men in black chasing down some bad guys, music videos on MTV, etc etc. So I was so excited to see this huge thing called Time Square. We get there.. and I'm wondering when we will actually get there. Time Square is TINY. Tiny, but filled with approximately 1.4 million people. And the stores. It seems like every candy made has its own store there. Ok. that is a plus for sure. I'm walking around in this haze trying to absorb all of the wonderful shops there, when my eye catches this "opening between buildings". "Doug.. Doug... I think that is the alley way we have been looking for". Now where this strength comes from I do not know.. and I mean that, but I trot over to where I see this opening and there it is... the Titanic Exhibit. We walk up to the building and enter. And for the first time I realize why everyone in NYC is thin and beautiful. You can never enter a building and just be where you are trying to go. NO. You enter the exhibit and they have, what seemed like, four flights of stairs to walk up JUST to get to the ticket counter. I'm thinking.. well.. that's good. They get the long walk out of the way before the exhibit begins. Hahahahahahaha.. how naive was I? So we bought our tickets ($24.95 each as I recall) and then they directed us to this hallway. We walk down the hallway and a sign directed us down stairs. Down several flights of very narrow stairs. And then I see it. Within a few steps.. the entrance. But why is it roped off from us? I'm thinking the lady there will see our tickets , open the rope and let us in. She is standing at what is obviously the entrance to the exhibit... and I see her reach out to me. Glorious. But wait.. she is pointing for us to go over there and take those stairs up? Wait.. we just walked down a bunch of stairs. So we go over.. walk up a flight of stairs, walk around this maze thing then we get to an area of ropes made into a maze. You know the kind of thing they have a ticket counters at the airport? So we walk through the maze of ropes and guess where we end up... Yes.. you guessed it. Right in front of the little stand thing where the lady behind the rope pointed at us to go up that last flight of stairs. Now I understand why they do this when they have hundreds, hey, even thousands of people in line. But I kid you not, there were two people in front of us.

Oh well, we finally had arrived. I was so excited to begin the tour. I have watched every TV show, every movie, every everything I could about the Titanic and I was about to be within feet of actual "things" brought up from her watery grave. How excited was I? When you give them your ticket, they give you a card, probably about 5 x 7, and it has a brief bio on some passenger who was on the Titanic. It is your boarding pass for the Titanic and as you walk through the exhibit you are encouraged to think about that person and what you read on the card about them. So off we go. At first it was too cool. Different pieces of engine equipment, light fixtures, etc, etc etc. Then you start getting into the area where they showed you money that has been recovered, tooth paste containers that the ship had provided for its passengers, you see what a first class cabin looked like, which by the way for this voyage cost something like $90,000.00 in today's money, for the trip across the Atlantic. Then you eventually see the lowest class cabin. Four bunk beds crammed into a "closet" of a room. And what was really moving to me about that is, there were signs posted that gave info all along the route of the exhibit, and at this point it said how even though today we would look at that and think "how did they do that".. "how were they so excited to be crammed into that tiny space with three strangers", these signs giving the information said that this was a step up from what they were used to for most of the passengers in these types of "lower class cabins". Most thought they had hit the jackpot". As the exhibit progresses, you start seeing hair pins, hat pins, combs, brushes, mirrors, so very nice and expensive looking, some very plain. And this is when I started feeling like I was wrong to be there. These were not just items tossed aside when someone was done using them. These were things that meant something to those that owned them. Maybe not the combs or brushes, but the hat pin, etc etc. And although I had not disturbed their resting place, someone had. And who was I to be looking at these things.. who was I to be giving money to those that had disturbed and drudged up their personal belongs. I can tell you, after a lifetime of learning about the Titanic, that taught me so much, in that instant. The exhibit lost its luster for me. It's went from being a feeling of excitement and awe, to one of remorse and respect.

