Happy New Year!

Join us next week as we start our month long journey through some of our favorite spots in NYC.  Here's to a fantastic 2011!

B&H iphone app

From one of our guest bloggers Ethan Gurney, who lives in Naples, Italy:

I live outside of Naples, Italy with my three dogs, whom I love taking pictures of.   Because I love taking photos, I take my camera with me almost everywhere I go.  It is usually while I am out somewhere taking pictures that I think of an accessory that I could really use, but when I get home I forget to order it.  It is not until the next time that I am out shooting pictures that I think about it again.  Now there is a great iphone app that has solved this problem for me!  With the BandH Photo iphone app, you can order most anything you need for from your iPhone    

Twice now I have used the B&H Photo app to make an online order and twice I have been impressed with how easy the app is to use.  Let me start by talking a little about BandH Photo.  Recommended to me by a couple Navy journalist friends, BandH is everything I ever wanted in a camera store.   The Navy uses Nikon cameras almost exclusively and has contracts with Nikon and BandH for all their photography needs.   In my experience, BandH consistently has the lowest prices for camera equipment and accessories available anywhere online.  They have hard to find items such as replacement hot shoe covers and they usually ship the same day with the option of using USPS or FedEx for shipping.  I ordered my current DSLR (a Nikon D5000) from BandH on a Monday to be shipped to my military address in Italy.  Not only did BandH undercut any other price I could find online by $80, but also included USPS in the price.  The camera arrived three days later!  In Italy!  

I could go on forever about my positive experiences with BandH, including my visit to their Flagship store in NYC where I experienced the most knowledgeable and helpful staff of any retail company I have ever visited.  But if you are like me and like to take pictures, you will need to get the BandH iphone app.  Say goodbye to post-it reminders and say hello to the BandH iphone app.  Did I mention it was free?

Let it snow, let it snow, let it... ok, ok, enough! Stop snowing already!

As you may have heard, we had a blizzard here in the Big Apple.  The tourists don't seem to mind at all!  So you may be wondering, what to do in NYC if you happen to be here during snow time. So here's a few ideas that I had over the past few days:

#1. Try to get out of your apartment so you can commute three times as long as usual to be one of four people in your office.

view out the front door

# 2. When you are leaving the office after sitting all day in wet boots, stroll by and see the massive snow banks in Times Square while you are trying to find a subway entrance (that is actually still open)

look, you can stand with your friends in the middle of the street!

# 3. Take pictures of your kids in the massive snow banks in Times Square. Or in my case, take pictures of other people taking pictures of their kids on the massive snow banks in Times Square.

# 4. Go home to your local and drink a bunch of hot toddys ...or what the heck, hang your wet mittens by the radiator and make one yourself at home!  Here's how: Get a glass mug.  Coat the bottom with honey or sugar.  Pour three fingers of whisky (I like Irish whisky but bourbon works too). Add the same amount of hot water.  Squeeze 1/4 lemon into the glass and stir.  Add a slice of lemon studded with cloves and you are good to go!  Some people like a cinnamon stick as a stir, like this:

You can't go wrong with a good hot toddy on a cold day. 

Hopefully wherever you are this week, you are warm and dry.  But if you DO end up in the Big (frozen) Apple, drop us a line.  We can always be coaxed out for a good central park snowball fight with the promise of hot whisky after.

We, The People....

I guess the thing Philadelphia is probably most famous for is all the history stuff... you know that big broken bell and being the centerpiece of early American history and whatnot.  So of course, any trip there absolutely wouldn't be complete without a visit to the National Constitution Center (that, and a colleague hooked us up with free tickets. Thanks Rick!)

It was actually a lot of fun.  First, you watch a 17 minute performance in a crazy little multi-media theater.  It's basically a history of the United States with a lot of preamble mixed in. An actor talks while all kinds of images of US History are projected on just about every imaginable surface.

