Carpe Diem or Seize the Day

After a very long night of sitting three hours on a tarmac at Laguardia airport in NYC and then the flight finally being cancelled. 

After the desk agent at Delta refused to help anyone because all flights were booked for the following day and he didn't want to deal with it.

After returning to my hotel in Manhattan to discover that Delta had booked me on a flight at 6 am. Don't pull out your violins yet because it gets better.

After getting up after two hours of sleep to go back to the airport only to discover that they had bumped me from that 6 am flight for one on saturday morning. That was almost two days away.

What to do? ….. Go back again to my hotel in Manhattan and crawl into bed.

Upon waking I discovered it was one in the afternoon. I quickly got dressed and decided to make the most of this garnered day.

First stop, my favorite little french cafe, Cafe un, deux, trois

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When given the choice of dessert always go for the profiterole. Did I eat all of this? Yes I did. Shameful I know.

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Feeling still very tired and extremely full, I decided a walk was in order. The streets were so crowded that day because it was fleet week. I was desiring a little calm and so I headed for Bryant Park just a couple blocks away.

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There the din of the city was muffled and calm, relaxing air blew through the trees.

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Inside the park there is an outdoor library where one can sit and read. Surrounding the park are many cafes and tables. There's even a knitting section. Guess where I sat.

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For the longest time I just sat there people watching, writing, and reading one of my favorite books.

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Just across the street is a very special store. It's a Japanese bookstore that Imene told me about, Kinokuniya. So glad that she did. It's a three story wonderment. A majority of the books are in Japanese but on the main level they have many many books in English. I spent hours in the basement reading Japanese craft, sewing, and knitting books. The entire basement is filled with design books. Such a great way to spend the afternoon.

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Not to be missed is the third floor. If you like Manga or Japanese serial books the third floor is the place to go and don't forget to stop at the sushi bar and cafe. It's so incredibly good.

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After my venture at the bookstore I headed back to the park for some more people watching and just relaxing in the big apple. It was a wonderful an unexpected day captured.

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Comments

22 responses to “Carpe Diem or Seize the Day”

  1. You made a very nice lemonade with the lemons handed to you 😉
    I am glad you enjoyed your time at the japanese bookstore. The basement is my favorite spot, I could spend hours there.
    I feel better knowing you had fun!

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  2. Oh my stars! How did you keep your cool with Delta? I was fighting off fits of anger on your behalf! But, wow…what a day! A library AND knitting section in the park? That cafe is gorgeous. And 3 floors of Japanese happiness. I’d say you definitely made some lemonade ;-).

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  3. It was a lovely day and going with flowing is what brought it that way. Hope you are having some lovely weather up there in the Pacific Northwest. I’ll be by sometime today or tomorrow to visit your lovely blog. I’m soooooo behind. I don’t know if I’m late or early? Be well.

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  4. Thanks Imene for that tip. When I realized how close the park and bookstore were to my hotel I decided to take an adventure and see if I could find the bookstore. I did spend hours in the basement, in fact I even saw a shift change. A long long time in the basement. Let’s meet there the next time. Hope all is going well.

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  5. V that is such a bummer with the airlines- glad you made the most of it! That book store sounds divine- so I am curious now that you are a published author do you have a different feeling in book stores- like I am part of all this….
    Hope to feel that one day.

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  6. Marianna Avatar
    Marianna

    Your day sounds like pure heaven! Glad you were able to turn the negative into a positive.

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  7. I probably would never plan a day like that, but, oh boy, would I like to do it. Love the idea of the knitting lessons and the japanese book store. Love the idea of profiteroles. My choice dessert too!

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  8. What a magical extra day – I bet it was all the better for being unexpected…that bookstore looks amazing and the profiteroles and the knitting….glad you were able to enjoy what could have been a frustrating wait! x

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  9. You were actually in my old stopping grounds. New York City has a magic all its own.
    Thank you for sharing your day…it was nostalgic for me, but so wonderful to relive.
    Mari

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  10. I was in NYC over the weekend too! Perhaps we walked the same path through the park. I have a doctor I see in NY – and I always stop at Kinokuniya when I go down for an appointment. I, too, get lost in there. Hope you arrive home safely!

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  11. Dearest sweet Valarie, looks like such a wonderful day! Manhattan is truly such a beautiful city! I love it there too. 🙂 Oh my that french cafe looks so cozy and wonderful! Oh the walks, the parks…everything i see here looks lovely. And Kinokuniya japanese book store is also one of my favorite and im just so lucky we have one here too in Kuala Lumpur! Have a lovely merry happy weekend and love to you!

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  12. This really makes me smile. We moved from outside NYC to outside Boston two years ago. Boston is nice (my daughter and I toured the flagship Colombian tall ship and had dinner in the North End yesterday). But sometimes I really do miss the wondrous streets of NYC. Next time head for the roof gallery and Greek sculpture cafe at the Met!

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  13. well that’s quite a bonus day. An outdoor library and a knitting section? I must visit that park next time I go down to see my sister. I can imagine you must have really taken in the scenery (great people watching!) and luxuriated in the lack of schedule. good for you!

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  14. Hi Ren,
    I was so glad I was in the moment and didn’t resist anything. I loved having this wonderful day. I do have a different feeling now that I’m a published author. The difference was meeting the publishing industry first hand at Book Expo America. Last week I walked into our local bookstore and my book was everywhere. It was the most incredible feeling.
    What book are you thinking of writing. I could see a few books for you. You are so creative and inventive.

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  15. It was such a wonderful day. It really felt like a reward.

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  16. Well it looks like I’m in good profiterole company.:) The gem of this day is that I didn’t plan it. I made a conscious choice to make a frustrating moment into something fun. Oh and it was so much fun.

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  17. Hi Em, are you back with us? How are you feeling? I hope you are recovering. I’ve been worried about you. The magic of this day was that it was a gift. It was totally unexpected and so wonderful.

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  18. Really? What a great old stopping ground. I’m glad it brought back some wonderful moments for you. Be well.

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  19. That would be so funny if we were in the same places, maybe even sitting next to each other and not even realize it. Hope everything went well in NYC. I arrived home safe and sound.

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  20. So glad you have a Kinokuniya in Kuala Lumpur. It was great to have this kind of free time to sit and enjoy the store.

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  21. Andrea!!!!! I was there, on the roof gallery of the MET. I was there the day before my plan got cancelled. They have an incredible exhibit up there now. Aren’t the streets great in NYC? So much life.

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  22. This was a great lesson in going with the flowing. When you don’t resist things have their own rhythm. It was the greatest little gift of day and will always remain special.

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