Shop Small- Long Beach New York

I have recently discovered unique boutiques in Long Beach New York.  Just a reminder that small businesses are popping up everywhere, so shop where you live! Take a stroll and admire the entrepreneurial spirit!  Suggestions welcome!!

These shops are amazing sources of unique and lovely gifts of all different price ranges:

Momona Gallery

Beautiful hand crafted fair trade goods.  Most of the products sold here are made by women under fair labor conditions.  Ranges of gifts from cards, to candles, to clothing, to beautiful decor for the home. Something new and exciting at every glance.  Worth the trip! Plus, the shop owner is so passionate about what she does, it makes shopping there truly rewarding.

Frippery
Cute and funky accessories store: fun bracelets, necklaces and rings in the "beachy" spirit!

OOHLALA Boutique
Fun and girly clothing and accessories in a super cute environment.  I got one of these "Home" Sweatshirts- as seen on Shark Tank:

My Beach Baby
A little kids clothing and accessories store that also offers BABY YOGA! And art classes for little ones. I LOVE this idea so very much! These ladies are awesome!

FLYING TIGER - NEW TO NYC- BEST STORE EVER

My true New Yorker friend Rachel told me about a mecca of adorable and affordable kitchy items: FLYING TIGER!  The company is based in Copenhagen, and they just opened a NYC store on the corner of 21st St and 5th Ave.  And their website home page is animals taking a selfie with a selfie stick (only $6)

The Dutch designs are clever and humorous.  The prices can't be beat! Most items are under $10. The store design is ingenious.  It is set up as a maze-like path.  Low shelves make the store feel open, but you must walk by everything to get to the register!  So much to see.  Pictures explain it best.  Can't buy online, only in the store, but SO WORTH THE TRIP.

Here are some things that made me smile MOST:

Mustache lovers? Here's hangers, bike seat covers, wipe boards, magnets, etc! 

 

Knife block made of plastic blades of grass in the nature themed section.

 Cute and fun items for the home. 

"MAKE A FACE" Party favor boxes: $2

 

 Fish Themed Cake Decorations- $3

  Waterproof Shoe Covers for festivals!  $4

Hedgehog shaped tape dispenser to jazz up your office.  $3

 Pencil Sharpener that attaches to any water bottle: $1

Strawberry Calculator- $2

 Make Up Headband- For keeping your hair out of your face when you do your make up! $2

  Space Saving Angel Wing Scarf Hanger: $4

GOVBALL2015 through my eyes

I attended the Governor's Ball NYC 2015 concert last Sunday.  This is a weekend-long music festival on Randall's Island with music, food trucks, and over-sized board games galore.  Of course,  I was on the hunt for inspiring fashions.  What I soon realized, was that many girls opted for comfort over couture, and that cheeky humor reigned supreme.  Literally, there were girls sporting temporary tattoos by their derrieres that said "cheeky". 

While I was not able to photograph all of the madness, I did get some choice shots.  Here is the GovBall through my eyes: Enjoy!

*Also, if you attended, do you have any awesome pics or insights to share?!


Ode to NYC- subways, bridges, coffee, baseball, and PIZZA!

What's more New York than a George Costanza backpack?  I do not know!

A slice of Americana.

The lady in shades, and fanny packs at two o'clock!

Everyone is so casual...

But this guy is CAT-TASTIC!

There has to be at least ONE Frozen reference. Go Olaf!

The only way to not get LOST at GovBall- wear NEON! Total props to this duo for keeping it matching and interesting!

When in doubt, wear a George Washington shirt with a mustache, and neon shades! Total win!

Doggy Essentials- advice for Pup Parents

I am a proud pup parent.  I take my role seriously, and I enjoy chatting with other owners at the dog park and around town.  We chat about our little guys and what items we buy for them.  However, this is not going to be an article about frou frou sweaters, although they are so darn cute.   There are some things that I actually could not survive without!  Here are the top items to own if you have a dog:

1. Poop Bag Dispenser with refill bags. 
Instead of grabbing a random grocery bag and being left in the S#!t when your dog has to poop a second time, do yourself a favor and come prepared.  I attach a little plastic bone to the leash and have bags ready to dispense at all times. Also, lending a bag to a fellow pet owner in need is a great way to make friends!

2. The Furminator- deshedding brush
I tried wire bristle brushes, rubber brush tools, and even my own hair brush, but could not get my dog to sit still.  I even tried using a mitt with rubber "hair grabbers" on the end.  Nothing worked.  Then, my friend told me about The Furminator.  It is a steel fine-tooth comb with a handle, and it has an easy hair removal latch. My dog loves the feel of it brushing her, and I love not having her fur all over the couch.  They have different tools for dog size and dog hair length, so you can tailor the brush to your needs.

3. Harness.
This is a MUST have, especially if your dog is small and likes to pull.  Before harnessing my dog, I practically strangled her every time I tried to walk her on leash because she would pull like CRAZY to go in the direction of something she wanted to see.  I went through 5 different harnesses because she kept escaping her way out of them.  Finally, I found one that worked for me.  It is by Puppia, and it is soft foam around her neck and chest, so it does not hurt her.   Also, as a tip, never leave the harness on your dog when they are at home.  If they like to chew, they WILL eat through the straps!

What are your must-have pup products?

