Che Ching, Che Ching, Chinatown

Shopping in Chinatown deserves its very own post. `
WARNING: BUYER BEWARE. Just in general.
Nothing in Chinatown is authentic. If you buy anything with a gold finish, jewelry, purses with metal, etc. it will rub off or turn green. Bronze finish is better.
AND DO NOT BUY ANYTHING WITH TECHNOLOGY CONNECTED TO IT.
NO PLASTIC ACCEPTED, YOU MUST BRING CASH.
BEWARE OF GOING BEHIND LOCKED DOORS


DO NOT EAT AT MCDONALD'S OR ANY OTHER CHAIN STORE. Eat at one of the Chinese Restaurants (I recommend the Excellent Dumpling House (which is noted by the New York Times.) All Chinese Restaurants take cash only. If you do not want Chinese, turn right or left on Mulberry to Little Italy and eat Italian.

Now having said that, I love shopping in Chinatown. On my first trip, I was looking for two purses. I wanted a yellow and a green one. I found them, one at each of two separate shops on Canal Street. They were gorgeous and just what I wanted. The original asking price was $40 and $45. I got one down to $35 and the other down to $40. $75 for two purses is not bad. I did not realize I would need cash. (Actually, I brought only what I budgeted but funny thing, spent more),so I had to go get cash at the local Bank of America, right there on Canal Street. When I returned, the store clerk began wrapping up my purse, then noticed something was wrong. He exclaimed, "Oh wrong label!" He went to the back and returned with a silver medallion. He then commenced to unscrew the medallion, on the purse, and replace it with one which proclaimed Giovanni Versache. I looked at him as though he was crazy. Surely he mistook me for someone who cared.

So, I walked out of there with my $40 "Versache" handbag, for which I later learned, I paid $10 too much.

NEVER PAY MORE THAN $30 FOR THE HANDBAGS IN THE SHOPS LINING CANAL STREET. You can get some of the same bags at the street fairs for $20 and some on the street for $5. I have a bag I bought on the street, for which I am constantly complemented, for $5. But then, I have a talent for picking out good looking hand bags.

On my most recent visit to Chinatown, I was shopping for a handbag for my sister-in-law, who wanted a "Chinatown Designer" handbag. It was a lesson in Chinatown shopping. This time, I did stick to my budget of $30. In Chinatown, you will be accosted by men and women who will secretively whisper to you, "Want Chanel, Gucci, Coach?" I decided to see what she, an attractive young girl of Chinese descent, in this case, had to offer. I followed her as she went down Canal street and turned left on a crowded side street. She handed me over to another gentleman, also of Chinese descent, in a shop, on this side street. He directed me to follow him. Now, I am not stupid, I would not have followed him had there not been several other tourist, including a substantial looking tourist gentleman included in this expedition. We went through, what I can only described, as a very obvious secret door (made from the same cheap white panels as the walls but with no doorknob.) I think we went through another door which the Chinese gentleman locked behind him. We then passed through two additional rooms until we finally arrived at our destination. This 10' X 10'room was lined with bags which were designated as, if not designed by, Chanel, Coach, Gucci and probably some other designer, but I was too flabbergasted too notice. These bags actually have the designer's names as part of the fabric or construction of the bag. I am not a person who understands wanting to have someone elses name on my person so I was less than impressed but asked, "What do you have for $30," which was my budget. He looked at me and with a straight face said, "Oh, these designer bags>" I tried another tactic and asked him which was his least expensive bag. He pointed to one of the Coach bags and quoted a price of $40. I told him I could buy the same bag on the street for $30.(Which I could in Queens but not Manhattan) He reiterated to my visage, endowed with my "teacher face," with which I have taken in too many "My baby sister tore up my homework" lines to count, that these were designer bags. I then asked him how much for the Chanel bag, the only one I actually found attractive. He responded, "Oh, Chanel bag most expensive. I told him I only had $30 to spend. His body language screamed insult at my ignorance of the value of the counterfeit, Chanel, etc. bag business. He did not budge. There were too many tourist willing to pay $40 or more for a rip off bag. What is the world coming to? So, I followed him out and did notice as we were leaving that I had been locked in this room which did not have even an exterior door knob, with a good 25 other people. I returned to the "Pink" shop which is where I find good prices and beautiful handbags. I prepared to make my purchase when I realized that I did not have $30 cash so I headed to the Bank of America.

