Holiday Windows 2014: Saks Fairy Tales

This weekend I met up with Jim and we walked down Fifth Avenue, taking in the holiday window displays. I had already seen Bergdorf's, but I wanted to see how the others compared. While it's nearly impossible to beat Bergdorf's insanely intricate scenes, the windows at Saks are a worthy runner-up. I appreciate that they keep things orderly by installing a railing and even security guards, so you have a chance to properly take in each window without a million people bumping into you or lingering for hours.

Their main window displays this year had a fairy tale theme which aligned nicely with my recent Into the Woods soundtrack obsession (the movie version, but of course). We met up in the afternoon, which isn't the best time to see the windows but I did end up getting some pretty interesting photos.

I was getting frustrated with all of the reflections, but when I got home and looked through the photos I liked them so much more than I thought I would. You could do worse than to have Rockefeller Center as a backdrop, and most of the photos ended up looking like funky double-exposures.

I would love to see these all lit up at night, but after Sunday's Home Alone 2 and window tour, I think I'm all holiday-crowded out. I've definitely petted Christmas to death as I tend to do, and I'm right on schedule this year. Merry Christmas Eve!

Dyker Heights Lights 2014

Last year was my first year experiencing the tacky, extravagant joy that is Dyker Heights at Christmastime. The Brooklyn neighborhood is famous for its over-the-top lights and decorations, most of which are set against already ridiculous houses—waterfalls, stone lions, nude statues, elaborate columns, monogrammed stained glass windows and golden gates are not uncommon in Dyker Heights.

That being said, the Ohio girl in me knows that suburban light displays can get insane, and when you compare the lights in DH to ones across the country, they aren't majorly impressive. They are, however, somewhat of an anomaly in New York—it's strange to even be walking around a neighborhood that has actual yards.

I like that Dyker Heights is accessible by subway and you see so much more of the lights by being able to walk around, instead of driving through like you might do in the suburbs. This time around I spotted a lot of the vintage plastic light-up figures that I love so much—tons of Santas, Frostys, toy soldiers, nativity scenes, angels, a few reindeer and a Mrs. Claus or two.

I have very specific tastes when it comes to Christmas decorations, but generally the more simple and classic, the better. Simple and classic aren't really the words I would use to describe most of the decorations to be found in Dyker Heights, but I will always appreciate a certain level of tackiness and the willingness to go overboard no matter the season.

I really, really despise the recent influx of inflatables, although there is something so ridiculous about an inflatable nativity scene that I can't help but love them. The more worn and weird the decoration is, the more I love it as well, and it will be hard to beat the one-eyed choir boy for creepiest Christmas decoration of the season.

Most of the houses we remembered from last year, and it makes sense that they wouldn't change much from year to year. There is the "Vegas" house, which is covered in rope lights and has a twinkling Eiffel Tower in the front yard (?), the one that is positively lousy with inflatables and the one that looks like it has a face—but the one that has been the most memorable two years running is the candy house. There is something so whimsical, delicious and tiny bit dark (Hansel and Gretel, anyone?) about a real life house made up to look edible, with gumdrops and fruit slices and ice cream cones lining the porch and stuck to the brick walls.

I highly recommend that you take a trip out to Dyker Heights, if you've never been. It's a bit of a journey, but it's definitely worth it for the creepy Santas, pipe-smoking snowmen and sketchy choir boys—if you're really lucky you might even see an inflatable baby Jesus or two.

Christmas in Newport

Jim and I spent last weekend in Newport, Rhode Island, touring some of the mansions that we couldn't fit in on our trip back in September, strolling through the historic district and reveling in the Christmas delights. During our previous trip, we discovered that a few of the mansions are decorated for the holidays, so we immediately started planning our return.

The Breakers, the Elms and Marble House are all decorated, and coincidentally we had skipped the Elms and Marble House on our first tour. I had been to both once before on my first trip to Newport, but I had never been in the off-season. Photography is usually off-limits inside of the mansions, but exceptions were made in each house for some of the more elaborately decorated sections.

All three houses were beautifully decorated, with trees in almost every room, garland-covered banisters and elaborate mantlepiece scenes. The Breakers even had a display of gingerbread Newport Mansions—I loved the renditions of the Chinese Tea House from Marble House and Kingscote, which we toured back in September.

