Getting Shady in Chinatown

Day two started bright and early with a Broadway song and dance workshop for the choir kids.  We pulled up to a non-descript building that said 'PH 1' and the kids got all excited, thinking we were going to some cool penthouse.  They made us stand out in the rain while they herded us in in groups of 10.  The lobby was so small, as was the elevator, that there was no other choice.  We got to the top floor and the 'penthouse' turned out to be a regular dance studio.  However, one of the Broadway cast members of the show we were going to that night led the kids in learning one of the show's songs and dance numbers.  It was fun to see the kids enjoy themselves and get some Q&A time with a real Broadway cast member.  And it was incredible for me to hear such a beautiful voice up close like that!

Our next stop was Carnegie Hall for a tour.  Our guide was about 80 years old and I won't lie to you.....it was super boring.  I'd like to have heard backstage stories and tales of performers, but she was focused on an Andrew Carnegie history lesson.  Zzzzzzzzzz.  The kids were more happy to get hot dogs from the street vendors outside.

 Next was our 'walking tour' of Lower Manhattan.  Not really a tour, since we were on our own.  Over the past few months, I'd heard rumors about buying Coach purses in Chinatown from previous trip goers.  I really didn't 'get it' - I thought the knock offs were just sold on the street or something.  Well, one of the girls in my group was bound and determined to get one, so being the fun chaperone that I am, I went along with it.  We kept going into the tiny shops and asking about Coach purses and all we got were, "No, no, no, no" and they seemed nervous that we were even asking.  We were wandering around when an Asian woman, dressed in black with an I Phone attached to her ear at all times, approached us and asked what we wanted.  The girl in my group told her a Coach purse and she instructed us to follow her.  We spent about 15 minutes zig zagging all through Chinatown, going nowhere fast.  I finally stopped and told the girls that maybe we should just forget the whole thing.  Undercover Asian Woman turns around to see if we are still behind her, and then comes back and says, "One more block; one more block!"  I knew it wasn't going to be one more block, but we continued on just to see.  After about three more blocks, she stops and points to some cellar doors on the sidewalk and tells us to go down there.  Um, no.  I told her we weren't buying a purse unless we were outside.  Then she starts talking fast and it sounds as though she's saying "Pikachu outside."  At this point, I'm tired of playing her game, but one of the girls translates it as "Meet you outside" and we again follow her to a side street where she tells us to wait five minutes.  This is where it gets amusing.  One of the girls in my group is NOT liking any of this.  She kept telling us how shady all of this was (she was right), but then she says, "You guys, this is gas, G.A.S."  We are looking at her like she is nuts, when she tells us this is "Ghetto Ass Shit!"  I was cracking up, but she was right.  Suddenly, a young Asian male on a bicycle rides up to us and asks what we want.  We tell him and he whips out some internet printed sheets of dozens of Coach purses.  The girl in my group who wanted one knew immediately which one she wanted and he told us to wait another five minutes, after she'd negotiated the price down to $50.  He was back again with a big, black garbage bag, and out came the most beautiful Coach purse.  I couldn't believe it.  I checked it over to be sure it was stitched and not glued and she handed over the money.  He left us with the garbage bag and rode off.  Undercover Asian Woman reappeared and questioned why we only got one purse.  Then she starts hounding me with, "Mommy want some jewelry?"  No, Mommy didn't want any fake Cartier.  I have to say, the experience was the highlight of the trip for me, even though when I came home and told Husband, he thought I was insane.

I told the girls that even though we were short on time, we were getting some real pizza in Little Italy.  We ate at Il Piccolo Bufalo on Mulberry St.  I'm a sucker for all those handsome Italian men on the sidewalk luring us into their establishments, with their sexy accents.  The girls scarfed down our pizzas; we were all famished.  By then, it was 4:30 and we had to meet the bus in Washington Square at 5:00.  And it was a hike.  But then we saw a sign for gelato at Cafe Palermo and if there's one thing I love, it's gelato (so much better than ice cream)!  We went inside and each got a different flavor.  Mine was chocolate hazelnut.  It was amazing.  Too bad we had to eat and do some fast walking at the same time.

On my quest to squeeze in as much as possible, I led the girls down Spring Street in Soho so we could pass by DASH (no time to go inside).  It's the Kardashian girls store, featured in their latest reality trash series.  The kids got a kick out of that.

We made it to Washington Square late, just as the buses were loading.  Missed being in the group picture, but my kids didn't seem to care.  We had a blast doing our own thing that day.

That evening, we saw The Addams Family at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.  Bebe Neuwirth stars as Morticia and Roger Rees was Gomez.  I was never a fan of the series, but the Broadway show was hilarious!  Full of sexual innuendo, without being over the top or inappropriate for the 'kids' (mostly 17-18 year olds anyway).  I thoroughly enjoyed the show.  Afterwards, our group had a meet and greet with the cast (minus Bebe, who I guess is too big of a star for that).  All in all, a wonderful day in the Big Apple.