Don needed to be in NYC for a couple of events (watching players) so we extended our time to include a week there to take in the Christmas shows, events, scenery. We do LOVE NYC and there's better time to be there when its decorated up for Christmas.
SUNDAY
I flew in on Sunday, December 12 from Iowa and met Don as he had been in Arizona to watch players at the Hoophall West Classic.
We took the subway to the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden to see "Twas the Night...." a Cirque du Soleil production. We walked back to the hotel by way of Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree and the light/music show at Saks.
MONDAY
We walked through 5th Avenue and by Rockefeller Center. We stopped for Banana cream pudding at the Magnolia bakery before heading to the 2:00 Rockettes "Christmas Spectacular." Then off to one of our new favorite steak houses, Nusr-Et, a Turkish steakhouse. The evening activity was at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, Shoshana Bean "Sing a Hallelujah"
TUESDAY
Lunch with Hassan and Zenith at Rolf's, a famous German restaurant. It's Christmas decorations stay up all year! We went to Bryant Park and enjoyed the Christmas market, ice skaters and Christmas caroling by the tree by a choir, brass quintet and four opera singers. The Knicks v Warriors NBA game in Madison Square Garden was especially memorable as we saw Steph Curry break the NBA 3-point record!
WEDNESDAY
We enjoyed a leisurely morning at the hotel, JW Marriott The Essex House on south Central Park. At 2:00 we attended Aint too Proud, the music and story of the Temptations. Then we had dinner at a new restaurant in Times Square, The Glass House Tavern. It will stay on our NYC restaurants list. at 7:00 we were off to Moulin Rouge. Most nights end up with tea and dessert back at our hotel restaurant.
THURSDAY
We took the subway to Brooklyn to eat a late lunch at Peter Luger's Steakhouse. At 7:00 we went to the Lincoln Center for the New York Philharmonic "Holiday Brass."
FRIDAY
We took advantage of the mild, 52 degree weather to check out the Christmas market at Columbus Circle and then walk through Central Park. We had a late lunch in Central Park at Tavern on the Green. Back to Harlem via the subway for a 7:00 Handel's Messiah at the Riverside Church by the New York Philharmonic.
SATURDAY
Vicky heads back to Iowa and Don heads to another gym for the day of watching players and then he flies to Florida for a few days of watching players.
We LOVE NYC at Christmas time. We were fortunate that all of our shows/activities were on. The Rockettes closed for the rest of the season and many of the Broadway shows were canceled or closed due to COVID exposures. NYC is wild with the new virus and it's time to leave that behind. While we were there you had to be fully vaccinated to get in to restaurants and all inside shows/games/activities.