Of course all of the decorations are really just for show—most of the mansions were strictly summer homes and sat empty in the winter months. Historically accurate or not, the mansions are perfect backdrops for the opulent reds and golds of Christmas and every grand staircase looks even more grand wrapped in evergreen.

Of course I also enjoyed the more humble wreaths and candy-cane-striped porch columns that we spotted on our walk around town. I've always thought that New England is a quintessential fall destination, but it turns out that the colonial, federal and shingle-style houses with their dark green siding and bright red doors are pretty perfect for the Christmas season as well.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: 2014

This was my third year in a row seeing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person. The first year we got to the parade way later than we should have, and left after realizing we couldn't really see much.

Last year, it was 17 degrees but felt even colder, with 40+ mph winds and balloons so low they were almost dragging on the ground. This year it was much milder, and although we didn't get front row spots like last year, it was a much more pleasant experience.

The balloons flew much higher this year and we were in the middle of a block so we pretty much had an unobstructed view. Of course we were standing right next to the world's loudest woman, who was made even more obnoxious by the large pink balloon she tied to her wrist. Every time the woman behind me would take a photo I would hear her grumble, "Oh, I got a good one of Spiderman...and a pink balloon."

There were a few repeats from last year—Hello Kitty, Spiderman, Snoopy, Spongebob—and some new balloons made their parade debut—Paddington Bear, Thomas the Tank Engine and a new Pikachu. As usual my favorite balloons and floats are the classic Macy icons—stars, elves, candy cane and of course Tom the Turkey.

There was the usual handful of random celebrities, including Kiss, Meghan Trainor, Idina Menzel (née Adele Dazeem), a Jonas brother (don't ask me which one), the new Annie (don't make me try to spell her name correctly), Renee Fleming and Cicely Tyson. Of course none of these were as exciting as seeing Richard Simmons enthusiastically riding a turtle last year, but Richard and I will always have 2013.

This was the first year I actually stayed for the entire parade, and I finally got to see Santa usher in the Christmas season. Just as the parade began to transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas-themed balloons, it started to snow lightly which was pretty perfect.

A lot of people I talk to seem horrified by the idea of getting up so early or by the prospect of crowds and even I admit that when my alarm went off at 4:30 am, I was a bit grumpy about it. But as soon as the parade starts, as soon as Tom the Turkey bats his huge turkey eyelashes, I can't be anything but incredibly grateful that I get to be in the center of it all, and that it's just a few subway stops away.

Holiday Windows 2014: Bergdorf Goodman

Last year I blogged about the holiday window displays and declared Bergdorf Goodman the clear winner. Without having seen any of the other big displays this year except Bergdorf's, I can say with certainty that they will remain undefeated for another year. That being said, I do think that last year's theme "Holiday's On Ice" was more interesting than this years "Arts" theme, but some of the windows this year are just unbelievable.

My two favorites were the Architecture and Literature windows, followed closely by Theater and Music. Even the mini window Cartography display was kind of mind-blowing with its intricate paper cutouts and vintage map graphics.

Speaking of paper cutouts, the Architecture window was full of them, from the 3-D buildings to the fur and mane of the lion, to the feathers of the bird—some poor Bergdorf's intern must have bloody claws for hands after all of the insane handwork it must have taken to create this year's windows. The Literature window is full of embroidery—embroidered portraits, huge fabric books and typewriter, busts of famous authors, and an owl and a dog made entirely from yarn.

The men's windows are much more subdued and I don't know how I feel about them getting the "science" theme (the feminist in me wants you to know that women can be smart and science-y too!), but some of the details were pretty charming. It's hard not to love a squirrel in a space helmet or a chemistry window that revolves around crafting the perfect fragrance, but its the ladies that really steal the show.

The Great Jack 'O Lantern Blaze

Last year was my first time going to the Great Jack O' Lantern Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor near Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow, NY. I loved it so much that a few months ago we bought tickets and planned a return trip. After touring Lyndhurst in the morning, we hung around Sleepy Hollow until it was time to go to the Blaze—tickets really do sell fast, and 9:30pm was the only time slot available even a few months in advance.

