Here in the US, we are celebrating Thanksgiving! For many, this marks the start of the holiday season. In New York City, businesses and public parks are getting ready for the holidays. Every year, Bryant Park, adjacent to the New York Public Library in Midtown Manhattan, fills to the brim with festive shops. At the center of the park, visitors take advantage of the cold weather and go ice skating on the park’s rink. From friends skating circles around each other, to couples holding hands, and kids just learning to balance, the ice rink is a hit. The Winter Village is full of both tourists and native New Yorkers, all enjoying the frosty air and the excitement of the holiday season. It’s the perfect place to shop for unique and beautiful gifts for loved ones, or to simply sip hot chocolate and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

With the cold snap covering the East Coast in freezing temperatures, it seemed appropriate to embrace the weather by going to Bryant Park's Winter Village, also known as "Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland." The Winter Village includes artisanal boutiques selling unique apparel and decorative goods, local food vendors, a rinkside eatery, and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink. This 17,000 square foot rink offers high quality rental skates and features free skating shows and special events. Most importantly, there's plenty of room for me to perfect my triple salchow. (Pretty sure I still have time to qualify for the Winter Olympics.) What else am I going to do in this cold!