one perfect day
One day in New York City without kids, stroller, husband, or busy agenda. What to do?
8:30 AM: Enjoy freshly made waffles and breakfast at the home of my good friends and their two sweet boys.
9:30 AM: Catch a ride to the subway station in Brooklyn. See a disoriented man fall onto the subway tracks, and be helped out by several kind New Yorkers, luckily before a train approaches (never in my 10 years in NYC did I ever see someone actually fall!)
Pop out of the subway at Canal and Broadway, start walking North. The weather just happens to be perfect, bright and sunny, but not too hot. I have to remind myself that NYC is only like this about one week out of the year.
10:00 AM: First stop: the MUJI store. I've been a fan of MUJI ever since I spent a semester abroad in London. Purchases: City in a Bag (drawstring bag full of NYC blocks, like little cabs and skyscrapers), colored pencil set, a perfect canvas tote bag, pencil sharpener.
10:45 AM: Walk up to Pearl River, a huge Chinese import store. Purchases: a small coin purse for Bee, a tin rocket for C, some pretty packages of rice candy.
11:15 AM: Continue up Broadway, almost walking right into the actor Aaron Eckhart, who I see near the corner of Spring Street. (Act nonchalant, because that's what New Yorkers do.) Stop in at Dean + Deluca to grab a raisin scone from Sarabeth's, just because I can.
11:30 AM: Walk up Sullivan Street so I can wave at Liesl, who's teaching a class at Purl Patchwork this morning. Peek through the window and see Liesl sitting at the sewing machine, right in the middle of explaining something to a big group of students. Decide against interrupting her.
Cross Houston and head towards the West Village, my favorite neighborhood in the whole city, to meet some of my oldest and dearest friends for brunch.
12:00 PM: Brunch at Tartine. We don't mind waiting for our table since there's lots to talk about and catch up on. Plus it's one of the prettiest blocks around.
1:30 PM: My friend Renee talks me into walking up to the Gagosian Gallery to see the Picasso exhibit, which closes this weekend. We wander up through the Chelsea Market, grabbing an applesauce donut from Amy's Bread (I used to live around the corner from their Hell's Kitchen location). The Picasso exhibit is worth the detour, a huge wonderful collection of paintings and etchings from his later years.
We walk over to the E train and take it north, to the 53rd Street and 5th avenue location so we can walk across the street to the MOMA.
3:00 PM: I haven't been to the MOMA since it's redesign, so I love walking through from floor to floor. Some of the paintings hanging there seem like old friends, and I'm so happy to see them once again. There's an interesting exhibit upstairs called Tangled Alphabets (on display through June 15th) featuring the works of Leon Ferrari and Mira Schendel. I love all the hand drawn type. Purchases: two small windup metal bugs for Bee and C from the museum gift shop.
5:15 PM: Walk down 5th Avenue to visit the Kinokuniya Japanese import store near Bryant Park. Wave to my old office as we walk by the Martha Stewart offices on 43rd Street. Purchases: new Japanese sewing book I haven't seen before, some beautifully packaged pastel crayons.
6:00 PM: Wander through Bryant Park (the most beautiful day!) admire the newly refinished NY Public Library and then hop on the F train to my old neighborhood in Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens. Meet up with my friend Sara who is getting a pedicure before we meet up with friends for dinner. Soon I am getting one too.
7:00 PM: Walk through my old neighborhood to the restaurant Alma, which has the most beautiful view of the city. By the time we sit down to eat (lucky us, we get the table with the best view) the sun is setting over the city, dinner is served, and I'm surrounded by my old friends.
10:00 PM: Drive back to Fort Green where I'm staying that evening by way of First Place, our old steet. Wave at my old apartment, where JR and I dated, were newlyweds, and formed our little family.
12:00 AM: Rest tired (but pretty!) feet. Fall into a sound sleep.
Things I wish I could have fit into my day: a stroll through Central Park, a visit to the paper stores down on 18th Street, some fabric shopping in the garment district, a walk down the Brooklyn promenade, and a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery. But there are only so many hours in a day.
Note: I've put together a little Google Map of my day, with addresses and phone numbers for the stores and restaurants. You can easily swap out the Met for the MOMA, and then get to see some of Central Park as well.
06.2.2009
Reader Comments (40)
Love this report. Such a wonderful day!
Perfection. Can't wait to go back...
that was a lovely little mental vacation for the rest of us. i never lived in NYC, but loved to train up from DC and stay with a girlfriend. last fall, my husband and I left the kiddos with the grandparents and spent a week. what a wonderful fantasy that was. . . sigh. thanks for taking me back there.
What a great NYC day!
I visited NYC for the first time a little over a year ago and I'm delighted to see that I visited many of the same places as you (except I accidentally stumbled upon MOMA - never knew that I'd love modern art until I saw it in person). Thanks for this little stroll down memory lane.
It was so, so great seeing you. I had no clue the bag you were carrying held so many treasures! My pedicure is still going strong but the manicure was a mistake. It lasted about 10 minutes after I got home!
Miss you already. Come back soon.
One more thing. Why in the world didn't we drive to Magnolia for a cupcake instead of standing on the street talking? You KNOW I would have been up for that in a second! Next time, okay?
What a fun day, you really packed it all in.
Love the city in a bag! We bought ours at the MUJI at the new JetBlue terminal. Talk about a design experience.
wow, sounds perfect!
this nearly makes me cry out of heartbreak for a missed new york.
What a beautiful day...I'm so glad you experienced good weather during your day-long jaunt. Some of your favorites are mine too so it was particularly fun to read this post. I'll bookmark it for our Fall trip to NY. Hopefully between wedding events we can slip in a fun day trip.
what an absolutely wonderful day. i love solo days roaming in the city--with meetups and meals with good friends along the way. this day sounds just right.
Love this post, the pictures, the map, your recounting.
I'd like to think at the age of 32 I'm fairly well traveled - I've been all over the US to big cities to small towns, all kinds of landmarks and nation parks....I've been to Europe 3 times and have been living in the Middle East for a year now and SERIOUSLY, I have not been to NYC! Isn't that terrible? There are so many places I want to visit - especially the art museums. You have given me more ideas :) Thanks. I'm sure you miss this bustling city. In some ways I feel like I've been there before probably from the movies which is silly. I'm hoping next Spring my husband and I can sneak away for a long weekend or something as we'll be returning stateside in a few months. xx
this sounds like a perfect day. i wish i had know about some of those secret spots when i was there a few weeks ago!
you have made me miss my once life in new york. maybe someday i will get back to experience my perfect day. russ and daughters, moma, a walk in central park, subway ride to brooklyn, prospect park, meeting blog friends i knew nothing of when i left in 98', and sleep in a non-tenament apartment bed. i think that would be mine.
Loved reading this! Thanks for the thoughtful details and map...
Hey
It really sounds just like a perfect day! I'm going to New York in November / December and really can't wait to go! It will be my first time in the States and I'm soo excited. Already saved your links and thanks for the Google Map! Love your website. Such a beautiful layout and beautiful photos!
Have a great Sunday!
Greetings, Annina
Sounds perfect!
I read this a while ago and remembered it because I'm going to NYC tomorrow. Although not a day without kids but I plan to stop at Muji, Pearl River and for some yarn at Purl Bee.
I would love if you could give some nice fabric store adresses.