Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

**I originally published this post in 2014, but I've updated some of the information since**

I refuse to make a Sophie's Choice and choose which of the Home Alone movies I like more (I only acknowledge the existence of the first two), but as far as sequels go, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, is pretty much perfect.

A few of the scenes were filmed in Chicago—the McCallister house, obviously, plus the interiors of the Plaza as well as the exteriors of Duncan's Toy Chest—and Rob McCallister's Upper West Side brownstone was actually a Hollywood set. But a majority of the movie was filmed on location in New York and a surprising amount of locations are still nearly the same today as they were 25 years ago—if you're willing to forgive the movie a bit on its geographical leaps, you too can spend a day Lost in New York.

LaGuardia Airport / Queens:

Kevin arrives in New York via LaGuardia, which is technically in Queens, so the view looking west toward Manhattan sort of makes sense, until you realize that it's actually the view from Long Island City. I wish the real view from LaGuardia was even half this nice.

Queensboro Bridge / Spans the East River btwn Queens and Manhattan at E 59th Street:

Kevin takes a taxi across the Queensboro Bridge, which again isn't terribly accurate. All of the cabs I've ever taken from LaGuardia take the Triborough Bridge, but the Queensboro is much more photogenic. I walked over it once, but I wish I could still ride over it hanging out of the window of an iconic Checkered Cab.

Radio City Music Hall / 6th Avenue btwn W 51st and 50th Streets:

Thankfully the classic Radio City neon signs haven't changed in the 22 years since Home Alone 2 was filmed. The huge Christmas tree is a nice addition, and it's the home of the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. Have you ever wondered what Kevin takes a photo of across from Radio City? I wonder what happened to the rest of the Polaroids he takes during the course of the movie?

Empire Diner / 10th Avenue btwn W 23rd and 22nd Streets:

The Empire Diner has closed and reopened several times since 1992, but thankfully it is open today. Unfortunately the large Empire State Building replica is no longer on top of the diner, and I've never seen a Santa walk by on stilts, but they do make a delicious french onion soup.

Battery Park / Southern tip of Manhattan:

I went all the way down to Battery Park, only to discover that they no longer have the viewers (binoculars? what are these thing called?) that Kevin looks through to see the Statue of Liberty. Of course you can still see the famous Lady, you just have to bring your own binoculars (or ride the Staten Island Ferry, or go to Liberty Island) to get a closer look.

World Trade Center / West Street btwn Vesey and Fulton Streets:

I couldn't visit the Twin Towers for obvious reasons, and every time I watch Kevin on the observation deck (eerily alone) it makes me sad and a little uncomfortable. The observation deck of 1WTC is open now, but it's pricey so I still haven't been. You can, however, still see the sculpture that once sat outside of the Twin Towers—it survived the collapse, but is quite damaged. The unrestored sculpture had a temporary home in Battery Park, but it was re-dedicated in August of 2017 and now sits at a permanent location in Liberty Park, near the 9/11 memorial.

West 57th Street and 6th Ave:

The Sticky Bandits exit the subway at W. 57th Street, which apparently served the B and Q lines back in '92, but is now only for the F. I don't know if this was changed for the movie, since the Q is a yellow line (not orange), but it's interesting to note that the sides of the station have since been painted green, while the handrails are no longer painted at all.

Gapstow Bridge / Southeast Central Park, at the Pond near E 62nd Street:

When Kevin first meets the Pigeon Lady, aka the most terrifying of all New York personalities, he very correctly exclaims "SICK!" He spots her near one of my favorite parts in the park, the Gapstow Bridge, which is also the spot that always makes me think of Holden Caulfield asking "where do the ducks go in the winter?" (answer: they stay right here).

The Plaza Hotel / 5th Avenue btwn W 59th and 58th Streets:

Although it is no longer just a hotel, the Plaza still might be "New York's most exciting hotel experience." I am dying to stay there, but until I happen upon a pile of money (or become a guest of the New Celebrity Ding-Dang-Dong), I'll have to settle for ogling its beautiful exterior, which recently underwent a restoration and is as gorgeous as ever.

