I could not believe how fast the Christmas holiday season creeped up on us. One minute I am finishing classes for the summer and the next I am running around the State of New Jersey and Upstate New York attending the start of Christmas events. I have never seen a year pass by so quickly.
I started the Christmas touring early with a quick trip on the Thanksgiving break to Cooperstown. NY for some R & R at The Otesaga Hotel. The hotel was having some massive discounts on rooms and I had the time and money for a quick trip upstate. Plus I had wanted to update my birthday blog and needed new pictures, so I traveled Upstate, through the winding back roads and highways of the Catskills to Cooperstown, NY. It was a relaxing trip.
The Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, NY
My review on TripAdvisor:
The town was preparing for the Christmas festivities the Friday after Thanksgiving. When I arrived, they were finishing decorating the downtown for their holiday parade.
Downtown Cooperstown, NY decorated for the Christmas holidays
The finishing touches on Santa’s Village
The holiday treats in the Schneider’s Bakery window
The downtown is really picturesque as urban renewal never hit this small town and it still has its Victorian charm. All the local businesses have been replaced by tourist spots but the architecture of the homes and businesses still amaze me. The buildings were decorated with bows, garland and lights and the windows of the shops that were open were preparing for a long holiday season.
Downtown Cooperstown, NY decorated for the holidays
The hotel was starting to decorate for the holidays as well holding off the major decorating until after Thanksgiving. Traditionally the hotel closed for business after the Thanksgiving weekend but since COVID, has been open year round with winter activities. The hotel will be decked out fully for the holidays.
The outside of the front of the hotel with Christmas trees
The inside lobby of The Otesaga Hotel ready for the holidays to start
My stay up in Cooperstown was relaxing and enjoyable. I toured the museums, walked the grounds and explored the downtown, which most was closed this early holiday week. For me it was a two day escape to relax after a kind semester and getting ready for finals. Santa could not have provided me a better gift.
My blog on my trip to Cooperstown, NY:
After my trip up to Cooperstown, it was a whirlwind of running around over the Thanksgiving week. I got back on a Wednesday and then Thanksgiving was the next day. The weather cleared and I went into Manhattan for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which I had not seen live in a decade. Again, I was updating pictures on an older blog.
It was a beautiful sunny day in Manhattan and the parade route was packed with people. It was a lot of locals but there was loads of tourists as well as I heard all sorts of languages being spoken as well. In the post-COVID era, tourism is back in New York.
Getting ready for the parade on West 46th Street an excellent spot to view the parade
My blog on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:
It was really great to see the parade again and we had the perfect late Fall weather. It was clear, sunny and about 50 degrees outside by the start of the parade. Cool but perfect for this time of the year.
The Tom Turkey float opening the parade
The floats and balloons heading down Sixth Avenue to the Macy’s store on West 34th Street
The Gingerbread House float
Towards the end of the parade on the Christmas float, singer Darlene Love, who sang ‘Nobody aught to be alone on Christmas’, which was featured in the movie, ‘Home Alone II’, was in the parade and I thought that was really cool.
Singer Darlene Love on the Christmas float
My video on her performance in the parade as she passed by us. Everyone was excited that she was in the parade!
Then Santa arrived to much excitement of the crowd. I have to say from where I stood, this Santa really looked like Santa. He could not have been more engaging with the crowd as the float passed by.
The Santa float passing by us
Santa waving at us as we waved back
Santa passing by us on West 46th Street to head to Macy’s to open the holiday shopping season
The parade passed us by and was over before noon
After the parade was over, I was starved and made my way downtown. I could not believe how mobbed the City was all over the place Many stores and restaurants were open all over the place and the sidewalks packed with people.
Herald Square Park decked out for the holidays
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/herald-square
My review on TripAdvisor:
Greeley Square was just as decked out
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/greeley-square-park
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Carousel at Greeley Square
The beautiful decorations by the carousel
The statue of Horace Greeley was decorated all around
By the time I passed Herald Square, the parade had ended and they were taking down the barriers. I could see tourists looking to see if the store was open! In 2015, they opened for a Midnight Sale (Union rules on opening on Thanksgiving), and after that I never saw it open that early again.
Macy’s during the day
Macy’s decked out for the holidays later that evening
https://www.macys.com/stores/ny/newyork/herald-square_3.html
My review on TripAdvisor:
The store was decorated for the upcoming holiday season starting at 6:00am the next morning. I was back in the City the next morning working in Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen for a post Thanksgiving meal and passed the store afterwards and the whole area was mobbed.
The ‘Wonderful Stories’ theme of the storied windows
The windows were decorated for the holidays and the store was so creative with the Santa theme.
The ‘Wonderful Stories’ theme
The Macy’s Parade window
The inside workings of the store
The outside of the store
I made my was down Broadway, taking the same route I had done three weeks earlier on my Broadway walk down the length of Broadway. How the foliage changes so fast when I arrived in Madison Square Park.
Madison Square Park on Thanksgiving Day
https://madisonsquarepark.org/
My review on TripAdvisor:
I made my way down busy lower Fifth Avenue to Washington Square Park, where the students from NYU hung out. The park was really busy that afternoon considering school was out for the Thanksgiving Weekend. It also was decked out for the holidays. I took my walk down Broadway the way I walked to school last year (God is NYU over already?!).
Washington Square Park during Thanksgiving
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/washington-square-park
My review on TripAdvisor:
The entrance to the park from the NYU side of the park at the start of the Christmas holidays
The entrance to the park so beautifully decorated
I reached my Thanksgiving dinner destination and nothing says Thanksgiving than Chinatown. I thought maybe a few restaurants would be open and neighborhood quiet. Both Chinatown and Little Italy streets and restaurants were mobbed! Mott Street was packed with people. I was floored by that. I went to one of my favorite restaurants for Thanksgiving dinner, Wonton Noodle Garden, known now as Mei Lai Wah, at 23 Pell Street.
Wonton Noodle Garden (Mei Lai Wah) at 23 Pell Street
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on LittleShopOnMainStreet@Wordpress.com:
https://mywalkinmanhattan.com/tag/wonton-noodle-garden/
The food is always wonderful and the service is excellent. I always eat at the bar area in the back and you get the best service and see what is going on. Being at the bar you observe not only what is going on in the kitchen but in the dining room. I ordered the Cantonese Wonton Soup with roast pork, pork wontons and egg noodles and an order of Fried Wontons, which are so good.
My Thanksgiving dinner of Cantonese Wonton Soup and Fried Wontons
The Cantonese Wonton Soup with roast pork and wontons
Fried Pork Wontons
It was a really wonderful meal and the perfect Thanksgiving dinner with a nice twist. This is how to spend the holiday.
After dinner, I walked around Chinatown on a cool night and it was so picturesque. When the lights went down earlier in the day, you can see the true beauty of Manhattan.
Mott Street at night, the heart of Chinatown
The beauty of Chinatown and lower Manhattan
I decided to walk back to the Port Authority and admire the views on the way up Broadway. I never get tired of the lights on Broadway.
