The Big Adventure's NYC Winter Guide 2011

It's starting to look a lot like…The NYC Big Adventure Winter Guide

With the arrival of the giant 74 foot-tall Tree into Rockefeller Center last Friday,It is starting to look a lot like Christmas in New York City! Decorations are going up all over town and The 78^th Annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular is seducing spectators thrice daily and some stores even answering the consumer call to open stores at 9:00 PM on Thanksgiving Night (blegh).

Aside from the cold and forthcoming snow slush, it certainly is one of the most wonderful times of year in the Big Apples (and, of course, one of the most tourist heavy). Over the next few weeks, The Big Adventure will be occasionally sharing some of the best Holiday Season To-Dos in New York City.

Thought we would start with a blast from the past by recounting our past Winter Big Adventure from a couple of years back. The stops still hold and this would make a tis-The-Season great self-guided Adventure:

 The NYC Big Winter Adventure

Lunch at Havana Central at the West End  Up at 116^th and Broadway -one of the most amazing restaurants in the city. Don’t settle for the other two locations. 

See A College Basketball Game at Columbia University-  Right across the street. You don't get a chance to witness true Division 1A College B-ball often without paying through the nose. Tickets are as little as $10. Cheer on the exciting Columbia Lions and their mascot Roar-ee (sad) 

Grand Central Model Train Display - At the Transit Museum Annex in Grand Central. For the kid in all of us. In this year’s festive display, model trains start off in a living room on Christmas morning, shuttle through a miniature NYC and assorted pastoral tableaux before arriving at Santa’s workshop in the North Pole. Fun! Maybe there will be a NJ Transit train that stops and shuts down periodically with little angry passengers inside.  

 

Grand Central Kaleidoscope Light Show- How do you make practical use of the busiest and largest train station in America? By illuminating the walls with a spectacular Holiday light show throughout the concourse. This is quickly becoming one of the New York’s premiere holiday “Must Sees”

Delicious Holiday Drinks and Food at Maggie’s Place -Across from Grand Central at Madison Avenue at 47^th Street–Maggie’s is often voted as a top stop for holiday drinks which range from their Famous Irish Coffees that use rare whiskey to Hot Ciders and a legendary Peppermint Paddy -a flirty hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps that’s served with a candy cane. More Holiday treats abound.

New York Midtown Holiday Window Gazing  -Finally, Walk up 5^th Avenue to see the best holiday storefronts in the world from Saks Fifth Avenue to Henri Bendel to Bergdorf Goodman to Barney’s and more. You can try and guess just how much that 34 carat diamond in the window of Tiffany’s costs. End at FAO Schwarz or take a load of at the shady but fun Subway Inn Bar. 

Nothing on that list tickle your fancy? More Holiday Big Adventuring to follow...

NYC Today - Skating the Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center

Every day, we post a one minute guide to one great thing happening today in New York City. We list doings that are inexpensive or completely free, social and 100% unique to New York. Designed for the curious local or savvy tourist, we aim to expose the eccentric and obvious all over NYC. Check back every morning to crack open a new nutshell

Skating the Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center 

 

In case the four inches of snow this weekend didn’t deliver the memo, not only is Fall upon us, it is quickly turning into Winter. Lucky for you, NYC has several ways to handle brisk winter chill. For example, there are over a dozen public ice skating rinks throughout the city, many of which have already opened for the season.

The most well known is The Rink at Rockefeller Center which is celebrating its big 75^th Anniversary this year. As famous as it is crowded, skating at the rink under the statue of Prometheus is about as iconic NYC as you can get.  While it’s not the biggest rink in the city, it does have the advantage of being smack in the middle of Midtown. Apparently, the 250,000 people who visit the outdoor Ice Skating rink every year agree.

They keep the lines long and ice relatively spacious by only allowing 150 people to lace up at a time. The secret? Go early in the season and dodge the massive, massive December crowds. Right now, there is a $6 midday deal for lunch skating from11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, and crowds are usually minimal before 4:00 PM.  Also, all skating sessions are only $10 for weekdays and $14 on weekends through November 3^rd. Not quite the Scott Hamilton of the Big Apple? The Rink also offers private lessons and group events. 

When: Rink is open now through April, Discounted Skate through 11/3. 9:00 AM- 10:30 PM Monday-Thursday. 8:30 AM- Midnight Friday-Sunday.

Where: Rockefeller Center on 48^th Street between 5^th Avenue & 6^th Avenue
Cost: Between $6 and $14 depending on the session.

Category: Outdoor, Classic NYC, Sports, Tourists

Good For: Groups, Kids, Savvy Tourists,

More Details: http://www.patinagroup.com/east/iceRink/Ice-Rink-PRE-HOLIDAY-schedule.pdf

Chapter One of the Big Adventure Winter Guide

Starting to look a lot like…The Big Adventure Winter Guide

With the arrival of the giant 62-foot-tall Tree into Rockefeller Center this morning (and for some reason an A.M. concert by Bon Jovi), It is starting to look a lot like Christmas in New York City! Decorations are going up all over town and The 77^th Annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular is seducing spectators thrice daily and even a new Broadway Musical based on the movie Elf (we’re skeptical). 

Aside from the cold and forthcoming snow slush, it certainly is one of the most wonderful times of year in the Big Apples (and, of course, one of the most tourist heavy). Over the next few weeks, The Big Adventure will be occasionally sharing some of the best Holiday Season To-Dos in New York City.

Thought we would start with a blast from the past by recounting our past Winter Big Adventure from a couple of years back. The stops still hold and this would make a tis-The-Season great self-guided Adventure:

 The NYC Big Winter Adventure

Lunch at Havana Central at the West End  Up at 116^th and Broadway -one of the most amazing restaurants in the city. Don’t settle for the other two locations. 

See A College Basketball Game at Columbia University-  Right across the street. You don't get a chance to witness true Division 1A College B-ball often without paying through the nose. Tickets are as little as $10. Cheer on the exciting Columbia Lions and their mascot Roar-ee (sad) 

Grand Central Model Train Display - At the Transit Museum Annex in Grand Central. For the kid in all of us. In this year’s festive display, model trains start off in a living room on Christmas morning, shuttle through a miniature NYC and assorted pastoral tableaux before arriving at Santa’s workshop in the North Pole. Fun! Maybe there will be a NJ Transit train that stops and shuts down periodically with little angry passengers inside.  

 

Grand Central Kaleidoscope Light Show- How do you make practical use of the busiest and largest train station in America? By illuminating the walls with a spectacular Holiday light show throughout the concourse. This is quickly becoming one of the New York’s premiere holiday “Must Sees”

Delicious Holiday Drinks and Food at Maggie’s Place -Across from Grand Central at Madison Avenue at 47^th Street–Maggie’s is often voted as a top stop for holiday drinks which range from their Famous Irish Coffees that use rare whiskey to Hot Ciders and a legendary Peppermint Paddy -a flirty hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps that’s served with a candy cane. More Holiday treats abound.

New York Midtown Holiday Window Gazing  -Finally, Walk up 5^th Avenue to see the best holiday storefronts in the world from Saks Fifth Avenue to Henri Bendel to Bergdorf Goodman to Barney’s and more. You can try and guess just how much that 34 carat diamond in the window of Tiffany’s costs. End at FAO Schwarz or take a load of at the shady but fun Subway Inn Bar. 

Nothing on that list tickle your fancy? More Holiday Big Adventuring to follow...