Christmas in New York (Part 6)

- January 03, 2025

We’re now up to that week between Christmas and New Year (in 2023).

I get that it’s not technically “Christmas”, but I did Christmas related activities, so it counts. Plus, in my mind, the Christmas season ends January 2.

Even though Cookie Chip (Addy’s elf) had returned to the North Pole, her friends remained everywhere…

in our breakfast bowls (actually, it was just mine, it was more like lunch time and it tasted really good)…

on our tv… Ok, so maybe not everywhere.

We also watched Dino Ranch.

We played a few board games.

We were joined by a sheep at one point. No idea where Addy was.

I had the hot chocolate spoon one of my dance students had given me. I specifically brought it over from Australia because I thought it would be best consumed during a cold Christmas season.

I was right.

December 28 I travelled into Manhattan. I was excited to see The Rockettes after buying a last minute ticket.

I had previously seen them in 2013 and loved them, so thought another visit ten years later would be good.

I was only partly right.

The Rockettes, the show, Radio City Music Hall were all gorgeous, fabulous and wonderful.

I can’t say the same for one of the security guards.

He was so rude and was yelling at me. I had a full backpack with me too because I was spending the whole day in the city. He was rushing me, and not in a nice way. He told me I had to throw my water away, which contributed to me getting upset. I wasn’t ready to then line up and pay who knows how much for a bottle of water. So anyway, I ended up crying. After I passed through the security checkpoint and I was crouched down trying to fix all my belongings another security guard who had also been standing there gave me a bottle of water, which was so kind.

That first security guard honestly ruined my visit, so yes, objectively, The Rockettes were incredible, but my biggest memory from that visit was the first security guard.

Then we move onto Magnolia Bakery, where they sell some of my favourite cupcakes.

There was a massive line, not for the cupcakes, but for some banana fosters pudding thing?

Anyway, my tried and true cupcake was delicious.

Another thing I wanted to do on my New York trip was get a meal from Shake Shack… so I did. I also had a lot of time to wait before my next stop, so I really indulged in the experience. I didn’t know where else to go in the cold.

My next stop was Broadway Dance Center for a heels dance class, which I’d been wanting to do for a while. Last time I took classes at BDC was in 2018 and this time it was very different.

The structure used to be warm up, technique/progressions, choreography, cool down.

This class’ structure was warm up, choreography, film teacher’s favourites.

It was also a beginner level class, which isn’t the most basic level, but I should’ve been able to roughly keep up with some of it.

The teacher told us he just ignores the levels and teaches what he wants. After a little while someone actually left the class. I thought about doing that too, but didn’t want to be defeated, so I stayed.

Some people were really nailing the chorey. Turns out some of them had done this combo before. Other people are just gifted I guess.

At one point we were doing the chorey in groups and a girl in the class rudely told me I had to move to the front, to which I said something like, “No. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Needless to say I was not selected for filming. I think it’s great for teachers to find students who are nailing their chorey and film it, but everyone should be allowed to film themselves when performing in groups.

I think some teachers are more interested in selling their chorey on social media, rather than providing a place for people to learn, even if they don’t do it perfectly.

(On a side note, I strive to be a considerate, caring teacher and am starting Adult Ballet classes for all levels at LKM Performing Arts in Springwood and Dance 100 in Bossley Park this year.)

Let’s just say December 28, 2023 was not my favourite visit to NYC.

Back to the Bravos’ home over the next couple of days and we were joined by Carlos’ sister, Irene and nephew, Emilio.