Garment District Supply Run

Travel to the Thirties
(Streets, that is.)
Ten hats completed for now. Time to focus on finishing the beads. Time to make a run to the garment district on Manhattan's west side in the 30s. And while I am at it, let's stop at Lord & Taylor, 5th Avenue between 39th and 38th, and pick up a few things that I need.

 I leave our apartment complex through the

Hester Street Park, a private

park owned by our coop.

I walk down Essex Street and see this

mangled bike tied to a Seward Park fence.

 Across from the F line entrance, I see this 

cute tree house in the shape of Texas.

It's by the French street artist, "Invader."

Je l'adore.

Maybe Monsieur Écureuil lives there?

 Invader has been running all over

the Lower East Side putting up

his color-tile pieces on buildings.

He was arrested for a piece he did on Orchard Street,

but is back at it.

 A woman attempts to unlock a Citi Bike.

 I'm ready to descend in to the hell hole

known as the East Broadway stop

on the F train.

 Citi Bike girl has moved on to try another bike.

 Cool coat walks by.

 Our escalator has been out of commission for over a year.

And believe me, there are a ton of stairs at East Broadway.

Note that Completion date: Like NOW.

 Zombie holiday movie. 

Subway art.

 First stop, after alighting at 42nd Street, Bryant Park:

Lord & Taylor.

They have installed fantastic Christmas windows

on the theme of ladies dressed in vintage attire.

 A paper doll idea.

 Various outfits roll over the mannequin.

 Joyeuse.

 Love the little girl, and maman's "New Look" Dior.

 Inside L&T's brightly lit main floor,

I am after a new Clinique compact.

I dropped mine in the toilet this a.m.

And I am out of my Dramatically Different 

Moisturizing Lotion that I've been using for 

decades. They just added something to it to

make it better. Je sais pas quoi.

 Now I'm on 38th Street on my way to

the ribbon store, Mokuba.

Pass Hyman Hendler, a real-old ribbon store.

See hats by Leah C. in the window.

She was in my millinery class at FIT.

 Hyman Hendler was an original

in the Garment District.

They had dusty boxes piled high

to the ceiling. No more.

 It was sold and "cleaned up."

I prefer a thick layer of dust on my ribbon stores.

 "Just beautiful ribbons," tra la.

 A great name in buildings.

 Wholesale bling.

Everyone (like J. Crew) is showing these statement necklaces

à la Miriam Haskell.

Enough already.

 Another reminder of the district's roots.

 My destination.

Mokuba has the most beautiful ribbons.

I am buying 2 yards of double face

black velvet ribbon for my beads.

 On to Toho Shoji for the hooks

for my beads.

 I love their pink boxes.

They are like a 

bakery box.

Their selection of jewelry components is vast.

 F train at Herald Square, 34th Street,

brings me back to Essex and Delancey and the

Essex Street Market.

I buy chicken tacos for lunch at

Brooklyn Taco.

 Next, Boubouki for chocolate

chip cookies made by owner,

Rona Economou.

 Cookies are lovingly wrapped by Rona.

Lunch is ready.

My beads await completion with 

velvet ribbons and hooks.

À Bientôt!