The Empire State Building on Thanksgiving at night
My review on TripAdvisor:
It really was a wonderful holiday and it was fun to spend it in Manhattan.
After working in Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen the next morning and walking the streets of Alphabet City for my blog. It was fun to explore the streets of this diverse neighborhood. I also knew the weekend was going to be lot of running around and I wanted to get as much done in Manhattan as possible. I knew that I would not get back to finishing the streets until after the holidays and then it would be cold.
The next morning it was an early morning drive to Long Beach Island and the holiday activities of the shore towns the line it of Beach Haven, Ships Bottom and Barnegat Light. Even in the colder months, there is a lot going on in these once sleepy summer towns. They are open for the holiday season and the towns have lots of activities going on.
The Barnegat Light Lighthouse in December
https://dep.nj.gov/parksandforests/state-park/barnegat-lighthouse-state-park/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The beauty of the inlet that separates Long Beach Island from Seaside Park
The boats were out in full force that cool morning
You have to be there to experience how relaxing it is
It was a cool and crisp day and there were a lot of activities going on all over the island. There were places I wanted to revisit. This holiday would be one long picture taking mission.
Watching people walk along the bunker by the lighthouse
Walking along the pathway back to the car
Learning about the areas role in the Revolutionary War
After the tour of the lighthouse and its grounds, I headed over to Viking Village for the Crafts Fair and Santa’s visit. That is always a lot of fun.
The Viking Village at the holiday
https://vikingvillageshows.com/
The Viking Village Craft Fair and some of the interesting work at the fair
The statue outside is always clever in its decorations
The entertainment was really good. Musician Jimmy Aziz played for everyone in the afternoon
His performance singing “Easy as Sunday Morning”
I really enjoyed the performance as did other people who stood by to listen to the mini concert. I got to walk around the craft fair, admiring all the artists works and many of the display pieces. There were a lot of talented artists showing there work that afternoon.
One of the craft displays outside a store
While I was walking around waiting for Santa to arrive on the fire truck, I was admiring the display the people at Viking Village had set up in his honor for the holidays.
The Santa display set up in Santa’s honor
Then 1:00pm arrived and we could hear the bells and whistles of the fire truck as Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive at Viking Village. There is always a lot of anticipation for their arrival and the crowds lined up so deep, that the truck dropped them off at the entrance and they walked in this time.
Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive by fire truck with help of the Barnegat Light Fire Department
Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive to a enthusiastic crowd
Then they sat down to join the crowd and hear requests from children and adults alike. They were busy for the rest of the afternoon.
Santa and Mrs. Claus await the first family to visit them
The proud couple with their first little visitor
As the long lines started for their visit, I decided to get some lunch while the crowds waited in line. In the same complex was the restaurant, ‘Off the Hook’, a wonderful seafood restaurant I had eaten at before. It was the perfect place for an outside lunch on the picnic tables.
Viking Fresh Off the Hook at 1905 Bayview Avenue in Barnegat Light, NJ
https://www.vikingfreshoffthehook.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The food here is excellent and again I really enjoyed my meal. They had a limited menu and I started with the New England Clam Chowder, which I enjoyed so much the year before.
The start of my meal, the New England Clam Chowder
It was thick and rich and loaded with clams
For my lunch, I ordered the Fried Shrimp Tacos. They were served in a soft taco shell with fresh shredded lettuce and tomatoes. With a little hot sauce and sour cream, they made the best lunch.
The Fried Shrimp Tacos with fresh shredded lettuce and tomatoes and fried potato chips
Now this is dining at the shore!
Yum!
Maybe it was the salt air or the excitement of the holidays and Santa’s visit or just the beautiful day of just the delicious food and eating outside on the picnic bench but it was such a nice lunch and I really enjoyed myself. The meal was excellent. It was also nice to eat outside on a sunny day when the weather is cool but not cold.
On the way back to Beach Haven to visit the Beach Haven Library Open House, I stopped at Baked on the Beach at 2102 Long Beach Boulevard for dessert. I love their cookies and needed something sweet to finish the meal.
Baked on the Beach at 2102 Long Beach Boulevard in Surf City
My review on TripAdvisor:
The delicious selection of baked goods
I had to get one of their cookies and got the ‘Beach Bum’ with all sorts of chips inside an oatmeal cookie.
The Beach Bum cookie
The delicious desserts at Baked at the Beach
After I finished at the Craft Fair and lunch, I headed down to Beach Haven to go to the Beach Haven Library & Museum Open House. I never knew that there was a museum at their library so I looked forward to seeing it. What a beautiful library.
The Beach Haven Library & Museum at 219 North Beach Avenue
https://www.beachhavenlibrary.org/
My review on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/14036054?m=19905
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
It is such a beautiful and historical library dating back from 1924. The downstairs was very interesting with wooden bookshelves and display cases and shelves showcasing the libraries collection. On the top floor was the museum with many artifacts from the island’s nautical and resort past.
The first floor of the museum with the library book collection
The second floor book collection
The second floor museum gallery
While the museum was small, it was packed with all sorts of interesting artifacts. There were hotel ledgers from long closed hotels, relics from ship wrecks and items from local families.
Hotel ledgers where guests once signed in
The artifacts save from ship wrecks and pictures of local spots
The upstairs conference room decorated for the holidays with book shelves lined with the collection
Downstairs there was a very nice Open House with snacks and a working fire with music and nice conversation with the staff.
The Open House Refreshment table
The Christmas decorations in the library with the working fire place
The Christmas tree in the Children’s Room
After I left the library, I explored the Downtown area and the Pharmacy had their Open House too with ice carvings and several contests. This was a how many reindeer can you count in the window contest.
The Counting Reindeer contest in the window
So many reindeer
The ice carving demonstration
Before I left for my last event on the island, the Ships Bottom Tree Lighting Ceremony, I stopped for some ice cream at The Woo Hoo. This is always a treat and I do not care how cold it gets there is nothing like homemade ice cream.
The decorations for Christmas at the Woo Hoo
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
I decided on the Christmas specialty flavor, ‘Santa’s Favorite Cookie’, which was a Cinnamon ice cream filled with crushed biscotti cookie, cookie dough, chocolate chips and M& M’s. It was heavenly.
‘Santa’s Favorite Cookie’ ice cream
Yum!
I love the holiday decorations at the Woo Hoo
With the wonderful lunch and some time before the tree lighting, I walked over to the pier to see the sun set over the island. This is always a treat.
The sunset over the pier
The sunset was so beautiful that night
The decorations in the park in Beach Haven
It got darker for the tree lighting ceremony and I got so lost. Then I did not know where the tree lighting was taking place. I had to Google the location about three times and I finally found it down by the harbor by the bay. By that point, they had lit the tree and people were visiting Santa. It was a nice way to end the evening at the shore.
The Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Ships Bottom, NJ
https://welcometolbi.com/event/ship-bottom-christmas-tree-lighting
People were taking pictures by the tree and visiting Santa. They also had refreshments for everyone as well.
