Continuing my domination of Manhattan bookstores, I bring you the Strand Bookstore Kiosk in Central Park. Located on the Southeast corner of Central Park, the Strand Kiosk gives visitors a taste of one of NYC’s most beloved bookstores nearly 50 blocks up from its brick and mortar location. I’ve walked past the kiosk probably a hundred times, but I’ve never stopped to purchase anything.

As a treat to myself, I went after a painful visit to the dentist to pick up some summer reading material. There is nothing more soothing or enjoyable than perusing books on a beautiful summer day. It was one of those rare days during a city summer– blue skies, a nice breeze, and zero humidity. Despite the pain inflicted on me at the dentist, I found myself falling in love with New York and wasn’t afraid to be a tourist in my own city.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of selection, but I was able to find some really great new AND used books. And because of my “I Love New York” state, I wound up wanting to buy everything! Screw the budget! Somehow, I managed to stick with three: The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan, Gentleman Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos, and Home by Toni Morrison. In fact, that’s a pretty good selection of my reading tastes.

At check-out, they had a whole slew of New York themed books, obviously for the tourists, and I was tempted! I wanted to buy a couple collections of essays set in New York, but I refrained. My purse was already overflowing and I had to be back at work.

I am so happy I finally gave in to this cute little corner. It was not busy and it felt so, so “New York.” One of my favorite little shops thus far and I highly recommend it whether you are visiting or just a native looking for something fun.