Category — NYC (Manhattan, bien sur!)

On a recent flight to Paris I was seated next to a French businessman. Exchanging greetings we determined my French was better than his English (note: Moi French isn’t that good). He was excited about his first time in NYC and wanted to chat, so before turning to the tv series I had downloaded to my iPhone, we talked about his trip.

Seems he was on a sales call to the D&D Building, which houses many well-known NYC design firms. He is the owner of a family business, but was sure I wouldn’t know the word to describe what they manufacture. I said just say the word: I have a pretty eclectic French vocabulary:

Passementerie

Trims, tassels, fringe, ribbons: all the fancy, decorative details that turn a pillow or curtain into a statement. I’m a tassle freak! Paris bff D buys antique French fabrics and with style and passementerie turns them into pillow works of art…I have a complete collection!

I’ve spent days wandering the streets near the Marché Saint-Pierre in the fabric district of Paris. In New York I head to the garment district, and I always make my 1st stop M&J Trimming. Fringe, tassles, ribbons, sequins, buttons, belts, crystals, lace, and braids; plus all the threads, glues, nails, zippers and supplies you need to create a chef d’oeuvre (masterpiece).

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We spent a leisurely Sunday afternoon in SoHo, browsing and people-watching. As we strolled down Broadway I ducked into Pearl River Mart for a quick pick-up from my to-buy list. I didn’t realize TBG had never been to Pearl River, so we spent a good chunk of time there.

Pearl River is a cavernous 3-story mini-Chinatown. Although Chinatown is just a few blocks further East, this is one-stop shopping for everything Asian including:

• chopsticks, tea sets and rice cookers

• crystallized ginger, jasmine tea, spices and herbs, and Hello Kitty candies

• 9 foot paper dragons,  bamboo lights, paper fans and lanterns

• brass Buddhas, Tibetan altars and rattan pillows

• jade bracelets and silk wallets and notebooks

• Mandarin dresses, silk kimonos and Mao jackets [Read more →]

Fathers Day is less than 2 weeks away: June 20. These gifts have been personally field-tested by TBG and have earned the very hard to come by TBG smile of approval. One of these is bound to please a father on your list!

For the sports fan:

Cufflinks made by Tokens & Icons from authentic souvenirs of his favorite sports team or stadium: I bought TBG authentic football cufflinks from Roslyn,  276 Columbus in NYC; Spare Parts, 2947 Broadway in Chicago carries similar styles (attn Cubs fans!) But online shoppers can also find them at Uncommon Goods or Cufflinks.com. Expect to pay $130 to $150+. I’ve seen styles made from Notre Dame stadium seats, Cubs game balls, Tokens & Icons also carries pens made from Yankee stadium seats, Dodgers seat bottle openers, Boston Garden floor bottle openers, hockey arena pens and cufflinks (sorry, no Blackhawks: yet!) and lots more.

For the sharp dresser:

Living in rainy or snowy climates is not easy for the guy who always likes to look sharp. Check out Swims:  These classic, classy shoe rubbers easily pull-on over shoes and protect them from the weather. Traditional black is available, but why not step it up a notch with orange or yellow? He’ll love looking good and being practical at the same time. These stylish rubbers are made in Norway of a unique stretchy rubber (similar to diver’s suits) and slip on easily over shoes. We bought TBG’s at Allen Edmonds on Michigan Ave in Chicago, but you can also buy them at Bloomies or Nieman Marcus, or at amazon.com. Around $95 – $125.

For the camera or electronics buff:

These handy camera accessories are practical, inexpensive, and useful: a sure homerun. TBG is a huge camera buff, and has bags and cabinets of high-priced accessories. But accessories are usually heavy and bulky, so not always practical to carry on a long walk, a bike ride, or an outing to the park or zoo. Check these gadgets out. I bought TBG’s online at delight.com

Bottle cap tripod: this tiny tripod screws easily onto a pop or water bottle (better filled so it doesn’t tip over) to provide some distance and stability for your subject: no more stretching your arm as far as possible to try include yourself and that great spot in your shot! About $9.50

Powercup On-the-Go Power Supply Cup: Cameras don’t work well when the battery is dead. Same for mobile phones. Traveling buy car requires multiple adapters and accessories to charge the iPhone, Blackberry, camera, and baby bottle heater. What’s a guy to do? This clever latte-cup shaped adapter plugs into the car’s cigarette lighter and rests in the cup holder. Brilliant: it charges both 120 volt and USB ports. Around $32.50.

