…in NYC….part 2!

A few blocks north of Century 21 on 60 Reade Street, between Church Street and Broadway; 1 block north of Chambers Street leads you to Anbar shoes. The most fabulous shoes organised by colour! If you’re lucky, you’ll find your size in Mui Mui and Rupert Sanderson for up to half the retail price.


You’ll be swamped with bags from Anbar and Century 21. Taxi’s are not easy to hail down around here so don’t be afraid to take a tuk-tuk (a cyclist on a 3 wheeler with a seat for 2 behind!). It’s hilarious fun and we met a fascinating older man who gave us so many invaluable tips and was a wealth of knowledge on “Cultural New York” so it was a real shame that we were just there to shop!

 

Kenneth Cole is one of my favourite stores in the US. There are several stores in Manhattan but head straight for 610 5^th Ave near the Rockefeller Centre as it’s got the widest selection. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, go to 107 East 42^nd at Grand Central Station where Teresa is so helpful, you’ll want some of her happy pills! Bags are a great buy here. You’ll pay a little extra (although certainly nothing like the Irish prices for Kenneth Cole) but you’ll get something different and very well made. The shoe designs are always very flattering to the leg and even the really high ones are comfortable. I’ve not bought too much clothing here other than a great winter coat and some really well fitted tops. In general, I’ve never been disappointed by their goods or how they wash.

 

Banana Republic is from the same family as GAP but a level higher in quality, style, etc. It’s fantastic for long t-shirts/vests that don’t rise up over pre or post-baby bellies! Their wrap dresses, when they have them, are brilliant and wash so well. I purchased a black one in October for 80 dollars in the sale. A friend tried on a Diane Von Furstenberg one in Saks and was so disappointed with the fabric quality and the fit. The quality at Banana Republic is not as great as Kenneth Cole but still really good. You’ll find great on-trend bags and accessories here at great prices. There’s also a great selection of shoes but not all as equally comfy so try before you buy. Go to the store next to the Kenneth Cole shop at the Rockefeller Centre for the best selection and pop out the back door for a little apple martini while you watch the world and the ice-skaters go by!

 

 

 

Designer Shoes

Manolo Blahnik, 31 West 54th Street. Should I win the lotto, this is to be my 1^st stop. Go early in the morning to avoid disappointment as they don’t stock many sizes in each shoe. The staff are lovely and really patient (other than 1 blonde girl who served a friend but who may not last very long there as she was being watched by a more senior staff member). The shoes are not yet available in Ireland which makes them all the more desirable! They are approximately 375 – 450 sterling in the UK depending on the pair you fall in love with (you can pay thousands for rare materials like reptile) but in the US, they’ll set you back approximately 500 dollars! Plus the service and the entire shopping experience in the US will guarantee absolute smugness and an ear to ear smile every time you wear them! The packaging is a little disappointing but the shoes boast the most beautiful craftsmanship I’ve ever seen in footwear. Perfect stitching, glorious smell of good leather and flawless finish.

 

Christian Louboutin are available in a few locations in Manhattan. Be aware that they are roughly the same price as BT’s so you’re not getting a bargain. Funny that….. “Louboutin” and “bargain” in the same sentence!!! But boy will your shopping experience be different if you make your purchase in the US! I treated myself to a pair on my last visit to Manhattan……(I’ll be paying them off on my Visa card long after the red sole has worn off……and yes it does wear off!). I spent a while contemplating if I should just wait and purchase them back home. A quick flashback to my last purchase in BT and decision made. I headed straight for Bergdorf Goodman a magnificent department store on 5^th Avenue with my card burning a whole in my pocket. A true gentleman named CJ was my assistant and despite the word TOURIST screaming from my forehead, he couldn’t have been more polite, patient, friendly and non-patronising. It was obvious that they were my first pair and that I wasn’t exactly going to be wearing them on the school run but I was treated as if I was Victoria Beckham buying 5 pairs in 5 minutes! If only he knew I’d be smelling them, smiling at them and touching them gently every day for the rest of my life! I actually shed a little tear when I saw the sole after the 1^st wear………ssshhhh!

 

Disappointments…………

I was really disappointed with Agent Provocateur, 133 Mercer Street, Soho. In my head I had planned to buy half of what was on their website (although funnily enough there were no prices listed!)….really wanted a short lace kimono type thing…..it was stunning…it was also $3,000!!! The nipple tassels were bad enough at $85 plus extra for the stickers!!! The staff were really aggressively selling and very condescending despite the fact that we were dressed to the 9’s on way to dinner at Balthazar. Wouldn’t return if I won the Euro Millions!

Diane Von Furstenberg was also a disappointment although we didn’t get to the actual store. The staff were quite aloof over the phone so we decided to go to Saks 5th Ave where the solid black wrap was also available. Despite trying her regular size (which should have been slightly bigger as European manufacturers allow a little extra for the US market), the dress was almost indecent on my friend. The fabric was very sheer under the artificial light of the dressing room and the stitching was really poor, particularly at the shoulders which appeared puckered in the wrong places. The dresses look great if you’re fairly small on top, not very voluptuous, wear a slip underneath and use some safety pins!

Food coming next……

Mimi

xxxxxx