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What all the iconic locations in 'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York' are like in real life

Radio City Music Hall in NYC is seen in "Home Alone 2" and in reality.
Radio City Music Hall in NYC is seen in "Home Alone 2" and in reality.

20th Century Fox/Kamira/Shutterstock

  • I lived in NYC for three years and visited many of the spots featured in "Home Alone 2."
  • Scenes from the 1992 movie look similar to NYC today. Some places, though, closed or never existed.
  • Here's a look at how the movie holds up to reality. 

Early every holiday season, I make a cup of hot cocoa and watch one of the "Home Alone" movies.

For me, the Christmas season means endless holiday movies. A worldwide favorite is the "Home Alone" franchise.

The series comprises five films created by John Hughes and directed by a slew of famous directors, like Chris Columbus

Each film has all the essential elements a winter movie needs: the holiday season, great characters, funny bad guys, surprising cameos, and a plot full of twists and turns. 

After living in the city where "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York" was shot, it quickly became my favorite film from the series.
home alone 2
McCallister escapes the bad guys in a horse-drawn carriage in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

"Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" is a John Hughes and Chris Columbus collaboration following the first "Home Alone" movie, which took place in the Chicago suburbs

In "Home Alone 2," Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin, is heading out for the holidays with his family. After a series of mistakes, McCallister ends up on the wrong plane — it's flying to NYC instead of Miami, where the rest of his family is headed.

Once he lands, McCallister explores the city solo and eventually runs into Harry and Marv, the same bad guys from the first movie, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.

The movie was released in 1992. More than 30 years later, many of the scenes look similar to NYC today.

I enjoyed reliving scenes and touring some of the real-life locations from the film while living in NYC.
The author poses with friends in Times Square.
The author poses with friends in Times Square.

Monica Humphries/Business Insider

"Home Alone 2" is filled with plenty of famous — and not so famous — New York destinations

I rewatched the classic Christmas movie to see how the film holds up to reality. 

The opening plot involves McCallister landing in an unfamiliar airport with views of New York.
Home Alone 2
McCallister arrives at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, in "Home Alone 2".

20th Century Fox

After mistaking a man in a tan jacket for his father, McCallister arrives in NYC with the cityscape on full display in the background.

Initially feeling defeated, McCallister quickly realizes that a solo trip to New York City could be a fun adventure.

Let's just say I haven't seen views like that in real life at LaGuardia Airport.
Laguardia Airport New york city
LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Maybe it's because I'm always in a frantic rush to get to the airport on time, but the views from LaGuardia Airport's windows have yet to impress me as they did in the movie. 

McCallister then catches a taxi and heads into Manhattan on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.
Home Alone 2
McCallister rides a taxi across the Queensboro Bridge in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

After the shock and worry of what just happened, McCallister decides to make the most of his stay in NYC.

Fortunately, he has his father's carry-on bag, complete with his dad's credit card, cash, and a Polaroid camera.

He hails a cab and crosses into Manhattan, where his adventure begins. 

The bridge is the same one that similarly marked the start or end of any adventure of mine in New York, and it looks like not much has changed since 1992.
The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge in New York City.
The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge in NYC.

Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

In the movie, McCallister rides in a now-outdated taxi. Today, most taxis are modern cars, although they've kept their iconic yellow color. 

When it comes to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, it hasn't changed. The only difference I spotted is that in 2010, "Ed Koch" was added to the front of the bridge's title after former Mayor Edward I. Koch.

Once he arrives in Manhattan, McCallister goes on a grand tour. A couple of quick shots feature him across the city. The first destination is Radio City Music Hall.
Home Alone 2
McCallister at Radio City Music Hall in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

These scenes go by quickly as McCallister visits neighborhoods and iconic spots sprinkled across the entire island.

While the exterior of the music hall hasn't changed much since the film, it's missing the hordes of people I see swarming the destination.
Radio City
Radio City Music Hall.

Monica Humphries/Insider

The movie takes place during the holiday season. I was surprised there weren't more people in the background of this scene, which takes place in Midtown Manhattan, a neighborhood that is typically bustling with tourist activity.