Now stick with me, there is a reason for this bird walking. When I tried to get cash from the ATM machine, my card did not work. I went into the bank and signed up to see a representative. The gentleman who helped me was an American of Chinese descent. He competed in the New York Marathon, so he has my utmost respect. It took a while for him to get me a good card giving us time to visit. I told him about my strange visit to the back room. He was a good twenty-five years my junior, but he looked as if I were a recalcitrant child and said, "You know they had a police raid of those places last week." I responded that I thought that was a waste of police effort, since none of the people who buy that stuff believe it is really original, and would not buy the original, since, they do not have the money. He said, "Oh its not the merchandise. Its the locked doors. What would you have done if there had been a fire? The firemen would have no way to get to you, through the locked door, and how would all those people have gotten out of that narrow exit?" I know my naive and foolish face turned beet red. When my son, Christopher, reads this, he will just shake his head and wonder how in the world I survive in this City.

I can only ascertain that if the designer name is a permanent part of the bag, it will be more expensive. I have only shopped the shops along Canal Street. Chinatown is actually so large it completely surrounds (and apparently owns) Little Italy.

I get bored with handbags after one season so these are perfect for me. With a little care, that is about how long they will last.

Shop til you drop

Christmas shopping in New York falls into two categories. Shopping for those who have money and for those who don't. Yes, even if you have little money, there is something for you. I will not discuss shopping for those with money, just stroll down 5th Avenue for up scale, 34th for name brand chain stores, are head to the lower East Side (Chelsea) where the designers and up and coming designers have shops. I found these just a little North of Greenwich Village, walking East from the High Line Park.

If you are in New York between April and November, take in the Street Fairs. You will find their locations by going to: http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html.
There is a little of everything at these fairs. There are many of the same handbags as in Chinatown but at a little better prices. There are "Pashminas," scarves as on the street, hats, gloves, and lots of food. These are good places to bargain. If you want to get scarves for gifts etc, you can offer to buy several and get a better price. There are frequently handmade items. Some of the jewelry is great. All fairs are not created equal. Those associated with an ethnic celebrations are usually pretty good. They are generally held on Saturday and Sunday, but occasionally will be on a Friday.` They are held in the street and go on for around ten blocks.

Christmas Bazaars are held between mid November and Christmas at Union Square, Grand Central Station and Columbus Circle. These feature more upscale and more expensive items. Vendors from many other places come to these bazaars so if you are shopping for something unique, these are the places for you.

After Christmas, the MET marks all their Christmas merchandise down 50 to 75 percent. I got some elegant Christmas ornaments for my tree. I imagine the other museums do the same. Actually, after Christmas and even better, after the New Year is a great time to shop in New York.

Places to find great prices on clothes are Century 21 (across the street from the World Trade Center Site, Bolton's,, H & M and Forever 21. You can also find Marshalls and Daffy's (similar to Marshalls). And for you Dallasites, you can find your long lost Loehman's. (And these Loehman's have not only great prices but individual dressing rooms.) There are more than one of each of these stores so go on line to find the destination most convenient for your visit.

