Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation in 2021

 

On Wednesday November 24, the day before Thanksgiving, Dwight, Maddie, Mike and I all took the PATH train to 33rd and then the B train to 72nd Street.

Some key points

1. Upon exit from 72nd Street, walked one block to Columbus, and then we were right where we needed to be, on line for seeing the balloons, at Columbus and 72nd. Even coming out of that subway station we already could see there were crowds but it was fine
2. The line was set up so there were several stations where we could show our vaccination proof
3. After we were let in to the line, it wound around several times up and down Central Park West, and was never packed with people.
4. We walked for a good half hour on the winding line before we were allowed to get onto 77th, where the balloons were. So from the subway to where the balloons were was 45 minutes
5. We walked 77th west to Columbus Avenue. Along there was where we saw more than half the balloons we were going to see
6. There were never big crowds. We could see everything and could get good photo ops.
7. Then a short hop up Columbus Avenue, and then we headed east on 81st, where there were more balloons
8. We had emerged from the subway around 2pm which was perfect because many balloons were already inflated, some were being inflated which was fun to watch, and a few were not yet inflated.
9. We might have spent less time if more balloons had been inflated already. Even forty-five minutes can be enough to have a great time
10. We spent about an hour and a half looking at balloons. It was an excellent day with perfect 50 degree weather and no wind, and the people in charge of the inflation did a great job organizing everybody. Maybe because pandemic but hopefully it will be this good every year.
11. Then we took the B train from 81st to Little Korea to eat out at Love Korean Barbecue. We were early for meeting up with Marcy for our 5 pm reservation so we wandered around Macy's first.
12. At Love Korean BBQ, we were seated on their ground level floor instead of downstairs. The music was too loud, but we had a great time.

How we put up our lights in 2021

 

We bought some cheap lights from Shoprite and scotch taped them to the window.

Holiday events at Hudson Yards

 

I went to Hudson Yards on Monday eveningn, November 15, 2021 for some free events

Broadway

6 to 5:20 Musical exceprts from the actual cast of "Jagged Little Pill." Held on the stage on Level 4, past the flower exhibit.

The Serafina's

6:01 to 6:06 Eight retired Rockettes formed their own group. They danced for exactly five minutes. Held on the first floor in "The Great Room" which is the main lobby, where Rolex is (and Fendi). I watched from the second floor balcony.

The Young People's Chorus of New York City

6:30 to 7:00 pm This was my favorite event. They sang complex tunes with dissonance and key changes. Mostly Christmas music. They were in the same place as the Serafina's. I came down to the first floor to watch them. 

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Setup November 13, 2021

 

We woke up too late to get there in time to see the truck arrive. We've learned that the truck usually arrives around 8:00, but we arrived at 8:15.

1. We took the Exchange Place PATH to the Oculus, and the E train to 53rd Street
2. Walked down 5th avenue
3. We turned on 50th Street
4. 8:15 We arrived at Rockefeller Center and saw the truck had arrived already
5. By the position of the truck, we were right that it came down fifth avenue and turned on 49th Street
6. By 8:51, they are doing a lot of prepping the tree so they can eventually lift it off the truck
7. By 9:45, it was lifted off the truck, and they drilled the spike
8. Tree went up between 1030 and 1045
9. We left at 12:45, after all four cables were tightened, the tree was unhooked from the crane, and two workers climbed out of the tree
10. The scaffolding goes up the week after Thanksgiving

All told, we were there from 8:15 to 12:45. Four and a half hours, just standing there, gawking.