New York, I love you

Today was one of those days that made me fall in love with New York all over again. The weather was a surprisingly 70 day, reminiscent of the sweltering summer we're known for having. I woke up leisurely at 11:00 am and got ready to meet a friend for tea and scones at Alice's Tea Cup. Yesterday, I made the mistake of throwing a cardigan on and ended up stashing it in my bag for the rest of the afternoon. As for today -- I wish I had worn something sleeveless instead of my long sleeved shirt.

In all actuality, the day could have gone awry when I arrived at the cafe and got the text that my friend had a last minute interview and wasn't going to make it. Instead I treasured the chance to embark on one of those memorable, solo-mellow-go-wherever-the-wind-takes-me-days.

I first discovered Alice's Tea Cup two years ago when I came to New York as a tourist, visiting my two best friends living in the city. When I first walked into the Chapter II location on the Upper East Side, I was absolutely smitten with the place. Tea, scones, vintage furniture, whimsical table settings -- these were a few of my favorite things! Now I take all my visiting friends to Chapter I, near me on 73rd and Columbus. Sitting by myself with scones (ham & cheese, and vanilla cinnamon) and a pot of Phoenix Dessert tea (or desert, as my good friend Megan would call it), it seemed almost full circle for me to be there so close to my departure.

Thirty pages of my book later, I left ATC and strolled down Lexington to good old Bloomingdale's, where I stopped in to see Carlos before making my way back to the west side. I, of course, got sidetracked into multiple conversations with my co-workers and then 'peeked into' the bookstore where I spent another hour and a half drinking iced tea, perusing fitness magazines, and reading another thirty pages of my book.

By the time I made it back home, the weather was still balmy, but cooling down with a wonderful breeze. I waved hello again to the guy working at the internet shop around the corner from my apartment. Coming from a small town, I enjoy being able to see friendly and familiar faces on the street - which is one of the reasons why I love the Upper West Side so much. With the windows thrown open in my apartment, I sat on my little window ledge and spent the rest of the day listening to the sounds of New York City.