Shopping in New York City

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Questions? Ask away . . .
Karen Little
May 12, 2008

2008 and beyond at Littleviews JANUARY 13, 2008: Rather than specifically featuring a shopping column, we are going to integrate shopping tips into general areas, such as the upcoming Boomer NY, and Making Do NY, both of which will feature ideas with a budget flavor. By March, we will start a monthly newsletter. Until now, we've been reluctant to toy with your spam filter, but like Hillary Clinton (only without tears), we think we've found enough of our voice to create a message worth reading. Sadly, some topics will be left behind. No matter, if you'd like to be kept up-to-date, please sign up for Littleviews membership, if you haven't already done so.

Fabulous, Heavily-Discounted Books at Barnes & Noble, New York DECEMBER 19, 2007: You may not know it, but Barnes & Noble is a specialty publisher that produces books featuring lavish photos. Topics include flower, craft, cooking, art, history, fashion, landscape, gardening, historical, travel and children's books, among many things. Today, for example, I purchased France - History and Landscape, by Emma Howard, which was freshly published in 2007. How much did I spent for this 400 page, large-scale book that is loaded with at least 600 crystal-clear pictures and concise text? $20. You can find it and other fabulous, first-run books in Barnes & Noble's discount sections. Stock up for pleasure, or, if you are a teacher, purchase several for your classroom. Big books, of course, are heavy. Do you need to ship them home or send them as gifts? Barnes & Noble imprint books are also available online exclusively at www.BN.com.

See Beautifully Decorated Holiday Windows, Stores, and Lobbies for Free in New York City DECEMBER 18, 2007: Check out windows and stunning interior decorations at: American Museum of Natural History Origami Holiday Tree: Suggested donation, or free if you ask. Central Park West at 79th Street. Barneys New York: 600 Madison Avenue at 61st Street. Bergdorf Goodman: 5th Avenue at 57th Street. Grand Central Kaleidoscope Light Show: Floating light projection patterns on grand walls! Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street. Holiday Train Show at Grand Central: Check out the New York Transit Museum Gallery display! Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street. Macy's Herald Square: Famous windows! 34th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. Henri Bendel: 712 5th Avenue at 56th Street. Lord & Taylor: 4424 5th Avenue between 38th and 39th Streets. Metropolitan Museum of Art Christmas Tree: Suggested donation, or free if you ask. 100 5th Avenue at 82nd Street. Saks 5th Avenue. Also pick up free New York travel guides! 5th Avenue at 50th Street. Time Warner Center - Under the Stars: Climb to upper floors and watch the star-studded lobby turn colors. Columbus Circle, Broadway at 60th Street. Trump Tower: Holiday decorations, plus a breath-taking waterfall. 5th Avenue and E. 56th Street. UBS Building: Mechanical window display. 299 Park Avenue at 49th Street. And peek into... : Make a point of checking out grand hotels and business buildings!

STRAPits Straps for Keeping Shopping Bags Together in New York City DECEMBER 12, 2007: Those of you who are never without your car and its valuable trunk may not understand the problem New York City shoppers have with schlepping stuff around town. In New York, it is very common to see people carrying two handbags (or messenger's bags and athletic totes) at the same time, plus shopping bags! The problem is that multiple bags are hard to organize. If you sit on public transportation, for example, the bags kind of fall all over the place, making them very easy to lose! Well, STRAPits Stretch Utility Straps to the rescue! These attractive, 1" wide, cloth-based, stretchy bands hold things together via Velcro fasteners. They come in a variety of lengths (10", 14", 18", 22", etc.), making them long enough to bind the most incompatible things together! Best, these bands are so small that, when not in use, they can be easily tucked away. For shopping trips, STRAPits are portable and are easier to use than hook-ended bungees, rope, tape, or twine. I purchased mine on the second-floor, camping section in Paragon Sports at 867 Broadway near Union Square. Each set of two costs between $5 and $6.

Fantasy Graphics by Daria Tessler in New York City DECEMBER 11, 2007: Daria Tessler, a creator of crisp, amusing, silk-screened prints, is one of many talented artists who display around the south-end of Union Square during the Greenmarket season. I like the simplicity and fantasy of her style, which emphasizes black linework punched up by bold ranges of color. It's too bad that the photo of the tuba player (which I own) is so reflective here, because it's a stunning, 12" tall graphic. You can see a better view of it on her website. While she often sells prints in person at Union Square, you'll find a wide-range of her work at www.AnimalSleepStories.com. In addition to prints, she plays with other art forms, including silk-screened, folded paper that's shaped into masks and lampshades. Her prices start around $15. Many of her illustrations can be custom-printed on items of your choice and she also designs by commission.

