Tourists come to NYC and like lemmings, amass at Rockefeller Center, clogging Fifth Ave. The Saks windows and other storefront displays are also the draw. But far fewer seem to find their way to two other NYC holiday gems.

The department store Bergdorf Goodman is also in Fifth Avenue, almost at Central Park. It’s windows are the most sublime and original in the City, or so the Dawn Jogger things.The bonus is that there are far fewer people (at least on a weekday) and one can stand for awhile before each window and really study its originality and complexity. A repeat visit, she’s sure, would reveal of whole new set of sights.

The other treat is the Holiday Train Show at the NY Botanical Garden in the Bronx. While it’s billed as a train show, therefore drawing a horde of preschoolers on a late morning weekday, it’s really less about trains and more about fabulous reproductions of NYC landmarks, past and present, all made out of various plant parts. The intricacy is amazing, and well worth the short trip from Grand Central, although she admits the appeal will be greatest for those who know the City and its history. That said, some of the whimsical trains can surely bring a smile…