View From the Tenth Level

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

The reunion... It's up to you, New York, New York

Thursday. It's raining. We hope that it clears up, the closer we get to New York. Once again, we're on the train, headed into the city. I have better shoes with me this time around. I'm prepared for lots of walking.

We get to New York and it's pelting down rain. We decide to go to Times Square first and then make our way up 5th Avenue towards Central Park. I've got an umbrella with me, but it's falling apart. It's a good excuse to stop in another cheap souvenir place and get a new umbrella. It's got I *heart* New York on it and a print of the Empire State Buidling and Statue of Liberty. I love it. It satisfies my need for cheese. Dan gets a black umbrella from a street vendor. It's flawed - must be why it's only $5. But it's good enough for now.

We traipse through puddle after puddle, getting drenched, and look for shoe stores. We check out nearly every athletic shoe store in the area. There are no Goodyear Tuscanys in orange anywhere. They're last year's model and everyone is sold out. This year's models are apparently dull and boring. If Dan wants orange, he has to buy over-designed basketball shoes. Or he'll have to paint his own.

We have pizza again for lunch. Sicilian style - for the bread-lover in Dan. I keep hoping that the rain will let up, but it doesn't. Time to go outside and get drenched again. We make sure to make a pit stop in the pizza parlor unisex restroom - New York doesn't have public restrooms. They have fast food restaurants. The restrooms usually look well-used.

We temporarily give up on shoes and decide to check out Rockefeller Plaza. There's the famous gold statue of Prometheus. In a month or so, this place will be all decorated for Christmas. By December, there will be ice skaters in abundance. I wish I could be here to see it. I take a couple of photos. There are mostly tourists hovering under umbrellas in it. Dan and I are soaked.

We walk past Trump Tower and I spy Saks and Tiffany's, just before the entrance to Central Park. I wish Sabrina was here. She'd go with me to check out Saks. Dan and I decide to go into Tiffany's. We love Breakfast at Tiffany's. We imagine standing in the same spots as Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. I spy a pair of gold earrings that I'd like and speak to a salesman, Alex. Alex is refined, but friendly. He has class. I debate on buying the earrings. I've already denied myself several things this trip. I'm not going to deny myself any longer.

I buy the gold earrings. They're a delicate knotted 18k gold.

They're hardly unique, and probably one of the cheapest items in the store, but I buy them just to say I bought something at Tiffany's. Alex lovingly wraps them in Tiffany's signature blue paper and ties the whole thing with a white bow. The earrings have their own Tiffany's travel pouch. He puts the receipt in a little white envelope. Dan quotes a line from Love Actually: "What are you going to do next? Dip it in yogurt?" I hope that Alex hasn't heard him. The whole ensemble is placed artfully in a double Tiffany's bag. I am thrilled. I thank Alex for this wonderful experience and ask him where we can get a coffee. We're damp. We're a mess. We're broke. This calls for latté.

Alex directs us to Trump Tower. We figure, why not? We've just shopped at Tiffany's. Trump Tower is just across the side street. There's a Starbuck's inside. We sit and look out across the lobby. Dan jokes about spotting Donald Trump, but we figure he has his own private entrance.

Not 15 minutes later, Donald Trump walks in. He uses the front entrance and main elevators like everyone else. Dan sees him, but I'm looking the wrong way. Dan doesn't say anything to me until The Donald has disappeared into the elevator. Drat!

We finish our coffees and head back out onto the street. Louis Vuitton has a store and offices just up the street. I am tempted to go in, but I dread what I would do to my credit card. I resist but make a mental note that next time we're here, I'm going to be prepared to go in and do damage. Heck - I work. I can pay my own way.

It's time to leave. We leave without orange sneakers. Dan's a little disappointed, but we've still had a great time. What wasn't to love, including getting soaked?

We're expected for dinner. It's our farewell dinner at my mother's. Stephen, Allison and Chris are expected. We've promised to bring home the veggies and we spend some time at the Grand Central Station Market. I love the place! It's full of produce and gourmet treats. We pick up some beautiful, perfect strawberries, beans, corn, and a few gourmet snacks.

When we get back to Connecticut, Stephen is waiting to be picked up for dinner. My mother's baked a chicken and I cook the vegetables. Dinner time is here and Chris hasn't showed up. We wait a half an hour and start calling Chris. There's no answer. I wonder what's happened. We have to fly back to Sydney tomorrow. Where the heck is Chris? Dinner is delayed by an hour and still no Chris. I'm a bit upset, but try not to show it. I hope he's OK.

Andy comes downstairs for dinner and stays for a few minutes. I'm pleased that he's joined us, even if it's for a short time. Wonder what he's thinking, now that we're leaving? And why is it so hard to get more than two of my sons in the same room at the same time?

(to be continued...)

posted by Melanie O. at 6:23 PM -

2 Comments:

At 7:59 AM, gardenbug said…

You remembered every little detail. What a good memory you have. Next trip into New York, I'm going too...and bringing my credit card.
At 8:21 AM, Melanie O. said…

Hee hee! We'd have a lot of fun. We'll definitely go to LV and buy a handbag at least.