Wednesday, December 19, 2012

A Tale of Two Christmases: City & Country

I was delighted when my cousin called to say that she & a family friend were going to drive from Pennsylvania to spend a day in the city taking in the Christmas sights. I love playing tour guide & getting some quality time with my cousin, who is like another sister to me, and a family friend was one of the best Christmas gifts I could have hoped for. Our first stop, of course, was Rockefeller Center where I introduced them to Teuscher champagne truffles, one of the best finds of my adult life. Eating one is a full body experience & looking at the magnificent Christmas tree while doing so is other-worldly!
We crossed the street to visit the majestic & peaceful St. Patrick's Cathedral, then admired this glamorous lady in the window of Saks.....
After we fulfilled our duties as tourists it was time to head downtown for eating, drinking & merriment!  Keste Pizza & Vino on Bleecker Street is my new favorite pizza place, I can't believe I've been missing out this whole time, better late than never though!  We started with the homemade mozzarella ball stuffed with cream & black truffles & shared a Margherita pizza.....honestly the best cheese & pizza I've ever had in my life! (you'll have to excuse the mess of this picture but it got devoured very quickly!) Cannot recommend enough...
Next was a walk through Washington Square Park just as the sun was shining brightly on the arch.....
finding our way to the oldest bar in NYC, McSorley's....
and finally winding down the day by meeting friends for more delicious food & libations at Grata Restaurant & Wine Bar in midtown.
The next day, after a little sleep & lots of caffeine, we continued our Christmas extravaganza by hopping in the car & heading to Mifflinburg, PA, a quintessential 19th century Pennsylvania farm town that hosts the Kris Kindle Markt, a traditional German Christmas market, every year.  My Pennsylvania family was there to meet us for our Christmas tradition of enjoying the day there together....
Whether taking in the excitement & grandness of the big city or the charm & quaintness of a small town, sharing the magic of the season with family & friends always warms my heart.

photos: me, gratanyc.com

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