It’s funny how it’s just getting into peak Oatmeal Season and i’m over it. Of course, that’s a thing I just made up but you know what I mean. It’s fall and winter when you traditionally think about eating warm oatmeal that’s hearty and comforting. If you’re anything like my family, growing up, we would have the instant packs of Quaker oats in maple brown sugar. If I was really lucky, I’d get the dinosaur kind with dino eggs that dissolved in the hot water. Man, I loved those. That was the best because I’m pretty sure the flavor was brown sugar anyway! So I got the brown sugar plus the amazing hatching eggs. What a joy. I always say I have food tastes at both ends of the spectrum; I’m either all about clean eating or I have some kids’ food with tons of colored dyes and eight forms of sugar. You know, the ones that list corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, pure cane sugar, natural sweetener, etc. all as separate ingredients high on the list. I don’t have that stuff often at all but it does make me happy to enjoy once in awhile.
After all, you are talking to the girl who regularly lists rainbow sprinkles as her favorite food.
I’d apologize for the oatmeal soliloquy but I quite enjoyed it. The show must go on!
After years of just walking by, I finally made it to Broadway. It was something that was always put off because there wasn’t the right musical or the price was too high or it was sold-out, whatever. Then in March of this year I saw a headline that Bette Midler was going to be the lead in Hello Dolly! and it all seemed to fit.
Started out at the bus station with a massive coffee. 
On the way home, we had time to kill in Port Authority…
We had brunch at Friedman’s and it was delicious. I love doing research to find good food. I was searching for a place with good reviews and gluten-free brunch which is no small feat, even in NYC. Friedman’s fit the bill!
I shared a peach Bellini because it was necessary. What’s brunch without it?
I had an egg white omelette with herbed fries and toast. The toast came with rich raspberry butter that I could eat a tub full!
We hit a crystal shop a few blocks away because we had some time between our meal and the show! More on that this week!
Hello Dolly! has two shows on Saturdays so we hit the matinee since we would be there for only one day. It was actually stressful when I bought the tickets to make sure I got a performance with Bette. Another actress (who’ve I heard is amazing too!) splits it with her and the times/dates were so random it was difficult to figure out. I even checked last week to make sure but there wasn’t anything I could do about it by then anyway. David Hyde Pierce (you know, Niles from Frasier?) was Horace Vandergelder. He was a treat.
We waited in line for a few minutes while the doors opened but that gave us time for prime photo ops!
Shubert Theatre was beautiful inside too. The history that went down there…!
The energy from the audience was so unexpected! I never thought the crowd would be that into the show. I cried 3 times…during songs and when the audience would clap as Bette came on stage. Beautiful moments like those make me tear up more than sad news so I shouldn’t be too surprised but this was spectacular. I actually forgot how much this musical is about appreciating the little things and looking for signs. The costumes, the sets, the music. It was magical. I’m going back at least yearly to see other shows because I just have to. Anastasia is on right now and that could be a contender. I had the soundtrack on cassette tape and now every song!
Our playbills even came with a postcard! I do love a free gift. #humblebrag
I’m officially obsessed with Broadway and can’t believe it’s taken me 28 years to get there. It was worth it.
“Isn’t the world full of wonderful things!?”
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