Macys Open 24 hours - Manhattan

Macys, Manhatten is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week this holiday season. See the full story here..

This brings to mind the Christmas that I was a student teacher and worked at Macy's, San Francisco, to supplement my meagre income. I worked the Christmas ornament department, called Holiday Lane. I called it Holiday Shantytown.

All day, every day, I picked up broken ornaments and repackaged the houses from Santa's village ripped apart by shoppers who, if they liked what they found after tearing apart the packaging, would pick up a pristine, unopened box to buy. Never mind that the whole village was already set up on display. The only time I could get the mess under control was during the short lull that led up to closing. Later as the shopping frenzy heated up, we had to clean up after closing.

The power went out once and shoppers refused to leave the store. In fact, they were mad that the cash registers didn't work and we couldn't ring up their purchases by flashlight.

151 W. 34th St.
New York, NY 10001

212.695.4400

Mulberry - Greenwich Village

One of the nice things about Mulberry is that they're not offensively branded with a logo visible from across the street, like so many bags are today. Perhaps this is the reason there don't seem to be many fakes around. Not trendy, but stylish and beautifully made, these bags could worn for a few years, which makes their cost-per-use quite sensible. That is, unless you decide to by the studded leather model, complete with attached cat-o-nine-tails.

387 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10014O

Alexis Bittar - Soho

Jewelry made out of gold, gems and lucite sounds a bit like a throwback to the 50s, but Alexis Bittar is anything but that. The lovely handmade pieces sold here are perfect for people who like unusual jewelry and have money to spent on it.

Alexis Bittar
465 Broome Street
212.625.8340

Gourmet Garage -- West Village

I admit that the first time I went into Gourmet Garage it was because Ted from Queer Eye took one of the hapless straight-guy victims there. That was before Queer Eye for the Straight Guy became boring, but that's another blog.

Gourmet Garage is not the super giant warehouse that its name implies. It's better. While some grocery stores have more variety, quality is emphasized here with gourmet pre-made meals, fresh bread, organic veggies, domestic and international cheeses, and they deliver.

117 7th Ave S
New York, NY 10014
212.414.5910

Shopping For Candy?

If you're a vegetarian, forget about eating Mars Bars, Twix, Maltesers or any other chocolate made by Master Foods. The company has switched over to cow rennet.

Considering he's in the food business, it's a bit ironic that Master Foods' corporate affairs manager Paul Goalby hasn't quite grasped the concept of vegetarianism. What is a "strict" vegetarian? I'm sure the definition is as broad as the reasons people decide not to eat animals. Those who do it for their own health probably wouldn't care what kind of rennet is in the foods they eat, but they wouldn't be eating candy bars anyway. Those who do it for religious reasons are probably appalled by Goalby's cavalier attitude about their fear of accidentally violating laws that they believe would stop them from getting into heaven. Those who don't eat meat because they care about animals probably make up the largest group of chocolate eating vegetarians. Would they mind eating bits of baby cow in their chocolate bars? Probably. Perhaps he is talking about the occasional vegetarian, the vegetarian for fashion. Would this group care? Probably not. Perhaps he was misquoted? I don't know. Click this link to read for yourself.

If anyone else is annoyed about this, here's Masterfoods email address: contact.uk@masterfoods.com

Prada -- Soho

Prada often gets a bad rap. A favorite of label whores and counterfeiters alike, the streamlined, subdued nylon bag favored by these two groups is what many people envision when they hear the word Prada. True, some low-end bags still have that silhouette, but Mucia is so much more than that.

The New York flagship store in Soho showcases all that Prada has to offer. Much of the floorspace showcases architectural elements, not fashion, but as with all forms of art, isn't fashion also about context and setting?

575 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.334.8888

Fad or Trend?

What is the difference between a fad and a trend?

In fashion, the word "fad" seems to hold negative connotations, while "trend" is up-to-the-minute good. Vogue publishes "trend reports," not "fad reports."

Literally, a trend is meant to be the beginning of a cycle, or movement, as in "the downward trend in real estate prices is escalating," or "the trend in eco-friendly appliances has carried over to electricity providers." Linguistically speaking, the word "trendy" is often used wrongly. In most instances "faddish" should be used instead. Big shoulders were a fad in the 90s, fancy jogging suits in the 00s.

What's the fad of 2007? Uggs are not considered trendy anymore, but they're still around, so perhaps they were actually trendy, not faddish. The same applies to Crocs. I have to admit to owning a pair of those. They're so ugly they're cute, and anyone who's tried them on has to admit that walking in Crocs feels like walking on marshmallows. I have to draw the line at wearing them with dresses, though. That's just wrong.

Can something be trendy, even if it was naff the year before? Vera Bradly bags come to mind here.

I've got it! The new trend is to dress like a granny. My shopping trolley should be right in style soon. More on that later.

ApparelAmerican Apparel -- Haight Ashbury, NOHO & Lower East Side, Notting Hill

I don't know what appeals to me most about American Apparel, it's sweatshop-free policy, the quality and fit of the clothes, or its slightly salacious ad campaign, including the ads in Butt Magazine. They bring to mind the short-lived campaign by Calvin Klein years ago with Miss Moss saying "It's torture."

The long sleeved, long v necks are a staple to my wardrobe. I don't wear them the way the models wear them, as dresses. For me, they make nice long, slimfit shirts.


1615 Haight St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
415.431.4028

712 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
646.383.2257

183 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
212.598.4600

Nan Kempner at the MET - Upper East Side

A Women who said she wanted to be buried naked so she could shop in Heaven certainly deserves to be mentioned as a patron of shopping. I wonder if this was a serious request, or just something said in jest? I suspect the latter, but that doesn't diminish her love of fashion, or of clothes.

