Are you looking for a quick and fun getaway? NYC is a must-see tourist destination, with many destinations like the famous commercial intersection and Times Square. Little did I realize that the Theatre District is located within this hub. I just wanted to see a Broadway play. Stay tuned; let me tell you about my NYC weekend of iconic music eats, treats, and views.
Let’s start with music. Does the name Otis Williams ring a bell? If you are a Motown fan, you know he is the founding and the last surviving original member of The Temptations. You remember the most successful classic Motown vocalists with their signature dance moves.
In 1988, Otis co-authored a book with Patricia Romanowski about the ups and downs of The Temptations. Ten years later, the book was adapted into an NBC television mini-series, The Temptations.
Fast forward to 2017, American playwright and actress Dominique Morriseau wrote the book for one of the hottest Broadway shows of the year. The play Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations. The musical opened in March 2019 at The Imperial Theatre.
Otis (played by Derrick Baskin) narrates the musical’s timeline from his beginnings as a teenage singer to the present day. The Broadway play briefly touches on problems that affected the group’s many singers. The issues are marital infidelity, absentee fathers, drug abuse, health challenges, suicide, and celebrity status egos.
The Classic Five (Original) Members:
◊ David Ruffin died from a drug overdose at the age of 24
♠ Otis Williams: group founder
◊ Paul Williams, a victim of Sickle-Cell Anemia, suffered from depression and alcoholism, died at the age of 34 from an alleged suicide
♣ Melvin Franklin, the only other member who never left the group, died at the age of 52 from complications of rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes
◊ Eddie Kendricks: smoked for 30 years and died at the age of 52 from lung cancer
I have fond memories of the Temptations, a three-time Grammy award winner and 2013 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner. I remember when they ruled the airways with hits. The music still resonates today, so the play is a must-see.
After the entertainment, a formal bite to eat at The View, the only revolving restaurant on the 48th floor of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. The night view and meal – are excellent.
Next is Sunday morning’s spectacular brunching at the iconic Tavern on the Green in Central Park. The building housing the restaurant was built in 1870 as a sheepfold. Before riding mowers and landscape companies, sheep used to graze on the grass before it became Central Park. The ambiance and the meal at the rustic restaurant are superb.
Last, an Uber ride to the iconic landmark Rockefeller Center, AKA 30 Rock, with a timed entrance. Who doesn’t want to see a New York Point of view if you can take the height?
We (hubby and another couple) stayed at the 51-story, 2000-room Sheraton New York Times Square, 7th Avenue at 52nd Street. The room was small and modern. However, note there was a charge for Wi-Fi and luggage storage. With proximity to the Broadway Theatre, I would stay here again.
How about you, a fan of the dynamic singing group? What’s your favorite Temptations song? Please share via Facebook post or Disqus (you must have an account and log in to post a comment.)
As always, thank you for reading. Have a fabulous week.
