Podcast Summary: All Of It – “Listeners, Help Plan Alison's Staycation!”

December 12, 2025 | Host: Alison Stewart, WNYC

Episode Overview

In this lively and interactive episode, host Alison Stewart turns to her listeners and colleagues to crowdsource the ultimate New York City staycation itinerary. With producer Luke Green by her side, who recently completed his own local holiday break, Alison dives into listener calls and texts brimming with creative ideas for making the most of NYC during the winter holidays. From classic tourist moments to under-the-radar gems, the episode is both a love letter to New York and a practical guide for anyone seeking joy, culture, and rest—without ever leaving the five boroughs.

Key Discussions & Insights

1. The Philosophy and Perks of a Staycation

• Relieving Travel Stress:

  • Luke explains the freedom and relaxation that comes with enjoying time off in your own city, skipping the chaos and discomfort of airports and long-distance travel.
  • Quote:
    • “I'm not someone who really loves plane travel...I'm six' four. It can be a little tight in the seats. So that's not exactly pleasant.” – Luke Green (02:38)

• Living Like a Tourist:

  • A staycation offers an invitation to see the city through fresh eyes and finally tackle that NYC bucket list.
  • Quote:
    • “You can almost switch your frame of mind and think, okay, let me just pretend that I'm here for the first time, or at least I have time to enjoy the city and see it in a new way...” – Luke Green (03:30)

2. Embracing Holiday Clichés—NYC Style

• Luke and Alison encourage taking in the city’s holiday spectacles, from window shopping to visiting the Rockefeller Center tree.
• Luke’s “Tree Challenge”:
  • He and his girlfriend made a game out of seeing as many Christmas trees as possible, walking from Central Park down Fifth Ave to Union Square (05:50).

3. Listener Recommendations: The Ultimate Staycation List

A mix of arts, culture, food, and nature—direct from avid New Yorkers:

Notable Call-In Segments

• Vicki (Tudor City):

  • Recommends the Monet in Venice exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum and the Seydou Keita photo exhibit (07:01).
  • Quote:
    • “Monet in Venice...painted at the suggestion of Monet’s wife because he was stuck doing the water lilies...It’s very exciting.” – Vicki (07:06)

• Terry (Manhattan):

  • Four rapid-fire suggestions (08:40):
    • The Neapolitan creche at the Met Museum
    • Brooklyn Botanical Garden light show
    • New York Botanical Garden holiday train show (“not really about the trains...wonderful models of about 200 buildings in New York”)
    • Gramercy Park for 19th-century decorated brownstones

• Marilyn (Bed-Stuy):

  • Bar Lunatico: Cozy live music and farm-to-table food, perfect for winter evenings. “Catch the 9 o'clock show and shake a leg.” (11:53)

• Andrew (Westchester):

  • Lunch at Azara Kitchen in Harlem; visit Studio Museum for impressive new building and collection (15:00).

Highlights from Texts/Callers

• “Head to Roosevelt Island on the tram...walk south for Four Freedoms Park...catch the free red bus around the island.”
• “Bronx then Brooklyn over two or three days, garden hikes. Winter is a wonderful time...see the ‘naked beauty’ of the trees and birds nests.”
• “The Bronx Documentary Center—oral history exhibit on the diversity of Texas in the 21st century.”
• “South Street Seaport...charming cobblestones, beautiful tree, fun shops, and the Tin Building for bubbles and oysters.”

4. How to Balance Rest and Productivity

• Alison's Dilemma:
  • Wants to avoid being pulled into chores during her staycation. Luke suggests designating a single “cleaning day” and then focusing the rest on enjoyment.
  • Quote:
    • “Wake up one day or pick one day...you're gonna do the cleaning that day. And otherwise don't even think about it.” – Luke Green (10:14)

5. Gift Shopping as Exploration

• Luke’s Approach:

  • Planning ahead with a notes app, but seeing staycation as a time for more thoughtful, serendipitous shopping, and supporting small businesses (16:45).

• Alison’s Wish:

  • Visiting “Print” in lower Manhattan—a French store with a skating rink (18:07).

6. Further Listener Gems & Neighborhood Escapades

• Randy (Hastings on Hudson):

  • Tour Ellis Island in winter for solitude and moving immigrant stories (19:00).

• Martin (Bronx):

  • For airplane nostalgia: Cocktails on a 1950s TWA plane at JFK or Jean-Georges’ Paris Cafe (20:01).

