04-05 Dec 2024 - The Late Show, Wollman Rink
04-05 Dec 2024 - The Late Show, Wollman Rink
04 December 2024
Today is a quiet day. We only have one thing on the schedule, and that is to attend the Ed Sullivan Theatre for a taping of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!
OK - so I don't know how she did it, but Lizzie managed to score us priority passes to the show, which meant that we got to line up in a line that started outside the theatre, rather than the general admission line that started on the next block!
We arrived at about 12:45 pm, and found that we were about fifth in line. Not bad considering checkin didn't start until 2pm, and the show didn't start until about 3:30 pm!
So we stood there in the cold, on the sidewalk, chatting to the people around us who all loved our Australian accents. One guy wanted to know if we really had kangaroos jumping down our roads, and another guy wanted to know if Adolf Hitler really was born in our country! I love Americans!
Once checkin started, we had to pass through security screening and then we were shown in to a corridor where we were ushered in to pens surrounded by steel fencing - seriously! It was like we were sheep being herded for shearing! Once everyone was in their pens (most of the general admission line missed out!) we were permitted a final toilet break, one pen at a time, before being permitted in to the theatre.
We were told in no uncertain terms that there was to be no photographs or video taken inside the theatre, and we had to turn our phones off and put them away. Then we were shown in to our seats. Lizzie and I were seated in the second row from the front! Once everyone was seated, we had a comedian come out and warm us all up, and then Stephen Colbert came out and did a short Q&A with the audience.
Then it was on with the show. Our celebrity guests were Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper (no, I didn't know them either!) and it was actually a pretty interesting and fun experience to see.
The theatre was absolutely stunning, and it was pretty cool to think that this place had once hosted the Beatles, and also featured the first national television appearances by Elvis Presley!
Taping finished about 7:00 pm, and Lizzie and I wandered home with a little detour to a lovely little Italian restaurant for dinner.
05 December 2024
This afternoon, we ticked off another bucket list item for Lizzie!
We skated around Wollman Rink in Central Park!!!!
I'll get to that shortly. Firstly, I want to point out that as we walked to the rink, we passed a building that seemed strangely familiar. Does anyone recognise this place (those who have seen my Facebook post can't answer!)
Actually, now that I've posted the photo, I realise I've named it far too obviously, so I'll just tell you! The outside of this building was part of the 1984 movie Ghostbusters. It was "ghost central" where the boys at the end of the movie fight Gozer and the Stay Puft marshmallow man to save the world! It was made to look much taller for the movie, and the top was change a bit, but even in its actual form it's a spooky looking building!
We continued on to Wollman Rink and hit the ice.
A couple of other things happened whilst we were skating.
Firstly, IT STARTED SNOWING!!!!!!!
Not heavily, but just enough for it to be a magical experience skating around the rink holding each other's hand and looking at the Manhattan skyline.
The other thing that happened is that Lizzie spotted Andy Lee (you know - one half of the comedy team Hamish and Andy) skating around with his fiancee. I kept an eye on him and as he came passed us, I turned and cheerily said "Merry Christmas Andy". He gave me a huge grin and wished me a merry Christmas back. A short time later, his fiancee stopped alongside us and we had a wonderful chat. Both of them are really lovely people.
So that was our day. We wandered home, and had a warm night in.
More updates soon!
Today is a quiet day. We only have one thing on the schedule, and that is to attend the Ed Sullivan Theatre for a taping of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!
OK - so I don't know how she did it, but Lizzie managed to score us priority passes to the show, which meant that we got to line up in a line that started outside the theatre, rather than the general admission line that started on the next block!
We arrived at about 12:45 pm, and found that we were about fifth in line. Not bad considering checkin didn't start until 2pm, and the show didn't start until about 3:30 pm!
So we stood there in the cold, on the sidewalk, chatting to the people around us who all loved our Australian accents. One guy wanted to know if we really had kangaroos jumping down our roads, and another guy wanted to know if Adolf Hitler really was born in our country! I love Americans!