It turned out to be a great time to go—we had just enough time to see everything before it closed at 11pm and there were hardly any children (aka ruiners of all events). Since I knew what to expect this year it might have been slightly less impressive than my first time, but it was still totally worth the price of admission.

Although there were some repeats, there was still a lot of brand new things to see, including a few Washington Irving displays (the Headless Horseman throwing his pumpkin head was great) and a fun 10th birthday cake to celebrate the Blaze's tenth year.

I'm sad that October is coming to an end, but I can't say that I didn't pack a ton of fall delights into the past 31 days. It's definitely my favorite month, and now that it's over I'll just go back to being that creepy coworker who wears skull socks and talks about cemeteries all year long.

BOOzy Brunch

When I moved into my new apartment back in August, I knew I eventually wanted to have a housewarming party. I also decided that I wanted to have a Halloween party, so I decided to combine them into what I called a 'BOO'zy Brunch last Sunday afternoon. My new place is much larger than my last one, and it's so wonderful to be able to finally have more than one person over at a time. I threw two epic Halloween parties back when I lived in Ohio and it's my very favorite holiday to celebrate. I love the aesthetic of Halloween—skulls, bones, orange, black, spiderwebs and pumpkins everywhere.

I told everyone to bring a drink of their choosing, and I took care of all of the food. I made spooky spiderweb deviled eggs, breadstick bones, Jello worms, clementine pumpkins, hot dog mummies, ladies' fingers, graveyard and monster cupcakes and the most delicious (and simple, and disgusting-looking) salsa dip.

Probably the biggest hit on the table was the pumpkin who had clearly partied a little too hard. It took me only a few minutes to carve, a few more minutes to mix the salsa dip (thanks Francesca!) and it looked great. Every time I made the dip in the past, someone would comment that it looked like vomit, so when I saw a pumpkin puking up guacamole I knew I had the perfect substitute (am I the only person on the planet who doesn't like guacamole?)

The Jello worms, however, were a new addition to my Halloween repertoire, the thing I was most excited about, and a complete failure. From start to finish they were the most frustrating and most time consuming thing I made, with the least return on my investment. I am no stranger to kitchen failures but the worms were definitely the most mind-bogglingly disastrous thing I've ever attempted. In the end they looked ok, but of course no one ate them (does anyone really like Jello?) so I crossed them off my list as quickly as I had added them.

This was the first party I threw since moving to New York so my domestic Martha Stewart-y side is a little out of practice but it was nice to be able to share so many Halloweeny delights with all the people I love the most.

If I had to choose my very favorite thing about the party (besides all of the lovely company!) it would have to be my fireplace full of pumpkins. I saw the idea on Pinterest and realized I had the exact same fireplace that was shown in the example—non-functioning and already painted black. All I had to do was make two trips to the grocery store with my old-lady shopping cart, carry them up two flights of stairs and hope they didn't decompose by party time. A week and a half later they are still making me happy, even if I'm slightly terrified to touch them in case they really are rotting—my party might be over, but I'm not ready to say goodbye to Halloween just yet.

Coney Island: October

This weekend my friend JMP was in town from Ohio. While brainstorming potential adventures, I discovered that she'd never been to Coney Island. I confirmed that the parks were still open and when I read that they would be decorated for Halloween I knew we had to go. I've lost count of how many times I've been to Coney Island, but it's just so endlessly photogenic that I find so many new and interesting things every time I go.

The biggest difference between this trip and all the others is that it's no longer summer, so Coney Island wasn't crowded. Not as desolate as I kind of expected, but a lot of the rides were sitting empty. Since the worst part about most places to me is the other people, I loved being able to get up close to the rides without having snotty kids run into my photos.

All the people that were there were in the festively-decorated Luna Park, leaving Deno's Wonder Wheel Park looking like a ghost town in comparison. Some of the rides are pretty terrifying (why does Donald Duck have Satan eyes?) but I'll always prefer the weird and old to the new and bland.

I'm not really a ride person but I did make an exception for the Spook-a-Rama, one of the few remaining "dark rides" left in the country. We paid $7 for about 45 seconds of creepy skeletons, gnarly creatures and screaming ghosts. I wish it was longer, but as with most relics of a past time—and Coney Island in general—I'm just grateful that it still exists at all.

