Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Best Set-In Or About New York City Books

There’s no shortage of vibrant neighborhoods to explore across New York’s five boroughs, yet when it comes to true luxury, it’s tough to beat Midtown Manhattan. Renowned across the globe for its wealth of world-class attractions, this sprawling district draws massive hordes of visitors each year to admire tourist magnets like Carnegie Hall, the Empire State Building and Times Square—and all of this attention has paved the way for some truly lavish accommodations, with the Conrad New York Midtown serving as a prime example.

“He’s in here, in the kitchen every night and he’s smiling. He’s so happy to be doing this,” explains one of the managers of Café Carmellini. He is chef Andrew Carmellini, well known around New York the past 15 years for his respected but more casual restaurants Locanda Verde, Lafayette, The Dutch, Carne Mare and Bar Primi. This restaurant, which opened November 1st in the new Fifth Avenue Hotel, marks his return to fine dining with reinterpretations of French and Italian classics and as his most personal restaurant is the first one that bears his name. It’s been packed since opening night and looking around the Gilded Age style dining room with its oversized bronze and seeded glass chandeliers suspended from double height ceilings, plush blue banquettes and sculpted trees in the middle of the floor, the chef isn’t the only one smiling.

There’s no bad time to visit the Big Apple — but when winter takes hold, the city has an extra sheen of glitter. Department stores are brightened with kaleidoscopic light shows; a large ice rink springs up in Central Park; and the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree sits pretty in the plaza. If you’re lucky, the streets might even be blanketed in white, catapulting visitors into a scene of a festive Hollywood film. 

Airbnb has a fake listings and verification problem — and the company knows it.

Compelling books on travel inspire readers to not only learn about destinations and cultures across the globe, but also, lock in that bucket list trip they’ve been dreaming about. As most travelers can attest, exploring a new locale keeps the brain sharp, curiosities peaked, and humanity intact. Much may be gleaned through reading the memoirs, poems, and true tales of adventurers; seeing beautiful photography; and following writers down the rabbit hole, through verdant valleys, and up and over mountain peaks.

Booking.com and Warner Bros. Pictures have this week announced a new collaboration to celebrate the holidays and the debut of Wonka (in theatres December 15). The limited-time collaboration comes in the form of two sugar-coated stays at Wonka’s Sweet Suites in both New York and Los Angeles.

At this time of year, hotels all over the world feature unusual amenities. But this one in New York City is a great way to get in some meditation and creativity while you test out your artistic skills. And get a great holiday gift – for yourself.

Since the holidays can be a hectic and stressful time of year, why not gift the person you care about a destination-inspired candle? This way they can whisk themselves to their favorite places in the world, right from the comfort of home and whenever the mood strikes.

If you ever fantasized about sailing on the original Queen Mary, and partake of the food from another era…well, you can, sort of, return to those meals of yesteryear.

Fiona Khuong-Huu, 16, is a pre-college student at The Julliard School and a guest artist and violinist who is part of the New York Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concerts. The series is geared for children ages six and older and is a fantastic, fun way to introduce a younger generation to the world of classical music.

The highest echelon of hotels know how to take an experience and bed it into something that lives on in the heart. The world’s finest perfumiers do a remarkably similar job. So it’s fitting that - increasingly - the two are coming together as hoteliers create brilliantly evocative scents - and perfumiers pay homage to their favorite hotels creating an experiential circle of glorious memories.

The holiday season is a magical time to visit New York City. While Rockefeller Center is a must-see, thanks to its famous Christmas tree and ice skating rink, Manhattan has many other spots for taking in holiday lights and festivities.