G&G in NYC

Today is a most auspicious day—Grandpa Lee’s 81st birthday!! We decided that this called for a visit to the Today Show…with a big birthday sign of course. We arrived on the Plaza by about 7:40 and I was told I needed to unroll my sign to prove that I wasn’t going to display anything inappropriate. I told the guard the sign was “very controversial” and then proceeded to display the “Happy 81 Grandpa Lee” message. He asked where Grandpa Lee was and when I pointed over my shoulder, he gave Grandpa a big handshake and congratulations.

We found a spot on the railing-- good though not prime, but being on the railing is important we thought. We got to watch Santa get into a glider that was going to be shown as part of a Niemen Marcus Christmas gift segment (OMG the shopping season is upon us.) Santa was nervous he would hit us with the wing of the glider but I wasn’t concerned…if I got hit, I felt confident I’d get on tv:-) As we watched all the goings on, one of the crew members and other spectators wished Grandpa happy birthday too!

Matt and Meredith came outside at 8am. Matt didn’t come to our side of the railing but when Meredith got close I yelled, “Meredith, today’s my grandpa’s 81st birthday.” She gave a big smile and came over and gave him a big hug and kiss. (Granny’s editorial comment: “she’s got more lines on her face than you can see on tv.”) How exciting!! Meredith ran over to Matt with 5 seconds to go until the show went live again. As Matt spoke, Katie called to say that she could see us over his shoulder! A few minutes later, Matt was at the other side of the Plaza so Ann Curry came out and starting working with crowd. She seemed so nice and spent quite a bit of time with a number of the spectators. When I (again) yelled “today’s my Grandpa’s 81st birthday” she came over and gave him a big hug and kiss. She told him that NYC was quite a party town and a great place to spend his birthday! (Granny's editorial comment: "I love Ann now, not Katie Couric.")

We were amazed that by 9am the crowd really started to thin out. When the crew started taking the glider a part, one guy told Grandpa to watch his head so he makes it to 82. Some people moved to the other end of the Plaza to see Cosmo’s 50 hottest bachelors (a group who I originally thought was a choir because of the riser they were on—good lookin’ choir!)

G&G and I headed for breakfast at Dean and Deluca’s, which is also on the Plaza. Our birthday fun continued when Granny put the birthday sign in the window. Many of the passers-by stopped, mouthed “who’s 81?” When Granny and I pointed to Grandpa, everyone gave him thumbs up, blew kisses or clapped and said “happy birthday.” One guy even came into the store and wished him well. He said he hopes he looks as good as Grandpa at 81.

The fun actually started last night with a walk around my 'hood and dinner at Noodle Pudding with Matt. Look for a Noodle Pudding review tomorrow:-)

(I forgot my camera, but I'll get a few picts from Granny)