i ♥ ny

I ♥ NY in December. There's the magic of the twinkling lights, the hustle and bustle of bundled up shoppers, and the holiday markets in various squares and parks.

We went in Sunday morning to see some sights. First stop: Chicken and Waffles at Hill Country Chicken. It's good food at great (by NYC standards) prices. The waffle was light and fluffy, served with brown sugar butter and maple syrup, and the chicken tenders were moist, perfectly seasoned with a crisp coating.

They also have a BBQ joint right around the corner which is a tasty place, but I've got to draw the line at 9 AM. I'd be back for the Pie Happy Hour, it's just too bad I'm never in the city then.

We walked through Union Square Holiday Market with its assorted shops and kiosks. This market is chock full of wonderful gift items— soaps, jewelry, fancy foods, art prints, cool t-shirts— in case you're looking for a last minute, unique present. sigmund's pretzels and Stuffed Artisan Cannolis (that's Peanut Butter Cup!) caught my eye.

I always love stopping into abc carpet & home for their stunning array of gorgeous objects. At Christmastime, the first floor glistens with handmade ornaments and trinkets. Even though they were already running a 50% off sale, I practiced restraint and left empty-handed.

Walking up Broadway near 23rd, we got a lovely, unobstructed view of the Empire State Building. I went up for a school trip when I was little, but haven't been back since (unless you count watching Sleepless in Seattle as a pseudo-visit); we are planning on bringing our children one day soon.

We finished our wonderful day meeting The MIL at the Peking Duck House in Chinatown. It's a popular spot and was packed. The duck is good, though I had a few fatty pieces, though it's nothing that you can't scrape away. The Kids particularly loved the Crispy Beef with Spicy Sauce. What's not to love when it's shredded (all the more easy to inhale) and deep fried?