This time of year is filled with family rituals and traditions. My memories of the Thanksgiving parade ‘inflation party’ from years ago are of a much simpler and more organic nature. This year’s inflation was still a thrill, but there was nothing organic about long lines to enter through block-long barricades. We began on West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue where we were screened before walking up a car m-free Central Park West. We noticed camera positions and viewing stands for the parade.
At the Museum of Natural History, the starting point of the parade, the fencing and barricades got much more narrow and the crowds thickened. The netted and weighted-down floats circled the museum in the order they will appear in the parade. By early afternoon the balloons were nearly all blown up. The gigantic, resting balloons are an amazing site. Sometimes the juxtaposition of the balloons can create funny situations. Here are some of my favorites. I have also included a couple of pictures from the equally important family tradition of viewing the parade live.
The weekend after Thanksgiving means different things to everyone. For me, it is time to check out the holiday windows and a few exhibits. This year, the Museum of the City of New York held its first ever NYC gingerbread bake-off with the theme of Winter in New York. All five boroughs were represented. The exhibits all looked and smelled delectable.
After this sweet exhibit, we headed to the former Barney’s on East 60th and Madison to see the Louis Vuitton 200 trunks show. For the 200th birthday of Louis Vuitton, the brand asked 200 visionaries to design and pay homage to LV and his famous trunk. The artists each had three months to complete their trunks. Each trunk has a story. There are knowledgeable guides in LV sweatshirts to offer information, plus QR codes on all the artists for a deeper dive. Barney’s space works well with this show which winds over three floors. There is a gift shop and an area where you can make your own miniature cardboard trunk.
The apartment buildings and hotels are beginning to decorate for the holidays, the Christmas trees are for sale on almost every corner and the Christmas markets are stocking up with handicrafts and hot chocolate. Let the holiday season begin!
Where is Wendy 