Many of the Mid-Atlantic States were already hit by a major snow storm just a week earlier.  The most current forecast called for an eerily similar forecast to hit the same regions, plus some of New York City.  People seemed panicked, schedules were in flux and there I was, working away diligently in my hotel room, waiting for the madness to ensue.  You would think the end of the world was coming, given the media’s ferocious coverage of what some were calling the “snowpocalpse”.  Silliness is all I can say about that.  I patiently waited for snowmageddon to arrive, but no significant accumulation ever materialized.  At least, not in Manhattan anyway.  Go figure!

I decided to make the most of my evening as it was my birthday after all.  Did I forget to mention that?  I connected with my buddy Brian, who made a surprise visit to take me out to celebrate.  We were both craving a decent burger, so we decided to hit the ever-consistent Hard Rock Cafe.  It did not disappoint.  Yum!  After our meal, we decided to frolic around in the snow a bit.  It was a pretty cool site to see the center of Time Square so empty.  As I mentioned earlier, there wasn’t very much accumulation, but the wind was pretty intense.  Couple that with cold-wet snow slapping us in the face, and we quickly decided to head indoors.  

Next stop was to experience the Arthur Miller classic:  A View from the Bridge, starring Liev Schreiber & Scarlett Johansson.  Apparently it’s an extremely popular Broadway show that’s been doing very well.  It came strongly recommended by a close friend of mine, who said: “It would be a perfect birthday present to myself”.  Combine that advice with the fact that I’d have an opportunity to see the second love of my life, Scarlett Johansson, up close and personal…It was a no brainer.  Off to the show I went. 

The play was wonderful.  The simple stage setting was perfect, the tragic story-line was engaging and the performances were brilliant.  Here are a few reviews on the lead actor’s performances that I thought were spot on:

Schreiber is nothing short of remarkable as Eddie. If you’ve also seen him do Shakespeare, or Mamet, or even play the cross-dressing head of security in last summer’s big-screen “Taking Woodstock,” you know his talent ranges more widely than almost any actor of his generation. Carbone translates from the Italian as coal or charcoal, and the idea of a combustible lump animates every facet of Schreiber’s portrayal. He manages to make Eddie’s decisions — whether to pick up a phone and dial immigration, or to lash out in an act of sexual frustration — seem the explosive products of an urge beyond the control of the intellect.  [Peter Marks, Washington Post]

Film actresses as famous as Ms. Johansson tend to create their own discomfort zones onstage, defined by the mixed expectations of fans and skeptics. I was definitely aware of that zone when I saw Keira Knightley in “The Misanthrope” in London recently. By comparison, Ms. Johansson melts into her character so thoroughly that her nimbus of celebrity disappears. Her Catherine is a girl on the cusp of womanhood, feeling her way down familiar paths that have suddenly been shrouded in unfamiliar shadows.  [Ben Brantley, New York Times]

After the show, Brian and I made our way to my hotel lobby for a night cap.  A few drinks and laughs later, my birthday celebration was officially complete.  Thanks for the night out buddy!

Below are a handful of photos that I think captured the essence of the evening: