Oh, yes, I did.

I told you I would!

As many of you know by now, I used to live in New York for several years (pre-Beijing, Singapore and DC. I'm old!) Coming back now is so much fun – not only because I get to see friends and eat in my favorite restaurants and hit up a slew of beloved vintage stores, but also because I have the time (and the energy) to explore the city from a visitor's perspective.

Which brings us to yesterday. After a morning at the brand-spanking-new Gucci flagship at the base of Trump Tower on 5th Avenue (my notes include: "Donald Trump's hair is really just as ridiculous in person"), I headed downtown for some good ol' fashioned New York shopping and eating. First, I popped into Mott Street vintage mecca Resurrection, which is always worth the visit just to be in proximity to so many fantastic high-end vintage pieces (And, if you happen to have a spare $1200 lying around, there is an amazing 1950s Dior couture cocktail dress that is. Just. To die for.)

I headed over for lunch at the seriously awesome (and highly adorable, thanks to its home in a former diner) taqueria La Esquina, which is a recent find for me, but whose fantastic tacos and roasted corn on the cob covered in parmesan cheese is really worth the trip.


Then I popped over to check out the "new" Old Navy, which looks an awful lot like the "old" Old Navy, and where my fun oversized tote is now on sale for $11.99 (grumble). I scored the second-to-last pair of the adorable printed flats everyone's gaga over (hooray for having big feet, for a change!). They are not so comfortable, but definitely really cute, and I suspect some of their popularity comes from Fops and Dandies bringing out The Sound of Music nostalgia in all of us. Oh, how we love Maria and the clothes made of curtains!


I popped back up to midtown for a private blogger tour of the new store (it's now the largest store in the world, and reportedly, they're paying a whopping $16 million per year in rent for the prime location). Gucci CEO Mark Lee personally took us around (it seems he's the one who spearheaded the blogger component to the launch) and didn't even flinch when we collectively squealed over the bubble-gum pink patent stilettos or when I needled him to reveal who was in the VIP dressing room. (Apparently, it was Gucci Creative Designer Frida Giannini giving a TV interview, and not, say, Madonna trying on her dress for tonight's big gala event, which is what I was really hoping for.)


Of course, we had to check out what they're touting for Spring, and it's pretty:



Here's a little bonus for you designheads: The store has some seriously fantastic velvety furniture.



All that touring and talking fashion makes a blogger hungry, so I decided to head back downtown to New York's finest burger institution The Shake Shack, an adorable little concession stand in Madison Park that is pretty much world-renowned for their burgers and fries. I'd never been before – I've heard you've got to hit it in the off-hours, otherwise you're stuck in a line around the park – so it was a pretty big deal for me, being a majorly large fan of cheeseburgers and all. Plus, its outdoor-café-style location with a view of the Empire State Building is just so cute.



(Oh! I almost forgot! On the way down 23rd street from the subway, I walked by The Sartorialist himself. I recognized him almost immediately, and managed to give him a little smile. He did not ask to take my picture, but I'm just going to tell myself that it was because he was busy talking on his cell phone.)

Okay, back to The Shake Shack. {And our apologies for diving precipitously close to food blogger territory in this post.} The Shackburger is Just. So. Good. Plus: Crinkle-cut fries! The best.


I was totally stuffed from my burger so I decided to walk back up Fifth Avenue to digest a bit. After a rainy day, it was clearing up and the Empire State Building was in perfectly glowy, Giants-supporting glory.


And then I stumbled upon insane vintage emporium Cheap Jack's. It is massive. (It is also, at an average of about $125 for a dress, not exactly cheap.) Still, I couldn't resist doing a little dressing room photo shoot.



Um. Tulle!






I didn't end up buying anything, mostly because of the exorbitant pricing, though my big-skirts-for-spring fantasies almost gave in to that last skirt. Ultimately, I decided the pattern was a little too '80s for my liking.

But apparently, where I should have stopped was a Starbucks, because I nearly immediately fell asleep upon returning to my hotel at 7pm. It's just as well: It was a pretty jam-packed day, and I needed a good night's sleep before tonight's major festivities. Stay tuned…