Then you get to the actual museum, which is bright, modern and highly interactive.  At the end of the museum there is the "signing hall" which has life size statues of all of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  What I learned from this? George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were actually quite tall (both were 6'2").  James Madison?  Only 5'4"... which is shorter than me!

The museum also has a rotating exhibit space, and we were lucky enough to be there for The Art of The American Soldier exhibit, which is a collection of artwork created by soldiers throughout history. You can view the gallery here, but it's worth the trip to see in person.

Saigon, Horatio A. Hawks, 1969

 That's it for this trip to Philly!  Whether it's food, drink, art, history or some combination of those, it's a great city to visit.  We will definitely be back.

Yum Yum Philly! wine, cheese, beer and a cozy bar

Just off Rittenhouse Square, we found Tria, a wine, cheese and beer cafe.  We were looking for something with small bites, and it was perfect.

We started with a selection of bruschetta, all of which feature one of their gourmet cheeses: Birchrun Blue and Spiced Lancaster Pear Butter, Pistachio Herbed Ricotta with Lavender Honey and Goat Cheese with Garlic and Basil Pesto.  All were good, and not expensive ($3-$4 for two nice pieces, so perfect for sharing!) After that we moved on to some small plates, (Roasted Beets with Bulgarian Feta Cheese, Olive Oil Rosemary Potato Chips with Truffle Aioli) but the standout of the night for me was the Truffled Egg Toast with Fontina Cheese.

Seriously. Ridiculously good.

 In addition to the delicious eats, we also had delicious drinks.  They have a very respectable beer list and wine list, both reasonably priced.   They do not accept reservations, so expect to hang with a glass of wine at the bar on a busy night.  Or, what the heck, just stay and eat at the bar like we did.

We are nightcap people, so after dinner we stopped at a little pub just around the corner from the hotel, called The Black Sheep.

We just had a few whiskeys there, but it was totally cozy with a good jukebox, and the bartender was  friendly.  They also have an interesting menu, which means that we'll just have to go back down to Philly sometime soon.  There just aren't enough meals in the day!!!

Happy Christmas!

Best wishes for a wonderful Christmas Eve, and safe and happy holiday travels to our Undies family all over the world!

Hoppy Christmas! Monk's Cafe: A bit of Belgium in Philly.

One of our goals this trip was to check out some of Philly's beer bars, the first of which was Monk's.

First of all, in addition to the food menu, there are THREE beer menus, one for the front bar draught list, one for the back bar draught list, and this insane booklet called Monk's Beer Bible which looks like a hefty church program but is actually a beer version of a wine list.  It's nearly 20 pages of bottle beers, by far the largest selection of Belgian beers I have ever seen in one place.  And they have others too, from all over the world, and at a wide variety of prices.  It also has a beer glossary and tells you a bit about how beer is made, and what the difference is between all of the brews.  It's pretty cool, and you can buy one to take home for $3.

In addition to drinking several of the yummy and imnteresting beers they have, we also ate there.  The food was for the most part, really great, and not your run-of-the-mill  bar fare.  We started with veal cheeks braised in Abbaye de Val Dieu Brown Ale with vegetables, spanish olives & herbs, and sea scallops topped with a beurre blanc made with the Monk's house flemish sour ale, shallots, chervil and butter, both were outstanding.  My dining companion got the mussels, which seem to be a speciality there because they have eight different preparations.  I got a trout dish which was okay, but the mussels were fantastic.  There are also lamb, duck, and frogs legs dishes on the menu, many of which are prepared with beer so it's a fun place to pair some interesting food and drink.  And they have there own house label as well.

The actual space is very cozy but does fill up fast so try to get there early.  You can take a virtual tour here. It's on 264 S. 16th street, which is just around the corner from Rittenhouse square.

Guess who saw $25B of art today?

The Barnes Collection

The Barnes was the reason we planned this trip to Philly (nearly two months ago, actually!)  We are big documentary fans and it all began because we saw The Art of The Steal on demand.  If you haven’t seen it, check out the trailer here. 

