Some dear friends of ours, Char and Mark, had been discussing going to NYC for her birthday. She had a milestone birthday in December and she wanted to spend it with friends in New York. They invited us to join them so of course, we were all in. Lynn and I had not been to NYC together so we were looking forward to the experience. Also, NYC in December is something special on its own, but to share that with good friends and celebrate a birthday sounded like a wonderful trip to us! Little did we know at the time that this would be one of our final trips just before COVID hit and the travel lockdowns went into effect in March of 2020. So glad we were able to do this.
We were to leave on Thursday 12/5 and return on Sunday 12/8, and would be staying at The Broadway Plaza Hotel. We had a few of the touristy things scoped out that we wanted to do because, well, we would be tourists. We also had some ideas on a few off beat things to do as well.
Just before leaving for the trip Lynn surprised me with an early Christmas gift. I am a huge fan of Bob Dylan. Mainly for all of the songs he has written that other folks have made famous, but also for his unique style performing as well. I had never seen him live and he was playing at The Beacon in NYC that weekend. Lynn was able to get tickets before it sold out!
So the day arrived and we met Char and Mark at the airport. They also live in Charlotte so getting on the same flight was easy.
Our first stop after getting checked in at the hotel was Oscar Wilde on 27th for a late lunch, which was only half a block from the hotel. This place was in full Christmas swing! Is it a bit of a tourist destination? Yes. Is it worth stopping in? Yes! The food was fantastic and the atmosphere really set the tone for our stay.
Char and Mark are much like us in the sense that they like to go, go, go. None of this "back to the hotel to rest up" stuff. Excellent! So from there we were off to Central Park where we did another ultra touristy thing - a carriage ride. Now that sounds like an over the top tourist trap and in some respects it is - but if you have never done it - it is a MUST to see some wonderful views of Central Park that would otherwise be difficult on foot. Mark came prepared for the cold...
From there we did a little shopping at the Columbus Circle Holiday Market. This is an outdoor street market open during Holiday season that offers all manor of merchandise. That, of course, made us thirsty! Off to Ivy's for a drink and appetizers.
We had dinner reservations at Becco at the recommendation of a friend for later that evening so after leaving Ivy's we made our way over. If it sounds like we spent the evening walking, eating, and drinking, well yeah that pretty much says it. We were loving this so far despite the temperatures (but we were prepared for NYC in December)!
From there we did a little bar hopping and on to Rockefeller Center. Mark had heard that dumpster diving was a big activity in NYC so I think he felt he needed to give it a try...
For the next day, Friday, Char and Mark had tickets for the Rockettes in the afternoon. Lynn and I set out for some sight seeing with a plan to be at the Gramercy Tavern for lunch. The Gramercy Tavern is a Michelin starred restaurant that is famous for locally sourced food items and is consistently rated as one of the top restaurants in NYC. Now, The Gramercy usually requires a reservation almost a month in advance. They do, however, have limited bar seating that is full service. If you follow Lynn and I at all you already know that limited bar seating is our go to and it serves us well.
The Gramercy is on 20th, while our hotel is on the corner of Broadway and 27th. As you can see so far we walk when we can and only take an Uber or Cab when absolutely necessary. Walking to Gramercy would take us through the Flatiron district so we took in the sights along the way.
We arrived at The Gramercy about 11:30am for a 12:00pm opening. As you can see I am second in line for bar seating. With a party of 2 the bar seating thing really works to our advantage in almost every scenario. You just have to be on board with it and willing to show up without a guarantee of seating. When you show up with reservations you made a month in advance, there we are at the bar and we just walked in 30 minutes ago... Love it or hate it, it really works for us.
After what can only be described as an incredible meal at The Gramercy we had an afternoon to kill. In NYC flatiron district that means sight seeing and bar hopping for us! We try to find the more local spots anywhere we go as we like to experience the local vibe. We are totally on board with seeing the tourist attractions and landmarks as we want to experience that. As far as off the beaten path though, it seems even the dive bars can be found on TripAdvisor. We set our own path for the afternoon. Next stop was Paddy Maguire's Ale House. This is an Irish Pub with an affinity for horse racing. The owner is a previous jockey so horse racing a central theme. Pool tables, TVs with either the current game or if there is a horse race that is what you will get. No food, just drinks, so drink up and enjoy the vibe.
