Started the day off with another round of Levy's Jewish Rye toast, coffee and apple before heading out.
I had decided that I could buy a few things in New York if
- I really needed them and
- They were not made in China.
Given that the US dollar us so far down the crapper that the whole of the US is essentially a BOGOF sale to those earning in £ Sterling, it was just too tempting. New York is a shopping paradise. And there are a few things I need like:
1. A slipcase and new carrier for the laptop I bought in November. It is 15.4" and just BARELY squeezes into the old case I have.
2. A thumb drive/memory stick of whatever you want to call it. This is almost bound to be made in China and it is debatable that I "need" it; but i would make life easier.
3. A swimsuit. The only one I have is a 40DD and let's just say that is WAY to big for me since I have shifted 85 pounds. It is an embarrassment at aqua aerobic class.
4. Trainers. The one I have are the ones I broke my ankle in in 2000 and they were about 5 years old then. The sole has split so I now have the weird "spoosh" sound when I walk in them and the ability to pick up loose change without bending over.
Anyway, I head off the 34th Street to look at shoe shops, Macy's, Staples etc for my consumer goods. Bought two pairs of trainers at a big sports shop on 34th Street. Then went a little ga-ga and also bought two pairs of Converse All Stars; the classic black high top and the black mono. Well, at $38.00 a pair, it seemed churlish not to and they were made in Viet Nam.
Popped back into the hotel to drop off my booty and then headed started to head south, but decided to pop into a pizza joint on Third Ave.
Nothing beats a New York slice... so, I had two, one regular and one "white". A white slice is basically just a cheese festival - this one had ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan on it.
The white slice was a mistake - very rich and I am not used to eating so much - plus, it was ENORMOUS.
Time to walk it off, so I head South, down the the Village. Wandered around some more and checked out my old apartment on West 13th Street. Was standing out front, admiring the new windows when the super (who was cleaning the foyer) asked if he could help. We chatted for a while and laughed about how little was rent was back in 1977. It's all so trendy in the far west Village (the meat packing district) these days. I used to love the sesame noodles from Jen's Kitchen, on Little Gansevoort Street, across the street from my old 13th Street apartment; now long gone. I spent ages wandering around the old derelict and collapsing piers there as well; they were one of my favourite things to photograph when I was studying. Also all gone now.
Popped into the Crumpler bag shop on lower 8th Ave and ogled some of their fancy laptop cases, but did not buy. A little further on, I did find a Targus slip case I liked for $20 in the Best Buy on Lower Broadway, so I bought it. I also found a 2GB thumb drive in Staples in Union Square for $24, also a bit of a bargain. Both, of course, made in China, unfortunately. So much for my resolve.
In the end, I walked down to Spring Street and back, so I treated myself to a Tasti D-Lite on the way home. Tasti D-Lite is one of New York's finer inventions; the best frozen yoghurt I have ever had and the most weird an wonderful flavours. I had a mocha concoction.
When I gave up walking for the day at about 20:00, the pedometer reckoned 25,093 steps or 8.71 miles.
Dinner was just a big salad at the hotel - asparagus, crab, alfalfa sprouts, mushroom, cherry tomatoes and some broccoli slaw.
I was pooped and happy to veg out in front of the TV with a glass of wine.
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