"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful.”
Norman Vincent Peale
Computers.
Can’t live
with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.
Love
them/hate them.
Spending a good part of
a winter afternoon writing a blog piece about special Holiday visitors, I could have
sworn I saved it.
I “know” I did.
The next day, nowhere to be found.
I have finally gotten over my fear of calling
Mac support and even the young lad couldn’t find it (What was uplifting is that
all the ways he had me search for it, I had already done!)… Argh.
 |
| My Sojourn |
So, second try.
Having mentioned often how I love sharing my NYC with special people
(and feeding my tour guide hunger), Cousins, Mom and her Daughter, came down to
play with me to ring in the Christmas season.
Arriving on a rainy Friday evening, hungry and tired, we simply crossed
over to my
Sojourn where we got
the royal treatment!
My Teen had her
first taste of brussell spouts, and loved them.
They are done very well at Sojourn.
(I have been told that are now served regularly at their home.)
Saturday morning we woke to a lot more rain (thankfully it
wasn’t too cold or icy), but couldn’t let that deter us.
Rounding the corner to a sweet little Belgian
bakery,
O Merveilleux Belgian Meringue,
we started with some decadent sustenance.
I purposely would forget about the place (now
it’s not around the corner..).
From there, my Cousins got their first taste of NYC’s MTA,
where we spent much of the day going up and down the island of Manhattan.
First stop was Herald Square where I had read
of a little pop-up Christmas Market.
Since we were in the neighborhood we scooted over to Macy’s to see their
awesome Christmas window displays.
Next
stop, a peek at Chelsea Market.
Whereupon I learned of my Teen’s bottom-less stomach (oh, to be young
again..).
She had a real hankering for a
good old hot dog from a street cart.
Found one!
(And my Cousins kindly
treated a homeless man to a dog with the works.)
I hate hot dogs from anywhere.
I
got some chicken.
Backtracking a bit, we headed up to
Grand Central.
We poked into the
MTA Museum Annex to see the Holiday Train exhibit which was awesome (something I had been meaning to see for years.).
We then stopped and got some fruit, and
“copped a squat” (ala “Pretty Woman”) in the great hall and literally just
watched the world go by for awhile which was actually quite enjoyable, and
definitely interesting.
We then perused
the Grand Central Holiday Market but quickly realized that while filled with
lovely things, not much fit a Teen’s spending budget.
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| From Wikipedia |
Hmm, where to take a teen to shop?
Canal Street!
While not as busy and crazy as in years past,
the Vendors are getting ruder, louder, and crazier.
Quite fun.
Never has it failed, whomever I have brought to this crazy street,
doesn’t matter on age or size (females), after a couple of stalls my “guests”
always get a look in heir eyes and decide they are on a mission…With Teens, I always explain
the trick of the haggle.
Usually they
are very hesitant at first, and again, always get into it quickly!
So it was, we went into many stalls, got yelled at,
got kicked out of at least one, and then finally found one with a pleasant
young man.
My Teen asked for the type of
bag she wanted.
He brought us into the
next room, then pushed on a wall (I was delighted.
My Cousins were going to get the whole Canal
Street experience!), and into a dark space we followed.
Finally he hit a switch on the wall, light,
and “Candyland!
Less than 10 minutes
later we emerged and my teen was a very happy camper with her treat for a price
she was quite pleased with.
After a few
more treasures, we headed even further south for more fun.
Canal Street is still a
destination point for “designer” pocketbooks.
One of my favorite places in this city (yes, I have many),
but a very historical, poignant, and meaningful stop is the neighborhood of the
World Trade Center. For quite awhile after 9-11 I wouldn’t go, now it’s a must
see.
Getting off the train my Teen saw
the
Wafels & Dinges food cart,
so first a stop (in the rain) for a decadent treat, which by the look of her
face covered from ear to ear, nose to chin, in chocolate, was enjoyed
immensely.
Then to my usual first stop in that neighborhood,
St Paul’s Chapel, followed by a visit to the 9-11 Memorial (I still haven’t gone to
the museum yet.).
And, since it was so
close, I brought my Teen to Century 21, known for it’s good priced
treasures.
However, it was there we all
hit a wall, and decided to go home to rest for a bit.
While deciding what to do for dinner, go out, or order in
like NY’ers?
my Guests asked if we could simply go back over to Sojourn.
More
regulars!
It was an early dinner for a NYC Saturday, but we had more places to go, and things to see!
Heading into Rockefeller Center to go up to
The Top of the Rock, the kind Guide
explained that there was zero visibility.
Lesson learned: tickets bought for the Top of the Rock are good for a
year, in case that should happen: lousy visibility.
My Cousins will simply have to come
back.
We enjoyed The Tree and the ice
skating from ground level instead.
 |
| From the Radio City Website |
Crossing the street to Radio City Music Hall to see their
Christmas Spectacular (still one of my favorite Christmas shows) we got herded in a very orderly fashion. They really
do have crowd control down to a science.
Impressive. Then, instead of
walking along the Christmas magic of 5th Avenue; we couldn’t; we
went home to the Hx3 and promptly fell into bed. Started ay 9:15am, hit the hay at
midnight. Successful,wonderful day doing many “quintessential NYC things.”
 |
| Also from Radio City's website |
Sunday, we had a light brunch at
Hi-Life and my guests headed home, still
tired, but happy, I believe.
My favorite theater company, Original Binding Productions (Kristi
is a founding member!) had a cool, 60’s themed version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer
Night’s Dream” as a fundraiser for a high school in Queens. On the first stormy evening of the winter I
had yet another Angel on my shoulder, as I’m not sure how I found that high
school, but I did, and enjoyed the production immensely.
Forcing myself to do many of the things I love most about my
city at Christmas helped me get through some tough moments. Walking down 5th Avenue late at
night (to avoid the crowds), soaking up the glittering beauty is always salve
to the heart. Sharing an evening after
work with my new friend and Boss, Sam, from Swan and Stone;
with “old” friends from Tuff Kookooshka
(who actually made the introductions to my new employers) at one of my favorite
haunts, The
Campbell Apartment (right in Grand Central) was wonderful, indeed.
Christmas day was a balmy 50 degrees, so Kristi and I walked over to my Park and actually sat outside to enjoy a glass of
Proscecco by the lake at the Boathouse!
We then walked through the Park to midtown to meet her college roommate,
and still best friend, at another special place, The King Cole Bar at The St. Regis Hotel. (5th Avenue was a madhouse!) We had a wonderful few hours before heading
to the Zeigfield Theatre to meet our dear friends from Viola Street for opening
night of “Into the Woods.” There is
nothing like seeing a movie on opening night in NYC. The cheers, clapping, and general buzz of
excitement are like being in live theatre.
Rounding out our Christmas evening, we shared Chinese food with our old
neighbors up in Harlem 
With the help of my amazing movers, I changed my home from
the Hx3 on E 79th Street down a few blocks to E 70th
Street. By New Year’s Day I was settled
and looking forward to yet another amazing year in NYC, having rung in the New
Year with Friends at my Sojourn.
