NYC

This summer Southwest airlines was having a sale and we booked a trip to NYC!  Unfortunately NYC doesn't have a sale on Hotels during December...

 

{Disclaimer: LOTS of photos, but lots of fun!}

 

It's been a few years since I've been to NYC and I've always wanted to go during Christmas to see the big tree, the windows decorated and the miracle on 34th street.  My Mom and I spent 4 days on foot in the City that never sleeps and had a great trip crossing lots of things off our NYC bucket list! Flying out Thursday morning...

 

We dropped our bags and were headed for Pizza!  {John's Pizzeria on 44th, delicious not by the slice pizza!} I turned around as we were crossing Times Square and my Mom is in the middle of Super Mario and Hello Kitty! She was just snapping a pic of them passing through, then they had her camera ready to snap a pic of her with the characters. They don't like to take free pics.  Ha!  What is most intriging about all of these characters is they are most often seen with their character heads popped up on their head like a headband chatting amongst themselves....

 

And the tree...the beautiful tree in Rockefeller Center.  Magical! Christmas in NYC is magical!! We were there for a long time Thursday evening taking it all in.  Another favorite was the video projection and music on Saks Fifth Avenue!

 

And while strolling Times Square and popping into shops,  I found this cute floppy at Top Shop.  I wanted to get it, still thinking about it, but didn't buy it.  Not sure how often I would really wear it, but it sure would be cute for when I did wear it...I have noticed it is available at Nordstrom...

 

Friday we were up and headed down to the World Trade Center Memorial.  I am not a fan of seeing all the artifacts so we didn't go through the museum.  The first time I went to NYC was 6 months after 9/11...Alan Jackson was in the Plaza of the Today's Show singing "Where were you", the lights of Tower 1 and 2 were illuminated one night, the Statue of Liberty was closed and the City was beginning to rebuild. To see that literally this trip with the new Freedom Tower almost ready to open is a reminder of resilliance of Americans.

 

This tree is the Survivor Tree, found amidst the rubble of WTC 1 & 2, transplanted and cared for in a NYC park and brought back to the site.  It was 8 feet tall in 2001, and now stands over 25 feet.  The background building is the Freedom Tower. 

 

We only took the Subway 3 times, one of my favorite things about NYC is being able to walk everywhere!  2 of those 3 were an adventure...

A friend was with us who lives in NY and works in the City. She swiped her Subway card intending for all of us to go through one after another.  I went I went through the turnstyle, then the card wouldn't re-work to let everyone else in...so, I was headed to buy tickets for others...asked the NYPD where I buy tickets...
NYPD: {puzzled look} You don't need a ticket, you are in the terminal already.
Me: Yes, but I have 3 other people with me, the card won't rescan and they are outside the terminal.
NYPD: but, you don't need... a ticket.
Me: Yes, but I need to go get them a ticket.
NYPD: Where are they?
Me: Pointing through fencing...
NYPD opens the door, let's them in and FREE RIDES!! Whoop!!
Me: Thank you. We aren't from here.

 

We stopped in Soho and on our way back almost got on the Subway going the wrong way, but quickly righted our wrong to the other side of the street.  Thank you to the kind Subway worker who "helped" us get through without re-charging us even though she assumed we must have known what to do since she chose not to use her microphone and mumbled directions to me. 

Me: Thank you. We aren't from here. 

 

Shake Shack. I do LOVE a Whataburger. And, I know people love their In and Out, but I would definitely rank Shake Shack above In and Out and in a close run with Whataburger. Also, they have Dr Pepper, but refills do not abound in NYC.  

 

 

Friday late afternoon we headed to Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular and it was spectacular. 

 

The dancing, costumes, story and all were so great! I loved the show from start to finish and this was my favorite ending to a dance, the collapsing toy soldiers...  

 

But, this manger scene stole the show!  Amazing.  So beautiful!  Joy to the World, the Savior is born!  

 

Saturday morning we were up and out by 8:45 on a mission...first stop TKTS booth where we scored Chicago tickets for 50% off.  Headed up  to Central Park by the LOVE statue....I love my Mama, Christmas and Christmas time in NYC!

 

We brunched at SaraBeth's Central Park. It is no secret that Saturday breakfast is my favorite and this was such a treat!! Highly recommend if you find yourself in NYC.  We didn't have a reservation, which apparently is lucky we got in, but only waited about 25 minutes and got a table!

 

Walking in a (rainy) winter wonderland at Central Park. You get bonus points if you can guess our favorite colors! :)

 

Our discount Chicago tickets, 6th row! And, yep, I went straight from the Park to the Theatre, in my leggings and tennies. Ain't nobody got time to waste in the hotel to change clothes for matinee theatre perfomance.   

 

We hopped the Subway after trying to win lottery tickets to the Book of Mormon  which we thought we almost had when the last pair he called out "from the Lone Star State" but it wasn't us...bummer.  Our consellation was hot dogs from a street vendor by Bloomingdale's. 

 

Might have forgotten to pack extra socks and might have sat right down to change into new ones in Bloomingdale's.  I'm fancy. 

We made our way back from Bloomingdale's walking the streets, darting in and out of shops and taking in the evening sights along Fifth Avenue. The churches are so pretty in the city, I love the architecutre. 

 

 And the windows were both fun and fancy...this was from JCrew. 

 

Perfect night cap {Junior's famous cheesecake and apparently Bradley Copper left the building right behind us after Elephant Man perf} to end 13 hour day on streets of NYC!! Tix via TKTS, brunch, Central Park, Chicago on Broadway, street hotdogs, shopping, rainy day and walking, walking, walking!!! 

 

Sunday morning was our last day in the City and we headed south from our Hotel towards Macy's.  The {retired} Librarian in front of the NYC Library

 

The windows at Lord and Taylor were bejeweled redbirds and were so pretty showing off lots of pretty baubles.  

 

After a rainy Saturday we were glad to be in the sunshine on Sunday! Empire State Building in the background...

The Macy's windows were a journey through space... 

 

For old times sake...I was to receive my job offer to go to work at E&Y on 9/11/2001 in the downtown Houston office. Got it by phone instead due to the events of the day. The first time I went to NYC, the location in Times Square had just received the marquis on the building!  

We also stopped through Bryant Park and the pop-up shops showcasing unique artists' creations, food from all around the world and a skating rink in the glorious sunshine of the day. 

 

As the trip came to a close and we crossed the last street back to our hotel, thought about so many fun memories with my Mom, so thankful she and I had this trip together and so glad to see the city street by street at Christmas.  (There are so many more pics, but 25 is enough for one post! ha!)

So fun to go, but Texas on our minds...Until the next time NYC!