The Costume Institute's exhibit, showcasing Ms. Kempner's extensive wardrobe in the basement of the MET, is a testament to what can be done with a credit card. It is said that she did not rotate her clothes out for the seasons, but liked to keep her gowns, riding habits and resort wear handy, along with the appropriate suits the lady who lunches needs. All I can say is she must have devoted quite a bit of prime Manhattan real estate to closet space. If you appreciate vintage designer wear and costume jewelry from the 70s and 80s, the exhibit is a must-see.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
Fifth Ave at 82nd Street
New York, NY 10028-0198
212.535.7710

Bloomingdales - Soho

Bloomingdales, Soho is the chic, skinny sister of the flagship on 59th. It has all the elements of the original, the checkerboard floors, the pink beauty bar, the diverse range of designer lables. The Soho Bloomies is streamlined, though, edited to reflect the neighborhood it's in.

504 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.729.5900

Bolex Anyone? -- Chinatown

If you've been wondering where the vendors of fake Rolexes disappeared to, They're alive & well, hawking their wares out of briefcases at Canal & Broadway. I am NOT advocating buying the wares of these shifty-looking characters, just making an observation.

Canal & Broadway
New York, NY

Orchard Street Corset Center - Lower East Side

It's easy for those with small perky breasts to buy cute bras. From Victoria's Secret to JCPenneys, to La Perla, every mall and high street is brimming with them. Likewise for buxom gals built like prison matrons, with big proletarian backs and large motherly bosoms. They can find the appropriate Cross Your Hearts at any Mervyns, KMart or JCPenneys. But what about those of us who have normal size backs but larger-than-usual fronts? Even Nordstrom doesn't special order anymore.

Orchard Street Corset Center to the rescue. It's one of two places I can find bras in my size, the other being M&S. This old fashioned merchant is not for those who like slick merchandising and a leisurely browse to see what styles are in. The bras are hidden in boxes, in shelves lining the walls. The fitting room is a curtain, strung up across the stock room. All is overseen by Ralph, the king of customer service, and his wife the chief fitter.

When customers walk into his shop, Ralph sizes them up and tells them if they are wearing the wrong size brassier. One one shopping trip, I dragged my modest sister-in-law, Angel, in. As she was mumbling her size, Ralph stopped her and said. "No, this is the size you are." She tried to disagree but he countered with an authoritarian "I see everything," held a suitable size up and called for his wife to sweep Angel off to try on the proper bra. He was right. While she has not ventured back to the shop, Angel does admit that the bra she bought that day is the most comfortable one she owns.

One thing I should mention: The owners are Hasidic, so the shop is closed on Saturdays.

157 Orchard St., Between Stanton Street and Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002-2214
212.674.0786

Kate's Paperie - Soho

The Christmas decorations at Kate's Paperie in Soho, are simple, yet quite beautiful and appropriate this year: a large paper snowflake covering the whole ceiling.

561 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.941.9816

Purdy Girl - Soho

Purdy Girl is a cute boutique that feels like the really large closet of a stylish friend, a few well-picked vintage clothes, a nice collection of mid-ranged clothes from small designers, a few small brands and some lovely costume jewelry made by local artists.

Macy's - 34th Avenue

The blindingly extravagant Christmas decorations don't translate well into photos, but the glow was visible for blocks before I could even see the store. This year, the poinsettia extravaganza inside was even better than the decorations outside.

Lord & Taylor - Fifth Avenue

This store is for chic grandmas, with three restaraunts, nice, comforable places to sit down and a lavish collection of clothes, such as Eileen Fisher, for older women who don't mind spending a little money to look good. Their Christmas ornament selection, while not as eye-popping as ABC Carpet & Home, is well worth a look during the Christmas season.

Billy's Bakery -- Greenwich Village

Do not try to buy a cake here the day before Christmas Eve. You will be turned away, even though there are several cakes on display, ready to be sliced. Do not try to order a cake to pick up the next day, especially if you already tried to buy one minutes before. You will be sent away with nothing but a cupcake. The cupcakes are fair to middling, but the frosting is fantastic. It's good enough to convince me to go back again and try the red velvet cupcakes on a day when they're not sold out, or annoyed by too many pesky customers.

Note to self: Next time wear all black and affect an air of disinterested aloofness.

Myers of Keswick -- Greenwich Village

Myers' claims that they sell the only Cumberland sausages made in the USA. While I don't know how true this is, nor have I tasted them, this British grocer has a nice selection of canned and drygoods, including strange selections like Mexican-style baked beans. The deli counter look fantastick and is stocked with fresh made mince pies, pork pies, sausage rolls, and meat and vegetarian pasties.

634 Hudson Street
(between Horatio and Jane St.'s)
New York NY 10014
212.691.4194

Nelson Antiques - Chelsea

Nelson Antiques is run by a lovely couple who have been in the neighborhood for donkey's years, Christmas ornaments, figureines, decco lamps and 50s-style tea sets are among the treasures to be found in this small shop crammed to the brim with tchotchkes.

184 Ninth Ave. (Near 22nd St.)
New York, NY 10011
212.989.6910

Sermoneta Gloves -- Madison Avenue

Ahh, Italian-made gloves. At a fraction of the cost of Missoni, Sermoneta's first and only shop outside of Italy sells hats, scarves and lovely tailored gloves leather gloves. Known for their primary colors, they seem to be going away from the 80's this season with more muted shades.

609 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
212.319.5946