Happenings: Fashion Night Out

Thursday was the beginning of Fashion Week and also marked the first ever NY Fashion Night Out. With fall-like temperatures in the 60's, it was a perfect night to be gallivanting around the city admiring the art of fashion...and do a little shopping. Stores stayed open late throughout the city, baiting fashionistas with cocktails and hors d'oeurves, live-DJs, freebies, limited edition items and celebrity appearances. Everywhere you went, crowds and lines of fashionably dressed men and women twittered with excitement.

Miss Fashion, our navigator for the evening, and I met at Opening Ceremony a few minutes before they opened at 6 pm. Already the sidewalk was crowded with fans. As soon as the doors opened, the crowd milling about rushed through the door, ostensibly to grab some of the limited edition items (as displayed in this convertible parked outside the store).Outside the store, this adorable Hearts Challenger ice cream truck (they opened in June 2009 and can be found around the city, but also rented for parties) sold ice cream on a stick, as well as candy and toys, from all over the world. I had green tea mochi ice cream.
Brooklyn-based Van Leeuwen was giving out free samples of its very original ice cream flavors - I had earl grey ice cream. Very tasty. Miss Fashion had ginger.Momofuku Milk had a treat "Thai" truck (get it?) from which they were selling ties (you had to pay inside however) and giving out very tasty, very buttery Thai tea and mango cookies.

Miss Fashion got a limited edition Rodarte t-shirt, Kurt Cobain tote and notebook. I bought a fabulous Opening Ceremony dress. By the time we left, shopping bags in tow, there was a long line of people waiting to get in.Next stop: Bergdorf Goodman. We were naively thinking we could catch the Olsen Twins bartending, but by the time we got there, the line wrapped around the block into oblivion. The people at the end of the line were facing at least a two-hour wait. Not worth it. On to Madison Avenue.Charlize Theron was supposed to be at Dior, signing copies of the September Issue of Vogue with her face on the cover. Again, there was a line when we got there, but it seemed to moving pretty quickly. We soon found out whey. Charlize had finished her appearance and been escorted out the back. She's gone, we heard people whisper throughout the crowd. Nonetheless, a big crowd in the store anyway, all oriented to the back room. What were people were waiting for? A mystery still. By the time we walked out five minutes later, the line had dispersed.Other stops: Chanel - where you could design your own Chanel bag and have a Hollywood make-up artist make you over.Louis Vuitton, where we ate a couple tasty hors d'oeuvres and Miss Fashion bought a fabulous pair of pants!
Burberry, where had shared a glass of champagne.

Happy, we had dinner at one of my favorite midtown clutch restaurants - Menchanko-Tei on 55th St between 5th and 6th Ave- for perfect bowls of Hakata Ramen (half portions) and rice balls. Yum!

Word On The Street: City's Short On Produce

This little headline in the Huffington Post caught my attention today: "How Hard Is It To Get Fruits and Vegetables In the City?" It's so true. New Yorkers don't know how bad they have it. Anytime I visit a produce department in a supermarket (much less a Walmart) in another state, it's like stepping into Eden, with all that bounty.

When I moved to NYC from California, I used to go to this little bodega across the street from my Upper East Side apartment. They charged a ransom for the mealiest produce you'd ever seen. In the summer, the place would be swarming with fruit flies - unappetizing to begin with - and whatever produce I bought would be rotten or moldy within 48 hours.

There was a Gristedes a couple blocks away, but I swear their produce department is just for the truly desperate--"Yikes, I have a recipe that calls for onions and I'm fresh out. Thank god there's a Gristedes selling really expensive, sickly produce around the corner." I have been this desperate on occasion, but I've learned to plan better

I made these produce blunders when I was a grad student and low on funds. Not only did I lose my California tan, but I'm sure my sickly pallor was due to my inability to find tasty, affordable produce in my neighborhood.

