THE HOLIDAY SHOPS AT BRYANT PARK
Bryant Park, 212-661-6640, Midtown West, Manhattan
October 27–January 8
Sure, there’s a free skating rink and more than 100 glassed-in shops (a big selling point on chilly shopping days), but our favorite part of the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park is the wide array of food. You can sample all types of cuisine—including Chinese, Mexican, Venetian and Turkish—and wash it all down with a cup of hot apple cider. This hearty smorgasbord makes the market worth a look even if you’ve already checked everyone off your list. As for the goods? Expect candles, children’s clothing, jewelry, ornaments and much, much more.

GRAND CENTRAL HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR
Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal, Midtown East, Manhattan
November 14–December 24
When the temperature dips, ditch the chilly outdoor markets in favor of the Grand Central Holiday GIft Fair. You’re welcomed into the Main Concourse with live music and a laser light show, and the 70-plus boutiques lining the adjacent Vanderbilt Hall glow under ornate golden chandeliers. Here you’ll find one-of-a-kind crafts, jewelry, clothing, home furnishings, children’s gifts and more. Once you’ve worked out your credit card, you can refuel downstairs in the Market with a cheese plate from Murray’s or slurp down some shellfish at the legendary Oyster Bar. Also on-site is the New York Transit Museum’s Holiday Train Show, with more than 30 feet of track winding through the New York skyline toward Santa’s workshop.

UNION SQUARE HOLIDAY MARKET
Union Square Park, Union Square, Manhattan
November 18–December 24
Despite the year-round farmers’ market and frequent special events, at no time of year is Union Square more lively than in mid-November to December, when designers, artists and chefs ply their wares in a cozy warren of bright red-and-white-striped tents. This is a one-stop-shopping destination, where you can get a box of decadent truffles for Mom, freshly ground meat rubs for Dad and repurposed industrial jewelry for your sis. Reward yourself for your shopping prowess by sampling goodies throughout your journey, from sweet and savory treats to cider and coffee that will keep you warm.

WIRED HOLIDAY STORE
Times Square, 42nd Street and Broadway, Manhattan
November 18–December 24
There are lots of ways to bring people together for the holidays, and one of them is technology. Wired magazine’s seventh-annual holiday store will help you do just that. Take a trip to Times Square for a unique and engaging interactive shopping experience, featuring the latest in gadgets and gear. Items for sale include a range of electronics and games, art and design fixtures, apparel and luxury items. Test out and play with gadgets, and place orders on-site electronically to make your shopping experience seamless.

COLUMBUS CIRCLE HOLIDAY MARKET
Entrance to Central Park at 59th Street and Broadway
November 30–December 24
Central Park is a favorite holiday destination for many, both for its carriage rides through the snow and for the Columbus Circle Holiday Market. Located at the southwest entrance of Central Park, the fair is back this season, bringing crafts and gifts for all ages from more than 100 vendors.

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Some of these hastily disposed-of creatures managed to survive and breed in the dank Manhattan sewer system, so the story goes, producing colonies of giant, albino alligators beneath the streets of New York City. Their descendants thrive down there to this day, completely hidden (apart from the rare heart-stopping encounter between sewer gator and sewer worker, that is) from human eyes.

Analysis: Oddly enough, there is a grain of truth behind this legend, namely the documented capture of an eight-foot alligator at the bottom of an East Harlem manhole in 1935 (though no one at the time assumed it actually lived down there). It was theorized at the time that the creature must have tumbled off a steamer visiting the northeast “from the mysterious Everglades, or thereabouts,” and swam up the Harlem River. It met an unfortunate end at the hands of the teenage boys who found it.

Birth of an urban legend

The earliest published reference to alligators in the sewer — in what Jan Harold Brunvand refers to as the “standardized” form of the urban legend (“baby alligator pets, flushed, thrived in sewers”) — can be found in the 1959 book, The World Beneath the City, a history of public utilities in New York City written by Robert Daley. Daley’s source was a retired sewer official named Teddy May, who claimed that during his tenure in the 1930s he personally investigated workers’ reports of subterranean saurians and saw a colony of them with his own eyes. He also claimed to have supervised their eradication. May was a colorful storyteller, if not a particularly reliable one.