Come wintertime, Radio City Music Hall typically teems with people eager to spot a Rockettes performance

Viewers also spot McCallister in front of Empire Diner, a classic, all-American establishment.
Home Alone 2
McCallister crosses paths with Santa in front of Empire Diner in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

The short scene features McCallister crossing paths with a Santa on stilts outside the Empire Diner.

Today, the diner has a fresh look with a mural called "Mount Rushmore of Art."
Tom G.:Yelp
A picture of Empire Diner after the mural was painted.

Tom G./Yelp

The diner at 210 10th Avenue in New York's Chelsea neighborhood opened in 1976. 

Since then, the diner has closed and reopened a few times with new owners. Today, it's led by executive chef Jestin Feggan. 

The diner looks the same as it did in the movie, but behind it is a colorful mural painted by Eduardo Kobra. The mural features Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

 

After passing the diner, McCallister stops at Quong Yuen Shing & Co in Chinatown, which closed in 2003.
Home Alone 2
McCallister leaving Quong Yuen Shing & Co. in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

Quong Yuen Shing & Co. on Mott Street opened in 1891 in the heart of Chinatown and sold everything from salted duck eggs to medicinal herbs.

In the "Home Alone 2" script, it also sold firecrackers, which McCallister stuffs into his backpack as he exits the store. 

In the mid-1980s, the store received a new name, 32 Mott Street General Store, and in 2003, it closed in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, The New York Times reported.

While visitors can no longer stop at this specific spot, they can head to Chinatown in Lower Manhattan to explore its history and discover delicious eats.

Next, McCallister treks to the bottom of Manhattan for a view of the Statue of Liberty through coin-operated binoculars.
Home Alone 2
McCallister in Battery Park in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

McCallister looks out into the water and spots the Statue of Liberty. Surprisingly, this will be the only time we see this iconic landmark in the two-hour movie. 

The binoculars are no longer there, but the park is still the best place in Manhattan to spot Lady Liberty.
No binoculars in sight at The Battery.
No binoculars in sight at The Battery.

Ivan Peralta Santana/Getty Images

The Battery, a 22-acre public park, is one of my favorite parks in Manhattan thanks to its water and greenery. 

For the most part, I think the movie gets it right. By that, I mean that the Statue of Liberty is far enough to need binoculars for a close-up view. However, you'll have to bring your own since the coin-operated ones no longer exist in the park.

McCallister manages to make his way to the top of one of the Twin Towers next.
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McCallister at the top of one of the Twin Towers in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

The World Trade Center was comprised of seven buildings. McCallister makes his way up 110 stories to view the city from one of the Twin Towers.

 

While you can't head to the same observation deck, the One World Observatory offers a similar bird's-eye view of the city.
A view from One World Observatory.
A view from One World Observatory.

Monica Humphries/Insider

On September 11, 2001, both Twin Towers collapsed in a terrorist attack, destroying the observation deck McCallister visits.

The closest thing to McCallister's view today is the One World Observatory.

The experience is 102 stories high, compared to McCallister's 110 stories. It's also enclosed, unlike the Twin Towers' outdoor observation deck.

We spot McCallister at the Fulton Fish Market. He barely misses some familiar faces we haven't seen in "Home Alone 2" yet, Harry and Marv.
Home Alone 2
McCallister at the Fulton Fish Market in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

This scene is Harry and Marv's entrance to the movie. The two have escaped from prison and are spotted in New York in the back of a fish delivery truck. They've traveled to NYC to steal money. 

The fish market is portrayed as a bustling place in the movie. 

Visitors won't find the Fulton Fish Market at the same location anymore. In 2005, the fish market moved to Hunt's Point in the Bronx.
fulton fish market hunt's point
The New Fulton Fish Market.

Jim B./Yelp

Today, the fish market is entirely different than the one pictured in "Home Alone 2."

Opened in 1822, the market existed at South Street Seaport for over a hundred years. In 2005, it moved to an enclosed space in the Bronx.

Tourists and buyers arrive early — the market opens at 2 a.m. on most days.

While it might look drastically different from the movie, I can guarantee it has the same smell.

