Guerilla Shopper NYC

Now is the Time to Reinvigorate the Upper West Side Amidst the Chaos!

2021-02-18T19:34:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about real estate, quality of life, and related issues on the Upper West Side for over a year--now certainly magnified by the pandemic that changed everything about 11 months ago. Manhattan's mass exodus, particularly on the Upper West Side where I live, has been reported on continuously for almost a year now. I think there is great opportunity amidst the chaos to emerge more interesting and affordable for those of us who never left and those who would love to live here. For starters: the architecture is amazing!

Among several observations, three things stand out to me:

There is more new building construction and exterior renovation happening on my stretch of Broadway in the 90s than in the decade I've lived up here. The photos I took are on or right off Broadway between 91st-96th St--only five blocks! I know there are more in the 80s, too. I'm not sure who is moving into what I assume will be condos, when apparently thousands of residents have just fled. Some of these new buildings are replacing weird one- or two-story buildings, probably left over from when this neighborhood was not so desirable. Others were pre-war building tear downs -- one of which was a synagogue -- something I don't like to see, but what can you do?
Even before the pandemic, stores were closing regularly along this same stretch, leaving empty storefronts for months and years at a time. Now, during the last 11 months, even DUANE READE and STARBUCKS have permanently shut down, in addition to old locally owned bodegas and Cleopatra's Needle! All national clothing chains have vanished -- Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Mandee and Club Monaco. Grocery stores including two Gristede's...I could go on...
AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT STREET PARKING? First, I just learned that Lyft owns the bike-share operator that runs Citi Bike. I'll explain why this is important in a minute. There is a severe dearth of street parking on the UWS, worse than people who have lived here since the 80s have ever seen (I know this b/c I belong to a local group). Between the aforementioned construction taking up full street and avenue stretches, Citi Bike racks taking up scores of spots along Riverside Drive, 92nd Street and more, restaurants' Covid-era "outdoor" seating shanties built on legit parking spots, and mountains of plowed snow piled up on every other corner, thousands of parking spots have vanished, and so parking garages have jacked up their prices to minimums of $600 a month. And before you tell me people should take public transpo., there IS NO reasonable public transportation to and from the UWS if you regularly travel to NJ, Upstate, CT, etc., especially if you are over 40, which many of us are up here, and have luggage of any kind. I promise you, it's not sustainable. So back to Lyft owning Citi Bike: even the most ardent environmentalist anti-car resident has got to see the hypocrisy: "Nowhere to park? TAKE A LYFT!" "Don't want to take the subway? TAKE A CITI BIKE!" --Lyft is eliminating the ability to drive to and in NYC and making money from it while clogging the streets with MORE LYFTS!

OK, so what do I suggest? What do I envision? Here are my unscientific suggestions:

Remember the early/mid-80s when the UWS was sorta cool for an uptown neighborhood? I do. The City has GOT TO encourage landlords/building owners and managers to rent commercial space to new tenants via tax reduction incentives or credits. You get more points if you lease to mom-and-pops! Or maybe you get penalized for letting storefronts sit empty for more than 6 months. Can't rent your store? Donate it to an educational or arts organization and display art, interpretive dance, whatever! Bring back the creativity, vision, and art that so many residents up here actually appreciate! And won't this help to...
...Attract new residents to all the new buildings with money to spend? Sure, maybe when all these giant new buildings were financed a few years ago "they" envisioned top-dollar condo sales. Well, again, the City should incentivize renting to a plethora of incomes. I read a story the other day whereby big corporations are buying blocks of condos in buildings to get a "bulk rate," I suppose to be able to sell them off one-by-one when the economy starts booming again. Can the government stop this insanity? If it can, it should, otherwise apartments will sit empty and/or Corporations will be landlords. This cannot be good for NYC culture and spirit. Can we please return to a time when apartments were HOMES and not checkers on some investment scheme spreadsheet checkerboard?
Hopefully once the snow melts and construction is completed, we will get some of our beloved parking spots back. But what about restaurants' outdoor posts? When are those going to be removed...or will they be permanent fixtures? I know the restaurant industry has been all but destroyed so I want to provide them with every chance to recover. HOWEVER, and I'm not going to point any specific locations out because I'm not a rat, there are restaurants in my area that have been closed for MONTHS that have empty, abandoned shacks, and/or functioning restaurants with street "shacks" that have collapsed or are not being used due to non-stop snow and frigid temperatures, taking up 2-3 spots in some cases and almost full city blocks in other instances. Maybe most restaurants just can't have outdoor dining during the winter. And furthermore, if patrons who don't live in the City can't park, they'll probably just go out in Westchester or Long Island, like they've been doing the last year.
Hopeful that vaccinations will reach a critical mass by July, I think the city should do some radical things to get people back into town, starting with FREE BRIDGE AND TUNNEL ACCESS, FREE TRAINS INTO GRAND CENTRAL, FREE PATH TRAINS. Obviously not forever, but for enough time that everyone can take advantage of it and feel good about going back to the greatest city on earth.

