NYC The Shopping Mecca

I have been so slack with blogging...so much for turning over a new leaf this year and staying on the active blogging bandwagon...it's amazing how quickly life takes over and before you know it, you're halfway through March with Easter looming it's chocolatey head. Arg!

I cannot begin to tell you how amazing my fortnight in New York was. Seriously, it was quite possibly the best holiday ever...I am still riding the NYC high and desperately trying not to let the mundane parts of reality take over by focusing on how lucky I am to have had such an amazing trip.

The first week I spent on my own, I was pinching myself being there, the place was electric and being on your own, you really do sense it, because you are literally at one with the city. I stayed in Midtown whilst riding solo, at a highly recommended boutique Hotel called The Iroquois. It was perfect.

Perfect location with 5th Avenue being at one end and Times Square being two blocks at the other end. The room was lovely, the concierge were fantastic (hello sold out Ice Hockey tickets), the bottle of wine, sparkling water and chocolates on arrival were appreciated and I got upgraded which was fabulous. They had the cutest turn down service where chocolates and the weather for the following day were placed on your pillow...oh and the gorgeous bath products meant I was always wrapped up in a Molton Brown cocoon before bed. Love.

The following week when the boys arrived fresh from their ski trip in Utah, we stayed near Hell's Kitchen at this gorgeous self-contained, furnished apartment that I liked to pretend I owned (I freaking wish!). LOL It was awesome.

New York is an absolute mecca for shopping, I honestly think it is the best in the world, yes I know, big call, but in comparison to other cities I have been fortunate to travel to, it's a truckload cheaper than here and that's even before the fab exchange rate and I found the range of collections and choice of labels mammoth. Win!

I really wanted to buy loads of new clothes, but with the weather being freeeeeeeezing, I ended up buying accessories more than clothes, simply because taking all the layers off and on again grew boring very quickly and that is after I had queued relentlessly for a fitting room, so buying everything other than clothes was just a hell of a lot easier. ;)

I did however get 3 new pairs of jeans (Hudson, C&G & Zara) to replace my favourite jeans that I actually purchased on my last trip there, a cute dress from H&M, a pink Abercrombie & Fitch hoodie and navy tee and a NY Rangers jumper. They were all getting washed when I started this post, so I didn't photograph them, but here are the new accessory pretties that I purchased.

Marc Jacobs:

Meet my lovely new bag I bought from Bloomingdales. While I love my hot pink Oroton, it has been a couple of years now and I just really felt like I wanted a trusty ole black bag again, so this was perfect and way cheaper than the Kate Spade one I initially loved.

I seriously love the bags inside lining...so fun and awesome, makes me laugh everytime I open as it's like HELLO!! LOL

These cashmere gloves were absolutely used and abused as I didn't take any with me and man it was chilly in NYC, silly me. I adore my lipstick pen and love heart mirror compact, so cheerful. I also bought iPad case for my non-existent iPad...however I assure you it will be filled VERY soon, when the hype of the new one dies down a little. :D

I picked this little weekender bag at Woodbury Common, an amazing DFO outlet a 40 minute bus trip outside of Manhatten...you HAVE to make sure you add it to your list of absolute MUST DO's when you go to NYC. Omg...it was ridiculous how good it was for shopping...basically it is where the moment something is out of season goes, but it was random because this bag was still for sale at Bloomies yet I got it for 40% off?? Amazing.

Same fabulous lining...excuse my camera cord. LOL

Love my new cute-as-pie heart and face necklace...awe...I wear a lot of black so this will be a nice little pop of colour for my outfits.

Couldn't resist these adorable little hair pins, I seriously love her sweet little face. :)

Coach:

A fun little weekender tote when I need to take more than just my phone and keys...this was another brill Woodbury Common purchase.

Yay pink pretty lining. So me. :)

A little clutch for night time affairs.

Loubs:

Definitely one of my favourite purchases, or should I say gifts, as Hubs actually bought these for me for our upcoming Wedding Anniversary in May. :) Awe...my first ever pair of Christian Louboutin's...love, love, love.

He said he wanted to buy me something special whilst we were there and suggested buying me a designer bag, but I opted for these gorgeous classic black patent pumps instead. :)

I am really looking forward to breaking these bad boys in somewhere special soon. :) At the moment I just enjoy looking at them...hahaha.

Ivanka Trump:

I adore Ivanka Trump, she epitomizes class and natural beauty. I knew she had an amazing jewellery line, but didn't realise she had a full clothing, handbag and shoe line to boot! I saw these gorgeous sparkly heels at DSW and had to get them, instantly. DSW (Discount Shoe Warehouse) is incredible, stocking loads of labels but at cheap thrills prices. Usually it's old lines that get sent there, which I assumed they were, but nope, I saw the same pair on sale full price at Bloomingdales, cray cray, I saved myself $100! Woot Woot.

Unfortunately these photos do not capture the sparkliness of these shoes, I wore them to my friend's B'day drinks on the weekend and I assure you they twinkle central. :) LOVE.

I also bought these gorgeous sequinned and embroided heels from her collection too.

The camera really doesn't capture it properly, but these shoes are totally divine and really interesting to look at.

My little Millie shares my vested interest in shoes...she may have even eaten a cute pair to prove her love just before we left for overseas!! ;)

Monty however, was totally disinterested in my snap happy pics of purchases and proceeded to snore loudly on the bed.

Make-Up:

Seriously make-up in NYC is ridiculously cheap. Sephora is like paradise over there, I kept dropping in and buying things and now that I am home, I wish I bought more. Oh well, next time. ;) This is the first lot of things I bought from Sephora...I lined them all up on my Hotel's bathroom shelf, there are a couple of MAC things from the MAC store ($14.50 lipsticks why didn't I buy a gazillion??!!) and the Revlon Lip Butters were from the Duane Reade around the corner.


I am totally in love with Betsey Johnson's Too Too scented nail polish...a gorgeous pink polish scented with her amazing perfume. Omg it's THE BEST and seriously smells divine...so much so, I went and bought the perfume (pictured below) in order to stop sniffing my nails all the time!! haha xx