THANKSGIVING in NYC
December 6,2013
Hardly representative of all the marvelous food we had with our Brooklyn cousins, here's Patrick carving the turkey: 2 turkeys, many, many trimmings and a wide variety of desserts, not to mention all the mouth watering hors d'oeuvres to feed 28 souls... all eating and giving thanks...it was a PARTY!! This seems to have set the tone for our eating habits throughout our stay in New York City...we lived and ate LARGE!!
We drove a good part of our trip in the pouring rain...over the bridge and into the city.
The view from our room (on the 42nd floor) in mid-town didn't provide us with much of a view... but we didn't spend much time in the room.
Although it was windy and raining when we arrived, we were prepared for it and we went out and walked anyway! (The rest of our visit brought beautiful, sunny days!)
We passed by a GODIVA Chocolate shoppe where a very happy young man was whipping up some of their delicious confection...
Saw the beautiful Chrysler building in all its Art Deco glory, a NYC icon from the late 1920's... and the beautiful, and equally iconic French Building from the same era...
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The people who combine their sounds of drumming, strumming and singing with the screeching of trains are called buskers and they have one of the toughest gigs in show business...trying to get some attention and hopefully some tips from more than 5 million daily commuters who are famous for their "get-out-of-my-face attitudes!!
We braved the Macy's Annual (since 1924) Thanksgiving Day Parade in 30 degree (F) weather and got some great viewing in. Here's a poster I made for the last guest in the parade...Santa! This year's theme was BELIEVE!
Rockefeller Center had a few ice skaters,
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while all the shoppes in the area were spectacular...FIFTH AVENUE with Saks Fifth Avenue showing its best, most creative Christmas as they flashed the story of the Yeti (Abominable Snowman) on the side of the building and in their animated windows...
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Look at this window display in the LEGO store on the walkway leading into Rockefeller Center...
Of course, Atlas continued to stand bravely by, overlooking the area!
There were gorgeous holiday displays in stores, windows, buildings and along the streets wherever we walked ...like these!
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The alive excitement of mid-town...
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Actually this last photo of the bird man I took at Washington Square Park down near New York University (NYU!)
We grabbed the opportunity to see a Broadway show ...NEWSIES. It's a musical about the Newsboys strike of 1899 in New York City...a youth-led campaign to force change in the way Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst's newspapers compensated their child labor force. It was an evening filled with marvelous singing and incredible dancing!!
Our mood changed with a somber visit to the 9/11 MEMORIAL. It was beautiful and very touching. We joined a large crowd of viewers late in the afternoon, but ended up seeing the memorial in the dark ...very dramatic and effective. The construction of the site continues to develop and grow.
 
Finally, the reason for our trip...our Michelle performed at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall with her choir in a concert of Handel's MESSIAH! Her Canadian choir, Tempus Choral Society, was invited to perform, joining a few American choirs...a total of about 400 voices. The sound fed our hearts and souls...a combination of pride and a real appreciation for the artistry of Handel!!
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I hope you've enjoyed this rather lengthy jog through our few days in New York City. It was a time that appealed to all our senses...and our hearts. We were grateful for the chance to spend such a special time together; filled with pride for our daughter; our stomachs were filled with tooo much good food and we were infused with the warmth, love and spirit of the season. Wishing you that same love, warmth and love for the season...for always.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!
Big Holiday Hugs,
Abby
