Touristy Things

I am a "Bridge and Tunnel" kid. I grew up coming into the City on weekends in the winter to see the tourist attractions and gawk at the buildings. I didn't come in much in the summer because it was hot and crowded, but in the winter, my parents and I went in every year. So I've done almost every "tourist" attraction in the city.

One thing I had never gotten the chance to do is see the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Plaza. Wednesday was the night to change that.
My friend Stacey and I went to see the tree lighting, and while it was nice, I don't think I'll ever do it again. I got to hear Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige, and Kelly Clarkson sing live - but I couldn't see them at all. I watched their performance on a giant screen that was simply displaying the television program on ABC. But hearing Mariah Carey sing "All I Want for Christmas is You" was a really magical experience.

I also found out something strange about "live broadcasts". You know how the often cut in to the middle of a song from commercial? You'd assume that the performer is actually continuing to perform during commercials, but they're not. They're off-stage, with instructions on where to start when the cameras come back on. So you stand in a crowd waiting for the two minutes of the commercial break. That was a little awkward to find out.

I also learned a little something about moving through crowds. You can't be afraid to become incredibly intimate with the individuals around you if you want to get a good spot. At one point, there was a large gap in the crowd on just the other side of two men. But they weren't moving forward - so I asked if I could slip by, if they weren't going to move. This little jerk (he wasn't any taller than I, and I'm only 5' 5") announced "I ain't gonna move an inch. If you wanna get by, go ahead, but I'm not gonna move."
 There was a 4 inch gap between him and his buddy, whose look said that he'd be in the same boat if I wanted to try and slide by. I have never been one to turn down a challenge, and that was not about to start today. I turned to the short man and said, "Alright, don't move then.", and proceeded to shove my way past. I was gifted by the gods with a set of broad shoulders and strong hips. My mother used to joke that I was her little linebacker. No one has ever used "dainty" to describe me. In the crowds of New York, this is not exactly a bad thing. My friend Stacey had come with me, so she followed right behind. Luckily, she knows me well enough to have realized that the minute he threw down the glove we were going. She's also not ashamed to push a bit for a better view.

After that, the tree lighting was lovely. I got to see the last time Michael Bloomberg will ever press the button to light the tree. (the Mayor always presses the button, though sometimes they are joined by additional celebrities) Everyone cheered and took beautiful photos once the tree was lit. Its nice to be a part of a huge crowd sometimes, just cheering for something as simple as a lit Christmas tree.

The tree at Rockefeller Plaza was impressive even before it was lit!

That, ladies and gentlemen, is a Christmas Tree done right.

Getting out was, of course, a zoo. Stacey and I headed over to Bryant Park afterwards, and looked at the tree that was lit up in that park. We also looked at all the little shops in their winter village, and checked out the times for the free ice skating rink they have at Bryant Park. I love Bryant Park more than any other in the city. They constantly have wonderful events going on and many are free to attend. Additionally, my mother loves the tree at Bryant Park more than the one at Rockefeller, so there's a bit of nostalgia attached to it.

From across the rink and behind the fountain, you can see the tree with the backdrop of the main building of the New York Public Library.

Just a closer shot of the Bryant Park tree, with some of the Holiday Shops in the shot.