The Barnes Foundation houses one of the most impressive collections of French early modern and post-impressionist paintings in the world.  I believe if I remember correctly from the movie, it’s worth over 25 BILLION dollars. 

Vincent Van Gogh, The Postman, 1889

The reason the documentary is so compelling is that the story is so incredible.  The founder, Albert Barnes, was born in 1872 into a working class family in Philadelphia.  He started boxing in his youth and put himself through medical school. After getting his MD from Pennsylvania Medical School he went on to develop new chemical compounds and developed an antiseptic product called Argyrol, which was the basis of his fortune.  He started collecting French impressionist art, one of the first Americans to do so.  He was openly disdainful of inherited privilege and had a very contentious relationship with the Philadelphia elite, including the hoity-toities who ran the Art Institute and the Philly newspaper. Which in turn meant that as his collection grew, all those snooty Philadelphia socialite types said his collection was crap and he was stupid.  Well, as it turns out, they were wrong.  It’s probably the single largest collection of works by Renior, as well as Cezanne and Matisse.  And there are an extraordinary number of works by Picasso, Monet, Degas, Manet, Seurat and many many others.

Claude Monet: The Riverboat

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec:
A Montrouge - Rosa la Rouge

Paul Cezanne, Still Life with Skull

But even as awesome as the collection is, the arrangement of the work makes it way more than just an art collection.  He intersperses the art with hand wrought iron (and furniture and ceramics as well). 

When you look at an arrangement of art on a wall it tells a story or about something involving color, composition, tone or something else you never would have thought of.  The walls were teaching devices for his school.  It’s not arranged in any linear way, by artist or chronologically because he didn’t believe artists thought that way.  It’s really incredible, and the audio tour is very thorough (and only $7, so I highly recommend it).

A few final notes: if you are going to go, go before July (when the collection is being moved into central Philly).  Also, it is very restricted on the number of people who are allowed to visit each day, so reserve your tickets as soon as you know you are going. 

36 hours in the City of Love

Every time I come to Philly I always wonder why I don't do this more!  It's an easy hour and a half train ride from NYC and such a great city to visit.  Some quick travel tips and then more throughout this week on all the cool stuff we are doing (and eating, and drinking!) while we are here.

Where to stay:

Rittenhouse square is in my opinion one of the loveliest parts of town.  About 2 blocks by 2 blocks, Rittenhouse Square is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn during the late 17th century in central Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  There are lovely restaurants and bars all around the area (which I'll write more about as the week goes on).  And it is walking distance to Independance Mall Historic Area.  There are a few nice hotel options in the area. The one we chose was Rittenhouse 1715, which is on a little street just off the park.  It used to be a bed and breakfast and since being renovated it is now a luxury boutique hotel with about 25 rooms. 

The concierge, Marion, called me a few days before the trip to ask if I needed anything of wanted to have anything set up in the room when I arrived.  I told her our itinerary and she printed out directions for us to the places we were going.  The staff is all incredible lovely.  And there is a wine reception nightly, which is a big  plus in my book.  Unfortunately, it was only white wine, and it's freezing and windy out so if I were to suggest anything it would be that red wine is nicer to drink by the fire in the middle of winter, but I shouldn't really be complaining about free wine :)

Coming up later this week I'll write more about  restaurants and sights, but I'm hooked on this neighborhood.  I'd definitely recommend it, and Rittenhouse 1715 as a great place to stay.  It's a little pricy but worth it!

Cellar Rat

Sometimes choosing a good wine can be difficult, especially when traveling  You might not know the wines of the region and it all feels a little like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey when trying to pick something off the wine list.  However, in the ever expanding world of technology, we are thankful for phone apps.   Available for iphone, blackberry or android is the amazing app Cellar Rat.