• Jeff (Astoria):

  • Advocates for a “do-nothing day”—maximize the unique restfulness that only a staycation offers (20:42).
  • Quote:
    • “Most if not all of [the city's offerings] will also be here tomorrow. You should take one day and you should sleep in...lounge and not feel bad about lounging and not getting out of bed till 10 or 11 o'clock.” – Jeff (21:00)

• Sonia (Forest Hills):

  • Astoria & Queens tour: Socrates Park, Noguchi Museum, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Center, Rockaway Beach (24:33).

• Bracha (Upper West Side):

  • Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian at Battery Park (free, just reopened), YIVO’s klezmer and Yiddish festival (25:49).

• Nina (Manhattan):

  • Ferry to Greenpoint, Brooklyn; beautifully decorated Milton Street, Polish food and shops (25:57).

• Eddie (Astoria):

  • Buena Vista Social Club Broadway show and Radegast Hall Cuban music night, both with Eddie on trombone/violin (26:47).

7. Food & Hobbies: Staying Cozy and Indulging

• Baking

  • Luke is known for winning the WNYC 9th Floor Cookie Contest, but focused more on eating out during his staycation.

• Restaurant Recs:

  • Kebawa (East Village/LES) – Try the adjacent bar for good music and drinks
  • Los Burritos Juarez (Fort Greene) – Great burritos, no line on weekday afternoons (23:03)

• Baking, craft workshops, and hobby time recommended by various listeners as perfect staycation products.

• Annual Highlights:

  • “Tuba Christmas” at Rockefeller Center: 150+ tubas playing carols (24:11).

• Miscellaneous:

  • “Stu Leonard’s”—suburban Yonkers destination for trees, food, and festive activities (27:28).

Notable Quotes

• On embracing NYC clichés and spirit:

  • “Just diving right into all the clichés, I think actually could be kind of fun and a good way to switch your frame of mind...” – Luke Green (04:54)

• On rest as valid staycation activity:

  • “The beauty of a staycation is that...most if not all of [the city's offerings] will also be here tomorrow. So...relax and not worry about missing out on anything.” – Jeff (21:00)

• On treating yourself:

  • “You are not paying for air travel...so maybe you can put yourself in the mindset that because I’m taking this staycation, I can actually spend a little more and treat myself…” – Luke Green (18:23)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Staycation Philosophy & Benefits: 01:54–03:26
• NYC Holiday Sights & "Tree Challenge": 05:50–06:54
• Listener Call: Monet Exhibit, Brooklyn Museum: 07:01
• Rapid-Fire NYC Holiday List: 08:40
• How to Avoid Staycation Chores: 09:55
• Bar Lunatico recommendation: 11:36
• Holiday Shopping Strategies: 16:45
• Food & Restaurant Recs: 23:03
• Jeff on Total Relaxation: 20:42
• Queens and Brooklyn Neighborhood Outings: 24:33 / 25:57
• Uniquely NYC Experiences (Ellis Island, TWA Lounge): 19:00 / 20:01
• Tuba Christmas & Stu Leonard's: 24:11 / 27:28

Memorable Moments

• The “see the most Christmas trees in one day” walking challenge along Manhattan (05:50)
• Jeff’s gentle wisdom about allowing yourself to do nothing at all (21:00)
• Real-time note-taking and planning by Alison (“She’s writing it down.”) during listener calls (11:54)
• Luke, the surprise WNYC cookie champion, recommending weekday burrito runs (23:03, 23:48)
• Eddie the trombonist by day, violinist by night, self-promoting his twin music gigs on live radio (26:47)
• Listeners proposing everything from the serene (Botanical Gardens in winter, Gramercy Park) to the whimsical (holiday cocktails at a retro plane lounge in JFK)

Final Takeaways

This episode is a playful, resourceful blueprint for anyone staying put over the holidays—especially in NYC. The diverse suggestions range from classic museums and grand holiday spectacles to hidden neighborhood treasures, all bound together by the city’s vibrant spirit and a reminder to embrace rest as much as adventure.

Listener wisdom summed up:
NYC is overflowing with options, but don’t forget the soul of any good staycation: slowing down, exploring with curiosity, and savoring the simple joy of being where you are.

For a full list of recommendations and listener tips, check the transcript online at WNYC’s All Of It page.