Sex and the City - 3-11 March 2013

We´re in New York!


New York City. I feel like Carrie Bradshaw writing a column about being a not so single lady in the big apple. I am a huge Sex and the City fan and couldnt help sounding like a bit of an amatuer by squealing regularly when wandering the streets of New York. We spent the first 4 nights staying with James, a Jamaican New Yorker who works as a fashion designer. I want to get my hands on that man and yogafy and organicify him so he has hope of living past 50. He had a show on when we were there and he literally did not sleep. His shoe box apartment in Greenwich village was quite aptly full of shoes. All the same gangster shoes but different colours because ¨¨ït depends on what kind of mood i´m in when i choose my shoes in the morning.¨ The apartment was opposite the editor of Vogue magazines house. That explained all the black limos parked outside her house. And here we thought they had finally got wind that we were in town!

And they certainly did get her!

Day one without snow - Central Park

Couldnt help ourselves

New York is great. Everything in New York is massive, so when writing about food I wont keep adding the adjectives huge, gigantic, enormous etc. Its a given. We grabbed a bagel in Greenwich village and went to a coffee shop on Wall Street for refill coffees. Just what you need when jetlagged. I am a try hard coffee drinker. Deep down a snob and would love to say ¨Oh you must go to that cafe because it has the best coffee in town¨but I really cant summount to actually drinking it and enjoying it. So after drinking 3 coffees, the walls of the coffee shop began to move towards me and shake slightly. I then knew it was time to stop. However, it set us up superbly for taking the ferry to Staten Island, shopping, observing rich buisness people walking into the stockmarket and running around Times Square. Amazeballs.

A casual night at the opera

We had a faboulous trip to the Metropolitan Opera to see Don Carlo and enjoyed the Museum of Modern Art also. When I say enjoy the Museum of Modern Art, I really mean recover from the previous days excitment in the corner while Julien overexcitedly looked at yet another scribble on the wall... The New York Public Library was also awesome ' where Carrie and Big had their almost wedding.  Squealing moments galore there, sorry Julien.

New York Public Library, Jenny was super excited.

We went to Rei sports shop in Little Italy to get some last minute raincoats and shoes for Central America. It felt like a bit of a chore shopping for lesbian clothes when Macys was around the corner, but nonetheless  Rei was a highlight of New York for us! We were learning by day 4 of travel together that eating was the make or break of an adventure. So we had burger, fries and coke before entering the golden doors. Rei was like all the outdoors shops you´ve ever known, but on speed. We were in there for 3 hours and practically became bestfriends with the ¨shoe lady´. We walked out in our new gortex walking boots and matching rain coats as it had begun to snow and found a bar with ladies night. It was awesome sitting at the bar, as Americans do and chatting to people. We found out the bar was a local of Caruso´s, who I learnt was a famous singer in the 10´s. I thought they were talking about Robinson Cruso, and needless to say I wouldve been much more star struck. However, Julien was so happy to be warming the seat that Caruso once warmed, that we started straight on the Martinis (which in the USA means straight spirits with a dash of colour or flavour).

We then heard there were some good shops nearby and found ourselves literally dragged into a Levis store. The sales women were out of this world! They gave us so many jeans to try. A token moment was when the black sales woman turned around to me and said ¨Girl you need a different shape of jeans. I dont know how to say this. But girl, youve got one big ass!¨And she found me the perfect pair of jeans like no sales person has ever done before! After many photos and hugs we left the store and missioned home as Katie would soon be flying in from London. It was also time to sober up after those incredible martinis.

Damn girl you got one big ass!!

Central Park in the snow

They look oddly like brother and sister here...

Post make over at Meatpacking

Katie arrived with a suprise guest!! Shay! So awesome! It was so great to spend time all together. We moved into an apartment near Times Square and had such a hoot! Day one was a snow storm. Highlights were walking up Fifth Avenue into Central Park and getting a yellow cab to Macys to shop all afternoon. The next day was beautiful, so we went up the Rockerfella Building and went camera mad. Next stop was Joes Pizza where Leo and Russel Crow often grab a bite. We went to the World Trade Centre Memorial which is a must do. It made 911 feel very real. They´ve done a great job of the memorial, with 2 large pools where the towers once stood with all of the names of the victims categorised.  We had a lovely walk from Greenwich Village to the Financial District along the waterfront and I was so excited to go into Magnolia Bakery and get a takeaway box of cupcakes. Licking frosting from my lips whilst walking through the Meatpacking disrtict was ace. We stumbled across free makeup and photoshoot tent where Katie and I were put in what was described as ´natural´lip stick ' bright red! Only in New York! The boys were suitably entertained at a local bar. We went to a comedy show in Greenwich Village and had some really nice dinners out. On the last day, we walked across Brooklyn Bridge, and we all had a mad run to find a toilet. Emergency situation for Julien, he only just made it.

Heres trouble. The awesome foursome

All in all, New York, and seeing Katie and Shay was just awesome. I thought it would be very stylish, but really it is a very laid back, friendly city where anything goes. Yes, even tramping boots and rain coats!
Until next time, NYC.