P.S. Please move Citi Bike racks off the streets and onto sidewalks or park areas that have the space. Oh, and also, for the love of Jah, kill that congestion tax idea already--but that's a whole other post.

I❤️ NY

2016-12-17T09:48:00.001-05:00

Workin' it at ANNA in the East Village

Hi all. Realized I hadn't posted one thing all year, and well, this year is almost over. Good Riddance!

Anyway, this Guerilla Shopper doesn't shop as much as she did "back in the day." Retail has changed tremendously since I started this blog, with online shopping taking over and so many off-price stores declining in quality or going out of business entirely. I was particularly sad when Loehmann's shut down, as I had recently moved to the Upper West Side and found it to be a great go-to spot for many of my needs. Apparently it still exists online, which I just only found out when I looked up the URL!

Now I primarily shop at three stores...and I even help out at one of them from time to time! ANNA, 330 E. 11th St., East Village, NYC; meg, with locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn (I go to the ones in the East Village or the newest location in the West Village); and Lingo, 257 W. 19th St., Chelsea, NYC.

So why do I still shop like it's 1999?
I rarely shop online, especially if it's for clothing and shoes, because even the thought of having to ship stuff back and forth annoys me. I spend HOURS trying stuff on in stores, there's little chance something I pick from a web site is going to fit or look like I want it to the first, second or nineteenth time. Additionally, the environmental impact of packing and shipping seems (is) massively wasteful.

But the real reason I have honed in on these three stores is definitely something the Internet cannot provide: a community of LIVE HUMANS that I interact with IN PERSON. I realize this is an old fashioned notion, but I suspect it will be making a comeback. It HAS to.

I can't tell you the number of awesome women I have met and interacted with at these stores - employees and customers alike. Comedians, authors, filmmakers, musicians -- one woman I talked to a few months ago I soon noticed is on NY1 every other week with Neil Rosen talking about films (I KNEW she looked familiar!). It inspires creativity, discussion, hope, happiness. Better than a book club; better than Starbucks!

And yes, granted, I spend more money than I might if I shopped at H&M or hunted down every last online discount. 'Cuz I'm Worth It. Aren't you?

xoxo GS

Bronx Fashion is Red Hot

2015-07-05T09:54:00.001-04:00

Hot Town, Summer in the City

RUN! (Don't walk) to... China: Through the Looking Glass at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

2015-07-02T17:06:00.000-04:00

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK.

Yes, yes, I have been off doing baseball things for years, but today I was inspired...no, REQUIRED to share with you what I sort of accidentally saw at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You must visit the China: Through the Looking Glass couture fashion exhibit, open until September 7, 2015.

With no plan this morning, I spontaneously figured out how I could get myself and a friend into the museum for free through my day job, kind of saw a headline about this particular show in the New York Observer...and well, it was one of those perfect days that you had no idea was ahead of you. Those folk over there at the museum sure do know how to curate themselves an exhibit! Breathtaking.

And I even got 10% off on a Chinese-inspired beaded necklace in the museum shop! Everyone wins!

xo, GSNYC

I knew this had to be ALEXANDER McQUEEN upon first sighting.

Do I hear the Nutcracker?

McQueen. If the shoe fits...

Punk Rock + French Couture + China + Goth = be still my beating heart.

Tom Ford. This and...(scroll down)

...this had me at "nobody would ever put this together and yet it's the most fabulous combination in this show.

Beading, glorious beading

I'm a long, tall, fabulous teapot. Don't you dare tip me over.

side view

black friday/weekend sale at meg. i would not normally share this "secret"

2013-11-27T12:49:00.001-05:00

TOCCA Sample Sale, Dec 4-6 (2013)

2013-11-27T11:06:00.003-05:00

TOCCA’s Winter Sample Sale is happening December 4 – 6 from 11:30am – 7:30pm at their showroom at 542 West 22^nd Street; 3^rd Fl. (that's WAY west, kids). Candles, fragrances and TOCCA Collection pieces designed by Emma Fletcher at up to 85% off. www.tocca.com/

Crabtree & Evelyn’s Friends & Family Sale, Nov. 17-23

2013-11-19T11:28:00.002-05:00

Crabtree & Evelyn’s Friends & Family Sale!

