After dinner at Cascina last night, mommy and baby turned in while aunties Mary and Kate, and friend Dianne and I went down to Union Square to visit the Strand Book Store. Since my last visit over a year ago, the Strand (1) has added a second floor (2) of just art-related books. The basement (3) is still the repository of review copies of new books at 50% discount. Dianne says staff in the book business sell their free review copies here for extra income. It wasn't just that I could have spent the day perusing photography and design books in the new section, but what was a huge book store is now massive--hence the change in the slogan from 8 to 18 miles of books. Imagine a space the size of a supermarket split into thirds and stacked. I've got no problem with the Strand's super size, it's a place I'll gladly lose myself in on visits to the city.

It was a light haul to the busy checkout counter (4): a half-price copy of Sante d'orazio's fashion photography diary A Private View and Robert Sabuda's breathtaking pop-up book America the Beautiful.

- mike lee - new york city