It was one of those perfect weekends in New York. Hurricane Earl had hightailed through and left a breezy souvenir behind. Ideal time for a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge. One could see forever. No smog. No pollution. (Although I did lose my child for 10 minutes which made me HYSTERICAL). We covered some serious ground, stopping for a Cuban sandwich and some fried plantains at Cafe Habana en route to our usual haunts like John Derian, Billy’s Antiques and Props, and Paula Rubenstein.

But the truly classic New York moment cropped up during my visit to the Brooklyn Target at the crack of dawn. Mission: to lay my hands on the newly launched John Derian line (much to my husband’s annoyance). I had literally counted the sleeps on my calendar. I should have known better – this was NY after all. Of course, everyone else is obsessed too – 4000 people, er… VULTURES launching themselves at the unpacked boxes of JD. The poor Target merchandiser got squashed – I never did see her again. I timidly asked if anyone had seen the much sought-after “brain tray”. The spitting image of Carrie Bradshaw’s Stanford answered, “You and everybody else, sweetie”. Long story short. I ordered online!

Note: major suggestion for the bucket list… do not die without a meal at Momofuku. OM triple G.

Lastly: Hipstamatic pics of nothing in particular – just moments… eye-blinks of inspiration.

Photographs: Craig Strydom

Contributor: Philippa Berrington Blew