An Affair to Remember

Merry Christmas! Here are some pics from our trip to NYC last weekend. It was only a one-nighter but it was plenty of city time for us country bumpkins. I love NYC (especially during Christmastime) and the weather was favorable but the cost of visiting Manhattan had us hightailing it out of there by Sunday afternoon.

First stop: Bon Chon Chicken for lunch. Always wanted to try this place but never got a chance. There's one in Annandale, VA and now one in Rockville, MD also. They specialize in wings. This one is on 5th Ave. between 32nd and 33rd.

The Empire State Building is right across the street from Bon Chon. Two people in our group of four had never been up to the top (I went up many years ago) so we decided to go for it.

After about 90 minutes or so of waiting in line and $27 per person later, we made it to the 86th floor observatory just before 4pm.

East / Queens

Chrysler Building

North / Central Park to the right

The sun was setting so I couldn't get any good shots of downtown or the west side. I think nighttime views on the ESB would have been better. The weather was so nice but it was kind of a drag waiting in line. I'm probably good with never doing that again. Although, you can purchase cut the line passes for $50/person. Money talks, babykins.

 

After that we checked into our hotel at 37th and 8th (Times Square West), relaxed for a bit and then walked to K-Town for some Korean BBQ.

 

Korean BBQ at Kang Suh.

Empire State Building looking festive from 32nd St (K-Town). Cabbed it from here to Bryant Park.

Bryant Park Winter Village and Rink during an ice cut.

Everyone back on the ice. We wanted to skate but after seeing this we changed our minds.

Tree at Bryant Park

Inside the tree. Looks like they beef up the branches to make it look fuller.

The ornaments are huge!

Rockefeller Center. It was jammed packed in there. We skimmed the edge and decided to reroute toward Times Square.

30 Rock

New Yorkers LOVE Times Square. NOT. We hung out at a tiny bar at TSQ. Did some shopping at MAC and missed a girl fight in the McDonald's bathroom.  

 

Cabbed it home and Roy and I passed out. We missed out on $1 late night pizza slices down the block. Sad face.

 

The next day we went down to Little Italy and ate at Benito One for lunch. So good. Walked around Chinatown where random people kept whispering "watches, handbags" in your ear. Drove back up to Midtown via FDR and did a short driving tour of the upper East side and Central Park. Roy was enjoying himself as he drove like a cab and honked back at everyone. He hates the city. We thought about walking around Central Park but the thought of parking the car for another $30 somewhere had us heading toward Lincoln Tunnel.  Until next time, I heart you, NYC!