Great New York Day

Harry and I took the bus and train to see Mark for lunch. We ate at Tom's Restaurant, the diner made famous in Seinfeld. This is a typical New York diner: packed, huge staff and no room to display mile high lemon meringue pie. Although I'm sure they have it.

We went to Mark's room for a moment, and then Harry and I took public transportation to 86th Street, a shopper's paradise. The purpose was to buy a pair of everyday sneakers, since his were purchased when he was still in high school. I am a bad mother. Then he said he needed a hat and a warmer jacket. I sugested he look for a Holden Caulfield hat. Harry read that book last year at age 18 and loved it. Apparently, teenage angst is the same as it ever was.

We went to a store called H & M, because it was there. There were dozens of hats in the men's department, but only one Holden Caulfield cap, for $10. Harry tried on a dozen coats before he chose a modish dark gray herringbone pea coat. He also picked up a hoodie and a pair of warm gloves. He remarked at how cheap everything was. Cheap for him. My baby, until now indifferent to style, is suddenly a fashionista. It must be because he goes to Vassar.

Harry found replacement shoes he liked and also a pair of winter running tights, this at Modell's. Then we stopped at Fairway to buy steak for dinner. Harry ate chicken for 2 weeks in Peru, and he doesn't eat much meat at school. In honor of his last meal, I made Pisco Sours. Good thing dinner was easy to make because those drinks go down easy and make you want to take a siesta.

Today we're driving upstate to retrieve the minivan so Harry can drive all his stuff (including skis) back to school. I'll spend a couple of days at the house and return to NYC Thursday.

Simply put, children are expensive.