NYBG: Haunted Pumpkin Garden

I didn't have to work yesterday (or today)—thank you obscure Jewish holidays!—so yesterday I spent the day at the New York Botanical Garden. I became a member last winter and I've been trying to go and see the garden in every season since. The Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden show just started, but I was most excited about seeing the Haunted Pumpkin Garden.

The HPG is technically for children, and when I went on a weekend last year it was full of them (not my favorite thing). On a Thursday afternoon, however, I mostly had the garden to myself and it was much better than I remember from last year. Most (if not all) of the carved pumpkins are fake, but like the Great Jack'O'Lantern Blaze, it doesn't really diminish the overall effect.

The weather was perfectly fall-like yesterday and seeing so many pumpkins in all different shapes and sizes really thrust me headfirst into the Halloween mood. At every turn there were more and more pumpkins—grey-green ones, white ones, ones with bumps and spots and even some of the biggest pumpkins I've ever seen (600+, 700+, 900+ lbs.).

The carvings were all different and appropriately spooky and I especially love the way that they incorporate the pumpkins into their environments—bats in trees, mushrooms in the forest—everywhere you looked there was a glimpse of orange peeking out from somewhere. A few of the creations were painted bright colors, but pumpkins come in so many different and beautiful colors that I'm glad most were left as nature intended.

I'm sure children would love the interactive events but definitely don't discount the HPG just because it's in the Children's Adventure Garden. I saw more adults walking through than children (thankfully) and I hope I never grow out of my love of all things Halloween. Although, if there's any "children's" activity that I can get behind it's certainly one that involves creepy carvings, a few bones and at least one vulture.

2014 Fireworks

Last year was my first time seeing New York City's (aka Macy's) fireworks on the 4th of July, which Trent and I watched from the New Jersey waterfront. This year, they brought the fireworks back to the East River after a five-year detour on the Hudson.

We were at a friend's apartment in Brooklyn Heights, so we walked out to try and get on the Promenade about a half hour before the fireworks started, but there were so many people that they had actually declared the Promenade "at capacity." We expected crowds, but it was kind of insane so we didn't have a great spot and didn't end up staying too long.

Despite all that, we were able to see more of the fireworks than I initially thought we were going to be able to, and while we were walking back to the apartment we got to see them from a few different vantage points. I will never not love fireworks, and New York's are definitely the biggest and best I've ever seen. This year they shot some off from the Brooklyn Bridge as well as the usual river barges, and from where were standing we could see the World Trade Tower (and its patriotic spire) through a break in the trees.

As much as the selfish New Yorker in me thinks the fireworks should always be on the East River, we found ourselves wishing that we could somehow replicate our New Jersey viewing experience because it had been so much less crowded and much more enjoyable. I'm pretty sure they'll stay on the East River for a while, though, so I have one year to make friends with someone who will invite me onto their DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights rooftop for next year's show.

The Big Egg Hunt

Last week the Fabergé Big Egg Hunt started here in New York and it's kind of touristy, kind of for children and kind of totally my jam. There are more than 250 egg sculptures "hidden" around the city, each done by a different artist. Once ten people "crack" an egg (via the app) it appears on an egg map — you can only crack eggs by scanning the QR codes on their stands or via the app if you're within a certain distance.

The variety of the different eggs (and the fact that they're all a common shape) reminds me of the Cow Parade, which was going on when I first came to the city 14 years ago. 14-year-old me was kind of obsessed with those cows at the time (even if they seem super tacky now) but that extra dose of nostalgia makes me enjoy the egg hunt even more.

I'm not taking it super seriously because there's no way I'd ever be able to see all of them, but this weekend the weather was beautiful and any reason to walk around the city is a good one. So far I've "cracked" eggs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Madison Ave. and the Upper East Side, Rockefeller Center, Little Italy, Soho, the Flatiron District, the East Village and Grand Central Terminal.

I've been trying to capture the eggs with some hint to their location, especially when they're in front of a recognizable (and eternally photogenic) landmark like the Empire State Building or the Flatiron. It shouldn't be a surprise that I like the New York-themed ones, and I have a few on my list of must-sees that I haven't found yet like the Statue of Liberty-esque one, the one made from street signs and the one covered in pennies.

