The play's the thing

Last weekend, I went (back) to the theatre district to see Frost/Nixon, the Tony award-winning play starring Frank Langella and Michael Sheen (The Queen). We first went to the Hourglass Tavern, for the least spectacular dinner I've had since camp food. The service was sloppy and rushed and the food flavourless. Harumph.

We were early, so had time for a drink at the Paramount Hotel, which has seen better days. The lounge downstairs began to hop at 7:15, which meant that my white strawberry cosmo* had a technobeat to contend with. We asked the bartender to turn it down once, and they told us they were testing the sound system. Fifteen minutes later, we asked again, and were told, "That's just the way things are here at this hour." Which is to say, "At this hour, we turn the music up so loud that two adults with intact hearing sitting on a couch next to one another can't have a conversation." We removed ourselves to the lobby, with the apologies of the manager and comp-ed cocktails. We did tip the server.

The play was wonderful. Well written, well staged, and the acting was excellent. Run, don't walk.

Afterwards, we took ourselves to the patio at La Bottega at the Maritime Hotel for further beverages and conversation. The temperature had dropped and the wind picked up, but we had a lovely night.

* strawberry vodka, white cranberry juice, triple sec, strawberry garnish

Hamlet