Now that I have a little more cash flow, the only two places I'll buy produce are Whole Foods and the produce markets on Mott St. in Chinatown. At the former, you're paying a little more, but you know you're geting quality stuff. At the latter, you know the stuff is fresh b/c of the rapid turnover, and it's cheap. I also frequent my neighborhood Zeytuna, which is like a mini-Whole Foods and has a cheaper and better herb section.

I'll occasionally stop at fruit stands on the corner from time to time to grab a bunch of grapes or an avocado, but you have to be careful. I always ask the stand keeper if I can sample the grapes before I buy them, and I inspect my produce before forking over the cash. These guys will pick the produce for you if you stand back and mumble "I'd like to get a few apples, please," but when you get home, you'll find your apples are as mushy as your commitment to good produce.

Word On The Street: Bendel's Without Clothes?

Came across this bit on the NYT today:

A venerable name in New York retailing, Henri Bendel, is planning to stop selling clothes this summer and focus on accessories and beauty products as it struggles to lure shoppers during a prolonged recession.

The article goes on to say the store will be laying off 8% of its employees and get this, Limited, it's parent company, plans to turn Bendel's into a "mall-like chain." Yikes. Is this the end of my love affair with Bendel's?

Neighborhoods: Brooklyn Flea Market and Other Fort Greene Adventures

When I think of flea markets, I think of a stadium parking lot filled with rows and rows of vendors, like the flea markets of my childhood. So I wasn't expecting the entire Brooklyn Flea Market to fit into the confines of a high school track field. But that made it more neighborhood-y and intimate, I guess. It's definitely worth the trip out, with a nice variety of craft and food vendors, vintage clothing and jewelry dealers and people just cleaning out their attics. I'd say it took us about 40 minutes to walk through the whole thing, and we were mostly just browsing.

I'd never been to Fort Greene before, or at least not intentionally. The market is about a 15 minute walk from the 4/5 Atlantic St. Stop, and I confess I used my Google Maps app on my Blackberry to guide me. I always feel I'm on the verge of getting lost when in the BK. Getting off the subway, I swear I was hit up for money at least a few times in the first few blocks of what I assume is Downtown Brooklyn. It's funny how the neighborhood changes as you walk further north and east. Less scuzzy.

My first impressions of the market: hipster central. Having decided against my straw fedora and ironic tee at home, I felt a little out of place in my girly sundress, but it was cool. Being uninitiated into this flea market business, I haven't mastered the art of finding treasure amidst clutter, but I did buy a pair of earrings (made not by the vendor, it turns out, but by someone in Bali - $30 - not cheap!) and a peanut butter and chocolate whoopie pie (the ones at One Girl Cookies were better). I was glad to find a couple rows of food booths--nice to see locally produced foods. For those who are famished, they can also buy drinks, corn on the cob, sausage and other stuff and sit and eat on the bleachers with the rest of the hipsters.

Here are some photos from our day...vintage kitchen set:

Charlie Brown and Linus - except what's wrong with their coloring?:
Vinyl dealers:
Wow - maybe if you had this sectional and nothing else in your very white living room:
Kinda cool:Pots and pans:
Vintage toys:
Sweets!!
Carved right off a pig's leg, for your culinary pleasure:
Tasty gherkins and other pickled products:
More mini cupcakes?
More baked goods:
$70? Seriously?Food and drink!!
Pretty mirrors:
Nice little banquette:
Later, we walked to De Kalb Ave (some strangers told us that's where we'd find the restaurants) and ate at a French cafe called Lou Lou. Cute little garden out back. The kitchen was really backed up that day because it took at least an hour for our food to come out. Food was okay, not great.


Garden view:View from the hatch:

Things I Love About New York: The Holiday Season

After nearly two weeks of being sick with a cold, I'm 99% well (still blowing my nose, however). and finally able to enjoy the Holidays in NYC to the hilt. After five years of living in the City, I'm still in love with the way the city transforms itself between Turkey Day and New Year's Day. This year, I'm feeling particularly infused with the holiday spirit and hope to share it with you.