Holiday Market Nail Repair Treatment by Dead Sea Lotus at Union Square DECEMBER 3, 2007: Four of my nails have ridges and they look awful without heavy fillers under polish or salon-applied artificial nails! Yesterday, I received an amazing demonstration of a nail repair treatment sold by Dead Sea Lotus in their Holiday Market stall at Union Square. Based on my experience, you might want to try it yourself, whether you have beautiful nails, or ridged ones like mine. The not-too-beautiful pictures represent the actual before, during, and after sequence of treatment I received at Dead Sea Lotus' stall. What started as a course nail surface was transformed into a smooth one that looked like it was coated with glass! More surprising, no polish, chemical, or oil treatment was used to achieve this result. Dead Sea Lotus sells a variety of skin products, all based on Dead Sea minerals. If it isn't too cold out, ask for demos on all their products and expect results as surprising as what their nail and hand kit provides. If you miss the 2007 Holiday Market, they can be reached via their website at www.DeadSeaLotus.com.

Learn Insider Information About Acting and the Performing Arts in New York City DECEMBER 1, 2007: I love attending plays at actor studios and workshops, some so small that tourists don't know they exist. "Readings," where scripts for plays or movies are read for evaluation purposes, also provide entertaining events that can be heightened by mingling with performers, producers, and authors. Knowing more about how performers of all types establish their professions via small venues, workshops, and recitals can make your audience experiences more worthwhile. With that in mind, prepare for your visit to New York by reading www.Backstage.com, where you'll find true, insider information. Although some content on this website is by subscription, most is free. Free information on Back Stage includes all articles on their highly informative home page, from major interviews to links that lead to acting coaches. Additional free sections include Advice Columns, News and Reviews, Community, and a lively Message Board. To really be on top of what's going on, consider temporarily unlocking the private sections for a reasonable investment of $17 for a single month. During that month, you'll learn more about casting calls, casting directors, talent agencies, production companies, and how people in the entertainment industry further their careers. Teens and college-bound people outside of New York and Los Angeles might not be aware of Back Stage's resources, so make a point of leading them to it. They might find things on it that will make their visit to New York more fulfilling and that, in turn, might lead to interesting career options.

Must See Wall Street Journal Map on Multimillion-Dollar Homes in Manhattan NOVEMBER 16, 2007: Do you want to purchase an apartment for between $20- and $70-million, or at least see where these types of deals are made? Visit Home Prices in Downtown Manhattan Soar to Near Uptown Levels to see a map that's complete with exterior photos of these pricey abodes! Given that so many are near to one another, consider using this map as a good resource for a walking tour.

Good Prices on 300 Thread Count Cotton Sheets in New York City NOVEMBER 15, 2007: My cotton sheet thread-count of choice is 300, so I stopped in my tracks when I saw several sets of "Premiere Hotel Linens" at Filene's Basement (Union Square) at excellent prices. According to the packaged sets, the sheets are made out of "100% long staple cotton" with a sateen finish. Ahhhhh! The twin set is $19.99, queen, $34.99, and king, $44.99. I did notice one mis-marked queen, which suggests that you should always check the prices on surrounding products. If the majority are less expensive, ask for a price-check at checkout to confirm the price. The colors I saw include white, light olive green, buff, gold, light yellow, and pastel blue, with most white or light olive. While you are browsing in the housewares department, look at Filene's extensive collection of pedestal candles. Most are priced at just under $5, with gift boxes of thick candles around the same price. Filene's Basement Store Locator

Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art for Free with Your Family NOVEMBER 4, 2007: The Met is a stimulating place to visit, especially on Friday evenings, when the exterior of the building is bathed in white light. Attending at anytime, of course, is fun. In addition to its multitude of exhibits, you can also browse through several fascinating gift stores, with their kid's shop one of the best. The kid's shop, called MetKids, features imaginative pop-up books (I recommend the books "How Many" and Maurice Sendak's "Mommy" for kids and adults, alike), blocks (many of which are good enough to make sculptures for placement on adult coffee tables), packaged art supplies, building thingies, musical instruments, and books (several are museum publications). If you'd like to free up the cash you'd normally use to buy admission tickets (so you can buy gifts, perhaps), order their current MetKids Catalog at www.metmuseum.org (the link will take you to the order page). Embedded in the middle of the catalog is a KidsPass. The pass provides a free admission to the museum for you and your family. What a wonderful gift from the museum staff to you and yours!

