What could be better than XMAS in NY?

Nothing!
Yes, the streets are so crowded and the stores are jammed (are they giving things away?) but Christmas in New York City is really very special.
We arrived on Friday night - cold - snowing at home when we left. The doggies had their winter c coats on and were still shivering. The train was running a little late - but we were so happy to arrive in NYC.
I ran uptown to run some errands - Bergdorf Goodman was jammed - Prada was packed - the streets - you really could hardly walk.
There was a line to get into Abercrombe & Fitch (boy, did that company get a second life) and a long long line to get into American Girl Place!
The street in front of Saks Fifth Avenue was literally impassable - there were so many people on line (there I am - a true New Yorker) to see the Christmas windows that no one could get by.

I had a haircut first thing and then took the subway to 57th Street - walking over to Bergdorf Goodman from 6th Avenue I saw these two fabulous Mimes - aren't they great?

After that I took the bus down Fifth Avenue - passed Saks and St. Patrick's Cathedral - such a beautiful church.



















I loved Fendi's Christmas decorations




















Last night we were meeting my mother-in-law at 34th Street & Fifth Avenue. What could I have been thinking - there was no way she could have gotten down there - the traffic was just not moving. But thanks to cell phones she had her cab driver veer off Fifth and try to get her to the Chelsea Piers by 6:30! We ran onto the subway - got out at 23rd Street - were sooooo lucky to find a cab and he got us to the pier just in the nick of time. My mother in law made it too! So off we went on our "COCOA & CAROLs CRUISE" around Manhattan Island! Oh, such fun!

Some advice for all of us.......re HERMES scarves

Q:	I love your very honest description of the scarf and your efforts to clean it. You sound so nice that I hope you won't mind, but I'd like to offer some advice - in the future, it would be better not to try to clean the scarf. There are people who specialize in cleaning Hermes scarves - and it's easy to ruin a scarf if it's cleaned wrong. The hems get flattened, the colors can fade and the stains can get set. Do describe the stains or pulls, etc. and tell people that you've been advised not to try to clean the scarf but instead to leave it to the buyer to have it done. I recently bought a scarf that was clean but reeked of cleaning fluid and was totally limp and I was not happy at all. A friend gave me a scarf that had been given to her by another friend, it's crisp and the hems are plump - and even though it has makeup and lipstick on it from the original owner, I love it and wear it with pride. Good luck!
A:	Thank you! I think that I will take your advice about that. Luckily though - my dry cleaner just got all BRAND NEW equipment and I must say - does a pretty good job. The reason (probably) that he didn't get the stains out was because he really didn't want to "work" on it. The condition of the scarf is excellent - it is not limp - he did a very nice job. BUT I do think that in the future I will take your advice. The worst was the time I tried cleaning an Hermes scarf myself - oh boy! that was a major mistake - but that's how I learn. I told the truth about the whole activity - the scarf was sold and the gal who bought it was thrilled with her BARGAIN Hermes scarf! HAPPY HOLIDAYS - B