Take 20% off your purchase of $50 or more

November 17 -23, 2013

Jill Anderson in the E. Village is CLOSING FOR GOOD!

2013-11-12T10:24:00.000-05:00

This Sunday, November 17. Wow, what a bummer.
Well, the silver lining is that there's a SALE!

331 E. 9th St.
NYC

Filnoir: High-end Italian Hosiery on MAJOR Sale (like 80% off!)

2013-08-28T16:51:00.000-04:00

Guys, if you are looking for tights, thigh highs, socks, heck even LEG WARMERS, I implore you to check out Filnoir. Tights that were $46 are $8. I ordered some and they arrived THE NEXT DAY. They do charge for delivery, but the prices are like Crazy Eddie: INSANE. And the quality is way above the norm.

www.filnoir.com

Introducing GSNYC's Alter Ego: Bullpen Betty

2013-06-12T15:29:00.001-04:00

Bullpen Betty

My baseball rants have become a separate human. Please like me as much as the Academy liked Sally Field back in 1984: www.facebook.com/bullpenbetty

My passion (obsession?) just makes me wanna bring humor & help restore the cool factor to baseball, while challenging stereotypes about sports & gender. With ridiculous emphasis on the New York Yankees. (Sorry mom).

Featuring game and player commentary, personal anecdotes, historical references, interviews, photos, music, bar reviews and whatever else the cat drags in. We're just getting going so stay tuned for podcasts and check out the Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/BullpenBetty

Friends don't let friends wear pink baseball hats.

The Monocle Order Opens in Williamsburg

2013-06-07T12:16:00.004-04:00

The Monocle Order http://www.monocleorder.com/, an online member's club for eyewear lovers, has officially opened their flagship showroom in Williamsburg.

The Monocle Order curate and hand pick the world’s finest and best independent designer frames from around the globe including Illesteva, Retro Super Future, Thierry Lasry, L.G.R, Waiting for the Sun, Andy Wolf, RVS by V, Blood and Tears and many more.

The showroom is located at 5 Devoe Street, Brooklyn, NY

TOCCA Spring/Summer Sale: June 12-14

2013-06-07T12:04:00.000-04:00

TOCCA’s Spring/Summer Sale is happening June 12 – 14. Stock up on your favorite candles, fragrances, and TOCCA RTW pieces from Emma Fletcher at up to 85% off.

When:

June 12 – 14^th

11:30am – 7:30pm

Where:

TOCCA Showroom

542 W. 22^nd St. (btw 10/11^th Ave)

PEEPS Store opens in Times Square (in Toys "R" Us) and in FAO Schwartz (5th Ave.)

2013-06-07T11:54:00.000-04:00

Lord and Taylor Friends & Family sale through Tues. June 11

2013-06-07T11:52:00.000-04:00

Lord and Taylor announces its Friends and Family sale, in-store as well as online from today through Tuesday, June 11th. Almost all regular and sale merchandise will be 25% off and customers will also be offered 10% off cosmetics and fragrances.

FLuD Wood Watches

2013-06-06T22:52:00.001-04:00

flud’s GONEAu NaTUReL WITH WOODEN WATCHES

The Big Ben and Exchanges pay homage to wood and nature with their oversized cases, off-centered dials, wooden linked and silicone straps. Chic and convenient interchangeable bands allow you to change your look to fit any occasion. Highlighting all types of wood surfaces, these natural and organic looking wooden timepieces are the most fashion forward.

AVAILABLE: NOWat: thefludway.com

Ekaterina Kukhareva

2013-06-06T22:49:00.000-04:00

About Ekaterina Kukhareva:

A graduate of the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London, Ukranian-born luxury designer Ekaterina Kukhareva masterfully puts to use her degree in Textile & Knitwear by creating designs with emphasis on crochet, macramé, fringing and beading. These meticulously crafted garments, both heavy in detail and bright in color, range from structured jacquard jackets to mod neon shift dresses and knit 60's print high-waist shorts. With each piece as unique as the next (she hand-engineers her own prints), Ekaterina manages to design garments which stay true to her love of texture and knits. Bold hues of color are paired with rich neutrals to create unexpected color combinations on modern cuts, all of which allow the fashion-forward to stand out in a crowd.

