When putting together a schedule for the weekend trip we were making to New York City for Book Blogger Con, my dad asked me what I most wanted to see in the Big Apple.
The last time I was in the city, I was an awkward, oily 11-year-old on only one mission: to make my crush, Matt, notice me. Seated just across the way from me, Matt spent most of his time looking out a neighboring glass window and making boy talk with the kid next to him. My mom was a chaperone and my companion for the five-hour bus ride from my home in the D.C. suburbs, but that didn’t stop me from talking loudly and being silly, all in an effort to get that blonde-haired hunk to look in my direction.
He did. Once. If I remember correctly, it involved something about me “dropping” (read: throwing) a pen under his bus seat, a pen I then asked him to retrieve for me. Or something like that.
Oh, who am I kidding? I still have that pen, though it’s now under glass and in a well-lit corner of my room. A sign hangs above it, reading, “Matt touched this.” I keep it polished to, you know, remember that singular moment.
OK . . . not really. But I was so excited at the time, I might as well have created a shrine to the Pen Matt Touched so I could keep it pure and unsullied . . . forever. That was one of those perfect, crystallized moments in my adolescent life when it seemed like things were happening — like life was really, really exciting.
Looking back, it was probably just hormones.
Yes, friends, I was all kinds of not focused on anything in New York City almost fifteen years ago. And this time? Well, times have changed.
Mostly because Matt, a guy I haven’t seen in more than a decade, was nowhere nearby. And I was sending constant texts to Spencer, making our conversations my own little Twitter-like feed of everything I did for three days. (He’s a sweetheart for not telling me to shut up. One of the things I like about him: he lets me ramble.)
So when Dad asked me what it was I hoped to see and accomplish in NYC, I gave him the ready answer I’d been contemplating for months: we had to get to Strand Bookstore.
It’s huge, friends, and boasts 18 miles of books — a figure I totally believe. Split between two three levels, books in every genre imaginable cover the impressive square footage. We went Saturday morning, the day after BBC, and must have joined half of New York in our quest to find a good paperback.
While I don’t exactly need any more books — I need to take an updated photo of my bookcase, which is embarrassing and actually collapsing in places — I couldn’t exactly leave Strand empty-handed. That’s ludicrous, am I right? I mean, I’m in New York City. For a book conference. Because I write about books. And read them all the time. I can’t just walk out of a giant bookstore without a book.
So I got Tinkers, a tiny slip of a novel by Paul Harding. I’d be a dirty liar if I didn’t admit that I bought it was because it was small. And light. And my shoulder was still aching from carrying around the awesome BBC swag bags the day before, and I had a very long day of walking around New York ahead of me, and I just couldn’t — could not — invest in a hardcover I would then spend the next two days lugging around.
And, you know, it won a little something call the Pulitzer Prize. Whatever that is. So let’s just hope it’s awesome.
Oh, and I bought a little notebook with “Strand” logos all over it. Because it was cute and $6 and also very light.
Apparently, I’m just into not carrying around heavy stuff anymore.
What else did I do at the Strand, friends? Well, wandered about with my sister and took silly photos, of course! And I even got her in on the action. The staff told us to “make ourselves at home” and feel free to use the ladders scattered around the place to grab anything we liked. The place was too packed with people of all ages, backgrounds, and interesting clothing preferences for me to look like a total weirdo, and if there’s one place we’re all welcome? It’s a bookstore.
So I acted like a weirdo.
And now I’m posting it for the world to see.
Enjoy. And the next time I’m in New York? Let’s all go there and act like weirdos. I’ll bring my camera, a shoulder ready to be burdened with great literature and, of course, a book lovin’ smile.
Edited to add: My dad, that crazy videographer, took a short clip of my sister, Mom and I browsing in the bookstore. From his perch on the stairs, he had a pretty good view! Check out the bottom of this post for that clip.
write meg! 
Fun pictures! I didn’t end up buying anything there but I almost bought the same thing, lol!! I was thinking the same thing.. that it looked good, it DID win that prize after all, AND it was small enough it might not make that big a difference, haha! But in the end I held out.
