Private Chic Boutique Tour for a Lovely Lady from Australia

It was an extremely cold day and the first shopping tour of 2010. A woman from Australia and her husband wanted to do something of interest but unfortunately their choices were very different. The woman wanted to shop and the man wanted to take photographs of the city. It just so happens that ShopNYC Tours has a friend who gives photography tours/lessons so it worked out perfectly for everyone!

We started our shopping tour walking through the beautiful and historic Washington Square Park and up University Place to Pia. This woman was serious about getting a new wardrobe since she had recently lost some weight. I figured this would be a great boutique to start in and get a feel for her style since they have a selection of both classic and trendy looks. Pia also has some amazing accessories that work perfectly with almost any style. After trying on a few of the blouses (which were a little on the trendy side) and not having much luck, I pointed her in the direction of one of their skirts. She said that she was looking at things for work and I knew that with a grey pencil skirt you couldn't go wrong! It was a success.

From Pia, we headed over to Ibiza, but their funky, vintage-inspired clothing and accessories weren't quite working. It was good to see what wasn't working, however, because from this point of the tour and onward, I knew where we needed to shop!

I took her south of Washington Square Park to LaGuardia Place where we made two stops. The first was Helianthus where they had some amazing sales happening. We found a few trendier items that she took a chance with and tried on, but they didn't quite work. The second stop was Purdy Girl and it ended up being a gold mine for her. Not only did they have a 50% off storewide sale happening, but she found everything from tops to dresses to jeans. We discovered that the shift dress was THE perfect fit for her and she ended up purchasing several of these Jackie & Michelle O numbers.

Following Purdy Girl, we headed down to Soho to the New York Look. This store is great because 1.) it's huge but not department store huge and 2.) they have a wide range of sizes for each item like a department store but, again, it's not one! She tried on several dresses by Elie Tahari, Tory Burch, and Nicole Miller along with jeans by 7 for All Mankind. New York Look--like Purdy Girl--was a very successful stop!

After finding some great stand-out pieces, she expressed that she wanted to find some basic staples at reasonable prices. I asked her if they had a Zara in Australia and to my surprise, she had never heard of it. I knew this would be the perfect place for her to get basics. It definitely was. She found a black turtleneck and some black skinny pants that fit her like a dream.

Zara was lacking in shirts, however, so we had time for one more quick stop across the street at Mango--another shop that, to my surprise, she hadn't heard of. I figured it would be a good place to find blouses and it worked.

If you're looking to find a new wardrobe that suits you, take a private shopping tour with us! We'll focus on your style and shops that work best for your body type and your budget. To inquire, visit www.shop-nyctours.com/contact. We look forward to shopping with you!

Recessionista Finds and Birthday Bargains!

Last week's Recessionista shopping tour was for 3 lovely ladies from New Jersey and one of them was celebrating their 35th birthday. They told me that they visit NYC all the time, but that they wanted to try something different--so that's why they came on the tour. They said that they usually don't get out of Midtown because they really just don't know where to go. I told them that they came on the right shopping tour!

Since the tour was scheduled just for the three of them and they were going to Dashing Diva on the Upper East Side afterwards, we started the tour in Soho and worked our way backwards to Union Square. The first stop I took them to was UniQlo. They had never been before (since it just opened in the last year and it's the only one in the US) so they were surprised to find such great prices for such quality items. I explained to them that the latest designer to come to UniQlo was Jil Sander with her +J line.

After UniQlo, which is more about basics, we headed to TopShop which was definitely the opposite with their funky furs and dazzling sequins. They explored all three levels and were especially anxious to see the Shoe Lounge.

After a lot of browsing, we moved on to Nolita and headed to The Market NYC which is also known as the Young Designers' Market. They absolutely LOVED it. From the unique knit hats, to some lovely CZ studs, to the sweet-smelling body butters, none of them left empty-handed. This stop, as usual, was definitely one of the most successful.

From Nolita, we headed up to Necessary Clothing in Noho. They browsed for a bit and then it was on to Monk, near Washington Square Park. They really enjoyed exploring all the unique vintage and consignment and the birthday girl bought herself a beautiful silk scarf.

From here we explored the Shoe District and then headed up Sixth Avenue to 14th Street, where we stopped at Gem Story and they bought some really cute jewelry with bargain, bargain, bargain prices. (I also bought my grandmother a pretty snowman pin!)

The next stop was Remix shoe store on 14th Street where one of the ladies bought a really fun and funky pair of rain boots (which was very appropriate since it was pouring the whole day!) From there, we made a quick stop at Strawberry and then I escorted them uptown to Macy's where they wanted to shop before getting their manicures and pedicures at Dashing Diva.

Despite the rain and the cold, it was a fun tour and they had the chance to shop places that they hadn't shopped before. If you're a bargain-lover and would like to take our Recessionista Tour, visit our website at www.shop-nyctours.com/tours for more information. Hope to shop with you soon!

Teen Shopping Tours for the Birthday Girls!

