Day 2 Friday 11th July ’08 New York Breakfast and Macy’s

I woke up early , at around 7 am , feeling hungey I looked at the Hotel menu and Whoa 5 bucks for a corrisant , there was no way I’m going to pay the high costs of breakfast at Westin , so I went down to the concierge and asked her about some departmental store like Krogers or Meijers and she was staring at my face , “ we don’t have any place by these names here “ , I was well we have them in MI so what about a place where I can get some stuff for the kids like fruits etc , can’t tell her I’m working towards saving money on breakfast seems cheap while living in such a hotel and as once a Saturn car dealer told me “ Sir we don’t sell cheap cars we have inexpensive cars “ so I want an inexpensive breakfast not cheap one and she directed me to a place called Food Emporium between 47th and 48th so I went down and started walking but on 48th all I could find was a Green Emporium Deki and I was sure it’s not the place , I walked a litte further towards 49th and low and behld a corner said Food Emporium and when I entered it was a food connisours dream come true , salads , fruits , water in 20 different variants ( low sodium , high mineral , multi flavor , smart water , fruit water . mountain water , spring water etc etc ) I was in food heaven , quickly I grabbed a pint of Nesquick , a box of cookies and some apples total cost 6 dollars and took them to the hotel where my wife and kids were up and ready , as the kids had their chocolate milk my wife inquired about the place having tea ( I don’t drink tea my daily drink is only a cup od coffee latte made under my personal receipie by my Chai wala ) so I told her about the place and we left for it and 10 min later after crossing Milford Hotel and Hilton Garden INN we were at the place . Food Emporium also have a small café serving illy coffee so we sat there and ordered Cream Cheese Bagels , corrisants , chocolate muffins and tea for only 15 bucks . while having breakfast I started browsing through the newspaper left by another pattern and found a Macy’s special sale pamphlet . It was a two day sale at Macy’s on sat and Sunday with pre sale starting from the same day i.e. Friday , It old my wife about Macy’s as being a large store with all the clothes and she wanted to go there for shopping so we went back to the hotel and I inquired with the concierge about how to reach there ans she gave me a map to Macy’s andit seemed too far to walk so we decided to take the subway . While talking to the concierge , she helpfuly gave me a coupon for Macy;s for 11 % off for visiters . We went down on broadway and found the subway right at the Champs store on 42nd and broadway the MTA guy chrged me for adults only and we boarded the train for two stops further , it was an uneventful ride the kids liked their first and maybe only ride to subway ( cost USD 6 ) we got out at our station and outside Macy’s was no where to be found . I asked a chap selling newspapers and he was you are at Macy’s I was like hmm but where is it , he pointed towads the wall and said this is Macy’s all the way to the other end is Macy’s and it sure was big infact as macy’s banner said it was the world’s largest store and it was closed at 9 am . We had an hour to kill as the store will open at 10 so we and the family strolled around for a while and founf ZARA to be open where I got myself some stuff on sale while my wife went to Bakers for her shoes and purses , 9:50 am we were standin in front of Macy’s so was a hundred odd peopleor so waiting for the gates to open and as it does everyone just ran inside reminded me of Tahanksgiving sale at Best Buy , we also went inside and went to the childrens section on upper floors . While shopping I notices a small tag on many of the displays saving Early Bird Special and upon inquiring found that if I do my shopping before 1pm I will be entitled to further 10 % off , so the clothes were at 40 – 50 % some even at 70 & minus the 10 % early bird mnus the 11 % I’m entitled to a shirt origianlly priced 20 bucks was now costing 3 bucks , quickly my shopping cart got full with clothes and purses and what not and by 1 pm we were done with shopping and having a fish burger at one single fly infested McDonalds within Macy’s . Now the question was to get back to hotel and we deiced to take the bus and boarded one me the kids , the wife , the shopping and ofcourse the stroller . I was the last to enter the bus and when the bus driver asked for MTA card to pay I was well I’ll pay by cash and took out 6 dollars in bills and he was Sir we either take quarters or Mta and you have none , I was well should I get off and he looked at my shoppingly tierd kids and said well your stop is very near so I’ll take you sit at the back and we got a bus ride for free in New York . We dumped all the shoppingin the room and in 10 min were stanindg down on the street again at 2 pm . Right in front of us was Madame Tasauds and I had a coupon for some bucks off the ticket and we went there .