July 13, 2010 - a day that will go down in NY history. Yes, the boss died today, but the reference is to our day of exploring some of NYC's best entertainment spots.
Our first stop is Katz Deil, a New York institution since 1888 and a tourist trap since Harry Met Sally. The place is charming and exactly how I pictured it; photos of famous people on the walls, the owner walking around to tables making small talk, giant sandwiches that cost a small fortune. Scott and I go traditional, ordering the Rueben and Pastrami, Megan, the Hard Salami sandwich. The Rueben and Pastrami are as advertised, with the meat being the prominent taste as it should be. The Salami sandwich one up'ed the simplicity of the other sandwiches, being just a pound of sliced salami on bread. It should be noted this was not what Megan had in mind when she order it; she does not typically order solo piles of cured meats between two slices of bread. She is at her most Jewish today in her deli element, missing only a plastic bag in her purse to take the leftover salami.
While we were in Katz, it begins to rain. Heavily. This is our first day of truly inclement weather while on foot and we are not prepared. Scott Lee and Megan are wearing sandals. We attempt to make it to a hat store we passed yesterday on the way to dinner, but get stranded in a doorway for a good 15 minutes as the hard rain turned in to a torrential downpour. Boredom and impatience sets in and we make a run for the Whole Foods two blocks down, stopping in a clothing boutique and several more overhangs in route. Soaking, we make it to our destination and purchase umbrellas (eco friendly of course) and hot beverages. Of course, as we are ready to leave for the Late Show, it stops raining.
The Miller Brewery Tour is the best free tour in the midwest. On another plane altogether is the Late Show with David Letterman - the best free show anywhere, anytime. While in Cleveland we fill out the ticket form online and yesterday get on the Paul and Karen's gold lists for tickets (answering "Deli" and "Red" to the trivia questions, which Scott almost botched). When you get to the front of the line and they check your ID, then assign seats based on your perceived levels of enthusiasm, demographic, and attractiveness. We place high in the first (Scott Lee yells "Woo!" before even getting to the podium), very strong in the second (Asians that understand English, female Jew) and off the charts in the last. We are bumped to the audience leaders section, placing us firmly in the front row, far stage left. This is directly in front of Dave's desk. I am sitting in the closest possible chair to Alan Kalter. Biff Henderson walks back and forth not four feet from me. I can touch the stage with ease, and do so often.
I won't go into fine details here since I have no pictures for support (not permitted), but I will provide some observations:
- Before you go into the theater, a handler tells you the rules for cheering. She is hilarious. You are not to "woo!"
- The stage in the Ed Sullivan theater is much smaller than it looks on tv. The audience is not particularly large and there is a lot going on on-stage at all times.
- As you probably know, Dave still uses hand-written cue cards. During breaks, Tony Mendez edits the cards with tape and a big sharpie as the writers hover over his shoulder.
- At every break, Dave takes off his jacket, the executive producer comes and talks to him, the CBS Orchestra plays a song, and the stagehands move around frantically.
Our final act of the day is a stop at Bobby Flay's first restaurant in NY, Mesa Grill. This man is largely inspirational on my grilling and this is my mecca. It is restaurant week here, and this is a participating eatery, so it is packed. Coupled with an underperforming cooling system and muggy weather from the rain and it is hot to almost the point of uncomfortable at our table. The decor is noticeably outdated, it is clear this place is thriving on name alone. I am sure a good deal of people here are from out-of-town. Or maybe not. The food is excellent in a way I expect - not earth-changing or life-altering - just bold flavors and exciting presentation; signature Flay. I had a beautiful chile relleno, a corn-meal crusted poblano pepper stuffed with eggplant and manchego cheese topped with a red pepper sauce and balsamic vinegar. The service is also top-notch, which is very appreciated given the heat and week.
Tomorrow's Agenda
Route: New York City > Philadelphia
Estimated Distance: 98 miles
Estimated Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
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