A Christian Travel Blog: Trip info on Monday and devotionals on Friday.
Make no mistake, I LOVED the Christmas experience of being in New York City last year. But, this year I’m across the Atlantic in the enchanting towns of Munich, Nuremburg, Salzburg and Vienna enjoying the famous Christmas markets that have been a part of their culture for several centuries. Look for lots of photos next week, but for today, please go back and enjoy some posts along with the photos from last year’s time in the Big Apple.
Ho, ho, ho! Enjoy the season, everyone!
I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t just looked back at my calendar and all of the photos I took. During 2018, I visited 23 destinations, finished construction/decisions/moving involved with our new house and hosted the 11th Annual Cousins Camp. You might think I’d be ready to stay home for awhile, and yes. I truly do savor days for writing, thinking and “just being.” But, those of you who know me best, know that I always LOVE planning. So, happily my calendar is filling up with more amazing places to explore in 2019.
A few of the trips I made in 2018 were purely for fun, but 100% have or will end up as blog posts or articles in other publications. And, 100% of the places I visited can be wholeheartedly recommended for you. The vast majority were in my heartland, a.k.a. The Deep South, but I also got on a few airplanes along the way.
I began the year with Steve on Captiva Island, near Fort Myers, FL, and we ended our travel year seeing New York City at Christmas time. In between, there were fabulous restaurants, hotels, museums, attractions of all kinds and stunning displays of nature. Here are some highlights, pretty much in order as I saw them through the year. Maybe one or more of them will capture your attention and draw you in for a closer look. Please stick with me as we explore more hidden, and not-so-hidden, gems in 2019.
Go. See. Eat. Experience. There’s a great, big, fascinating world out there.
(Just scroll back through my blog posts to read about these places in greater detail).
Before our recent trip to New York City, Steve asked me for suggestions as to what I’d like for my Christmas gift this year. I jokingly said, “Well, what about something from Tiffany’s?” But, in seriousness, I replied that I’d really like to have Afternoon Tea at The Plaza. In spite of the fact that such a frou-frou occasion sounded WAY out of his comfort zone, he agreed and let me make our reservations. The event matched my expectations and anticipation beautifully.
First of all, the setting at the Palm Court is exquisite. The ceiling, the architectural details, the ornately woven rugs, the plants, the music (light jazz a la Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole), the table linens, all of it has been welcoming dignitaries, movie stars, and common folks like us since 1907.
Our server knew how to put out-of-town, fairly unschooled, formal afternoon tea people at ease. She helped Steve choose a wonderful green tea, and my black tea had a light, but complex flavor. I noticed hints of cinnamon, vanilla, ginger and apples. I liked it with a cube or two of sugar, and lo and behold, I discovered that I really like a touch of milk in my tea. Who knew?
Although guests are booked solid every afternoon from noon until 5:00 p.m., especially during the holidays, we felt completely unhurried. Eventually, our tiered tray of sweets, savories and scones arrived and looked amazing. After a morning of browsing holiday markets and walking through Central Park, we were ready to enjoy these special treats.
The middle tray of sandwiches and savories included a smoked salmon and pumpernickel napoleon, deviled egg salad on white bread, roasted turkey on wheat bread, English cucumber on rye bread, Parisian ham and gruyere cheese on a pretzel ficelle and roasted prime rib on a brioche roll. So much variety, definitely something there for even the finickiest eaters.
I’ve never thought of scones as being extra special, but that’s probably because I haven’t had them with double devonshire cream, lemon curd or fresh preserves. Lemon curd was my favorite. That touch made the scones positively decadent.
The pastries and sweets were tiny (but not too tiny) bites of artfully-presented and intricately-delicious perfection. Listen to these descriptions: chocolate hazelnut nutella turron, chocolate and cherry buche de noel, eggnog tart with cranberry preserve and candied orange, raspberry tart, maple cheesecake with candied pecans, mandarin orange chocolate eclair and green apple and cinnamon macaron. And, yes, I had to look up several of those words. Turron is not in my everyday vocabulary. 🙂
I was completely surprised when the server appeared with a chocolate replica of The Plaza for each of us as parting gifts. (And, they both made it home unscathed in my carry-on bag). I can’t imagine actually breaking these apart and eating them, but I’ll enjoy showing them to the grandkids. 🙂
Apparently, very few people are able to eat everything on those trays in one sitting. Happily, the servers are gracious to offer to box up the leftovers, so Steve and I enjoyed them later than night after more sightseeing.
