NEW YORK - DAY 2, MARCH 11, 2008

My exciting experiences continue in the Big Apple. Today 3 big things happened ! first my room !... there was an issue about the fact that my hotel room did not have an internet connection, even though I paid extra for it. So after many calls to the front desk and Management, I was finally told they can't fix it, and are willing to exchange my room for another. So after a big sigh, of inconvenience havening to pack up my whole room, repacking my suitcase, I made my way back down to the front desk of the hotel, and marched right up to the Manager. I told the manager that I was not pleased. I had paid a lot of money for the extras in my room, and so far have been sadly disappointed in the hotel service so far.

The manager, a very nice, charming man, apologized profusely and then announced that they were upgrading me from a single room to the corner suite... ' smile'... I was very happy with that.. so up I went with new key card in hand, by this time Kathy had arrived from her place, so the two of us went up... ' what to my wondrous eyes to appear?... a 2 room suite did I receive, oh my dear!'... wow.. a living room with couch, tv , fridge, and then a separate bedroom with large bathroom... yah !! jackpot!... Now this is what I call 'liv'in in New York!'... so after settling into my new room.. Kathy and I venured out.. first on the list of things to do was to walk down 2 blocks to the corner of 46 and Broadway, to jump up and down and stick out our tongues at the ' Fridays' live Times Square Webcam.. ! there many friends and family saw us live on the internet... amazing.. so cool...
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/index.php?cam=fridays

After that we jumped into a cab and went uptown to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. After a quick NY hotdog, we made a bee line to the 16th- 18th century European Art section, got my MAJOR fix of Rembrant, Van Dijk, Frans Hals and Rubens. From there we went to the 19th & 20th century European Art section, and there I too then got a Major, MAJOR !!! that litterly brought me to TEARS, room after room of Van Gogh, Cezzanne, Monet, Pissarro, Gougain, Piccaso and Tolouse Latrek. Wow... very emotion day so far for me ! what a place.. NY'ers are so.. soooo lucky to have this collection at there fingertips to enjoy anytime they like.. and for pennies too.. as the entrance fee to the museum is ' pay what you can' .. as Kathy and I paid $3 entrance fee... sigh!...
http://www.metmuseum.org/

After this we hopped into a cab once again, and made our way over the ' West side' of New York, there we walked around, and then stopped and had a nice lunch/dinner at a local Diner/Deli. After lunch, we got on to a NY bus, and made our way back downtown , direction Hotel. Kathy jumped off the bus, at her more convenient stop, as she had a rehearsal to go to, she was playing ' Pirates'... operette stuff..

I continued on with the bus.. then out the window I saw.. hey.. The Letterman Show !.. I jumped off the bus, walked up to the Ed Sullivan Theatre, and saw this line in front.. so I just joined in on the line. A Letterman Show person walked up to me, and said do you have a ticket?.. I said , why of course I do... so I looked in my wallet, and through all my coat pockets.. teared up a bit, and said.. geez.. I lost it.. that's so terrible ! oh my , I came all the way from Toronto !... the Letterman person said, wait here, and if all these people get in, and there's still an empty seat we'll get you in ! ( jackpot!) .. so to make a long story short.. yuup... I got in ! coool.... I'm I'm seeing Dave Letterman LIVE
!! and the guests to my joy for today's show, where Martha Stewart and Snoopp Dog ! ... So the taping started at 4:30pm exactly... and the whole show.. after many laughs, ( mostly about the NY Governor Splitzer) and some great LIVE music from Snoop Dogg, the show was exactly 1 hour. He really tapes the whole thing, doesn't do ANY ' Do over's' ... alot of the show really is improv!

http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/

Dave is a genius ! ... after the show.. we were filled out of the building.. entering the famous side street.. and there is also where the Letterman Band exit's asl well as Snoop Dogg and band.. to which I got some pics.. as my camera battery just died, could have gotten more.. but that was it... WOW... so off to the CBS store at the corner for some gifts' for family.. and then I walked the rest of the way down Broadway to my hotel, which was about 10 blocks.. not to bad... so back to my hotel, ( my nice new ' Suite' ) to charge my camera battery, and to relax a bit.. it was now about 7:30pm..

At about 10:00pm I ventured out again, just to see Times Square at night... spectacular as usual!... did some more shopping.. and of course my jaw was dropping at the overwhelming sights and sounds of all that happens in this amazing world city.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M5zL_v3TyU

So now it's the next day.. Wednesday.. Here I sit, in the hotel Club breakfast room writing this.. just spoke to Kathy on the phone.. told her the whole story about Letterman , as she didn't know about this yet... a gentle- man leans over to me, that's sitting behind the computer screen beside me.. and says... and you can also add to your blog.. as I'm sorry I just overheard your conversation about Letterman.. " that you can write, that you are sitting beside the ' Famous... Comedy Legend - Gallagher ! ' ... I 'm the guy that does the Smashing Watermelons from the top of the Ed Sullivan Theatre !!! http://www.gallaghersmash.com/
ha.. ha.. ha...as I laugh !! wow.. this town just doesn't stop with the daily surprises !!
I love New York !