Window Shopping

New York is famous for its Christmas Windows. A good way to see them all is by walking down 5th Avenue, beginning a Bergdorf Goodman. The windows there are the only ones not designed for children. They are, in my opinion, the most spectacular. While there you may want to take in FAO Schwarz, the famous toy store. Next walk or take the bus, south past St. Patrick's Cathedral. If you plan to go to Mass, note that Midnight Mass is by reservation only. The 10:15 Mass is usually presided over by the Bishop and a great Mass to attend. If you are simply a tourist, remember you are in Church. If you do not, expect the ushers to remind you. As you walk down Fifth Avenue, you will not believe the lights and Christmas displays on the storefronts. Take in the windows and the lights at Sak's Fifth Avenue which is across the street from Rockefeller Center and the famous Christmas Tree. Continue down Fifth to Lord and Taylor's which also has fabulous Christmas Window displays. When you get to 34th street, turn right and continue to Harold's Square, which has a pretty dynamic light display itself. You will then be at the largest department store in the world, Macy's, which has the most famous window displays of all. The annual window displays face Harold Square. Along 34th Street is the animated display of Miracle on 34th Street. If you have time, go in Macy's,but be prepared. You know how in department stores, the entry is devoted to cosmetics and accessories? Well, the entire first floor of Macy's is cosmetics and accessories. This store is huge. The first time I walked in I turned around and walked my little ADD brain right back out. It simply overwhelmed me. But I have been back. One of the most interesting aspects of the store are the old fashion wood escalators which take you to the basement and to the upper floors. When I ride on these I imagine myself in the movie, Miracle on 34th Street. At Christmas, Macy's first floor is a symphony for the eyes.

You should also see Bloomingdales windows but it is not on this route.

Christmas in New York

I know you have heard that Christmas is a great time to visit New York. This is true. I hope some of my ideas will add to your enjoyment.

You will, of course want to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. You also want to see the tree and Creche at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This Nativity encompasses the entire village of Nazareth and completely surrounds the tree. The Cloisters is also beautiful at this time.

So is St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which is located near Columbia University.

All of New York is dressed up for the Holidays from Thanksgiving until January 6, the Epiphany.

Lost in the MET Again

Just in case you take my warnings about getting lost in the MET lightly, on a recent visit, I found myself trapped between what appeared to be a crawl space. I turned down a stairway and found myself surrounded by two brick interior walls, like you find in a crawl space in old buildings. Oh, well, they had art on these brick walls and I eventually found my way back in the main hall. The question is, could I ever find those brick walls or stairs again? Or was I actually in a forbidden space filled with dark secrets of stolen art and haunted artists. Sounds like a good plot for a movie.

Carnegie Hall and Reading Room

There are certain places in New York City which have been so celebrated on stage, screen (both large and small) and in print that they become part of your history and it is those places which cause you to gasp when you see them. Carnegie Hall is one such place. How many concerts did I watch on PBS or sometimes on Network TV, Live from Carnegie Hall. It is one of the places I wanted to visit in New York, so at Christmas, when it became the venue for HANDEL'S MESSAIH, I talked Christopher into going with me. We, of course, got cheap seats, and though it made no difference in the acoustics, it made considerable difference in comfort. Not in the seats, they were cozy, but in the height of the ceiling. There were places Christopher could not stand without bumping his head. Regardless, Carnegie Hall is gorgeous. The elegance of the surrounding house is worth the trip, as is the history of artists who have made it to the height of entertainment and "played Carnegie Hall."

I was a little disappointed that people do not dress for Carnegie Hall, just as they do not dress for the theater. I long for the days featured in the old movies when everyone was decked out, as much a part of the show as the performers. Oh you do see glitter, jewels and mink. But you see more khaki and denim. Never the less, I dressed. Chris didn't but it did not matter, we both fit in perfectly.

Music, in order to be enjoyed by the laity, must be familiar. I am certainly familiar with Handel's Messiah. Since childhood I heard that famous piece and know the story of why everyone stands during the "Alleluia Chorus." I am as familiar with that chorus as with my name and anticipated no problem with Christopher or I being engaged with the music. Unfortunately, I am not familiar with all of Handel's Messiah. Neither was Christopher. The one I dragged to the concert with me. The 'Alleluia Chorus' comes about half way through the performance leaving a lot of music left for listening and it got a little tedious. But, never fear. Christopher is never bored. There, in his trusty backpack, were his most current book selections. There was just enough light (being at the top level the house lights were right behind us), to read. Luckily, we were so high in the auditorium few could see what he was doing.