Wollman Rink / Southeast Central Park, near the Pond:

I refuse to acknowledge that the worst President in history (who actually has a tiny cameo in the movie—an excellent time for a short bathroom/snack break) renamed the Wollman Rink in Central Park after himself, or that he slapped that name on everything from the edges of the rink to the Zamboni machines, but if you go today, that's what you'll get. This is where Marv and Harry hatch their plan to rob Duncan's, and where Marv inexplicably steals gloves, hats and mittens from multiple skaters without anyone noticing.

Bethesda Terrace + Fountain / Central Central Park near 72nd Street and Terrace Drive:

Bethesda Fountain is my favorite fountain in the entire city, especially in the snow. While it's not very plausible that Kevin was chased all the way here from the Plaza, it's a beautiful filming location. I also think it's odd that there are horse carriages on the terrace—I don't think this was ever allowed, but I'd take horses over hordes of clueless tourists any day. Speaking of horses, there was some talk of them being banned, but as of now you can still catch one on Central Park South.

51 West 95th Street / Btwn Central Park West and Columbus Avenue:

Although I knew that Rob McCallister's under-construction brownstone was actually a set, I still wanted to see what was at that address. To my delight, I found a real brownstone, albeit one that doesn't look anything like the one in the movie. How fun would it be to have that as your real address?

West 96th Street and Central Park West:

When Kevin runs into the park and catches the scariest cab ever, he does so at 96th Street. One of the most interesting things about watching Home Alone 2 now, is that you almost forget that New York was a completely different place 25 years ago. I've frequented this part of the park and it's nowhere near as terrifying today (at least during the day).

Carnegie Hall / 7th Avenue at W 57th Street:

I've been inside of Carnegie Hall once, but I'll always wish that I could listen to a concert like Kevin and the Pigeon Lady, from high up in the attic. Some people write that the P.L. actually lives at Carnegie Hall, but I just got the impression that she breaks in from time to time to listen to some of the greatest music in the world, because why not?

St. Anne's Hospital for Children / Broadway at W 120th Street:

Columbia University's Teacher's College (at Broadway and West 120th Street) stands in for St. Anne's, and is an incredibly beautiful building. I got there after the sun had already gone down, but so did Kevin so I guess I timed my tour perfectly (I could have used some of that nice movie lighting though). Even though I know it's not really a children's hospital, I do wish they still put a star at the top of the massive entrance, or at least had trees flanking the doorway.

Inscope Arch / Southeast Central Park near E 62nd Street:

The second time Kevin sees the Pigeon Lady, she is by another Central Park arch, which in reality is right next to the Gapstow Bridge. It's unlikely that he would have ran all the way here after fleeing the cab on 96th street or that he would have led Harry and Marv here in the end, but it is a lovely spot—in the daylight at least. The city may have become a lot safer in recent years, but when Marv says "kids are a-scared of the dark," and "kids are a-scared of the park," I can't help but thinking that maybe so am I.

Rockefeller Center / Btwn 5th and 6th Avenues and W 51st and 49th Streets:

No Christmas movie set in New York would be complete without a trip to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Of course the first thing I always notice about this scene is that Kevin and his mom are completely alone. Yes, I'm sure the city was slightly less crowded back then, but I still find this hard to believe (and I'm totally envious). I do appreciate that the trumpeting angels do not appear to have changed at all, although I do like the lighting of the tree better in the movie than what it is today. I definitely understand Kevin's affinity for Christmas trees—and desire to spend Christmas in a non-tropical climate.

This city is completely magical during the holidays and my only wish would be for the ability to experience all of it without the soul-crushing crowds. I would take a milky-eyed cab driver or Central Park West hooker any day over a slow-moving crowd of peace-sign-throwing, selfie-taking tourists.

Dyker Heights Lights 2016

This was the fourth year in a row that I've trekked to Dyker Heights to see the Christmas lights and displays for which the neighborhood is known. This year we went on the first weekend in December, which was great for the lack of crowds, but not-so-great when we noticed a few of our favorite houses weren't quite finished decking their porches.

Dyker Heights is located in between Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst in southwest Brooklyn. The majority of the Christmas displays are located equidistant from the D and R train stops, from 11th to 13th Avenues and 83rd to 86th Streets. I definitely recommend walking, if you can—the traffic always seems to be a bit of a nightmare as people slowly gawk at the lights.

