shopping, walking and eating

M and I are out the door by 7:30.  We are going to Lafayette 148’s sample sale the day before its official opening to the public.  That means we get an extra 20% off the already heavily discounted clothes.  We dress in appropriate sample sale fashion:  leggings, tanks, and sneakers.

The line is already forming at 8:15. 

Once inside it’s chaos.  Women running around grabbing things.  People with unflattering bodies changing naked in the aisles.  Others positioning themselves in front of the few full-length mirrors and refusing to budge.  I end up buying only one white blouse, a good buy at $44, from $298.  M is used to this as her mother trained her to shop aggressively at Filene's Basement.  She comes out with three huge bags of items--some for her, and half for her Christmas shopping list.

Afterwards we stop at Starbucks to refuel.  We’re at a communal table and enjoy the company of a young guy, and an ancient-looking Chinese man with his caretaker.  We watch him meticulously count out 15 sugar packets and empty them into his coffee, smiling the whole time.  M turns to me and says, "No wonder he's in a wheelchair."

We see an eclectic little store on Center Street called Clic and go in.  It’s a general store, bookstore and gallery.  I am tempted to buy a medium Tibetan pillow for my living room leather chair, but don’t. 

Next we walk over to Harris Levy, a small store with fine bed and table linens, all discounted.  M and I expect to buy nothing; we are going just to look.  But then we see a silk-filled duvet that is supposed to adjust to one’s body temperature.  Meryl, the knowledgeable and non-pushy owner, assures us they really work.  It sounds too good to be true.  M, who gets hot flashes all day, decides it is for menopausal women and buys one.  I get one, too.  Maybe now I won’t have to use my AC in the winter.  We ship everything to M’s house and pay no tax.

On our way to Soho, we stop for lunch at a place called Delicatessen, which is nothing like its name implies.  It is a trendy, modern restaurant filled with downtown types.  

We end up becoming best friends with the couple next to us.  By the end of the meal, we’ve all exchanged numbers with promises to keep in touch.

We stroll through Soho, fairly unscathed, only buying some colorful footwear at Happy Socks. A bag of green tea with berries at Palais des Thes. And some incredible chocolate chip cookies at Vesuvio Bakery.

M has a nearby job interview at 3 p.m. with a start-up company looking to build a board of advisors. It's in an industry where she has a quarter century of expertise.  While she is looking to leverage her skills, I am wishing that someone would want to leverage mine as a full-time blogger or real estate agent.

Both M and I hit our 5-mile walking goals for the day. We are exhausted.  On the subway ride back uptown, we sit across from some people who look like we feel.

We rest up for a couple of hours, then leave in time for our 9:30 reservation at Gramercy Tavern.  We are meeting M’s son Sam, his girlfriend Josie, and their friend Mike.  We celebrate Sam's promotion at JP Morgan and Josie's birthday. It’s the perfect end to a great New York day.

Mike, Sam, M, me, Josie