I find myself reusing the same adjectives – brilliant, amazing, incredible, awesome and so on… but our trip really is all of those things and the last two days were no exception!
Friday afternoon, Honeymoon day one, we met at the Natural History Museum where a (very hungover) Doctor Kirsty took a group of us on a personal tour. It was brilliant. She answered all of our ridiculous questions and didn’t judge me (too much) when I got the names of the dinosaurs wrong. It was so much fun! My favourite was the T-Rex.
From there we had a quick diner dinner so that Kirst could get the mashed potato she had been craving and then Theresa and I were off to our next show…
Broadway Show #11: Once
Where: Jacobs Theatre
Seats: Side Orchestra
Favourite number: Time
Rating: 8/10
Tickets purchased with contributions from: Ruth, Matt & Luca Evans, Anna Nuria Francino and Amanda Grace Leo
We really enjoyed this show. The story is sweet and the performances were great. The set was pretty cool too – it was a bar that the audience were invited to go onstage and get a drink from. There were no wings or proscenium, just the bar and a grid above. It was great! The performers were also the band with all of the actors playing at least two instruments – often while singing and dancing at the same time. Super, crazy talented!
The only downside were the accents. I think it is because we spend so much time with our lovely Irish bridesmaid Elaine, so the accents slipped a fair bit and we found it jarring but it didn’t take anything away from the wonderful night we had. Beautiful music!
Yesterday we were up early to visit Dean & Deluca (yummy!) with Katie and Dave before missioning to meet Sally & Alex and the Bell/Webster family for lunch where the men proved they can handle American portions (top work team!) before we dashed a few blocks to see our next show!
Broadway Show #12: Les Miserables
Where: Imperial Theatre
Seats: Side Orchestra
Favourite number: One Day More
Rating: 9/10
Tickets purchased with contributions from: Chrissy & Mick Bell
This is the first musical that Theresa and I geeked out over when our relationship was brand new. We’d listen to the 10th Anniversary recording on repeat and would blast it in the car singing at the top of our lungs debating at length our favourite Jean Valjean’s (Alfie Boe vs. Rob Guest). I was fortunate enough to see the show on the West End and I thought the Broadway version would be on par with that but it wasn’t – it blew it out of the water! AMAZING!
It’s a brand new production that opened in March this year and you can tell – fantastic use of AV to create scenes, the sets were brilliantly constructed and the direction had some GREAT modernisations.
We were lucky enough to get Ramin Karimloo, Broadway Superstar, as our Valjean and Theresa describes his voice as melted butter on toast and she is right. His range was AMAZING and performances heartfelt. We were equally fortunate to get West End legend Earl Carpenter as our Javert who was amazing and didn’t overact the role which is the normal tendency (*cough* Russell Crowe *cough*).
We enjoyed this show immensely and it was all the better to share it with Chrissy, Mick, Tasj and Jamie who we love to pieces. Brilliant afternoon. INCREDIBLE AFTERNOON.
Following the show we went for a trip up the Empire State Building with our wonderful Best Man Scott – he booked in express passes so we were flashing them around and jumping the hours and hours of queuing to go up to the very top! The views were amazing and we were there for the sunset which was just so magical. After many, many photos we walked to Union Square to Scotty’s favourite Mexican restaurant for an incredible meal – my mouth is watering just writing about it. YUM!
Pit Stop #1 on the way home was McGee’s pub with the Bell/Websters which is what the pub McClaren’s in How I Met Your Mother is based on and where the writers came up with the idea. The pub was filled with signed pictures, Barney’s motivational posters and themed cocktails (slutty pumpkin anyone?).
Pit Stop #2 was the Bell/Webster accommodation that was 20 blocks from our NY Home, where we remained until 3am talking about how funny life is and how great everything has worked out.
We have officially said our goodbyes to all our wonderful wedding guests and are feeling so humbled by everyone’s love and generosity – thank you SO MUCH to all of you who came so far to join us for our dream wedding in NYC. Bring on the rest of our honeymoon!
Sending our love,
C & T
x
Run away with us 