Hello, New York

I'm in New York. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you're . . . well, you're aware of that. I find it impossible not to tweet when I'm alone on an adventure, and this, although it's only begun, is that.

I started the trip by downloading Sophie Littlefield's BANISHED, released today. Now, y'all know Sophie's a friend of mine, blah blah blah, but I was blown away by how hard I fell in love with it. I read it in one fell cross-country swoop, and it allowed me to ignore the elbow of the tall man sitting next to me. Her characters are stunningly real, the action at times shocking (Hailey can not only heal but bring the dead back to life — if she dares), and the emotion (a Sophie-specialty) is visceral. I loved the story, and I can't recommend it highly enough (even if YA isn't normally your thing, this probably IS).

Then I got off the plane and dove into the nearest cab. I know there are other ways of getting to the city, but I was in a hurry. I only had a couple of hours before the sun went down, and I had to do some wandering.

I'm staying in the West Village at the Jane Hotel. And I do think it's the coolest place I've ever stayed. While a large part of the thrill is being here by myself, I regret that Lala isn't here to see this (though we'd need a larger room). I regret that Bethany and Christy aren't here (especially Bethany — this is HER kind of place to the teeth — check her blog to see proof). I regret that the whole hotel isn't full of everyone I care about.

Check it out: It's a pod hotel. What that means is that the rooms are small, cabin-style (shared bathrooms, which are very nice and clean — they even provide you a robe and slippers so you can walk down there!). I have the smallest (and I swear that this is if not my room, then my room is EXACTLY like this one) and most inexpensive cabin:

(Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)

I've decided, after much consideration, that this room is the size of a King bed. If you include the 6inch deep shelf at the end, perhaps a California King. I can touch both walls with my arms outstretched (and did, several times, just for fun). But IT IS NINETY FIVE DOLLARS. In New York, that's practically free. There is room under the bed for one suitcase (you could NOT have two very skinny people in here if they both had a suitcase). You'd be hard-pressed to have one person fit in here if she brought two suitcases.

But it is AWESOME. And did I mention the price? And in the West Village (bordering Greenwich Village)? Dude.

I walked around a while after I checked in (not in the room, that wouldn't take long) in the area, down Jane to Greenwich, then wandered Hudson and Bleecker…. I had the best cheap burger at the Corner Bistro and sat watching the world go by outside, in the warm wind as leaves struggled to fall, while everyone and her brother walked their dogs.

After a drink and an accidental trip-and-fall into Magnolia Bakery, I wandered back to the Jane, where I found the bar.

Oh. Oh, oh, oh.

The whole hotel is like this (survivors of the Titanic stayed here — they even had a memorial service here), but the bar is the MOST like this — it's as if I'm staying in the Haunted Mansion. Or the Tower of Terror. Only SO MUCH BETTER because it's not Disney, it's real. (Okay, it's fake-ish real. Redone real. But I don't care. I'll buy it.)

I'm right now sitting in this room, above. Only it's dark, only lit by candles and wall-sconces. And I'm the only one in it, at almost 8pm. And strangely, they're playing Tina Turner and Michael Jackson. (Really, no problem with that.)

More photos HERE. (The desk help really dresses like that. I can only imagine the maids do, too. Should I be ashamed for loving it so much? Probably. But the martinis are good, as is the music, and I'm going to bed early in a cheap awesome hotel in a great location, and I'm stoked.)

And when I go to bed (actually, as soon as I finish this post and get out my Kindle and relax in front of the fire with my dirty martini), I'll be reading ASH, which is breathtaking (Cinderella with a fairy-tale GLBT twist). I didn't mean to go on a young-adult kick — I just seem to be there. And I'm loving it. Tomorrow will be a work day, and then more fun. I'll keep you posted.