N to the Y to the C!!!

You'd never think it, would you, that a busy mother of three who's not really rolling in dough or anything would get to spend a Day. By Herself. In New York City. But oh my gosh it is absolutely fabulously, romantically TRUE! I can't wait. I am so excited.
We are traveling to Pennsylvania for a family reunion for Matts' family which in all honesty I have not been super psyched about... lugging car seats and children and messed-up sleep schedules and la la and this and that, you know what I mean. Well, Matt's mom who is really super cool and ultra loving and understanding knew just how to make it worth my while. She actually called me up and offered this to me. She said I should stay out until, you know, after dark, like, night time, like, totally stay out and go see some music and have dinner with some friends, oh my! Paradise!
But most especially it's just the being alone part, to fritter away my hours, do some serious frittering, just walk around and look at stuff, go into shops and look at every single tiny last thing if I want to... kick back at a cafe for as long as I want to... just, do my own thing the whole live long day.
I lived in Manhattan for a 3 or 4 years back at the tail end of the nineties, so I know pretty much where to go and how to get around, but I'd love to have some recommendations from anyone about any new must-sees. I think being downtown will probably be enough for me... there's places uptown that I'd love to visit, but I think between East, West Village and Lower East side, Chinatown, and Soho, I'll probably have plenty to occupy me. I want to go to Housing Works book store, Pearl River mercantile in Chinatown, Purl in Soho.... there's probably some fabulous reuse center there and I should go in and interview them for Mungo....
Well it's all very well and good but probably the most important thing is did you hear what I said...? I am not going to be in charge of ANYBODY except my very own self until WELL past bedtime. Oh and yes I will be in one of the most exciting cities in the world, but I could be almost anywhere and be pretty fabulously tickled to have a day to myself. Yippee!