Christmas in New York with David & Val

12/12/10:    David & Val are in town for the weekend.  We met them on Sunday for breakfast at Tal Bagels on First Avenue & 54th Street, and then walked around the city, doing some holiday sightseeing.  Despite the forecast for heavy downpours most of the day, we were pretty lucky and had several hours of no rain.  After breakfast, we made our way to 6th Avenue where we took these tourist shots:

The four of us, photo courtesy of a passerby:

David in front of Fox News! (Bob hiding!)

We walked through Times Square:

 After spending some time trying to find a new battery for my camera, we made our way to Bryant Park, where there is another large Christmas Tree, an ice-skating rink and a whole village of kiosk-type shops selling all kinds of things!

The Bryant Park Christmas Tree:

An ornament on the tree, juxtaposed against the cityscape:

Cleaning the ice rink.  I think it was probably too warm to skate that day: the temperature was in the high 50s!!  I like the "HUG"on the rink's barrier!

David, Val & Bob in front of the tree:

Me taking photos by the tree (photo by Val:)

After checking out the area, we went into the Bryant Park 
restaurant to sit and talk and have a drink:

View of Bryant Park through plastic from the second floor bar:

Outside the restaurant:

On to Fifth Avenue, working our way toward Rockefeller Center,
we passed some colorful and artsy store windows:

Saks Fifth Avenue Windows,
special because of the reflections of Rockefeller Center
directly across the street:

Mechanical moth in Saks window!

St. Patrick's Steeple reflected in Trump Tower glass panels:

Across the street, the Rockefeller Center tree:

Some shots inside Rockefeller Center:

Poinsettia Tree:

Me next to one of the Poinsettia trees (photo by Val):

Storefront:

I had never been to the Top of the Rock, so we decided to go up to the Observation Deck.  Despite the heavy clouds, the views were spectacular. 

View east toward Queens, earlier view before twilight!

View northwest towards the Hudson River (and NJ) at twilight

Looking north toward Central Park at twilight:

Looking south toward Battery Park at twilight,
witha view of the Empire State Building!

View looking down from the 70th floor:

David & Val:

Bob & Sue:

David & Val:

Sue & Bob

The Four of Us:

Just as we were descending to the street, it started to rain again. 
But I was able to get these shots of the skating rink:

By this time it was getting dark, and we parted company with David & Val! On the way back to the car we ducked into St. Patrick's Cathedral, just as a service was ending:

Then a couple of blocks away, St. Bart's Church:

Then a final street shot on the walk back to where our car was parked:

It was a great day!

*    *    *     *     *