For the gourmand:

Wine or chocolates: decisions decisions. Why not combine both with these decadent chocolate covered wine grapes: grapes infused with wine and coated in dark rich chocolate from chocolateur Bissingers? Indulge him! $16 plus shipping.

And what is TBG getting the Fathers’ Day? Shhhh, I’ll never tell. But I will share a shopping tip: I’ve been shopping Mantiques from Treasures by the Antiques Diva!

Friday I made a field trip to Chelsea to personally check-out the much hyped Limelight Marketplace: a former Episcopal church turned trendy and exclusive Gothic nightclub, now reincarnated as a bubble-gum bright and squeaky clean mini-mall whose doors are open to everyone. Calling themselves New York’s Festival of Shops, squeaky clean is definitely the image they’re trying to project.

All the PR is paying off: open just  a week, and Limelight was packed with trendy New Yorkers and tourists.

Limelight definitely has the cool factor: the developers kept many of the original architectural details: stained glass windows, swooping stone archways, dark and hidden stairways. [Read more →]

I’m a life-long popsickle licker and was a childhood snow-cone slurper. But until Obama was so chronically over-mediated on visits to his childhood Hawaii, I had never heard of shave ice. Living in NYC Italian ice overdoses in Little Italy, and on the Upper West Side every street corner hosts a helados cart selling frozen icies in dixie cups for $1.

And now, gourmet frozen fruit pops: introducing People’s Pops: frozen fresh-fruit popsticks and shave ice.

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What I won’t do in the name of friendship! Moi bff The Antiques Diva recently assigned me, her NYC, Chicago, SoFlo, and anywhere else I happen to go Special Correspondent, to meet with antiques dealer Fran Reilly in New York City, and take a look at her new showroom in Midtown’s Center44. So on a cold rainy March afternoon, I grabbed a Starbucks chai latte and headed on over. I had a great afternoon…you can read all about my newest NYC favorite antiques shopping mecca on The Antiques Diva’s blog.  But I didn’t share it all with The Diva…I saved some of my favorite finds to share only with you!

Center44 is the kind of showroom where you can wander around endlessly, never realizing you’ve already been down that aisle: there is so much to look at, all so unique and so fresh from every angle.

I was hooked immediately when Fran first took me to her booth to drop our coats before the tour, and her walls were filled with shiny gilded mirrors, a personal weakness, and a stunning pair of zebra-striped armchairs that I can personally attest are super comfy…and Danish:  as you know, I have a love for all things French and Danish! This pair of Danish modern armchairs by Jens Risom are in Fran’s booth, ICONIC Antique and Modern. [Read more →]

Since my India adventure a couple months ago I’ve already begun to deplete my supply of spices and chai that I hauled back. I have a very good Indian restaurant in my neighborhood, but I decided to go investigate NYC’s Little India in more detail. I’d been in the neighborhood before, but now I was an informed consumer: I know what’s authentic, what’s touristy, and what things cost in India. So on a gorgeous sunny day I spent a few hours investigating the neighborhood around Lexington and 28th Street, aka Curry Hill. [Read more →]

No, I’m not lunching in Paris today (I will be soon!) but that’s the fab title of a new memoir by an American woman who has fallen in love with Paris…and a Frenchman…and French cooking.

Mark your calendar if you are in NYC on April 7 – Elizabeth Bard will be  at Barnes and Nobles to discuss her new book, Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes.

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I was flying off to visit Omaha bff J and needed a housegift, preferably something the whole family of 6 could enjoy. What do you get the girl who has everything…and more? J and I have been friends thru many moves, and through her homes in Paris, Chicago, and now Omaha. hmmm…let the shopping begin!

Score:
A set of 6 coasters decoupaged with vintage maps depicting where they have lived since I’ve known them: 2 of Paris, 2 of Chicago, and 2 of their new hometown, Omaha. Brilliant!

At the GreenFlea I discovered On The Fringe, with stacks of vintage map decoupaged, one-of-a-kind, handmade coasters at $6 each, 4 for $20, or 5 for $25. I also bought a set of 4 for the TBG, put them in a ready-made picture frame, and use it on his nightstand as a giant coaster: Paris, Chicago, SoFlo, and NYC!

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I just got a tip from Moi fave pilates studio, Pilates Shop/Yoga Garage, that they’re being featured on Groupon. This is the 2nd time in 24 hours I’ve heard of Groupon: my daughter just told me I have to sign-up in NYC, she’s a member in Chicago. So, I decided to check it out. And am I glad I did!

Groupon describes itself as: collective buying power:

1. Each day we feature something cool to do at an unbeatable price.
2. You only get it if enough people join that day… so invite your friends!
3. Check back the next day for another awesome Groupon!

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