Photo: Nicole Freezer Rubens

We only have a handful of tickets left for our Holiday Luncheon. We have two immersive holiday events to suggest this week too! Want someone else to do Thanksgiving dinner? We have some top picks of NYC restaurants that will deliver to your door. And our Long Island reporter has the scoop on restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinners. Curl up with your turkey leftovers and enjoy Broadway Babe’s entertaining YouTube musical finds.  Our roving photographer loves roving in the Hamptons during this time of year.

Join us for Holiday Fun

We only have a handful of tickets left, so if you want to join us, hurry!  GET DETAILS. 

Where to Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner on Long Island

Our Long Island reporter Andrea Peponakis says many restaurants on Long Island are open on Thanksgiving Day offering a traditional menu. Instead of dividing time, limiting time, and trying to be on time, an extended family gathering at any one of these restaurants is the solution. No cooking. No stress. No cleaning up. No rushed feeling. Being together and enjoying each other is what Thanksgiving is about. GET THE DETAILS.

Where to Order Out for Thanksgiving Dinner

Bubby’s Thanksgiving Dinner

And of course, if you’re in NYC, you can have a full Thanksgiving dinner delivered to your doorstep. There are plenty of great options for Thanksgiving takeout in NYC! Here are some top picks:

Bubby’s: Known for its classic comfort food, Bubby’s offers a $200 take-out meal for two, including starters like deviled eggs and buttermilk biscuits, a turkey and ham for the main course, and sides like cornbread stuffing and green bean casserole. Desserts include slices of Apple Whiskey Crumble, Pumpkin Praline, and Sour Cherry pies.

Carmine’s: This family-style Italian restaurant offers a huge feast for $395, serving six to eight people. The package includes an 18-pound roast turkey, sausage and sage stuffing, cranberry sauce, caramelized Brussels sprouts, baby carrots, and more. You can add a pumpkin or apple pie for an extra $30.

Citarella: A New Yorker favorite, Citarella offers Thanksgiving packages for $299 (four people) or $499 (eight people). The meal includes roasted turkey, pumpkin bisque, autumn lasagna, sautéed Brussels sprouts, string beans, cranberry conserve, turkey gravy, glazed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, wild rice stuffing, cornbread, and pumpkin pie1.

Dickson’s Farmstand Meats: Located in Chelsea Market, Dickson’s offers fresh turkeys, ready-to-roast dry-brined turkeys, turkey legs, bone-in heritage ham, and more. They also have gravy, stuffing kits, cranberry-apple sauce, and mac and cheese.

Dinosaur BBQ: For a twist on traditional Thanksgiving fare, Dinosaur BBQ offers a pit-roasted turkey dinner with homemade turkey gravy, cornbread stuffing, whipped sweet potatoes, and two homemade pies. Packages are available for 3-5 people ($135) and 8-12 people ($260)1.

For even more suggestions visit 6 Sq Ft.

These options should make your Thanksgiving celebration a lot easier and delicious!

Now – Jan. 5. Tingle Bells: An ASMR-Inspired Holiday Special

Head to Chelsea for this immersive digital exhibition presented by ARTECHOUSE, designed to soothe your senses and warm your spirit during the holiday season. The exhibition features a 20-minute cinematic journey through three distinct scenes that transform popular ASMR themes into fresh visual and auditory landscapes. Visitors can expect to see gift wraps unraveling into playful Tetris pieces and explore surreal “slice-of-life” settings within digital dollhouses, all enhanced by delightful, immersive soundscapes. The goal of Tingle Bells is to provide a sanctuary of sound and visuals that promote relaxation and comfort, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. GET THE DETAILS.

Now- Jan. 12. Experience STARSCAPE

STARSCAPE at Genesis House

This immersive light installation at Genesis House Restaurant in the Meatpacking District, was created by renowned creative director Ethan Tobman. Inspired by the Korean Winter Solstice, Dongji, this multi-sensory experience transports visitors through the longest night of the year with vibrant constellations and glowing embers. The installation features 590 meticulously arranged lights that recreate constellations visible in both Seoul and New York, symbolizing a nightly connection between the two cities. Guests embark on a visual journey from the burning embers of a traditional Korean home to the celestial wonders of the night sky, enhanced by specialty cocktails and desserts at the Genesis House Restaurant.

STARSCAPE is now open to the public through January 12. No reservations are needed; just show up. Public operating hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–7pm. Find it at 40A 10th Ave. in the Meatpacking District. GET MORE DETAILS.

Broadway Babe: YouTube Finds for Holiday Watching

Broadway Babe, Randie Levine-Miller has some entertaining finds for us, including the perfectly filmed Stephen Sondheim musical, “Merrily We Roll Along” which was shown in movie theaters in England; Audra McDonald in concert with the Boston Pops; a Goldie Hawn TV special from 1978; and a delightful tribute from the original cast of “Hamilton” to the original cast of “A Chorus Line”. GET THE DETAILS.

Roving in the Hamptons

Nicole Freezer Rubens writes: 

One of the best aspects of being in the notorious Hamptons is the off-season. It is ever so relaxing to be able to roam around the Main Streets practically alone. The crisp fall air blows between the ripening pumpkin decor, hanging on through Thanksgiving, and the early Christmas bling that has slowly seeped into the local shops. It is a deep and calming breath.

The farm stands devoid of summer stone fruit and bing cherries, sell the juiciest apples and the ripest, sculptural heirloom tomatoes. There are no lines to get in anywhere. It is a meditation.

This time period just before the seasonal rush that erupts after Thanksgiving is a true calm before the storm. It is a privilege to spend the day in an empty town, able to see the quaint shingled architecture and seasonal plantings, and a good way to prepare for all the gridlock and glitter that December will bring. Enjoy the last days before the end of the year frenzy and do what you need to do to prepare for them. Happy beginning of the holiday season to all!

~Nicole Freezer Rubens is the author of “The Long Pause and the Short Breath”