We woke up and there was sun. Sun!!! No more rain, no more being all wet and gross. We had breakfast at Bagel and Bean again, which we did everyday so I can stop saying that now.
Saturday we went to Central Park. We walked around just taking it in, watching the hundreds of joggers and kids playing on swings. We walked past Strawberry Fields which I had always assumed was bigger, but it’s just a patch of ground opposite the Dakota Building. Then we headed to the zoo. Gotta say, it’s hella depressing there. Maybe it’s because it’s a children’s zoo and I stopped being a child (on some levels at least) some time ago, but the zoo was actually quite upsetting. You go in and the sea lions are being fed. OK, that’s cute, but…wait, is that where they live? In that tiny pool there with those rocks? All day, everyday? And then we went into the penguin hole, which is dark and gloomy and has no real air or sunshine, just a fake backdrop. Do penguins not like light? Do they not want to be outside? Because there were a lot of them cooped up in there.
The saddest part was the polar bear. Oh he was all scabby and bald on one side and had weird growths on his body. I was especially sad because I thought he was all alone, but then another one turned up so at least he has a friend in there. I left the zoo in a very gloomy state.
Then there was yet more shopping. A quick look around my old fave Abercrombie and Fitch. But, um, why is it a nightclub? It has booming dance music on, very dim lights so you can’t see and the floor lights up. I was amused by the half naked boy with six pack at the door. You could pose with him for photos.
Then on to Bloomingdales, then I started flagging so we searched for a Starbucks but we seemed to be in too nice an area for one those. Eventually we found one just as I was about to give up on life completely. On to Barneys, and then Saks. At one point Jayne stopped me. There were people protesting fur outside Escada. Jayne was wearing a fur coat. I had originally thought it was fake, but no, rabbit. Now, personally, the idea of wearing dead animal fur on my back grosses me out (hypocrite that I am, as I happily wear leather shoes), but she is my friend and I didn’t want to see her get red paint thrown in her face, so we did quick about turn. By this time I was dying and would happily have curled up next to a homeless person and gone to sleep. So. Tired. And my feet hurt. I had hit the brick wall of shopping.
Jayne carried on to find the perfect bag, while I gave in and went back to the hotel to collapse. It felt good. She returned victorious and we went out to Angelo’s for pizza. I recommend it, but if you ever go, get a small for yourself or a large to share, because they are huge.
On Sunday we walked down to Pier 17 to go on a boat trip. It was a really sunny, clear day, so perfect for a jaunt on the water. Sadly they weren’t running, I guess because it’s winter? So what else could we do? Shop again of course. We went up to Bleecker Street, to the famous Magnolia Bakery to get our fill of yummy cupcakes. Talk about a sugar rush. Then we walked by Washington Square and looked for cute dogs, there were few good ones, mainly little yappy annoying things. Then on to Broadway. I got some new boots, much more comfortable than my others, and also not wet.
We had dinner that evening at Lindy’s Diner. Yummy food, recommended. But the chocolate chip pancake finished Jayne off. I was already stuffed by that point. Leaving there I went into one of the many souvenir shops and was ripped off with my T-Shirt purchase. I swear the last time I was there I Heart NY shirts were like, 2 bucks, and now, $15? OK so that’s about 7 quid, but I saw them for way cheaper in other shops later. Darn it.
Then we went to Duane Reade to stock up on drugs. It amuses me greatly that over here people look at you suspiciously if you try to buy more than one packet of paracetamol at one time, but in the US I can get 100 tablets of Excedrin Migraine in one box, and no one bats an eyelid. Yay! The weight loss ‘Size Zero’ supplements are a bit worrying though.
We slept til 3 am and then it was off to the airport at 4. JFK Terminal 7 is severely lacking in shops, and nothing was open at that time and I was STARVING! Guh. The flight back was practically empty again so we got to spread out. I watched 3.10 to Yuma and The Devil Wears Prada, which were both very enjoyable, in very different ways.
And now it’s back to the daily grind. Ho hum.
It’s been an age since I was last in New York, I loved it when I was there. Not what I expected at all. I seem to gravitate towards Miami & South Beach for my holidays now, I must be getting old, I need the sun!
Mmmm sun. What’s that like again?