A Winter's Night

If you're still trying to find that last minute Christmas gift, take a walk to Columbus Circle and venture through the holiday market.

Your first stop should be the cider and gingerbread cookie stand. Treat yourself before you treat others. They have his and hers gingerbread cookies, and in response to one buyer's question, no, they will not come alive if you dip them in milk. Last year I went for the little man, this year I went for the ginger snap (more like ginger chew) cookie and I was not disappointed. It was the softest and chewiest ginger cookie I've ever tried. That and it lasted for about four or five separate servings and there were even leftovers for my roommates to taste. The stand also offers hot apple cider.

My next stop was the Dakota. I asked the security guards if I could take a picture and they were nice enough to let me stand on the stoop for .01 of a second to get a pic. Their Christmas tree in the courtyard is hard to beat, if you can make it out behind the grand wrought-iron gates.

I head to California tonight on a 6 p.m. flight, excited to see family and friends in Carmel, but as I was walking to work this morning, admiring apartments with their various holiday decorations, I realized I wasn't quite ready to leave behind Christmas in New York...