Get your walking shoes on and join me on a stroll down Madison Avenue. New York is catnip for people watchers and window shoppers. We begin the walk at 79th St.
As we head south, the shops get pretty ritzy. Looks like Edward Scissorhands has left his mark.
New York is all about dogs. Everyone has one, or two or three.
Time to take a break for lunch at an outdoor cafe. Cafe Nectar make fabulous burgers. Leave the bun if you're doing low carbs.
This guy, washing a window, gave me my favorite shot of the day.
The best shoe shops in the world are right here. Stilettos anyone? The pointy toe is back in style.
Christian Louboutin from Paris is the red soled king of stilettos. The patent leather boots are only $1500.00.
Shopping can be so exhausting. Some shops have benches outside so you can take a break before opening your wallet again.
What would New York be without its yellow cabs?
It's no accident that I named my novel; Peace, Love and Chocolate. I love chocolate and some of the best is found here at Maison du Chocolate. It's the New York outpost of the shop in Paris.
Had enough? Time to stop for a drink at the famed Bemelmans Bar. The first round's one me.
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Comments: 416
Nice stroll down Madison Avenue, Layla!
Click on this book cover
Voting ends Sept 18th.
Bonnie
Don't think I'd have the nerve to toss it into this den, but I bet Ken would like it.
Manhattan is a unique place in the world. I haven't been back since the Trade Towers fell- I lived right across the river from them for a couple years. I guess if I don't go back I don't have to admit they're really gone.
Free chocolate and free drinks. I'm set. I'll have a chocolate martini, then some Taittingers, then maybe some of that peppermint schnaaps...
Hey, I have to get to sleep somehow. Six am is going to be here awfully early!
And, what the hay - you did, so I will:
-Judi In Over Her Head
Layla, great photo essay! Say, have you seen the series on AMC, "MAD MEN"? About the goings on at a Madison Avenue advertising agency in 1960. I'm not even sure that it's that good but I find it oddly compelling. The lead is very attractive too.
I will try not to say anything else along the lines- Ken I need help with this whole Shelleyesque writing contest. Lord man, I reviewed your article, it is way intense. Can I get a real life primer from you?
Crap, I gotta get back to the rewrites...sigh...
Congrats on the upcoming wedding, I don't think I've said so before.
First time there- gotta see the arch if nothing else! Any suggestions? I have a few hours to spare one day.
Lisa I don't think I want to rip the scab off the upcoming anniversary. Eventually I'll make peace with it, maybe. I have great sunset pictures of them and some of the most spectacular electrical storms I saw illuminated them. Horrible to say, but they were ugly. I mean NYC has some amazing- really gorgeous architecture, and they were not it.
I haven't been to NYC in a long time - not since '92 I'm pretty sure. One of these days...
My Fantasy Spy
The windows at the top are small - and I was there when I was a new teenager, so if they were small to me then, they're probably reeeeally small. But you gotta do it - the ride is half the fun.
I was in Penn Station in June. Took a walk around outside, then back in to pick up the Long Island Railroad out to Hicksville. Yes, feel free to giggle. I went to Hicksville. Didn't have any hicken, though. Some bubbly, though. They did have the bubbly.
Okay, this time I'm reeeeally going to sleep. Lisa - have codeine cough syrup on hand. Will use. Will sleep. thank you.
Though not my favorite- closed in spaces with people sucking all the air out- I will go up the arch. Thanks Judi.
Greenwich Village (speaking of I can't spell) was really neat - I still remember this one pub called...I dunno...maybe the White Horse? It was really old and had this huge outdoor patio - perfect on a summer night.
Good night wombats. Lisa and Judi do take care. Aren't there bio scrubbing filters on the internet?
"Uh Ken, the travel agency is owned by the company president's wife. Better that you don't say anything."
Then a limo ride from LaGuardia up the LIE. I could rent a car or take the train.
"Uh, Ken, the limo company is half-owned by the company president's wife."
Okay...
I don't like New York City and I say that having lived near and in New York.
New York has great places but it is not a great place. It's dirty and noisy and pretty unfriendly. [Don't start getting in line with "nice New Yorkers I've met" stories, I mean statistically].
I lived in Greenwich Village when it was still fun and I go to New York a couple of times a year because my mom still lives there on the East River where you look out and you don't know you're in New York.