To my delight, I discovered that I was close to Martha Stewart's egg on Saturday, but it was inside of an antique store that had closed by the time I arrived, so I couldn't get a good photo of it. Surprisingly, it wasn't my favorite of all the eggs I've seen — I like the ones that are little statues, like Humpty Dumpty or the Ralph Lauren Cowboy. My two favorites so far, however, have been the neon one from Stamberg Aferiat/Tsang + Vilanova and Chris Carnabuci's 3D Aphrodite (which is so perfect for the Met).

It's fun to happen upon a egg in the wild without specifically seeking it out, and unlike the cows (which seemed to be around forever) they're only on display for a few weeks before they're auctioned off for charity (current highest bid: $95,000 for the Jeff Koons gazing ball/seal walrus egg, on display in Rockefeller Plaza).

It's kind of fun to watch people go a little crazy when they find an egg (and I will never not enjoy watching people take photos with iPads) but I'm trying not to feel kind of embarrassed to be participating as a 28-year-old New Yorker because it is fun and silly and a little ridiculous — which, like I said, is totally my kind of thing.

Lucky in Love

I love Valentine's Day. I know it can be kind of fun to be one of those "I hate Valentine's Day" single girls, but even when I find myself "unattached" as February 14th rolls around, I still can't drum up anything but love for a day that's all about love. Even when I was a kid I remember my crafty mother and I having so much fun going way overboard decorating my Valentine's shoebox. Finding the perfect cards to hand out to classmates was always a fun challenge and the "everyone gets one" mentality of school Valentines always soothed my fear of being left out.

I have very specific feelings about the meanings and celebrations of different holidays, and for me Valentine's Day has always been about thoughtfulness. While expensive gifts are always appreciated, I think the real goal of the holiday (and any other day, really) should be to make sure the people you love really know how you feel about them. Yes, Valentine's Day has become incredibly commercial and contrived, but is there really anything wrong with reminding people how much they mean to you — something all of us should probably do a little bit more frequently.

Last night my friends Jim and Katie hosted a Valenfriends Day party (I'm the only one calling it that) and it was such a great time. We all exchanged cheesy, (mostly) store-bought cards, drank grapefruit margaritas and basically ate nothing but desserts and candy (my contribution was two plates of chocolate-covered strawberries). It was a great group of wonderful people — some are married, some have children, others have boyfriends, girlfriends or fiances and some of us are single — but none of that really mattered.

I brought Little Mermaid valentines (with stickers!), which the four-year-old in me was thrilled to find at Duane Reade, especially 25 years (!) after the movie came out. My haul included a Disney Princess (with bookmark ruler!), a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle sticker, a super adorable gray cat, a wrestler, a beautiful hand-painted card (for once I wasn't the one to go overboard in this department) and a very funny, very 90s valentine. I can't remember the last time I actually participated in a valentine exchange, but it was so fun and easy that I don't see why I shouldn't organize one every year.

Earlier in the day I had eaten Chinese for lunch, and got the fortune "You will be lucky in love," and I can't help but think that that has always, and continues to be, very true. No matter what my relationship status has been, currently is or will be in the future, all that really matters is that I'm surrounded by people that I love and adore. I have amazing friends, caring family and so many people in my life that I love and are loved by in return.

Very lucky indeed.

Chinese Lunar New Year Parade 2014

On Sunday I braved Chinatown for the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade. Last year Trent and I had a not-so-favorable experience with the Chinese New Year when we froze for hours waiting for the anti-climactic firecrackers of the Firecracker Festival to begin.

This year the weather was much more agreeable (around 45 and sunny) and I had heard that the parade was the better of the two events, so I decided to give it one more try. I'm so glad I did because the parade was definitely worth seeing, and a huge upgrade from last year's festivities.

I got to Chinatown about 15 minutes before the parade started, and although the streets were already crowded, it wasn't as chaotic as I feared it would be. I was able to get a good spot a few blocks down Mott Street from the starting point (at Canal), and although I was a few rows back I still had a fairly good view of the proceedings. It didn't hurt that the sidewalk sloped down toward the street, and I'm pretty tall — especially when compared to most of the residents of Chinatown. If I go next year, I'll probably arrive earlier to get a better spot, but I was fine exchanging some visibility to not have to wait forever for the parade to start.

