The big apple

I'm back! After a wonderful fun-filled four days in New York City, I'm back in Southern California and happy to be home. Jeff picked me up from LAX last night and just about when we got home, it started pouring. The weekend was so serendipitous that my homecoming was fitting. Good weather until I was safely back at home tucked into my covers.

The trip started a little rocky, with Jen and I arriving at our respective airports to be told that my plane was delayed several hours due to wind, while Jen was boarding. We chose flights that got in around the same time so we could take a cab together to the hotel so this was a wrench. 10 minutes later, she texted me and told me her flight got delayed too! Sucky that we would both be late, but at least we'd still be together. Then, another 10 minutes later, we both were told our flights were back on track and we'd be leaving right then! We arrived within minutes of each other at JFK, just perfect.

That night was really windy in the city so we checked in and walked across the street to a fantastic light Italian restaurant (no pasta!! WHAT!?). Such a good meal, and a fun waiter, Rennie Coleman the fourth. Jen and I caught up over risotto balls and an arugula salad and wine, and then went back to the hotel. Our room was amazing, we even got fresh cookies every night with our turndown service!

The next day, Friday, we spent canvassing the lower east side and shopping like crazy. We went to a bunch of stores we both wanted to see, and a couple that Jen had to see for Levi's. One such showroom, Malet (I think?), was amazing. The space was divided up into genres and had a ton of vintage clothing and accessories. Lots of fashion designers go there and purchase pieces for inspiration for their new lines. Jen picked up some vintage cord shorts and really beautiful and simple Amish denim pieces. My jaw was on the ground the whole time because of the prices, but I guess that's the going rate for vintage fashion in high demand in the city.


On Saturday we went to the Musuem of Art and Design to see the indie craft documentary, Handmade Nation (and almost didn't make it! The musuem moved to a different location no one seemed to know about several months before so we wandered up and down the street it was supposed to be on according to my map book for awhile before the guard at the MoMA clued us in. We made it with one minute to spare.). It was an awesome and inspiring movie. We walked around Times Square after that and then headed over to SoHo to visit my favorite fabric store, Purl SoHo, before our dinner at Blue Ribbon Sushi. We were waiting for my friend Brooke, and her friends Nikki and Laquanda to arrive from New Jersey, so while we waited Jen got a manicure and we both got 10 minute neck and shoulder massages. They were much needed after all of that shopping bag lugging! Dinner was again fabulous (we didn't have a single bad meal in New York- amazing, because I'm a picky eater) and it was so good to see Brooke and Nikki again, and to meet Laquanda who was so sweet.

Sunday Jen and I went to the Brooklyn Flea Market over in DUMBO, and picked up some goodies. We both got really cool necklaces from this jewelry maker, and I got a vintage blouse that is so awesome for only $8. After the flea we went back to Manhattan, and walked through Central Park. It was freezing so we walked at a fast clip but stopped a few times to enjoy the scenery. I wish we got to see more of the park but maybe every time I go back I'll try to see a different section. We went to Little Italy that night for dinner and had amazing pasta. I got oriechette pasta with rapini and garlic and pesto which was heavenly. I'm going to try to remake it here.

My last day in NYC, Jen and I had breakfast at the hotel and then headed out for more shopping (!) in SoHo. There were so many stores that we got to check out that I keep seeing in magazines and blogs etc so it was fun to actually shop in them. Muji was my favorite. Lots of paper products and house things. :) With an hour to spare before I needed to leave for the airport, Jen and I popped in to Toy Tokyo so I could pick up a Be@rbrick souvenir for Jeff. He loves them so and I knew it would make him happy. He's been working so hard lately and he deserves a treat.

I'm so happy Jen invited me to tag along on her trip and that everything worked out. We had such a fun time and it was great getting to catch up with one of my best friends.

To see my slideshow of New York pics, click here!