Yes, I know Christmas has been over for more than a month already,
but I’ve had such a busy start to my new year that I’m just now finally getting
around to recapping the holidays, which were awesome in every way. From
spending an amazing week in New York City with my mom and sister to showing
them the sights back here in DC through the beginning of 2014, it was by far one of my favorite
Christmases ever. Here, in a nutshell, are some of our top holiday highlights.
-- Our midtown hotel in New York City, the Westin Grand Central, was
comfortable, clean and close enough to many major sights without the expensive Times Square price tag. It also offered a great view of
the Chrysler Building, one of my favorite NYC landmarks. Overall, I liked it a lot and would definitely stay there again.
-- I'm a big fan of Monet and Van Gogh, so it was fabulous seeing their pieces on display at both the Metropolitan Museum of
Art and Museum of Modern Art.
-- Heading up to the top of the Empire State Building on
Christmas Eve was freezing but still worth it for the amazing panoramic views
of the city. The Heartland Brewery restaurant next door also served the best baked
macaroni and cheese I’ve ever eaten!
-- It was my first time visiting Dylan’s Candy Bar, and I'm happy to say that I now understand the reason for all of the well-deserved hype! Chocolate- and candy-covered Oreos
were my favorite treat, followed closely by a s'more chocolate bar. Oh, how I wish they would open one of these here in DC!
-- By far the biggest highlight of our trip was going to see
three Broadway shows – Waiting for Godot staring Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen,
The Glass Menagerie staring Zachary Quinto, and Rodgers + Hammerstein’s
Cinderella. All three were incredible, and if you ever have the chance to go to New
York City and see them, I highly recommend doing so! Back in DC, we also rung in 2014 by going to see the musical Elf at the Kennedy Center. (We forgot to take pictures of the shows' marquee signs, so here's a shot of the iconic Grand Central Terminal clock instead.)
-- The Central Park Zoo’s snow leopard cubs were truly
adorable, climbing, tumbling and playing outside in the chilly weather.
-- The potato pancakes we ate at New York's famous Katz's Deli, of When
Harry Met Sally fame, were beyond scrumptious.
-- Back in DC, my mom, sister, Stephen and I had a fun time visiting George Washington’s Mount Vernon, where we pet a sweet Christmas camel and got to tour the usually closed off top level of the mansion.
-- Space Shuttle Discovery, which I saw flying above our old
apartment complex on its way to the Smithsonian back in 2012, is now housed at
the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Northern Virginia, where we took refuge one cold and rainy afternoon.
All in all, I loved the holidays and can’t wait to head
back to NYC again, hopefully sometime this year. If you’ve been there before,
what are some of your favorite things to do? Any recommendations for my next visit? Going to the Metropolitan Opera for a show and backstage tour is definitely at the top of my list!