I took about 8271849920 photos while in New York. They are clogging up the photo file in my computer and sitting idly in my phone and sitting longingly in my camera, waiting breathlessly to be uploaded. So I figured I'd take today and share a few choice favorites with you.
The hotel I stayed in during my IFB trip was located directly in Times Square, which made me, a native New Yorker, feel like a pathetically uncool tourist. Despite the presence of $10 bagels and streets that smelled like urine and people wandering around in fanny packs and sandals with socks, staying there had benefits. I was within walking distance of 6 subway lines; the flagship Forever 21 store was directly across from my hotel; and I was a mere eight blocks from my favorite restaurant, the Carnegie Deli.
Oh, Carnegie Deli! My tender flesh craves your meaty pastrami sandwiches, your delicately fluffy matzoh ball soup, your mouth puckering sour pickles. Sure, your waitresses might be surly (mine admonished me for not ordering quickly enough, and for my innocent request of half a sandwich. Shame on me.) But I adore you none the less.
Ah, Fashion Night Out in NYC. Anna Wintour's charity for poor underprivileged shops like Stella McCartney and Scoop, was chaotic pandemonium. DJ's spun tunes outside, and stores served champagne, and bridge and tunnel girls wobbled through cobblestones streets in impossibly high heels, and shops sold ridiculously overpriced canvas tote bags for like $50 and OH MY GOD there were so many people, it was like a sexual experience just crossing the street. I thought I was going to die. Like, literally die right there in the mad crush of people, a NYC death where no one would even notice I was dead until four days later when my trampled body was discovered bobbing lifelessly in the East River.
When I visit NYC, the number one thing on my must-see list is a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I'm not an artist. I'm not a sculptor. I can't draw and I can't paint and I certainly can't manipulate materials into something wondrous and fascinating. But the Met inspires me. I wander through it's expansive halls, examining medieval art and stained glass and Egyptian tombs and essentially anything over 500 years old. It feeds my soul.
I also spent a bit of time on the Upper West Side, visiting with my oldest friend in the world, a woman who has known me since the first grade. Do you have a friend like that? While visiting, I dropped into the Columbus Avenue Flea Market, a treasure trove of fascinating crap.
I have a thing for old glass bottles, particularly those that once held medicine and perfume. The guy selling these told me he found them in demolition sites around the city. I am going to assume he sneaked into these sites illegally, as he looked the type - somewhat menacing, with a hint of decay and dust on his worn pointed shoes.
Furs and lingerie from the twenties.
There was also this charming, rather insane little bow-tied man selling vintage toasters. Toasters that he meticulously cleaned and polished and researched and was asking upwards of $500 for. To him I say: Rock on, little toaster man. Rock on.
Here's the thing: There are just so many ways to do New York City, because there are an infinite number of New York Cities to do. You can do the Upper West Side, with strollers jostling for space with doormen and ladies in furs and Starbucks on every corner and bagel shops spewing the most delicious smells you can imagine. Or you can do the Lower East Side, with tattooed grungy hipsters and crumbling tenements and dank little pubs. Or there's always midtown, with it's hustle and bustle and taxis careening at every corner. And there's the Upper East Side, with women in Tory Burch and museums and glass fronted shops boasting Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
There is no ideal New York. There's no Friends set with chatty doe-eyed wise cracking twenty-somethings languishing on comfy sofas in cheerful coffee shops. Or maybe there are, I don't know. But five days is not nearly enough to experience it. So if you ever get a chance to go, relax, have fun, and experience all the little New York's that you can. Life is too short not to eat pastrami.
Now it's your turn: What are some things that made you smile this week? Grab my button (created by Kate of Divergent Musings - HUGE THANKS to Kate!) and blog about your Sunday smiles; share your weekly smiles in the comments; or smile just because it makes you feels good.
While I'm reminiscing, here's what happened on Dress With Courage this week:
- Fabienne of A House in The Clouds wrote a guest post on her favorite vacation;
- I posted an exclusive interview with Margharita and Angela Missoni concerning the Missoni for Target collection;
- shared the lessons I learned at the Independent Fashion Bloggers conference;
- Summarized the IFB conference in photos;
- Announced the winner of my TJ Maxx/Marshalls $24 gift card giveaway. (Stay tuned for my next giveaway on Tuesday - Missoni for Target products!)
- Continued my Thrifting 101 series with Part 25: A history of Whiting and Davis;
- provided some words of wisdom for Fashion Beauty Friend Friday;
- and gave you, my readers, a moment of thanks.
As always, thank you for supporting me by following my blog, continuing to leave thoughtful and introspective comments, and dropping by every day. I am so appreciative that you are here.
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