Turkey Day in the Big Apple
So I didn't have to fly home twice in less than a month, my family came to New York to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. It was great, even if the weather didn't cooperate. The weather on Thursday was among the worst we've had since I moved here: 40 degrees and pouring rain with high winds. If you watched parade on TV, you saw what it was like. Rather than stand in line freezing to death for hours to see inflatable Big Bird for 30 seconds, we scotched the parade, missing our chance to finally see something that we've watched on TV every single year of my life. We did happen to pass through Times Square just as it was ending, so we saw Garfield's butt from several blocks away.
On Wednesday night, before my family got here, I went to the inflating of the balloons at the Museum of Natural History, so I got my chance to commune with Super Grover and Dora the Explorer -- the balloons aren't as big as you might think. Anyway, I think I'm all set on going to the actual parade from now on. Going to the inflation, you see all the balloons in about 20 minutes, with no waiting, no inane Today Show patter, and no crappy pop star musical performances. I forgot to bring my camera to the inflation, so this photo from the Times will have to suffice.
The parade was out, so our large contingent (my parents and brother, along with aunt, uncle and cousin Kate) had to find other ways to amuse ourselves. We braved the rain to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (again, not as big as I'd imagined) and David Blaine. He was in the midst of his latest dumb stunt: if he escaped from a gyroscope dangling from a crane before the stores opened on "Black Friday," Target would give needy children a shopping spree! Great corporate synergy! I did have my camera for that, so here you go. He actually escaped -- and fell through the plywood stage and was taken to the hospital -- about an hour after we were there.
After all that time in the rain, we went to Brookstone, the one store we could find that was open on Thanksgiving, just to warm up. Here's a picture of me, Kate and my Uncle Joe (in the red hat) flagrantly violating the time limit for trying out the $4,000 massage chairs.
After that, it was time for a not-quite-traditional Thanksgiving dinner at a 50s themed diner where all the waitresses sing showtunes. Ellen's Stardust Diner may not be exactly Norman Rockwell (I think only my mom actually had turkey), but it was definitely American. The singers were really pretty good, but they walked around the restaurant belting out Little Mermaid songs and stopping at tables, waiting for you to...I don't know what. We mostly felt embarrassed for them and looked down at our food. One waiter waltzed passed and got right in my dad's face to sing "Que Sera Sera." I thought my brother would die laughing. More below...
On Wednesday night, before my family got here, I went to the inflating of the balloons at the Museum of Natural History, so I got my chance to commune with Super Grover and Dora the Explorer -- the balloons aren't as big as you might think. Anyway, I think I'm all set on going to the actual parade from now on. Going to the inflation, you see all the balloons in about 20 minutes, with no waiting, no inane Today Show patter, and no crappy pop star musical performances. I forgot to bring my camera to the inflation, so this photo from the Times will have to suffice.
The parade was out, so our large contingent (my parents and brother, along with aunt, uncle and cousin Kate) had to find other ways to amuse ourselves. We braved the rain to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (again, not as big as I'd imagined) and David Blaine. He was in the midst of his latest dumb stunt: if he escaped from a gyroscope dangling from a crane before the stores opened on "Black Friday," Target would give needy children a shopping spree! Great corporate synergy! I did have my camera for that, so here you go. He actually escaped -- and fell through the plywood stage and was taken to the hospital -- about an hour after we were there.
After all that time in the rain, we went to Brookstone, the one store we could find that was open on Thanksgiving, just to warm up. Here's a picture of me, Kate and my Uncle Joe (in the red hat) flagrantly violating the time limit for trying out the $4,000 massage chairs.
After that, it was time for a not-quite-traditional Thanksgiving dinner at a 50s themed diner where all the waitresses sing showtunes. Ellen's Stardust Diner may not be exactly Norman Rockwell (I think only my mom actually had turkey), but it was definitely American. The singers were really pretty good, but they walked around the restaurant belting out Little Mermaid songs and stopping at tables, waiting for you to...I don't know what. We mostly felt embarrassed for them and looked down at our food. One waiter waltzed passed and got right in my dad's face to sing "Que Sera Sera." I thought my brother would die laughing. More below...
posted by Ryan Davis | 4:17 PM
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