Darby Smart- a crafter's paradise

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own Etsy shop?  Do you have a creative urge to craft, but you are not sure where to find that outlet?  Darby Smart may be for you.  Darby Smart is a crafter's paradise.  Basically, they sell craft projects, but not the hot glue gun and macaroni kind.  These craft projects come straight from the minds of quirky young designers, and look fabulously professional.

One great example is the teacup candle.  What a cool idea.  Plenty of people may buy a pretty teacup but it just sits on the shelf. Why not turn it into a great smelling candle?  You can satisfy your crafting urge, learn a neat skill, and make an awesome item for yourself or a friend to enjoy.

 Here's now Darby is so smart: they show you the steps to each project and offer an easy way to buy all of the components from their site.  They also offer discounts, as well as link to other similar ideas.  I like that you can choose which items to buy, instead of being locked into a whole kit.

The best part is that Darby offers many opportunities: Work for them by selling your designs, sell merchandise that you have created, peruse finished products that people have posted and created in the Showroom, and learn about new techniques and ideas all on one site. 

Plus, their trend report section is out of this world and elevates crafting to a most professional level.

If you have any interest in DIY at all, check them out.  Life changing!

Love,

Shopahillic

My Life... In a Box

When you live in the suburbs and don't have a car, it is so much easier to order everything online than to actually go to a store.  We've all heard that the retail store is on the decline, and after some thought, I think I know why: Box Culture.

Now, I know that I am not the norm, but even to the non-believer, it is hard to ignore that a significant amount of things can be conveniently delivered to you.  Forget Amazon Prime, because they now have Amazon Prime Now. I actually read that if you sign up, certain items can be delivered to you in up to 2 hours!

Anyway, here's my Box picks: aka, why you don't really need to leave the house to shop:

1. BarkBox - monthly box of goodies for my dog- includes fun toys and treats. Each month is a new theme!   I mean May 2015 was a floral month with a toy bouquet of doggie flowers.   If you aren't sold by me, see the review from "A Domestic Life"  (and credit to her for the below photo)

2. Birchbox- aka, the original.  I finally succumbed to paying for free samples, but you know what? It is a great way to try cool products without committing to the full size.  Also, each month, the box is curated by a different fashion or beauty maven, which makes me feel good.  Plus, the cardboard boxes are so pretty.
And I mean, oh my god, "Unboxing" is a term! Used to describe the joy of unpacking your monthly box. Thanks to Martha Holloway's blog for teaching me that. And for the photo credit below.

3. Blue Apron- this has actually changed my life. I went from the girl who asked "how do you make a grilled cheese?" to cooking gourmet meals three nights a week.  This box is great for anyone who loves to follow step by step directions and to do tedious things like chopping.  All of the ingredients come packaged in the exact right amounts and are clearly labeled.  Each week, an ice-packed box is shipped to your door on the day you choose. Colorful picture-filled instruction cards come with each  meal.  Cooking can be time consuming, but the rewards are delicious! Plus, your first week is FREE.

4. Stitch Fix-  Okay this is a new one- ready for this?!  Its your own personal stylist.  You pick what types of clothes you like. You give all of the info including what prices you are willing to spend on what types of garments.  You basically challenge this wonderful person to scour the Stitch Fix inventory of carefully curated awesome looks to find what you need and what you will love to wear.  I was skeptical, but man, they do a great job.  I got a dress that is perfect for the summer wedding I will be attending.
If you keep none of the 5 items they send, you pay $20. Keep even one item, and that cost is included in the price.  Keep all 5 items and get a sweet discount!
It is easy to return anything you do not like.  You can even choose how often you want to receive your fix.
But why you ask? Why pay someone to dress you? Because it is damn hard and time consuming to try on things and return them, especially when ordering online.  Why not trust a system that has already done the hard work and filtered out the best items for your body type and budget?  I am a convert for sure.
All the credit goes to my super savvy friend Dori for convincing me to give it a try, and to my stylist, Jenna who gave me a personalized note along with outfit tips for how to style my new threads!

Indigo-ing gets tough...

As the comfort craze takes hold, we are more likely to see "denim" in the form of indigo knit sweatpant hybrids than traditional "jeans".  Over the past few years, Diesel has focused more of its designs into athleisure, promoting Jogg Jeans, a denim look with a sweatpant feel.  Today, everyone from high fashion to babies are wearing knit denim.

Have we become over-saturated with Indigo?  Jeans have become so common-place and have been sold at such discounts that high regard for denim quality seems to have fallen by the wayside.  However, while I try to adopt these new trends, there is something about denim that always pulls me back.

First of all, decent jeans do not fall apart after one wear.  They get better with age and time, showing the details of your movements as love-worn creases.  I always keep my phone in my front pocket, and notice that after a while, I get the "phone mark" etched into my indigo, making these jeans uniquely mine.

One brand that I can always turn to for innovative denim with respect to craftsmanship and history is Scotch and Soda.  I raided their NYC sample sale on the first day (yesterday), and made off with some great pieces that will stand the test of time.  To get your indi-groove on, head to 260 Sample Sale on 5th Ave btwn 28th and 29th St before all the best stuff sells out.

Here is my "borrowed from the boys" denim shirt.  Yes, I shop the men's section.  Its not even a secret that men's quality garments are often better than women's, and for that "oversized look", it is often more effective when buying off the dudes rack.  I love the destructed and repaired details. This shirt will be great for layering over a cute summer romper!