Posts Tagged ‘Saks Fifth Avenue’

Where to See the Holiday Sparkle in New York City

Bundle up for a stroll along the streets, inside the malls or at the parks to see New York City’s acclaimed holiday lights.

Manhattan

Holiday Windows and Sidewalks

Saks Fifth Avenue © Meryl Pearlstein

Take a walk down Fifth Avenue where you’ll see some of the department stores’ most elaborate holiday windows. Plan to spend some time in front of Saks Fifth Avenue where this year’s windows were inspired by drawings from children. The windows in front of Bergdorf-Goodman, as always, are a stylefest of imagery with adventure, fashion and fantasy themes, strikingly arranged in tones of black and white, red and white, and rainbow montages.

Bergdorf-Goodman © Meryl Pearlstein

Individual stores like American Girl and the Lego Store have their own window displays decked out with all kinds of merriment. And the exteriors of stores like Cartier twinkle with fully lit décor all wrapped up in red ribbon.

American Girl © Meryl Pearlstein

Additionally, park yourself in front of the glorious Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and watch the music-and-light spectacular that happens every 15 minutes on the façade of Saks Fifth Avenue. For about 3 minutes, the entire façade changes with lights and decorations with music that will entice and have you humming “So Happy Together” or Beethoven’s Ode to Joy over and over again.

courtesy Rockefeller Center

And this year, there’s a special bonus. A variety of stores have created magic displays right on the sidewalk in front of their establishments. There’s a Microsoft cube in front of the Microsoft store, a giant teddy bear in front of FAO Schwarz, gift packages in front of Cartier, Christmas ornaments across from Tiffany’s and much more. You’ll need to walk up and down both sides of Fifth Avenue to see them all.

Microsoft © Meryl Pearlstein

Hudson Yards

Shine Bright at Hudson Yards © Meryl Pearlstein

If you can tear yourself away from outside plaza at Hudson Yards or down from The Edge (which is also decked out with holiday lights and a garland), you should venture inside the Hudson Yards mall where Shine Bright at Hudson Yards, a twinkling, floor-to-ceiling display of more than two million lights illuminates The Shops, Public Square and Gardens, The Edge and The Vessel. Floating hot air balloons and Christmas trees add to the twinkling magic.

Brookfield Place

Luminaries courtesy Brookfield Place

The mall’s annual Luminaries tradition invites participation with an interactive installation in the Winter Garden. Each hour, you’ll enjoy a special light show featuring music by groups like The Bird and the Bee and Pentatonix. A canopy of colorful lights is formed from hundreds of lanterns suspended among the palms. Below, contactless wishing stations let you send a motion-activated wish to the lanterns prompting a magical display of lights and colors. And you’ll be doing a good deed, too. For each wish that you make, Brookfield Place will donate $1to an organization that’s near and dear to me, ROAR (Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants), which supports New York City restaurant employees facing economic challenges as a result of the pandemic. This year, a new experience called Maestro! allows you to conduct the canopy with a gesture-controlled instrument.

The Lights of Manhattan

courtesy Empire State Building

And here’s a little bonus. You can watch the changing colors of the Empire State Building and the lights of downtown NYC at home on their ESB Live Cam. Two cameras give you two always-changing views. I could watch these for hours.

Brooklyn

When it comes to decorating houses, New York City is “top of the heap.”

The Lights of Dyker Heights

The Lights of Dyker Heights © Meryl Pearlstein

It’s hard to imagine a Christmas without the over-the-top lights displays of the houses in Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. Started in 1986 by Lucy Spata as a give-back to brighten up the neighborhood, the decorated homes and yards have attracted busloads of tourists to the streets each year. Due to COVID, you may have an easier time viewing the inflatable Santa’s, motorized displays and thousands of candy canes and elves, as walking tours are replacing buses.

The Lights of Dyker Heights © Meryl Pearlstein

It’s an immediate way to lift your spirits as you marvel at the passion and creativity here. The main area is 83rd through 86th streets between 11th and 13th avenues. Plan for crowds as this is one of the most popular highlights of the Christmas season in New York City.

