New York state of mind

Don't you sometimes want to get away from it all?

After the cookie kerfuffle of last week, I needed to de-clutter my mind. I was a little bit sad on not being at the auction of our Kensington dream house that went to another, especially as Josh had decided where to put the flat screen TV and his kayaking medals.

So my Open for Inspection Girl dreamings this week covered a lot of lovely Paddington streets that I could easily jog to, de-stressing as I poked my nose into renovators delights in cul-de-sacs and strolled through light-filled terraces with lace balconies.

I love Paddington. It's pretty as a Parisian postcard and cheaper to get to. But, needing a break from the here and now, I took my imagination and went to New York and Paris, all in the one morning of my Open for Inspection Girl dreamings. Underwood Street was my launching pad. What a great street – two pubs within stumbling distance and Collette Dinnigan a five minute stroll away!

At 154 Underwood Street, I travelled to New York. Josh and I went to New York for our honeymoon and when I walked through the house I felt the excitement of being in that city; I swear I spotted a yellow cab flashing by the house when I looked out the window from the attic retreat.  From the street, the house was a beautiful Paddington terrace, but inside I felt like Andy Warhol or Joan Didion might somehow be in the next room, drinking Manhattans. Kim Jones from Di Jones Real Estate explained that the house had been designed by Thomas Hamel, who is the designer for all things sophisticated East Coast USA, apparently. I took a holiday from my neighbourhood and my 15 minutes in New York (via the lovely friendly people at Di Jones Real Estate) put me in a much better state of mind.

After a restorative jog through Centennial Park (which I think is a lot like Central Park) and a few more property viewings, I returned to Underwood Street (having a little window gaze in to Just William chocolates on the way; are their calories in the smell of chocolate?)

I love Paris in the spring time; and it is spring in Paris right now. 84 Underwood Street took me to the city of love and lights in an eye blink. The house is brimming with energy and happiness. The kitchen has an amazing terrazzo floor that would be great to dance on with Alex and Josh as a soufflé cooked in the Smeg oven. The outdoor area is so peaceful and the scent of jasmine hung in the air as I walked around. Who could imagine that a house could be so zen-like and only a five minute walk from Oxford Street?

The sun was smiling today, a perfect Sydney autumn day. By the end of my morning of Open for Inspection Girl dreamings, I was smiling too. I love Paris, I love New York, but I think I love Sydney most of all.