On our must-do list for this holiday season: all the festive everythings.
Starting with a Halloween thing, because we’ve put off going to The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Croton-on-Hudson for three years now, and this is our last chance.
OK: next year? You (or at least those of you in the New England area) need to go. Because what I anticipated was a bunch of pumpkins carved in cool ways – which means that I anticipated thinking “Well, that’s neat” for about five minutes before becoming bored – but it is so much more amazing than I anticipated. Seriously: it’s magical. I had no idea.
It’s not “carved pumpkins”…it’s a carved landscape filled with life-size giraffes, elephants, dinosaurs, zombies. A towering spiderweb. A grandfather clock. A giant sea dragon. And – of course – the Headless Horseman throwing his pumpkin head.
Photos don’t do it justice (or at least mine don’t). It’s over for this season, but next year? Go go go.
Tips For Your Trip:
– Bundle up; it’s all outdoors, so it gets chilly after awhile.
– Bring a few bucks for cider donuts and coffee, and stop into the gift shop for Sleepy Hollow souvenirs.
– The 5:00PM showing is totally dark enough to be spectacular and way less crowded. Go early, and then go get dinner afterwards.
– Speaking of dinner: get sushi at Asagao – located in a strip mall, it doesn’t look like an especially great place…but it’s deceptive: once you’re inside you’ll find great quality and a huge selection of specialty rolls.
Next up: a trip to the city for brunch at one of our favorite Hell’s Kitchen spots, Riposo, followed by…
dah dah dahhhh…
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
I went to see the show when I was a kid, and I have such vivid memories of it – mostly of the sparkly camel that walks across the stage with the Three Kings and the toy soldiers – and I didn’t want our son to leave New York without getting the chance to see it (Goldie technically saw it too, but we’ll need to make a return trip for her when she’s a bit older).
It’s totally touristy and a little cheesy and all the things you’d expect…and it’s also completely wonderful and Christmassy. Afterwards we walked down to Bryant Park to watch the ice skaters and wander around the holiday market, and then finished the day with a dinner at Trattoria Casa di Isacco (another of my favorite Hell’s Kitchen restaurants).
Not a bad start on all the festive everythings. More to come!
