Discoveries Yesterday, July 2nd

Yesterday... After traversing Central Park (my back all sweaty by this point) it deposited me on some opposite street from where I started, so I began walking the length of it, not even realizing how long this strip of concrete was. With the wall of the park on my right and a posh-looking neighborhood on my left, I began reading the street signs, discovering that I must have been on the upper East-side at this point. 

I soon began seeing signs on posts along this street that read Museum Mile. It takes a long time to walk Museum Mile. Vendors were posted every few yards, inundated with parched tourists who were mostly buying fruit smoothies and various ice cream treats. Meanwhile, I was constantly on the lookout either for the nearest subway station or a bustling cross street that would indicate that I had completed the length of this side of Central Park. 

Near the end of my walk, I discovered booksellers on the sidewalk from The Strand. They had a variety of quality books and of course I perused, tempted, but since I had bought Brideshead Revisited (soon to be released motion picture starring Emma Thompson based on the novel by Evelyn Waugh) earlier that afternoon, I decided against buying another, especially since I'm already working on two at home. 

Finally finally I reached the end of the street to see before me a very large Bergdorff (??) Goodman, to the right of that Paris, a movie theater, and to the left of me, FAO Schwartz. I knew that I had arrived: 5th Ave, Madison Ave, Park Ave--this is where NY had been hiding all of its high high end.

After taking a stroll through FAO (I couldn't help but think of Tom Hanks playing chopsticks on that giant keyboard), admiring (and they really are the most impressive gifts of the toy store) the huge stuffed animals, I stepped outside again, rejuvenated by all the new sights, and continued walking, though my feet were so sore.

That's when I discovered Louis Vuitton. What a great window display: a fluorescent-tube lighting installation. These tubes hung vertically in a variety of bright, electric colors with a couple of manaquins poised among them. I hesitated for a moment, standing outside in my very modest duds before venturing inside. I looked around a bit, studying the baubles in glass cases before ascending to the third floor--women's department. 

Woa. So many beautiful pieces of clothing I ever saw in real life. The employees were sharply dressed, quiet, posted throughout the store. I stopped at one rack, looking but not touching the fine pieces, when I spotted a most delicious skirt. I don't do it justice trying to describe it, but it was a gauzy piece, white, with sequins and other precious beads and such. Very ethereal. After a moment I thought, What the hell, wiped the condensation that was on my hand from my drink onto my pant leg (nice) and carefully reached into the skirt to read the price tag. $8,800. For a skirt. I tried to stay composed, took a quick tour through the rest of the floor (a plum-colored, many tulle-layered dress with what was supposed to look like faint paint splatters of purple on the fabric--so so pretty) and hastily navigated my way back onto the street. By this time it was 7:00pm and all the shops were now closed. Don't worry Christian LaCroix--I know where you are and I'm coming back.