New York Part 3

On the subway!

Yaaaah! Sleep at last!! Only took a bottle of wine, a few pills and some earplugs.... 

It felt so good to sleep properly, and I didn't wake until 9. I got a coffee in the lobby coffee shop, City Perk, got some cash out of the ATM, met the group, and we headed off to the Chelsea Markets on the subway. At the entrance of the markets was the beautiful Anthropologie Store - simply gorgeous. Loved their decorations and windows.

It was an indoor market, with lots of eateries, and a few large spaces where market stalls were set up. There was some very lovely jewellery, but a bit expensive for me. Towards the back of the market I found gold. The first stall was that of a designer called Sohung Designs  Both his women's and menswear were fabulous, many integrating zips into them - just really funky, different stuff. I was drawn to the print of this dress, and when I saw the unique design, simply had to have it! Of course, there was no way I was trying anything on with my many layers, so I just guessed that it would fit - it does. I also couldn't resist one of his zippered tie belts, which can also be worn as a shrug! I really wanted the full zipper shrug, but it was a bit beyond the budget....

Feeling mighty pleased with myself I continued on to the gorgeousness of Dora Marra. Her headwear stall was jam packed with glittering goodies at pretty great prices! We spent quite some time in there, and I started to get a bit fretful when I couldn't decide, but I kept getting drawn back to a very blingy headband, and was pushed over the edge by Suze's approval. Here she is modelling the mini crown - what every Princess needs, and here are my much desired antlers.

We had lunch in the markets - I went to the beautiful butchers and got a toasted cheese, mustard and turkey sandwich, with a NY pickle - nom!! At the dairy next door, most of the group indulged in a malted pumpkin icecream smoothie - I had to try a scoop, and it was delish - very unusual! We walked along the Highline which was pretty cool in both senses!! As it wound along between the buildings, it felt quite odd being level with building windows. We missed the exit we had planned to take, but were happy to keep walking the full length before turning in towards home. 

Hotel Pennsylvannia

Just a block away from the hotel, we came across another mini market, and there was our headwear stall from the Chelsea markets!! We ducked into the hotel to dump our purchases, and met to catch the subway down to MoMA. We got to see our first, and only, subway rat!

I'm not a huge fan of modern art, but again enjoyed seeing some well studied favourites of Seurat, Duchamp, Dali, Van Gogh and many others. Our wait for the subway felt very Christmassy, due to a musician playing Christmas songs on a steel drum. It was by now very, very cold, and on leaving the subway Jo and I walked to a restaurant we had spotted near the mini-market that afternoon and entered into warm, warm bliss! We had a table near the window, with a view across the road to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden.

 I enjoyed a lovely wheat beer and again, a medium rare burger. On  the way home we stopped in at Asian Goodyland (my pet name for the store in the next block that had everything) for a Strawb-a-rita - oh, sweet goodness in a can!!!