Christmas in New York

Christmas morning we bundled up and took a beautiful stroll through Central Park.  The remaining snow on the ground made it much more scenic.  

Our Christmas week also included another stroll down 5th Avenue, this time at night.

This is my favorite window at Bergdorf Goodman:

The Star hanging over 5th Avenue:

The GIGANTIC bow around Cartier:

THE tree (at Rockefeller Center):

And various decorations scattered around midtown:

I'm sad the season is over!  Now it's on to New Year's Eve!  (And no - I'm NOT going to brave the crowds down at Times Square!)

NYC Tree - Complete!

I have a slight obsession with pretty glass ornaments.  Check out the one Patrick got me for Christmas!  LOVE IT!

The Christmas Song

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire... literally!

NapaChick loves 'em, I'm not a huge fan.

They taste like a bland potato.

Radio City Rockettes!

I KNEW NapaChick would want to see the Rockettes!  (Lucky for Patrick!)

We didn't want to pay the enormous ticket prices, so the two of us woke up early (for us) and made our way down to the South Seaport for some discount tickets.  $50 bucks later we were sitting in Radio City Music Hall, third row, front and center.

Luckily, we had our trusty, and always attractive, three-D glasses!

Why would one bundle up like this, venture out into the snowy night, only to walk 40 blocks?

For these cupcakes, of course!

They're from Crumbs Bake Shop in the Upper West Side.  We were left to share a red velvet cupcake and a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup cupcake because the ones we REALLY wanted were gone: eggnog, peppermint and gingerbread.  I guess you have to go there for breakfast just to get one.  And the best part is they are not only huge, but only $3.75!!!!

Fried Fantastic

I've discovered Pommes Frites in the Lower East Side.  All they sell are Belgian-style french fries with 25 different sauces.  We went twice in one week (once to take Patrick there) and sampled: malt vinegar, blue cheese, frite sauce, wasabi mayo, and sweet chili.  At least the oil is trans fat free, right?

Christmas Tree

My darling husband couldn't stand it that I would not have a Christmas tree in New York.  So, he bought this cute one for me - just three feet tall!  But because it looked so sad simply covered in lights, he mailed a few ornaments our way.  Much better.  Thank you, Love!

(For perspective on my past tree obsession, click on Pug in the Pearl.)

The BEST in America? Maybe not

Rachel Ray and her viewers deemed this the BEST pumpkin pie in America.  NapaChick's significant other was kind enough to send us one for Thanksgiving.  While it was tasty, I wouldn't go so far as to say it was THE BEST.  It's all hype.

5th Avenue

5th Avenue is gorgeous anytime of year... especially at Christmas.  The windows at Bergdorf Goodman was so intricate, the pictures just don't do them justice.  I can't wait to go back at night and see them glow!

What?

NYC can't quite get it together with its traffic signals.

Walk?  Don't Walk?

This happens OFTEN!

Who cares...

No one follows the signs advice here anyway.

Silly Girls

Our motto: Why take "normal/boring" pictures when you can take these!

Brooklyn, Yo!

NYC gave us a gorgeous November day, so we bundled up and headed down to walk the Brooklyn Bridge.  It's the easiest walk for the most incredible views of the city.

And the walk was made more more enjoyable by the company of good friends!

Post-Thanksgiving Tour

After the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, PDX2NYCPhotog invited us over for a tour of CNN. (My future place of employment.)  I could get used to sitting in front of that camera... and of this view from CNN's lunchroom!

Fresh out of the oven

Banana Pecan Bread

with

Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Frosting!

(Can you tell I'm trying to distract myself from finishing a paper?)

Parade - Part 2

A few more highlights:

(Our British friend re-named Buzz Light Year.  He's now "Captain Indifferent."  Maybe he'll save the world, maybe not.)  

If you look closely, you can see people on the tops of all of the buildings, in penthouses and peering out of every window possible.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

NapaChick's a good friend... for far too many reasons to list.

The latest reason... she got us V.I.P. TICKETS to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

No standing on a chilly street corner for hours for us.  We had seats, with hot coffee and the perfect view of the parade right at Columbus Circle.

Here are a few highlights:

(This one just scared me... look how creepy those eyes are!)

And seriously - anyone who wears a ridiculous hat like this should be denied turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving.

Mmmmmm!

This makes me very happy (in a non-guilty way)!

In my morning cup of coffee... even better.

Parade Eve

On the evening before the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, all the giant balloons have to be blown up.  Fortunate for us, they do that on the Upper West Side (where I live).  The Columbia crew bundled up and braved the crowds for a close-up.  I honestly think there were more people crammed into this small area than were at the entire parade!

The one SHOCK of the evening: the position of Ronald McDonald and Helly Kitty.  (Yes, that's her backside... someone please explain to me how that happened?)

The trip would not have been complete without the a trip to the always raved about Shake Shack.  While I appreciate that they offer veggie burgers right along with a glass of wine, I wasn't all that impressed.  Come on - it's no "In-n-Out Burger!"  For that matter... it's no "Rocky's" either.  (For all my Idaho friends.)

Much More to Come

It's been a busy November... Thanksgiving Day Parade, NapaChick's visit, Brooklyn Bridge, Radio City Rockettes and 5th Avenue at Christmas... All to come very soon!  (I must finish my history paper first!)

Visitors!

I spend Friday morning listening to this guy.

It's pretty clear that Anderson Cooper is the coolest journalist, wait... strike that... coolest PERSON on this planet.  I'd love to have his job for 1 day!

Party Like it's 1983 in the Ivy League

The M.A. girls:

This party's theme shot right back to the 1980's.  We did pretty good, considering no one wanted to go out and spend money on foolish 80's clothing.  JH wins the costume contest, especially because he had to wear "those" on the street, on one of the coldest nights so far!

MM was clever enough to think up witty, cliche name tags of 80's sororities and fraternities.  There was definitely a Biff and a Tyson.


And the evening would not have been complete without the ever popular and still available for such occassions - TAB!

(Thanks to AH for the snapshots I poached from facebook!)

First Snowfall in NYC

The snow is gorgeous... when you don't have to do 5 live shots in it!  Our first few flakes fell late Saturday night.

Columbia University is gorgeous anytime, but magical when it snows.

(The library... where I'm supposed to be studying!)