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There is no better place to visit and celebrate the coming holidays than New York in the fall.  There are all the new Broadway shows, new restaurants and the incomparable activity of the season. Starting with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, followed by the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, and the bustle of New York during these weeks before Christmas really brings on the holiday spirit.

The Macy’s parade is a Thanksgiving Day must for the 50 million television viewers and the two million who line the streets along the parade route. If you are in New York at that time, you will be in luck to catch the lighting of the Rockefeller Center’s 75th annual Christmas tree and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the performances of the Rockettes, always the perfect family entertainment with their precision and signature high kicks. Many of you may have read the New York Times article last weekend relating the new look of the Rockettes . While the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” will not be replaced, the program offers a new look for those who return annually.  This holiday season’s technological wizardry places the dancers inside a video game, transforming the “Christmas Spectacular,” which draws nearly a million viewers during its eight-week run at Radio City Music Hall.

Our favorite New York visual treats are the Bergdorf Goodman windows, the most creative display in New York, which are opened for viewing about a week before Thanksgiving.  It is difficult to improve on each previous year, but David Hoey, the talent behind the windows, always manages to awe the sidewalk on-lookers with pure fantasy and over the top glamour.  Once you are at Bergdorf’s, make the pilgrimage to the seventh floor for some of the best tabletop to be seen in one location. In addition to the vintage offerings of silver and porcelains, there are boutiques dedicated to crystal, including our favorite William Yeoward, linens and tableware extraordinaire. For those in a modern mode, there is ample to satisfy.  The interspersed table displays are always inspiring. Yes, it is a hostess’s paradise.

We are here to focus on the entertaining and celebration side of the annual visits to New York.  While we love the upper East Side and our favorite hotels, such as The Mark and the Rosewood Carlyle, and our regular promenade of Madison Avenue shops, such as Bardith for museum quality porcelains, and, in the D&D Building, Léron for couture linens.  Some of the best destinations for restaurants are uptown, such as Aurole, Aquivit, Le Bernadin and Daniel.  But, this trip, we are focusing on the vitality of downtown New York for a different perspective. 

Downtown Momentum

The downtown hotel scene is booming.  The Standard, the Gansevoort Meatpacking and, now, the new and nearby Gansevoort Park Avenue (incidentally, both named after a Revolutionary War general and downtown fort and street from colonial days).  The Gansevoort Meatpacking enjoys panoramic views of New York City, the Hudson River and the nearby Highline, the city’s the immensely popular linear park, created on what was once a raised and abandoned freight rail line.  Both the Standard, arching over the Highline, and the Gansevoort Meatpacking are a magnet for the jet-setters who are drawn to the surrounding night-life.  Celebrity sightings are many.  Our personal favorite is the Gramercy Park Hotel, not only for its smashing good looks and location, but for the Danny Meyer restaurant, Maialino, on its ground floor level.  The hotel’s location benefits from the tranquility of the adjacent private Gramercy Park and the caché of the elegant townhouses at the foot of Fifth Avenue, as well as serving as an epicenter for fine dining in downtown New York.  And, the hotel is just a short cab ride to the Theatre District. 

Within walking distance are others of Danny Meyer’s restaurants, such as Gramercy Tavern and the Union Square Cafe.  Foodies know that the restaurant impresario has recently sold his crown jewel, Eleven Madison Park, acclaimed by the James Beard Foundation as the 2011 “Best Restaurant in America,” given three stars by the Michelin Guide, and listed among the Fifty Top restaurants in the World by S. Pellegino.  These are just a few of its accolades. The long-time chef and manager will continue its momentum.  Celebrity chef Tom Colecchio, Gramercy Tavern alum, also has two restaurants in the area – Colicchio & Sons on 15th Street and Riverpark overlooking the East River.

There are still the long-time favorites to visit – Keith McNally’s Paris-Art Deco-inspired Balthazar, Bouley, Gotham Grill and Dean & Deluca for food acquisitions and gifts.  Speaking of gifts, ABC Carpet is nearby and its offerings for the host and hostess are fabulous. The original carpet store is on one side of Broadway and 19th Street  and, on the opposite side of the street is the stunning 10-floor home emporium and “wonderful mega boutique” featuring everything from the first floor bazaar of fabulous tableware and incidentals to antiques on the floors above.  Also, on the first floor is the top-touted Jean-George ABC Kitchen.  Not to be overlooked in this part of the city is the Burgundy Wine Company, making the visit to the Burgundy specialists all the easier. Thinking of wine, cheese comes to mind.  Don’t miss Murray's Cheese Shop, a New York landmark in Greenwich Village since 1940.

The latest food news in New York is Eataly at 23rd Street and Broadway in the former Toy Building -- the grand, ambitious, sprawling project dreamed up by culinary bigwigs Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Turin’s Eataly founder Oscar Farinetti.  The complex features areas for shopping, learning and - of course - eating, as you might expect from a multimillion-dollar endeavor.  The marketplace features a series of top notch restaurants dedicated to the specialties of the marketplace, such as fish, meat and pastas.  The food availability requires an audience the scale of New York to keep it going – walls of mushroom varieties, aisles and aisles of Italian pastas, plus fresh pastas, chocolates and sweets galore.  It is a must to visit and to return repeatedly to savor the experience.

Not to be overlooked in the downtown are the concentration of great chocolatiers. If ever there is an opportunity for a chocolate tour, this is it.  In the downtown area of Chelsea and Soho are some of the best: Jacques Torres, Chocolat Moderne, Christopher Norman, Vosges, and MarieBelle.  François Payard's Bakery is nearby as well, and features fine chocolates in addition to his sublime pastries.  This is the season to purchase these celebrated chocolates for friends at home and for holiday gifts that will be coveted by their recipients.

In many ways, staying in and focusing on downtown New York is discovering another New York, one that is trendy and increasingly fashionable.

Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!

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