Thanksgiving in the USA is said by many to be a more important holiday then Christmas. From our visits and times we’ve spent thanksgiving here we tend to agree. 

The day is massive. 

In NYC the Macy’s parade draws 3.5m people, that’s ten times the population of canberra along about 50 blocks. Our quiet street, 44th, was inundated with people from 4am until after midday. The parade runs down 6th avenue, which is about 150 metres down the street from us. 

We’ve seen the parade from up close and up above, so this year we stayed in doors and caught some of it on tv. I did venture out to check out the crowd and it was manic. There was no real way out of our street. The parade on one side and Times Square, which was similarly packed on the other, we had a day of relaxation before heading out to a traditional thanksgiving dinner. 

We watched a bit of tv, planned some places to visit during the second half of our visit and did some housekeeping, washing and catching up on reading and blogging. 

We ventured out to dinner to L’Amico, a French inspired American restaurant located in the herald square precinct. Near Macy’s, which we avoided given it opened for Black Friday on Thursday night. 

We arrived a little early for dinner and enjoyed a drink at the bar watching the ebb and flow of the crowd, the pulse of the traffic outside and the skill of the cocktail maker behind the bar. We were eventually seated, a few minutes late, but a great table in view of both kitchens, the hot kitchen and dessert kitchen. 

The restaurant was packed. Mostly families and couple enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner out. L’Amico was offering a dedicated traditional dinner with heritage turkey and pumpkin pie. 

We enjoyed soup and salad for appetiser, then the turkey and pumpkin pie as well as Apple pie. Overall a delicious dinner dinner in a traditional way in a great location with a great vibe and holiday feel. Our waiter was great, although he thought I wanted a punch up when I said we were a bit pissed. I explained to him pissed down under means tipsy, drunk. He got it in the end. 

We left the restaurant and headed to the subway around midnight. Trains were few and far between and we were only ten blocks from home, so we decided to walk. It was cool, but pleasant walking. 

The dreaded lights got us again, as did the crowds and we got separated again and ended up walking the remaining few blocks home on our own. We both knew where we were, so no real dramas after a quick phone call to each other. 

A good and relaxing day.