Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Where To Shop If You Have Only 1 Day In Manhattan?




It's possible to spend a week shopping in New York City. Heck, it's possible to spend a entire life shopping there. But what if you have only a very short time? In that case, I recommend you head straight to Broome Street.

Broome Street? Broome Street? Not 5th Avenue? Not Madison Avenue? Not the Lower East Side or the Upper West Side? Yes, Broome Street. In Soho. Where I recently spent only an hour and still came away full of retail endorphins at minimal cost.

Sunday I had a flight out of JFK. The long weekend was coming to a close. Time for one quick foray. And I wanted to see the new Isabel Marant store. Which had been reviewed here, piquing my curiosity. I just love New York Magazine.


A very Balmain-ish jacket...

Luckily the Crosby Street Hotel provided large umbrellas. Out the door and into the rain. Found Marant's store. Wandered in. Beautiful clothes. I tried on some jackets, one in tweed-ish sweatshirt material (no, I am not kidding), and one in black leather with Balmain-ish shoulders. Oooweee. But I don't make impulse purchases at that price point. I asked the saleswoman if I could take a picture. "Oh," she said, "I'd have to ask PR." Well then. I felt chuffed even to be pulling out my camera somewhere that required PR permission. But I put it back.



Out the door and into the rain. Where I spied a familiar sign. Jonathan Adler. He of the fab pillows. I couldn't resist.



And what a fab post-modern spot for your imagined Palm Springs great-aunt this place is. Voila M. Maverick. He styled the showroom for me a little bit, moving a chair out of the way.



I think Adler's on a roll. He offers something for the preppy look, something for the mid-century aficianado, and irony all around. He even has a clothing collaboration coming up with 7 For All Mankind. I bought a candle, as souvenir. I didn't even care what it smelled like by this point.
Nor, apparently, what it looked like, as I own not a jot of brown or yellow furniture.



Out the door and into the rain. Other stores I passed? Alexis Bittar. Famous for his lucite bangles.


Madewell. The J. Crew spinoff famous for $57 skinny jeans.



A MOMA outpost. A MOMA spinoff famous for, well, the MOMA. But they have killer cocktail napkins for sale, as well as posters.



Broome Street. And bring me a present, please. When I go back I'll get one for you.

Images:
Isabel Marant via Style.com
Alexis Bittar via himself
Madewell via Refinery29
The MOMA Store
The rest by me

Labels: ,

22 Comments:

Blogger Belle de Ville said...

I've never heard of Jonathan Adler but I love the mix in the store...preppy meets mid-century. Very cool.

May 5, 2010 at 7:24 AM  
Anonymous Jan said...

I started to say "If Beloved ever takes me to New York to go shopping..." but I was interrupted by gales of laughter.

Well, at least I know where to go if he ever loses his mind.

May 5, 2010 at 7:45 AM  
Blogger Paula said...

What a nice meeting with Mr Maverick! A great smile. Thank you for presenting Bittar! I never heard of him before and thanks to you I know there is more than Moini. Of course they can't be compared, of course not ...

May 5, 2010 at 7:54 AM  
Blogger Patsy said...

Really? Ask PR? How.....I don't even know what...pretentious?

I love Jonathan Adler! We window shopped the Madison Ave store, so as not to reveal any prices to anyone. I shall for-real shop the Newbury Street store, alone.

May 5, 2010 at 8:06 AM  
Blogger Jessica Ryan said...

Great choices!!! I love Johnathan Adler and always so much fun at MoMA store... much of my youth was spent at MoMA offices on 53rd as mother was Dir. PR there!

May 5, 2010 at 8:17 AM  
Blogger hostess of the humble bungalow said...

That camera comment resonates with me...I need to become more confident snapping in public! You are so good at it!
Love the Adler shop...he does have something going on!

May 5, 2010 at 8:56 AM  
Blogger Miss Whistle said...

I too adore Jonathan Adler. There's a store here on Melrose and Crescent Heights and I stare at it each time I pass on the school bus drop-off. He's just repainted in a delicious, summery Cape Cod lime green and navy blue. I think it's what people like my husband (giddy marketers) call aspirational, ie. I want one of everything in the window.

The Parker in Palm Springs is designed by him, too. It's heavenly.

Love your pictures, love your taste.

xx Miss W

May 5, 2010 at 9:11 AM  
Blogger C.J.M. said...

Fun Fact: Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan are married. Explains why both JA and Barney's stores have such great spirit.

May 5, 2010 at 9:42 AM  
Blogger Mardel said...

OH, I love Broome Street and I love the Jonathan Adler store. Your choices make me want to go back right now.

May 5, 2010 at 9:47 AM  
Blogger Sandra said...

I love Jonathan Adler nowadays, too! Those colors are so cheerful and I'm all about cheerful ;-) His colors remind me of Kate Spade! I'm taking a trip to NYC soon so I may add this to my wish list of things I want to do!! thanks! xoxo

May 5, 2010 at 12:45 PM  
Blogger BonjourRomance said...

I used to visit NYC several times a year but have not been back for the past few years, I'm obviously out of touch but on my next trip will definitely head straight for Broome Street. Loved your camera / PR story, I can see you slipping it nonchalantly out of sight!
Great series of post on your holiday, I've gotten far behind in all my Blogger rounds.
Good day to you,
Mimi

May 5, 2010 at 3:35 PM  
Blogger Maureen@IslandRoar said...

Last time my son dragged me down to Spring Street to a place I "Had to see," but I did not hit Broome. Now I know....

May 5, 2010 at 6:41 PM  
Blogger mette said...

I don´t think I could visit NYC ( only the hotel ). There is just to much of everything. I understand that there has to be lots of stuff, because there are so many of you, who will buy, but I´m sure that I would panic shopping over there. It is nice to read and see all the pictures though.

May 5, 2010 at 9:09 PM  
Blogger Twenty Four At Heart said...

I love NY and can't wait to get there for BlogHer. For me, however, the number one shopping spot is B&H. My eyes twinkle at the thought! : )

May 5, 2010 at 10:28 PM  
Blogger Imogen Lamport, AICI CIP said...

I wanna go and shop in NY again! Anyway feel like flying me over to do so?

May 5, 2010 at 11:12 PM  
Blogger Duchesse said...

Seconding the love for Adler and Bittar! Marant, not so much for 50+, ubiquitous on les jeunes filles in Paris. Maybe a piece could work, but at that price, hmmm.

May 6, 2010 at 5:22 AM  
Blogger Miss Cavendish said...

Delightful destinations. That turquoise chair at JA has my eye . . .

May 6, 2010 at 5:36 AM  
Blogger WorthyStyle said...

I would ALWAYS stop by Takashimaya, but I am SOOO SAD that it is closing in NYC. AMAZING flowers.

May 6, 2010 at 10:01 AM  
Blogger LPC said...

OK guys. That's it. I'm emailing Mr. Adler and telling him there's a groundswell of support for his designs. Hmm. I wonder how to do that.

May 6, 2010 at 3:58 PM  
Blogger Ms. M said...

I am glad you enjoyed New York :)

May 6, 2010 at 6:38 PM  
Blogger Ash said...

wish i knew about your blog before i went to NY for a long weekend few years ago.

love the blog!!!

May 7, 2010 at 9:32 AM  
Blogger Tiffany said...

I am going to NYC for the very first time in November - thanks for the tips!

May 9, 2010 at 4:36 PM  

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