We, humans are very adaptable!

On the same day we can be grandparents, shop for new furniture, play a set of tennis and see a Broadway play that makes us laugh or cry.

Last Wednesday afternoon I was reminded of this versatility, when my wife Lorraine and I took a trip into Manhattan. The 11:49 a.m. LIRR train at the Hicksville station was six minutes late but that did not faze us. We were headed for the Big Apple!

We planned to stand on the TKTS line and we marked the matinee plays that were acceptable to us in The New York Times theater section. We cabbed up to 47th Street and the line was much too long. A change in the "game plan" was called for.

We proceeded to our first choice on 48th Street. It was still in previews. It was (If You Ever Leave Me, I'm Going With You) with Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna. The price for the preview was $65 a seat. No bargain there.

We settled for $30 a seat in the first row of the balcony. The seats were perfect in Broadway heaven, and the walk up the many flights of stairs was invigorating. The time was 1:20 p.m. and we were ravenous. Show time was 2 p.m.

We dashed into a classic New York luncheonette/coffee shop that advertised the "world's best coffee." Two seats at the counter were available and Lorraine and I quickly filled them. Time was eroding and we ordered two Greek omelets (egg whites). One harried counterman, with his spattered white (I think) apron, was serving the entire place. He looked like a one-man band, scrambling eggs, popping down toast, frying ham, and finally buttering the toast. We were served on paper plates and we ate with plastic knives and forks. Not elegant but the food was delicious and we were in the theater with 10 minutes to spare. (Incidentally, the show was terrific and I recommend it highly.)

My son Gregg and his wife Jennifer had given us a voucher for a "dinner tasting meal" at the Gramercy Tavern for our anniversary. It is a truly elegant restaurant on 20th Street near 5th Avenue. The "tasting menu" consists of seven courses. The ambience is country French and the food is in the French style. Hearty, thick breads and delicious, strange cheeses began the meal.

We sat at a table with a thick linen tablecloth. Five or six waiters and waitresses surrounded our table issuing "excuse me sir/madam" constantly as they placed bread and butter on our plates.

Each course was explained thoroughly and the portions were small but delicious.

Lobster tail, minestrone with tortellini stuffed with goat cheese, Dover sole and finally baby lamb with escarole and eggplant were the dishes we were served. After each course the silverware was removed and replaced with new gleaming utensils from a napkined plate. The dessert menu was chocolate on chocolate and Petit Fours.

The time of the meal was 2 1/2 hours.

As Lorraine and I made our way back to Penn Station (We walked because we were bursting from food and drinks), we laughed when we compared our lunch at the lunch counter to our gourmet dinner at Gramercy Tavern.

Both meals were wonderful, but what a contrast.

We came to this conclusion: "We are New Yorkers. We can go uptown and we can travel downtown. Whatever it takes we can accomplish. Plastic forks or gleaming silverware, it's basically the same!"

On our LIRR trip back to the Hicksville station we both marveled at a glorious day in the capital of the world - New York City!