For me, New York is a great place to live if you're very young or very well off.
Having said that, I am, of course, not referring to the delightful stroll Layla is currently conducting down Madison Avenue. Like all good Wombats I am willing to suspend belief and go to this and any other fictional place she wishes to take me.
Now, I will have a street vendor hot dog. Yes for breakfast. Let me tell you who's writing this: I once turned down a client's lunch invitation at the Four Seasons for three street dogs. Yummmmm!
Auntie Anne's? we scoff. The Pretzel Factory? Puh-leaze!
I'd say you'd have to be a native to appreciate 'em, but my roommate freshman year went to school in a convent in Puerto Rico (yet her parents sent her to Penn State???!!) and she'd never tasted a soft pretzel (never saw snow either, but that's a different story). So I buy her one at the Nittany Mall, all warm and soft and toasted. She doesn't like it. She doesn't like the ones at Beaver Stadium, nor the ones in the dining hall. Then she comes home with me for Thanksgiving and I give her the historic tour of Philly, complete with a vendor pretzel. She LOVED it! LOVED it.
It's an acquired taste - only the most discerning palates.
Much better than hicken.
Speaking of, I'm still feeling like that picture of the striped possum, but luckily I can work from home. (can't ya see me workin' here? Huh? Can't ya?)
Good morning, Wombats!
I would, however, like to try both a pretzel and a vendor hot dog. I'll have to do that while we're here.
..
U
Judi, you get first dibs on beverages so you'll feel better quicker ;-)
Lisa, I have seen Mad Me. Great concept, not so great execution. Faboo production values. Hubby's in the biz.
J.C. you have to visit! Just don't come when it's really hot and humid when it cna get stickier than a Cinnabon.
Quinn, lol, deal and cheaper too!
Here's a favorite hobby of ours (my two daughters and I) - feet watching. We've discovered that people will wear anything on their feet. Whenever we're in a truly burdensome line, our eyes drift to the feet. There's always some guy with his camel-toe socks on under flip-flops, a lady in army boots, and several variations on the bedroom-slipper theme.
Cathy
Did you buy the stilletto's???haha
Catherine, there is a Franco Sarto shop on Mad Ave, that you'd love!
Cathy
:-)
Thanks for the tour, Layla.
This little old lady with the proportions of a brick who was about as tall as my chest sees this, gets in his face and starts yelling: "YOU LEAVE HER ALONE! YA PUNK! MIND YA OWN BUSINESS!"
Judi, Viv how you doin this fine day.. some better?
Are we going to catch a Broadway show Layla?
Stop by if you haven't already Dave.. I can take it.
Safe Harbor
Okay I've got to pay attention to my real life, see you all in bit
Just plop me at a bar somewhere with my peppermint schnaaps and you can come back and forth showing me what you've bought. Besides (and this might come as a shock) I really don't like shopping. If I stumble across the sparkly stilettos and pink sequined boas, I'm more than happy to grab half a dozen, but I rarely search it out. Actually, Nordstrom Rack is my best place to go when in need of networking clothing. One stop shopping, 3 hours and I've got a wardrobe that looks great but doesn't do the damage to the pocketbook.
Back to my tea and honey. If I felt better, I'd honest-go-God get myself to a liquor store, but I just can't get off this sofa. Plus, the dogs are on either side like arm pillows. They'd be soooooooo disappointed if I moved.
Carry on, all. And Dave, I don't know what you're talking about. I thought your comments weren't cringe-worthy at all. Go stop by Wendy's.
"Rex! Fetch!"
Judi, pretzels work in New York as well.
I will say I have always enjoyed running around the Central Park reservoir. Robert Redford once ran past me there. His skinny legs made my day. He could never do a Ken-kiltie thing.
This is an emergency. Somebody, get Judi her schnapps.
I'm with Cathy on the pointy shoes. I don't do pain for fashion.
Did someone say food? And chocolate? Now that, I can do.
It's lunch time. If you look carefully at the first photo, there is a blue awning. That's Michaels, the see and be seen place for celebs and publishing types. Shall I make reservations? www.michaelsnewyork.com
haha
I love NYC but have only visited probably 24 times. Really don't know it like I know the cities I've lived in.
