Hello New York!

Travelled to upstate New Jersey, the route passing through an industrial scarred land, populate by blast furnaces and large corporate buildings interspersed with wasteland given back to nature.
About thirty minutes out of New York you hit the wooded hills of Harriman State Park, now a riot of auburn and russet as the trees desperately try to hold on to the last of their leaves.
We are visiting Woodbury Common, a Mecca amongst Mecca’s for discount shopping. It is the ultimate American dream with row upon row of shops selling high end goods at knock down prices. It is also a very good place to purchase socks, which I did, along with a jumper.
That evening, back in Greenwich Village, drained of all commercial industry we went to a great bar on Bleeker St. that served ale including Speckled Hen which Madame Vin dabbled in. Had pizza at John’s, an old dive that apparently serves some of the best pizza in NY.