The beautiful Christmas tree in Ships Bottom by the bay
The decorations with Santa leading the way
The festive pirate ship
People were visiting Santa in the gazebo that night
This was a nice way to end my evening at the shore. The lights and the sounds were really nice and there was still a nice crowd when I left the tree lighting. It was really a wonderful afternoon at the shore. Long Beach Island knows how to celebrate Christmas.
After another long week at work, it was going to be another long weekend of activities as I had the Snowflake Festival in Kingston, the Cape May Historical Walking Tour and their Christmas Parade and then the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association Christmas Party for the residents followed by a Sinterklaas event at the historical Van Allen House, home to the Oakland Historical Society. I would be in the car all weekend.
I had gotten an email from the Dorsky Museum on the SUNY New Paltz campus that the BFA/MFA Student Opening Show was going to be that night. I decided to attend before I went to the Snowflake Festival in Downtown Kingston. Don’t ask me how but I attended both events with plenty of time to spare.
I got up to New Paltz in record time and had time before the art opening to visit Historic Huguenot Street, the complex of historic homes in the historic district in the downtown area.
Historic Huguenot Street at Christmas
https://www.huguenotstreet.org/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Some of the homes were decorated with simple wreaths and not much else but the snow from the recent storm offered a picturesque view with a Christmas feel.
The decorations outside the Dubois House
The historic Dubois House
The Janet Hasbrouck House
The historic Presbyterian Church decorated for the holiday
As it got darker, I made my way to the SUNY campus and to the art museum. It really was a good show with a nice reception and interesting art. While the students were devouring the food at reception, I had the whole gallery to myself to look at the art.
The Dorsky Museum on the SUNY New Paltz campus:
https://www.newpaltz.edu/museum/
https://www.newpaltz.edu/museum/exhibitions/bfamfa-thesis-fall-25/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
I have to admit that some of the art was quite unusual. The students did have a streak of creativity to them.
The Dorsky Museum Gallery
Some of the unique pieces
Once the students devoured the Reception buffet, everyone came in to see the exhibition
This is the one piece that really stuck with me at the show
The gallery at the museum is rather small do I got through the whole show in less than an hour. I had a quick snack with what was left on the buffet table, which was not much. The food was really good and a snared the final meatball.
Just enough of a snack to get through the next two hours
I only stayed at the Gallery opening for about an hour and then it was back on the road again and up I 87 I went to downtown Kingston to the Annual Snowflake Festival. The weather was cold but at least it was not raining like the previous year. The crowds were beginning to grow that night.
The crowds that evening on East Front Street
The decorations in downtown Kingston, NY for the Annual Snowflake Festival
https://kuba.network/snowflake/
The festive display windows for Christmas
This merchant does a wonderful job every year
They are very creative
The first entertainer at the beginning of the event I saw was the Fire Thrower and she did an amazing job interesting us. She really got the crowd engaged.
The Fire Thrower engaged the crowds downtown
The next group of entertainers I saw was the band on stilts, whom I have seen at Sinterklaas for years. They got the crowd motivated.
The guys do a marvelous job every year
Even their Christmas songs are fun. Here are them performing ‘Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer’
I made my way around the downtown this year to try to enjoy everything in the festival, which meant running from one thing to another.
Main Street where the stage was and the core of the entertainment
My first stop was the bank with all its entertainment and things to do. They really kept the crowds entertained.
There was a group of singers performing Christmas carols. I thought they were the bank staff.
They had all sorts of desserts and hot beverages like Hot Cider and Chocolate for the crowds
Mrs. Claus was entertaining all of us with puppets and stories. There was also crafts for the kids
Mrs. Claus posing for me. It took me a half hour to finally email this picture to here.
Then I headed over to the Dutch Reformed Church to hear the fiddlers. The church is always so beautifully decorated for the holidays. It never disappoints anyone to just visit inside and keep warm and listen to wonderful music.
The Dutch Reformed Church of Rhinebeck
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The luminaries lighting the way inside
The inside of the Dutch Reformed Church that evening
The start of the concert with the Strawberry Fiddlers performing
Here you get to see the true beauty of the church
I then got a close up shot of the fiddlers
The Strawberry Fiddlers performing that night. They really got the crowds going. I heard two songs performed before I moved on to the next thing to do.
Walking through the well lit downtown where freshly fallen snow the night before made it look more picturesque.
The downtown was amazing at night
My next stop was the Kingston Volunteer Museum’s display of antique fire trucks.
The Kingston Volunteer Fire Museum
https://www.facebook.com/volunteerfiremansmuseum.ofkingston/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
I didn’t go inside because the crowds packed the place and I remembered from both years how God awful their hot chocolate was and bypassed it this year. Still the fire trucks were the big lure and festively decorated with Christmas lights.
The decorated trucks outside the museum
As the evening wore on, I had never seen an evening fly by. My last stop of the evening was the Senate House, which was closed that evening, but in the barn Santa and Mrs. Claus were receiving visitors and a guitarist was performing.
The Senate House Barn decorated for the holidays
https://parks.ny.gov/visit/historic-sites/senate-house-state-historic-site
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The line to see Santa was about sixty deep and I really did not have time to see them. I had seen Mrs. Claus already.
Santa and Mrs. Claus greeting guests that night
So I listened to the guitarist, who I seen perform before. He performed all sorts of classic Christmas songs with a good personality. He talked about this traditional Italian Christmas song that his Sicilian wife loved so much.
The singer performing on that cold night. I do not know how he did it.
Here he is performing ‘Dominick, the Italian Christmas Donkey’
The musical performance of ‘Dominic, the Italian Christmas Donkey’
The last thing I did that night after the performance was get in line for the horse drawn carriage around the downtown. The line had been fifty deep most of the night. It ended up I was the last person allowed in line as it was the last ride of the night.
The horse drawn carriage rides that night
Everyone was trying to get on the last ride of the night and begged because they had kids. I love it when parents use their kids as pawns. Even so just as we were to get on the carriage a group of people snuck out of a restaurant and took the spots of the family in front of me and myself and we could not get on.
They were so pissed. The police were just starting to reopen the downtown roads and the carriage guys said he had no control over it. So the carriage guy said he would take us on a ride back to the other side of downtown to load up these very cold horses.
The temperature had really dropped at this point. We got the best ride because we got to see more of downtown and see it lit up for the evening.
The very last ride on the horse drawn carriage through the downtown. It was the best trip of the night!
By this point the event was over. It was past 8:00pm and when this event ends, it ends! The roads opened up and the crowds disappeared. I turned around and everyone was gone.
Like last year, most of the restaurants close at 8:00pm on the dot. I am not sure why. One of the few restaurants open that night downtown was Vincenzo’s Pizza at 305 Wall Street. It was packed when I arrived being one of the few restaurants open at that time.
Vincenzo’s Pizza at 305 Wall Street
https://www.vincenzoskingston.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The inside was crowded as there was barely anything open after 8:00pm
I needed something to warm me up and carry me over before the two hour ride home and pizza would not do. So I ordered a Meatball sub. Was that ever good on a cold night.
The best comfort food that night. Yum!
