New York postcard: down in the village

You know when you plan a trip? Any trip? And you have some kind of vision in mind as to how bits of that trip will pan out?

In the lead up to coming to New York, part of my vision was to stay somewhere away from Tourist Town. Away from the hotels that look and feel like fast food chains with beds.

Sure I wanted us to soak up the sights but I also wanted us to get a taste of living like a local in this amazing city.

So, I hit the airbnb site and got searching.

With a little help from friends who’d visited before, I narrowed down our choice to a few apartments in the West Village. I wanted the cool restaurants, the tree-lined streets, the boutique shopping … and guess what?

We’ve got just that.

When I picked up the keys this afternoon to the little apartment we will call home for the next six nights (thanks Eden and Mr Edenland for coming with me to hold my hand and lug my suitcase up the two flights of stairs) I was the proverbial kid at Christmas.

There are restaurants downstairs, we’re off the main street but right near a subway. There’s a laundromat two doors up and two minutes away, a deli and supermarket.

I picked up Mr Styling You a beer and a bagel for his arrival tonight with our youngest and headed out on a wander with my camera. You know, to see what I could see.

Want to see what I saw? And what I bought? Scroll down … my New York 2012 shopping cherry was officially popped.

Our street: Cornelia Street, West Village

Intermix: will be checking out this store very soon

Neon bike? Yes please

Perry Street: the very steps that lead to Carrie Bradshaw’s Sex and the City apartment. They’re now off limits but that doesn’t stop the photos

I had to do the selfie … I just had to.

I may have bought my first little something …

… a new wallet. It’s beautiful and it’s orange.

How cool is the West Village? Do you think I’ll be a hipster by the time the week is out?