Visit Character on Prince Street for Stunning Gifts with Character in New York City - NYC OCTOBER 31, 2007: If you are a fan of design-oriented accessories, housewares, toys, and patio furniture (to name a few categories), Character's collection of such things will cause your eyes to dance. Does Character have character? The owners of this medium-sized store actively solicit local artists and designers, who, in turn, infuse Character with an art gallery or contemporary museum vibe. Character's staff enjoys sharing the details behind everything they sell. After you learn more about individual artists and designers, who knows? You might become a collector. Best, if you love unique items, many on display are exclusive to Character. To stay on top of their ever-changing environment, ask to be invited to designer openings, many of which are held in the shop's beautiful back yard. In case you don't know the meaning of the phrase "design-oriented accessories," these items tend to be simple, but not plain. Unlike sculpture, which is appreciated exclusively for form, design-oriented objects are clever-although-utilitarian in that they are meant to be used in some way. Simultaneously, they are also meant to be seen as works of art, regardless of their use, and can stand alone in terms of their design, without considering their utility. Pictured above is the work of Tord Boontje who incorporates images of flowers, leaves, and vines into ceramics, and paper-based vases, lampshades, and garlands. The 12-inch high, laser-cut, gold-toned vase shown here is actually a "vase chimney" that can be placed over an appropriately shielded candle for shadow play, incense, or a bottle holding flowers. It is sold flat, making it easy for mailing or storage, and is assembled by connecting easy-to-fasten tabs. ($45) 19 Prince Street, one block south of Houston, near Elizabeth Street For more pictures and information, go to Littleview's A Gift Shop with Lots of Character in New York City.

Halloween Adventures, Costumes, and Theatrical Makeup in New York City OCTOBER 10, 2007: Halloween Adventure is a "must visit" store even when Halloween is not near. Yes, it sells a wide-array of costumes, wigs, and props, but better, it has a complete theatrical make-up department (eat your corporate heart out, Sophora) that includes clown paint. When I was a kid, I pined for my own clown paint, but had to use my mom's lipstick around my eyes for special effect. (Kids, don't try it yourselves because it just about never comes off; at least not within the same week of application.) Now, as an adult, I'd love to have my face painted by the artists who do the runway models for Dior's Galliano fashion collection. Yes, other women dream of face lifts, but I want long, blue eyelashes drawn over my right cheek, each tipped with numerous green rhinestones and a few well-placed feathers. I can make this dream come true at Halloween Adventure. No matter why you might want to paint your own face, or the faces of your kids, you'll find everything you need at Halloween Adventure, along with a good collection of flexible face parts, which you can stick on anywhere. This huge, two-level store has entrance doors on Broadway, between 11th and 12th Streets and on 104 4th Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets. (212) 673-4546

Kashmiri Embroidered Pillows at ABC Carpet and Home in New York City OCTOBER 9, 2007: ABC Carpet and Home is currently featuring hundreds of unusual, high-quality throw pillows, with a few made from genuine Kashmiri embroidered material. The Kashmiri pillows start at $75 and go up to around $300, depending on size. These stunning Kashmiri embroidered pillows are incredible bargains. My eyeball inventory of ABC's stock turned up only six. If they aren't there when you arrive, you'll find other very nice pillows made from soft, loomed materials. The pillow collection is lush, and knowing ABC Carpet and Home, it will probably sell out quickly, especially those Kashmiri pillows. Currently, the pillow display mainly occupies the rear of the first floor, with the Kashmiri embroidered pillows just to the left of the store's center. You'll also find a few unusual runners made from stitched, quilted, and embroidered material of the type that was once fit almost exclusively for royalty. 888 & 881 Broadway

Fall 2007 Shoes - What New York Women Wear on the Street OCTOBER 8, 2007: Looking for tips on what footwear to wear on New York's fashionable streets? You might turn to glitzy fashion magazines, but if you really want to know what's "in," simply observe what's seen on the sidewalk. Yes, you will see stilettos, but the sightings are rare. When a pair trot by, you'll probably pause, green-eyed with envy. And yes, you'll see some 2-inch pumps as well as strappy, high-heeled sandals, but generally, the feet on the street are covered with dark (usually black) shoes sporting low-to-medium heels. NY women hate nylons and even as fall progresses, many still wear flip-flops or sandals around town (and some continue to do so until it snows). With or without nylons, traditional flats are popular, with some having bits of decoration and others styled like athletic shoes. Likewise, you'll see a wide-variety of strapped Mary Janes. And, of course, the popular booty reappears. Booties have a rounded look and are often made out of stretchy micro fiber. Variations include leather loafers and backless mules. Last, when you see women in office attire wear athletic shoes with white socks, you know fall has arrived. I'm guessing that once inside their offices, these women change into heels, which they wear when not sitting in front of computers (because heels are habitually kicked off). Exceptions, of course, exist. You will see more dressy shoes around busy, upscale, shopping areas (especially at lunch time), or near offices that strictly enforce dress codes (a few still exist). Once office dress codes are relaxed even a wee bit, however, fashionable New York women are smart enough to slip into comfortable shoes.

