the hotel st. james is an unassuming little boutique hotel on west forty fifth street and you could be forgiven for walking right by it, as i did.  i got there just when the doormen and the valets and the bellboys were on break.  nonetheless, it is the most magnificent fan-tabulous hotel in all manhattan!  the lobby is a commentary on ikea postmodernist minimalism and dusty plastic flowers.

the desk clerk raised an eyebrow–i had cheated on my diet in the past few days–and he assigned me the supermodel suite on the twelfth floor. how do i know it’s the supermodel suite?  it’s on the twelfth floor. and the staff very helpfully shut down the elevators. getting to my room was a great workout! and coming back downstairs to tell them that the magnetized key card didn’t work just doubled the fun!

you don’t need blush or highlighter powder at the hotel–everyone has a natural, pink glow, in part because they are true environmentalists who don’t believe in air conditioning!  coming back up to the room after getting my card fixed i figured i was ready for a refreshing shower.

this picture from the st. james website doesn’t do justice to the supermodel bathroom which is so slim and compact that only a woman with a nineteen inch waist can brush her teeth without standing in the tub. i am learning to suck in that tummy!

real estate is pricey in manhattan and i was surprised by how reasonably priced the st. james is.

a picture of somebody else’s guest room and the pool from their website. i haven’t found the pool but since i cheated on my diet maybe that’s a good thing. i might alarm chic new yorkers if i wore a bikini! and besides, i’m on a mission and shouldn’t get distracted.

in may of this year, i crossed over to staten island in the ferry to meet michele persiak, the 317th facebook friend in my friends list.  michele is an agoraphobic who rarely left the house and then only with the help of a “safe” friend.  i was very honored that i counted as a “safe” friend and we went for a walk.

michele is a wonderful twentysomething gal who is just too young to let herself be tied to the house this way.  i asked her what her major goal in life is and she said it was to become a psychiatrist and help people who have anxiety disorders.  i asked her what her “minor” goal was and she said it was to one day dine at the restaurant laconde verde which is on greenwich street in manhattan.  she had read that robert de niro owns the joint and that it was the superswankest restaurant she could imagine.  a bus ride, a ferry trip, and a cab ride away.  it might as well be on the moon.

supermodels are allowed their eccentricities. so if michele wants to bring her pet stewie, i guess i have to say “okay!”

but i promised michele that if she broke things up into little parts she could call me and i would make reservations.  she started walking a block every day, then two blocks, then a trip to micky dee’s, and then out for a meal with our mutual facebook friend carolyn quinn.  carolyn called for reservations.  and i booked my flight.  and we’ll be joined by azusa watanabe who is coming all the way from japan!

this is exactly how supermodels do it!  and it’s going to be four supermodels having the supermodel life!  if you want to join us please do!  but make sure you  work it like a supermodel!