Apple Eaten

13 hour journey back

... I don't want to talk about it...

stress and tension ran high... it all got a bit ugly... so i just snuggled in my snuggie.




oh and to beat the jet lag??? partied til 6am

Up the Rockerfella

My favourite part was definitely just before you got in the lift and the man who worked there said, "good luck"... charming.
The view was breathtaking.
It made me wish that I knew what I was looking at, being rubbish in all aspects of geography and sense of direction. I think this was my favourite part of the trip.

Day 4- Central Park

The weather was deathly cold and i was rather grouchy. We pottered around Central park for a good few hours, truly braving it, visited trump tower... discovering tv screens in the bathroom mirrors... swish!

When our cheeks and ears could no longer take the pain, we retired to a nice little cafe where I scored a free brownie... im still bemused as to why.

Day 3 - A taste better than an apple

Clifton Street Bakery, East Village... my oh my. They say that the US is famed for its obesity rate. I seriously don't blame them. If I could sit in that place all day every day I definitely would. The day was picturesque, lightly falling snow outside and a lovely warm breakfast setting inside. The inside of the cafe was pretty standard, but with food like that, nothing else was needed.

For the rest of the day we looked around East Village at the wonderful vintage boutiques they had to offer. The visual merchandising was incredible and each shop had their own visual concept.

Day 2: Breakfast at Macy's

After our long walk from the hotel, I felt I thoroughly deserved a treat. It had also been drawn to my attention that many New Yorker's don't have much concept of distance, having asked many people for directions and being repeatedly told to catch the bus or the subway, and then turning a corner and seeing Macy's straight ahead.

I was slightly confused by the "Breakfast Specials" menu at the cafe in Macy's, which consisted of 'Bolognese' and 'A la vodka', and as much as vodka for breakfast sounded lovely, and very normal, I settled for scrambled egg on a bagel. Beautiful!

The cafe was very simple, all about the food. It had tiled walls and flooring, reminding me of an old fashioned kitchen seen in something like "Muppets in Manhattan". There was something for everyone in there, it had a very relaxed atmosphere.

Like a kid in a candy store...

The most amazing visual merchandising I have ever experienced in a sweet shop

Dylan's candy store. It was like entering a Willy Wonka film without the crazy mad man. Every sweet I had ever heard mentioned in an American film was there to buy, 3 Muskateers bar, Twizzlers... the lot!

I loved the way that the floor guided me through the store, inviting me further in. Each step I took I saw something new and more interesting than the last thing... chocolate roses, life size lollipops (although I don't think you could eat these), Barbie and Ken chocolate bars, Harry Potter chocolate frogs. The flooring was beautiful, it reminded me of some photography I had done at A-level where I lined up gummy bears against a white background and simply photographed them. To see all these gummy sweets lit up beneath my feet made me laugh, it's strange how something so strange can look so beautiful. It really worked as a visual merchandising concept.

One thing I have noticed about stores in New York is that the stores never just do what it says on the shop front. This sweet store not only offered and amazing variety of novelty sweets, but also sold mugs, t-shirts and pj's, all sweety themed. Unfortunately the pj's were aimed at children... maybe if I lose 3 stone I'l pop back?

My first experience of American customer service. "How are you today ladies?" Oh! How charming!

The thing with the people working in these stores is that it is very hard to suss out if they are genuine or just as sick of being there as you would expect. I still haven't quite figured it out but I totally fell for it either way. It is also very noticeable how many men work in these retail stores. I have never quite experienced so many men ask me if I want to try some perfume or if I want help finding the right bag. I think the UK should take note... the tactic works.

Entering the unknown

Next stop Sephora. What a beauty! Visually the place was a gem and I found myself feeling a tad guilty climbing the huge and beautiful staircase at the back of the store. It almost felt as though I was in the main entrance of a stately home and very badly trespassing. However, I did feel that this mood was slightly ruined by the harsh lighting, even though it would most likely not be the best idea to have dim lighting in a make-up store, orange faces not being a good look in New York... or anywhere for that matter.
Shame... it could have been so ambient.

Venturing Out

On the first day it really struck me how incredibly huge everything was. Everything was grand, even the train station, which just so happens to have 'grand' in the title.

I felt slightly overwelmed and just walked aimlessly in any direction and towards anything that struck my eye... like the skyscraper on the right... or the skyscraper on my left. Also I got a little troubled every time I had to cross a road, suddenly becoming very aware that I may be 'J-walking' ... did a flashing red hand mean stop or go? Either way it was very unnerving and I felt that this scary countdown was rather unnecessary. 

We trailed the streets slightly aimlessly for about an hour, spotted Urban Outfitters and practically ran at it. There is something about finding a familiar place in a strange city, you get drawn to it... and then feel slightly ashamed at not being more adventurous. 

It struck me how little difference there was between the US and UK versions. Yes, it was bigger, of course. But the visual merchandising still had that warehouse feel seen in most UK stores. With brown wooden beams and industrial type boxes holding and displaying clothes.

One thing that did strike me however, was the till area, large wooden, antique looking desks held the tills and your purchase was made out by the sales assistant to be a major deal. I was only buying earings and came away feeling like I had made a huge investment. I don't know if it was the excitement of the trip or the employees sheer skill, but for someone who is usually thoroughly unconvinced by salesman banter, I felt positively giddy after my very small purchase.

My small but, i am assured, brilliant purchase.