New York City has two lantern festivals that you’ll want to put on your holiday lights calendar.

Staten Island

Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens has an awesome display of more than 1000 winter lanterns, sculpted into figures of all sorts. It’s a party, too, with a live DJ, lots of food, interactive display amid the eight acres of luminaries. You’ll also come away with a holiday gift, your own personal wish lantern. Tickets are required.

Queens

courtesy Queens Country Farm Museum

For the first time, Queens Country Farm Museum is transformed into another lantern and figure wonderland with luminaries taking on shapes appropriate to the farm: flowers, farm animals and tractors. A festive atmosphere reigns throughout with music, food and lots of space to enjoy the lights. Tickets are required.

The Bronx

The Bronx outdoes itself each holiday season with lighting displays and characters that appeal to all ages.

NYBG Glow

NYBG Glow © Meryl Pearlstein

Each year the New York Botanical Garden schedules its beloved train show for the holidays with New York City vignettes and buildings created out of flora and fauna foraged from nature. Further brightening up the landscape, NYBG Glow shines bright into the night with its outdoor Glow color and light experience. The glowing world surrounds the Haupt Conservatory. As you explore, colors, dazzling lights and nighttime illuminations in the reflecting pool and area create a winter wonderland that might conjure up visions of Disney’s World of Color. Adding to the festivities are ice carving displays, roaming dancers and musicians. Expect a Hip Hop Nutcracker performance of the re-imagined Tchaikovsky classic as well. Timed-entry tickets are required for entry.

The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights

The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights @ Julie Larsen Maher

Around the corner, the Bronx Zoo doesn’t disappoint with their seasonal celebration of lights. Through January 10, you’ll see illuminated animals and flowers, ice sculptures, a decked-out Christmas tree and light-strung buildings as you wander along “a safari” path through Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America and the Ocean. Costumed characters, stilt walkers and projections onto buildings add to the sparkle. A returning favorite, the Luminous Garden is filled with larger-than-life plants and animals.

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How to Support the Asian-American Community in New York City

Struggles from the pandemic and overt demonstrations of hatred and anti-Asian sentiment have taken a toll on the AAPI community. You can start by showing your support for the AAPI community in New York City by frequenting the Asian communities in New York City and helping their businesses stay alive: Chinatown in Manhattan, Chinatown in Sunset Park in Brooklyn, Chinatown in Flushing in Queens and Koreatown in Manhattan, for example. That’s a very good start — there is a high concentration of AAPI businesses with a myriad of restaurants, shops and more, all ready to give you an immersive Asian experience with authenticity.

Courtesy Chinatown Partnership LDC

Outside of these areas, there are many options in other parts of the city where you can also partake of the AAPI experience. Show your support of NYC’s rich “melting pot” by patronizing local businesses and cultural events and volunteering to help those in need.

Koreatown © Meryl Pearlstein

Let’s recognize the history, culture and achievements of this community and make a statement that shows our unity.

Support Asian-American Artists

Yayoi Kusama’s “Cosmic Nature” © Meryl Pearlstein

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s “Cosmic Nature” exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden is a foray into color and form, with a mix of inventive polka-dotted organic forms, photographs, drawings, wrapped trees and garden arrangements. The installations and artwork reflect the artist’s time in New York City and Japan and her fascination with the natural world. The exhibit will evolve with new openings and seasonal changes through the spring, summer and fall. Tickets are available through October 31 for timed entry.

8 Deadly Shots by Linjie Deng Courtesy Linjie Deng

Chinese artist Linjie Deng adds to his showings at Carlton Fine Arts in Manhattan with “Asian Art SPA,” conceptual artwork inspired by the shootings in Atlanta and an unprovoked attack he suffered at a NYC subway station. All proceeds from sales of the artwork go to Think! Chinatown, a community-based organization that supports and amplifies the voices of Asians in New York City. The exhibit runs through May 24.

Courtesy Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

Blending Chinese traditional and American modern dance, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company was founded by Taiwanese choreographer Nai-Ni. Tickets are currently available for performances online through the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC).

Courtesy Carnegie Hall

Through the end of April, Carnegie Hall’s multi-culture online festival “Voices of Hope” includes partnerships with China Institute and Japan Society.

