Walking Off the Big Apple

The New York Botanical Garden's annual Holiday Train Show features major landmarks of New York, all made of natural elements such as leaves and twigs. The firm Applied Imagination is their creator. Many of the replicas on display in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, itself a NYC landmark, represent beloved buildings that have dearly departed the city, including the old Penn Station . Two of the finest works in the show are bridges - the George Washington Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge - which, of course, are very much with us. The Hudson River Valley is well-represented, too, including painter Frederic Church's home, Olana . The biggest surprise in the 2015 iteration of the show is an elegant recreation of buildings from the 1964 World's Fair. The old Penn Station and the replica of the modernist fair anchor the story of this train show. 1964 was the year McKim, Mead & White's palace of train transportation was demolished, making way for the current Madison Square

Crowds are always expected at Rockefeller Center, especially during the holidays, so visitors looking to transcend the madness may want to consider a trip to Top of the Rock . These observation decks high above Rockefeller Plaza offer 360° views of the city and the greater metropolis. While mere mortals snap pictures of friends and family at street level, you could be soaring 70 stories above the plaza for superhero visions of Gotham. The observation decks of the Empire State Building and 1WTC, seen in the background, are additional options for birds-eye views of New York City, but look at this view from the top of Rockefeller Center! St. Patrick's Cathedral looks much smaller from this vantage point. Top of the Rock's lobby provides a serenity not often found at street level. Looking northeast, the 88 floors of luxury residences at 432 Park Avenue are inescapable.   With a little luck and the right timing (weekdays, morning or early afternoon), the crow

The weather has been mild in New York this week, even warm at times. With the temperatures this out-of-season, a stroll to look at the 5th Avenue holiday windows feels a little out-of-sync. On Wednesday afternoon, the usual crowds were thin compared to past seasons. Maybe it takes a large dose of frosty air to get people in the mood. A haze pervaded the atmosphere, making window viewing somewhat murky. The clouds lifted late in the afternoon, so evening visitors had a better go at it. Begin the window walk near W. 58th St. and 5th Avenue at the fountain in front of The Plaza Hotel. The window decorators, nevertheless, did their best to cut through the haze. The windows are dazzling affairs this season, with millions of crystals and jewels. They're also a little decadent. With the exception of Bergdorf Goodman, this sense of staying too long at the party could be the fault of the mannequins, who invariably look too thin and too bored. Bergdorf has managed to find some that ac

Macy's at night. Flagship store at Herald Square. W/ PEANUTS. 2015. If planning a excursion to see New York's holiday windows, consider grouping a few together and visiting them at separate times. An example: 1) Bergdorf Goodman (5th Ave & 58th St.) to Saks Fifth Avenue (5th Ave between E. 50th St. and E. 49th St.); 2) Barney's (Madison Ave at 61st St.) to Bloomingdale's (Lexington Ave between E. 59th St. and E. 59th St.; and 3) Macy's (Herald Square) to Lord & Taylor (5th Ave & W. 38th St.). While their relative proximity allows for one big (and really exhausting) holiday window extravaganza, taking time to explore the stores and side streets in leisurely fashion may make for more peace and more joy. Macy's, 7th Avenue side and E. 34th St. showing proximity to the Empire State Building

The light is always fascinating to watch in Lower Manhattan, whether natural or manmade. In the tapering landmass of the southern part of the island, it's possible to watch the sunset over the Hudson River to the west and then turn around and walk a few blocks to catch the amber light of the setting sun on the cityscape of Brooklyn to the east. This short holiday walk from the World Financial Center to the intersection of Nassau and Fulton Streets is best appreciated in the late afternoon and early evening when New York City transitions into night. Let's start indoors.     Luminaries, a light display and interactive installation, illuminates the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place this holiday season. (above) Traditionally, luminaries are constructed out of humble paper bags, filled with sand, lined up on sidewalks, and lit with simple candles. These rigid lanterns, an invention of the theatrically-minded Rockwell Group, are suspended on high and artificially illumin