After we left the exhibit, my step really did have a drag to it. I really did feel kind of down. And Doug, being as observant of me as he always is, asked me what was wrong. I guess his clue that something was wrong was I hadn't spoken for ten minutes.. LOL. So I shared with him what I was feeling. How I felt bad and dirty for going through there. How I felt wrong. And he said to me " But you didn't feel that way at the King Tut Exhibit, and isn't it, in a way, the same thing?". Again, another moment that taught me something about myself. As much as I have tried to come up with some other word for it, I can't. But it taught me I do have a prejudice. Why was it wrong for me to see the disturbed artifacts from "my people".. people who are so much closer to me in time, than King Tut. I'm so glad we went to this exhibit, as it taught me so much about myself and made me have a respect for those poor souls that lost their lives that night on the Titanic.

I almost forgot, at the end of the exhibit, there is a huge list of those that made it and those that did not. Sadly the person I was given the bio card did not make it. He perished along with his wife and five children. Perished because one of their children were missing when the ship was sinking and the parents and the brothers and sisters would not leave the meeting place until they found the missing child.

For some strange reason my feet did not hurt quite as much, my problem of being X number of blocks from my hotel did not seem so huge, so we headed off in some direction to Radio City Music Hall. Did not stop to go in it but I was so glad we got to see it. We would have seen their Christmas show, but it had not started playing yet. That just happen to be a block or so from Rockefeller Center, another one on my list. I had to go to the "Top of the Rock". So we find our way inside Rockefeller Center and go up to a counter to purchase our tickets.. Hahahahah.. how naive I was again to believe it would be that simple. No, this was the counter to tell you how to get to the ticket booth to purchase your tickets. So we go down this hallway, up this elevator, out of the elevator, around the bank of elevators (and I swear) back into the same elevator but through the doors on the other side of it, only to arrive on another floor where you descend a stair case (beautiful by the way) to make your way through a line of people to purchase your tickets. It was too funny but the girl who we purchased our tickets from mistook my Texas accent for a German accent and was so amused that she did that she gave us a discount on our tickets. After you get you tickets, then you go around over there, up this LONG inclined walk way, take a left, take another left, pause for a photo op, then onto another elevator which takes you to a security check point, and then finally to the elevators which takes you to the "Top of the Rock". I'm starting to figure out the pattern for NYC attractions I think. Oh my goodness what wonderful views. From "Top of the Rock". Ok. I have to tell you. Doug had tried and tried to get me to see the ball that drops for New Years Eve at Time Square. I kept looking for this huge glowing ball of light, since it looked so big on TV. Well finally from the "Top of the Rock" I see the tiny golf ball sized ball of light Doug was trying to show me all along. Now granted it looked like a golf ball from where we were at that moment, but once I realized that was what he had been trying to show me all along I realized I had seen it when we were actually in Time Square and never occurred to me that was what he had been trying to show me because it was SO SMALL.. LOL. I stop and rest on a bench there at "Top of the Rock" while Doug walks around taking photos.

Finally it is time for us to leave "Top of the Rock" and time to find a place for dinner. We had passed a steak and seafood place on the way to Angelo's that we said we should check out for dinner, McCormick and Schmicks. Now between you and I, I do not care if they had served S.O.S (for those of you who know what that is), after walking to find it again, I would have eaten there no matter what. Especially when I could see our hotel just a few blocks away. We were lucky that it was very delicious. Great seafood, very nice staff. And to my surprise, when we asked to be seated, we were taken directly to a table. We did not have to go through a maze of stairs and walkways and elevators. But directly from the door to a table. However I warn you, the same is not true if you need to go to the bathroom, which I did.. LOL. That's another story, another time, another maze. I will say this, I love scallops and McCormick and Schmicks had the best I have ever had, cooked to perfection.

During dinner it had rained, just a little bit and so we headed back to our hotel. It was probably around 8PMish and I told Doug that when we went to board the Dawn he would have to wheel me on in a wheel chair. I was only half kidding. My feet hurt so bad and so did my ankles. We went back to the hotel and went up to our room and relaxed a bit before going to bed. SLEPT LIKE A LOG, trust me on that.

