NewbE

IDK, I kind of get Doug's point regarding the use of "ethnic", although no one meant it to be derogatory in the least.

The rub is that it's hard to describe what we're talking about. Non-Western cuisines? That might be better.

But, being a word nerd, I looked up the definition of "ethnic":

<of or relating to a population subgroup (within a larger or dominant national or cultural group) with a common national or cultural tradition.>

Surely there's nothing derogatory there?

IMDonehere

Clearly, there are words that should not be used and scream of prejudice and hatred. And there are words that on the surface may seem harmless but have an emotional charge for some groups. But to unilaterally chose words that may be offensive stifles normal communication between not join them.

nyc2616

The parade ends at Macy's on 34th street, so I agree with others that downtown is probably a good option. In addition to the other restaurants suggested, Veselka (Ukrainian, East Village) might be a good option if it's open -- it's relatively inexpensive and there are a lot of vegetarian options. They tend to do holiday menus that include both traditional American and Ukrainian dishes.

In my experience, a decent amount of convenience stores / fast food restaurants in Manhattan are open on Thanksgiving, with some closing around early afternoon. Also, some big department stores will open for "Black Friday" shopping on Thanksgiving evening. While I personally would prefer to avoid the Black Friday shopping crowds, I know some people who absolutely love a late night shopping spree.

As others have said, public transportation will be running and the subway is probably your best bet to avoid parade closures / traffic.

shandy

Thank you all for the specific restaurant recommendations - I'll keep them handy and I will check out Opentable nearer the time.

Ackislander, I have to agree with you that attending cultural events somewhere else is part of the joy of travelling and have scheduled trips to specifically include a festival. The reason for not going to the parade is because of how crowded it will be - my daughter doesn't do crowds well. If I was by my mself I would probably go to the parade. If anyone knows a way of seeing the parade without being crushed and not spending a minor fortune to do so I would love to hear the suggestions. The 'sentimental attachment' remark was in relation to seeing just the balloons and precisely because it isn't the actual parade. Would you go to see the setting up for the Palio if you couldn't attend the actual event?