‘New York White’

The tale was well known throughout the United States by the late 1960s, when, according to folklorist Richard M. Dorson, it came to be associated with another icon of sewer lore, the mythical “New York White” — an especially potent, albino strain of marijuana growing wild from seeds spilled out of baggies hastily flushed down toilets during drug raids. Not that anyone had ever actually seen the stuff, much less smoked it. It was impossible to harvest, you see, because of all the alligators down there.

The reason we speak of all this as folklore, not fact, is that herpetologists pooh-pooh the very idea of alligators thriving in the New York City sewer system. It’s cold down there most of the time, they point out — freezing cold during the winter — and alligators require a warm environment year-round to survive, much less reproduce and burgeon into colonies. And if the cold didn’t kill them off, the polluted sewer water certainly would.

Actual New York City gator sightings:

Adding fodder to the legend is the intriguing fact that wayward alligators — escaped or abandoned pets, we assume — do occasionally turn up in the streets of New York City, and never fail to cause a ruckus. For example:

• June 2001- A small alligator (actually a caiman, as it turned out) was spotted and eventually captured in Central Park.• November 2006 – A two-foot-long caiman is captured outside an apartment building in Brooklyn. Police say it “snapped and hissed” at them.

• August 2010 – A two-foot-long alligator was captured in Queens after eyewitnesses spotted it hiding under a parked car.

The experts speak:

“The theme of displaced creatures is an old one, and modern folklore has spawned many rumors of an animal — usually a fearsome one — lurking where it does not belong.” — Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist

“I would bring leftovers from lunch, a long line and a hook, and spend a part of each day in the sewers looking for alligators. I saw rats, cockroaches — probably caught a lot of sicknesses — but I never saw anything like an alligator.” — Frank Indiviglio, herpetologist

“It’s like the Loch Ness Monster or the Big Foot. People believe in those stories up to a point that it does make sense.” — Esteban Rodriguez, NYC sewer worker

“What could better serve as a metaphor for the city as a jungle than the belief that the New York sewer system is filled with albino alligators, which swim through toilet pipes and bite victims in public washrooms?” — Gary Alan Fine, folklorist

In September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers—an assortment of religious separatists seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith and other individuals lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in the New World. After a treacherous and uncomfortable crossing that lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River. One month later, the Mayflower crossed Massachusetts Bay, where the Pilgrims, as they arenow commonly known, began the work of establishing a village at Plymouth.

Throughout that first brutal winter, most of the colonists remained on board the ship, where they suffered from exposure, scurvy and outbreaks of contagious disease. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers and crew lived to see their first New England spring. In March, the remaining settlers moved ashore, where they received an astonishing visit from an Abenaki Indian who greeted them in English. Several days later, he returned with another Native American, Squanto, a member of the Pawtuxet tribe who had been kidnapped by an English sea captain and sold into slavery before escaping to London and returning to his homeland on an exploratory expedition. Squanto taught the Pilgrims, weakened by malnutrition and illness, how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants. He also helped the settlers forge an alliance with the Wampanoag, a local tribe, which would endure for more than 50 years and tragically remains one of the sole examples of harmony between European colonists and Native Americans.

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit. Now remembered as American’s “first Thanksgiving”—although the Pilgrims themselves may not have used the term at the time—the festival lasted for three days. While no record exists of the historic banquet’s exact menu, the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow wrote in his journal that Governor Bradford sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the event, and that the Wampanoag guests arrived bearing five deer. Historians have suggested that many of the dishes were likely prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. Because the Pilgrims had no oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts, which have become a hallmark of contemporary celebrations.

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The 2-mile route will once again head south on 7th Avenue, but it may be the last time Times Square gets a piece of the parade. “Mark your calendar! The parade route will change in 2012,” states Macy’s website for the 2011 parade.

Earlier, it was announced that the parade will likely move from Seventh Avenue to Sixth Avenue in 2012 and 2013.