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As many times as I’ve gone to the city, I’ve never gone to the strand.
However, in the warm weather they do set up tables around the entrance of Central Park. I’ve been there, and, if I’m not mistaken-it’s where I purchased one of Augusten Burroughs books.
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I love your pictures! And by the way, don’t forget to post on how you resolved the shoe problem! :–)
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Funny you should mention that, Jill… that was quite the dilemma. Expect a post to follow. 🙂
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Did you guys not see the third floor, where all the rare and collectible books were stored?
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Oh no — we didn’t! Going to have to revise my post and go cry into my Diet Coke can. 😦 I’m sure that was awesome!
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I went Friday night after the Book Blogger Convention and I ended up with a pile of books. But I made my husband carry them. 🙂
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Great pictures and great bookstore. I can totally see why you bought a light-weight book and also why you bought a book full stop! It’s how it’s supposed to be!
Great to hear you had such fun! Check out what I did (reading wise) in my Friday post: http://leeswammes.wordpress.com
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isn’t nyc (and the strand) grand?!?!?! glad you had fun, sorry i missed ya. i was busy going over niagara falls in a barrel.
love your pics–so cute–and such snazzy sunglasses.
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Meg you have such a powerful voice in all your posts but this one is laugh out loud funny! I know exactly what you’re talking about in regards to Matt – except when I came to NYC as a freshman in high school his name was Phil.
I won’t continue.
But I’m so glad that we both got to make it back to NYC and to the Strand without googly eyes. Although, I too, was texting the whole time haha!
I hope you didn’t miss the THIRD floor of the Strand – Sheila and I almost did.
And who is this Spencer?!? Update!
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Thanks Reagan! Sad I missed you at BBC by just one day 😦 You should definitely update us all about Phil!
Amanda just blew my world right open by telling me there even was a third floor at the Strand — totally missed it! Just gives me a reason to make another trip in the near future, though. 🙂
And Spencer is my new-ish boyfriend 🙂 He’s awesome! And has even been reading with me!
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Another LOL post. You are just so humorous Meg. A three level bookstore? I am not surprised since it’s the Big Apple we’re talking here. I just wish I could pay a visit!
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hahah. i love this post and the pictures! i’m seriously thinking i should subscribe to the washington post just so i can see more of your writing! you need to get published!
ps. did i ever tell you how awesome your sunglasses are? and how jealous i am that i don’t have them?
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In other pics I’ve seen from Strand I got the distinct impression it would be a terrible place for someone (like me) who suffers from claustrophobia. But your pics make it look nice and bright. So it’s back on the schedule for my trip next year!
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I’m claustrophobic too, Lisa, and I did fine at the Strand. I will say that, like most places in New York, it was very busy, but I could still move freely! Not too scary!
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Ahhh yes. I have a good buddy/pen pal type guy who grew up in NYC. He used to send me nuggets of goodness from the city, and one birthday box contained a postcard from The Strand. I WILL make it there one day!
Great pics!
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Ahhhh, I love it! I can’t believe I’ve never been there!
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That is my idea of pure heaven!
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Haha nevermind the ‘like this post’ button at the top of the screen, if I could ‘love’ this post I would! This brought me right back to my first visit to the Strand (and NY!) last year, I went there twice I think but could easily have gone back even more regularly…such an amazing place 😀
I have a spotty Strand tote bag that I use as my book-bag for class (.^_^)v
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I have yet to make it to The Strand – maybe next year.
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I’m new to your blog but, I like what I see! Where were you when I was in college and couldn’t find a Cliffnotes for a required read??
Bella
http://gypsyroxylee.wordpress.com/
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I bought myself a tote bag…the great yellow one with the pigeons all over it. I couldn’t resist. No books, though I really contemplated buying Tinkers! Funny that you picked up that one. Love the photos. I cannot wait to be back in NYC
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Love the Strand! I go every time we’re in NYC which is every foew years. It was smart to buy the lighter book 🙂
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