My Night With Madonna and Shakespeare

For the first time since I can't remember when, Hot Guy and I went on a date that did not involve the local mall.* We actually went into the city, in the evening, to see the Royal Shakespeare Company.**And before the performance we ate at a restaurant that did not have a children's menu.

It was AWESOME. 

It was the last part of my birthday celebration***, as the theater tickets were a gift from my parents, as was the baby-sitting. 

We did not make dinner reservations as we weren't sure exactly when we'd get into the city (traffic is a fickle mistress), but assumed we'd find something near the Park Avenue Armory (more about that later), where the RSC is performing. After we finally found a place to park, we started wandering the Upper East Side. You know why all those women on the Real Housewives are so skinny? It's because there are no restaurants in their neighborhood. Seriously. We were about to hail a cab for mid-town when I spotted Bistro Chat Noir. ****

It was perfect in it's French/urban vibe. The service was wonderful, the people watching mildly entertaining and the food was great. Especially the gazpacho. It's a good thing I'm not pregnant, because if I was I would be sending Hot Guy in there to buy me more, it was that good. Damn, now I'm thinking about it again. 

After our wonderful dinner that wouldn't have been too expensive if we hadn't ordered drinks*****, we walked to the Armory. At one time soldiers trained there, I think, but now it's an art space. The RSC basically rebuilt their own theater inside, which is sort of like Shakespeare's Globe, but with seats. We saw The Winter's Tale, which I hadn't read since college, but remembered liking. Hot Guy had never performed in it or even studied it, so I thought he'd be more able to enjoy it.******

We had such a great time watching and then geeking out about it after. The cast ranged from great to AMAZING, the sets were phenomenal and the sound was really interesting. And the words were good too, of course. Anyone who says they don't like/understand Shakespeare needs to just go to an RSC performance. It seems somehow wrong that wherever you live you can see Britney Spears live but not the Royal Shakespeare Company, you know? Of course, I can personally attest that the Riverside Shakespeare Festival in Iowa and the Kansas City Rep are pretty damn good. 

I'm going to get all bossy now and say that if there's a Shakespeare Festival or a repertory theater near you, you should go. Even if you think you'll hate it. But if your only option is the local high school, um, start saving for that trip to London. I've seen great high school shows and I've seen great Shakespeare, but never at the same time. 

Anyway, thank you to my parents and my husband for giving me such an awesome birthday present. 

*Not that there's anything wrong with going to the movies and eating at the mall. 

**They are currently performing in New York City. Though how cool would it be to fly to England for a date? 

***Hey, how many times am I going to turn 40? Might as well stretch it as long as possible. 

****This is not sponsored, much as I wish it was. I am so not cool enough for that. But I don't think a restaurant where Madonna eats (check the link) needs me to blog about them. Although who would have thought that Madonna actually eats?

*****But at least they were strong drinks. I think. It's been so long since I've had a drink it's kind of hard to tell anymore. 

******Other options included Romeo and Juliet, which we've both been in and read a lot, King Lear, which Hot Guy had already been in, and Julius Caesar. I hate Julius Caesar.