Broadway Babies: Kathy Rechlin, Susan Roach and Eileen Goldfinger of the Historical Society of Ocean Grove. Only blonds allowed. PG photo
By Paul Goldfinger
For many years, the HSOG has been sponsoring bus trips into New York City to see a Broadway show. Phil May has organized all these excursions, and they are very popular. Eileen and I joined them yesterday to see “Nice Work If You Can Get It” with Matthew Broderick and Kelli O’Hara. A bus picked the group up at Fireman’s Park and set out at 2:30 p.m. Phil has the timing of these trips down to a science. By 4 p.m. we were dropped off on West 46th Street, and everyone was on their own to go for an early dinner. It seemed that most went to dine on Restaurant Row which, coincidentally, is a block away from the show.
We wound up at a place called Becco, owned by the celebrity chef Lydia Bastianich. We gave the food a C+, the wine a B and the dessert an A+ for their delishious warm chocolate bread pudding with cherries and dripping with dark chocolate sauce. Sitting next to us was a couple from Long Island — Jim and Ingrid. He heard us discussing Gettysburg, so he introduced himself and said that he went there and stayed at a historic hotel called “The Cashtown Inn.” The Inn was haunted, and he saw ghosts. Ingrid did not, but he said that there was a witness. Eileen believed it. I am dubious.
We finished dinner and ambled over to the theater. It was packed. Phil had acquired superb seats in the mezzanine, and the show, with Gershwin music and a new book, was great fun. Most of the songs were immediately recognizable, and the presentation of the music as well as the choreography and costumes were excellent. If you like songs such as ‘S Wonderful, But Not For Me, Delishious, and Fascinating Rhythm, then go see the show.
The only part I disliked was when Kelli O’Hara, dressed as a guy and holding a rifle, sang the incredibly beautiful classic “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Her singing was, as always, fine, but the presentation detracted from the music.
Below are some photos (click on any one) from the excursion, and we will post some of the music when the original cast album is released later this month. Many thanks to Susan Roach, the leader of the pack, who made sure the trains ran on time. If you know Suzie like we know Suzie, you will understand why one of the songs from the show is now her new theme song. We have renamed it: “Blah, Blah, Blah Suzie” or maybe we will adopt it and call it “Blah, Blah, Blah Blogfinger.”
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- Broadway Babies: Kathy Rechlin, Susan Roach and Eileen Goldfinger of the Historical Society of Ocean Grove. You need to be a blond to join this club. Paul Goldfinger photo.
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- Bus trip seemed like a limo ride. Returned to OG at 11:00 p.m. Here Phil May accepts thanks from his historical fans. PG photo
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- Ted Bell, front left, keeps an eye on the bus driver.
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- Ted Aanensen, Blogfinger photographer, brought his camera and engages in some street photography and local color. We don’t know if Ted gave the guy some dough for a worthy cause.
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- Have you ever visited the Statue of Liberty? We found her cruising Broadway. By Paul Goldfinger
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- Mamma Mia girl. Candid portrait by Ted Aanensen who was cruising the west side with his Canon, looking for something special.