Tomorrow is the birthday of one of my kids, so we have mixed feelings. When people find out, they say, "Oh, that's too bad." It's kind of strange.
Vivian, I am here for your Shelley contest, as long as I get a couple of weeks to write in.
I will take the boots, but only if they come in fire-engine red.
Cathy's shoes.
:-)
Cathy
While I wait for my stubborn little granddaughter to give in and fall asleep, I'll tell you a story about my maternal Grandma. Spleen guards ready?
Grandma came for my high school graduation. She liked to have a nip at night but didn't think anyone knew. So she tried to convince my mom they didn't have pony bottles in Oregon, and she was buying them for her friends. Okedokie, anyway my mom took her to the liquor store four times, then refused to take her again.
Enter me. I've got a beat up 68 Mustang, 289.. (loved that car) The passanger side door didn't open. I was waiting for her to slide in through the driver's side, respectfully holding the door. (bench seat).
She came up short at the curb. Frowning at me she asked, "How do your friends get in."
"Through the window." I was confused by the question.
"Well then that's how I'm getting in. Open the window."
My grandma was about 5'5" and 100lbs soaking wet. I tried to argue, but she would have none of it.
One just didn't argue with the women in my family. I opened the window and she slipped through the window as if she were 18 instead of 82.
We get to the liquor store and she exited through the window as smoothly as she'd gotten in. I was too young, so I stayed in the car.
Of course the store was busy that day. I was receiving some very strange looks. Ranging from, "What a rude girl; making her grandma crawl through the window." to "I didn't just see that silver haired woman crawl out a car window."
I had suggested she get a pint rather than the little bottles. She came out of the store with her pint, head high, a twinkle in her eye as she climbed back through the window.
The best part was the look on my mother's face when we got home and she saw her mother crawling through the window of my car. She was mortified! rofl.. I took too much pleasure from her discomfort. That is one of many stories about my Grandma Belle.. one of kind she was, and I was so happy she was mine.
I think I was channeling the lovely Natalie at that time -- or maybe I was an aardvark, or a golf ball. (It's tough to keep track.) Today's icon is really a photo of me -- all dressed up and fitted out for a hike down Madison Ave.
I guess I am the anti-Imelda. I. Hate. Shoes. I mean, I don't hate them, but if I can't walk at least a mile in them, I have no use.
I'm, uh, addicted to Crocs.
It is my goal to be as spry at her age as she was. At my wedding she told my husband before they danced, "You be careful with me. I'm an old lady." Then she proceeded to wipe the dance floor with him.. it was so great!
"If Dave's current icon is his true photo, I'll eat my own shoes.
J.C. Alexander, Sep 9, 2007, 9:12pm EDT"
Immediately to the left of said comment is a photo of yours truly. Now, JC subsequently claims to have withdrawn this comment (no doubt in shock upon discovering that Gather icons can mysteriously mutate, leaving no trace of whetever may have been "current" at any given time), but I say: JC, start eating!!!! You could always buy some of these lovely stilletos and eat those, if you'd rather.
Layla: I wouldn't buy those shoes, even in my Natalie guise. I like how they look an a woman, but I'd never, ever wear something myself that would certainly be so painful.
Guess what's playing right now. Weird Al: "Yoda." (I.e. Lola) Too funny! Had to share.
Of course, now I'm channeling Lisa and her coughing...
J.C. would you like to soak the shoes in the hicken soup to make them more tender?
Judi: What was the flag on XXII for?
Rima: I was intrigued by your icon and went to take a look at your namespace. You have some fantastic photos of Lebanon on there. Thanks for stopping by to visit!
I <3 NY!
Dave - flame wars. I'll have to check to see if the comments were removed.
And, yes, JC throw the shoes in the hicken soup. It needs a little je ne sais quoi...
I once heard a snippet of an interview in which of a bunch of kids were asking questions of Tiger Woods. One kid asked, "What do you do if you get a song stuck in your head?" Tiger had no idea what the kid was talking about. Aparently, he simply focuses on whatever he wants to at any given moment. That's why he's the greatest golfer ever, I suppose.
Oh, well. "Lola, L O L A Lola, Lo Lo Lo Lo Lolaaaaahhhhhh ...."
But they just don't get it.
Cathy