View of the New York City Skyline in Lower Manhattan
If only my travel dates to New York City had coincided with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Maybe next year . . .
In the meantime, I was still able to cross a few more items off my list of Must Sees and Do’s on this fast-paced trip to The Big Apple. For WanderFood Wednesday here at Wanderlust and Lipstick, I’m starting off with one of my favorite food choices:
6) Snack on a super-size soft pretzel and roasted chestnuts while wandering around Midtown. All that window shopping takes its toll! Thankfully, corner street vendors abound here so you’ll have plenty of food choices to whet your appetite. If pretzels and chestnuts don’t do it for you, how about a hot dog? Or Falafal? A chicken kebab or Italian sausage perhaps?
Mmm . . .
7) After checking out the beautiful window displays at Versace, Michael Kors, Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue (Hey – a girl can dream, can’t she?) – you know what’s next. It’s time to go shopping! My hopes are dashed, however, when my teenage daughter shows me the plan she’s already mapped out.
Better luck next time, Mom!
8) Take a break from urban mania with a walk in Central Park. Even a short respite will help restore your sanity and show you a portion of the lovely 843-acre landscape designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858. I still haven’t made it to Strawberry Fields, the meditative garden created by Yoko Ono in memory of her husband, John Lennon. But I know it ranks high on the list of NYC residents and tourists alike so I’m adding it to my list.
9) Go for a spin on the ice at Rockefeller Center. If you’re not quite up for an axel jump or a camel spin, which we Wanderboomers rarely are, you can still enjoy a more relaxed skate around the rink, or simply watch the other skaters from the viewing platform. NBC Studios, Radio City Music Hall, and Top of the Rock are all here and definitely worth a visit.
10) Keep your eye out for celebrities. You never know who you might run into so don’t be surprised if your server or tour guide looks vaguely familiar. Say, haven’t I seen this guy and gal on Law & Order? Maybe The Late Show with David Letterman?
Here’s a tip: if you do see a celebrity like Brad or Angelina (Where in the world are you, Johnny Depp?), be cooool – and always respectful. In fact, if you want to be the epitome of cool, pretend you have no idea who they are, just like I did when spotting Chris Noth and Frank Langella on previous visits. Of course, they pretended not to know who I was either . . .
Do you have any favorite celebrity sightings in NYC, Wanderboomers?
What other Must Sees & Do’s are on your list when visiting The City That Never Sleeps?
Ah, NYC, one of my favorite destinations! Of course, we’re usually there to visit my stepdaughter, so she is at the top of our must-see list!
When we are not overdosing on Broadway shows, we like to find the nature respites of the city. In addition to Central Park, we have been to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, the Cloisters, and the High Line.
For a great view of the city that doesn’t cause you to stand in long lines, go to the bar at the Marriott Marquis, which revolves around (and the buffet is awesome!).
And, while most people know about the Met and the Guggenheim, we love certain lesser-known museums such as the Tenement Museum and the American Folk Art Museum.
The coolest thing we ever did was to stay in NYC over the 4th of July, and we watched fireworks from a rooftop bar at the hotel we were staying at. No traffic, no crowds, but brilliant fireworks!
I could go on and on! Great posts!
Thanks, Nadine! I appreciate your kind comments about my posts. I’m so glad I’ve written about NYC because I’m learning so much from readers like you who continue to share their favorite places with the rest of us! I love The Cloisters, too, but didn’t have time to make it there on this trip. Love your tips about the bar at the Marriott Marquis and the smaller, lesser-known museums. Wow – the fireworks from your hotel rooftop bar sounds awesome!
My husband and I wanted to show our support for New York after 9/11 so we went for New Year’s Eve that year. It was the coldest, most memorable New Year’s I can ever remember. I can still picture being in Times Square like it was yesterday, and every time I hear Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York,” it takes me right back. It’s definitely worth doing once in your life.
What a great way to show your support for New York post-9/11, Becky. New York has always had a special place in my heart, but even more so after what the city and people have endured.
I still remember a Thanksgiving in the Big Apple as a kid. We went to the Macy’s T-Day parade. The floats! The crowds! At one point I opened my mouth to say something to my parents and wound up with someone’s hand in it 😉 Only in New York.
You got to see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade!? Oh, lucky you, Beth! There are a million New York stories – and yours is one of the best :-)!
Great job, Nancy. Makes me want to go back! But the family is begging to do Boston next year!
Thanks, Astra! It’s hard to argue with Boston, though, I have to admit. I wouldn’t mind getting back there again sometime soon myself.
I’ll be in the city for just about that amount of time (a few hours more) next week. Thanks for the reminder of what to do (although I’m more of a Century 21 shopper than Macy’s).
Wow – Thanks for this great tip, Zippy! I’m not familiar with the store but just checked it out. I’ll be adding it to my NYC list for sure. Thanks for stopping by ~
I’ve lived in NYC for more than 10 years and can count on one hand the celebrities I’ve seen on the street. Once I saw Samuel L. Jackson making a surprise appearance at a party. Another time, I saw Lenny Briscoe (forgotten his real name) and his partner at the time, Ed Green, after shooting an episode in my neighborhood. I also saw Jane Krakowski one night just out of a limo and rush to an ATM. She was appearing in Nine at the time.
Fun, Marcia! It’s just the norm in NYC, yes? Let’s see . . . Lenny Briscoe was played by Jerry Orbach on Law & Order. Thanks for sharing your celebrity sightings with us here ~