After dinner was over, the crowds were gone and I had to head home. I stayed for just a little bit longer to admire the decorations one more time and visit their Christmas tree.
This downtown display replaced the Pumpkin man from a month ago
The Kingston Christmas tree downtown
I headed back to the car and managed to get home in an hour and forty-five minutes. There was no traffic on the road that night. I was happy as I had to turn around early that next morning for my trip to Cape May for the Christmas Walking tour.
I only got about six hours sleep before I had an early ride to Cape May for the Christmas walking tour of the decorated homes, churches and B & B’s. I had been wanting to do this for years and with Sinterklaas cancelled again in Rhinebeck, NY this was my opportunity to go on the tour.I got on the road early for the three hour ride down the Garden State Parkway.
Needless to say, the walking tour in Cape May was an excellent experience and one I have wanted to do for years but the B & B I stayed at in Wildwood was a complete horror show. They never turned the heat on in the house and I slept in a room that was 32 degrees. An igloo was warmer than this place. That was a whole other story.
The Christmas tree at this B & B was the only good thing I experienced that night
I got to Wildwood and dropped my things off. I felt something coming on and I seriously needed Chinese food especially Hot & Sour soup. There are no Chinese restaurants in Cape May proper so I had to eat in Wildwood. Most restaurants this time of year are closed because the town is so quiet. The only choice that took a credit card is the Dragon House at 3616 Pacific Avenue in Downtown Wildwood.
The Dragon House at 3616 Pacific Avenue
My review on TripAdvisor:
I had eaten here many, many years ago the first year of when I started attending the NJ State Firemen’s Convention. It was the only option in town and I swear it was like a step back into the early 1970’s both in decor and food. It still is a Cantonese holdout.
The restaurant still has paneling and red backed booths
The food is just good here and I will leave it at that. It is not bad but not great and it would not warrant another trip. It served its purpose as I ordered the lunch combination meal of Hot & Sour Soup and Beef and Broccoli. Everything was just average but the soup was spicy enough to open me up and I did feel better for the long night of activities.
My 1970’s lunch started with Hot & Sour soup
The Hot & Sour Soup did open me up
The Beef and Broccoli was just good
After lunch was over, I headed down to pick up my tickets for the walking tour and walk around Cape May. It was promising to be a very cold night but it was in the mid 40’s when I got there. I dressed as warm as I could.
Enjoying the decorated homes of Cape May
Cape May at Christmas is a fantasy land of Christmas decorations
I started the day with a walk around the Physick Estate in Cape May, where I picked up my tickets. I had toured the house at various times of the year so I knew the home quite well.
The Physick Estate was the start of the holiday walking tour
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The home was once the home of Dr. Physick and his extended family. I picked up my tickets and started to walk around Downtown Cape May. The crowds were overflowing into the town because of the Cape May Holiday Parade. It would be starting about an half hour after I arrived.
The start of the Cape May Holiday Parade at dusk
The start of the parade with local organizations and the Coast Guard Band to start the parade
Then the floats and bands joined the line up
In the beginning of the parade, the Coast Guard, with its band and equipment entertained all of us. The boats were lit up with brightly colored lights and the band played on.
The Coast Guard boats were lit up at the beginning of the parade
The Cape May Fire Department then joined the parade
More decorated Coast Guard boats passed by
I only stayed for the first half hour as the parade winded through Downtown Cape May to the large crowds of on lookers.
The Cape May Stage at 405 Lafayette Street
I started the Cape May Holiday Walking tour with my green band on and map in hand. I walked two blocks to my first stop at the Cape May Stage, where I had seen many shows during the holidays.
The Cape May Stage decorated for the current production
The woman who helps run the theater told us the story of the building and of its time as a church. Then about its history as a theater and the famous actors who have graced the stage.
The Christmas tree in the lobby
My next stop up the street was the Macedonia Baptist Church at 630 Lafayette Street, which was decorated for the upcoming holiday Mass.
Macedonia Baptist Church at 630 Lafayette Street
https://www.facebook.com/p/Macedonia-Baptist-Church-Cape-May-100064897925489/
The tour guide who was a parishioner of the tour told us the history of the church and its place in the community.
The Macedonia Baptist Church decorated for the holidays
All the Inns and B & B’s that were around the square near Columbia Street were packed to the gills with people waiting in lines that were about 40 deep so doubled back to Hughes Street and visited the J. Stratton Ware House, one of the few private homes on the tour. The house was nicely decorated with festive green.
The J. Stratton Ware House at 655 Hughes Street
The J. Stratton Ware House during the day
The inside of the living room of the house
The main room
The festive Dining Room table
On the way to the next destination. I passed the Chalfonte Hotel, where I should have stayed that night rather that night instead of the place I decided on in Wildwood. We all learn from our mistakes.
The Chalfonte Hotel at 301 Howard Street decorated for the holidays
The Chalfonte Hotel during the day in the Summer of 2025
My review on TripAdvisor:
The hotel’s first floor had been winterized and had been open that weekend but the rooms were sold out and the only one that was open was $250.00, which I could not afford that weekend. So I stayed in my Airbnb ‘igloo’ that night. More on that later.
The next B & B I visited was the Beauclaire’s B & B at 23 Ocean Street (the inn during the day)
The Beauclaire’s sign decorated for the holidays that night
The sign during the day
The view of the homes in the neighborhood
The inside of Beauclaire’s on the first floor parlor area was beautifully decorated for the holidays.
The fireplace on the first floor parlor
The Christmas tree in the house
The banister in the first floor
My last part of the house we walked through was the formal dining room set for Christmas dinner
I doubled back on my way to the Physick Estate and was able to visit the Bedford Inn at 805 Stockton Avenue.
The Bedford Inn sign at night during Christmas
The sign during the day
The front of the Bedford Inn at 805 Stockton Avenue decorated for Christmas
The Bedford Inn at 805 Stockton Avenue during the day
The inside fireplace decorated for the holidays
The banister fully decorated
The Christmas tree in their parlor
The White Christmas tree in the foyer
The Parlor at the Inn
The last house of the evening I toured was the Physick Family, where I started the tour during the day. I have visited the home many times at Christmas and I never get bored of looking at all the Christmas decorations. Dr. Physick was once prominent resident in town whose home is still a showcase of the community.
The Physick House when I arrived that afternoon of the tour
The estate was decorated both inside and out and there were lights and decorations all over the grounds. It really puts you in a festive mood and it is a house you should not miss at the holidays.
The 1879 Emlen Physick Estate at 1048 Washington Street
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The home is always so beautifully decorated for the holidays and I try to take this tour every year. While the decorations do not change that much it is still spectacular to tour.
Being greeted by the docent in the Living Room
The Parlor was decorated for the holidays
The beautiful woodwork in the home
The Christmas tree was decked for the holidays
The sideboard during the holidays
The Dining Room table set for Christmas lunch
The elaborate table setting for the holiday dinner
The Table Tree in the Parlor
The beautiful decorations set around the room for the holidays
It is always nice to take your time to tour the house and admire all the beautiful objects to enjoy looking at. The house is a real treat to visit at the holidays. After my visit to the house, I took a tour of the gift shop and admired all the beautiful decorations there as well.