The displays haven't changed much over the last four years, but that's part of the charm. We've come to look forward to specific houses—the good ones and the bad—even if we can't quite remember where any of them are actually located. Wandering around using the lights as a guide is a great method, and we've discovered new and wonderful things every year. It's also fun to look back on previous years and see how things change with time—plastic choir boys lose or gain an eyeball, baby Jesus's appear or disappear and every year inflatables (the laziest decorations, in my opinion) gain in popularity.

I will always appreciate how over-the-top the displays in Dyker Heights get, even if a lot of houses pay companies to decorate for them (how do I get this job?). I've never regretted moving to New York, but I do miss my Ohio (and Texas) family and our traditions most around the holidays—but it's comforting to know that new traditions can be just as wonderful.

Dyker Heights Lights2014 | 2015

Holiday Windows 2016: Bergdorf Goodman + Bloomingdale's

Every year Bergdorf Goodman hits it out of the park with their holiday windows. This year they are a bit underwhelming, but still leaps and bounds above any of the others. The theme this year is "Destination Extraordinary" with windows inspired by the dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History.

The windows use mostly the same greenish color palette (how on-trend) and each depicts a different imaginary destination (has 2016 gotten to me, or does the primate window seem Harambe-inspired??). The details in the Bergdorf windows are always next-level, and this year is no different. It's a shame that the sidewalks on Fifth Avenue are so crowded—especially with "White House North" nearby—it's difficult to linger long enough to really appreciate all of the special touches.

Bloomingdale's always has a few good windows and a few head-scratchers. This year's theme is "Light," but despite a unifying topic, the windows are mostly very different from one another. Crystal-studded windows have been done better by Bergdorf's, but I appreciate any display that includes multiple mannequin heads, beautiful tile work and a huge octopus chandelier.

Holiday Windows 2016: Saks Delights

Despite the insane crowds that infiltrate Midtown at this time of year, I do like the holiday season in New York for the same reason it attracts crowds—it's impossibly charming. The Rockefeller tree is always smaller and more raggedy than I imagine, and five minutes of navigating the Fifth Avenue sidewalks is enough to commit anyone to Bellevue for observation.

But then you pass an intricate holiday window, or it begins to snow and it feels like you're living inside of a real life city snow globe. While we've yet to have our first real snow, the holiday windows have been revealed, and I went to check out my favorites this past weekend.

 By now it's tradition to gawk at the window displays (Bergdorfs, Saks and Bloomingdale's) and compare them to years past—I still maintain that 2013 is the year to beat, but maybe I'm just nostalgic for my first holiday season in the city. Saks Fifth Avenue always splits their windows, with a main theme featuring animatronic scenes (two years ago they did Fairy Tales, and the year before that featured the Yeti), with the side windows featuring Saks fashion. This year there was a candy theme to all of their decorations, although I think last year's icy theme was better overall.

The best part about the Saks windows is that they reflect the Deco beauty of neighboring Rockefeller Center, adding to that city-in-a-snow-globe feeling. The candy theme was a good idea, but the execution felt a little cheap—not something you expect from Saks—with large, shiny plastic lollipops and candy canes and... not much else. I do, however, very much appreciate that they set up barriers so you're forced to form an orderly line if you'd like to view the windows up close. They even have a bouncer to maintain order, which is something that other stores with holiday displays (especially Bergdorfs) should think about adopting.

Saks Fashion Windows: 2014 | 2015

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Balloon Inflation 2016

I've seen the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person two-and-a-half times now, and this will be my fourth consecutive Thanksgiving spent in the city (we visited a year before I moved and caught half of the parade). The parade will always feel nostalgic and so very New York to me—we watched it every year while I was living in Ohio, and finally seeing it in person was a life highlight. I'm definitely not done seeing it in person, but this year I decided to brave the balloon inflation instead.

Every year the balloons are inflated the night before the parade, in the streets bordering the American Museum of Natural History. The inflation starts at 3pm and viewing ends at 10pm—the later you go, the more inflated the balloons will be. I arrived at the beginning of the (incredibly long) line at around 4:30pm, and the balloons were entirely inflated when I reached them around 6pm. I was expecting and dreading a large (child-full) crowd, but I was prepared and stayed pretty zen as strollers nipped my heels.

