Christmas In Manhattan

NYC''s fifth Avenue, from 59th Street to 40th Street shines like a Christmas star during the holiday season. A walking tour along this most fashionable of avenues will fill you with the spirit of the season and create memories for years to come.

Quick Tips:

Despite the spirit of the season, pick pockets, purse snatchers and con artists thrive in crowds. Keep your wits about you and your purse, wallet, and credit cards inside your coat. And, above all, watch for vehicular traffic--pedestrians get injured every day in NYC.

Best Way To Get Around:

Forget driving. Walking, the subway (my favorite), and even the bus make the most sense. But above all, wear comfortable shoes! Recent rule changes for pedestrians as well as vehicles are being strictly enforced, so cross at the green and not in between!

This midtown Italian is one of the best bargains between the rivers. They have a pre-theatre price fixed dinner (about $20) with fresh cooked, all you can eat pasta delivered to your table in the pan (more elegant than it sounds, really!). Combine it with a low-priced wine list (big selection, all at $20) and a guarantee that you will be seated by curtain time make this my mid-town choice pre-theatre.

Picture Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia tap dancing on the larger-than-life piano in BIG, and that''s FAO Schwartz. This is the definitive NYC toy store experience. It''s big, brash and can be expensive, but on our last trip, we got a $27.95 Star Wars toy on sale for $5.00, so go figure! Get there early (just as they open), and you''ll love your visit. Miss the first hour and you will be cheek to cheek with screaming kids and their glum parents. Get there early and visions of sugar plums will dance in your head.

Off 57th street, "The Donald" has built a temple to opulence. It's called Trump Tower and at Christmas time it becomes even more opulent (if that's possible?). This is a golden palace with twinkling stars, splashing water down a two story water fall and shops selling beautiful but expensive goodies. Go, please, because there is no better free theatre in the City. This is what tons of money run wild can produce when good taste takes a back seat to excess. OK, it's not that bad, and, yes at Christmas all is forgiven. Have an espresso or latte with a crust of sweet pastry and watch the passing parade.

During the holiday season, nobody decorates for Christmas like the folks at Rockefeller Center. Start your visit by walking down the Channel Gardens from Fifth Avenue. Stand at the top of the Gardens to see how the angels frame your view of "The Tree."

Below the tree is the skating rink where, on weekends, you will see hundreds of Ice Capade wannabees circling counter clockwise to holiday music. The line to get on the ice can be very long, so be prepared to stand and wait if you want to join in.

Look up at the tree and try to picture how much effort went into making it this perfect. Your best views are at night and early, early in the morning. During midday, the colors are a trifle washed out. Watch your wallet and purse here because you are pressing flesh with strangers. Rockefeller Center is a complex of buildings, all done in the Art Deco style (my absolute favorite). Enter the International Building (behind the statue of Atlas) and roam around down under the street. Pay attention to the details--that is where Art Deco shines.

I love trains. They are a romantic way to get from here to there, and leaving from a magnificent station adds to the experience. No one has a better terminal than NYC''s Grand Central station, which is still basking in the glow of its multi-million dollar restoration. Take the time to stand on the balcony and watch lives and loves fly by. Imagine the stories these people could tell--or better yet--make up! And speaking of up, look at the sky. For Christmas, there is a really cool laser light show, complete with seasonal music, that is projected on the ceiling every half hour or so. I know the term "laser light show" sounds cheesy, but it''s not. Myself and several hundred normally-jaded New Yorkers stood like kids, looking up with mouths open and goofy grins on our faces as the show played across the Zodiak above our heads.

Next, I suggest you visit the Transit Museum if you love model trains. They have some outstanding old sets on display, just for the holiday. And buy one of their Z-fold transit maps for $1.00. It folds to the size of a credit card and is very useful for the subway novice. Speaking of subways, remember they are trains, too, and is there a bigger bargain in NYC? I think not.

No trip down 5th Avenue during the holidays would be complete without a visit to St. Pat''s. This is the jewel in the Roman Catholic crown and it always sparkles due to the high level of care lavished upon it. Unlike Old European churches which are centuries older, St. Patrick''s seems fresh out of the box. Walk down the side aisles and pause at the side altars--each has its own charm. The rule to "look up" is never more appropriate than here. The designers of these huge buildings had a plan to fill the viewer with awe through the size and majesty of the structure. They succeeded here. If you have time, and want to see an even larger cathedral, head uptown to St. John''s. Pause outside St. Pat''s and study the bronze sculptures on the doors. Each is a work of art.