Times Square Redeemed! (Sort of)

I usually avoid Times Square like the plague. Its one of those sights that you see once on your very first trip to NYC, get all googly eyed at the magnitude of it and the different species of lights and billboards, and then you are basically good. Nothing else to see. Yes it's cool, but I just have zero patience for all the tourists with boca abierta catching flies, wearing sneakers (tacky!) and buying those tired out "I heart NY" tshirts in a rainbow of colors to match their unflattering fabric fedoras that they bought at the same vendor! It's a major metraya that should be avoided at all costs.

So when I heard that a massive Forever 21 was opening in the heart of TS, I got a little excited bc of the proximity to my office, but then I thought "Oh no. so not a good idea. Its going to be a disaster." I am a HUGE Forever 21 fan. It would probably be wise of me to purchase stock in the company bc I think it's the best thing in the world second to Cuban bread. I began shopping there when I was 13-14 years old and it was my little secret that not many knew about. Forgotten are those days of anonymity considering how mass produced and iconic it has become for frugal fashion finds. And for those who have ventured into a Forever 21 mega store, it can be quite overwhelming, especially the NYC stores. They are panic inducing, packed with people, messy, no sizes (bc fat people take the smalls and i know it's mean to say, but it's true.) and looks like a tornado (aka teenagers) ravaged the store. So I usually do my Forever 21 shopping online, in the comfort of my office or chair at home. Back to my point- I'm not sure if I would make a visit at the new Forever 21 in Times Square. It would be a war zone.

Today I had a shoot at Madame Tussuad's IN Times Square and decided "well, since I'm in the neighborhood and its on my way back to the office, Ill take a peek in." Well, a peek in turned into a shopping odyssey. I'm officially obsessivo over this store. I stood at the front door, mouth wide open just like the same tourists that I make fun of, and took in the amazingness of what laid before me. Four floors! Yes, four. cuatro. quattro. Four floors of clothes upon clothes and then jewelry and makeup, and shoes. Oh my! I was overwhelmed but not in a "i need to get out of here bc I'm going to kill myself with all these people here" way, it was more of a "OMG. I am so happy right now, that I could cry, or wipe out my whole bank account in 32 minutes." Off I went just taking everything in, touching every piece of clothing, trying on all the rings, and going up and down escalators. But you know what the best part is???! You would never know the store was packed, it is so ginormous, you literally need a map to get around and its so spread out that no one is on top of you, no fitting room lines bc there are like 50 of them, and 100 tellers. At this moment I realized, "Times Square has finally redeemed itself.".

I will no longer have to take a xanax before immersing myself in the Times Square jungle. Forever 21 TS is my newest happy place. Go to your happy place, Kathy. And $143 dollars later, i was on my merry way. And for the first time, I did not roll my eyes at the tacky tourists taking pictures outside of Planet Hollywood.

So don't be afraid, recessionistas. Times Square (at least between 45-46) is your new best friend. Happy Shopping!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

(* top photo by Getty Images).