Once we actually arrived at the balloons, however, the crowd loosened a bit and the views were incredible. I tried not to smile too outrageously—I was by myself—but I couldn't help but be giddy seeing the balloons so closely. The best views of the balloons can be had in the parade, of course, but most were repeats that I had already seen in previous years. It's also fascinating to catch a glimpse into the inner-workings of such a large event, and there were tons of workers in jumpsuits inflating, securing and keeping watch over the balloons.

I think I'm a little too old-fashioned (and maybe just too old) to care much about the new(er) character balloons—Trolls, Thomas the Tank Engine, Paddington Bear, Pikachu, The Elf on a Shelf, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Scrat from Ice Age—but the classic Macy's balloons—stars, pumpkins, elves, the hippo and the Harolds (policeman and fireman)—really feel like Thanksgiving to me. Seeing the balloons did make me a little bit sad that I won't be seeing the parade this year, but then I saw a man in a turkey hat taking a selfie in front of an elf balloon and realized just how thankful I am for this city and this life.

Thanksgiving Day Parade: 2013 | 2014

BOOzy Brunch 2016

For the third year in a row, I threw a BOOzy brunch to celebrate the High Holy Day, aka Halloween. It's the only party I throw all year, for a few reasons: it's a lot of work to throw a party, I go waaaayyyy overboard on everything, and Halloween is really the only holiday worth celebrating (if I had to pick just one).

I hosted a few Halloween parties when I lived back in Ohio, and some spooky treats are staples by now—spiderweb deviled eggs, mummy hot dogs, salsa-and-cream-cheese dip that looks like puke but tastes like heaven and loads of creepy desserts. This year my showstopper was a meat skeleton, an idea that I fell in love with the minute I saw it on Pinterest. My wonderful dude found the perfect skeleton for $9.99 at Walgreens (true love!) and my partner-in-snacks, Francesca, expertly arranged the meats ("Do you have any art direction?" "Just make it gross, I trust you.")

Some new additions to the repertoire this year included a (vile) veggie tray, "eye of newt" cake pops, Jell-OoOOo shots (in tiny cauldrons!) and jack (cheese and bean) o'lantern quesadillas. The only time of year when I really scour Pinterest is Halloween, but my favorite source for spooky snack ideas is still the Queen of All Things, Martha Stewart. I used to obsessively collect her magazines—the Halloween issues especially—and while Pinterest is very hit-or-miss (see the Jell-O worm debacle of '14), a Martha idea is always solid.

I probably own enough macabre everyday decor that I needn't buy a single Halloween decoration, but that didn't stop me from buying approximately every single thing in the Halloween department of Target this year. When I moved to New York I sold almost all of my decorations, which was heartbreaking, but rebuilding my collection has been fun.

My dude and I dressed up as Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz, which was pretty easy to pull off with my own wardrobe and allowed me to play with my long flowing locks all night long—it's funny how much difference a wig makes, especially when people are so used to seeing me with short hair. I've probably said this about every one of my Halloween parties, but I dare say this one was the best yet—there's only 365 days left 'til next Halloween!

Past BOOzy Brunches: 2014 | 2015

Coney Island: At Night + Fireworks

I've been to Coney Island more times than I can count, but until Monday I had never been at night. I'm not a huge night person—I go to bed around 10pm most nights—so it's rare that I'm still exploring the city when it starts to get dark, especially during the summer. We decided sort of last-minute to go to Coney Island for the Fourth of July fireworks, thinking that it would be more chill than trying to squeeze ourselves into a viewing area for the Macy's fireworks over the East River. Coney Island was still packed but there is a lot of space, so it ended up being my most stress-free city fireworks yet.

Coney Island is wonderful by day, but by night it's a glittering, flashy, bright, magical wonderland. All of the neon signs are beautiful in the sunlight, but they're really made to be illuminated. It was nice to see the Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone alive again, and it's hard to imagine that just a few months ago they sat still, stripped of their cars during the off-season

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Seeing Coney Island during a summer holiday was a nice counterpoint to the off-season or non-peak times in which I usually find myself at there, and where I'm typically annoyed by loud noises and crowds, I found myself only delighted at the energy of it all. All of the games and rides were up and running and I love that even in the days of video games and virtual reality, there is still a place in this world for balloon darts and "Feed the Clown."