So here is my list of things that make up the quintessential NYC Christmas. Click on the headers for related blog posts:

• Tree Lightings--Yes, I had to watch them on TV this year, but even after they're lit, they're worth visiting and gawking at like a five-year old. Rock Center, Wall Street, Bryant Park...
• Buying Your Own Tree -- non-New Yorkers often ask me how we New Yorkers get our trees. There aren't Christmas tree lots here, not the way you get in CA, but there are Christmas tree sidewalk vendors. No joke. Photos and details of our tree shopping trip here.
  
• Holiday Markets -- They're cropping up everywhere. NYMag has a great compilation of markets around town. I've already stopped into both the Bowling Green market and Columbus Circle market for my Gingerbread people fix (from Breezy Hill Orchards)
• Ice Skating -- Rock Center and Wollman & Lasker Rinks in Central Park are old standbys; Bryant Park's The Pond is free, but the skates aren't very comfortable (for my flat feet, at least); I have yet to check out the new rinks at South Street Seaport and the Natural History Museum. Once I do, I'll report back.
  
• Department Store Windows & Displays -- my favorite by far is Saks' Snowflake spectacular - words cannot describe, so here's a video but Bergdorf's, Barney's, Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Lord & Taylor all put on great displays.
• Tickets to a Holiday Show -- In the past, I have really enjoyed the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and recommend you go at least once. This year, I'm in the mood for the Nutcracker Ballet. They're also doing Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" at the Marquis Theater.
  
• Shopping!!!! - last but not least, what's Christmas in NYC without the amazing end-of-year sales. This year especially. I always start out shopping for others and end up buying stuff for myself. Do you?

Ho ho ho!

Hunt For: The Perfect Winter Coat

If you count college, I have now spent nearly a decade of my life surviving Northeast winters. I come from the West originally, land of sunshine, so you can imagine how clueless I was about dressing for the cold when I was a freshman in college. My first winter coat was this ugly mustard yellow parka with down filling and a gray fur lining around the hood. It kept me warm but did nothing for me style wise.

Somewhere along the way I learned you don't have to look like Nanook the Eskimo to stay warm. My second major winter coat was a head to ankle black wool coat with a hood that fell down around the shoulders. Very warm. I thought it was a sexy coat at the time--picture Whitney Houston in the Bodyguard - but really I just looked like an Ewok.

Some Basic Tips
Anyhow, I learned a few things:
1. The coat doesn't have to come down to your ankles to keep you warm. That's what pants and tights are for.
2. It doesn't have to be bulky to keep you warm. That's what layers are for.
3. You don't need a hood. That's what hats and scarves are for.
3. It's not just for covering you up. It should make you feel stylish or attractive when you wear it so it should have so shape or flatter your figure. I hate those coats that make women look like wool columns with feet sticking out the bottom.
4. A coat is an investment - it's worth spending the extra money to get a good wool blend or lining that feels great against your skin.

This fall, one of my goals was to find another winter coat. So I scoured the Internet and stores around town for some finds. I'm not a slave to fashion, but I also wanted to find a coat that was fashion forward in some ways...not just like every other boring coat.

When To Start Looking
The fall lines start coming in in August, so by now, the hottest coats are sold out or near sold out, but the department store coat sections are still well-stocked. If you wait until December, the selections will be decimated and only gigantic sizes remaining....but truth be told, the first winter I moved back to NYC, I made the mistake of waiting until November to look for a coat, and I did manage to find one I love...so there's hope.

Where to Look and How Much
Department stores are a good one-stop shop for coats. Bloomingdales has some good staples -like Burberry, Cole Haan, Searle, and the great Canadian brands, Soia & Kyo and Mackage. The good coats are around $800-1000. Saks has a great selection too. That's where I bought my last two coats.

If you have a couple thousand to spend, you could go to Bergdorf's or any of the designer boutiques. Rick Owens, Jill Sander, Aquasqutum (pictured above) and Stella McCartney had some great coats this season, but priced at $1600-$3000, they were more than I wanted to spend.

