niceto

though at least one person advised, 'don't waste your time shopping in new york' haley and i fully ignored that advice. having visited several times before on business and never having had time to even brush the doorsteps of new york's stores and boutiques, there was much distance to cover. and haley? well, i love shopping. i do. but i'll admit that haley can shop me under the table. (and that's saying something.) so, new york without shopping? puh-leeze.

and so we spent at least half of our time - maybe more - doing just that, in fact. and though we didn't come home with armloads of new things, we did each find a few treasures that we love. but even more importantly, we know where to go next time! we found our sweet spots and we've already outlined our shopping strategy for new york, round two.

yesterday afternoon, our last opportunity to shop, we went to chelsea. though there weren't many stores with women's clothes, we did happen across a good will. a thrift store in new york city! score! it actually was quite small, but i did pick up a very cool mark ecko sweater. it's grey with a zipper up the front and the pockets and zippers are detailed with leather trim. it was just a few dollars, so i scooped it up.

tonight i took the plastic bag out of my suitcase and tried it on. i hadn't fully decided if i'd give it to todd or keep it for myself. it's fairly androgenous and would probably fit us both. but once i put it on, it was mine. it looked like it was made for me. i can see it becoming a wardrobe favorite in no time.

as i examined it, specifically i was looking for washing instructions, i noticed that it had a dry cleaning tag still attached to the label. it had a new york phone number and a name.

niceto festin

not exactly a common name so i read it a few times before i decided that's actually what it was. 'is this a street name?' 'is it part of a drycleaner's name?' and then, of course, i googled it. (that's what you do, right?)

turns out, niceto festin was a broadway wannabe. originally from seattle, he was active in the theater up there and then made a move to new york city. he landed a role in an off-broadway show in 2002 and then a couple of years later, put out a cd of cabaret music called 'loving that man'. he launched his cd over pride weekend in 2004 at a benefit party for an organization that aids performing artists without health insurance, specifically for the treatment of hiv. (did i mention niceto is gay?) no internet presence of any kind since that cd launch. i hope he's happily occupied doing something he loves with the man who inspired the cd.

i bought a great jacket in new york. i love it and i know i'll get a lot of use out of it. i also picked up a scarf that is so soft i want to wear it as a toga and so beautiful i want to hang it on the wall. and the deal of the weekend was on this delicious blue and black buffalo sweater. originally $118. i paid $17 and change.

but, when i look at the few things i brought home from the city, niceto's sweater has a sweet significance.

nice to.
nice to be here.
nice to meet you.

though not my first time in new york, it was definitely my first time meeting new york.

haley said that she's always heard people say visiting new york does one of two things. either it makes you want to live there; or it makes you grateful that you don't.

tonight, laying in my bed, i feel a million miles from where i woke up on 50th street. and i can relate to what she heard.

kinda.

i feel both.

d: new york, round two
b: shopping success in the city
g: stories in the seams