Selected List of Events for NYC Thanksgiving Week and Beyond: Balloon Inflation, Sondheim, Cindy Sherman, Zabar's, and more

Here's my To-Do list (and one Not-To-Do, I'll let you guess) for the upcoming holiday week in the big city. While I eagerly await the feast with friends and family on Thursday, I'm compiling here a list of city entertainments in and around the festive day that others, too, may enjoy.

Balloon Inflation (see pix, posted Thursday morning): Wednesday, November 26, 2008, approximately 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation. Central Park West and Columbus Avenue on 77th and 81st Streets. On the evening before Thanksgiving, many New Yorkers like to go up to the Upper West Side and watch the inflation of the balloons on the streets around the American Museum of Natural History, but then on Thanksgiving morning, these same New Yorkers will try to avoid midtown by any means necessary.

Holiday Market @ Union Square: Union Square Market Hours: Monday - Friday 11 am to 8 pm; Saturdays 10 am to 8 pm; Sundays 11 am to 7 pm; Christmas Eve: Open 10 am – 4 pm. Always fun and crowded for the homemade gifts. That is, homemade by other people to give to your people.

Bryant Park: I need to check out Bryant Park's holiday magic and ice spectacle, especially the Canadian-centered eating establishment, Celsius: A Canadian Lounge.

New York premiere of Stephen Sondheim's new musical, Road Show, at the Public Theater. I'm a Sondheim person and would love to see his new work as soon as possible. Tuesday October 28 - Sunday December 28. Tuesday at 7pm. Consider Rush Tix: " "There will be a limited number of $20 Rush Tix available at the box office for every downtown theater performance on sale to the general public one hour prior to curtain. There is a 2 ticket limit per person. Cash only."

Cindy Sherman. Metro Pictures (519 W 24th St.): November 15-December 23, 2008. According to Metro, "Cindy Sherman will show a series of color photographs that continues her investigation into distorted ideas of beauty, self-image and aging. Typical of Sherman, these works are at once alarming and amusing, distasteful and poignant." You go, girl! Aging and distasteful! We love her. Here's Jerry Saltz's review from New York Magazine. Also, check out this YouTube movie trailer from WOTBA's now-defunct cinema magique.

While in Chelsea, I must check in on the new L'Atelier du chocolat (French website) at 59 W 22nd St (between 5th Ave & Avenue Of The Americas).

Zabar's, the famous Upper West Side food palace, will deliver a turkey to your door via messenger. Turkey, ham, pork, goose or duck for the main course, and for the sides, many, many choices. I want their corn chowder. NOW.

Have I seen the William Eggleston exhibit at the Whitney yet? No. How about the Elizabeth Peyton exhibit at the New Museum? No. OK. I have placed these two on my Must-Do-or-Will-Feel-Guilty list.

Last year, most all of my popular Christmas presents came from the MoMA store. This year, I don't plan to mess with a good thing.

High Concept Candy Store at Papabubble. Barcelona, Tokyo, Amsterdam. Now in an American store near you on Broome near Mott Street. Perfect location. I'm currently hypnotized by the song on their website.

For the Day After:
"Fitness guru" Richard Simmons will begin the recession-era shopping festivities by leading an aerobics session for those waiting outside Macy's Herald Square in New York City on the morning of Black Friday, November 28, 2008 at 5:00 a.m. Have fun for me.

Image: Walter Granville Smith, Two Ladies Ice Skating in Central Park, 1892, watercolor, in the collection of the Federal Reserve Board, Washington D.C. (maybe, given recent trends, where all art is destined.)