The fireworks were lovely—long enough to satisfy my American need to see explosions, and short enough that I was in bed by 11pm. It might just be projection or a sign that my brain officially thinks in emoji now, but I could swear that I captured a heart-eyes smiley face in the firework above—do you see it too? Now that I know how beautiful the boardwalk can be at night, I want to go back and practice some long-exposure photography and I'm thrilled to be able to have an entirely new side of Coney Island to explore.

2016 Easter Parade: Dogs

I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed at the dog content of this year's Easter Parade. The pug content, however, was definitely higher than last year so that sort of made up for the lack of other breeds. I also got to actually pet a pug—current favorite dog breed—for the first time IRL, so it was still a wonderful day.

I saw a few dogs that I had first met last year—including Chloe the pug and Charro the chihuahua, whose owners were very friendly and graciously allowed me to squeal with the unique delight that comes with seeing an already-adorable dog dressed in his/her Easter best.

May I mention yet again how cute the pugs were?? Blame Doug the Pug or Noodle, but my obsession has reached peak levels in recent weeks. Seeing a pug wearing a fleece bunny suit with his curly shrimp tail poking out did absolutely nothing to subdue my intense, primordial need to rub my face into a squishy pug face.

Right before we left, and after complaining about the lack of dogs, we hit the jackpot—a stroller packed full of six (six!) chihuahuas, all of which were dressed up in some way. The one wearing the dress seemed so proud to show it off (along with her painted nails!) and she was so nice that it was easy not to be jealous that she rocked a fancy Easter dress better than I ever could.

2016 Easter Parade: Bonnets

Last year I went to the Easter Parade for the first time and it was so much fun I think I've decided to make it an annual tradition. The parade—which isn't really a parade in the traditional sense—started in the 1870s with people congregating on Fifth Avenue after Easter mass let out. It definitely seems as if there are more photographers now than actual participants, and it can be quite a zoo, but it's still a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

I saw a few direct repeats from last year, including the guy with the carrot cigar and a pretty busted-looking Easter bunny, but most of what we saw was new. Some people take the traditional egg/basket/bunny ears approach, some get political and some just get downright weird.

Gatherings like this are prime spots for the type of person who has a wizard costume gathering dust in their apartment—while not seasonally appropriate or anywhere near "on theme," I have to give people credit for being creative and weird.

We saw less dogs this year than last, unfortunately, but still enough to warrant their own separate post. As with any creative showcase, my favorites were the ones that clearly took time and thought. There was a group of people with New York-themed bonnets that were really extraordinary, but the crowd around them was so overwhelming that we couldn't stay near them as long as I would have liked. I've already decided that I'm not only going to go to the Easter Parade again next year, but I think it's finally time that I get serious and participate.

2015 Easter Parade: Bonnets | Dogs

Dyker Heights Lights 2015

When I moved to New York in 2013, my first boss mentioned that I might like the insane Christmas lights displays put on by the residents of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. I took her advice, and it has since become one of my favorite holiday outings.

This was the third year in a row that I went, and although the displays don't seem to change much from year to year, I think this is one tradition I'll hold onto for a while. The houses of Dyker Heights are insane enough on their own, but when you drape them in garland, snowmen, pine cones, nativity scenes, inflatable snow globes and every color of light imaginable, well then you get something truly magical.

As with most things, I look for, and appreciate the creepy things the most. I especially love when beloved figures such as Santa or Jesus manage to take on a sinister vibe, whether on purpose or by accident,  it's always a delight. This year I revisited my favorite no-eyed choir boy (he had one eye last year)—and one-eyed choir girl—and was terrified by a teeth-baring Santa. But it was definitely the awkward animatronic Santa-and-child tableau that took the prize for strangest decoration of the night.

Of course I loved any statue that looked as if it came from the Magic Forest—a little old, a little busted, a little off—and the Jesus-holding-Christmas-lights was a personal favorite. I definitely recommend going to see the lights on a weeknight—the crowds can get quite overwhelming on a weekend—and definitely go by foot. I appreciate anything that's completely over-the-top on a very personal level (I'm pretty much Clark Griswold) and if you could declare a neighborhood as your spirit animal, I'd have a hard time finding a better match for me than Dyker Heights at Christmas.

