Christmas in New York:
A magical time for an IVHE vacation
Photo source: flickr, Michael Ostendorp |
Christmas merchandise and decorations will have been up in the stores weeks before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is held on the fourth Thursday in November, setting the stage for the unofficial start of the holiday season. This year’s extravaganza will be the 87th.
Photo source: flickr, Caltee Smith |
The day after thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. In New York and in cities around the country, stores and shops cut their prices drastically to give Christmas gift-buying a hefty start. Throngs of people line up early in the morning to take advantage of this retail bonanza. If you would like to join them, be ready for an exhilirating stampede when the doors open. And prepare yourself for some excellent buys.
The city’s biggest department stores try to outdo each other with holiday window displays. It’s fun to stroll around the city to see the colorful, clever creations of each. You can take a self guided tour lasting about an hour and a half by starting on the northeast end with Bloomingdales, over to Barney’s on Madison Avenue and down Fifth Avenue to Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Lord & Taylor and finally over to Macy’s on east 34th street at Herald Square. Wear warm clothes and sensible shoes. And enjoy.
On the evening of December 3, thousands of people will crowd the sidewalks around Rockefeller Center (between West 48th and West 51st. Streets and 5th and 6th Avenues) for the lighting of the tallest Christmas tree in the country. Thousands of lights come to life on this stupendous tree and dazzle onlookers as Christmas music and carols fill the plaza and ice-skating rink. The tree will remain lit every night until January 7th, so if you miss the lighting ceremony you can still see this festive tree at a not-so-hectic time.
Photo source: flickr, Ralph Dally |
On December 16, the first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights begins in the city with the lighting of the first candle on the world’s largest menorah (at Grand Army Plaza, 5th Ave. and 59th St.). On each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, a candle will be lit and the holiday celebrated with live music, hot latkes, and gifts for the children.
Photo source: gigi_nyc |
The International Vacation Home Exchange offers four properties in Manhattan, from the Upper West Side to Greenwich Village. Each property is as unique as its neighborhood.
4-bedroom, 3-floor, 2400 sq. ft. townhouse. Greenwich Village is mostly an upper middle class
residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan. New York
University (NYU) is located here. This IVHE townhouse is on Washington Mews, a one-block long cobbled street closed off to traffic. The neighborhood has hundreds of restaurants and coffee shops. Washington Square Park, marked by a large arch, has a fountain, playgrounds, gardens, bocce court and chess tables. Subwaylines are close by. The townhouse is nicely furnished and kitchen is fully-equipped. Appliances include a dishwasher and clothes washer and dryer.
Property #0908: Upper West Side -- 2-bedroom apartment near Columbia University. The Upper West Side is a distinguished cultural epicenter, home to the American Museum of Natural History, the New-York Historical Society, the historic Beacon Theatre and Lincoln Center where audiences can enjoy live opera, jazz, ballet and theater performances.
The apartment features exposed brick in the living room and master bedroom, skylights, and high ceilings. You can go out on the roof and watch barges and ships navigate the Hudson River; or step outside, turn right, and in a minute you’re on Broadway with its neighborhood markets, cafes, restaurants and shops.
Property #0969: Chelsea -- 2 bedroom exclusive apartment for direct swap
Hard drivin’ rockers from the 60’s and 70’s used to hang out here in droves; not so much today, but partiers and clubgoers can still find some of New York’s most rocking spots in Chelsea. Since the mid-90s, there’s been a boom in art, culture, architecture and celebrity and a complement of homegrown shops, cozy restaurants, and warm cafes. Your IVHE apartment is in the heart of Chelsea; an easy walk to the Empire State Building, 5th Avenue, Times Square and Penn Station. The building has a doorman and valet service.
In addition you can choose from three fabulous properties in Brooklyn (above) only 8 minutes on the subway from Manhattan! These stunning listing are: 1022, 1023 and 1024.
For more information on each of these Manhattan exchange homes, click the property # by each one. If you are not familiar with the International Vacation Home Exchange and would like to find out more about its unique exchange program, visit www.ivhe.com and click how it works.
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