The parade itself was a total assault on the senses: loud music, brightly colored floats and more confetti poppers than I've ever seen in one place before. I was right across the street from a man very loudly banging a gong, which was charmingly festive at the beginning and just loud as the parade wore on.

The confetti poppers were definitely my favorite part of the festivities, even if someone popped one off RIGHT by my ear (ouch). I never got over the novelty of seeing a stream of glitter and paper confetti shoot into the air, and by the end of the parade the streets were blanketed. I may be shaking glitter out of my hair and clothes for a few more days, but walking home through the colorful streets was definitely worth it.

It's the beginning of the Year of the Horse, so there were a few horse-themed floats, but mostly it was just a lot of people marching in various costumes. Not being Chinese, I didn't recognize a lot of the singers or "personalities" that went by, but you definitely don't have to be Chinese to appreciate a good lion dance (and there were a lot of those, which I always love). I'm glad I gave the Lunar New Year festivities another chance, and I definitely recommend the parade much more than I ever would the firecracker festival.

In fact I believe I said that seeing Asian Ronald McDonald was the best part of the firecracker festival last year, and to my delight I got to see him again this year, marching in front of the McDonald's float. Nevermind the fact that it feels wrong that the very American McDonald's has a prominent place in a traditional Chinese holiday celebration, or that the juxtaposition of "Happy Year of the Horse" next to a photo of a McD's hamburger was quite unfortunate — any scenario in which I get to see Asian Ronald McDonald is a happy one.

NYBG: Holiday Train Show and Snowy Walk

Ever since my first visit to the New York Botanical Garden last year for the spectacular Orchid Show, I've considered becoming a member. It's definitely worth it, financially, especially if you intend to go to all of the special shows ($20+/ea.) during the year. It is always hard for me to wrap my head around spending a lump sum of money all at once, vs. smaller chunks spread over time, even if the smaller payments add up to much more in the end.

But I finally came to my senses when my friend Jean-Marie and I were at the NYBG a few days before Christmas to see the Holiday Train Show, and traded in my ticket towards the price of a year-long membership. Much like getting my first New York library card, finally becoming a member to a museum/garden goes a long way towards making me feel like a true resident. Now, I can go to the garden anytime I want (and bring two guests), although I'm most excited to see the Orchid Show again and the cherry blossoms in the spring.

The Holiday Train Show was probably my least favorite of the shows I've seen thus far (Orchid and Kiku), but that doesn't mean it was not great. It just means that the flower shows I've seen have been so outstanding, that I found the train show to be a little dull in comparison. 

The show has trains, of course, but the main attractions are the hundreds of famous New York buildings and landmarks, recreated entirely out of plant parts (nuts, bark, leaves). They're incredibly intricate and kind of mind-boggling, and they definitely overshadow the model trains zipping in and out.

The bridges were a definite highlight, which should come as no surprise since I love the real life versions of each so much. I think what I actually liked least about the show was the amount of people (and children) that were crammed into the Conservatory. It's completely my fault for going two days before Christmas, but there's no doubt it would have been much more enjoyable if I'd had some space to breathe. We were constantly getting pushed, prodded or cut-off by grumpy toddlers and their entitled parents, which is something I'm not used to from the other (more adult) shows. 

I think maybe next year I'll do one of the child-free bar car nights, which seem to exist precisely for get-off-my-lawn types like me.

This past weekend I was still enamored with the snow from our "blizzard," even after spending all of Friday in Central Park, so I decided to head back to the NYBG. I'm already experiencing the joy of having fronted the membership money, and it was so nice knowing that the day wouldn't cost me a dime. It may seem strange to head to a botanical garden in January, but the Thain Family Forest is a huge part of the NYBG, and I knew it would be gorgeous in the snow. There were still crowds funneling into the train show (although it appeared much more civil than my previous experience) but the grounds were mostly deserted.