Apparently, Christopher and I, were not the only ones not familiar with the last movement of Handel's Messiah. Following the stirring "Alleluia Chorus," many patrons began to exit the hall. This really angered the ushers. I needed to "powder my nose" at this time. On my way back, the usher accosted me and rudely informed me that the performance was not over. In my most officious teacher voice, I told him that I knew that and I was returning to my seat. Once there, I took out my read, a mystery, which I carry everywhere with me, and joined Christopher in reading to the accompaniment of the final notes of Handel's masterpiece.

An Odorous Broadway Play

Chris, my son, and I planned to attend a Broadway Play. Earlier in the day, we visited Greenwich Village and Murray's Cheese Shop on Bleeker Street. Murray's is the place to find the best cheese in New York. It is also one of the places I have seen a famous person. This famous person is an actor who was on the COSBY SHOW and was in the movie, THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Chris got all excited and tried to remember a line from the movie, THE PRINCESS BRIDE to repeat to this guy. He even tried to call his brother Doug, who remembers every line from every movie. I swear, Doug and Chris have entire conversations made up only of lines from movies. Anyway, Doug was not available and it was just as well since the poor actor probably just wanted to get home with his cheese, without somebody noticing him. It is without a doubt the world's best cheese shop. Chris and I bought some treats for after the theater including a bleu cheese for me, a Camembert for Chris and a brie to share. We also bought a small baguette from Amy's Bread, a bakery down the street also on Bleeker. Anyway, after that we went to the theater. This play was a dark comedy, set in Ireland. We had really inexpensive seats and believe me there is no reason to get any other kind in a Broadway Theater because all of the theaters are small and the acoustics are wonderful. You might pay $75 more to get closer to the actors and you might see them better, but you will not hear any better. Any way, in this play, the characters spoke with heavy Irish brogues. It took a while to get used to listening to the brogue so that you could understand what the actors were saying but you could eventually understand them. There was a lot of drinking going on in this play, after all it was about the Irish and it was very entertaining. There were people sitting on either side of us and those on one side were Russian. Now, I have to tell you about Christopher. Ever since he reached adolescence, he has had a problem with foot odor. I believe he has a handle on washing his feet, but sometimes his shoes smell. On this particular occasion I determined that Chris's shoes were smelling. I didn't say anything, not wanting to distract him from enjoying himself at the Broadway play. Chris is an English major and Dramatic Productions are the height of entertainment for him.

At intermission we took our separate breaks and returned to the theater to find ourselves sitting alone. The Russians had left. Chris said, that he could understand the Russian people leaving since they probably could not understand the Irish brogue. It was a little strange though when the couple sitting next to me never returned from intermission either. Before the play began Chris asked, "Mom, do you smell something?" I said that I did and that I thought it was his feet. I smelled his shoes but they smelled fine. We then commenced to smell our clothes and could not find anything smelly on either of our persons. Christopher carries around a backpack which is good for storing everything including the books he travels with so that he is never bored, always having something to read. When we were sniffing each other in search of the bad smell, Chris noticed that the smell was actually coming from the backpack. We opened it up and low and behold, realized the source of the smell was non other than the Camembert. At the same time, we realized that the reason our neighbors had left was the odor coming from Christopher's backpack. How can something that tastes so heavenly smell so rank? When it costs $20 per pound. Well, since we knew that neither of us was the source of the odor, we went back to enjoying a fine Irish Tale, with plenty of room to spread out. And when we got home, we feasted on that delicious stinky cheese.

Big Broadway Musical Productions are outrageously expensive. But great theater can be had for under $50. Even better bargains are available for Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway. By the way, whether or not a theater is Off Broadway or Off Off Broadway has nothing to do with where it is located but rather the number of seats in the theater. The larger theaters are considered Broadway.

During the summer there are great theater productions all over the city for free. Hey, its New York