Oh the weather outside wasn’t quite frightful yesterday but it was fearfully windy and quite cold. Nevertheless, out-of-towners MUST be shown the sites and entertained. I consider this to be a sacred duty and one I embrace at the drop of a hat. So I bundled up (in one of my fabulous new wool coats – scored an earth-shattering bargain Friday on not one but two magnificent examples of au courant outerwear) and headed out to entertain, inform and amuse. I think it went pretty well. I even ended up taking some of my own holiday advice.

• Went to brunch at Vynl. Had fab omelets and hash browns
• Went to see annual Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Crèche at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Hustled from the Met to Grand Central to meet up with The Fed and his posse and catch the Christmas Kaleidoscope Light Show
• Shopped Grand Central Holiday Fair (bought cutest hammer and pliers set. Hard to explain but trust me – A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.)
• Met up with Fed & crew again at Comfort Diner. Was still too full from Vynl to join in actual food but hung about a chatted a bit
• Popped home to drop off packages and regroup
• Cabbed down to 60th and 5th.
• Went into FAO Schwartz. Don’t ask. I don’t know what overcame me. Probably desire to see Giant Piano. Saw it. Laughed at antics. Left.
• Walked down to peruse Christmas windows along 5th Ave (with a pause to admire Rockefeller tree from across the street). The winner window-wise this year – Bergdorf Goodman. If you search “Bergdorf Goodman Christmas Windows 2008″ on flickr or similar site, I’m sure tons of people will have pictures up. In fact, here – this link will do it for you

Naturally, some windows led to actual entering of retail establishment and purchasing from said establishment.

• Winner for Most Stunning Packaging and Display of Knicky-Knacky Things You Don’t Need But Suddenly MUST Have Simply Because They Look So Wonderful: Henri Bendel.
• Winner of Best Bargain on Things I’ve Been Meaning to Get and Keep Not Getting Because I Never Write Them Down: Hue tights from Lord & Taylor
• Winner of Best In-Store Decorations: Saks Fifth Ave. That ceiling rocked like a gorgeous, glittery rocking thing

Naturally after all that, I was exhausted and after reading for a whopping 10 minutes, fell asleep – book askew and lights on. Woke up a few hours later with a crick in my neck but managed to get myself, the lights and the book all squared away before dozing off again. Will have to make another tour of windows and holiday stuff with the camera but not today. Today is too cold for venturing outside. I shall stay in and make cocoa.