Dyker Heights 2014

Holiday Windows 2015: Bergdorf Goodman

I mentioned in my post about this year's holiday windows at Saks that as expected, the Bergdorf Goodman windows are the clear front-runner. Every year I've spent the holiday season in New York, the Bergdorf windows have been leaps and bounds beyond all others, and this year is no exception.

This year's "Brilliant" windows comprise millions of Swarovski crystals in collaboration with the company to celebrate their 120th anniversary. My favorite is definitely "Crystal Ball," which features a crystal ball-gazing monkey, tarot cards, spinning wheels and palmistry hands.

In addition to the crystals everywherethere is also an under-the-sea themed window, "Treasured," made mostly of tiny pearls, and an amethyst-mining scene called "Hidden Gem." Bergdorf's packs so much detail into every scene and it's a challenge to see how much you can find in a single viewing. I love the bejeweled hammer and flying bat, and the purple glass stalactites need to be seen in person to be believed.

The "Glitteratti" window features a fantastic party, with crystal cakes, a pin the tail on the donkey game, ice cream cones (the same one I used for my Halloween costume), chandeliers and champagne. I like the birthstone connection, which just adds yet another layer of attention to detail that really is mind-boggling. The strings of thousands of beads that form the hairdo and lion's mane in the "Crown Jewels" window must have taken some intern the entire year to make—and I would take that job in a second.

Holiday Windows 2015: Saks

I spent Sunday morning checking out this year's holiday windows at Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany, Henri Bendel and Saks. In keeping with the last four years that I've been in the city for the holidays, the Bergdorf windows are definitely the best, and Saks is the respectable runner-up.

I definitely preferred the fairy tale theme of Saks's windows last year to their around-the-world theme this year, and I think the main windows are overshadowed by the secondary, fashion-focused windows. Everything was rendered in shades of white and silver—mannequins, wigs, dresses, shoes and tablescapes were all draped in frosty tones and sprinkled with glittery, powdery "snow."

Once again I took these photos during the day, with Rockefeller Center in all its deco glory photobombing any chance it could get. I love an icy winter theme—but I do think Bergdorfs did it better two years ago—and I'm hoping the weather gets its act together and gives us some actual snow soon.

BOOzy Brunch 2015

On Saturday I threw my fourth Halloween party—my second since moving to New York, and my second time having a daytime BOOzy brunch. It was my first time dressing in costume for Halloween since I've moved to New York, but I had been planning this particular costume pretty much since the day I arrived. I've also moved since last year, so it was my first party thrown in my Brooklyn apartment.

I no longer have a fireplace to fill with pumpkins (so sad), but I brought back some of my favorite spooky treats like eyeball cupcakes, spiderweb eggs and the drunk pumpkin—who managed to make some of my guests so queasy that they wouldn't go near the dip.

True to its name, this brunch was definitely boozy with most people BYOB'ing (or BYO-mimosa-ing). If drinks aren't your forte (*raises hand*) I definitely recommend this approach when throwing a party. Alcohol is expensive and can be very hit-or-miss. People have such varying tastes, and they'll never be disappointed if they bring what they like to share. Francesca definitely won the mimosa game with her beautiful, dangerously delicious and easy-to-make candy corn-inspired drink—I see it becoming a staple at all of my future Halloween parties.

I think the reason I love Halloween so much is that it combines and rewards people for being two things: weird and creative. For at least one month out of the year it's an actual asset to be both of those things—it's ok to be into cemeteries, to hang ghost paintings on your refrigerator and wrap your door in caution tape.

It's also acceptable to wear a giant ice cream cone on your head and walk through the streets of New York with all of the other people who are just as crazy as you, and some who are even more so—only 363 days until Halloween!

More Halloween parties: 2014 | 2011 | 2009

Kerhonkson, New York

As I mentioned, my dude and I spent the July 4th weekend upstate in Kerhonkson, NY. I've been upstate several times since I've moved to New York, for day and weekend trips, but this was definitely my favorite one yet. We arrived on Friday afternoon, after taking the Metro North to Poughkeepsie, where we picked up a Zipcar at Vassar College (Meryl Streep's alma mater,but of course).

