Grand Central Madison
There’s lots to see at Grand Central—the magnificent ceiling, the clock, the Oyster Bar. But one site that doesn’t appear on tourist recommendations is the newly opened LIRR transit hub. Called Grand Central Madison, it’s a vision of what American transit centers could look like if we started all over. We head there first, via the west end of the Dining Concourse.
Easily as wide as a two-lane road, the Grand Central Madison concourse stretches from 42nd to 48th Street, the walls sporting fantastic murals. Enormously long escalators transport us down the equivalent of 17 stories to the underground train platforms. LIRR passengers are lucky to have Grand Central Madison, unless of course they are late for their train and have to spend several extra minutes riding escalators.
Rockefeller Center
We’ve seen the Rock Center Christmas tree a hundred times, but we go again, as we do every year, and again we marvel. The scene is iconic and spectacular, with the Cartier windows along Fifth Avenue, the skating rink, the crowds, the towering tree. This year the City plucked a Norway spruce, 80 feet high, from Vestal, NY. We sip hot chocolate from La Maison du Chocolat cart while watching skaters circle and twist before wandering inside Rock Center and then across town to First Avenue for dinner.
Lure Fishbar
The so-called “food desert” of Midtown East has a few bright spots, including Lure Fishbar. It bills itself as New York’s first sustainable seafood restaurant. An intimate space with excellent cuisine, the chef offers calamari to die for, lobster curry, and bountiful mussels, among other delicacies.
