On Saturday night, some relatives flew into JFK from California. I met them in NYC for a night out on Broadway, which is one of my favorite activities in the city. Their flight was scheduled to land at 5 p.m., but was delayed a half hour and forced to circle because of a VIP on the ground.

Luckily, they made it from JFK without traffic, and we made it to the theater with five minutes to spare. After the show, we expected to see Broadway crowded. We were also curious to glimpse the city’s new arrangement — Broadway is closed off to traffic between 42nd and 47th streets; it is for pedestrians only.

Instead, we were quite surprised to see an enormous number of police on 44th street, blockaded off by two cement trucks. I became nervous at first, as I thought something violent had happened. I ushered my relatives through the crowds, only to hear that President Obama and Michelle were in town, attending theater. My first reaction was, “That’s nice; good for them.” Then I wondered what event had brought President Obama to New York. I hadn’t heard about any official meetings.

I later learned that it was date night for the Obamas; a fulfillment of President Obama’s campaign promise that he would take his wife to Broadway once the election was over. Now, I, personally, would love to meet a man who keeps his promises. I imagine it is equally as hard to find those men in Washington as it is in New York. However, I can’t say I’m pleased with my tax dollars going to the President’s security detail for his date night. Not to mention, we can’t forget the accommodations they made to get to NYC in private aircraft.

Why again was it such a problem for CEOs to fly private jets when they were actually conducting business and helping the economy? Mr. Obama couldn’t be bothered to take Amtrak to NY, or, at the very least, combine his leisure plans with an official visit to NYC? That is, after all, common practice for most other business travelers when they are on the road. I doubt I, or the general public, will ever get answers to such questions. At least the show we saw, Blithe Spirit, was worth the extra commotion!

I would also like to extend my thoughts and prayers to the friends and family of those who have disappeared on Air France Flight 447.

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

I was very excited to be visiting New York City this past week, especially since my last trip there was 30 years ago. The most delightful and pleasant aspect of our visit was the friendly, helpful and positive attitude that we were greeted with virtually everywhere we went. From cab drivers to shop clerks to bellmen to fellow theater-goers, we were greeted with smiles, easy-going banter, and tips and ideas about what to see and how best to get there. That’s not precisely my memory of my last visit; and while I don’t know precisely what to ascribe such an upbeat vibe to, we certainly enjoyed and were thankful for it.

Another bonus for us was that the weather for the most part was dry and not too cold during our stay. Our home for three days, the venerable and lovely old Roosevelt Hotel, was perfectly situated for walking to Times Square, Rockefeller Center and other sights. When we wanted to venture farther than a comfortable stroll, we were only a few blocks from Grand Central Terminal and the subway. We had no problem finding a tremendous assortment of dining options nearby, too. Tuesday night found us at Charley O’s in Times Square for a quick but tasty dinner before we took in Chicago just across the street. We had the chance to compare mountain-high pastrami sandwiches at both Roxy Delicatessan and the Carnegie Deli (Carnegie’s won out!), and enjoyed among other dishes a light and tasty prosciutto and arugula pizza at Naples 45 in the MetLife Building.

One of the challenges for me on this visit was deciding which Broadway shows to see. We decided to purchase our tickets at the TKTS booth (where the half-price tickets could still cause coronary arrest if one isn’t prepared for them), so that only slightly limited our choices. In addition to Chicago, we attended a Wednesday matinee of August: Osage County, the 2008 Tony winner for Best Play. The performances were all very fine, but 81-year-old Estelle Parsons completely amazed and impressed us in her role as the matriarch of an unbelievably dysfunctional family. She tears up and down the stairs of the set with a boundless energy that is truly remarkable.

We spent our final evening in New York at the Global Traveler fifth anniversary celebration at the Renaissance Times Square. The food was fantastic, the setting and views unbeatable (looking south down Broadway over all of the bright lights of Times Square), and the company and conversation delightful. I relished the opportunity to get to know my fellow GT staffers better and meet some of the contributors, supporters and friends of GT as well.

Our positive experiences of New York City will ensure that we will be back to visit far sooner than later. There was much that we wanted to see and do that our limited stay did not allow. What will draw us back, at least as much as those still-to-be-experienced sites, is the welcoming attitude of those who live and work in that great city. Thank you, Manhattan!

Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

Being on the road so much often leads me to forget how wonderful NY really can be and all it has to offer. Recently, with the help, or rather the push, of some friends, I revisited the magical world of the theater. In the last two weeks I saw November on Broadway with Nathan Lane, the Kirov Ballet at the City Center and Candide at the New York City Opera (and I can’t forget Curtains! with GT’s own Kim Krol a few weeks back).

November had more foul language that the Lower East Side on a Friday night and kept the audience rolling in the aisles. The Russian ballerinas brought the romance of the Romanovs to the stage and Candide entertained with good old-fashioned humor and the classic music of Leonard Bernstein. I’ve always loved the theater and especially the world of music. I dedicated a good portion of my life to it, even studying it in college, but never made it my whole life. Perhaps that’s why I have such an admiration for the arts and artists that bring their whole body and soul to the stage. Every night they are doing something they love, to entertain others. It is with that same admiration I am sometimes equally amazed of how rude many of the guests, who are privileged to see the performance, often act during or just after the show.

During November, two theatergoers got what was coming to them! The play had barely ended and the cast (4 in total) were taking their first bows and two people in the front row stood up and casually started to leave the theater. There was no sense of urgency, more the sense of “Let’s jet now and beat all these suckers to get to our car first.” Well, Nathan Lane was thinking the same thing and did what only he can do best - improvise! Just before they were taking their bows, Nathan Lane went to make a speech. As the two folks in the front stood up - right in front of him - he said, in his wonderfully sarcastic tone, “Well, folks, that’s a new one, a walking ovation! I guess they just can’t wait to get back to Teaneck and now, who can blame them.” Lane won the crowd over again. He then went on to ask for donations for a charity as people left the theater, I bet he received more donations that night than most, for calling out the two people who couldn’t wait an extra 30 seconds to show their respect to the performers who played their heart out for them!

I noticed the same behavior of many people after the other two performances I saw. What really got me upset was how people jumped out of their seats after the Kirov ballet where the performers danced their hearts out nearly flawlessly. I’m sure it left a reflection on the Russian dance company of what a NY crowd can be like. I think what got me most upset is knowing the feeling of being on a stage and seeing people leave their seats without an inkling of appreciation, sometimes I wonder why they came out of their living rooms in the first place.

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher