What's the best way to stay cool in the McKittrick while still looking appropriate for the occasion?
This is a tough one. First of all–dress for the heat. Wear natural fibers, such as linen and cotton. Polyester doesn’t breathe and tends to be sweaty. Also pay attention to the places in the building that are cooler–the morgue behind the funeral home is often pretty cold. There are other spots where the air conditioning works well. Take a break or two in those spots.
But honestly? It’s summer in NYC. And the McKittrick can’t really keep up very well. The building gets really hot. Sometimes the AC is working well, and sometimes it isn’t. I find it’s worse if it’s raining or the humidity is really high. Staying cool inside the McKittrick is often not possible.
During one of my visits I almost passed out because of the heat so I actually spent some time wandering around trying to cool myself down. Here’s my discovery:
Ballroom is generally cold, the AC there is very powerful. A lot of cool things happen there too!
Lobby is hot, they put some fans here and there but they only help a little bit... On the other hand if you follow porter you don’t need to walk or run a lot...
Third floor is usually really hot. Mcduff’s place is cooler than Macbeths’ and walled garden.
Fourth floor is not only generally hot but there’s always a huge crowd wherever you go... Like @readwithjoy said morgue is cold. Malcolm’s detective office is also cold, you can go in and chill and enjoy some light reading. Rep bar can be a nightmare sometimes... It almost feel like Hecate is heating up the room to cook us...
Ward on fifth is cold! Forest is hot. Not sure about the rest.
And keep in mind you can always go back to the Manderley bar to take off your mask, get some water and catch your breath. Stay hydrated and stay safe, if you’re not feeling well turn to a black mask, they can always help.
PS: My utmost RESPECT to the performers who need to run/fight/dance non-stop for three hours in this heat. TRUE HEROES. (I remember in a Banquo 1v1 that performer had sweat pouring down his face (and landed on mine), I felt so bad for him... Poor Banquo has the most intense fight/dance scene and the least down time...)
