A Day of Fun at Brookfield Place
It might be time to put away the sundresses and break out the scarves and mittens, but winter doesn’t have to spell the end of fun — especially in the Big Apple.
The cold season is an ideal time to enjoy the great indoors — which is just what we did last Sunday afternoon at Brookfield Place, a building complex in Battery Park City that offers trendy shopping, delicious eats, and unique events. It also boasts one of New York’s famed outdoor ice-skating rinks, with a fabulous view of Jersey City.
Illuminating Lobby
High-end storefronts and grand Christmas trees trimmed to the nines greeted us when we entered the plaza. With cameras (and iPhones) at the ready, we made our way through the corridor and into the lobby — an expansive area filled with benches, real palm trees, and a grand staircase leading up to the second floor.
We enjoyed the mesmerizing Luminaries exhibit, one of Brookfield’s many free events. Originally scheduled to end the day we visited, it’s been so successful that it’s run was extended through January 10th. This dazzling, choreographed lighting display inspired us to take a seat at the top of the grand staircase and capture the Instagram gold.
O Christmas Tree
The only thing that could pull our attention from the beauty of the glowing multi-colored lanterns was the hunger of our grumbling stomachs, so we gathered our things and set off in search of the not-so-ordinary food court.
Walking through the lobby, we got distracted by the beautiful decorations and succumbed to the holiday spirit. Who can resist the urge to snap some selfies when there are so many beautiful trees around?
Puppy Love
Post Yuletide photoshoot, our tummies were trumped once again when a pack of Insta-famous pooches caught our eye. Say hello to Toast, Muppet and Pants — these dogs were loving the limelight!
After a good twenty minutes of puppy love (and a lengthy whispered debate on whether we could steal them unnoticed), our appetites got the best of us. We patted our new canine pals goodbye and entered the food court.
Foodie’s Paradise
Brookfield Place’s food court can only be described as a foodie’s paradise. From the delectable Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar to the truffle-infused Umami Burger, picking only one meal was our main concern. We finally settled a pork belly sandwich and skirt steak salad from Num Pang, a delicious Cambodian-inspired sandwich shop.
Quiet Clubbing
Sufficiently stuffed, we decided to take it easy and explore what else the shopping center had to offer. But as we made our way back to the lower level to begin our window shopping, we came across something we had never experienced before — Quiet Clubbing.
Watching people silently groove and Cha-Cha Slide in unison convinced us to add this to our bucket list. We might have missed out this time, but we’re polishing up our dancing shoes (and moves) for the next Quiet Clubbing event.
Time to Shop
Moving on from the dance party, we stopped by Michael Kors, Club Monaco and Lululemon for some high-end window shopping.
Afterwards, we indulged our sweet tooth with a chocolate-y pick-me-up from Sprinkles and strolled through Le District. This French marketplace and eatery is full of delectable pastry displays, a creperie, and a flower stand along with many other Parisian-inspired treasures.
Fun in the Sun
After we finished our Parisian exploration, we ended our adventure on the waterfront plaza where we could enjoy the uncharacteristically warm afternoon and snap some Insta-worthy shots of the skyline (#nofilter).
Even though shoppers galore ran to and fro, Brookfield Place has more than enough food, shopping, and free events to make the crowds worth our while. If you’re looking for a family-friendly way to have fun and stay cozy this winter, Brookfield Place should be top of your list!