The Physick House Gift Shop at the holidays
After the tour was over, I was starved and you will be amazed how quickly places close around Cape May even after a major event. After walking around for awhile and passing packed bars that there would be no way to get a seat, I came across Mario’s Pizza and Italian Eatery at 315 Ocean Street Unit 7, that was still open for the evening.
Mario’s Pizza and Italian Eatery at 315 Ocean Street Unit 7
My review on TripAdvisor:
On a progressively cold night, the warm pizzeria was a God send. It was one of the few restaurants open after the tour and the pizza was really good. Their red sauce base for the pizza is so well spiced and dinner was just delicious.
The pizza was really good that night and warmed me up
After such a wonderful evening in Cape May, the real fun began when I got back to Wildwood. The weather had been dropping all night and it had to be about 38 degrees by 10:00pm when I returned to the B & B.
It had been warm inside the building when I left that afternoon but when I returned, the house seemed cool. I called the number and tried to talk to innkeeper but no one picked up. I went down to the Christmas tree in the Living Room to get some work down but it just kept getting cooler in the room. So I called again.
This merry go round went on all night with me calling and texting through Airbnb and their phone number all night. By 3:00am, I gave up and slept in my clothes with every blanket in the room on top of me. I barely got two and a half hours sleep with an almost three hour car trip ahead of me. I was pissed off.
The only saving grace the next morning was the shower was hot and I was able to warm up. I slammed the keys down at the innkeeper and marched out of this place. I eventually got reimbursed for the stay (I know the owner screwed up) but this was after long talks Airbnb. My advice to my readers is stay away from the Sea Gypsy B & B in Wildwood, NJ.
On the way to Boonton, I had to stop at a rest stop to regroup and eat some breakfast before our meeting that morning. I stopped at the Burger King at the Wildwood Rest Stop on the Garden State Parkway and was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful breakfast and friendly service there. The woman working the counter was so nice to me, it put me back into a much better mood.
The Wildwood rest stop was very nice that morning (and warm!)
The Burger King at Christmas
https://www.iexitapp.com/New%20Jersey/Garden%20State%20Parkway/Exit%204/42840#google_vignette
My review on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/14038991?m=19905
I had a simple Croissanwich meal with sausage and you do not know how this cheered me up after a bad night. It just warmed me up.
My breakfast that morning
Even the rest stop Christmas tree cheered me up that morning
Work was in full force with all the Presentations of the students final projects. I was totally drained by the end of the week. Plus the memory of that freezing cold room in Wildwood, I did not want to travel the next weekend. The weather was not going to be nice either and I did not want to drive as snow.
After a very long weekend last week and a storm coming through the next weekend, I cancelled all the plans I had and just stayed home. I had wanted to see the Christmas House Tour in Mauricetown, NJ but with a snow storm coming decided against it. Smart move as I had to dig out on Sunday morning. It was a spectacular view thought.
The house in the first snow fall of the year
Our street after the storm
After I dug myself out, I walked around the property and admired the view. I could not believe how quiet and beautiful the backyard was the morning.
The backyard was a winter wonderland
The backyard after I shoveled the walks. It would melt that afternoon but was so beautiful when the snow stopped.
That Wednesday I had a series of presentations with my three classes at the college. For the last six weeks, the students had labored on these projects and I looked forward to seeing them.
The Tuesday before this, I needed a haircut, so I headed into New York and off to York Barber shop where I have been getting I have been getting my haircut since my barber, Jerry, retired after almost forty years of being my barber.
York Barber Shop at 981 Lexington Avenue
https://www.yorkbarbershop.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:
I have been coming here for a year and they do a wonderful job with my hair and I loved the scented hot towel after I am finished with my cut. I looked for my presentation.
The inside of York Barber Shop
I love the old-fashioned feel of this shop that has been around since the 1920’s and some of the barbers have been around for over thirty years.
After I got my haircut, I had time to walk around Manhattan and see all the decorations. So many homeowners and businesses decorated for the holidays and you can see the creativity and originality in getting ready for the holidays.
As I walked up to the barber’s and back, these were some of the best pictures I took around Manhattan as the sun set and the lights came on.
The churches are especially decked out for the holidays
Walking around Greeley Square decked out for the holidays
Brownstones on the Upper East Side decorated awaiting Santa
The lone Christmas tree in the window
6 1/2 Street by the MoMA
6 1/2 Avenue by Sixth Avenue
The lights in the pathway next to the CBS building
The beauty of the Upper East Side
Around the corner from the barber, I saw this lone wreath on this building
I thought this was the spirit of Christmas
I then walked back down through the Upper East Side, I saw all sorts of beautiful displays for the holidays.
The Pierre Hotel at 2 East 61st Street decorated for the holidays
St. Patrick’s Cathedral at the Fifth Avenue entrance
https://saintpatrickscathedral.org/
Then I took a tour of both Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. For two stores that are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, they looked pretty good. We are seeing their ‘gilded’ sheen and we will see what happens to them after Christmas.
Saks Fifth Avenue at night at 611 Fifth Avenue
https://www.saksfifthavenue.com/locations/newyork/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The main floor of Saks Fifth Avenue
The floors were so elegantly decorated for the holidays. The company though is ‘dancing on the rim of a volcano’ right now. The store looked so beautiful on each of the floor and I figured this is where all the money was going. The in store designers did a magnificent job with the store for this holiday season.
The back floor of the first floor of Saks
The escalators between the first and second floors
A first floor clothing display
This was a display was on the first floor perfume department
Then I walked outside to admire their Christmas windows. They were not their best but I thought some of them were fun. These were my favorites.
The snowman through Central Park
A cab ride down Fifth Avenue
The baking of Gingerbread treats
Then across the street from Saks Fifth Avenue was Rockefeller Center as it turned to twilight.
The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center
https://www.rockefellercenter.com/holidays/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree/
The decorated lions outside the New York Public Library
Then I headed back to Port Authority to head home. I stopped by the New York Public Library to see the decorations and take a walk through the Christmas Village in Bryant Park. I love looking at the lions when they are decorated.
The Christmas tree at the Bryant Park ice skating rink
https://bryantpark.org/activities/category/winter-village
My review on TripAdvisor:
Their tree was really beautiful too!
The plantings on the way out of the park
It was a nice but quick afternoon in the City before the Presentations the next day . The students had to Present their final projects which was a major part of the grade. They had been working on this for the previous six weeks and it was time to see the results. All of these projects are under my Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner for my business classes.
My 8:00am class presenting the ‘ Sounds and Subs’ Team Project
Some of my 8:00am students presenting their diagrams of their restaurant for their presentations
My blog on the project:
The Project “Subs and Sounds”:
One Wednesday morning, December 10th, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams.
