Dogs of New York

I went for a run on Hampstead Heath on my return from New York on Monday (there's nothing like an overnight flight and United coach catering to leave me longing for fresh air and a bit of breathlessness). And as I ran I saw lots of dogs like this:

Roaming free, off the lead and muddy

They are a stark contrast to the dogs of Manhattan:

Groomed, on the lead, and walked by a professional

It struck me that the ladies of New York are similarly well polished, compared to their scruffy London cousins.

The night before the wedding we went to rehearsal drinks, with a dress code of 'very casual'. In London this would mean jeans and a t-shirt. In New York it means a dress and heels.

A Londoner

Fortunately I knew this having been burnt before (I remember going on a date in New York with TLOML when we lived in Malibu, and I wore my best jeans and luxe jersey tee, and felt like a farmer compared to all the girls in frocks).

Two New Yorkers

Living in New York did raise my game. And I lifted it again this weekend, with a mani-pedi, and a couple of dresses. But I think, like the muddy dogs of Hampstead Heath, the scruffier look of London is my natural millieu. Ah, it's nice to be back in a city where a manicure is considered making an effort, rather than an every day essential.