TOD:
My first "official" trip to New York City was taken as a joint anniversary(my parents)/birthday(mine) trip in 1977.
Previously, I had had a cappucino down in the Village, following a wedding in Philadelphia. In a rented Toyota Carolla, Paul Binotto (of the OBC of DREAMGIRLS) drove me into the Village for a late-night cuppa before going back to his apartment in Jersey City. Paul and I had been at the University of Pittsburgh together and he had attended the wedding as well. So, unofficially, I really didn't do the town. . .
But, in 1977, my folks and I (plus a cousin from Columbia SC) took Amtrak from Pittsburgh to NYC. That train ride was a train wreck of a ride! It was shortly after a hurricane, Agnes I think, had devasted Johnstown PA, so what should have been a shorter train ride took thirteen hours! None of us were pleased, and once we checked into the hotel - Holiday Inn on W. 57th - we cancelled our return trip by train and booked flights out of JFK instead.
Fortunately, our plans were made much in advance, leaving our arrival day/night, for dinner and settling into the hotel, so nothing was lost.
Naturally, we did the touristy things during the days: Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, NBC tour, Tiffany's. . .
At night, we went our separate ways to theaters.
My first Broadway show was THE SHADOW BOX at The Morosco Theater.
My folks and cousin saw SHENANDOAH at The Mark Hellinger.
Ate at Sardi's following the shows.
The next night, I saw SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM (original cast) at THE MUSIC BOX while my folks and cousin went off to The Uris for Yul Brynner in THE KING AND I.
After those shows, we went to Windows on the World for a late dinner atop of the very new World Trade Center.
Saturday's matinee, we all saw Liv Ullman in ANNA CHRISTIE at The Imperial.
That evening, we saw ANNIE at The Alvin, and there was a ticketing problem. . .Dad's Visa was charged for our four tickets, but the box office was only holding THREE tickets under our name! Now ANNIE was the hot ticket, having just swept away the Tony Awards the week before, and after much polite bickering, the box office gave us a house seat in the orchestra, which we decided that my cousin and I would share. She took the seat for Act One, I took it for the second act.
In between shows, we ate at that fabulous Italian restaurant next to the Longacre Theater - Mama Lucia's (?)
We didn't venture onto a subway the whole trip, but relied on taxis and feet.
I fell in love with the town that trip - the noise, the hum, the odors, the sights, the theaters just the whole thing.