Cellar Rat uses emoticon to rate wines.  It has over 60 regions from around the world and will tell you which years were good and which ones were bad.  I can't tell you how useful it was when we were in Italy.  It has been a fantastic tool when dining out here in NYC as well.  Once you have picked a price range you want to stay in, look at the list and select a couple of wines that are interesting to you.  Look up the region and it will give you a different smile or frown depending on how good the year was.  You can of course always ask your server to help you narrow your choice down further, but at least you will know that you are not picking a lemon to begin with.

A great way to see all the sites

Whenever I go to a city for the first time I want to see the tourist attractions.  Hence, I guess, the reason for calling them tourist attractions.  The first time I went to London I did the hop-on, hop-off bus tour and it was great.  I was only there for 5 days and it afforded me the time to see a lot of things I otherwise would have missed and I got to do it in a relatively short amount of time.  I then had time to go back to areas that I really wanted to spend more time in.

Whether you are coming to New York, or if you live here and have friends who are coming to visit that want to see the sites, I recommend using the City Sights Bus Tours.

The best deal that they have to offer right now is the new All Around New York + 3 day pass for $180.  It gives them unlimited uses of the hop-on, hop-off buses for 48 hours, plus a 3 day pass that will give them free admission to 55 attractions including the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, many museums and a cruise on the Circle Line Tour.  That is a fantastic deal and not only will it save you a ton of money but it will also give you the opportunity to see a lot and then go back to areas that you really want to explore.  You can buy your ticket in advance or if you like to be a little more spontaneous, there are several locations in the Midtown area where you can purchase a ticket when you get here. (click about for their website & details)

Let's face it, there is a lot to see in New York.  Spend a couple days living like a tourist and seeing the many incredible things that make this city New York, then you can go back and find the hidden gems that only the New Yorkers know about.  I am dedicating the month of January to New York and am really excited about the itinerary I have created.  I might even enlighten some of the New Yorkers out there.

TKTS - It's worth the wait!

One of the great things to do when you come to New York is to see a Broadway or Off-Broadway show.  However, tickets can be really pricey.  My recommendation:  Don't buy your tickets in advance.  Wait to go to the TKTS booth.  The good news for us theatre-goers is that it is rare these days to see a show that isn't on TKTS at least some portion of the week.  There are some exceptions, Wicked being one - but I have seen it on there!  That means you can get 40-50% off regular ticket prices, and unlike the old days they accept all major credit-cards and not just cash.  If there is something that you really want to see that has been sold out for months, then get your tickets before you come.  But if not, good things come to those who wait.  Here are a few tips for your to make sure you get the ticket that you want.

1. Before you come go to playbill.com or some other website and figure out what you want to see.  If you have a list then you can check daily for those shows and make sure you are picking something that intersts you.  Off-Broadway is also a great way to see theater and there are some Off-Broadway theatres that list on the board as well.

2.  I have found that Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are some of the best days to go to TKTS and offer the most in ticket selection.  I am not sure why that is exactly, but it is true.  Start with Tuesday and you might be surprised as to how many choices you have.  Shows start at 7pm on Tuesdays so keep that in mind.

3.  If you are a real theater buff you will probably not want to see many of the shows that have been around for a long time.  Many tourists go for the stuff that has had big hype and has been open for a while; things they haven't had a chance to see.  If you are seeing something that is fairly new and doesn't have that "Wicked hype", then you don't need to arrive at 3pm when it opens.  You can get there a little later, not have to wait in line, and probably still get the ticket you want.

4.  Download the free TKTS iphone app that just came out.  It will give you all the board information for all the locations.  I am so excited about that!  Now if only Verizon would actually come out with the iphone I wouldn't have to rely on Skye's phone for everything fun!

It is great to be able to see what is on that day and not have to go to Times Square to get that information.  Or it might be at South Street Seaport, but already gone at Times Square (sometimes the 2 locations are different).   And did I mention it is FREE!!!  This is a must have app if you want to see theater in New York.

