New York city #3 - Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and solo shopping

Intrepid Museum, with the space shuttle Enterprise in the centre

I have decided to divide our four New York city days into four separate posts because, well, the four days were all full. Today covers our third NYC day, which was also our second last day in America. It held exciting plans for both of us!

Complementing our trip to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., we had put the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on our itinerary for New York. Located by and on the Hudson River in the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood, the museum focuses on history and science relating to (surprise!) sea, air and space craft.

A large component of the museum is housed within the aircraft carrier Intrepid, which fought in WWII, the Cold War and Vietnam. It is now a National Historic Landmark. You can also visit the space shuttle Enterprise, and tour the submarine Growler. 

One of many small planes on display

The museum was one of Mr Bite's choices but I was happy to visit and the displays were well set out, interactive, and comprehensive. The Intrepid, Enterprise and Growler were also quite amazing to see up closer.

Despite a lot of large-scale displays, I liked that incidental details were covered too. Sometimes they can make the difference between standard and excellent museums. A case in point: details of food consumption on board the Intrepid when fully staffed.

Can you imagine peeling 6,000 potatoes in one day?!

We visited the museum in the morning, and our afternoon plans were exciting in an entirely different way. Basically, I abandoned Mr Bite to go shopping. He did have advance warning - I told him I needed one solo half day in New York - but I still felt a twang of guilt when I ushered him into a subway station to head off home ('home') while I shopped.

My interest in shopping has waned considerably over the last decade, but if there is anywhere to renew shopping zest, it is New York city. Plus, I had a mission. I wanted to buy new jeans.

My jeans hopes may make you shake your head in disbelief. You see, 6 years ago, on my first NYC trip, I bought two pairs of jeans. They both continue to serve me well, but signs of wear are starting to appear. One pair was bought in Macy's from the DKNY section, and I thought I would buy another pair on this trip. The jeans in question meet all my requirements: comfortable, suitable for casual wear or being a little dressy, dark enough in colour, and just about long enough in length. Crucially, I also like the way they look. I hate buying jeans in Australia as fulfilling these requirements seems near impossible. Plus, Australian jeans prices are about twice as high as American jeans prices, at least with the current exchange rate.

The jeans I wanted to replace

I figured it would take me 15 minutes to head to the DKNY section of Macy's, find the same make and size as my existing pair, try them on just to check they did fit, and then move on.

It turns out, over a 6-year period, that brands change their jeans styles. I know. I really should have thought of that! I was horrified to discover I had to start from scratch with guessing styles I might like, in a range of brands I'm not very familiar with, in a sizing system I'm not very familiar with.

15 minutes turned into 90 minutes.

The jeans I got instead

I did, to my relief, eventually find two pairs of jeans. I don't like them quite as much as my prior (still existing) DKNY pair, but I do like them more than anything I've seen or tried in Australia, so I'm calling it a win.

The rest of my shopping trip included Union Square, where I visited the large Barnes and Noble book store, Trader Joe's, and Wholefoods. It was the latter two food stores that provided most of the snacks and chocolate I took home. I also purchased (not from food stores!) the two scarves pictured above, because, well, you can never have too many scarves.

77.8% of these came from the Trader Joe's and Wholefoods of NYC's Union Square

I think I got home at 7pm, exhausted but happy.

Are you someone who shops when away? 
Also, are there some magic jeans I may not have tried that you'd like to recommend to me? Long leg length would be a bonus...

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