ITALIA STAFF PICKS		ICE SKATING by Pamela Lewy Perhaps the quintessential “New Yorker” must-do for both tourists and natives is a day trip to midtown in the wintertime. Gazing at the windows of Saks or Macy’s while munching on a steamy bag of roasted chestnuts, fighting vicious crowds of harried shoppers in freezing cold weather…this is New York in December! Perhaps the one semi-tranquil time amongst all of this craziness is the moment you step on Rockefeller’s ice-skating rink and glide among the shadow of what appears to be the largest Christmas tree you’ve ever seen listening to giggling children and The Christmas Song play softly in the background. If you thought this might be your one opportunity for the “true” New York experience, we at Babbo have found a few other winter urban getaways to get you in the Christmas spirit. To skate or not to skate - now this is the question… Kate Wollman Ice Skating Rink Located in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, this is not to be confused with Wollman rink at 63rd street in Central Park. Equally as lovely and less expensive, this just might be the downtowner’s answer to an affordable weekend winter activity. World's Fair Ice Skating Rink Open from mid-October to the end of March, this Corona, Queens rink boasts an ice skating school that can teach the ice-phobic and uncoordinated a thing or two in just one afternoon. Chelsea Piers Ice Skating Rink You may remember this one from our summer staff pics – How places to Keep Cool in the Summer. This rink is open Year Round. Who needs Rockefeller when this rink is located right next the Hudson? Staten Island War Memorial Ice Skating Rink If you really want to escape the crowds, Staten Island…perhaps this least traveled borough, is where you should head. With an indoor skating rink enclosed in a giant white bubble and a display on lionel trains, everyone gets to be a kid again.		• March 02: Greenwich Village • April 02: Greenwich Village Again • May 02: Soho • June 02: Greenmarket at Union Square • July 02: Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbetto, and more... • August 02: Fromaggiorias • September 02: Brown Bagging It! • October 02: Candy Shops • November 02: Holiday Pies • December 02: Esspresso Stops • January 03: Soup Stops • February 03: Weekday Breakfasts • March 03: Best Burgers • April 03: Rainy Days • May 03: Spring at the Greenmarket • June 03: Summer Berries • July 03: Dining al Fresco • August 03: Tomatoes • September 03: Back to School • October 03: Picking Apples • November 03: Helping Others • December 03: Cookbooks for Reading • January 04: Film Series • February 04: Chocolate Fix • March 04: Wine Bars • April 04: Spring Planting • June 04: Sorbetti • July 04: Hot Places to Keep Cool in the Summer • August 04: Karaoke in NYC • September 04: Culinary Classes • October 04: Apple Pickin' • November 04: Organic Turkeys