Go get some great theater tickets while you are here in New York, but get them at half-off and you can see twice as much theater.  Now what's better than that?

Christmas Ornaments from Around the World

One of the things I love most about Christmas is decorating my tree.  This year I got a perfect little tree for my apartment and on it is hanging all the ornaments I have gotten from various places I have traveled.  I have the 2 that I got at the artisan market in Lake Como, a couple from Boston and many from my favorite store here in New York, More and More antiques.  

More and More is a great little store on the upper west side that every year has the most fantastic array of Christmas ornaments that you will not find almost anywhere else. 

Christmas  ornaments, like jewelry or a special piece of clothing will always remind you of your trip and every year when you pull it out will bring you back to the memory of when you bought it.  They also make great gifts for people.  I have a friend who loves Santa Ornaments and one year he gave one to me and I thought, wow, this is special.  The more unique the better the ornament.  I still remember my favorite childhood ornaments that every year my mother made sure to let me hang on the tree.  Or the handmade ones that we made together.  Did you ever make the Elmer's glue ornaments?  Those were fun!

More and More also has great unique Christmas gifts.  They have candles and crackers and towels and beautiful things for the person who has everything.  Make your season a little brighter and see the display at more and more.  You tree will thank you.


More and More Antiques
378 Amsterdam Ave at 78th st.
212-580-8404

The best coconut cake in New York City

When I am on vacation (especially if it is the holiday season) I tend to indulge, but it has to be worth the calories!   Coconut cake is one of my favorite things.  When it is good, it is amazing and when it is not amazing I find myself asking why did I bother?  Having searched high and low, I found that there are two places in NYC that you should not miss if you love coconut cake.  They are both different in style, so I recommend you try both.

Believe it or not, Mesa Grill has one of the most outstanding cakes I have ever had.  It is not Bobby Flay's throwdown recipe, but a version of it that his pastry chef Clarisa Martino has perfected.  (Sorry to disappoint you Flay fans)

The desserts she has created are ridiculous.   If you like dessert, you should go there and give yourself a treat.  I also recommend the Mexican Chocolate Pudding.  I don't even like pudding, but this will blow your mind.  However, the coconut cake is possibly the lightest and most flavorful coconut cake I have ever tasted.  The cake is moist, the frosting is light and the taste is mmm mmmm good.   I'm not sure how she did it.  When it arrives you will think that there is no way that you could ever finish this either by yourself or with another person.  However I found myself looking at an empty place and was wishing I had some to take in a doggie bag for later.  It will melt in your mouth and you will feel as though you have just gone to heaven.   Clarisa is an extremely talented pastry chef and Bobby Flay is very lucky to have her.

The second place that you should go to if you like coconut cake is on the upper west side.  Good Enough to Eat is a great place for lunch or brunch.  They have one of the best Turkey Clubs ever.   It also has one of the two best coconut cakes in the city.  It is very different, stylistically speaking, from Mesa Grlll, but it is delicious and worth the calories in every bite.  The frosting is like a cream cheese/butter cream frosting with coconut on top.  It is exquisite.

It is also something that you should expect to get a doggie bag for, as it is rich and probably not something you will be able to finish by yourself, especially if you have had a meal there before hand.  The cake is moist and delicious and will linger in your dreams for weeks.

As I said, I love dessert, but it has be so good that I don't care that I have cheated on my diet.  If you go to either of these places, I can almost guarantee that your visions of sugarplums dancing in your head will include some coconut cake.

Latin Cuisine on the Upper West Side

Nestled on 80th Street is a fantastic Latin fare restaurant and wine bar called Cava.  I have been meaning to get there for ages and now I can't understand why I haven't been going there all along.  The atmosphere is cozy and warm and the walls serve as an art gallery for emerging artists.  They have a great wine list and of course, several different varieties of Cava by the glass.