After walking through the fish market, McCallister heads to Central Park. There, he sees The Plaza Hotel and has a run-in with the Pigeon Lady.
Home Alone 2
The Plaza Hotel in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

The Pigeon Lady will become an essential character later in the movie, but upon their first encounter, she scares McCallister.

McCallister runs away and heads to The Plaza Hotel, aka "New York's most exciting hotel experience," which is how McCallister refers to it while reciting a commercial he watched in the movie.

While I can't say if the hotel is New York City's most exciting from its exterior, it is real, and I've admired it from the same location McCallister did in this scene.
plaza hotel
A view of the Plaza Hotel.

fotog/Getty Images

Standing in the southeast corner of Central Park, visitors can get a complete picture of the famous building. 

Its exterior hasn't changed much. The iconic hotel is still one of New York's most famous hotels. It was built in 1907, and in 1969, it was designated an official landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. 

On the way to the Plaza, he runs past a statue of Argentine general José de San Martín.
Home Alone 2
A statue of Argentine general José de San Martín in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

The statue points McCallister in the direction of the hotel.

The statue can be spotted in Central Park South.
bronze equestrian statue of Argentine general José de San Martín central park
The statue can be seen in Central Park South.

Ira L. Black/Corbis/Getty Images/Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket/Getty Images

The general is known for helping Argentina, Chile, and Peru gain independence from the Spanish, according to NYC Parks.

Today, it looks the same as it did in the movie and can be spotted at Central Park South and Avenue of the Americas.

When McCallister finally makes it inside The Plaza Hotel, he has the guts to stage a fake hotel reservation — and meets a famous face.
Home Alone 2
McCallister runs into Donald Trump in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

Once McCallister finally makes it to the hotel, he explores the extravagant lobby. It's decorated for the holiday season, and pots are filled with poinsettias.

In the lobby, McCallister runs into Donald Trump, who is playing himself — the owner of The Plaza Hotel. As Business Insider previously reported, Trump, who no longer owns the hotel, insisted on having a cameo in the film

Later in the scene, McCallister uses a fake voice to call and make a reservation for a suite. 

While I haven't stayed in The Plaza Hotel, present-day images from the inside depict the same luxury created in the film.
Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel decorated for Christmas in 2021.

Benno Schwinghammer/picture alliance/Getty Images

McCallister enjoys the hotel's pool and orders an ultimate room service experience.

Since 1992, the hotel has updated some of its interior and offerings, but the essence and luxury of the experience remain the same.

My guess is that it's much more expensive compared to when McCallister would've stayed. According to the hotel's website, rooms are priced between $1,000 and $33,000 for a night this January. 

While McCallister enjoys the hotel's pool, Marv is ice skating at Wollman Rink in Central Park.
Home Alone 2
Marv and Harry at Wollman Rink in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

This scene is where the duo gets the idea to rob a toy store. 

Wollman Rink is a real ice skating rink and hasn't changed much since the 1990s.
Wollman Rink
The author poses with a friend in front of Wollman Rink.

Monica Humphries/Insider/RBL/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images

I've watched plenty of children — and adults — take a tumble at Wollman Rink.

The ice skating rink opened in 1950. Each November, it opens to the public for skating. In the summer, the area is a popular pickball court location.  

Later, McCallister is ready to explore the city again, but this time, he hires a limousine to take him to Duncan's Toy Chest.
Home Alone 2
Duncan's Toy Chest in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

Here, McCallister sets foot into a store brimming with stuffed animals, musical instruments, and toys for all ages.

Duncan's Toy Chest doesn't exist in real life, but it is based on the actual toy store, FAO Schwarz.
A doorman stands outside FAO Schwarz in Rockefeller Center on November 15, 2021.
A doorman stands outside FAO Schwarz in Rockefeller Center on November 15, 2021.

Noam Galai/Getty Images

Lonely Planet said that Duncan's Toy Chest is based on the real New York City toy store, FAO Schwarz.

The actual store wasn't used for filming. Instead, filming took place in Chicago, with exterior shots from Chicago's historic The Rookery and interior scenes filmed in The Uptown Theater, The Sun reported.

I've stopped at FAO Schwarz once or twice and spotted the same joy and excitement depicted in the film.

However, many physical elements have changed. The store temporarily closed in 2015 and moved locations, and in 2018, it reopened at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. 

