Then Again Who Looks at the Price Tag?

So, because it's my birthday, and you all know how much I love shopping, as well as the fact that I live in one of the shopping capitals of the world, for my birthday, I went shopping *ba dum tsss*. It was actually to go pick up a couple of the gifts my dad bought me. The first time, it was for a Michael Kors watch. This required (yes, required) a trip to Bloomingdale's. And in celebration of said birthday, I went to the massive Bloomingdale's, you know the one. Let me tell you, it's just as huge as you've heard. Bigger even. Seven stories and all. I walked around until I found the watch section and, after deliberating a moment with the shop girl between these three:

but finally purchased this little darling:

I was originally interested in getting a rose gold piece, but that color just looks so much like pink I can't take it. I really just love my gold jewelry. A lot.

After paying a pretty penny for that pretty piece, I walked around some more, picked up Dior nail polish on the way, then stopped for a quick treat from Flip, a burger place on the bottom floor of the building. The guy offered me a black and white shake with cheesecake mixed in (I was under the impression I could only have one or the other) and it was glorious. 

My sweet tooth has never been so constantly happy as it's been these past two weeks. A sweet almost every other day, mercy.

The second shopping trip consistently of more substantial things, but that really depends on who you talk to I suppose. this time around, I headed for the Strand Bookstore on the Lower East Side near Union Square. I was thinking it would be a nicely sized little bookstore that was famous but quaint. I was partially wrong but that place is just so right. It's not small at all. It's three stories and, sitting on a corner, takes up like half a block. 

I was dazzled upon walking in and of course found more books on my list than I was allowed to walk out of the store with. It was everything I had to leave there with four, especially after seeing another three I really wanted. AND THE PRICES. Bless the prices at the Strand. Cheaper than list price, cheaper than Amazon for the most part and I don't have to wait for things to come in the mail or subject myself to Barnes and Noble (I've come to somewhat disdain that place, so mainstream and half the time they never have what I'm looking for anyway)? Count me in. The episode that completely and firmly sealed the deal for me was when I found a book I'd been searching high and low for since sometime last year. And the Strand had more than one copy.

Everything in this photo that's a book is from the haul, apart from the one on top

It is now officially my favorite bookstore, my go-to bookstore, and one of my favorite places in New York. I had to tear myself out of there and literally walk out without surveying the rest of the store, the money-spending temptation was that strong. Books are my weakness and the Strand knows it. But it was like walking through heaven and even though I'm full up for the next month and a half (I hope), I cannot wait to go back for more.

Until next time lovelies,

xx