Christmas in New York (Part 2)

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Today we’re travelling back in time just over a year ago to December 21 & 22, 2023. 

I started the morning by dropping my mum off at a cafe while I headed to the Belasco theatre to purchase discount tickets for the Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio. 






Then we checked out the Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas windows.





Saks collaborated with Dior.





It was pretty busy, but with a little patience there’s usually a “window” of opportunity to capture photos and videos.





I loved the tribute to NYC and fashion.




So many beautiful details and intricate moving parts.





We checked out the foyer of The Peninsula Hotel.



We snapped a few photos while trying to stay out of the way of guests.


Then we were off to the Lotte New York Palace.






There was supposed to be a pop up cafe where you could get a cookie and hot drink, but I think we were there at the wrong time of day.






Somewhere between all the free festive viewing we grabbed lunch. Wish I could tell you where exactly…

In the afternoon we had breakfast at Tiffany’s.



It was actually an early dinner at Tiffany’s Blue Box Cafe.


Everything was stunning…

except the floor. Such an odd design that didn’t match the elegance of the rest of the interior.


I’d wanted to eat here for years and I’d tried so many times to get a reservation.



It books out fast, so try to book as soon as possible, but if you don't have any luck keep checking. Sometimes people cancel their reservations.




The food was delicious and the service efficient and friendly.




We walked past Cartier on the way to the Channel Gardens to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree and the Saks Fifth Avenue light show.




Looking across the street standing on the platform near the angels is the best vantage point to watch the colourful lights dance. (Except I just discovered there was no light show this year, so who knows what’s happening in 2025.)



It’s still December 21, 2023 and it was time for our last activity of the day - How to Dance in Ohio. Carlos joined us too.


It was the autistic rep needed in theatre - all the autistic characters were played by autistic people.


The characters represented a variety of autistic presentations.

I appreciated how friendly the staff at the venue were (very different to an experience I had a later show experience). There was a calm space and at the beginning of the show the leads came out to introduce the show experience.

I also witnessed Jean Christian Barry’s Broadway debut, which was super special.

I also met the leads and they signed my program. They were all very lovely.

Sadly, How to Dance in Ohio concluded its Broadway run in February, but the rights are now available for amateur groups to perform.

Writing this blog made me realise that was a massive day, but so fun.

December 22 was a chilled day with a bit of reading.


(Addy said we could select which books to read, but I’m pretty sure she rigged our selections.)

And a bit of Christmas light viewing.


Oh, and ice-cream!


How to Dance in Ohio

https://howtodanceinohiomusical.com/

The Peninsula Hotel

https://www.peninsula.com/en/new-york/festive

Lotte New York Palace

https://www.lottenypalace.com/happenings

Tiffany’s Blue Box Cafe

https://www.blueboxcafenyc.com/

Channel Gardens 

https://www.rockefellercenter.com/holidays/#/holidays/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-lighting


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