In the time since the movie came out, many of the store's current toys are different from the ones seen in the movie.  

McCallister runs into Harry and Marv at the toy store and quickly darts into Central Park for his getaway.
home alone 2
McCallister stows away in a carriage to escape in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

As McCallister hops into the back of a horse-drawn carriage to escape Harry and Marv, the audience learns that this isn't the first, and likely won't be the last time McCallister visits the famous park.

In fact, McCallister wanders through Central Park a handful of times throughout the film. It's where McCallister spots the Plaza Hotel, stows away in a horse-drawn carriage, and befriends the Pigeon Lady. 

 

 

Central Park pops up in a few places throughout the movie, and I think it looks the same.
Central Park
The author poses with friends in Central Park.

Monica Humphries/Insider

Throughout the film, McCallister is spotted across Manhattan's largest park. 

Yes, people still feed pigeons, and horse-drawn carriages still exist. 

As with any film shot decades ago, things will look different, but the crowds, and lack thereof, remain true.

I've explored areas of the 840-acre park that are both eerily quiet and swarmed with people. Overall, the film's depiction of the park is pretty accurate, based on my experience. 

No movie set in New York would be complete without a stop at Times Square.
Home Alone 2
Times Square in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

McCallister makes his way to Times Square, which has some of the heaviest foot traffic in all of NYC.

The movie depicts Times Square as being relatively spacious and empty, which isn't the case today.
Crowds at Times Square in NYC.
Times Square.

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

I find Times Square to typically be pure chaos with crowds of tourists, business people, and performers filling the streets.

I was surprised to see it so empty in the movie. 

One of the final scenes in the city features McCallister admiring the giant Christmas tree in Rockefeller Plaza.
Home Alone 2
McCallister in front of the Rockefeller Christmas tree in "Home Alone 2."

20th Century Fox

At the end of the movie, McCallister reunites with his mother in the plaza, who flew to New York to search for her son.

In the movie, the plaza is entirely empty. 

In reality, Rockefeller Plaza would never be that empty during the holidays.
rockefeller plaza
Rockefeller Plaza.

Monica Humphries/Insider

During my first winter in New York, I thought it would be fun to celebrate the holiday season by admiring the city's lights, window displays, and music, but I instantly regretted visiting Rockefeller Plaza.

The plaza was packed, and I remember having to push my way through the crowds to catch a glimpse of the tree. 

In fact, I doubt the plaza is ever as empty as it is in "Home Alone 2." 

While I'm glad I checked it off my bucket list, I have no desire to go back.

There are plenty of places I cherish from "Home Alone 2," and I'm happy to report that the movie's depiction of NYC still rings true today.
brooklyn bridge
The author poses with a friend on Brooklyn Bridge.

Monica Humphries/Insider

There's no place like NYC, especially during the holidays.

Watching "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" is still a reminder of the magic the city has each winter, no matter how much has changed since the movie came out. 

Read the original article on Business Insider

A Ukrainian tank commander shared how a crew survived direct Russian drone strikes in an American-made Abrams tank

A soldier climbing down from the front of a M1A1 Abrams tank.
A Ukrainian soldier on a US-provided M1A1 Abrams tank at an undisclosed location.

47th Mechanized Brigade via Telegram

  • A Ukrainian tank crew survived multiple Russian drone strikes on their Abrams tank.
  • Abrams tanks have better crew protection than Soviet-style tanks.
  • But Ukrainian forces are also enhancing Abrams with additional armor to counter emerging threats.

A Ukrainian tank crew survived around half a dozen direct Russian drone strikes on their Abrams tank, a feat a tank commander told researchers wouldn't have been possible in a Soviet-style tank like a T-72.

As footage of the engagement circulated on Russian Telegram channels, war analysts Rob Lee and Michael Kofman, experts at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, connected with the Ukrainian tank commander from the 47th Mechanized Brigade who shared how that bad situation in Russia's Kursk region ultimately played out.

"That's our tank," he told them. "There were 4-6 direct hits. The crew survived, and even without injuries. God bless America."