On our way to gather supplies, we explored the town a little and that's when I fell in love with the abandoned diner and bowling alley—upstate New York is a total gold mine of abandoned roadside structures, handpainted signs, old neon, shady-looking motels and pretty much everything else I love to see on roadtrips.

Friday was pretty chill—we grilled steaks and corn (YUM) and just enjoyed doing things that I definitely took for granted when I lived in Ohio. Never underestimate the restorative powers of some grilled meats, a cold cocktail, wonderful company and a sky full of stars.

We had planned to go hiking on Saturday (the fourth), but it rained all morning. I actually didn't mind the slight change of plans and we ended up having a perfectly lazy day. After meeting Gnome Chomsky and exploring Kelder's Farm, we fulfilled our patriotic duties and had soft serve from a roadside stand, pulled over to investigate what my dude thought was a dead porcupine (he was 100% correct), grilled even more meats (kebabs!) and headed into town to watch the local fireworks.

As much as I adore the city, there are moments where I do slightly miss living somewhere much less competitive. We knew the fireworks were supposed to start at 9:30 pm—we arrived at 9:28 pm, pulled over to the side of the road, walked across the street, set down our blanket and a few minutes later we had a completely unobstructed view of the fireworks. Of course the display wasn't as spectacular as the Macy's show, but the whole night was perfect and totally stress-free.

On Sunday, we finally got the weather we had been wishing for and squeezed in a short hike before heading back to the city. We did a loop around Sam's Point Reserve Park, which took about an hour. The view from the overlook was so breathtaking that I think I even said "this is the best view I've ever had," because it was totally true. We were also surprised (and I, delighted) to find the ruins of a few abandoned shacks scattered along the path which made an already wonderful hike even better.

We saw diners, butterflies and bees, bought corn from a roadside farm stand, tried desperately to find sparklers (but failed), considered going into the shady-looking Tom's Taxidermy hoping he had a clearance bin (but chickened out), browsed a cluttered antique shop, touched a goat, talked to pigs, took a photo that looked like we were picking Gnome's nose, watched the stars, listened to the rain and ate two very delicious breakfast sandwiches. My only complaint is that it all went by much too fast.

Easter Parade, Part Two: Dogs

As much as I enjoyed the elaborate bonnets at the Easter parade, my favorite participants were by far the dogs. I've always considered myself a cat person, but I have to admit that lately New York has turned me more and more over to the dog side of things.

The main appeal of dogs is definitely the ability to dress them up—rain coats, boots, hoodies, hats, backpacks—New York dogs are way more fashionable than I'll ever be. That is especially true of the dogs that came out on Sunday decked in their Easter finest and I could have spent days photographing and trying not to smoosh all of their adorable faces into my face.

I tried to be respectful and ask the names of most of the dogs I was photographing and I had the pleasure of meeting Chloe, Charro, Fred, Pink Dog Frankie and Puccini. I like my dogs small and smooth/short-haired, so of course the pugs and chihuahuas were my favorite. I was disappointed that I didn't see at least one dachshund, which made me want one even more than I already do (to dress as an Easter ham perhaps?).

The tiny top hats, bonnets, pearls, boas, sunglasses and bunny ears just about killed me and it seemed like I was spotting a new dog every few minutes that would make me squeal with delight. Although I don't know how nice it is to dye your dog completely pink, most of them were pretty chill and didn't seem to mind all of the attention or the ridiculous outfits.

Although I still adore Mozart, I don't foresee her being cool with me strapping an Easter bonnet on her next year and pushing her down Fifth Avenue in a stroller—but if anyone has a dachshund they're not using, let me know.

Easter Parade, Part One: Bonnets

Easter Parade, Part One: Bonnets

On Sunday JMP and I went to check out the Easter "parade" on 5th Avenue. I put parade in quotes because it's not really a traditional parade, but more of a huge street party. It was actually a little more chaotic than I was expecting with spectators out-numbering participants by a large margin, but once we embraced the craziness of it all it was really fun.