Chef Jose Rodriguez puts out dishes that are a fusion of Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican and the result is delicious.  The dishes I had were not only super tasty, but the presentation was beautiful.  I had the scallops in a carribean country coconut sauce that were amazing.  

The empanadas were some of the best I have ever tasted.  I had both the chicken and the shrimp empanadas.  We then had the lomita Chilean seabass over spinach and squid ink rice that was to die for

and an exquisite skirt steak skewer served over a carribean tamale.  Watch out Bobby Flay, you might just have some competition for best tamale.

In New York where there are so many choices, it is great to have a place like Cava in the neighborhood.  For a romantic dinner or meeting friends at the bar for a drink, Cava is a hidden gem I am glad I know about.
Cava
185 West 80th St. (Between Columbus and Amsterdam)

Alexis Russell Design

I admit it.  I have an obsession with beautiful, one of a kind jewelry and shoes.  I love getting things in other countries that I can't get anywhere else.  It makes those pieces so much more special.  Shopping at the holiday markets in New York City is sort of like that for me even though I live here.  It is like having the best little boutiques all in one place.   If you are a tourist in New York go!  If you live here, go!! The artists that come to the holiday markets are really special.

So my last "favorite booth at the Columbus Circle Holiday Markets" is actually a new discovery this year. Alexis Russsell Design.  Her jewelry is so beautiful, you will most certainly be asked on the street where you got it.  Warning:  Be prepared to fall in love!  I have.

I haven't yet decided which piece I am going to get (but don't worry, next week I am buying myself something beautiful).  Her designs are a mixture of silver and gold, so there is something for everyone.  She uses a lot of black diamonds which are absolutely stunning.  I had never seen them before.  Her stuff just stands out in the crowd.  My eye (even without my glasses) was immediately drawn to her booth.

Her pieces are truly unique and can be worn with jeans or with your most decadent outfits.  If you need a gift for someone who has everything, or you just need to add a lift to your day, go to Alexis Russell Design at The Columbus Circle Holiday Markets.  It might just be the best purchase you make this year.

Columbus Circle Holiday Markets - Central Park West at 60th
Open Daily 10-8, The week of Christmas 10-9
Closes on Christmas Eve

Riverstone Jewelry

Riverstone is one of my favorite jewelry booths in the markets.  I love silver and Jill (the artist) has a ton of great silver pieces.   She has gold as well, but I am partial to the silver.   She has travelled wide and far and has brought her travel experience to her artwork.   She uses a mixture of talismans, beads and amulets from different cultures from all over the world.  Thus, all of her jewelry is truly unique and one of a kind.  

Each custom jewelry piece is made of pure or fine silver, not sterling. The difference is that sterling is 92.5% silver and copper is added. Pure silver is 99.1% silver with almost no copper, thus it doesn't tarnish.  (I didn’t know that until Jill told me).  She also has just gotten into the Sundance catalogue with four of her pieces.

Ok, so at this point you have probably guess that I have an obsession with unique pieces of jewelry from everywhere I travel.  So if you are travelling to New York, you should make this one of your places to look for that piece that will remind you of your trip.  If you live here then all I can say is get yourself something nice while you are out shopping.  Or get something for someone else in the spirit of Christmas (I guess that we are really supposed to be shopping for others, but I always manage to get something for myself).  Whichever the case, you will be glad you found Riverstone Jewelry.
Columbus Circle Holiday Markets
Central Park West at 60th
Open 10-8 daily, 10-9 during Christmas Week

Nirvanna Designs

So after an incredibly mild fall here in New York City, winter has descended and it is COLD!  I have terrible circulation in my fingers, so when it is really cold my fingers turn blue.  I have had to give up wearing gloves when it gets really cold.  (I found it was warmer to wear mittens) But until I found Nirvanna, I hadn’t found a pair of mittens that were up to snuff.  

They make mittens that are of the thickest wool and are lined with fleece.  They are so warm that my hands almost never get cold anymore.  Bring it on Mr. Snow Miser because now I have my own personal Mr. Heat Miser.  

