sofa shopping (lyn)

I haven’t seen Carol since Christmas, so we make a plan to get together.  I suggest brunch and then immediately regret it.  I have been eating too much, and I know that I would not order a healthy egg-white omelet.  The last (and only) time I had one I felt nauseous after.  I’d probably end up with pancakes or eggs benedict. 

I rarely go to museums, and some of the worlds great ones are right here in my neighborhood.  I talk to Carol and we decide on The Museum of the City of New York, not one that is world-renowned, but one we both like.  Plus, it’s a beautiful winter day and it’ll be a nice 2-mile walk there.

We start off with good intentions.  We walk up Madison and within five blocks, we are sidetracked. We pass Lululemon and go in.  We try on several jackets but buy nothing.  A few blocks later we pass Ankasa, a chic store that sells furniture, scarves, bedding, and tote bags.  It’s an odd combination of offerings, but everything in the store is gorgeous and expensive.  We fall in love with a sofa, until we see its price.  But seeing a beautiful sofa reminds Carol that she is looking for one, and reminds me that Bloomingdales has offered to replace mine instead of re-stuffing its cushions and pillows.  Carol asks, “Would you mind if we went to Bloomingdales instead of the museum?  I’d like to take a look at their furniture.”  I’m happy to oblige.

We get to Bloomingdales where we spend the next two hours looking at sofas. We sit on many.  Consider a few.  And then decide on one. We then spend another hour or so reviewing hundreds of Ralph Lauren fabrics.  Carol selects a few she likes.  I choose two:  one is a light grey cashmere blend and the other is the same fabric I have on my existing sofa and still love.

We end up not walking two miles.  We end up not being nourished with culture.  But I do end up both eating and spending nothing.  

I get home and walk into my apartment; see my sofa; and decide I like it better than anything I’ve seen.  I’ll just get it re-stuffed.