The 2011 route, according to Macy’s new parade website: “Beginning at 77th Street and Central Park West, the parade marches south on Central Park West, and then turns east onto Central Park South. When it reaches 7th Avenue, the procession turns south at the corner of Central Park South and marches to 42nd Street. It then travels east on 42nd Street from 7th Avenue to 6th Avenue. At 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas), the parade veers south and marches to 34th Street. At 34th Street, it heads west to Herald Square, ending at 34th Street and 7th Avenue.”

Macy’s has so far only released a few details about this year’s parade. Clumsy Smurf, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Paul Frank’s monkey Julius, Kung Fu Panda, Pikachu, Pillsbury Doughboy, Hello Kitty, Ronald McDonald, Sailor Mickey, Snoopy the Flying Ace, Sonic the Hedgehog will all return for 2011. New balloons this year will include the Macy’s Great American Elf, Macy’s announced in September.

The Thanksgiving Day parade begins Nov. 24 at 9 a.m.

Update on Oct. 21: Tim Burton has designed a balloon called B. Boy for this year’s parade, according to the New York Times.

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The seven restaurants all get the top three-star ranking in the new red guide.

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon and SHO Shaun Hergatt are new to the two-star list, joining Marea, Momofuku Ko, Corton, Gilt, Soto, Kajitsu and Gordon Ramsay at The London.

Forty-six more earned one star, indicating each is “very good restaurant in its category.” The one stars: Adour, Ai Fiori, Aldea, annisa, Aureole, A Voce Columbus, A Voce Madison, Blue Hill, Bouley, The Breslin, Brushstroke, Cafe Boulud, Casa Mono, Danji, Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen Del Posto, Dovetail, Dressler, Gotham Bar and Grill, Gramercy Tavern, Heartbreak, Jewel Bako, Junoon, Kyo Ya, Laut, Marc Forgione, Minetta Tavern, The Modern, Oceana, Peter Luger, Picholine, Public, River Cafe, Rosanjin, Rouge Tomate, Saul, Seasonal, Spotted Pig, Sushi Azabu, Sushi of Gari, Tamarind, Tori Shin, Tulsi, Veritas, Wallse and wd~50.

Of the one stars, all are in Manhattan except Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen in Queens and four in Brooklyn: Dressler, Peter Luger, River Cafe, Saul.

Check out the Michelin map created by Eater NY.

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230 FIFTH ROOFTOP GARDEN BAR (Midtown)
230 Fifth’s year-round rooftop bar offers amazing views of the New York skyline, including the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings. The roof is open 365 days a year and the Rooftop Garden Bar is partially heated for those chilly nights.
230 Fifth Avenue at 27th Street

PLUNGE AT HOTEL GANSEVOORT (Meat Packing District)
The views of midtown from Plunge are breathtaking, but no one here is gazing at the cityscape. The Meatpacking District’s fiercest, finest, and fabulous mingle at this popular Gansevoort Hotel lounge, sipping stiff drinks and glancing over their shoulders at the celebrity scenery. Dress the part, drop some serious dough, and you’re in the club.
18 9th Avenue at West 13th Street

LE BAIN AT STANDARD HOTEL (Meat Packing District)
Called Le Bain, the club encompasses the black, tiled bar on the 18th floor (the one with the jacuzzi, across the hall from the Boom Boom Room) and the roof above it, which has been transformed into something of a chic backyard with synthetic grass covering the floor, dusty pink Acapulco chairs and circular water bed loungers. Not to mention the unbeatable view of downtown Manhattan and the Hudson River. Starting at noon, the club is open to everyone for afternoon cocktails or a snack on the roof. Later in the evening is when management will implement “occupancy control.”
848 Washington Street (entrance on 13th Street)

ROOF GARDEN AT THE MET MUSEUM (Upper East Side)
For a more cultured rooftop drinking experience, visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Tour the latest exhibits and then head to the roof for a cold beer, a glass of fine wine, or a frozen margarita.
1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street

SKY ROOM TIMES SQUARE (Times Square)
The Sky Room takes New York City nightlife to a new level and transports its guests to a high-energy oasis overlooking Midtown Manhattan. The bi-level lounge occupies the 33rd and 34th floors of the newly constructed Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites Times Square on 40th Street and boasts 360-degree views of Manhattan and the Hudson River. Debuting in spring 2010, the Sky Room will offer three distinct spaces, which include a private salon, a semi-private balcony and the amazing South Terrace. Unique designer cocktails and desserts are served daily, along with a variety of modern American small plates to share.
330 W. 40th St. (40 St/8 Av)

