Here are some things to do in Manhattan from Dec. 2-10

Thursday, Dec. 2

Visit annual #CHALKFIT Display by FIT Illustration Students – Illustration BFA students from the Fashion Institute of the Technology/State University of New York sketched and painted “The New Normal” on FIT’s expansive façade, expressing through art how the pandemic has impacted and changed their lives. The mural depicts a range of emotions and experiences covering vaccination, self-reflection, balancing schoolwork and personal life and sorting through emotions. The mural consists of 100 panels created by about 80 students, as well as 15–20 alumni from the class of 2021 who didn’t get to participate last year due to the pandemic. Free to view. 7th Ave between 26th and 27th St.

Art by
@sabrinaferran_art Photo courtesy of #CHALKFIT

Art by @aristochatgigiPhoto courtesy of #CHALKFIT

Cricket’s Candy Creations launches a unique, delicious crafting experience- Cricket Azima’s brand-new pop-up in lower Manhattan, Cricket’s Candy Creations, is open. Guests can craft edible candy art while immersed in multisensory candy-themed activities.The pop-up includes an edible slime studio, a candy kitchen, a lickable finger-paint gallery, a chocolate chamber, an accessories arcade and more. Hours and prices vary. 200 Hudson Street.

Friday, Dec. 3

Attend “Stilettos to Sneakers: A Virtual Shoe Symposium”- Stilettos to Sneakers: A Virtual Shoe Symposium , presented by The Museum at FIT, showcases new research on the social and cultural significance of shoes. Shoes have played an important role in human society for millennia, with interest in them growing exponentially over the past few decades. Americans—especially women—are buying more shoes than ever before, while sneaker collecting has grown popular. The symposium will explore the evolution of shoes and how significant shoes are to a person’s identity. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register at https://museumatfit.secure.force.com/ticket/#/

Join the live Q&A during the YouTube premieres of these pre-recorded fashion events- Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator, MFIT, and Colleen Hill, curator, costume and accessories, MFIT will examine 25 pairs of shoes from Shoes: The Collection of The Museum at FIT and share what makes them iconic in fashion and pop culture from 11 -11:30 a.m. Then, MFIT co-curators of the exhibition, Head to Toe, will discuss the significance of women’s accessories and how they were worn to showcase everything from being courted by a suitor in the 1800s to the hippie culture of the 1960s and beyond from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Other Q&A’s will discuss He Wore/She Wore: The Short History of High Heels and The First Pair: A Look into Sneaker Culture.

Saturday, Dec. 4

35th Annual Miracle on Madison Avenue- For 35 years, Madison Avenue has celebrated the holidays by organizing Miracle on Madison Avenue. Miracle Saturday has become a New York holiday shopping tradition that uniquely combines philanthropy for children-in-need with in-store programming. Flagship boutiques and businesses on Madison Avenue will donate 20% of the day’s sales to benefit The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering pediatric initiatives. There will be holiday street activities, featuring the sounds and styles of the first “Miracle Saturday” 35 years ago, for the whole family of shoppers to enjoy. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Madison Avenue, NYC, between 57th & 86th Streets.

PAZ Lifestyle sustainable pop-up- PAZ Lifestyle , the multi-brand e-commerce platform founded by the Peruvian Isabella Montoya, will open a pop-up boutique again during the month of December. Customers will be able to shop over 40 brands and many sustainable products that go beyond fashion, and partake in an exclusive virtual reality experience. The pop-up will be open through Dec. 22. 27 Greene St.

Photo courtesy of PAZ Lifestyle.

Sunday, Dec. 5

Empire Circus Interactive Circus Spectacular – The all-new, family-friendly, interactive circus-meets-carnival makes its world premiere this fall. Empire Circus spans throughout five floors of Empire Stores and its courtyard between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Empire Circus will open on Sunday, December 5, for a limited engagement, through January 30, 2022. Location- the Brooklyn landmark Empire Stores (53 Water St). Prices and hours vary. Get tickets here: https://www.empirecircus.com/

Monday, Dec. 6

Grammy Award Winning, Chris Botti returns to Blue Note Jazz for Holiday Residency- Chris Botti returns to the famous Blue Note Jazz Club, for his 17th annual holiday residency. Botti’s performances have included legends such as Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Yo-Yo Ma, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Andrea Bocelli. This holiday run is happening from December 6 to January 2, including performances on Christmas and NYE. Tickets and showtimes vary. 131 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012.

