Every trip to New York City brings back memories of the time this place was my home. Our family and friends worked and played here. It was, and is, a special place in part because that’s where we landed at the end of our journey as immigrants. For many of my relatives, NYC was the only home that they ever knew. They were proud to refer to the place as theirs, developing an arrogance, sometimes unjustified, that this was the best place in the world. I had three nostalgic goals on this trip: visit the two homes in the Bronx and the one in New Jersey where my grandparents had lived most of their lives (I lived in these places as well), view Saks Fifth Avenue, and walk around Bergdorf-Goodman. All three goals were accomplished.

For more than 30 years my great-uncle, Charles Ardovino, was responsible for designing and arranging window displays at Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The displays were fabulous, full of the latest fashion and presented in the most interesting ways. Saks continues to be known for its windows, especially during the holiday season. I took pictures during the day and evening, although the night shots are my favorites given that the color and glitter seem to stand out more boldly on a darker background.

My mother worked as an assistant tailor and model at Bergdorf-Goodman department store for nearly eight years, 1946-1954. She was working there when I was born, and early on in my life I made one or two cameos as my mother “showed me off” to her co-workers. My mother’s high school specialization in fashion design from Washington Irving High School in Manhattan paved the way for her hiring. I have posted up some of her work as a high school student in times past.