ITINERARY
Our guide to spending the most wonderful time of the year in New York
聖誕旅行指南：在紐約歡度全年最美妙的時刻
Chaotic last-minute shopping and plummeting temperatures aside, there are scores of opportunities to have a smooth, memorable experience in New York at Christmastime. Expect the city’s ever-evolving mix of venerable institutions and imaginative new establishments to be in full holiday swing as soon as December rolls around, setting the stage for an enchanting season ahead.
STAY
Staying on Fifth Avenue means being within striking distance of the riveting store displays by Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as quite a few sights, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and Central Park. Still among New York’s most iconic hotels, The Plaza, a National Historic Landmark, has over 100 years of impeccable service under its belt and spares no expense in highlighting the season’s festivities. Baccarat Hotel is opulent yet tasteful, and naturally puts an emphasis on allowing guests the opportunity to sample Baccarat crystal at every turn, whether it’s the imposing chandeliers in the halls, or the champagne flutes at the bar. Turn the corner, stroll for a few blocks, and arrive at the Rockefeller Center, which puts on display one of the biggest annual attractions of Christmas in New York. This year, a 72-foot-tall Norway spruce will be decorated with over 50,000 LED lights, and will be on view through January 7.
身在紐約，你也許時會經歷忘我購物和氣溫急降的情況，但只要你在聖誕佳節期間到訪，她定能讓你擁有一段難忘的節日回憶。各所古老學院和新穎建築甫邁進12月即換上聖誕裝飾，城內各處也準備就緒，迎接這個重大節日。
住宿
以第五大道作住宿點的你將欣賞到Bergdorf Goodman、Barneys和Saks Fifth Avenue精心佈置的奪目櫥窗，以及大都會藝術博物館、現代藝術博物館和中央公園令人目不暇給的陳設。國家級歷史地標The Plaza過百年來以出色待客服務見稱，節日裝飾也不曾令人失望。氣派華麗的酒店Baccarat Hotel在不同角落加入Baccarat水晶飾品，如大廳水晶吊燈和酒吧水晶杯，讓客人時刻沉醉在優美設計中。轉個街角往前走來到洛克斐勒中心，你將一睹令人驚艷的大型聖誕裝飾：72呎高的挪威雲杉聖誕樹以掛上50,000多顆LED燈的奪目設計閃亮登場，觀賞期至1月7日。
New York is a melting pot of cultures and traditions, and as such, notable dining experiences, no matter the cuisine or concept, are not difficult to locate. Given the overwhelming selection, choosing where exactly to spend a precious evening often proves to be the bigger challenge. A meal at Daniel Humm and Will Guidara’s Eleven Madison Park may cost quite a pretty penny, but the jury is in and it remains a bucket-list restaurant for many. Guests have the option of taking in an eight- or ten-course menu at the main dining room, or enjoying snacks and cocktails at the bar. More casual, but equally remarkable, James Beard Award recipient Missy Robbins’s Lilia in Williamsburg offers hearty and well-made Italian fare in a laid-back, convivial setting. With New York’s wealth of classically trained chefs, French is done particularly well here, as evidenced by the enduring success of institutions such as chef Eric Ripert’s three-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin, where the exceptional seafood has drawn in patrons for decades. At the relatively new Le Coucou, the interiors designed by Roman and Williams are as magnificent as the food. Natural light floods into the space through large triple-hung windows, further highlighting the restaurant’s stunning bar.
餐飲
紐約匯聚文化與傳統，各款菜式或烹調概念也應有盡有，但亦由於選擇眾多，要選定一個地方享受珍貴的晚餐時間並不容易。Daniel Humm和Will Guidara開設的Eleven Madison Park可能讓你花費不少，但絕對值得一試，這裡長時間也是人氣之選。顧客可在主用餐區享用8道或10道菜，又或在酒吧細味小吃和美酒。另一間同樣知名但格調較輕鬆的餐廳是位於Williamsburg的Lilia，由獲得James Beard Award榮譽的Missy Robbins開設，供應用心炮製的意大利菜，用餐環境舒適寫意。紐約猛人薈萃，擁有眾多接受過傳統訓練的一級廚師，要品嚐正宗美味的法國菜絕對不難：大廚Eric Ripert的米芝蓮三星餐廳Le Bernardin，其海鮮菜式在多年來備受各方推崇和讚賞。相對地較年輕的餐廳Le Coucou，其菜餚跟Roman and William打造的室內裝潢一樣深得顧客喜愛。自然日光自寬敞的三懸窗傾瀉進內，突顯餐廳的華麗酒吧。
IT’S IN THE DETAILS
Old favourites Eleven Madison Park (left) and Le Bernardin (right) continue to shine in New York’s dining scene, but there is room for new neighbours such as Le Coucou (top) and Lilia.
細節取勝
Eleven Madison Park(左)和Le Bernardin(右)是紐約用餐熱點，但新加盟成員如Le Coucou(上圖)和Lilia也不甘示弱。
Top of mind for any design-inclined shopper, ABC Carpet & Home is one of the city’s most beloved upscale shelter boutiques. It houses a mammoth collection of just about everything one could need for the home, from furniture, antiques and accessories to rugs, carpets and textiles, and it has also expanded over to Brooklyn’s Industry City with a 25,000-square-foot showroom. But while you’re at its flagship location in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, you might consider dining at the retailer’s spinoff eateries ABC Kitchen, ABC Cocina, or abcV, three beautifully designed spaces with menus helmed by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
The place to discover obscure designers and independent labels, the Apartment by the Line takes showcasing products in context to another level. Its pitch-perfect execution leads some to wonder whether some of its pieces are for sale (the answer is always yes). Private appointments can be accommodated upon request, and are encouraged for clients and interior designers who require a more thorough and intimate shopping experience. And then there is The Future Perfect, which is home to a carefully curated selection of furniture and accessories that bridge the gap between modern and collectible. Perhaps more accurately described as a gallery than a store, here you’ll find limited edition accessories and one-off pieces alongside contemporary art. //
購物
喜愛設計師產品的人士，定必知道紐約市其中一間最知名的高檔零售商店ABC Carpet & Home。店內可找到數之不盡的產品款式，由傢具、古董、配件、地毯到織品等也包羅萬有，這間零售店早前更進駐布魯克林佔地25,000平方呎的陳列室。假如你前往位於曼克頓Flatiron區的旗艦店，不妨一嚐其旗下的ABC Kitchen、ABC Kitchen或abcV餐廳，3個用餐點的裝潢漂亮優雅，菜單更由大廚Jean-Georges Vongerichten操刀。想物色非主流設計師和獨立品牌的產品，我們推介The Apartment by the Line。這裡展示產品的方式非常特別，遊走其中時更會令你不時懷疑眼前所見究竟是否可以買回家(當然可以！)。商店提供私人預約時段，亦鼓勵想靜靜購物的客人和設計師事前預約。最後當然少不得The Future Perfect，供應兼備時尚格調和達收藏級數的精美傢具和配飾，雖說它是一間商店，但稱之為藝廊更貼切。想挑選限量版配飾、一次性產品和當代藝術品，記得把它加入行程中。//
SHOP TALK
Newer boutiques such as the Apartment by The Line and The Future Perfect are transforming the shopping experience.
精彩購物
新型精品店如Apartment by The Line和The Future Perfect帶來非一般購物體驗。