TOO MUCH TEMPTATION, TOO LITTLE WILLPOWER

Oh dear, oh dear. I just returned from a 4 day NYC trip. I had some really good reasons to take this little jaunt. First and foremost, I go every year at this time because my youngest daughter was born 27 years ago on October 28th at 5:32 PM. It was a beautiful sunny day, much like the past few days, only a touch warmer. Since she moved to NYC a few years ago, I have enjoyed celebrating her birthday with her in one of my favorite cities. I have to confess that while she was in college in Richmond, Indiana, I only made it once. Funny how that works.
Our first evening was spent in the hotel, ordering room service and watching "America's Next Top Model". Room service was almost as dreadful as ANTM, but I'm a doting mom, especially when it comes to birthdays.
We spent the next day shopping in midtown, then it was my turn to check out the new knitting shop and cafe downtown. Pictures are so deceiving. The Point is very small, not at all what I expected. I did manage to find some lovely alpaca that was a great bargain and some absolutely gorgeous blue ultramerino which was not. The owner is quite friendly and accomodating. She complimented me on my clapotis (the burgundy wool) and we chatted about the phenomenon of the clapotis pattern. My daughter and I were going to have lunch there but the offerings looked like breakfast or midmorning snack items, so we pushed on and had the most wonderful panini at INO with a lovely buttery Tuscan white wine.
We met up again for dinner after her class at NYU. I never would have chosen Mesa Grill, but it was so convenient and by 9PM, I was ravenous. It was such a lovely dinner. Like Mario Batali, Bobby Flay has managed to become a celebrity chef and maintain the quality of their respective restaurants. Wonderful tuna tartare, venison, and pudding like berry cheesecake. The service was attentive, unfussy, and friendly. We both thoroughly enjoyed our experience.
The next day was spent visiting MOMA. I suggested that we go back downtown. Let's see, could it be Sullivan Street? Although I have been to NYC at least 6 times in the last year, I had not made a return visit to Purl. Boy, oh boy, did my finances take a hit. While my daughter wandered through the ubiquitous small shops in the neighborhood, I gorged on the sites and feel of one of the most visually stimulating yarn shops on the east coast. A little of this and a little of that and a lot of one, and I walked out with two shopping bags. Some alpaca/silk, some silk/cashmere, some lobster pot cashmere, and some lovely merino. I also found two wonderful small enameled shawl pins at a great price. It doesn't matter what time of day, or what day of the week, this little shop is always busy. By the time I was done daughter #1 had arrived and met us just in time to find lunch. Jerry's diner is a great Soho spot and always packed, but we lucked out and got there between the early and late lunch crowd. Great burgers and beer.
Now it was time to let the girls get on with party prep for that evening. I begged off and happily hopped a cab back to midtown. Stopped at the Euro Deli for take out dinner in the room later and fell happily to inspecting my wonderful purchases. I will buy no more yarn for the rest of my life, I will buy no more yarn for the rest of my life, I will buy no more yarn for the rest of my life.