The Proposal from the Professor:
The PowerPoint of the Presentation:
The Website of the Presentation:
https://icuffaro.wixsite.com/my-site-6
The YouTube Video of the Presentation:
The Holiday Project PowerPoint:
The Holiday Project Video:
The Holiday Project
The day of the project, I have the students dress in professional dress to present their ideas to the clients. The student executives presented their ideas on location, design, menus and ideas for local musicians who could entertain on a nightly basis. The client was looking for a concept that would attract music lovers not just from the suburbs but from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Newark.
Then at 11:00am, I had my next class present their project “Farmer’s Market-A Farm to Table” dining concept with the same set up as the other classes. They had to pick a location, figure the rent, logistics and zoning, the menu, create items for the gift shop, create an opening party and do the social media on Tik Tok and YouTube.
My 11:00am class Team Pictured for the ‘Farmer’s Market-Farm to Table ‘ concept
My blog on the project:
The Project “The Farmer’s Market”:
This class created menus with Farm to Table concept with sandwiches, entrees, side salads and unique signature desserts. Some students kept the menus safe while others really put their heart and sole into it and showed how creative they were with their menus.
The Project Proposal:
The Proposal for Farmer’s Market:
The Holiday Project Proposal:
The Holiday Project Presentation:
The Holiday project normally serves as Quiz Four for my class but I wanted the students to concentrate on their Academics this semester so I used this as an extra credit project.
Each Team has been requested by corporate to create a proposal for the Corporate Holiday Party that includes a invitation with a Christmas themed logo, a menu proposal with an appetizer, entree, and a dessert along with a signature holiday drink. Then the Team had to film a video greeting in English and Spanish wishing everyone a Happy Holiday season. They had forty-five minutes to pull it off and these were the result of that project.
The PowerPoint of the Presentation:
The Website of the Presentation:
https://ckramer169801.wixsite.com/bergecco-parc-farm-t/group-one
The YouTube Video of the Presentation:
One Wednesday morning, December 10th, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams.
Team Two’s diorama of their restaurant concept
Some of my students presenting their projects that morning to me
The Team
One of the Team’s presenting their logo
My last class at 6:25pm that made their presentation that evening was my Business 101 class with their restaurant concept ‘Pasta and Pies’, which was a restaurant that offered sweet and savory pies and pasta dishes.
My Team picture with my night class at 6:45pm
My blog on the project:
The Team Project Proposal:
This class created menus with creative pies and what can be tucked into them, selective pasta dishes with side salads and unique signature desserts. Some students kept the menus safe while others really put their heart and sole into it and showed how creative they were with their menus.
One Wednesday night, December 17th, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams.
The Project Concept:
The Proposal for Pasta and Pies:
The PowerPoint Presentation of the Project:
The YouTube Presentation:
Part One: Opening Team Four and Team One
https://www.youtubeeducation.com/watch?v=FeXYdhTMG8c
Part Two: Team Two and Team Three
Part Three: Team Five and the Conclusion
https://www.youtubeeducation.com/watch?v=vV-C8kg5jbI
The Company Website:
The Team Presentation pictures from that evening:
Each Team made their presentation to me and the Team below really did a wonderful job with their presentation and won the competition.
Team Three so professionally dressed for the Presentation and the Team that won the competition
Team Four gave them a run for their money
All of the major Presentations were done on December 10th and then the next week on the 17th was the final exam. Each division had to create their PowerPoint, their video Presentation and a website for their division of the company. This way the entire Team have a reference point to put on their resume.
I joined other faculty members for the college’s Holiday Party that week and then went to the Bergen Room, our on campus student run restaurant for Christmas lunch, which is the final student project before the winter break. There was a lot of eating going on this week.
The Bergen Room Bistro had a very special Christmas Dinner in December of 2025 which was the last meal of the year by the students. The room was beautifully decorated and the food and service were wonderful.
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
The Bergen Room Bistro had a very special Christmas Dinner in December of 2025 which was the last meal of the year by the students. The room was beautifully decorated and the food and service were wonderful.
The menu for Christmas dinner in the Bergen Room in 2025
Christmas dinner in 2025 was a wonderful afternoon of good food and conversation. I loved the was the tables were set with a Christmas tree napkin. This was the last meal of the semester and the students and faculty advisors made the whole room as spirited to the holidays as possible.
The Christmas table set for a wonderful lunch
The table setting
The Christmas tree napkin fold
The candy decoration on the table
There was a fun centerpiece decorating the table
The students did a nice job decorating the tables for the Christmas holidays. The menu was so enjoyable. We started off either homemade soup.
The Minestrone Soup
The Garlic Bread
We then were treated to an Antipasti and a Caesar Salad. Both served family style and everyone at the table helped themselves while we were talking at the table.
The Antipasti
The Caesar Salad
The entree kept with the Italian theme and for the main entree, we had a platter of Chicken Parmesan with a side of Pasta Primavera and Penne à la Vodka.
The Chicken Parmesan
The Penne à la Vodka
The Pasta Primavera
My Christmas lunch that afternoon with delicious pastas and salad and the Chicken Parmesan
My holiday drink, the Berry Sparkler
For dessert, we had homemade Tiramisu
At the and of the meal, we applauded all the students for all their hard work on the meal and their dedication to the class and the Bergen Room.
The Culinary arts students who cooked this wonderful meal for us.
I loved how the centerpieces said “Merry Christmas everyone!”
It was a nice afternoon of talking to my counterparts on the faculty before the break and gave me a chance to finish my grading on campus and get ready to post grades to the students before the Winter break.
Because of the snowy weather and the bad experience in Wildwood, I decided to give the Christmas activities a rest the weekend between the Presentations and the final exam. I resumed my touring and picture taking the weekend after the finals. We finished finals on December 17th and I had graded all my students in my morning classes before I gave my evening final. Once finals were done, I spent the evening finishing grading my evening classes exam and went straight to bed. I had to be up early to meet students.
That Friday I met with any student who wanted their exams back and wanted to know their grades. This way there were no surprises and several students took me up on this. I had finished all the evening grades that morning and left for campus. Then in the afternoon I posted grades and changed clothes and headed to dinner and the theater in the City.
Singer Megan Hilty was returning to Carnegie Hall for a Christmas show performance and I decide to take this opportunity to revamp the blog I did on this eight years earlier. That meant dinner at Patsy’s Italian Restaurant and an evening in Carnegie Hall, both of which I was looking forward to the evening. It was the perfect way to end an extremely long semester.
Carnegie Hall was sold out both nights
The concert that evening ‘A Place Called Home’ was the return of Singer Megan Hilty since her concert I saw this time back in 2017. I could not believe that eight years had gone by so fast. Both performances were sold out and seeing her perform again was worth the wait. As I said before, this holiday was a picture taking mission so I recreated the whole evening I had at her show and started with dinner at Patsy’s Italian Restaurant.
Dinner at Patsy’s was wonderful but I could not understand why they put everyone on the second floor and kept the first floor empty. Patsy’s was founded in 1944 by Pasquale “Patsy” Scognamillo and has been in its current location since 1954 serving locals, celebrities and tourists alike. There has only been three chefs at Patsy’s, Patsy himself, his son, Joe and Joe’s son Sal (Patsy’s history).
