i love nyc.

since I began watching friends back in 1997, i've always dreamt about wandering the streets of the village and popping into a coffee shop similar to that of central perk to sip on a mug of joe (not even really knowing what 'joe' was) whilst lounging in one of those beautiful big arm chairs. i even painted artworks similar to those seen hanging in CP, when I wasn't busy obsessing over david schwimmer. now, I know friends was filmed in LA...and central perk really didn't exist, but I longed for visiting the real village and experiencing the would be NYC life of ross and rachel, phoebe, joey..you know the score. it only took another 10 years and the show to finish for me to get my butt over to the states for some new york city lovin'. boy was it worth every penny. i fell in love with the place from the get go, once I built up the courage to leave my dorm room over on the upper west side and start exploring. i was travelling alone which made the experience even more radical and life changing for me. i had an absolute ball and even though I lost my camera (complete with hundreds of nyc photos) soon after in london town, the memories are still clear as day in my mind. this is why I saw it appropriate to head back in sept of 2010 whilst I was visiting my parents in sf. i took my mum this time, staying in a beeeautiful hotel just blocks from time square and a salvos warehouse (had to be mentioned) where we ordered starbucks at 1am in the morning, caught kelsey grammar escaping the backstage door of a local theatre, ate macarons on madison, toured the park, saw lots of art and thrifted up big time in the village. it was perfect and we walked for at least 8 hours a day. liberty was as beautiful as I'd remembered and we had some beautiful weather to wander about in. it was however, a completely different experience to the last, and that's why I love that city. this is why they sell so many t-shirts proclaiming 'I love ny' because everyone, really does love new york. it has something for everyone, every taste, every culture and definitely everything that a huge sex & the city fan, art maker, cupcake baker and thrifter could wish for. it's a treasure trove and I'm already planning my next visit. if you haven't been already, then you must plan a trip there, soon...your life will be better because of it (in case you have to plead your case with a hubby/bf/partner!) my thoughts and love go out today, to everyone affected by september 11, the day that truly did change the world forever. wearing my t-shirt with pride...new york, I love you.

xo