December 2023
A few weeks ago, we spent a few days in NYC (our first visit in years!).
The holiday decorations were going up, Central Park was a dreamy late-fall landscape with a distinctly European feel, and I loved noting all the Art Deco details throughout the city (the doors, the signs, the tree grates).
The Holiday Market was in full swing in Bryant Park (side note: have you seen Something From Tiffany's? A great feel-good holiday movie set in NYC) and we saw at least three ice skating rinks and too many hot chocolate stands to count.
There's something magical about New York at Christmas and I found myself caught up in the sights and sounds, the wonder of it all (a little like Buddy and Jovie's date in NYC from my favorite holiday movie Elf).
In honor of the 20th anniversary of this film (how is that even possible?), here are six Buddy-the-Elf moments from our trip:
“You did it! Congratulations! World’s best cup of coffee! Great job, everybody!” Maybe not the world's best, but Zibetto Espresso Bar (1385 6th Ave.) makes a delicious cappuccino and feels very much like an Italian bar. ☕
“So, good news. I saw a dog today.” We loved our visit to the AKC Museum of the Dog (101 Park Ave., just a few blocks from Grand Central Station). Art, photography, figurines (lots of greyhounds!), a virtual dog to train, and an impressive library of dog-related books. Highly recommend! 🐕
“I traveled through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest.” Holiday shopping in a nutshell. But a magical experience nonetheless with window displays like this. ✨
“So… do you want to eat food?” We had a few excellent meals during our time in the city, but none greater than our experience at the neighborhood Italian trattoria Amarone Scarlatto (686 9th Ave. #1). Honorable mention goes to Loi Estiatorio (132 W. 58th St.). 🍽️
“Son of a nutcracker!” Seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall was an incredible experience and the scene from the ‘Nutcracker’ was particularly nostalgic. 🩰
“Wow. That's a big one.” We saw several Christmas trees as we walked through the city, but the tree at Rockefeller Plaza takes the cake. They were still putting up the (50,000) lights when we were there, but one of the workers who was cutting up the trimmings tossed us a pocket-sized piece to take home! 🎄
I hope this inspires you for the season ahead and gives you a little taste of New York at Christmas, even if you're far away. Wishing you a season of laughter and light!