Courtesy Pan Asian Repertory Theatre

Currently performing “The Emperor’s Nightingale,” a virtual family-oriented production set in 18th-century China, the 44-year-old Pan Asian Repertory Theatre is a member of the National Asian Artists Project which promotes access for Asian American artists.

Support the Businesses that Help the Communities

Courtesy Hotel Kitano

The only Japanese-owned boutique hotel in NYC, Hotel Kitano is a beautiful if understated example of Asian style.

Ashley Lim of Mansa Tea © Tory Williams

Mansa Tea, offering brews from both China and South Korea, has increased awareness of tea culture at many of the city’s fine dining establishments including Per Se and the Baccarat Hotel and now through virtual tea workshops.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor © Meryl Pearlstein

Support the restaurants and food providers that contribute so much to the fabric of NYC’s culinary landscape. From Chinatown to Uptown, small to large, casual to fine dining, every meal that you buy is a sign of support. Make your Sunday night Chinese dinner a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday event as well, dining outdoors or indoors at 100-year-old Nom Wah Tea Parlor, or order takeout from Michelin-starred Jungsik (modern Korean) and Mifune (Japanese), both now offering striking meal sets for home dining.

Mifune © Meryl Pearlstein

New York-based Mansa Tea has increased awareness of Asian tea culture at many of the city’s fine dining establishments including Per Se and the Baccarat Hotel. With restaurant closings, Ashley Lim, the company’s founder and tea sommelier, is now scheduling virtual tea workshops.

Mochidoki Courtesy Andrew Bui

After years of having their ice cream creations displayed on dessert menus at Tao, Nobu and other top NYC restaurants, Mochidoki opened its first brick-and-mortar store. Committed to success despite their launch at the start of the pandemic, the Japanese-inspired SoHo shop has just had its first birthday, offering birthday cake mochi to celebrate. Also in SoHo with a second location in Chelsea, Japanese-owned Harbs closed its UES bakery/cafe but continues to mesmerize downtown with original cakes that qualify as works of art.

Shop and Support

You can support the AAPI community and at-risk workers by patronizing their various businesses that add to the cultural fabric of the city.

Mitsuwa © Meryl Pearlstein

Two notable markets in Brooklyn and New Jersey will improve your awareness of the Asian community. Sunrise Mart sells all things Asian from skincare to fruit and seafood at Japan Village in Industry City, Brooklyn, and in various locations in Manhattan. The enormous Mitsuwa Marketplace market in Edgewater, NJ is a mix of Japanese grocery store, food court and pharmacy.

Courtesy Mi Jong Lee

Uniqlo, the go-to for reasonably priced outerwear, has its roots in Japan and a flagship store on Fifth Avenue. If you’d prefer something more bespoke, Emmelle Boutique on Madison Avenue has been a standout among women’s shops since 1982. Founded by Korean-American fashion designer Mi Jong Lee, the store features the Emmelle and Mi Jong Lee collections as well as select lines from both established and emerging designers. Designing out of a tiny studio in New York, Japanese-American Trisha Okubo creates the popular selection of earrings known as the Ear Bar for Maison Miru. Beautiful eveningwear from fashion designer Tadashi Shoji from Sendai, Japan is available at Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Learning Is Understanding

Even more important today, AAPI organizations offer online learning that fosters cooperation and understanding among countries.

Courtesy Asia Society

Robust scheduling from Asia Society includes discussions, performances and family programming with a multi-cultural emphasis. Japan Society offers year-round events dedicated to Japanese art, theater, film, language and culture. Virtual classes in Mandarin and Chinese culture are now being offered at China Institute.

Volunteer to Make a Difference

In additional to national organizations like Stop AAPI Hate, there are numerous NYC-centric ones with a mission of supporting AAPI-owned businesses and protecting Asian Americans.

Courtesy Welcome to Chinatown

Sign up for the newsletter from Welcome to Chinatown for news and a resource guide to help preserve NYC’s Chinatowns. Think! Chinatown welcomes all volunteers to assist with projects helping the Asian community.  Show your conviction at Protect Chinatown where you can volunteer to help those suffering from both the pandemic and hatred against the community. Through Heart of Dinner, you can deliver care packages or meals to Asian elders in need, while also supporting local food providers.

