NYC

NYC’s Most Instagram-able Bucket LIst To Check Off Before the New Year

Wanna add some unique pics to your Instagram feed while traveling through NY but don’t want to limit your travel shots to the same, traditional stuff that everyone else expects from New York?  Or have you already seen all the classic Christmas hot spots and are now looking for something new and cool?  Well either way, you’ve come to the right place because here is a list of the top 5 spots in NY you won’t want to miss!  Plus I’ve packed in all the insider info. you’ll need!

1. Yankee Candle Pop-Up 

   WHAT:  It’s a fragrant pop-up that allows you to personalize a candle with your own photo, shop their entire collection and take selfies at 4 photogenic areas.  WHERE:  503 Broadway between Broome and Spring across from Zara.  WHEN:  until January 3, 2018 from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.  TIP:  Study other people’s poses for the upside down room so you can best plan out your shot by researching the hashtag.  It’s a bit of a mind warp when you arrive and have just minutes to take the perfect shot and you’ll want to use your limited time wisely.  Click here for more info.  And make sure to have a high-res photo that you love and want to personalize your candle with on your phone.  They’ll ask you to email it to them and staffers on-site will walk you through the fun process of creating this cute gift idea for yourself or a loved one.  HASHTAG:  #candlepowernyc

2. Google Pop – Up 

   What: a branded pop -up where you can play, shop and explore all things Google.  Highlights include a psychedelic photo station, virtual reality experience and an all-white ball pit pitched as a snowglobe that you get to play in!  WHERE: 110 5th Ave, (between 16th and 17th streets)   WHEN:  10am-8pm everyday  HASHTAG: #googlepopup  TIP:go after 6:30pm on a weekday to avoid the lines.  And if you have a furry friend, go this Saturday from 1-3pm for a photo of your special pet turned into custom gift wrap!  Click here for more details!

3. Gingerbread House and Flatiron Art 

   Within close walking distance to the Google Pop-up are two must-see stops in the neighborhood.  Take a picture with “Flatiron Reflection,” the shimmering, artsy tubes in front of the iconic FlatIron Building,  WHERE: North Flatiron Public Plaza at the intersection of Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street.  Nearby at Madison Square Park across the street, go find the Gingerbread House. WHAT:  a life sized, super-sweet gingerbread house featuring a real gummy bear wreath, a marshmallow snowman, and a gingerbread man (found on videotape (inside) all created by magazine, “Taste of Home.”  Being that it is set against the backdrop of a gorgeously lit Christmas tree and New York’s skyline, it makes for a stunning photo opp in the city.  WHEN:  Flatiron Reflection will be open to the public everyday through Jan 1 and the gingerbread house will be around through December 20.  If you want to go inside, the house is open 2-8 p.m. during the week and noon-8 p.m. on weekends through Dec. 20. HASHTAG:  #gingerbreadBLVD  TIP:  if it’s cold and there is a line, just opt to take pictures towards the back of the house and you won’t be missing much!

4. Festival of Life 

   WHAT:  Modern artist Yayoi Kusama from Japan has brought her famously colorful modern art to Chelsea and has been received with 2-4 hour long lines it is so popular! People are even creating custom clothes to match her art to optimize the Instagram-able opportunity! You’ll see sixty-six paintings from her iconic My Eternal Soul series, new large-scale flower sculptures, a polka-dotted environment, and two Infinity Mirror Rooms.  WHEN: only open until the 16th until 6pm everyday.  WHERE:  525 AND 533 W 19th st. (2 gallery spaces at David Zwirner Galleries)  HASHTAG:  #festivaloflife  TIP: expect to wait  2 – 4 hours to enter into the exhibition. If the wait time exceeds 2 hours, they will post an update with the estimated wait time on @davidzwirner Twitter and Instagram Stories.  When wait times are 4 hours or longer, the line closures may occur as early as 2PM.  Flash photography, video cameras, tripods, and selfie sticks are strictly prohibited. Visitors may take photographs without flash.  Note that the gallery does not have public restrooms!  For more info click here.