The main roadways were plowed, but the trails were not so I got an even more rustic experience than I had expected. Luckily the boots I bought on a whim have proven themselves to be a worthy purchase, and kept my feet toasty and dry throughout my entire expedition. I walked through most of the forest, stopping to see the waterfall on the Bronx river, the Goldman Stone Mill, the Hester Bridge and the Spicebush Overlook. The NYBG is one of those places where you can forget entirely that you're even in New York, and it was a perfect place to enjoy the beautiful snow. I highly recommend taking a hike there at any time of the year — snow is always magical, the fall leaves were beautiful, it's a really nice escape from the city in the hot, sticky summer and I can't wait to experience spring under their cherry blossoms. The best part about the Thain Family Forest? I didn't encounter one sticky, snotty kid on my entire walk — worth the cost of membership, indeed.

Holiday Windows 2013

This is the first year I've really been in the city for the full holiday season, and I'm trying hard to soak it all in. I've been trying to walk as much as I can, on my lunch break, at night and on the weekends. I've walked down Fifth Avenue a few times, hitting the big department store window displays, and it's definitely not hard to pick a favorite. The best windows this year are at Bergdorf Goodman, on 58th/5th.

The theme is "Holidays on Ice," with windows depicting Valentine's Day, Halloween, Arbor Day, Thanksgiving, New Years, Groundhog Day, April Fools Day and the 4th of July, all with an icy twist. They're all a little weird and a whole lot of wonderful — everything a window display should be. I see something new in them each time I walk by, and they feel fresh without feeling too unnecessarily modern or avant-garde (but there is no mistake this is Bergdorf's and FASHUN).

My second favorite displays are at Saks Fifth Avenue on 49th/5th. They brought back their fuzzy Yeti character, and their windows tell his story (he supposedly lives on the roof of Saks and makes snow in the winter, but I'm sure you knew that). He's super cute, and anything that involves snow ranks high on my holiday must-see list.

Bloomingdale's windows are a little on the tacky side, and I hate that they rotate (taking photos is difficult), but the international theme is kind of fun. Of course I couldn't help but like the New York one with its bedazzled Chrysler Building and the Chinese dragon is definitely worth seeing in person.

Henri Bendel at 56th/5th has basically one window, but it's a good one. Their sculptural tribute to Al Hirschfeld features his famous drawings of Sarah Jessica Parker, Carol Channing, Bernadette Peters, Jerry Stiller and Liza Minelli. As a side note, I discovered this weekend that Henri Bendel's basement bathrooms are each approximately the size of my entire apartment, have exfoliating hand scrub in the soap dispensers and may or may not have solid gold paper towel holders. They also have private phone booths with pay phones, in case you ever find yourself needing one of those anymore.

Unfortunately, I am really disappointed in Macy's windows this year, so much so that I've passed them a few times without caring enough to photograph them. I'm mostly traditional when it comes to my holiday windows — anything with a screen or Twitter hashtag is pretty much the worst in my opinion. Snow, holiday scenes, minimal movement (that isn't from a TV screen) and a touch of glamour is really all I need.

MTA Nostalgia Rides

On Sunday I took a leisurely walk from my apartment, through Central Park and down Fifth Avenue to see the holiday window displays. I ended up near Rockefeller Center, so I decided to take the D train home. As I was waiting for the D, a vintage subway car pulled up across the platform and I was so surprised that I got on it despite the fact that it was running on the M track and in the opposite direction from where I needed to go.

I had seen these cars before when Trent and I visited the Transit Museum, but never one that was fully-operational on the real, current-day tracks. I only rode one stop, since it was going the wrong direction, but it was definitely worth the minor detour.

I did some research after I got home, and found out that the vintage car was part of the MTA's Holiday Season Nostalgia Train and Bus Rides. Basically, for the month of December, the MTA runs vintage subway cars along the M line every Sunday, and buses from several different eras along 42nd Street during the weekdays (weather depending).

Yesterday, without even intending to, I happened upon three of the vintage buses during my lunchtime walk down 42nd to Grand Central. I wasn't fast enough to catch any of them, but I'm definitely going to try to ride at least one before the month is over.

