How to spend a day in Manhattan as Buddy the Elf
MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) -- Don't be a cotton-headed ninnymoggins this holiday season!
Thousands visit Manhattan during the holiday season, but to make your trip unique, use Buddy the Elf as your muse. From visiting the Empire State Building to hopping across the street, these Elf-inspired activities will make your Christmas Eve both festive and funny.
1. Walk through Lincoln Tunnel (OK, well, bad idea).
Entering Manhattan by walking through the Lincoln Tunnel is probably the most authentic way to start your day as Buddy the Elf. According to Port Authority, however, doing this will land you a criminal court summons. So to make travel both Buddy friendly and legal, get to any destination by hopping. (But watch out, the yellow ones don't stop!)
2. Gallivant through Macy's on 34th Street.
Location: 151 W. 34th St.
The real department-store giant Gimbels closed its doors in the 1980s, and so the Gimbels featured in Elf is actually a digitally altered version of the 34th Street Macy's. There are several activities required for this stop, including tasting perfume samples, racing around the revolving doors and, of course, singing. You should also sit on Santa's lap, but please avoid telling him that he smells like beef and cheese.
3. Congratulate store owners for serving the World's Best Cup of Coffee.
Location: 21 East 27th St.
Every time you buy a coffee, whether it's from a corner deli, a Starbucks, or a hipster hotspot, make sure to publicly congratulate the store for serving "The World's Best Cup of Coffee." But if you're jones-ing for a truly praiseworthy cup of Joe, stop by NoMad's Birch Coffee, which has one of the highest ratings on Zagat for a Manhattan coffee shop.
4. Visit the Empire State Building.
Location: 350 Fifth Ave.
As the location of Walter Hobbs' office, the Empire State Building plays a critical role in "Elf." Unfortunately, sending Christmas grams to office buildings and getting drunk off of "syrup" in the mail room are forbidden. Instead, take a trip up to the Observation Desk to get a Santa's eye view of New York!
5. Visit one of the 30 Ray's Pizzas.
Location: 736 Seventh Ave.
According to Santa, the real Ray's Pizza is on 11th - or at least, it was. The pizza joint shut down in 2011, reopened as Famous Roio's pizzeria, then closed its doors again in 2013. Still, a few impostors have locations in Midtown. Stop by for a slice, and make sure to let your servers know (nicely) that their store sits on a throne of lies.
6. Eat a whole roll of cookie dough as fast as you can ... sort of.
Location: 362 West 45th Street
Although scarfing down an entire roll of Tollhouse Cookie dough seems fun, pairing this with a spin around revolving doors may have catastrophic results. For a stomach friendly alternative, check out Schmackary's in Midtown West, which serves chocolate chip cookies smothered in cookie dough frosting on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. See who can eat a dozen of these the fastest!
7. Ask a special someone, "Do you want to get food?"
Location: 200 W. 44th St.
Those looking to use the "secret code" on a special someone should consider going somewhere that serves "real food." Since spaghetti is the only Buddy-approved dish that's not in the four main food groups, a trip to the legendary Italian restaurant Carmine's is a must. Unfortunately, none of the family-style pasta dishes are served with maple syrup, so customers must bring their own.
8. Go ice skating at The Rink in Rockefeller Center.
Location: 600 Fifth Ave.
No holiday trip to New York City is complete without stopping by the Rock. After enjoying your "real food," skip on over to The Rink in Rockefeller Center to go ice skating under the lights of the famous Christmas tree. Maybe you can even hold hands with another human with affinity for elf culture.
9. See Elf the Musical!
Location: 4 Pennsylvania Plaza
Adapted from the now legendary movie, "Elf the Musical" allows patrons to experience the magic of Elf live - with even more singing! The Theater at Madison Square Garden will host the musical from now until Dec. 27th, with ticket prices ranging from $39-$160.