On Sunday, walking around Soho, I noticed stores like Anthropologie and other small boutiques, like Ina or Purdy Girl had cute coats in the $300-$500 range.

Certain brands are known for their coats, so it can also be easier to go straight to the source: Searle and Burberry have stores in town with really extensive selections.

I have done the thing where I buy a coat for under $200 and I like it for maybe a couple months - but then the stiffness of the material or the trendiness or the lack of warmth - something makes it so I don't wear it for more than one season. But if that's what you need, there are coats galore at BR, Club Monaco, etc....

Use the Power of the Internet
Traipsing around town for a coat is exhausting. But now that we have the Internet, you can do a lot of your homework beforehand. I created a "lookbook" of jpgs of coats from different designer and shopping sites to get a sense of the silhouettes and styles I was most attracted to.

So Did I Find It?
Yes! I found my perfect coat at Nanette Lepore--feminine, unique, classic, yet girly. It was my first choice among "lookbook" images, so all I had to do was go in and try it on. Luckily, they still had one coat left in my size. The entire transaction from the time entered the store to payment took maybe 5 minutes. Yay! I'm glad this hunt was more successful than my hunt for a lamp...

Hunt For: The Perfect Lamp

One of the greatest benefits of living in NYC is knowing that if you look hard enough, you'll find the perfect [whatever it is you're looking for]. This past week, that item was a lamp. More specifically, a light that:

• Could light an entire room - so at least 200 watts of light
  
• Look good doing it (i.e., well-designed, contemporary, modern, clean lines)
• Wouldn't break the bank - less than $1000
  

Where to Look and How Much?
I did a lot of online research. The following sites seem to be the most reputable among the designer lighting companies:

• Y Lighting
• All Modern Lighting

I also looked online at:

• Room & Board
• Crate & Barrel
• Restoration Hardware
  

I went to the following stores, which my research on Apartment Therapy informed me had the best selection:

• Lee's Studio (photo above)-- great selection and helpful staff
  
• Lightforms (in Chelsea)--the guy working there on Saturday was really rude
  

And because I was in the neighborhood, I also stopped at:

• Home Depot--no fancy designer lamps here
  
• West Elm--knock offs of designer lamps, but nothing I'd want in my home
  

I called these other reputable NYC lighting stores:

• Lighting by Gregory
• The Lighting Center
• MSK Illumination

I meant to go to the following but didn't make it:

• Artemide
• Gracious Home
• Standard Lighting

The lamps I liked were quite expensive - around $600 and up for one 100-watt floor lamp, and I would need two to provide 200 watts - that puts me at $1200! Halogens top out at 250-300 watts and are pretty ugly, but there was one I liked--an Estiluz 300-watt halogen--only problem - it's $800!

At first, I looked only at floor lamps, but I started thinking of getting a table lamp instead b/c they're cheaper. I had my eye on one that looked good online -- the George Kovacs Mercury Table Lamp (Ball) and called around town to see if I could see it in person. But no one in NYC had this particular lamp on display. The nice guy at The Lighting Center actually told me to try Home Depot b/c they were one of the largest Kovacs dealers in the city. So I went to Home Depot. Boy am I glad I saw it in person b/c it was much larger and uglier in person.

BTW, prices for the Kovacs lamp were as follows:

• YLighting.com - $149.90
• Bellacor.com - $132.44 (but I hear they have bad customer service)
• All Modern Lighting - $138.60
• Lee's Studio - $149.90
• Home Depot - $168.00
• Lighting Center - $154.00

So Lee's Studio had the best prices in town, but it pays to call around, as different companies have different negotiated discounts with different manufacturers. Can you believe the price Home Depot was charging?! If the lamp were good-looking in person, I would have ordered from Lee's for the peace of mind even though online vendors Bellacor and All Modern Lighting quoted cheaper prices.