British Luxury Shoe Designer Joanne Stoker Debuts In The States for Spring 13

2013-06-06T22:41:00.001-04:00

For Spring, Joanne Stoker found inspiration in the idyllic boardwalks and seaside getaways familiar to her native UK and each design is infused with Stoker’s inimitable sense of fun and play. The collection features modern textures and fabrics and a range of different heel heights for the wearers mood. Styles like the ‘Jitterbug’ or ‘Mambo’ are named after old dancehall classics and deliver high-fashion, high-fun architectural heels. Bold candy stripes work their way into a range of flats and graphic raffia’s, with oversized lurex bows used to bring a femininity to sky-high platform styles.

ODD Kofta Screaming Backpack

2013-06-06T22:36:00.001-04:00

KOFTA SCREAMING BACKPACK, designed by Konstantin Kofta, is hand crafted using modeled lambskin leather and features a screaming face emerging from the bag.

RETAIL:
$957.00

AVAILABILITY:
The KOFTA SCREAMING BACKPACK is available for purchase EXCLUSIVELY at ØDD

ØDD
164 Ludlow Street (at Stanton)
New York, NY 10002
646.559.0406
http://www.odd-style.com/

@ODD_NYC
@JUDSONHARMON
#ODDNYC

"Green" Glasses: Green Frame Collection

2013-06-06T22:32:00.000-04:00

Michael Zargari is celebrating his twentieth anniversary as a leading optician in New York and Los Angeles. Always an innovator, he has just launched a fashion-forward green frame collection of prescription glasses for just $99, including premium anti-reflective shatter resistant prescription lenses and free shipping.

The Woodworks Collection was inspired by Michael’s love of nature and desire to create a product that delivers a daily elegance to the wearer in keeping with his green philosophy. The innovative design combines the richness of natural bamboo with the beauty and durability of recyclable acetate. He added Japanese spring hinges for an incredibly comfortable fit.

http://www.retroeyeworks.com/woodworks/

The Guerilla went to Paris for a long time...and will eventually post evidence!

2013-04-21T08:46:00.000-04:00

Winter Sale at Lingo in Chelsea!

2013-01-24T21:12:00.001-05:00

Our Winter Clearance Sale has started!

20% - 50% off selected merchandise.

257 W. 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
www.lingonyc.com
www.facebook.com/LingoNYC

Milk & Honey: Design Your Own Shoes

2013-01-20T22:09:00.001-05:00

While I have not seen what any of these shoes look like in person, I just spent about an hour designing a few pairs. And I could easily spend countless hours on more.

In steps Milk & Honey: an online shoe company founded by sisters, based in Los Angeles.

The site is extremely user-friendly. The options are endless; I'm not sure what the mathematical permutation is, but I think that infinity might be close to the number of combinations of styles you could come up with. AND they cater to all types of shoe lovers: Shoe Hootchie, Shoe Virgin, Shoe Maniac, Shoe Guru, Shoelapalosa, Shoe Jockey, Shoeless Joe Jackson ... you name it.

Read all about M&H in The New York Times here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/business/milk-honey-an-online-shoe-company-started-by-sisters.html?_r=0

Catherine Angiel Winter Sale, Jan 14-21

2013-01-12T16:56:00.000-05:00

E. Vill's Change of Season Closing End of January!

2012-12-30T00:20:00.005-05:00

I feel like my child is leaving me. I came across Change of Season the week it opened some 3+ years ago and became friends with Clinton and Marco...and now, they are leaving for Amsterdam. Weep.

Good news is everything is on sale-is major-is, however word has it that things are vanishing fast!

Hope to visit my semi-retail pals soon in Europe.

Wow time flies when you are shopping.
GOOD LUCK C&M!
xoxo GSNYC

Change of Season, a boutique outlet
341 East 9th St. NYC
www.changeofseasonnyc.com

Filnoir Italian Hosiery: 50% Off Promo

2012-11-14T19:47:00.001-05:00

Hey gals, my friend's fancy hosiery company is offering a 50% discount when you use the following promo code: Laura50

Tights, thigh highs, knee highs, leg warmers, etc.

Yes, MY name will save YOU money. Hooray!

Go here: www.filnoir.com