Russian telegram channels posted videos of fiber optic cable FPV strikes on a Ukrainian Abrams tank in Kursk oblast last week. Aside from a concussion, the crew survived without injury and made it back to friendly lines. @KofmanMichael and I spoke to the commander of the tank… pic.twitter.com/piqapqvVMv

— Rob Lee (@RALee85) December 19, 2024

The American-made tank was disabled and taking repeated hits from fiber-optic first-person-view, or FPV, drones, which are not as vulnerable to electronic warfare countermeasures as other systems in use in Ukraine because the connection comes from a cable linking the drone and the operator.

"The Abrams is a great tank," the Ukrainian commander said in a string of remarks Lee shared on X. "Thanks to the fact that the ammo is completely separated from the crew, the crew has a chance to survive." The Russians were unable to penetrate the hull or the turret while the crew was inside. Ukrainian forces have repeatedly celebrated Western tanks for their survivability.

Unlike the T-series tanks, where ammunition is stored on racks in the turret, the Abrams is equipped with blast doors and vents that protect the crew in the event the ammunition is ignited. On Soviet-style tanks, which were not built with crew survivability as a top priority, if the ammunition in the turret is ignited, it can cause a major explosion inside the tank. The serious overpressure kills the crew and launches the turret into the air.

The tank commander told Lee and Kofman that the crew likely wouldn't have survived the fight if they'd relied on the Abrams armor alone, though.

A US-provided M1A1 Abrams tank at an undisclosed location in Ukraine.
A US-provided M1A1 Abrams tank at an undisclosed location in Ukraine.

47th Mechanized Brigade via Telegram

The American-made M1 Abrams tank is powerful, with greater range, firepower, and armor than the Russian T-series tanks, which were built for mobility and massed armored assaults, but the M1s that the Ukrainians received are older export variants that lack the top armor upgrades of US Army tanks, such as depleted-uranium armor.

The commander said that "without the additional ERA and 'cope netting' on top of the turret," the crew "would have been smashed and surely dead by now without any chance. The tank's armor is weak, and it is vulnerable (as any other tank) to FPV drones."

Ukrainian troops have been analyzing Abrams losses and equipping tanks with explosive reactive armor made to explosively repel projectiles, and cages and netting designed to catch incoming drones before they can strike the tank, especially around the vulnerable turret. The Ukrainians sometimes add two to three tons of additional Kontakt-1 ERA.

The tank commander said that the Abrams armor combined with the add-ons, as well as the tank features specifically built for crew survivability, "saves human lives, even in DIRE conditions."

The crew was able to get out of the tank and fall back to friendly lines. The Russians struck the tank several more times after they abandoned it. The commander said it might still be salvageable. With better crew survivability, trained tankers live to fight another day, but a key challenge for Ukraine is that it only has a limited number of Abrams. The US only sent 31 tanks. It did, however, provide hundreds of armored Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.

A US Army M1A1 Abrams tank, photographed with mine roller mounted
The US Army trained members of the Ukrainian armed forces on the American M1A1 Abrams tank in Grafenwoehr.

Matthias Merz/picture alliance via Getty Images

The Ukrainian tank commander who spoke to Lee and Kofman expressed concerns about American preparation for future wars. For instance, he called attention to the training he received. He said that the US instructors "were completely unaware of the modern battlefield threats."

"They do not understand at all the threat posed by the FPVs," the commander said.

There's a growing awareness in the US military that these systems are threats, but having not experienced these challenges the way the Ukrainians have in a war that is being dominated by deadly uncrewed systems, developing sufficient training programs and necessary tactics, techniques, and procedures remains a work in progress.

But important to note is that the US military fights with more capabilities than Ukraine as a combined force that offers it greater lethality. Still, there are lessons to be learned from this war and the way the Ukrainians are fighting it.

"American tankers should act promptly," the commander said. "Protect your tanks urgently to avoid losses in potential near-future conflicts, taking into account our experience."

The US Army is monitoring developments in Ukraine closely and working to apply lessons from the conflict. The Pentagon, likewise, is increasingly recognizing the threat that drones can play, from the high-end systems to the cheap, off-the-shelf capabilities, and recently released its counter-drone strategy to prepare the joint force for future battlefields where drones are likely to pose a significant challenge.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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