Ted's Holidays Christmas in NYC

Ted the Traveling Turtle is finally getting out and about in the Big Apple, just in time for the holidays. His first stop, like many a tourist this time of year, is to Rockefeller Center. You may recognize some of these locations from movies, postcards, and the title sequence to one of Ted's favorite shows, 30 Rock!

• Rockefeller Center opened in May 1933. It employed over 40,000 people, an impressive number, considering it was built in the middle of the Great Depression.
• The complex spans an area of 22 acres
• Rockefeller Center was named a national landmark in 1987
• The Center's design team had the belief that "art was an act of good citizenship" and designed the complex in classic Art Deco
• there are indeed 488 elevators in Rockefeller Center
• The famous Rainbow Room is located on Floor 65 of the center

• This is the 45-foot tall stature of Atlas, one of many sculptures across the complex

No visit would be complete without a photo with the Flags of All Nations. If you look closely you can see a billboard for the upcoming holiday festivities behind the flags. More on that, coming up!

Although Ted looks like a sporty fellow, he doe snot enjoy ice skating. He would rather watch people slip on the ice at one of the nations most famous ice rinks.

•  This skating rink is only 122 feet long and 59 feet wide and can accommodate up to 150 people
• It made its first debut in 1936 to attract visitors to the Plaza, and has since become a permanent fixture

 Here Ted visits both NBC Studios and Radio City Music Hall (in the background)

• Notable shows taped at this NBC Studios: Jeapordy (1964-1975), Late Night with David Letterman (1982-1993), Saturday Night Live (1975-present), and The Tonight Show (1957-1972)
• Radio City Music Hall, home of the Rockettes, was declared a city landmark in 1978
• It houses a 6,000 seat historic concert hall.
• When it first opened, Radio City was supposed to be a place for live plays, but the sound was lost in the cavernous theater. It was then converted to a feature film theater with a stage.
• The first film ever shown there was Frank Capra's The Bitter Tea of General Yen, which continued until 1979 with four complete performances a day

Ted went on to see the famous Christmas Tree, being prepared for its lighting during the first week of December.

• The tree is generally between 75 and 90 feet tall and requires over five miles of lights to decorate
• The first Christmas tree to be debuted at Rockefeller Center was in 1933

 Ted got up close and personal with the 2011 Swarovski Star, a replica of the one on top of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

• This star's 12 rays have 720 LED bulbs on 3,000 feet of wired to create the twinkling effect through custom light sequencing
• It is composed of 25,000 crystals with 1,000,000 facets
• It measures 9 1/2 feet in diameter and is 1 1/2 feet deep
• It weighs 550 lbs, including the 300 lbs of crystals
• The star was created by nine artisans over 1,200 hours.

 At the end of his visit, Ted gazed at the Christmas Angels. The angels were sculpted by Valeria Clarebout in 1954. They are composed of aluminum wire, paint, brass wire, and lights.

Soon Ted will finish out his stay in NYC and head to beautiful Jalisco, Mexico for a holiday under the sun! Stay tuned!