Rockefeller Plz, Midtown

Next December, ask a New Yorker about Rockefeller Centre. You'll probably get a litany of complaints - too crowded, too full of tourists, charmless, soulless. That New Yorker, it must be said, is wrong. Few things are more emblematic of New York's irresistible charm than the sight of the Rockefeller Center Tree at Christmas, miles high and adorned with all manner of sparkling ornaments. But Christmas isn't this area's only delight. Nearby boutiques surrounding the sometime figure-skating rink include a French bookstore, several chocolate shops, and a few artisinal boutiques, not to mention the elegant wealth of Fifth Avenue designer shops just perpendicular to the Plaza. It's true that the subterranean area might offer more chain stores than a particularly snobbish New Yorker might, it's got far more character and edge than any mall we've visited. Check out the splendid architecture in many of the office buildings in the plaza, including Joseph Maria Sert's murals in the JE building and Isamu Noguchi's "News" (a famous mural by Diego Rivera was painted here as well, but was taken down for inciting controversy). While there's little reason for anyone to live here, or come here regularly other than for work, it's still a highlight of any tourist's trip to the city, and well worth a visit or two.

There are some things that just scream New York to the world and The Rockerfeller Center, indeed the name Rockerfeller alone, indicates something special in all corners of the globe. Such is the scale of the GE Building that its true majesty can only be viewed from further away but there is no doubt that everything that exists in this small area in a huge city is a lasting tribute to a man who took a risk and saw it all pay off. It’s not as if its should be an inspiration to your own life but its certainly worth a visit.