Talk about conflicting emotions – I’m sitting on my hotel room bed, watching news reports about the Boston Marathon bombings surrounded by my extensive New York purchases.
It feels really wrong that life goes so blithely on.
But, as a reporter noted from Times Square, New Yorkers have not allowed themselves to be paralyzed by fear. They are still thronging the streets, the subway, stores and restaurants.
There are queues outside Abercrombie & Fitch. Queues! To shop!
At 8pm on Monday night, all the stores I walked past were open and crowded with people.
Yesterday I walked myself silly, from 34th Street all the way up 5th Avenue and back to our hotel.
The place I dropped the most dosh was Gap, of all places. I’ve gone all cheap and cheerful in my old age. I’m even – eek- wearing Gap to the wedding. American friends who might be reading, please forgive me.
But a trip to the US wouldn’t be possible (for me) without a Marc by Marc Jacobs purchase – silver signature mouse ballet flats. Loving!
While I had my dose of retail therapy, Husband indulged his love of art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We are SUCH different people.
Then we had dinner at our favourite New York restaurant, Pastis: pâté, grilled octopus with white beans, Coq au vin, Creme brûlée, a bottle of rose from Provence and an admonishment not to take photos in the restaurant (how gauche!).
Nom, nom, nom.
We meant to have a drink in a cool Meatpacking district bar afterwards but I spotted the High Line: an abandoned railway line above the streets that’s been turned into the most gorgeous walkway and park. An absolute New York must-see night or day. We walked the entire length of it stickybeaking in apartment windows, admiring the art (and arguing afterwards whether one of the pieces was an actual person) along the way.
And then we collapsed in bed, still stupefied with jetlag.
How about you. Any news from home?
housegoeshome 
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