So Did I find it?
Anyhow, I haven't found the perfect lamp yet. So far, the lamps I like are more than I want to spend and have less wattage than I'd prefer, and with the economy being what it is, I'm beginning to question the wisdom of spending a thousand dollars on lighting. I do have my eye on a few lamps at Gracious Home, so there's still hope. If that doesn't work out, I might have to break down and buy one of those $20 Staples torchieres. Don't worry - we're not sitting in the dark, though it's dimmer here at night than it used to be.

Great Find: Gotham Magazine

I have no idea why I get Gotham Magazine mailed to me every month. I don't recall subscribing (it's $70 a year!), but I have noticed a lot of Gotham Magazines in our mail room, so maybe it's a zip code thing--is 10006 a posh zip? It's certainly no 10013 (Tribeca) which Gotham Magazine spotlight's this month in it's Cracking the Code column, but hey, I'm not complaining.

Anyhow, in the past, I flipped through the many pages of society photos and quickly threw the magazine into the recycling bin, but today, for some reason, something clicked. I devoured this month's issue from cover-to-cover in one sitting.

Here are some highlights:

• the annual Gotham 100 best dressed list--filled with fashion editors, society moms, actors, music moguls, and designers
• interviews with Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl gives me the same fashion-candy high that Sex and the City once did--love that show!) and Rachel Zoe, whose new reality show I love
• some cool NY people & places that were new to me: Eleanor Ylvisaker of Ernest Sewn (jeans), R&Y Augousti (home design & handbags), Archivia Books (art books), Argosy Books (rare books), Hudson River Park tennis courts, Ililii (Mediterranean restaurant) and Jeffrey NY (according to NY Mag, a cooler version of Bergdorf's)
• comparison chart of the best in NYC chocolate: Chocolate Bar, Cafe Charbonnel, Jacques Torres, La Maison du Chocolat and another article on the benefits of chocolate with high cocoa content (look for cocoa from Columbia, Ecuador, & Venezuela)
  
• events to take note of: Bicycle for a Day is September 20, the new Museum of Arts & Design at Columbus Circle is opening September 27, and Japan C, an 11-week exhibition of all things Japanese is ongoing

And I'm just sharing half the things I jotted down for future reference! Has the editorial gotten better? Or is it just the Fall Fashion issue? We'll see what's October's issue looks like, but this one was a real pleasure to read. Life in NYC seems so much cooler when you're seeing it through the eyes of the Gotham editors.

Stuff I've Learned: It's worth your while to be "Fashion Week"-literate

We're five days into the Fashion Week, my friends, and yet again, I find myself obsessing over clothes I cannot afford. Like this amazing ruffled gown in today's Carolina Herrera collection! Oh, the beauty! And the pain!

Why do I spend hours on Style.com or NYT or WWD flipping through slide after slide? I'm not one of these girls who lives and breathe fashion, who can rattle off the names of the hottest designers and provide critiques of their past four collections (if that many had been had) without blinking an eye, who'd rather forego food and utilities than a pair of Louboutin shoes...in short, someone who actually gets invited to Fashion Week! So why is it that twice a year, I can't help but get a little crazy?

The thing is I, like many New Yorkers, didn't give a crap for many years. So what changed? A combination of circumstances:

1. I stopped being a grad student and started earning money, which meant I could afford to buy some of the clothes, or at least the clothes inspired by the clothes, I see in Fashion Week. And when you're in the work force, dressing well is an easy way to communicate that you're a> conscientious, b> someone who's got it together. And let's face it, when someone comes to work in a beautiful outfit, you can't help but pay attention to said person, even if you're crazy jealous.
   
2. As a continuation of point #1, I know it's a cliche, but in this town (more so than LA), people care more about what you wear. There's no hiding in your car! In NYC, from the moment you step out of your apartment, you're on display, and that means hundreds of times a day people are sizing you up, just based on your appearance. Sound unfair? Tough! It's NY. So, you can either be one of those people who learns not to care (good for you--you're more well-adjusted than most), or you can start thinking more seriously about what you're putting on in the morning...or the evening.
3. Even if you can't afford Gucci & Prada, the fact is with the fashion industry being as diverse as it is today (read: H&M, UniQlo and Target on the low end all the way up through Club Monaco & BR, department store labels and beyond) come Spring 2009, you WILL find something in your price range that meets standards of fashion as defined by this week's Fashion Week. So you should do your homework. This doesn't mean you should be slavishly devoted to trends; just informed.
   
