Guest NYC: Christmas Love VS F-This-I-Quit (Spoiler: Love Wins)

Because of the season, I thought it might be fun to share more stories of NYC Christmas than just my own. Here is one from a fine and funny fella, my buddy Jake. I think you’ll love it as much as- 

I LOVE CHRISTMAS! As Fred from ‘A Christmas Carol’ would say, it’s “the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely.”  For these past seven New York Christmases, I’ve pondered this quote.  Whenever I think back on Christmas time, I picture myself merrily buzzing from one job to another, whistling Jingle Bells, and drinking peppermint hot chocolate.  In reality, I’m sleep deprived, over-sugared, scrambling to keep it all together, getting jostled by F*CKING TOURISTS, while in my head I’m full-on Charlie Brown screaming “ISN’T THERE ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT?!?”

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Guest NYC: A Christmas Story on 34th Street

I thought it might be fun to share more stories of NYC Christmas magic than just my own. My dear friend Matt spent several seasons working in a certain land I wrote about last week. He was nice enough to share this Christmas story. 

The Christmas miracle: that ever elusive experience that grabs you by the heart strings, tugs at them lovingly until pure tear-inducing joy is conjured and spilt forth from a reserve buried deep beneath the callousness of a world gone duh.

As I am an Agent of Awesome (that’s right folks; I have a small collection of unicorn rides #humblebrag), the Christmas miracle has visited me more than once. New York City, being a place where like-minded people tend to gather, meet each other, make cool shit happen (and guilelessly sleep with each other); is a natural place for the elements necessary for a Christmas miracle to coalesce.

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12 Reasons to Visit Macy’s SantaLand NYC Even If You’re All Grown Up

If you’ve seen The Miracle on 34th Street, you know the “one and only Santa Claus” spends the holiday season at Macy’s in Herald Square. This is something the department store has celebrated ever since. If you head to the 8th Floor of the world’s biggest store- yep, Macy’s on 34th Street claims that title- you can journey through a section of the store where nothing is for sale. This is Macy’s SantaLand. A maze of Christmas magic, decorations coming at you from all directions, leading you to the big man himself, Kris Kringle.

It’s well-regarded as a NYC holiday-must to take your child to see Santa. But Macy’s SantaLand isn’t like a playground, there’s no sign that says “adults must be accompanied by children”. In fact, anyone is welcome to visit Santa. There are plenty of reasons to visit SantaLand with or without kids. Wanna know why we the child-less should make the trip this season?

Bah Humbug to being a grown up! We still got plenty o’ reasons to still visit Santa!

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THE RIDE NYC Ballet Dancers Put on a Show in Columbus Circle

Years ago in January 2012, I stumbled upon a ballet performance in Columbus Circle.

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It blew my mind. We’re they street performers? To broke to rent a rehearsal space? Simply sharing the gift of dance? I couldn’t figure it out! After sharing my confusion and delight in the post Ballerinas Take to the New York City Streets, I quickly learned the story behind these dancers. They were performing for the bus tour The Ride, which combines typical guided tour of the city with planned performances viewed from the giant sideways windows of the bus. Read More

Strawberry Fields on the 35th Anniversary of John Lennon’s Death

December 8, 2015: the 35th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. There was only one place in New York to be.

Let me take you down cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields. 

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I could hear music and see crowds from a hundreds yards down the path. I walked up the hill and saw a throng of people: all colors, all ages, representing dozens of different countries. We circled around the Imagine Memorial and celebrated John Lennon’s life and work the best way we knew how.

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“New York City Nature Scene”: Street Art Celebrating…Pigeons

Usually it’s easy to ignore the fact that this city is crawling with pests. Rats, cockroaches, ex-boyfriends, stand-up comedy ticket sellers: creatures we hope to never encounter at close range. I’d like to deny their entire existence, thank you very much.

One afternoon walking through Union Square, my denial bubble came crashing down. Nope, nothing like running into my ex on New Year’s Eve, this was much more delightful. And bizarre. I stumbled across the crossroads of art, New York cliché, and vermin.

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