Although my subway ride was short, it was still really fun and different to be riding in a car with padded, wicker seats, open-blade ceiling fans and period-correct advertisements lining the walls. I love that the MTA does a thing like the nostalgia rides, which really serves no purpose other than to surprise and delight unsuspecting riders (the buses are equipped with new fare boxes, and cost the same as a regular ride). I've always said that I wished I was able to step back in time and experience places in the city as they were during different periods in time, and the nostalgia rides do just that, if even only for a moment.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: 2013

I have watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV every single year for as far back as I can remember. When I still lived at home, my dad and I would argue about whether the Macy's logo in Herald Square was a huge carpet or actually painted on the street (painted, I found out later). As I got older I would flip through the Black Friday ads, clipping out things I wanted and taping them to form elaborate Christmas lists, but always with the parade playing in the background.

Last year, I found a great deal on the Ace Hotel for Thanksgiving weekend — in March — and booked it without thinking. Like novices, we arrived at the parade much too late to get a good spot, but it was still a thrill to see the balloons in person. This year, however, I live fairly close to the start of the parade and I was determined to get a better spot. I knew it would be cold, but I was most worried that the windy conditions would ground the balloons. Luckily, that didn't happen, although they did fly at half their normal height, with some even struggling to stay off the ground.

We got to Central Park West and 71st at 6am, by which time all of the front row spots had already been taken. There was a lot of shuffling and activity on 71st street, however, and by the time the actual parade started we were able to squeeze our way to the front row. You can definitely still have a good time at the parade from farther back in the crowd, but I was so grateful that we were in front. Not only because the balloons were flying low this year, but because last year I missed the street-level portion of the parade entirely. While the balloons are obviously the stars of the show, the bands, performers, floats, clowns and stilt-walkers are really fun to watch up close.

A few times during the duration of the parade, parents and even one particularly pushy cop tried to get me to give up my front row spot for tiny children, which, at the risk of sounding yet again like a terrible old hag, really made me mad. Not only had I waited for three + hours in the freezing cold (thereby, earning my spot), but when did we become a society of adults expected at all times to bow down to children? It's bad enough that they want my subway seats, but I wasn't giving up my spot, one that I waited essentially 28 years to get, for a kid so small they won't even remember the parade. If you want to take your small child to the parade, please plan accordingly — get there early to save a spot (bring the kids later if you have to), put them on your shoulders (although I don't advocate this for the poor people stuck behind you), or get in with a Macy's employee for tickets to the grandstands. DON'T arrive after the parade already starts and attempt to shove your way in front of people who actually follow the rules and have been waiting patiently for their coveted spots.

END RANT.

Rude parents aside (and these are everywhere, it's not a New York thing, trust me), it was a total defining life moment to see the parade in person. I actually teared up at one point, thinking of all the people watching the parade, wishing they were able to see it up close. I spent 27 years as one of those people, and now I live just a few subway stops away. If the weather had been warmer it would have been no problem to take a couple chairs and camp out a few hours earlier to ensure we had a great spot. I probably won't fight the crowds every year, but I'll definitely be back, especially now that I know how it all works. 

Next year I think I'll make the balloon inflation a priority — I skipped it this year due to crappy weather and some urgent baking deadlines — but I can't imagine any better way to start my Thanksgiving day than by seeing Richard Simmons dancing in a striped suit while riding on a turtle.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A few things I'm thankful for lately:

When Mozart curls up on the bed and then backs up until she's sure she's touching me.

Walking by someone on the street that smells so very good.

The always-cheerful lady who hands out AM New York by the Bryant Park BDFM/7 subway station every morning.

Dogs in rain boots.

Fleece.

Emoji.

Cereal for dinner.

When the photo I take looks exactly (or even better) than I imagined it would.

Lemon desserts.

Making plans.

Double socks.

Text messaging.

Experiencing all of the seasons in the city.

Surprising friends with gifts.

Pulling off the perfect double-feature.

Anticipating what book(s) I'm reading next.

Free samples.

Diner regulars.

Finding cash in jeans pockets.

Knowing I dressed 100% appropriately for the weather.

Of course I'm also thankful for the standard things: family, friends, health, etc. but most of the times it's the little things that make the biggest impact in my day (for better or worse). Speaking of lemon desserts, I made these to take over Trent's for Thanksgiving with Friends — that is, if I don't eat them all myself on the way there.

Happy Thanksgiving!