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Where to See the Best Holiday Decorations in NYC

It’s a different kind of year for holiday spectaculars, but New York City doesn’t slack when it comes to showing off the joy and sparkles of the season.

Holiday Windows

Saks Fifth Avenue Photo By: Meryl Pearlstein

While the department stores may be emptier than usual this year, they haven’t turned down the volume when it comes to creating a festive holiday showcase on their exteriors. Barneys is missing. Lord & Taylor is no longer. But there’s still plenty to see and love.

Bloomingdale's Photo By: Meryl Pearlstein

The holiday windows at Bloomingdale’s turn and sparkle with colors and glitter. Macy’s windows pay tribute to the many heroes of the year including our frontline workers.  The music and light show on the façade of Saks Fifth Avenue is a must-see, too, if you’re in the vicinity of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Support the stores, if you can, by shopping in person and acknowledging their good work for the year.

Hudson Yards

Hudson Yards

If you can tear yourself away from The Vessel or down from The Edge (which is also decked out with holiday lights and a garland), you should venture inside the Hudson Yards mall where Shine Bright at Hudson Yards is a brand-new twinkling, floor-to-ceiling display of more than two million lights. Floating hot air balloons and Christmas trees add to the twinkling magic. The display will be up through January 1.

Brookfield Place

Brookfield Place Luminaries

Through January 3, the mall’s annual Luminaries tradition invites participation with an interactive installation in the Winter Garden. Each hour, you’ll enjoy a special light show featuring music by groups like The Bird and the Bee and Pentatonix. A canopy of colorful lights is formed from hundreds of lanterns suspended among the palms. Below, contactless wishing stations let you send a motion-activated wish to the lanterns prompting a magical display of lights and colors. And you’ll be doing a good deed, too. For each wish that you make, Brookfield Place will donate $1to an organization that’s near and dear to me, ROAR (Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants), which supports New York City restaurant employees facing economic challenges as a result of the pandemic.

Lights from Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center - Photos by Sachyn Mital

While the theaters of Lincoln Center remain shuttered until 2021, the exteriors are still ablaze with lights. The gateway to Lincoln Center, Josie Robertson Plaza is illuminated in purple, red and pink tones. Adding further holiday merriment, lanterns float on the reflecting pool and lights adorn the trees in the back campus.

The Lights of Dyker Heights

Dyker Heights in Brooklyn Photo By: Meryl Pearlstein

It’s hard to imagine a Christmas without the over-the-top lights displays of the houses in Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. Started in 1986 by Lucy Spata as a give-back to brighten up the neighborhood, the decorated homes and yards have attracted busloads of tourists to the streets each year. Due to COVID, you may have an easier time viewing now, as walking tours are replacing buses and only private groups of 20 or less are allowed.

Dyker Heights in Brooklyn Photo By: Meryl Pearlstein

It’s an immediate way to uplift the spirits as you marvel at the passion and creativity here. Most displays stay up through January 1. The main area is 83rd through 86th streets between 11th and 13th avenues.

NYBG Glow

NYBG Glow - Photo Courtesy Of: NYBG

Each year the New York Botanical Garden schedules its beloved train show for the holidays with New York City vignettes and buildings created out of flora and fauna foraged from nature, but this year the show is limited to NYBG members and Bronx community partners. Don’t despair, though, NYBG has something else for celebrants in 2020. The  general public event shines bright into the night with a new outdoor Glow color and light experience. Through January 16 on weekend nights, you’ll see a glowing world around the Haupt Conservatory.  As you explore, colors, dazzling lights and nighttime illuminations in the reflecting pool and area create a winter wonderland that might conjure up visions of Disney’s World of Color. Adding to the festivities are ice carving displays, roaming dancers and musicians. Expect a Hip Hop Nutcracker performance of the re-imagined Tchaikovsky classic as well . Timed-entry tickets are required for entry.

