New York, New York!!!

My only sibling lives in Palm Desert, California and visits New York City about 5 times a year where she has a 2nd residence. So in my economical struggles it is cheaper to take the day bus to New York for a visit than fly cross country.

I forced myself awake to catch the 6:30 a.m. bus, grabbed my Food & Wine, Urbanite, and a couple other mags for the bus ride. I played catch up on my reading and pretty much finished when the sister called to switch our plans to meet at the Marriot Marquis. I was to meet her at the apartment on CPS (Central Park South). The day was grey, a bit coolish - actually great for the trek. I got to her apartment in about 20 minutes.

There wasn't much planned for the day other than a lunch reservation at Naima at 531 W. 27th Street and a 3 p.m. appointment at YC Media, a Chelsea kind of afternoon. Sister's friend was in from California so we hooked up with Ronna and off we went to Canal Street where we visited every shop that had pocketbooks. Sister knows her stuff and knows who to talk to get the real knockoffs. After 2 hours and 4 purse purchases later and knock off Louis V pens we were on our way to lunch. I was starving.

We hopped a subway that let us off at 23rd street at 7th and hiked to the restaurant. We found that 27th doesn't go all the way through, there is a school and park so we were up to 28th and then down to 27th. Voila, Naima's. Nice, small - lunch prices were amazing considering the quality of the food. Sister got pasta with Cockles and I had a spinach salad with grill portabello and a bowl of pasta with fresh tomato sauce. Salad was $6.00 and pasta $7.00.

My appointment went well but it was short and it was 3:15 and the bus leaves at 6 p.m. I got the bus at 10th Street and got off at 45th Street where I meandered across towards Broadway. Aaah, a "Nails" sign. I inquired on the cost of a pedicure...$13.00 dollars, good price - time to kill. Not the best pedicure, the water was cold, she didn't turn on the jets, the flip flops they gave me started slide off and mushed the polish - call the Toe Truck! Well they cleaned up the mess, my toes are a nice fuschia and I killed an hour.

Still time to kill so I preceded on my quest for carry-out for dinner on the bus. I was heading down 9th to Cottage Noodle House when I stopped at the diner for an eclair to go-they were out. In New York, go 2 steps and there is another restaurant, actually a bakery and I acquired my desired dessert.

A couple more doors down to the Cottage Noodle house where I ordered a 1/4 of a duck, duck soup with rice noodles, and shrimp dumplings. I walked back to the Richard Rogers Theatre and sat on the steps and waited for the bus. It was a little after 5 p.m. Two girls came out of the theatre and one looked like the young thin gal on American Idol last year, the hip one with the auburn fro. Someone walked by and acknowledge that I was correct in my assumption.

So for 30 minutes I peopled watched. I was actually across from the Church of Scientology and thought about going over and asking if they had anything for post pardum depression.

Bus arrived - few passengers so I was able to spread out. The movie was Monster in Law, just enough to keep me occupied for a bit. I was at Pikesville Shopping Center by 9:30 p.m. and damn tired. I grabbed my leftover soup, my magazines and hustled home to sleep the day off.