Espresso And Stilettos

Some of my fondest memories are from walks through the West Village in New York.  Charming qualities abound, and there is a constant element of surprise.  New things are constantly popping everywhere.  With any given turn, you can stumble upon an unexpected cafe, gallery, or fabulous boutique.  Life simply happens and pops up before you.  This happened for me with a tiny Italian restaurant near 10th Avenue, a few blocks from my best’s friends apartment.  I had the day to myself, so decided to cruise around and see what I found.  Growing up, my nickname was Momo, so when I saw my namesake cafe before my eyes, I was thrilled! As you look through the large glass windows watching people stroll by. Some by foot, others on a bike. Each possessing unique characteristics all their own. Where are the going? Are they meeting someone, or have they just left someone. A pretty girl lazily pedals away on her bike. A father carries his daughter in a kangaroo pouch on his belly. A business man from Milan chats with the owner of MoMo caffe in Italian. Another girl observes me, watching me type, as she herself writes away. A baby girl bounces in her fathers lap, giggling at the site of her toes. A handsome young man walks past, we make eye contact. If we had met, what could have happened?Funny nuances like this don’t happen everyday, so I went in for lunch, and an espresso of course.  There were only about 8 tables, and the owner himself was taking orders and prepping all the coffee drinks.  His wife must have walked out at least four times to smoke a Capri cigarette! I despise the smell of smoke, but oddly enough, each time she walked back in, there was no lingering scent.  To my delight, vegetarian options at Momo’s were plentiful, and the cannellini bread sounded ideal. The beauty of authentic Italian fare, (like my mom makes), is the true simplicity of it.  Less is always more, even when cooking! I barely touched the bread, but the cannellini bean salad was truly delicious.  A few spices, a little olive oil, and that genuine Italian touch just makes for perfect food. Since the weather was sweltering hot, a light crochet top, jean shorts, and platform espadrilles were the only sensible option for walking in.  I could not believe how many compliments my espadrilles received! The funniest part is, they are no name shoes, that I found at Marshall’s of all places! I have a uncanny knack for always finding that one item at any store that would otherwise go missed.  It balances out the many, many other pairs in my closet that did not cost a miraculous 18$! Even when I was in Bergdorf Goodman, several of the ladies in the shoe department inquired about my turquoise espadrilles, assuming the were Louboutin’s. Typically I am wearing Loubs, but as of late I really don’t care as long as the shoe looks  and feels amazing! It was actually a prouder moment for me to reveal the truth about these guys, especially the price.  Don’t you love when stuff like that happens? I took this in the ladies room of Bergdorf Goodman, one of my other favorite spots in the City.  My Lauren Moshi tote is the best thing for carrying on a long day. Lightweight, multi-pocketed, and the interlocking shoe horns are very reminiscent of another brand I dearly love… Best part about carrying an oversize tote is packing it full of your days purchases. I won’t be caught dead with a plastic bag, (nor should any self respecting woman), so having a trusty bag around always pays off.  I could not help myself when I saw this looming along a wall in BG! It is all about the power of intention right? In truth, the last name was spelled out “Richmond”, so I dropped the mond and it suited me much better! As a parting note, I know that everyone has felt this way on a certain occasion…  Enjoy life and celebrate every moment, even the crazy ones!