Gotham's Gone Gingerbread.
John Robtich of Queens, who calls himself the Gingerbread Man of the Big Apple, has set up another decadent Christmas display to commemorate the tradition's 30th anniversary. His record-breaking exhibit is the first to pay homage to the city he calls home.
Lovich, the creative force behind the former Gingerbread Lane exhibit at Chelsea Market, has found a new home for the candy community this year at The Shops at Columbus Circle. That inspired him to create even more fanfare around New York around Christmas time, he told The News. post.
“and [holiday] outside market and [the nearby] The Rockefeller Center tree, Bloomingdale's…the tourism here is huge,'' said Lovich, who holds the Guinness World Record for the largest edible gingerbread village four times.
“We have so many New Yorkers and tourists coming together. They're all coming to see New York City for Christmas, so let's give them New York City for Christmas,” he added.
The result is a 350,000-square-foot miniature Gotham on display at The Shoppes at Columbus Circle. It took 23,000 jelly beans, 300 pounds of gingerbread, 1,920 pounds of icing, and more than 800 hours to create over 12 months.
In addition to references to the North Pole (in exhibits like “The Broken Ornament Shop”), larger-than-life exhibits include everything from newspapers and hot dog stands to subway-themed lettering and Santa himself driving a yellow cab. , classic urban essentials are also on display. said the artist.
“Every year, I don't bring anything home. Everything is new, except for one Santa Claus,” Lobtić said.
“This is the finishing touch I do every year. I take him in at the end of the year, store him, and bring him back to the show every year.”
The executive chef-turned-full-time gingerbread artist started developing ideas for next year's exhibit about a year ago, assembling the large exhibit from his Forest Hills home each year before transporting individual pieces by truck. He told the Post that he was transporting .
His love of Christmas crafts began back in his hometown of Kansas City, where he worked for chefs who created similar holiday creations.
“I saw people's reactions and immediately fell in love with it,” he explained.
The New Yorker's 12 years of exhibits since his first exhibit, which featured 14 gingerbread houses totaling “less than the size of a small Honda,” have taken him to places ranging from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., to New York Hall. , has been exhibited everywhere. Doctor of Science from Corona, Queens.
Mr. Lobtic said Gingerbread Lane has inspired Gingerbread Lane to be featured at gender reveals, marriage proposals and annual family photos.
“It's reaching a very wide, huge, diverse audience. It's been a little exciting to see how much people like it since 30 years ago,” the gingerbread giant added.
Robtich reports that Gingerbread Lane's Gotham-inspired section has been so popular that he plans to conjure up a theme for next year's exhibit focused on vintage nostalgia.
“Maybe we'll make checkered taxis, which we did this year as well, but we'd like to make them more authentic. And in some cases, we'll do the same at some newsstands and stores. “I might do that,” he said.
“New York City windows are huge and Christmasy, but they were even bigger in the 1940s, '50s and '60s. Everybody had them back in the day,” he added.
“We also want to expand on the New York City things that we're used to, like bodegas and fruit stands. And we want to do big, grand things like Grand Central.” [Terminal] Or Penn Station. ”
For now, Lovich is enjoying the fruits of her labor until the exhibit closes on Jan. 5, when visitors can take home the last of the edible exhibits and then donate the rest to local farms and local farms. Donations to animal protection organizations are permitted.
“Pig farmers really love it because pigs love to eat it,” he said.
And just like Santa Claus, his work begins all day after Christmas.
“It's one of those things that people love to do and I love to do,” Lovich said.
“I'm enjoying how people feel about it. It just feels good.”
