nyc day 7: cars that honk at me have picked on the wrong Brit

Last full day. We made no real plans except maybe see a film (I desperately wanted to see Tree of Life) and go to Phantom of the Opera for our final evening.

After a long sleep following my mild sunstroke episode, a chill with a cup of tea in Central Park was in order. By 10am it was already about 30 degrees outside so the decision to do nothing in the shade for a while was probably a good one. Soduku and some Frankenstein script, what more could a lady want.



During our chill I remembered we'd wanted to go back to Barnes & Noble, and seeing as we probably wouldn't have a later chance to go, we trekked back down 5th avenue to find it.

Fact, I love Barnes & Noble. What sold me? Finding tables full of classic books, including many piles of Jane Eyre and Sherlock Holmes. So many different covers and... just lovely. I felt at home. There was a signing going on by an author I've never heard of in my life but a long queue was seemingly very excited by... so a lot of the store was closed off. Disappointing. Didn't stop me spending $50 on an Edgar Allen Poe book and a big pile of American magazines. A film issue and a lovely photo magazine for me, and some American gossip rags for my sister.

We failed to see Tree of Life in the afternoon because I'm, in Keely's words, a donkey for checking times of a cinema several blocks up, instead of the one down the street. Alas only Pirates 4 was showing and well, I've seen that. So we made a final trip to Walgreens and went back to our air con hotel room before Phantom of the Opera.

Phantom of the Opera was brilliant but a lot shorter than I was imagining. I've never seen a film or show of it before, of course I've heard the music. The Majestic Theater was much bigger than the Al Hirschfield Theater... but we were disappointed by the audience's lack of enthusiasm compared to the How to Succeed in Business crowd. The fact that half of the audience spent the show coughing and fidgeting also frayed my already thinning English nerves. I took some of the frustration out on our walk back by throwing some dirty glares at anyone who stood in my way, ignoring yet MORE people trying to sell us comedy show tickets ("oh you're from ENGLAND! Do you like Michael McIntyre/Bill Bailey?!"), and walking out in front of taxis so they had to slow down. I am so very grown up.

Airport shuttle at 2:15pm tomorrow and I've got an already heavy suitcase to pack. I hope you are ready and waiting for me, my sunburnt scalp and itchy bitten legs, England!