Once checkin started, we had to pass through security screening and then we were shown in to a corridor where we were ushered in to pens surrounded by steel fencing - seriously! It was like we were sheep being herded for shearing! Once everyone was in their pens (most of the general admission line missed out!) we were permitted a final toilet break, one pen at a time, before being permitted in to the theatre.
We were told in no uncertain terms that there was to be no photographs or video taken inside the theatre, and we had to turn our phones off and put them away. Then we were shown in to our seats. Lizzie and I were seated in the second row from the front! Once everyone was seated, we had a comedian come out and warm us all up, and then Stephen Colbert came out and did a short Q&A with the audience.
Then it was on with the show. Our celebrity guests were Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper (no, I didn't know them either!) and it was actually a pretty interesting and fun experience to see.
The theatre was absolutely stunning, and it was pretty cool to think that this place had once hosted the Beatles, and also featured the first national television appearances by Elvis Presley!
Taping finished about 7:00 pm, and Lizzie and I wandered home with a little detour to a lovely little Italian restaurant for dinner.
- 2 Ed Suillivan outside 1.jpg (3.58 MiB) Viewed 61 times
- 3 Ed Sullivan set 1.jpg (3.51 MiB) Viewed 61 times
- 4 Ed Sullivan ceiling 1.jpg (3.61 MiB) Viewed 61 times
This afternoon, we ticked off another bucket list item for Lizzie!
We skated around Wollman Rink in Central Park!!!!
I'll get to that shortly. Firstly, I want to point out that as we walked to the rink, we passed a building that seemed strangely familiar. Does anyone recognise this place (those who have seen my Facebook post can't answer!)
- 1 Ghostbusers Ghost Central 1.jpg (4.33 MiB) Viewed 61 times
We continued on to Wollman Rink and hit the ice.
- 2 Wollman Rink us 1.jpg (3.85 MiB) Viewed 61 times
- 2 Wollman Rink us 2.jpg (2.82 MiB) Viewed 61 times
- 3 Wollman Rink Lizzie 1.jpg (3.39 MiB) Viewed 61 times
Firstly, IT STARTED SNOWING!!!!!!!
Not heavily, but just enough for it to be a magical experience skating around the rink holding each other's hand and looking at the Manhattan skyline.
The other thing that happened is that Lizzie spotted Andy Lee (you know - one half of the comedy team Hamish and Andy) skating around with his fiancee. I kept an eye on him and as he came passed us, I turned and cheerily said "Merry Christmas Andy". He gave me a huge grin and wished me a merry Christmas back. A short time later, his fiancee stopped alongside us and we had a wonderful chat. Both of them are really lovely people.
So that was our day. We wandered home, and had a warm night in.
More updates soon!
Re: 04-05 Dec 2024 - The Late Show, Wollman Rink
I remember when you bought your skates Liz!! So awesome, I hope you’re both having the best time 🫶
Liv
Liv
Re: 04-05 Dec 2024 - The Late Show, Wollman Rink
Lovely to read all your sight seeing updates, you’re really making every post a winner.All very interesting, skating while it’s snowing, how much better can it get for a Hallmark tragic! Andy comes across as a genuinely nice guy, there’s your proof. Keep loving NY, great photos too.xx
Re: 04-05 Dec 2024 - The Late Show, Wollman Rink
That is absolutely brilliant!!!! 
I can’t believe you met Andy, all the way over there!! Hahaha that’s so cool!!! You look fabulous there on your skates Lizzo, and how about that snow!! 
I can’t believe you met Andy, all the way over there!! Hahaha that’s so cool!!! You look fabulous there on your skates Lizzo, and how about that snow!! 
Re: 04-05 Dec 2024 - The Late Show, Wollman Rink
How amazing, what memories. Just love reading your posts and photos.