Young Designers Market is Cool

I went to the Young Designers Market at 268 Mulberry St. over the weekend to visit Dori, propreitor and head (and only) designer of Ike Designs (see my earlier post on Ike Designs, because you can get 20% off of her jewelry online exclusively via...ME!).

Anyway, the "Market" is tightly packed full of independent vendors selling all kinds of great stuff: jewelry, clothing, leather goods...very interesting and great for gifting. It's open every weekend until Christmas, which means that all of you last-minute shoppers can run in on Xmas Eve and get some cool shiznit for your friends and family and look like the thoughtful brother, cousin, daughter that you are (not).

Te Casan: A Shoe Paradise

My very pregnant stringer, who I just learned is no longer pregnant, but the proud mother of a little baby girl, had informed me of a new shoe store called "Te Casan" in Soho. She had come across it in a New York magazine article a few weeks ago:

It’s bigger than Capitale! If you have not yet heard of Té Casan, and if you like shoes, you soon will: It’s a 5,500-square-foot, chandelier-hung, glass-staircased Soho store filled with nothing but women’s shoes.

OK, cutting to the chase, this place is awesome. The shoes are amazing, the salespeople attentive and accessible, the layout open and engaging...it's really an "experience," which is what any smart retailer understands is key to success, especially in New York where the competition is fierce, block after block. I think that if Sex and the City was still on the air they would have had to have filmed a few episodes in here. Why? Other than because I said so, here are some reasons:

• Three floors of footwear bliss for women only
• Shoes designed by seven up-and-coming designers who craft their art - and this stuff really is art - in Spain
• All limited editon shoes, which are numbered on the bottom, like a painting!
• Private "pods" in which you can try the shoes on
• $200-$475 a pair (not exactly cheap, but cheaper than Marc Jacobs, Chanel, etc.)
• New merchandise coming in January
• Free tea on the lower level
• The sickest in-a-good-way pair of boots that Vivienne Westwood would be proud to call her own, if only she had thought of the design first.

And lucky for me I had the pleasure of being shown around the store by Susan, who didn't even know I was a shopping blogger until the end of my visit. They have a secret weapon in her as a salesperson - very down to earth, cool and yet enthusiastic and knowledgable about the designers and the shoes. I shall return!

Home Depot: Pick Up Joint?

I visted Home Depot on 23rd St. by myself today. As I wondered aimlessly through the ground floor and lower level searching for various items - including the cash register at which to pay for them, I noticed and realized something. Among the couples shopping for fancy bathroom tile and the odd "old guy" looking to start his next project were: HOT GUYS. Now this is basically Chelsea, so while it is entirely likely that said hot guys are gay, it is at least possible that they are straight.

I've heard countless women ask the question, "Where can I meet guys in New York?" Bars, steakhouses, Yankee Stadium - these are the usual suspects. I've never heard anyone say, "Home Depot on 23rd St." And really, if you think about it, where else would a guy be shopping during the day on a Saturday or Sunday?

I think I may be onto something here ladies. Check it out for yourself...I mean, why not? Pull your best damsel in distress routine and let's see what you come up with. ;)

Target: Coming to Manhattan

OK, so a little bunny (see pic.) has informed me that Target is in fact slated to grace us islanders with its presence as soon as 2008, which could mean in 13 months. So says the New York Post (so I guess this isn't a secret, and I should have known!):
Best Buy is coming to East River Plaza.
The electronics retailer took 45,000 square feet in the East Harlem shopping center that is now under construction. While they will be located on half the third floor, Home Depot is already signed up for the entire first floor while Target has the second.

So don't skip town just yet, it might be worth your $4,000-a-month rent to stick around after all!

In other fun news (from New York magazine's "Fashion Alert" daily email, which you should probably just read instead of my blog anyway):

H&M continues its domination of Manhattan with the opening of its seventh store. The latest location throws its doors open with free T-shirts and 20 percent off all merchandise. When: Noon-8; Where: 111 Fifth Ave., at 18th St. (212-539-1741). [G.S. Note: This is the spot where the sucky Daffy's used to be.]

Furniture/Housewares: Target

Word on the street is that the Jersey City Target is the best one in the NY Metro area. I've been to it, as well as the one and Brooklyn and the one way out in Queens (or is that still Brooklyn?) Anyway, this word is from a friend who does the PR for Target.com - so she knows! I believe she told me that "Chill Town" is the best because it's the biggest and has the most variety of merchandise.

Anyway, I found myself at Target during one of my many efforts to find seemingly interesting and quality furniture at a reasonable price and found this pictured piece. In fact, I found two of them (I think they were around $70 each) and another smaller one and bought all three. Target's "World Bazaar" is all the rage - check it out and turn your mundane American home into an Opium Den or some such exotic setting.

