I think the fact that I never changed from my running skirt and t-shirt into something less touristy made me feel that
much more vulnerable yesterday. I woke this morning promising myself that today would be different.
We started our morning at the Javits Center, again. This time, our goal was to completely set-up the booth and be out by
noon. I think we finished only an hour later than expected. After a quick return to the hotel for showers, gin, napping
and outfit changes, our first order of business was to make our way up to 57th and Fifth Avenue - to Tiffany & Co. and
the Frank Gehry jewelry exhibition. Believe me, with such a grand destination in mind, I wasn't sure which dress to
wear. The pink retro-styled, very Audrey Hepburn-esque day dress I wanted to enter Tiffany's in, was a bit too
"afternoon" for Saturday at six o'clock in the evening, and the other two silk frocks I had brought with me were ones I
didn't want to wrinkle until their planned days at the show. And so I went with my orange silk flowing sun dress that
provided just enough cleavage that trying on a $20,000 necklace would look just appropriate enough were the
opportunity to present itself.
Gehry is now designing for Tiffany's and I wanted to see his work. I also wanted to secretly plan which necklace I
would buy if the show was a monumental success for me. The offerings were out in the open, available to try on and
play with sans borders. I was met by a kind salesman who led me around the seven tables showcasing different styles in
the collection. I am not a diamond person, and therefore wasn't too interested in anything that dazzled. I thought that the
work in gold, opal and different quartz materials was beautiful but what really caught my eye were his brushed silver
pieces. Had Gehry been working with lab created stones, I would be in love with a lot more pieces, but I am too
politically savvy to appreciate diamonds whether they come with paperwork or their origins are unknown. To me, they
are all 'blood diamonds' and purchasing them perpetuates human cruelty beyond rationale.
Of course, in my never ending quest for Circles To Wear, I fell in love with a floating circle necklace that was more of a
carved circle with rough, squared off edges but a perfect circle inside - all silver on a delicate silver chain. The length
was perfect, slightly longer than the Elsa Peretti mini "o" that I bought in Seattle and much longer than the choker of
circles so light that I love the feel of its gentle presence at the base of my throat. Then I tried on a fun brushed silver
charm necklace made up of two pieces, almost tic-tac-toe in appearance but designed so that two hatches interlinked
with each other to be manipulated into three or four different positions. I liked the play-ability of this one but wasn't sure
about the squares competing with the circles I already have.
In the end, I enjoyed my experience at Tiffany's immensely and wandered from the store and into Takishimaya which
offered a very peaceful environment - sort of an escape from Manhattan into a Japanese minimalist design womb. The
seven floors of design were inspiring, the decor was brilliant. The first floor is all that I saw on my last visit, so I was
looking forward to exploring more. When you enter from Fifth Ave., there is a tiny florist shop, only it is nothing like
any florist shop I have ever been into before. It is peaceful and dark, yet light at the same time. The colorful flowers
emanate such a fresh fragrance that you are immediately transported from the crazy street you've just left and into a
wilderness of calm and beauty. I was so lost in gazing at a sculptural grass display that I never heard the sales clerk
welcome me. Out of my daze, I looked past the floral arrangements, Japanese pottery and unbelievably overpriced
photograph cards ($16 for one card with a pretty unoriginal and unintentionally out-of-focus photo of a garden). Just
beyond was a gallery of everyday wearables, more on the funky side with an emphasis on some creative scarves and
screenprinted tissue tees.
The second floor could be accessed via elevator or stairway, I chose to climb. Here I found couture labels, artistic travel
books (they make an Italy version of my quirky Paris guide!). Knowing full well that couture is made for tall people, I
bypassed much of this level, scanning merely for cool design and the chance to see some designer's work in person for
the floor above.
Upstairs I found the atmosphere very different, the scent of flowers drifting upward from the open air balcony to the
ground floor. Here were rooms of furnishings, pots of orchids and lovely books. On armoires I found beautiful stone
and crystal pulls, on tables were decorative china patterns and exotic linens. Again, a quick scan for good design and my
search continued.
In case you are wondering why all these "quick scans," I must confess that I was under a time crunch - the store closed
at seven in the evening and I had only 45 minutes to take it all in not knowing if I'd be back.
The fifth floor held beautiful ready-to-wear separates as well as some lovely jewelry reminiscent of the kinds of finds at
Twist in Portland. Handmade and unique, the jewels were light and decorative and nothing like Tiffany's. Quite honestly,
these were much more to my taste, had they been more affordable. The dresses and skirts were more in tune with my
personal style and within the outer extremes of my budget. I found a few things I would have loved to try on but did
not, knowing my time and height restrictions, I thought better to continue up another flight to the Objects of Desire for
The Home and Bath.
A smaller opening in the center of this floor allowed one to peer downward to the pret-a-porter floor below but
surrounding this opening was a back lit yellow "wall" covered in black velvet twigs providing the area with a serene
ambiance and a central glow. The displays were back-lit plexi and this seemed to be all the lighting offered in this
peaceful, spa-like department.I found some amazing fragrance sticks, lovely face creams, make-up from overseas and a
strange line of mouth sprays that claimed to heal all sorts of ailments. For $55 to $75 you could purchase a one month
supply of the mister filled with your choice: PMS supplements, environmental detoxifiers, sexuality aids, anti-depression
mists, a cure for acne, another for dry skin and yet another for oily. In all, I counted nearly 40 - ten of which would
have to be a requirement for most New Yorkers, especially the various environmental detoxifiers. Since coming to
Manhattan, I realized a quick change in the way my body reacted to the city and knew that missing the West would
work its way from my insides outward.
With the store closing, I descended the stairs to find my traveling companions had left - luckily they were waiting
outside and had all enjoyed Takishimaya as much as I did. From our shopping excursion in midtown, we made our way
to SoHo by train to a Thai restaurant called Peep. On the way, we made a quick stop at the hotel to change. My choice
for the evening was a black and white dazzling striped new sun dress that offered up a generous helping of bosom. With
white espadrilles, I felt confident that I could go enter into evening comfortably. I wasn't going to go dancing on the
evening of the first day of the show, after all.
Peep was one of those Manhattan trendy restaurants that you hear about - something gimmicky to draw in both jaded
locals and adventurous tourists, in this case it was a pair of bathrooms situated towards the center of the room, each
surrounded by a wall of one-way glass. The glass was extremely smoky on the inside, and there was little light, so you
could see the other diners but they could not see in. You also couldn't really see what you were doing within. Above the
sink was a flat screen television playing sex scenes from porn movies, mostly foreign with subtitles. And while I used
the bathroom, I did not USE the bathroom - I simply went out of curiosity. Our meal was more spectacular than I could
have imagined and I would have easily returned to this restaurant for every meal of my stay. Not only were the drinks
delicious, they were affordable. I had a beautiful kiwi margarita with smashed kiwi fruit filling my glass. I also tried a
strawberry martini which was just as beautiful and just as delicious. For appetizers we all ordered share plates, trying
everything from endive with dried shrimp, lime and ginger to shrimp cakes and spring rolls. Our meals were enormous,
more so than what we expected in such a trendy place. I had ordered orange curry with salmon which I dared not share
until I was certain that I could not eat another bite. I don't believe I tried more than a nibble of the other dishes, one
being short ribs that were perfectly presented and perfectly done. I would recommend this place in a heartbeat.
Again, leaving my dinner companions behind, I made my way back to the hotel for a good night's sleep before the start
of the show. Come morning, my feet hurt but I was smiling and excited and wished I had leftover orange curry for
breakfast.
mmmmmm. - t