nyc, part two.

We've made it to Wednesday, which also means Christmas is three short days away! I have to say, your overwhelming response to yesterday's post blew my mind. A few of you asked what camera I used...and I have to admit: it was Hipstamatic app from my iPhone. I've been lusting over a Nikon D90 for months now, though I've been wanting a DSLR for years. Until then, I make due with what I have ;)

So, I won't withhold the second batch of photos from you any longer...

From the Union Square Holiday Market, {ch} and I continued the walk south toward her apartment in SoHo. We found our way onto Mercer Street, where we made a few stops--the first of which was at Nespresso. The husband may have been back in Rhode Island, but I knew one way to bring the pleasures of NYC back to him...by picking up a few more Nespresso capsules for his Nespresso Cube.

Nespresso could be compared to the coffee lover's candy store. The colorful capsules line the walls, making even the non-coffee drinker, like me, reconsider my dislike ever so slightly. Though the machines may not be in everyone's budget, the capsules of goodness cost $5 for a sleeve of ten, which is much more reasonable than the boxes of K Cups you find at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Those little capsules definitely pack a punch! 

The other treat at Nespresso were the holiday displays by Manish Arora, which packed their own sparkly punch. I've never seen so many sequins in all the right places!

 

From reading many of your blogs, I'm sure all of you will appreciate our next stop...the ever fabulous Kate Spade. The next photo now graces the "lock screen" of my iPhone. I love it--almost as much as I love Kate Spade.

I've been in many a Kate Spade stores in my day, but something was downright dreamy about this particular store. Maybe it was the extra dose of holiday sparkle {see a theme here?}, but our 15 minutes in Kate Spade brought so many smiles to my face. 

First, I ran into a bag I featured in one of my first posts: the head in the sand Melinda in a fabulous cobalt blue. I had yet to see it in person--and Kate did not disappoint. The embossed texture and the vibrant color were enough to continue my dream of owning this bag... 

In the last 6 weeks, I cannot count the number of times I've encountered these dazzlers in the blogosphere....they're definitely gorgeous in person.

I also spotted a few of the "Book of the Month" clutches, as spotted by Deanna over at Mellow Fever. Though I didn't spot The Great Gatsby, I did spot these two great reads!

After our time in Kate Spade heaven, {ch} and I hopped on over to her apartment and changed before meeting {ah} at Morandi, another tasty spot in the West Village. Morandi is a cozy Italian "trattoria" with a good dose of charm. We noshed on some yummy Burrata e pachini {burrata cheese with vine-ripened cherry tomatoes..with just the right amount of balsamic on the side} and sipped a great Italian red.

Dinner was even better...I had the pasta special--triangular penne with white wine, roasted garlic, rock shrimp, and a number of other yummy ingredients. Let's just say that I very rarely finish a plate of pasta--but I managed to eat every last morsel. {ch} and {ah} also enjoyed their entrees down to the last bite. To cap off the meal, I ordered a two scoops of sorbet: one of coconut and another of concord grape. All in all, Morandi was the perfect spot for us to continue our impromtu girls' weekend.

Though I don't have any photos from later in the night, we hopped from the West Village to the Lower East Side to check out the Hotel on Rivington, where we met up with one of my dearest high school friends, {hp} and a few of her closest college friends. The bar scene was exactly what you'd imagine in a swanky NYC hotspot. It was so fun to catch up and enjoy the scenery too! We called it a night after a fantastic evening and headed back toward SoHo to catch a few winks.

The next morning, {ch}, {ah}, and I continued the fun at The Standard Grill in the Meatpacking District. The restaurant is attached to the Standard Hotel, which is right on the highline.

The fun, clean atmosphere served as the perfect brunch spot. Each table had a different set of these magnetic doggie salt and pepper shakers. Funny enough, the menu even offered The Standard's patrons the opportunity to walk their dogs, Salt and Pepper, for $25. Not such a cheap thrill, but we all thought it was rather hilarious.

As a fun side story, {ch} and I sat down before {ah} arrived and I saw the cutest little family at a closeby table. A few minutes later, I started putting the pieces together and realized Philip Seymour Hoffman was sitting with his back to me at that same table with his wife and three children. Thanks to IMDB, I confirmed it! Though we didn't say hello, it was great to have a celebrity sighting ;)

I loved The Standard's menus, which mimicked a newspaper and I also adored my Nutella waffles. I continued the trend from the night before and finished every last bite. 

After brunch, we decided to schlep my suitcase up on the highline--and I'm so glad we did. The views were fantastic and, for a few minutes, I didn't really feel like we were in NYC. I snapped this fun shot below of the DVF space in Meatpacking--with a little glimpse of the Empire State Building in the background.

Following our little jaunt on the highline, I reluctantly said goodbye to {ch} and {ah} so I could make the short walk up to the bus stop. Struggling with my gloves and suitcase, I may or may not have put my iPhone in my mouth for a second--and without knowing it, clouded the camera lens before I snapped this shot. I thought the results were still kind of dreamy.

I passed my 40-hour NYC threshold by a few hours, but my short weekend in the city was just what I needed. The time I spend with my girlfriends is so important to me--and we just don't get enough of it. I'm really looking forward to our girls weekend in February.

I hope my second installment from NYC did not disappoint! I haven't said it enough lately, but your comments and blog love have made the last six weeks so rewarding for me. 

I can't wait to see where the future takes us... 

thank you all so, so much!

More tomorrow! xoxo {av}