Elf in NYC

Where to begin with this modern Christmas classic? Let's put aside for now how easy it seems to find people in Central Park and Midtown (and how quickly you can move around the city by foot) and instead celebrate the NYC landmarks shown. How does Buddy the Elf enter the city? ‘And then, I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel’ (which, in the real world, is not allowed). How does he try to leave at one point later on? Walking across the Queensboro Bridge (much better, and actually permitted!). His dad's office, Greenway Press, is in the Empire State Building; there have been some children’s publishers there over the years, though most would probably find the rents a bit much these days. Buddy gets kicked out and finds work in Santa Land at Gimbels—no longer extant, but that doesn't mean you can’t go department store hunting or, when the time's right, view similar holiday windows and displays. Buddy and Jovie's date hits a high note in front the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, which they admire right before skating around the ice rink below. And Buddy saves Christmas right near the Bethesda Fountain, in Central Park. No mention of the movie can omit the wonder buddy feels when first walking around NYC. If you're a newcomer to the city, you might find the same delight waving to folks in front of the MetLife Building or getting your shoes shined at Grand Central Terminal. And we won't blame you for trying to seek out the ‘world's best cup of coffee’; in those neighboring Midtown blocks, some options might include the old-school Andrews Coffee Shop or newer entrants like Culture Espresso and Lucid Café. Just don't expect to find the java joint with the claim-making sign.
Fun fact: The Gimbels flagship, which closed in 1986, was located in the current Manhattan Mall building. The company also operated buildings nearby and built sky bridges (still visible) across both 32nd and 33rd Streets, connecting the properties it controlled.