Monday, September 13, 2010

A drizzly day in Manhattan...

Sunday was a real drizzler in the city. What's a girl to do? Only one thing for it... shopping! So I set off for some sustenance before I hit the shops. I subway-ed it down to Broadway and 29th to the Ace Hotel which was recommended to me by a friend who recently stayed there.

The restaurant, The Breslin, is by the owners of The Spotted Pig, a Gastro Pub in the West Village. I'm saving that experience for some special visitors (you know who you are). Check it out – www.thespottedpig.com

The Breslin was great, albeit dimly lit, I could hardly read the paper. But there was enough light to savour the baked eggs with chorizo and crustini I'd ordered. Divine! Next door is Stumptown Coffee Roasters, the best coffee I've had in NYC so far. OMG. Sensational. Like Aussie coffee, maybe better. My faith has been restored people, I was starting to think that Starbucks may be my only option on this side of the world.

On a coffee high I headed up Broadway to Macy's in Herald Square. Gosh, that's one big store. I guess that's why the sign out front says 'The World's Largest Store'. They're onto something there. Though, try as I might I'm just not a big fan of Macy's, generally speaking. Too big, run of the mill, nothing different. You get the gist.



































So I headed across town to a department store I prefer, Bloomingdales, and bit the bullet on purchasing a Marc Jacobs bag I'd been eyeing off. When in Rome!


















On my way back through the city in the rain, trying to keep my prized new possession dry, I discovered a little macaroon store, Macaron CafĂ© (french spelling). I love macaroons so I stopped in and got two "to go" (I'm getting down with the lingo now – when you say "take away" here they look at you as though you're an alien). Dark chocolate and Raspberry. Other flavours were Pistachio, Nutella and Violette Flower to mention a few. Mmmmm macarOOOns!