In addition they sell hats and scarves, kids hats and mittens, you name it, they have it.  And it is all amazingly warm.  

The company is based in Asia.  Their designers work with designers and craftsmen from Nepal, Indonesia, India and Thailand.  Their philosphy is this:   by helping the local population, using their natural resources and giving the local people work (especially women) they are creating a circle of Karma.  So your purchasing is also going to help less fortunate people make money. If you don’t like being cold and want something that will guarantee the maximum amount of warmth you can get, go to Nirvanna.  Baby it’s cold outside, but it is just a little warmer with Nirvanna.
Columbus Circle Holiday Markets
Central Park West at 60th
Open 10-8 Daily, 10-9 Christmas Week

nio - made with love

I love good skin products.  What woman doesn’t?  So I am always on the lookout for new and exciting things.  I found the nio booth at Christmas about 6 years ago.  

I was looking for a good facial exfoliator (the one I loved had been replaced by a new and not so improved version.  Isn’t that always the case?) and happened upon nio when I was Christmas shopping.  She offered to test a little on my hand and I thought, this seems great, I am going to try some.  Well that was 6 years ago and I go back every year.  The facial exfoliator last me almost a year and I love it.  I have since started using their body scrubs and moisturizers along with a mud mask that is unbelievable. 

The company is based in Israel and all the products contain salts and minerals from the Dead Sea, that for centuries have been used for their healing and beautifying properties.  They do not test on animals.  They do have a website so if you become addicted like I have, you can order from them when you run out, without having to wait until next year.   I think the products are fantastic, so don’t miss out on this!  Go get some gifts for you and all the women in your life that like to look and feel great.  And with nio, it won’t cost you a fortune to look like a million bucks.

At Columbus Circle and Union Square Markets till Christmas Eve 10 -8 daily

Holiday Markets in New York City

Traveling during the holidays to any city that celebrates Christmas, I think, is a real treat.  Everything is decorated all pretty with the lights and the decorations and no matter how cold it is out everything seems a little more magical.  Well New York City is truly spectacular during the Christmas season.  There are Huge trees at Rockerfeller Center Bryant Park and Lincoln Center, Ice Skating rinks at Bryant Park, Central Park and Rockerfeller Center,the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes and a host of many other festive things to enjoy.

Of my favorite things to see during the season are the holiday markets that are set up in Columbus Circle, Union Square and Bryant Park.  

Every year artisans from all over the world come and set up booths with hand made things that will be sure set you back if you don’t have some will power.  I don’t have a lot, so I usually end up with some great things for myself.  Usually I get one for me and one for someone else.  (I mean they are only there once a year!)  The markets include jewelry makers, clothing, artwork, chocolates, body products, handbags, wallets and more.  

I am partial to Columbus Circle (mostly because it is closest to my house) and over the next few days I am going to tell you about a few of my favorites that are not be missed.  Whether you are visiting New York or live here, you should Get Ye to the Market!  You will be certain to fulfill all your Christmas shopping needs and I guarantee you walk away with a few nice things for yourself.  

Local Jewelry designers

The South End of Boston has got some fantastic shops.  Turtle on Tremont Street is no exception.  The store is filled with women's clothing that comes from emerging designers from around the world.  My favorite thing in the store is the hand made jewelry made mostly by local Boston artists.  As you have probably figured out, I love interesting and unique pieces of jewelry that people stare at and want to talk to you about.  The stuff there would definitely get other women begging you to tell them where you got it.

The clothing lines in the store are also unique and really cool.  All of the clothes come from people who are "emerging", or coming out of their shell (hence the name Turtle).  Each piece is different and something that you would definitely not find anywhere else.  So whether you are looking to take home a one of a kind piece of clothing or jewelry, you should go to Turtle in Boston's South End.  I bet you will emerge with something beautiful.
619A Tremont Street
617-266-2610