Patsy’s Restaurant at 236 West 56th Street
My review on TripAdvisor:
The second floor dining room at Patsy’s right before the theater
When I had dinner there before my trip to Carnegie Hall, the food was amazing (see my review on TripAdvisor). I came with a big appetite and had a wonderful three course meal. I read about the menu online and then I saw Sal, the owner cooked the Lobster Linguini on Martha Stewart’s TV show.
I started with the Mozzarella in Carrozza for two which I finished on my own. It is basically a breaded mozzarella sandwich with their fresh Mariana sauce which were pan-fried perfectly and melted in the middle. It is served with their delicious homemade red sauce.
The Mozzarella in Carrozza at Patsy’s is excellent
The Mozzarella Carrozza
For the entree I had the Lobster with Linguine Oreganata, which I had seen prepared on the Travel Network and on Martha Stewart’s TV show and feeling generous to myself at the holidays, I treated myself. It was excellent. Perfectly cooked pasta with almost a half of sweet lobster topped on the dish. While the entree is not cheap, it is well worth the price so treat yourself!
The Lobster Linguini comes in two parts when served, with pasta and a split and broiled with bread crumbs. It is a delicious dish.
Don’t ask me how ate dessert but as the Dessert Cart kept passing me, I kept eyeing this cake and it ended up being a Napoleon Cake filled with white cream and layers of pastry dough. It was such a great end to a fantastic meal.
For dessert I had on my second trip to Patsy’s, the Vanilla Cream Napoleon Cake
Walking down the stairs at the holidays
Somehow I stuck upstairs with all the tourists but I it was fun as it was where all the action was that evening. The downstairs was extremely quiet that night. I do not know why they kept it so empty. The restaurant during the holidays is so nicely decorated and this is the view going down the steps.
Chef Sal Scognamillo of Patsy’s Restaurant
After dinner was over, I had to take a long walk around the block to digest. It was a wonderful three course meal but still I wanted to digest and relax before the show and what a show it was that evening. I love going to Carnegie Hall.
Carnegie Hall at 57th Avenue and 7th Avenue at Christmas time
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on TripAdvisor:
Entering the theater for the concert
The inside of Carnegie Hall during Christmas
The entrance decorated for the holidays
The view from my seat in the ‘nose bleed’ section of the sold out concert. This was one of the last seats left when I bought the tickets at the last minute. I still could hear the concert fine and it was nice being back in Carnegie Hall again.
The singing group before the second act
Some of the songs she sang that night:
“The Christmas Song”
“Have yourself a Merry Christmas”
“The Most Wonderful time of the Year”
“A Place called Home”
The second part of the concert was all Christmas carols and some of the more religious songs. They ended the concert with a sing a long and everyone in my section of the theater really got into it. We ended the concert with the singer and Santa taking a bow. It was another great concert and if you have to the chance to catch her concert at Carnegie Hall at Christmas, get a ticket and go! It is well worth it. It really puts you in the holiday spirit.
The end of the sing a long
“Jingle Bells” was part of the sing a long
Megan Hilty and Santa taking a bow
After the concert was over, I took a long walk around Midtown, up and down both Fifth and Sixth Avenues to look at the Christmas decorations. I love Manhattan at Christmas.
West 57th Street decorated for Christmas
The decorations are incredible at night
The candy cane decorations are fantastic
Then I walked down Fifth Avenue and passed the Star on Fifth Avenue, which changed colors either each rotation.
The Star on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in aqua
The star in blue
The Star in red
Star in a green and red
The video on the Star changing colors
I then turned the corner down Fifth Avenue and admired all the lights and decorations. Businesses really decorated this year.
These beautiful Christmas present boxes lined upper Fifth Avenue
The Peninsula Hotel in all its glory
The beauty of the decorations that top the entrance of the hotel
Cartier on Fifth Avenue decked out for the holidays
Saks Fifth Avenue at 611 Fifth Avenue across from Rockefeller Center
All the buildings at Rockefeller Center were decorated to the hilt and surprisingly the crowds by the tree were not that heavy that night so I got some great pictures in around the complex.
The front of 630 Fifth Avenue across from Saks
The Ralph Lauren bus outside of 630 Fifth Avenue
Walking through Rockefeller Center was easy that night
The Tree at Rockefeller Center was beautifully lit that evening
After my walk around Fifth Avenue and then through Rockefeller Center, I walked down Sixth Avenue to see all the decorations there was well. Corporate America at its best.
The tree at 1221 Sixth Avenue
The tree at 1221 Sixth Avenue
The tree outside of Sixth Avenue
I then made my way down to Bryant Park to see what was happening there and even after 11:00pm the park was going strong.
The Skating Rink at Bryant Park Christmas Village
https://bryantpark.org/activities/holiday-shops
My review on TripAdvisor:
What really dazzled me was the Bryant Park Christmas tree. It was lit for the evening and the array of lights and colors was so brilliant. It really put me in the Christmas spirit.
The Bryant Park Christmas tree ablaze with lights
Not only was the tree amazing but in the background of the park the Empire State Building was having a light show that made the building look like a giant ice cycle.
The Empire State Building during the light show
My review on TripAdvisor:
The light show on the Empire State Building
Now that grading was done and posted for my classes I finally started my holiday break and that meant a series of tours of historical building and sites in Upstate New York in the Tarrytown region. I had tickets for a special Victorian Christmas event at Sunnyside, Washington Irving’s home first and then of Philipsburg Manor and their holiday tour. It was a long day of touring.
The Washington Irving estate decked out for the holiday event
The sign for the holiday event
I started the tour with some of the holiday refreshments they had in the meeting room off the gift shop. They had a variety of cookies and snacks along with coffee, tea and hot chocolate . The perfect snack to start the tour of the house.
The refreshment table at the event
After a snack and a talk with the docents, it was off to tour the house which was all decorated for the holidays pre-Civil War around 1835.
Washington Irving’s home , Sunnyside in Irvington, NY
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The house was beautifully decorated for the holidays and what was nice was that the rooms were not overdone. Each room was tastefully decorated for the holidays. These were some of my favorite rooms in the house.
Washington Irving’s office and study
The Dining Room set for Christmas lunch
The Dining Room table was so beautifully set for a Christmas luncheon. These side boards held all the desserts, sweets and beverages.
The Living Room held the Table tree which was popular before the Victorian era and the full tree came into vague.
The Children’s guest room for a visiting niece held all sorts of holiday toys and gifts
The French Bedroom has some of the best views in the house and wonderful exposure to sunlight and the river.
The kitchen was all set for the holidays as the servants prepared meals for the holidays. The table even had original recipes for dishes cooked in the house.
The last part of the tour once I left the kitchen was the grounds and this wonderful patio is just off the kitchen.
The last part of the events was a crafts room in the barn where we could make either pumice, which are oranges studded with cloves, Christmas crackers or ornaments . I chose the pumice as the smell is incredible over time as it ages. It was a really nice scent.
