A festive holiday stroll around the neighborhood

Here’s my annual route for a stroll to Fidi to check out the holiday lights. I didn’t hit Brookfield this year, but the Luminaries are installed once again.

The number one tree in the neighborhood is in the Western Union Building, 60 Hudson. The guards are lovely in there, and they will let you gawk all you want at the magnificent lobby.

For the nighttime stroll, I started at Citi — though the Square Diner has also done a wonderful job with its two street trees on Varick. From there:

  • Down Greenwich or West Broadway to the Oculus, which is decked out, lit on the outside, and has a wacky little roller rink in the middle.
  • South through the World Trade Center to Liberty Plaza, to see the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (the Christmas service is 10a to noon, and the church is open till 3p) and the lighted animals.
  • Down the stairs on the east and across Liberty to Zuccotti Park
  • The lightshow on 127 Broadway is timed on the half hour
  • Right on Broadway to see the new stained glass window at Trinity Church looks amazing at night (the service is at 11:15, and the church will be open from 8:30a till 4p)
  • Left on Wall to get to the Stock Exchange tree on Broad and Wall. The exchange itself is quite a show.
  • Take Wall east and then left on Water to hit the top of the Seaport Mall on Fulton for the tree
  • Down past the lighting of the historic Seaport buildings
  • Last stop: the lit masts at the Seaport

FESTIVE FIDI PIT STOPS (Check to see who’s open on Christmas Day.)

  • I find The Dead Rabbit truly festive — maybe it’s that old-school Irish thing. Get a drink and a Scotch egg.
  • I think there’s no reason not to get a Manhattan at Harry’s
  • Guilty pleasures: I am always game for a beer at Fraunces Tavern — I just love the stools in the middle of the bar room, but a booth in the middle room is very cozy. There’s also a new piano bar upstairs.

 

3 Comments

  1. There’s a lot less holiday displays and cheer in Tribeca and Manhattan in general. Pick your poison:: empty storefronts, the economy, protestors, lawlessness or no accoutability. Ots sad.

    • Sounds grim, but totally agree. One bright spot amongst the hopelessness, the crack down on the counterfeit bazaar on Broadway and Canal appears to be real this time. Imagine all the tax dollars wasted on this could have been used for other urgent needs if the city had snuffed it out three years ago. The Africans are clearly emboldened by the incompetence of the city administration( they haven’t completely given up, still waiting for the cops to leave) while the Chinese simply spread out business as usual. Meanwhile, the urine smell on the street is getting ever thicker and more dog(human?) poop on the sidewalk as well.
      I wonder what the out of town visitors think of NYC now?

  2. I would add the Christmas Tree on the plaza next to the Four Seasons Hotel , its really pretty! and their first year doing that one.

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