Breakfast at Butterfunk Biscuit – Enjoy the sweet and savory new menu items ranging from warm cinnamon rolls crafted from biscuit dough, a classic-style all day breakfast plate complete with eggs, hickory smoked bacon and mini biscuits and the stone ground cheese grits or the scrumptious sugar-dusted southern fried biscuit donuts served with dulce de leche. Served all day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Located in Manhattanville Market.

Tuesday, Dec. 7

Thompson Central Park hotel Skate & Stay- Thompson Central Park New York partnered with Wollman Rink to offer an exciting Skate & Stay package that includes two tickets to the rink per booking. Guests will also be able to enjoy the other offerings of the rink including ice dance and figure skating.

Try the new lunch menu at Virgil’s Real Barbecue in Times Square- Available now, new items include mac & cheese topped with a choice of Carolina pulled pork, BBQ pulled chicken, Texas beef brisket, or smoked pastrami, a smoked chicken salad sandwich, a reuben sandwich and a new salad. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 152 West 44th Street New York, NY 10036.

Wednesday, Dec. 8

Stars’ holiday shows at (Le) Poisson Rouge- Montreal’s band Stars are headlining two nights at NYC’s (Le) Poisson Rouge on Dec. 8th and 9th as a part of ‘The Together Tour.’ Audiences can expect previews of the new songs on the next Stars album due out next year via Last Gang Records. Time: 7p.m. doors, 8pm. Lloyd Cole, 9p.m. Stars. Ticket prices vary. (Le) Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker St, NY, NY).

Enjoy festive holiday treats at Le Pain Quotidien- National bakery-restaurant Le Pain Quotidien is serving a variety of limited-edition seasonal treats throughout December. ​​Their Pistachio Cranberry Shortbread Cookie is a classic holiday treat, the sweet crumbly biscuit dotted with pieces of chopped pistachios and dried cranberries. The Holiday Linzer Star cookie uses ground hazelnuts for a nutty profile, and sandwiches raspberry jam in the middle. The Buche de Noel Chocolate Praline is offered exclusively from December 8 through December 25. There are many locations across the city. View locations and hours here: https://www.lepainquotidien.com/us/en/locations/

Holiday cookie assortment at Le Pain Quotidien.Photo courtesy of Le Pain Quotidien

Thursday, Dec. 9

Samira Wiley & Moliere in the Park- Molière in the Park, in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance and LeFrak Center at Lakeside, will present free staged readings of two one-act plays, including Gaël Octavia’s FAMILY and Molière’s THE IMAGINARY CUCKOLD, both directed by Lucie Tiberghien. Both plays, in their own unexpected ways, wrestle with identity, truth, secrets, gender, sexuality and control. The cast for both plays features Emmy and SAG Award winner Samira Wiley, Kaliswa Brewster, Lisa Gorlitsky and Nate Miller. Free. 95 Prospect Park West- Picnic House in Prospect Park. Dec. 9 at 7p.m. and Dec. 10 at 7p.m.

Moliere in the Park co-founders Garth Belcon and Lucie Tiberghien. Photo by Russ Rowland

Exclusive Circus Experience with Thompson Central Park New York – Thompson Central Park New York announced that it will serve as the Big Apple Circus ’ newest official hotel partner following the circus’ return to Lincoln Center. To celebrate the partnership, the hotel unveiled an exclusive ‘Big Apple Circus Package’, which includes a chef-driven circus-themed amenity and selection of fan-favorite Big Apple Circus swag offerings. For the holiday season, the hotel will offer over-the-top VIP guest experiences that include an exclusive behind-the-scenes package with post-circus lessons and executive ringside access.

Friday, Dec. 10

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine Welcomes Back A Holiday Tradition With “Joy of Christmas” Concert – The Cathedral of St. John the Divine will celebrate the holiday season with the Joy of Christmas concert. The Cathedral Choirs, orchestra, and soloists, under the batons of Director of Cathedral Music Kent Tritle and Associate Choirmaster Bryan Zaros, will celebrate the holidays with Benjamin Britten’s beloved Ceremony of Carols, Antonio Vivaldi’s incandescent Gloria, and favorite carols sung by the whole audience. The concert will also be on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. Visit https://www.stjohndivine.org/calendar/40468/joy-of-christmas for ticket information. 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street).

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