New York, New York

J had a work thing in Manhattan this past weekend, and I insisted on tagging along when I found out he was staying at the Waldorf Astoria. It's a landmark hotel, and I figured it'd be a long while before I got to stay there ever.

It's got the feeling of a grand ole dame, and the communal areas are absolutely beautiful. So posh, even the lifts had chandeliers!

As grand as it is, it definitely has the feel of a former diva getting on in years. We even found some old school rotary phones!

The rooms feel a bit tired, and the internet was so slow that I could've sworn it was dial up! Kind of strange for a hotel that caters to a business clientele. It has that sad feeling to it like it knows its heyday has come and gone. 

J was also pretty unimpressed with the service, and you'd think it'd be top drawer for the price. And it reminded me of how much American hotels nickel and dime you for everything like water and internet access that you usually get for free in Europe.

On my first day there, I got to enjoy a day on my own roaming around midtown. First stop, lunch. I saw a bunch of people wandering into this deli so I decided to follow suit. 

It was a typical New York deli, and the food was great and cheap. My kind of place! I got a full meal for only $6! I think I can just get a sad little sandwich at a Pret in London for that price.

Tummy sorted, I headed up 5th and popped into St Peters cathedral. They were in the middle of some massive renovations so it was difficult to appreciate the architecture. 

I was really surprised to see that they were still holding services and even more surprised to see a construction worker wandering around on some scaffolding over the priest's head. I guess when you need to pray, you need to pray.

I wandered into some of my old standbys like Sephora (why aren't they in London yet?!).

But my favorite shop by a long shot was this one:

I think I spent a good 2 hours or so just browsing! I spent most of that time in the candy section.

I almost bought some bacon and pepperoni pizza flavoured lip balm but eventually decided that the grossness outweighed the novelty of it all. I think that was a good call on my part.

FAO Schwartz is a must see if you're a fan of the movie Big with Tom Hanks. They have some of the most iconic props from the movie.

I desperately wanted a turn on the big piano, but I promised J that I would behave myself, which includes not pushing little kids down. Boo.

And is it just me, but did toys for kids get much cooler?!

Sucks to be old. But at least now I can afford teeny tiny doll furniture that costs hundreds of dollars! WTF?! That's more than actual human furniture!

I consoled myself with the kitchen section at Crate and Barrel (I even shop old) and a mini shopping spree at Duane Reade. I love me my drugstores.

It was disgustingly cold so I finally had to pack it in and leg it back to the hotel in time to enjoy some overpriced room service spaghetti bolognese with J and I was sound asleep by 8pm. This is how I roll.