Emily in Paris

Every once in a while the stars align in a way you just cannot imagine. That day happened last Sunday when we were in New York.

Our agenda for The City was to see the holiday displays, shop at Broadway Up Close, check out the shops in Bryant Park, take a picture in front of The Tree, and enjoy the car-free hours on Fifth Avenue.

We did some of that.

Then I noticed a sign in front of the Paris Theater next to The Plaza Hotel.

Wait. What? 

I knew the show was dropping on Netflix that Wednesday, but I had no idea there was a premier taking place THAT NIGHT!

I was pointed to a website to request a FREE ticket. FREE. I was certain they would be "sold out," but I was there. And on the other side was not only a show I wanted to see, but a bathroom (the ones in Central Park were closed for the season). 

It took me three times to fill out the online request on my phone with my 50+ year old fingers, but finally I had success. Yes, if Ashley had been there she would have been mortified. Yes, Don did not try at the same time as I tried.

When the screen said they would email me tickets (what did we do before smart phones?), I checked my messages and jumped in line. As it was still a few minutes before the doors were set to open, we got seats in row F. Seats were assigned in order of lining up with your QR code.

We went inside. After using the bathroom we still had over an hour to kill. About the only thing to do was people watch since too many people were trying to use their phones and there was no signal. Not even a signal strong enough to text Ashley to let her know we would be home much later than planned.

Most of the audience skewed to their early 20s. Girls wearing berets and snapping selfies. There were two rows in the center that stayed empty for the longest time. When they did show up, it was obvious they were connected to the show somehow as they dressed more outlandishly than those of us who stumbled upon the show. I later saw the initial showing was a couple of days earlier and included the stars. Maybe these were behind-the-scenes people.

Other than seeing the first three episodes of season three with me that night, Don has not seen the show. On Wednesday through Friday I devoured the other seven episodes of the season. He was a good sport, and even offered to set up a computer so I could watch it on our TV set at home, instead of on my laptop.

Don did agree there is something special about seeing a show in community. The laughs, the crowd noises made brought the show to a new dimension. It was great seeing Paris on a big screen.

There was a hilarious trailer before the movie that picked on the fashions of the show -- platform shoes, running in Channel, etc. that is such a part of the show. Unfortunately I cannot find a link to it to watch again or to share here.

Spontaneity can be fun. In this case it was a 90 minute trip to glamourous Paris. A place to which I dream of returning.