Times Square Can't Shine As Bright As You.

My sister in Times Square. Isn't she lovely.

Saturday Morning Vintage Shopping In NY

So Rain left. I went for a swim and had a shower and then hailed a taxi - my second in one day!!! I was so excited - and then crippled the driver with my embarrassingly big suitcase. I did warn him that it was heavy but he said that he was 'pretty strong' and then picked it up and said 'Jeeesus that is heavy'. And I was like, well yeah. I was there for over two weeks!!
It was mortifying having to get someone to help me get it off the luggage carousel when I arrived though.
Anyway, I went to the hotel that me and my family, who were flying out that day, had booked and dumped my bag with the very lovely concierge (who my dad later became, like, best friends with) and got a bit excited about how luxurious it looked in comparison to the YMCA. It was quite luxurious but, looking back, probably not quite as luxurious as my poor hostel-bathroom-sharing accustomed brain thought at the time.

Then I went vintage shopping.

Ohh I felt like such a local!!
(NB: getting really emotional remembering it all. I want to be there now!! I bet it's beautiful this time of year, with all the trees in Central Park just on the cusp of autumn...)
I went to the Chelsea vintage market 'The Garage' which is taken over by all things vintage on the week end so that the cars that fill it during the week have to retreat. I spent ages wondering about and chatting to the owners. They were all lovely, especially the eccentric, jewelled cat eye glasses sporting seller of several beautiful 1920s dresses (all sadly very much out of my price range) who encouraged me try on a fantastic beaded number from the 80s even though she knew I totally couldn't afford it. I swirled about it and we discussed the difference between British and American vintage and how much I love the flapper style and my love of all things 20s and she 'simply adooored' my accent. It was all very jolly.

I got really into the idea of long silk slips worn as summer dresses which would have looked lovely and whimsical on balmy Portugal evenings. Amazingly, I managed to restrain myself. I didn't even buy this gorgeous red mohair jumper!! It was very sad but I thought that really, given the taxi drivers reaction to my bag, I couldn't possibly get any more into it, especially given my v heavy Harper's book and new romper. It was an amazing act of restraint for me, given my past vintage shopping history, and my mum couldn't quite believe it.

After a good hour of vintage immersed happiness I went for coffee at a lovely place opposite Billy's Bakery, where all the locals were eating pancakes. I sat outside and got coffee and watched the world go by.

 

My coffee came with a heart and I realised how deeply I'd fallen in love with New York.

 

 

It was weird, as I sat there contemplating my time in New York, I realised that my independent time as a near local was coming to an end. I'd promised to show my family my favourite bits of the city, but I knew that I would become a tourist. The night before me and Rain had tried to think of best and worst bits (which I always do when I go on holiday) and I think it says something that we couldn't decide what our favourite bit was (too many) and simply couldn't think of a worst bit. Going through security at JFK?? Even that was no where near as bad as I thought it would be.

 

I was sooooo looking forward to seeing may parents and my sister and telling them everything and, I know it sounds cringey, but I was really proud of myself. I smugly sipped my coffee and then headed back to the hotel, savouring my last few hours as an independent New Yorker. But don't worry; I'll return as an independent New Yorker. Have no doubt about that.

Rain Leaves and New York Weeps #2 - Adoption and Other Stuff Occurs in New York

So Chris adopted us. We were lost and he was cycling the same way and so he led us all the way back to the bike hire shop, along the river and through the safest roads. He told us that 'when I go you go, when I stop you stop' and we'd be totally safe and wouldn't get run over.
Which we were.
He was so great.
I know this sounds a little dangerous but he was so clearly not an axe murder and wasn't creepy at all but just really lovely. I would say not to be too trusting, but at the same time being too cynical is sad and we were in a really busy area so he couldn't kidnap us without being seen.
Chris was an American Greek who moved to New York when he was eight and who's father had 50 cents in his pocket when he arrived. His grown up daughter had just gone on holiday for the first time to the tiny island that he had left in search of a better life and he was clearly in need of a daughter (or two) to look after. He grew up in Greenwich Village, next door to Robert de Niro and remembered when the city was all three storey appartment buildings and hated the new high rise skyscrapers thta dominate the city and 'block out the sun'. He had worked in the Dakota building and saw John Lennon's blood and was never a fan of 'that Yoko Ono one'. He had been in the army and thought that the New York Military Hospital symbolised all that was great about America.
He was, I'm positive, my favourite person that I met in New York. Bold statement I know.

Rain's last night was spent in Cafe Wha? (Our fave. we loved having a fave. Especially such a cool, underground fave). We had THE BEST time.

We sat right at the front and the amazingly cool lead singer winked at us before he began swaggering about the tiny stage. He wore nail varnish and told the audience to never take any bullshit and to always be happy with who you are. I cheered.

There was a woman getting married the next day and we all celebrated 'real love' and I fell even further in love with the idea of falling in love in New York and then getting married in New York too. There was a birthday party too and so we all sang happy birthday and everyone was mental. The band sang at us to 'get up, stand up' and 'fucking dance' because if beautiful English girls weren't going to dance, who were?? We obliged, and joined the crowded dance floor for Twist and Shout, and did the twist, and shouted. I love New York.

 

 

Then the Latin American music started and everyone went even more mental and there was this beautiful women with waist length blonde hair who pulled me and Rain towards her and made us dance the salsa with her. I can't do that (I can just about bop in time to a beat) and looked like a hippo washing in mud next to her, but we had fun and she was lovely and gorgeous and I told her boyfriend so. She kissed me three times on the cheek. I love New York.  

 

 

We took the subway and danced home, and soaked up the magic of New York so that it would always live in our bones.

 

Rain leaving the next morning (very early; we were not a pretty site) was horribly emotional but I did get to hail a taxi for Rain which was fun and I (once again) felt like I was in a film, and ticked off a life ambition on my Bucket List. Next; hail a yellow taxi, jump in and shout 'FOLLOW THAT TAXI!'

 

I'll keep you updated on that.

Times Square Relived

Yellow Taxi & American Flag. Living the dream, baby.



We didn't look like nutters at all, takimg photos from the other side of the road...



Kanye felt at home.