In between my tour of Sunnyside and the Philipsburg Manor, I stopped in Downtown Irvington to see if the Irvington Historical Society was open and it was on their last day of the exhibition on the ‘The history of the Irvington Gazette’. I got to tour the museum and then walk around their wonderful downtown, which was beautifully decorated for the holidays. Their latest exhibition that I visited was on The Irvington Gazette, their local paper.
The Irvington Historical Society at 131 Main Street is always so beautiful during the Christmas holidays
https://www.instagram.com/irvingtonhistoricalsociety/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
When I returned to the museum in December of 2025, the new exhibition that was on display was the history of The Irvington Gazette Gazette, the local paper. It is a testimony to the power of local news. This is the importance of local newspapers.
The Irving Gazette exhibition
The exhibition up close
The first issue of The Irvington Gazette in color
The museum is small so I was able to tour the whole exhibition in about an hour and still have time to walk Downtown Irvington, NY. It is such a beautiful and quaint downtown and one of those Upstate downtowns that are so beautiful at Christmas time.
Downtown Irvington, NY decorated for the holidays
The downtown was decked for the holidays
Toy soldiers smile and wink at passers by on the fences of downtown
The fences in the downtown
The downtown merchants really decorated too
Irvington City Hall decked for the holidays
Even the Downtown Merchants got it
Both inside and out
After touring Downtown Irvington and admiring all the decorations, I moved on to my next site, Philipsburg Manor, the site of the Philipse family gristmill and home when they were in Upstate New York.
Philipsburg Manor and Gristmill in Sleepy Hallow, NY at 381 North Broadway
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The first part of the tour was the gristmill where the wheat from the estate was produced, bagged and shipped down to the storerooms in New York City.
The inside of the gristmill
The finished flour products that would have been used for shipping
The gristmill that was used to manufacture and process the wheat into flour
We then toured the grounds and got to see where life would take place during the working months on the property. We passed the vegetable gardens where the slaves would grow their crops and where animals would graze.
The grounds of the Philipsburg property during the winter time when things would have slowed down on the estate.
We next toured the Manor house which would have been used by the Philipse family when they were visiting the facility which was at least once a year. The house would have been prepared for them as if they could come out at any time.
The Philipse family Manor house on the property
We toured the preparatory kitchen used by the slaves to prepare and cook meals both for the owners and his guests and themselves.
The seasonal table in the main kitchen with its fresh fruits and vegetables all sourced locally
The formal kitchen where all the meals were finished and where the china and pewterware would be kept for serving
The formal bedroom where members of the Philipse family would stay when they were visiting the site
The Philipse family kept everything in house for the tenant farmers and even had a store within the house selling goods from the City saving them a boat trip that could take hours or days.
The store room
This way the money was kept on the estate when money was paid for crops and supplies.
Items that would have been found in the store room of the Philipse shop
The store room items
We then moved to the dining area where business would be conducted and inventory and accounts would be settled.
The Dining area
The Philipse bedroom
The Philipse bedroom and dining area
Our last part of the tour was the historic barn
The docents did a great job demonstrating the process to separate wheat
The sunset over the estate at the end of the tour was amazing
This was the last weekend that the estate would be open and I had wanted to see as much of the town as I could. This tree was fully decorated with lights and was illuminated at twilight.
The illuminated Christmas tree in Downtown Tarrytown
After classes were over after finals week, I was completely burnt out from work. It had been a rough semester of trying to motivate everyone. My best friend and I decided to take a night off and spend the night in Manhattan. She arranged a room at the Fairfield Inn at Penn Station and we met in the City.
The lobby of the Fairfield Inn & Suites at Penn Station at Christmas time
My review on TripAdvisor:
The lobby decorated for Christmas
The bedroom
I was really surprised by the hotel. When I had walked in here about a decade ago it was not the nicest hotel with some shady characters in the lobby. When I walked in this time, it had all been renovated and decorated for the Christmas holidays. The room was comfortably corporate and we just relaxed before we left for lunch.
We stayed in the neighborhood and went to Pho 2 at 273 Eighth Avenue. We were both in the mood for Bahn Mi sandwich and this small City chain has wonderful food in every branch I have eaten at in Manhattan.
What surprised us was a new item on the menu that we enjoyed, the Pork and Chicken Tacos. These were even better than the sandwiches filled with fresh veggies and spicy meat tucked into a soft shell. A nice twist on fusion food.
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
The Chicken Tacos
The Pork Tacos
Yum!
For dessert, we stopped at the Krispie Kreme at Penn Station. We got a kick out of the ‘Peanuts’ themed doughnuts and we had to get a few of them to bring back to the room. I thought the design was very clever.
Snoopy was too nice to eat
https://site.krispykreme.com/ny/new-york/2-penn-plz
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Santa doughnut was really good
It was a very interesting and very delicious pre-Christmas lunch. We had a ball just eating and talking in the afternoon. I think the two of us just needed an afternoon to relax. We then spent the evening watching the new documentary “Drop Dead City”, on the 1975 financial crisis in New York City. Seeing the changes in the City especially in Brooklyn and Manhattan over the last thirty years, you would think this movie was made up. I remembered seeing it all as a kid as I lived it every time we went into the City to go to the museums and to Chinatown.
The Directors talking about the movie in 2025
The movie’s trailer
I am not sure how tired we both were but right after the movie, I was fell asleep and slept for eight hours. I was not sure if I was just tired from work, the weather, all the running around I was doing for the holidays and for the blogs or a combination of all of these. December had been a long month. I felt much better the next morning.
Before I left for home the next morning, I had a good breakfast at the hotel’s buffet. That I really enjoyed. This also put me into the holiday spirit.
The morning buffet at the Fairfield Inn & Suites just before Christmas
The buffet was really nice and had a very nice selection of items to choose from
They even had a pancake making machine to make fresh pancakes for guests
I thought the machine was really clever and made good pancakes
It was a wonderful breakfast and a very interesting and very international crowd as I heard languages from all over the world being spoken. It looked like everyone was loading up for a long day of touring.
The room was really decorated for the holidays
After breakfast, we both crashed back in the room and just talked for an hour while we were digesting. We talked about work and the upcoming holidays. We had the option to stay until 4:00pm if we wanted but I had packing to do. I was leaving for the Christmas holidays, first to Woodstock, then to Rehoboth Beach and finishing in Cape May. It would be a long holiday for me and a lot of running around and picture taking for my blog.
We took one last look at the view out our window of the Moynihan Train station and then went downstairs to check out. I had to go home and pack. It was going to be a very busy Christmas.
The view from our room of the Moynihan Train Station
The first part of the holiday was busy and a lot of running around. The second part of the holidays was just as busy. I did not sit still until after New Years. This is why there are two parts to this holiday blog. There so much more to see and do.
So look out for Part II of the blog: A trip back to Woodstock, NY
Another Woodstock Christmas!
mywalkinmanhattan 
This is Part One of my holiday adventure that had me running between the Hudson River Valley and the Jersey Shore all through the month of December. It has been quite an adventure. Be on the lookout for Part Two coming soon.
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