So, thank you, Silver Fox, for giving me this unforgettable afternoon. I loved making this memory with you.
In 2008, Steve and I realized that all of our “people” had made other plans for Thanksgiving, so we decided to mark something off MY Bucket List that had sat untouched for years — seeing Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live and in-person. For a couple of small-town Alabamians, it might come as a surprise that we love New York City. But, after an amazing trip for my 50th birthday, we really wanted to find an excuse to go back. This was it. We found out some things during that visit that might help if you decide to make a similar trip.
M & M’s are watching for the parade, too.
Macy’s balloons
Pilgrims
Honest Abe
cornucopia
2. GET UP EARLY. DRESS VERY WARMLY. DON’T DRINK MUCH. As soon as the hotel starts serving breakfast, be there waiting. If it’s after 6:00 a.m., that will be too late. Don’t drink much coffee. Now, you might want to put a bottle of water in your backpack, but wait until you get really thirsty to drink it. Why? Bathrooms, of course. Once you get in your spot, you will lose it if you leave. Yes, even if you have someone holding your place. The barricades start going up about 6:30 a.m. Be out there and ready. Steve and I were there, and we still only made it to the second row. Then, you start waiting, and it will likely be cold in New York on Thanksgiving Day. It hovered between 31 and 32 degrees the morning we were there. Think toboggan, gloves, two pairs of socks, etc. It will NOT matter what your hair looks like. 🙂 Depending on your hotel and how early you get your spot, you will likely not get your first glimpse of the start of the parade until 9:30 a.m. We were VERY fortunate. The people waiting around us were fun and friendly. We actually had a great time laughing and chatting.
3. MAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!! Yes, you’ll see it on television in years to come, but that will not be the same. Plus, the celebrities and the most popular balloons could change from year to year. You will enjoy the costumed people walking beside the balloons and floats almost as much as the actual floats. They add so much to the pageantry.
Buzz!
Princess float
4. When the parade ends, go back to your room to 1) use the bathroom, 2) drink lots of water, 3) warm up, and 4) take a nap. After all, you got up VERY early. Then, spruce yourself up nicely and GO OUT FOR A MEMORABLE THANKSGIVING DINNER AT A GREAT NEW YORK RESTAURANT. No. They won”t serve you every single one of your usual Thanksgiving favorites, but there WILL be turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Here’s a link to popular restaurants for this special dinner. https://www.nycinsiderguide.com/thanksgiving-dinner-in-new-york-city#.VjU5vfmrShc. Pricey but worth it. Steve and I were fortunate to go to Tavern-on-the-Green in Central Park in 2008, but it closed the next year. It reopened about a year ago, but the reviews haven’t been good since it was remodeled and put in the hands of new owners. Maybe the restaurant you choose will be within walking distance of your hotel. That will save a taxi fare.
5. ORDER TICKETS FOR A GREAT HOLIDAY SHOW to see either the day you arrive or the day AFTER Thanksgiving. Here’s a link to this year’s offerings for November 2015. https://www.newyorkcitytheatre.com/common/monthly_events.php?year=2015&month=11&category=Big%20Site%20Top%20Show
6. WINDOW SHOP and GO TO ROCKEFELLER CENTER. The displays are spectacular, especially in the most famous stores. You don’t have to skate, but at least watch the skaters for awhile. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-york-city/travel-tips-and-articles/76359 The famous tree will probably be in place, but it is not lighted until later in December.
7. SHOP. Yes, buy a few things. If you fly to NYC, you can always have your treasures shipped home. That’s especially true if you have 12 grandchildren and find lots to buy at FAO Schwartz.
M & M’s in disguise
Yankee Doodle Dandies
So, in summary, attending Macy’s Parade is not for the weak or “faint of heart.” It’s physically taxing, but I believe you’ll be glad you went . . . . once. You’ll feel like a kid again. That’s worth a lot. P.S. If your visit to NYC puts you there through a Sunday, PLEASE, please, please take the subway to Brooklyn and attend a service at the Brooklyn Tabernacle. What a blessing that will be.
Santa at the end of the parade