25: Fifth Avenue

Welcome to 5th Avenue! We started on Central Park South, home of the Plaza Hotel, which I'm sure you remember fondly from Home Alone 2: Lost in NY (Megan's favorite movie EVER). On an interesting sidenote, the Beatles stayed at the Plaza during their first visit to the United States in February, 1964.

The many flags of the Plaza:

Still up at the corner of CPS and 5th Ave. is Grand Army Plaza, where many horse and buggies and this golden statue reside. Wanting to know what it is all about, I googled "gold statue at 5th Ave" and found this nugget of information:

The statue is of William Tecumseh Sherman, the ruthless but effective Civil War general who devastated the Southern countryside and brought the civilian population to its knees with the Union army's scorched-earth March to the Sea. Created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, it's a classical equestrian statue of the crusty general with a female Winged Victory striding along in front of the horse.

I am Winged Victory and Jared is the crusty general - although he looks pretty good natured about it in the photo. He fought this one hard.

Megan and Jared at the fountain near the Plaza Hotel. Jared's patience for beebopping has already run out.

Here we are in front of the Apple Store. The actual store is underground. Neat!

At the entrance of FAO Schwarz, one of the happiest places on earth, Jared looks like the most unhappy person. We love FAO for the gigantic stuffed animals, the dedicated Harry Potter section, and the happy piano dancers who perform regularly on the giant piano from the movie "BIG."

Outside of FAO, which was sadly closed early on a Saturday morning.

Megan at Bergdorf's, the only store she will buy clothes from (besides Target).

The Bergdorf's windows are always interesting, especially at Christmas. We like the woman with the cat-head in this one.

Meg and I will never own a Louis Vuitton anything. We tend to prefer discount purses from Filene's Basement.

This store, Van Cleef & Arpels, was on our walking tour card as one of the many prestigious jewelry stores on 5th ave. They too, were closed, and thus had very unimpressive window displays.
Megan in front of Tiffany's. Can you believe neither of us have ever seen "Breakfast at Tiffany's?"

you're fired! Trump Tower

Trump Tower again - It has a big gaudy golden lobby.

Will you marry me .... again? Jared re-proposed in front of Harry Winston (we made him, and he was really embarrassed about it, even though he was down on one knee for less than 10 seconds. He was so embarrassed that he wouldn't do it for another shot so I could have a second chance at making a non-stupid face).

A big ad for WALL-E in front of the big Disney Store. We went on this walk well before the movie came out, and I was REALLY excited about it. Then we went to a late night showing, and I fell asleep at the end. I blame the baby. What I saw was fantastic though.

This is Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, completed in 1876. Jared and I attended a Christmas Eve service here on our first Christmas here in NY, and it was really lovely.

Megan and the St. Regis Hotel - Fancy!

Another pretty church - St. Thomas , completed in 1913.

Megan is awaiting a diamond ring from Cartier. Just kidding! She prefers the man-made variety of diamond.

Cartier is housed in the former mansion of Morton Freeman Plant. Cartier bought the mansion from Morton Plant and his wife in 1917 in exchange for a pearl necklace (valued at the time at $1 million).

There is all kinds of hoity-toity shopping along 5th Ave. We fit right in.

Getting towards the end of our walk, we arrived at the beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral - completed in 1878. The police had it closed off for something that morning, but there is plenty to see on the outside. Check out these doors!

Saks Fifth Avenue - my Uncle Rodney loves their cafe. I love their Holiday light show. They project hundreds of falling snowflakes on the outside of the building set to Christmas music.

Another shot of St. Patrick's

Turning back uptown on Madison Avenue, we came across The New York Palace Hotel - home of the glamorous Serena van der Woodsen

I received a shocking text from gossip girl outside the Palace to end the walk.

You know you love us. XOXO,

Jill & Meg