Woke up the next morning all excited about our adventure about to begin on the Dawn. I SWORE that, unlike all the cruises in the past, I would not be in a rush to get on the ship this time. That I would wait until at least 10AM to arrive at the pier, etc etc etc. So we went down to the Concierge at around 7:30 to ask if they could direct us to a nice place for a sit down breakfast. "Darling".. she said.. "I know just the place, if you don't mind a bit of a walk.".

[Kathlyn100]

I tell everyone that says they have great pizza, that it's impossible unless it comes from NYC!

So glad you liked it and now you know what we know,no one makes pizza like NY.

Enjoying your review so much. Thanks for taking the time to write it all.

[terrymtex01]

Originally Posted by DMH15

Terry - you totally crack me up! You are to Mamma Mia the way I am to Le Mis. OMG have seen it 5 times in NYC and 3 at Dallas Summer Musicals. One time in NY Marius was played by a soap star from General Hospital, which I watched faithfully. It was Ricky Martin right before La Vida Loca!

BTW, Letterman is at the Ed Sullivan... Hello Deli is next door.

Can't wait for more....

Oh yeah..LOL.. it is Letterman.. I told you I wasn't interested in seeing it taped.. LOL.

Now if Ricky Martin had been the guest that night.. YOU BET.. lol.

[jaja]

Oh Terry--you are making me live every minute with you Love it..

(PS--I live right across the river from NYC..and have not done the stuff you did--guess I should visit there...huh?)

[terrymtex01]

Originally Posted by Harleycat

OMG..As a native Nu Yawker, I love this review. I've stayed at the Omni many times for business. Some of the rooms are small and some are a nice size, I guess you got one of the small corner rooms. By the way, the Omni is on 52nd off Madison, not 5th. Fifth is nearby but we always refer to the closest avenue..LOL.

In comparison to Texas, the Ed Sullivan theatre is not that far from the Omni, it's just down the road apiece, no further than aft to forward on the Dawn! I guess it's all prespective.

I look forward to more of your review!

You are so right. It is 52nd and Madison. I got a little confused on that when we were driven there because there was some street fair or something going on where this one block was roped off and the taxi had to go down to here and then another street was ropped off so he went over there, etc etc. The place we had breakfast was at 52nd and 5th, but I honestly forgot to write down the name of it. It was delicious though. 8-)

Originally Posted by jaja

Oh Terry--you are making me live every minute with you Love it..

(PS--I live right across the river from NYC..and have not done the stuff you did--guess I should visit there...huh?)

You should. It is amazing that it is all so close together.

[terrymtex01]

Originally Posted by coka

OH my goodness, Terry! I am loving this so far! I remember eating the best pizza everywhere in NYC when I first went there. Drove through Texas twice...yes, I understand the birthright to a car...but where was everyone on the tenth hour on the road when I could not stand it anymore and hollered to sister to light me up a cigarette because I was looking for something to keep me occupied while driving? I had quit for two solid years! LOL
Ahh, Mamma Mia! Saw it in Montreal a few years ago...(also saw the Titanic exhibit in Montreal) tried to talk sisters into seeing it when we go for girl's weekend in NYC in January...they are more interested in Jersey Boys. Jersey Boys in NYC?
Looking forward to more of your trip!

coka

Yeah... The Jersey Boys looked good, if you know what I mean.. LOL

Originally Posted by CanadianTwosome

Ha ha ha Terry, you're hilarious. I have to admit, though, the first time I was in NYC, I walked so much the first day (and stood and wound and climbed stairs in that stupid three hour long line to get to the top of the Empire State Building) that I had trouble bending my legs the next day!

I can't wait to read more! I had a chuckle when I read the title too... just because of all the dress code discussions here - does 'informal' mean you're writing your review wearing shorts?

LOL.. I am sure its posted some where on CC and I just haven't read it, but it is official... At least on the Dawn.. Jeans are now allowed in any restaurant at any time. Said so on the Freestyle Daily. I know that has changed since we were on the Pearl last October.