4. It's darn fun. This is art, people, and it's just like us New Yorkers to embrace any form it's in, whether silk, satin, cotton, leather, feathered or fur. In fact, don't just stop with New York. The party continues to Europe! Miss Fashion, in fact, favors Paris and Milan's fashion weeks.
5. Some people are turned off by the pieces that seem impractical--the "I would never wear that" phenomenon. But one thing to realize is what looks "crazy" this year is often what the general public is wearing a couple years out. Also, designers aren't stupid- they know their customers probably won't buy their most outlandish outfits--not even the Richie Nicole Ritchies. They tone down their runway pieces for retail production, so don't let that stop you from appreciating their art.
   
6. And finally, after a while, with your sense of fashion honed through successive fashion weeks, chances are you'll make styling choices that will help you "pass" more easily for a New Yorker.
   

All this is just my way of saying fashion's one of this cities greatest pleasures, so don't be intimidated. Whatever her financial circumstances, a girl can dream.

Neighborhood: Cobble Hill

Miss Fashion, who grew up in Brooklyn and is helping me discover new neighborhoods outside of Manhattan, suggested we meet in Cobble Hill last night for dinner. I had previously fallen in love with DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights, but my evening in Cobble Hill was even better in some ways. This neighborhood reminded me of the Lower East Side, without the grit. I mean, people were mellow and smiled and sat at sidewalk cafes eating dinner with their kids and dogs.

First, we met up at Borough Hall and walked around the neighborhood, where Miss Fashion pointed out the beautiful brownstones. There were kids and parents everywhere, and at one point, we witnessed a returning father being greeted by his wife and kid at the door. A very sweet moment.

We then went to One Girl Cookies on Dean Street whose reputation is built on their Whoopie Pies and amazing cookies. Being the sweet-fiends we are, we both loaded up. Let me just say the pumpkin whoopie pie is amaaaazzing! And the Lucia cookie (the one with the black and white marble frosting) just sent my endorphins soaring. So good. And how cute is their store? So much bigger than bakeries in Manhattan with an entire seating area in the back, where you can just sit with your girlfriends and get your sugar rush on. I will definitely be back.

We strolled down Smith Street (Brooklyn's "Restaurant Row" according to some) and I was surprised by how many adorable boutiques there were, including Bird, which had great dresses and accessories, including foldable commuter shoes/ballet flats with carrying case:...and another whose name I forget that carries the cutest Vivienne Westwood rubber Mary Janes and Wedges, which Miss Fashion was crazy for. And we stopped in at Rime, this streetwear store that sold Kid Robot stuff, including both tricked out and do-it-yourself Munny's. They were having a DIY Munny contest actually. There was a Flight 001, where I stopped in for some travel accessories and we also passed Brooklyn Industries, though we didn't stop in. There were just too many cute stores and not enough time.

You've got to love Cobble Hill's broad selection of restaurants, from Cuban to Thai to Italian to French. On Pacific, the Angeleno in me got excited when passing the surf-shack Mexican restaurant called Pacifico and seafood joint called Trout (although the blogosphere seem less than enthusiastic about the food) But we ended up eating in the outdoor patio of Apartment 138 because Miss Fashion had heard good things:I had a Caesar Salad and a classic burger slider. The food was really delicious, esp considering restaurants seem to slack off when it comes to the slider. This one had a lovely toasted brioche bun and perfectly cooked patty and sauce. Yum! And the Caesar had a uniquely tart dressing that I really enjoyed.

Miss Fashion and I talked a lot about finding a neighborhood to call home in NYC and all the factors that go into that decision. I'm still haven't weened myself off Manhattan, but I'm beginning to think that in the future, with more excursions like last night's, I may change my mind.