5. Louis Vuitton’s Volez, Voguez, Voyagez 

   WHAT: If you like fashion, or enjoy history, this Monogrammed exhibit is not to be missed!  It retraces the brand’s heritage and follows its founders giving you a deeper appreciation of the iconic luxury brand while sending you down a fashionable path prompting endless poses.   WHERE:   86 Trinity Pl, in the Financial District  WHEN:  until January 7th, 10am-8pm Mon-Sat. 11am-7pm Sundays, limited hours on Christmas Eve, NYE and New Year’s day (check website for details).   TIP:  Book Reservations to minimize entry wait time.  Check website for guided tour times.  Audio tours are also available in English,s most Spanish and Chinese. Visitors with tickets will be given priority over ‘Walk-ins’

So which one of these Instagram-able options most interests YOU?  And if you’ve already been to one of these, what is YOUR best tip? I’d love to know – leave a comment below!

Read On for my top tips for getting that Instagram-able photo HERE!

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National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey in Times Square

We were excited to take our mermaid-obsessed, 4-year old to National Geographic’s Encounter: Ocean Odyssey in Times Square because it was the first of its kind to immerse you in an under-the-sea experience without requiring you to know how to swim!  (I’m the only one in our family who can so that was a relief!)  This cool new National Geographic Encounter allows you to virtually swim under and across the Pacific Ocean overnight, from Asia to California and explore the magical underworld that is their 60,000 square foot entertainment experience all without getting wet.  By harnessing ground-breaking technology (think video mapping, 3D effects, 8K photo real animation, enveloping sound system, mega projection screens, and“real-time” audience tracking),  you’re transported and traveling underwater.

This first room really took my breath away.  With the floor-to-ceiling screen and the touch-sensitive projections on the floor, you really feel immersed in this underwater scene. You can expect to encounter dolphins, sharks, stingrays and whales and may find your kids either mesmerized in one spot or chasing after them as they swim by.  It’s a sight to see and so fun for the kids to watch!

After the timed portion ends, you and the group follow the hosts who act as your tour guides and direct you into the reef room where you’ll find that coral glows beneath you and smaller creatures can be found if you look closely.  Now that’s an ocean odyssey! The production quality is truly remarkable.  I loved taking in every detail from the kelp forest to the underwater sounds of the most mysterious and mighty sea creatures.

And the interactive elements like the kelp mirror maze which we let Juliet lead us into and out of were truly engaging!Playing with sea lions and having them mirror our every move was so much fun!  Juliet tried to teach them ballet and some of her signature twirls lol 

Overall, the blockbuster digital technology wowed us all – even my geeky husband who thought he was up on the latest and greatest in technology was seriously impressed with the 40 foot 3-D dome room.   We just wish that part of the experience had lasted longer!

Overall, the visuals are truly stunning. The creators and producers of National Geographic Encounter, have engaged a world-class global team of Academy, GRAMMY®, and Emmy® Award-winning artists, including the design firm Falcon’s Creative Group and the visual effects team behind “Game of Thrones,” to produce this never-before-seen experience.  Everything from the majestic ocean soundscape across the 230 loudspeakers and 180 independent sound channels to the creative set design and cinematic quality forge to create an incredible state-of-the-art immersion.

You totally forget you’re in the bustling center of Times Square.  I love experiences that make me feel ‘present’ and in the moment.  Too often we are rushing and racing around whether physically or in our minds.  This experience had a calming, meditative effect on me that reminded me to enjoy the ‘now.’ Plus I’m happy to report that my little one learned a thing or two and piqued her interest in the underwater world.  Instead of talking just about mermaids, she now chats about squids, how large whales are and coral too!    People varied in their reviews of whether they liked that the bulk of the education and information was found at the end of the experience.  I preferred it that way.  I liked that nothing interrupted the sensory experience I was having in each room.  And this way I could explore whatever topics most piqued my interest at the end by finding the sound dome to stand under that matched the visual I loved.  Here, kids of all ages could learn through touch screens, audio-visuals, and taped interviews with marine biologists.

And in the end, Juliet had so much fun browsing the gift shop where she got to take home a fun souvenir to remind her of her newfound interests.  

DISCLAIMER:  Our tickets were complimentary in exchange for a review but all opinions expressed are my own.

ADDRESS:  226 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036

READ ON about another Times Square, family-friendly experience, Gulliver’s Gate!

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