New York: Woodbury Common

Today I discovered a shopping mecca, a label-lover’s paradise, a shoe-and-handbag-fetishist’s wildest dream: Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, 1 hour by bus outside New York.

And I wasn’t alone, thousands of other people had made the same pilgrimage, as the streets were packed and outlets had queues waiting to get into them, with discounts of up to 70% off labels from Gap and Giorgio Armani, to Jimmy Choo and Juicy Couture, to Escada and Ed Hardy.

I’ve just left there wondering how much 3 pairs of Converse weigh and will they fit in with my luggage allowance!? I couldn’t say no though and all 3 cost no more than R800 – the price of 1 pair in SA usually!

I swooned over the gorgeous Kate Spade clutches ($99), the Miss Sixty jeans ($40) and the Aldo handbags (a fraction of SA prices), but was dumbfounded in the Crate and Barrel store where merchandise was up to 60% cheaper than in their NYC stores. And the worst part was everything I wanted wouldn’t fit in my case! OMLG if I lived here I would be flat broke (but happy!)

I settled for some cute stationery bits instead, will post some pics ASAP – I have now admitted I need to start a stationery-anonymous group as I am addicted…

My friend Tanya, picked up 2 pairs of gorgeous Nine West heels for less than R350 and Lloyd kitted himself out with uber-cool Smiths aviator shades for R400. That’s almost for free people!

Off back to NYC now, to spend the evening contemplating my suitcase packing configuration!

xoxo (tomorrow is the Gossip Girl tour!)