Also, after many trials and tribulations (Target.com really has to work on their packing skills) I got a full set of new dishes - turquoise! In fact, I now have almost 2 sets of new dishes because each box would arrive with one or two plates or bowls broken in a box of four. So we'd call to complain and they'd send another whole box of four, and one or two of those would be broken. And so on and so on... Finally I received everything and now have about 14 dinner plates, 11 bowls, 12 salad plates and 5 mugs (instead of 8 of each). I love the dishes...and the price...but not the experience so much!

Alas, when are the good people of Target going to find a suitable Manhattan location? Just don't boot Lord & Taylor out (uh-oh...I may have just started something here...).

My Father's X-mas List

I received my dad's Christmas list via email yesterday. This is what I am to buy him. While this is not a joke, it certainly is hilarious. This man really knows EXACTLY what he wants. Shouldn't we all be so lucky? -->

My initial list (and NO, I'm not kidding)

1. Santoku knife - Shun Classic 6.5 inch knife. It's made in Japan by Kai. $94.98 at Broadway Panhandler, 477 Broome Street nr. Green Street (212)966-3434. Probably available elsewhere. No other brand will do.

2. Liqueur - Pama Pomegranate Liqueur - $25.00 at Park Ave. Liquor Shop and Astor Wines & Spirits. Not readily available elsewhere till later this month.

3. Long sleeved sport shirt, Medium. Plaid or other nice design. I like most things at Brooks Bros. Their 5th Ave. store is probably more hip than their Madison Ave. shop (but also much smaller).

4. An electric sander. Home Depot, Lowe's and other such stores or local hardware.

Sales & Bargains: New York Magazine

So Diane Von Furstenberg's sale is happening from 12/12 to 12/15 on 5th ave and 28th street...

This info is in this week's New York magazine's infamous Sales & Bargains section at - http://nymag.com/shopping/articles/sb/index.htm - You can sign up on this page to receive regular fashion and sale emails - and I suggest you do so!

You will also see, amongst other things, a listing of 85% off on gowns and women's suitings by Carolina Herrera, Rena Lange, and Nina Ricci (12/10 - 12/12). As well as Sigerson Morrison’s warehouse sale, featuring boots ($100), shoes ($60), and bags ($20 to $60) at rock-bottom prices. (12/6-12/7) 180 Lafayette St., nr. Broome St. 8:30–7:30.

(Thanks to my very pregnant stringer - 9 months+! - for the heads up on all of this!)

Woodstock & Saugerties: Potential part II

(Continued from yesterday...) Then, how fitting is it that my "very special friend" (who recently made the move into the 'woods' for a new job) and I happened to stumble upon Saugerties' one-night annual open house/late shopping night (late being 8 p.m. - this is Saugerties, folks)? The fun folks at Ya Ya's Emporium, which sells funky accessories, global gifts and vinyl records (I'm plagarizing their business card...) were so taken with my Barbara Feinman hat (see my earlier "hat" post, including photo), that we got into a discussion about Guerilla Shopper. Hopefully they'll visit and see themselves in e-black and white!

The store is full of cute, reasonably priced jewelry, bags, wallets, gloves and a great little collection of records in the back including jazz and more. Check it out if you're in the 'hood. It's fun for the whole family!

Woodstock/Saugerties - Potential Exists!

The biggest issue with my shopping in these sleepy upstate New York towns is that I do not have, have never had, and will never have an inner (or outer) hippie. However, while visiting my "very special friend" I found the coolest store called Sugar on Mill Hill Rd. in Woodstock. It stocks great rocker-type garb from Anna Sui, Betsey Johnson and L.A.M.B (Gwen Stefani's label), among other brands. In no way, shape, or form is this stuff even close to reasonably priced, but the clothes were truly awesome and I could see myself trying tons of stuff on for hours and hours for kicks, if nothing else. And to be fair, there were a few pairs of shoes that were 50% off (although 50% of $450 still isn't a "steal" in my book).

Then, at a candles-only store basically across the street, I bought myself the coolest and most expensive candle of my life, and proceded to lose it in one of the many forms of transportation that I took home. I am so annoyed! I would tell you the name...but I guess I lost that too!

More tomorrow on my Saugerties experience...my blog keeps cutting me off! Too tired for technology now.

Curry in a Hurry - Did you Run From Me?

OK, so call me a slave to ethnic fast food, but I love Curry in a Hurry on Lexington. You can get your Chicken Tikka combo meal with rice, bread, vegetable, salad and 3 sauces for less than $10 and it is a ton o' food. So I while happily bounding off the subway after work one night this week I noticed that "The Hurry" seemed quite dark...And then, THE HORROR -- "closed for renovations."

To me, this kind of sign often means, "The Board of Health Shut Us Down" or "We didn't pay our taxes." Please in the name of all that is holy, let Curry in a Hurry truly be renovating. Shane! Come back!