As with any costume-based event, there were some real stand-out bonnets, a lot of pretty good ones and some that made you wonder why the person even tried at all. I actually wish there were even more bonnets than the ones we managed to see but there's a good chance we missed some great ones in the crowd.

The whole scene was really a photographer's dream—with everyone posing constantly for photos—and it was really fun to feel zero shame sticking my camera wherever I felt like to get the shots I wanted. There were even moments when I thought it might be fun to go all out and make my own bonnet next year, but I don't think I could deal with the pushy crowds and all of the attention for very long.

Of course as with every public New York event, there were people who were dressed up in costumes that had little—if anything at all—to do with Easter. The cat-on-head guy is usually charging for photos in Times Square and you have to try pretty hard with your craft supplies to top a live animal bonnet. I heard someone ask the guy with the spiked cap how long it took him to make his elaborate costume and he replied "Oh, this? I just had it."

NYBG: Holiday Train Show 2014

Before my membership ran out at the end of the year, I made one last visit to the New York Botanical Garden for the Holiday Train Show. I went to the train show twice last year but they add buildings every year, so I wanted to see what was new.

My complaint from last year was the same this year: there are too many children and pushy parents, but that is to be expected. I wasn't able to go during a weekday this year, so I braved the crowds on a Saturday morning. It's all pretty organized, so you can still see everything and they do offer child-free bar car nights for evil child-hating hags such as myself. I renewed my membership, so maybe this will be the year I finally do the nighttime visit.

A lot of the buildings and bridges were repeats from last year, but there was enough new material and different arrangements to make it interesting. I've also seen a lot of the real-life versions of things since last year, so it's always a thrill to recognize a replica and compare it to my impression of the original.

This year I recognized Lyndhurst, Sunnyside, Kykuit, the Little Red Lighthouse, the Bartow-Pell mansion, the Jewish Museum, the Apollo Theater, the Old Stone House, Gracie Mansion, the Morris-Jumel mansion, and the TWA flight center specifically from my travels. There was also a special exhibit on World Fair structures, including the Unisphere and the New York State Pavilion and a display featuring famous mansions in the Hudson Valley area—both of which I've visited recently.

It was sad to see a particularly beautiful mansion only to read that it had been demolished years ago, and seeing the old Penn Station—even one made from twigs and leaves—is always bittersweet. I love the innovation and interesting use of natural materials, and anything in miniature never ceases to fascinate me.

The models are really extensive, with staircases and interior lighting and patterned roof tiles—all made from sticks, leaves, nuts and flowers. Although it's called a train show, and there are plenty of trains running around the displays, it's really more about the wonderful architecture and neighborhoods of New York. Like one of my other favorite places to visit—the New York Panorama—the Holiday Train Show is a little extravagant, a little kitschy and a whole lot of just-for-fancy.

Holiday Windows 2014: Saks Deco

In addition to the Fairy Tale-themed main window displays, the rest of Saks Fifth Avenue's windows are more fashion-focused with an Art Deco style. Before we arrived at Saks, I had just been telling Jim that I really didn't understand fur as fashion. We had seen a few people walking down Fifth Avenue in absurdly ostentatious full-length fur, and aside from all of the ethical reasons why fur is wrong, I thought it just didn't look great. Then we came to Saks, where nearly half of the ensembles in the Deco windows included a fur piece of some kind (I'm not sure if it's real or faux, but I'm guessing if it's at Saks, it's real).

I had to admit that the mannequins looked stunning, although it's hard not to love the sparkles, the swirling beadwork. the golds and silvers and the classic glamour that is inherent to the Deco style. The New York Times would be pleased to know that I spotted at least two monocles on the male mannequins, which—along with the pencil-thin mustaches—helped them look extra sinister.

These photos also ended up having that interesting double-exposure look since they were taken in the afternoon, with Rockefeller Center serving as the quintessential Art Deco architectural backdrop. There were at least two actual Rockettes costumes on display (the skyline dress and the feather headdress ensemble), which were neat to see in person and reminded me that I need to get to the Radio City show next year. I am a huge fan of classic, Christmas-themed displays or the insanely intricate themes at Bergdorf Goodman, but I found myself really appreciating and marveling at the truly just-for-fancy fashions at Saks.