SALON DE NING AT THE PENINSULA HOTEL (Midtown)
Located on the rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel, Salon de Ning was designed to evoke the glamour of 1930′s Shanghai. Enjoy Asian-inspired cocktails and bites and a view of the Manhattan skyline from upper Fifth Avenue.
700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street

THE ROOFTOP AT HOTEL ON RIVINGTON (Lower East Side)
Making your way to the Hotel on Rivington’s rooftop involves a near-Herculean effort: up the elevator to the twentieth floor, down a narrow hallway, through an indoor bar area, up a glass staircase, through another bar space, up an even steeper stairway. And, finally, to your destination. There—if not spoiled by the attitude, the thick cigarette smoke, and the thicker crowds—is your reward: the remarkable, near-panoramic views of Manhattan.
Visitors to the rooftop bar are accepted by reservation only. E-mail James Woods, jwoods@hotelonrivington.com, with your name, reservation time, and number of guests.
107 Rivington St., nr. Essex St.

JIMMY AT THE JAMES HOTEL (Soho)
The glassed-walled den in the eighteenth-floor penthouse of Soho’s new James hotel falls down in some areas. The cocktails are unjustifiably expensive (average: $18) and sloppily mixed, and the service can be indifferent. But you can’t fault the view: 360 degrees of rolling downtown topography, with sightlines stretching from the Empire State Building to the Hudson to the gradually multiplying floors of the future 1 World Trade Center. Even the women’s bathroom offers a view of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.
The James, 15 Thompson St., at Grand St.

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The project gained the City’s support in 2002. The High Line south of 30th Street was donated to the City by CSX Transportation Inc. in 2005. The design team of landscape architects James Corner Field Operations, with architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, created the High Line’s public landscape with guidance from a diverse community of High Line supporters. Construction on the park began in 2006. The first section, from Gansevoort Street to West 20th Street, opened June 9, 2009. The second section, from West 20th Street to West 30th Street, opened June 8, 2011.

The High Line is located on Manhattan’s West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues. Section 1 of the High Line, which opened to the public on June 9, 2009, runs from Gansevoort Street to West 20th Street. Section 2, between West 20th and West 30th Streets, opened June 8, 2011.

Hours
The High Line is open from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily. Last entrance to the park is at 10:45 PM.

Access
Access to the High Line is possible via any of the access points listed below.

• Gansevoort Street
• 14th Street (elevator access)
• 16th Street (elevator access)
• 18th Street
• 20th Street
• 23rd Street (elevator access coming soon)
• 26th Street
• 28th Street
• 30th Street (elevator access)

Getting to the High Line
The High Line can be reached via the following methods of public transportation:

Subway
L / A / C / E to 14th Street & 8th Avenue
C / E to 23rd Street & 8th Avenue
1 / 2 / 3 to 14th Street & 7th Avenue
1 to 18th Street & 7th Avenue
1 to 23rd Street & 7th Avenue

Bus
M11 to Washington Street
M11 to 9th Avenue
M14 to 9th Avenue
M23 to 10th Avenue
M34 to 10th Avenue

More information: The HighLine website

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Tuesday, June 14th, 2011, 6pm – 9pm

Featuring:

• FREE ACCESS 6pm – 9pm
  to all the museums along the mile
• 23 car-free blocks
  5th Avenue between 82nd & 105th
• Live bands
• Entertainment
• Art-in-the street: activities for kids

Neue Galerie New York kicks off the festival on the steps of its 1914 landmark building on 86th street at 5:45pm.

Museum Mile welcomes its newest member, the Museum for African Art, slated to open in September 2011. Be sure to stop by their table at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street.

The Museums:

• Museum for African Art
• El Museo del Barrio
• Museum of the City of New York
• The Jewish Museum
• Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution
• National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts
• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• Neue Galerie New York
• Goethe-Institut/German Cultural Center
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art

For more information: Museum Mile Festival website

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