The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights

The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights

Around the corner, the Bronx Zoo doesn’t disappoint with their seasonal celebration of lights. Through January 10, you’ll see illuminated animals and flowers, ice sculptures, a decked-out Christmas tree and light-strung buildings as you wander along “a safari” path through Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America and the Ocean. Costumed characters, stilt walkers and projections onto buildings add to the sparkle. New this year, the Luminous Garden is filled with larger-than-life plants and animals.

LuminoCity Festival

LuminoCity Festival

Randall’s Island turns into a trippy light extravaganza again through January 10. Sculptures, mushrooms, characters, and towering light displays will keep the entire family entertained as you walk through the expansive LuminoCity Festival park area . Masks are required as you explore the imaginative adventures of Lumi, a character hailing from a universe created from a unicorn’s horn. Timed entry keeps the crowds moving through the narrative journey of love, loss and life.

The Lights of Manhattan

Empire State Building

And here’s a little bonus . You can watch the changing colors of the Empire State Building and the lights of downtown NYC on their ESB Live Cam. Two cameras give you two always-changing views. I could watch these for hours.

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Where to See the Holiday Displays in NYC This Year

Of course the department stores rock when it comes to showing off the best displays of holiday (and commercial) cheer, but there’s also a fun way to see the light displays that take non-commercial venues almost as much time to put up.  Here’s how and where to see both:

Tony Muia’s Christmas Lights and Cannoli Tour

Tony Muia’s Christmas Lights and Cannoli Tour (yes…. Cannoli as well as lights!)

After you’ve exhausted Rockefeller Center and the displays listed below, this 3 1/2 hour holiday tour takes you to Dyker Heights, the Italian-American section of Brooklyn that acquires the nickname “Dyker Lights” every December. Here you’ll see over-the-top Christmas decorations that even a department store “dresser” couldn’t imagine. Think 15-foot-tall animated Santa’s, animatronic figures, life-sized Nativity Scenes and millions of lights. And the cannoli part? You can’t go to Brooklyn without a stop at an authentic neighborhood pastry shop for dessert and hot chocolate.

You’ll even be entertained on the bus with a multimedia presentation of vintage Christmas variety specials with Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and more.  Three or four busses leave nightly through December 31 (excluding December 24 and 25) from Union Square.  For more information, www.asliceofbrooklyn.com

And, the best when it comes to department store displays:

Bloomingdale's

Bloomingdale’s – Catch this one soon, as it ends on New Year’s Day. Bloomie’s windows depict shopping around the globe, with music from each country along with recognizable icons.  1000 Third Avenue at 59th Street.

Barneys New York

Barneys New York – Certainly the wildest of the windows, with a behind-the-curtains video fairyland, light shows, live models, and an interactive window-video game set, Barneys in collaboration with Jay Z have outdone themselves.  Through January 3. 660 Madison Avenue at 61st Street.

Bergdorf Goodman

Bergdorf Goodman – Save this one for last as the breakdown date is January 6.  Bergdorf’s doesn’t disappoint with its always-glam windows, this year’s showing the holidays of the year, done up in icy and fashionable renditions.  754 Fifth Ave., btw 57th and 58th sts.

Henri Bendel

Henri Bendel – If you love illustrator Al Hirschfeld, you’ll love these windows on display through January 2.  All the classic celebs are there: look for Liza Minnelli, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Carol Channing among others. 712 Fifth Ave., btw 55th and 56th sts.

Lord & Taylor

Lord & Taylor – Ending the soonest of all of the displays, on December 29, Lord & Taylor remains true to its traditional holiday windows with scenes from vintage New York City.  424 Fifth Avenue, btw 38th and 39th sts.

Macy's

Macy’s – The story of a boy’s dreams on Christmas Eve, the windows also feature an interactive display where you create the movement in the background and break icicles.  151 W. 34th St., at Seventh Avenue. Ends January 2.

Saks Fith Avenue

Saks Fifth Avenue – Through January 2, enjoy the 3-D light show on the building as well as the story of the SFA Yeti, a fluffy white creature that creates holiday snow.  611 Fifth Ave., btw 51st and 52nd sts.

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