[BikerAl]

I certainly hope you are busy typing the next chapter. This is like a novel, and they only gave you chapter one. Hurry back please. It's great

Al

[echo_park_loco]

As a frequent visitor to NYC and a fan of the city - please - please do as the locals do! (on your next trip)

Save your poor feet. If your trip is longer than 4-5 streets - or 2 avenues (if you know Manhattan you will understand) walk to the curb and hold up your right hand/arm with two fingers up and catch a cab. Your trip will be 3 dollars and it will be the best 3 dollars you have ever spent!

New Yorkers that are going out shopping/lunching tuck $20 in their pocket for cabs. Its just the comfortable cost of moving around the city!

Please keep up the story!

-john

[sue402001]

I'm enjoying your tale Terry and can't wait for the next installment!

[mypleasure]

Oh boy, reading this was such fun. I felt I was there with you every step and I too was feeling the pain.

Looking forward to seeing more...

your friend

Jean

[cruisinreunion]

I love NY also. We usually only get a trip in every couple of years, but I feel you pain (foot pain that is) We also try to fit everything in, in just those few hours, but if you take a taxi, you miss so much of the ambience of NYC. I am loving your review so much...can't wait to reach the part about the cruise......makes me wish our cruise was so much sooner (not til april)

[NJLVW]

What a fantastic recap of your vacation. I am waiting patiently for the next installment. Being in NY sounded like so much fun. I can invision the walking you must have done. ouch! Now on to the cruise....
Thank you for sharing. It makes you feel like you are right there with you guys. Can't wait for our trip on the Jewel in 2 months...
Norma

[Ericktina]

Originally Posted by echo_park_loco

As a frequent visitor to NYC and a fan of the city - please - please do as the locals do! (on your next trip)

Save your poor feet. If your trip is longer than 4-5 streets - or 2 avenues (if you know Manhattan you will understand) walk to the curb and hold up your right hand/arm with two fingers up and catch a cab. Your trip will be 3 dollars and it will be the best 3 dollars you have ever spent!

New Yorkers that are going out shopping/lunching tuck $20 in their pocket for cabs. Its just the comfortable cost of moving around the city!

Please keep up the story!

-john

YES--TAXI--Just what I was going to say !! And the driver will know where everything is located. When you have so little time, you may even consider hiring a car or a limo--they are all over New York--really not that much in view of all the other expenses of the trip...and then you could cover a LOT of ground. Pizza--yes, but are you telling me you did NOT go to a New York deli for the most fantastic corned beef and pastrami--and everything else imaginable-- in the WORLD?? Just a short walk from anywhere--LOL. Darlings, you MUST let us help you plan your next NY excursion !!! Review wonderful--thanks...

[Tideone]

Terry I believe the New York City blocks are a lot like Texas miles... they seem to be longer than anywhere else in the world...
On our first trip to NYC for a New England cruise on the NCL Sea, my wife and I stayed at the Waldorf Astoria... now before any of you reading this think I have a lot of money - you are completely wrong...
We actually stayed two nights at the Waldorf for $99 plus tax...
So now you are wondering how in the world this country boy from Alabama (we now live in Georgia) was able to pull such a thing off...
Well, it so happened the Hilton Hotels had just purchased the Waldorf to become their flagship hotel for their chain and they were offering special rates... it so happened a weekend rate was $99 a night...
I also happened to have a coupon (this was before they went to their current points program) for a free night at a Hilton property. Of course, when I called to ask about using it at the Waldorf, I was ready for them to say, "We are so sorry, but that coupon is not valid, at this location."
So, I almost fainted dead away when the young lady told me they would be happy to honor the coupon..
So we got two nights at the Waldorf for 99 bucks...
Also we found a great way to see a lot of the city, plus a river cruise, is to take a double decker bus...
We were able to see all the different parts of the city and we could get off and on at different places we wanted to see...
The tour also included a boat ride around the city, which was a lot of fun...
This is just a tip for anyone going to the city who doesn't have a lot of time but wants to see as much as they can...