Yet More Shopping Opportunities for Creams, Lotions, and Soap in New York OCTOBER 2, 2007: Because I'm in love with lotions of all types, I lavishly use whatever I buy (no matter what the price) so I can try and buy more. Frankly, it’s a pleasant-smelling addiction. And New York is a city where lotion-hounds like myself can spend many happy hours in department store cosmetics departments, standalone shops like L'Occitane En Provence and M.A.C, as well as in New York's numerous Sephora emporiums. Alternate cream shopping opportunities are found in New York’s vitamin, herb, organic food, and gourmet food shops, where you can also buy wonderful things to eat. I vary my skin-care shopping destinations in order to consider all brands (as well as talk to company representatives), but I admit that I thrill to off-beat finds that are primarily associated with specialty food markets. Even during a recent trip to Paris, I found as many fabulous soaps in health food stores as I did in upscale boutiques! The brightly colored tube of Pumpkin Hand Repair Cream seen here - a heavenly smelling, $9 cream by Desert Essence Organics - is an example of a reasonably-priced, fragrant product sold by some NY specialty food markets. Specialty markets, in fact, regularly feature face creams that range in price from $8 to around $45, all of which compare favorably with creams costing upwards of $100. Annmarie Borlind ($45) and Alba Aloe & Green Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer ($17) are two excellent examples of these types of products. Many (but not all) specialty shops provide testers. If you love "trying before buying," count on the stunning Whole Foods Markets to satisfy your need. Interested in top-quality coffee, lush cheese, rich chocolate, and gentle soap and cream, too? Then specialty markets are, indeed, the places to shop. Make a point of also visiting the sensual (often crowded) Zabars on the upper West side, Eli Zabar's "Eli's Manhattan" on the upper East Side, and Dean & DeLuca, although none of their selections beat in quantity what you can find at Whole Foods Markets.

Herbal Do-It-Yourself Face Cream with Flower Power New York AUGUST 16, 2007: New York City offers a vast array of skin care creams, but none are as fun as the "do it yourself" mixtures that you can compound with ingredients found in herbal shops. East Village, on and near the corner of 9th and 1st Avenue, has two such shops, the smaller of which is Flower Power; a well-worn, one-room shop that contains all the products you need to craft a special cream. Flower Power is owned and staffed by dedicated herbologists who can create creams for you, or teach you how to mix your own. For my initial try, I purchased Self-Heal (a $7, field-fresh, cream base by FES Flowers) and studied it's 12 page Pamphlet for ideas. According to what I read, Self-Heal is a member of the mint family, offering resilience and moisture to a compound. By itself, it heals (or sooths) a number of skin conditions, including rashes, wounds, and dryness. Given its aroma, it even aids breathing. Mix the base with Dandelion flower essence to create a cream that can relax muscles. Add Chamomile and Black Cohosh to relieve menstrual cramps. Need to feel more beautiful as well as look it? Add Star Tulip, Buttercup, Pretty Face, Iris, Lady's Mantle and Cherry flower essences. No matter what your beliefs about the curative properties of herbs, I think you'll enjoy the unique experience of consulting with a member Flower Power's staff and the luxury of owning customized cream. Best, this is affordable! Flower Power Herbs and Roots, Inc. is open every day from noon to 8 PM at 406 East 9th Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue. Note that this area of 9th Avenue (and nearby streets) is known for original clothing boutiques, antique shops, and unique neighborhood restaurants.

Buy Fresh Coffee Beans in New York City AUGUST 12, 2007: New York City is home to more fresh coffee bean vendors than in the tropics where beans are harvested. Bountiful gourmet grocery stores offer overflowing barrels of beans, along with several locally-owned companies, and, of course, Starbucks! One very well known and robust smelling store is the Porto Rico Importing Company, with three locations. The most colorful, worn, and always packed shop is on 201 Bleecker Street between 6th Avenue and Macdougal. It's a great place to take pictures, too. If you don't want to fight the crowds and are in the Union Square / East Village area, stop by 40 1/2 St. Marks, between 1st and 2nd Avenues. For more photo opportunities, walk east one block where you'll see a brightly-painted old building. Another nice Porto Rico Coffee store is at 107 Thompson Street, between Prince and Spring (closed Sundays). OK, why do I mention this? If you're looking for high-quality, authentic, purchased-in-NYC treats, you can't beat their average, per-pound prices of between $7 and $8. Pictured here are four, half-pound bags ($14 total). Just put a bow on the large plastic bag, along with a card, give it to your loved one (who will swoon over the smell), and you've made points! You can, of course, go the simple route and just buy for yourself.