We met up with Char and Mark later that afternoon with a plan to grab some food and get to the concert.
Is this A Miracle on 34th Street? I think not. But it is another tourist trap. On 34th Street. But hey, if you are here in December why not stop by? Check that box, so to speak.
We had been told that if you go to NYC, and if you like NY style pizza, then you have to go to Joe's. We had to try it. Joe's is a walk up to the counter and order by the slice kind of place. The line was ridiculous. We had plenty of time so we didn't care. Let me tell you, the hype is for a reason! This is some seriously good pizza. I am glad we took the time.
Now Joe's Pizza is on Broadway close to 40th. The concert that evening was at The Beacon, which is on Broadway at 74th. Even for the four of us "walk it when you can folks", this was a long way so we grabbed an Uber and headed to the show. I was looking forward to this - not only would we be seeing an icon in the music world, but also at a venue that is a historic gem in the theater world! The Beacon Theater originally opened as a movie palace with 2,894 seats in 1929. Since then it has changed hands many times and has become a treasured venue for live performances. The first live performance was in 1966 and it has been a concert venue ever since. The acoustics and seating are unique and can only be compared to earlier opera houses of the 19th century. It is listed on the National Register of Historical Places. The show was fantastic! Bob Dylan put on a show that I will remember as one of my top 3 always. No cameras allowed during the performance so only pics of the venue here. Loved it!
The show ended around 10:30pm which is quite early in NYC so we headed over to Rockefeller Center for some more sites and a late night bite to eat.
Saint Bartholomew's Church a few blocks from Rockefeller Center...
Rockefeller Center (gotta see the tree)..
Then we stopped in for some late night bites at Connelly's on 45th, which is considered the best Irish Pub in Manhattan. How could you not stop there?
The next day, Saturday, we had two major items on the agenda. The 9/11 memorial and the Empire State Building. As a tourist these are two things that in my opinion simply cannot be missed if you visit NYC.
We started the day with brunch at 230 Fifth Rooftop, which is an experience all in of itself. Wonderful food and views of the Empire State Building. Even the elevator ride up was an event. The day was starting out to be an epic experience!
From there it was off to the 9/11 memorial. Words cannot describe so I will not even try. You need to experience this for yourself. Photos cannot tell the story. Just go there if you ever are able to.
After our trip through the memorial we stopped in at O'Hara's Pub and Restaurant right around the corner from the 9/11 memorial. This is an Irish Pub that was frequented by many of the firefighters and police that gave their lives on that day. It is a landmark and living testimony to the people of New York that gave their lives and continue to protect us to this day. All I can say is this place makes us happy. Drink, eat, enjoy the day and honor those that have sacrificed to protect us.
From there it was street food, bar hopping, and making our way to the Empire State Building. I have to say that we were loving this trip and we were understanding why people love New York.
At this point it was time to embark on The Empire State Building experience. Once again I say is this a tourist trap? Absolutely. Is it something you should do if you are a tourist in NYC? Absolutely! I have said it before and I do mean it, to be a tourist is a good thing if you do it right. You have to schedule ahead for The Empire State Building tour and get a time slot, blah, blah, blah (we were REALLY glad we bought the "fast pass" for the express elevator)! I loved it. I remember as a kid following the story of the Sears Tower in Chicago being built in the 1970s and over shadowing the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings as the tallest building in the world. Many other buildings have surpassed all of those now but understanding that this building was erected in 1931 really emphasizes the soul of the American story. 1931. Wow. Just as in any historical city with a history worth studying, every day residents of these cities pass by these historical land marks without a moments notice. Don't be that person. It's OK to be a tourist.
Our recommendations for NYC in December - do all the touristy things, bring solid walking shoes, and dress for the temperatures! What a FABULOUS trip!
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