Times Square 12 Hours Before The 2011 New Year's Eve Ball Drop

Naked Cowboy entertaining revelers

Inside the Times Square Visitor Information

These are some scenes in Times Square earlier today, 12 hours before the New Year's Eve Ball Drop.

Good Riddance Day - Shredding Bad Memories of 2010 in Duffy Square

Out with the old, in with the new. Today is "Good Riddance Day" in Duffy Square where participants were invited to write down bad memories of 2010. The papers bearing what people want to say good riddance to, as well as old credit card statements,  bad report cards, photos of hated people, etc. were then shredded in a mobile shredding unit parked in Duffy Square.

White Days After Christmas

Central Park

Central Park

Upper Westside between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue

Lincoln Center

York Avenue

Rockefeller University on York Avenue

Burberry on 57th Street

Dior on 57th Street

Burberry on 57th Street

The day after Christmas, a blizzard passed through the Northeast, and more than 20 inches of snow blanketed the New York City area. Some of these shots were taken the day after Christmas just a few hours after snowfall started, and the others were captured on December 27 on my way to work. In the evening of December 26, there was a rare occurrence of thunder and lightning during the snowstorm. According to newsnationalgeographic.com, thundersnow—when thunder and lighting occur during a snowstorm—most often appears in late winter or early spring, experts say. That's because the ingredients for thundersnow—a mass of cold air on top of warm, plus moist air closer to the ground—often come together during that time.

Tiffany's Holiday Window Art Display

Tiffany's holiday window display, 2010.

Holiday Under the Stars 2010: Visual-Sound Display at Time Warner Center

Holiday Under the Stars at Time Warner Center is on again during the holiday season this year. It is the one of the largest specialty-crafted display of illuminated color mixing in twelve 14-foot stars hanging above the 150 foot tall Great Room at Time Warner Center. Each star is equipped with over 8,500 LEDs, 11,000 fiberoptics and 156 strobe lights that twinkle and seemingly dance across The Shops at Columbus Circle accompanied by holiday music. The spectacular star shows take place every evening beginning at 5 PM.

SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK Resumes After Cancellation Following Cast Member Injury During The December 20 Performance

Playbill autographed by lead stars Reeve Carney and Jennifer Damiano

Reeve Carney (Peter Parker/Spider-Man)

Jennifer Damiano (Mary Jane Watson)

After the show

Local news media covering the after-performance outside the Foxwoods Theatre

Spider-Man Audience Reactions from Gothamist on Vimeo.

This evening, I finally caught a preview performance of the 65 million dollar Broadway musical, "Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark" at the Foxwoods Theatre. Yesterday's matinee and evening performances were cancelled after an actor/stunt double for Spider-Man, Christopher Tierney fell 30 feet off a raised platform into a pit at the stage, and sustained injuries that required hospitalization and surgery at Bellevue Hospital. The musical is directed by Julie Taymor with music and lyrics by Bono and The Edge. The cast is headed by Reeve Carney as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Next to Normal Tony nominee Jennifer Damiano as Mary Jane Watson and Broadway veteran Patrick Page as Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin. The show, which has been plagued by technical glitches, actor injuries, and delays, is still a "work-in-progress," but the high-tech special effects and aerial scenes made it a unique theatrical experience. During tonight's performance, two of the producers spoke before the show, assuring the audience that safety measures are in place. The show went on smoothly and there were no technical glitches or actors getting injured during the performance. Positive thoughts and prayers for those who were injured including the talented Christopher Tierney who has performed many of this show's aerial stunts.

Ice Skating In The City

Wollman Skating Rink In Central Park

Rockefeller Center Skating Rink

Rockefeller Center Skating Rink

Rockefeller Center Skating Rink

The Pond At Bryant Park

For some visitors, ice skating is a quintessential New York City experience. While the Rockefeller Center skating rink is probably the most popular, there are other options. Here is a listing of skating rinks in the city from wirednewyork.com: 

The Pond at Bryant Park
The free rink in Bryant Park first opened in 2005. At 17,000 square feet, it is about half the size of the Wollman Rink in Central Park and twice as big as the rink at Rockefeller Center.
Open: 6 November 2009 to 24 January 2010
Location: Bryant Park
Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 8am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday from 8 am to midnight
Admission to skate: free
Skate rentals $12, lockers free, locks $9, small bag check $7, large bag check $10

The Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center
Open:

Location: Rockefeller Center
Hours:
Admission: $14 on weekdays, $17 on weekends
For information on hours and admission fees call 212-332-7654

Wollman Rink

See Wollman Rink page
Open: 21 October 2009 to first week of April 2010
Location: Central Park between 62nd and 63rd Streets
Admission $8.50 on weekdays, $11 on weekends, skate rental $4.75, locker
rental $10 ($6.75 refundable on lock return)
For more information call 212-439-6900
Website: centralparknyc.org

Lasker Rink and Pool

Open: 29 October 2009 to 2 April 2010
Location: Central Park between 106th and 108th Streets
Admission $4.50, skate rental $4.75, locker rental $6.75 ($4 refundable on lock return)
For information on hours and admission fees call 212-534-7639
Website: wollmanskatingrink.com

Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers

Chelsea Piers, Pier 61, Hudson River and 17th St, 212-336-6100
Admission $13.50, skate rental $6.25
Website: chelseapiers.com

Riverbank Ice Skating Rink

Location: Hudson River at 145th Street
Admission $4.50, skate rentals $3.50
Website: Riverbank State Park

Kate Wollman Rink in Prospect Park

Location: Parkside Avenue/Ocean Avenue entrance of the Prospect Park, in Brooklyn
The Prospect Park Wollman Rink will NOT be open for ice skating this winter, 2010 – 2011. Construction has begun on Lakeside, a year-round destination for recreation, relaxation, and events. Ice skating will return with the completion of this exciting new project.
Website ProspectPark.org

Abe Stark Rink

Open on weekends only from October 8, 2005 to April 3, 2006
Location: Coney Island Boardwalk and West 19th Street, Brooklyn
Hours: Saturdays from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, Sundays from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Admission Price: $8.00, skate Rental: $4.50
Information: 718-946-6536

Worlds Fair Ice Skating Rink

Open: 8 October 2005 to 3 April 2006
Location: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Skate rental $4.50
Rink information: 718-271-1996

City Ice Pavilion

Location: 47-32 32nd Place, Long Island City, NY 11101
Skate rental $4.50
Rink information: 718-505-6230
Website cityicepavilion.com

9

Another famous New York landmark is the giant red sculpture of the digit 9 in front of the office tower located at 9 West 57th Street in midtown Manhattan. This famous New York sculpture was designed by graphic artist Ivan Chermayeff. The sculpture sits on the sidewalk on city property and marks the building's main entrance. The sculpture is fabricated out of half-inch steel plate weighing three tons.