Last weekend's Teen Shopping Tours, despite the weather, were fun, fun, fun! On Friday, the tour was for a 13-year-old birthday girl, her mom and her grandmother. I picked them up in a limo at 10am and we headed to our usual first stop on the Upper East Side. What made this tour extra special was that we had a stylist meet us at the first stop (the Abercrombie & Fitch Flagship). Kelly Mealia of Kreative Kouture and Ollie & Boo Jewelry had several outfits whipped out in no time and after a whirlwind in the dressing room, we were on our way to Henri Bendel while the mom purchased their favorites.

At Bendel's, we focused mostly on accessories since most of their women's clothing would be too large for the tiny teen. Kelly hand picked several headband options and again, it was a quick show for mom and grandma (who even bought some things for themselves--how could they not at the "Girl's Playground"???).

After the Bendel mini-spree, it was back in the limo and down Fifth Avenue to the Juicy Couture Flagship store where once again, Kelly put several cute pieces together to form some fabulous outfits. And the grandma picked out one of their signature terry-cloth track suits for HER daughter :-)

On the way to Noho/Soho, Kelly rode along with us and showed her beautiful jewelry collection, Ollie & Boo, which had just been seen on The Today Show the previous morning. The teen picked out her favorite earrings and Kelly left us at this point of the tour.

We continued on to Soho, where we stopped for a quick lunch break. While mom and grandma finished up eating, me and the teen headed over to the much-anticipated TopShop! This store was awesome because all 3 of the lovely ladies found clothing that worked for them here. The teen ended up getting an adorable jumper and a sweet bohemian top while the mom bought a stunning black cocktail dress and the grandma a beautiful floral blouse.

We were running out of time at this point so we had to head uptown to the MAC store where it was time for a teen makeover in preparation for her photo shoot. While the make-up artist applied some colorful and fresh eyeshadow and lip gloss, the grandma got a "smokey-eye" lesson.

At this point of the tour, it was time for me to leave them as they continued on to the photo shoot on location in the Meatpacking District with Caitlin Greer Photography.

These gals were super sweet and had a wonderful time, as did I! It made me want to take a shopping trip with my mom and grandma....so fun!

On Saturday, the tour was for a Sweet 16 Birthday and the group came into the city for the day from New Jersey. I met them at Penn Station where the limo picked them up. From here we headed uptown to Henri Bendel, where I assured them they would enjoy browsing the "Girl's Playground."

Since they wanted to focus more on unique, NYC shopping, we skipped Abercrombie & Fitch and Juicy Couture and headed downtown to Noho to Joyce Leslie and Necessary Clothing. On the way, they enjoyed their "teeny" cosmos. Since they're from New Jersey they were actually familiar with Joyce Leslie but they definitely loved shopping at Necessary Clothing. They found some amazing clothes, shoes and accessories at this stop but I assured them that they needed to save up some energy for TopShop--and they did!

TopShop was a super-successful stop as the sales going on were absolutely AMAZING! There was something for everyone and they made a lot of their purchases there.

After this stop, we headed to the West Village and they enjoyed their cupcakes along the way. There was a line at the Marc Jacobs Special Items store (as there often is) so I waited in line for them while they browsed Olive & Bettes and Juicy Couture Bleecker Street.

We were running out of time and I had mini-makeovers planned for the teens after the tour at Makeup Forever so we quickly finished up in the West Village. (Their mom told me these teens loved, loved, loved makeup so I knew this would be a nice addition to the tour for them!)

The limo dropped us off at Makeup Forever and while they waited for each teen to get their makeover, I mapped out a quick itinerary for them to eat dinner after, continue discount shopping and end up back at Penn Station. All in all, it was a fun birthday!

For more information about ShopNYC Tours OR to book a tour for YOUR teen's birthday, visit www.shop-nyctours.com!

Teen Fashion and Fun Tour with Fashion Photo Shoot!

Last weekend’s Teen Fashion and Fun Tour didn’t just consist of shopping the hottest teen spots in NYC, but it also allowed the teen birthday girl to show off her new outfits in her very own photo shoot following the tour!

The day began at Bryant Park as usual, with the soon to be 13-year-old and her mother who were visiting from Louisiana.  Since it was just the two of them, they decided to take the subway/walking version of the tour which provided them with a budget-friendly option and also an opportunity to take the tour at a slightly slower pace.  It also gave the teen birthday girl more time to try on clothes, which was important since she would be going straight to the photo shoot after.  From Bryant Park, we headed up Fifth Avenue and the first stop was the Juicy Couture Flagship store.  The birthday teen was super-excited to visit this store and headed straight upstairs to find some dresses for her photo shoot.  She ended up opting for a very fashionable item—a black velour, tank with long pants jumpsuit.  It was adorable on her and also very now.  While her mom made the purchase, I took the teen over to the doggy corner where she looked at all the cute merchandise and told me about her two Chihuahuas! 

After Juicy, we headed up to Henri Bendel where I told the Louisiana ladies that they could actually see some unique, independent designer jewelry and they could also watch some fabulous 30-minute shoemakers as they cobble their designs.  The birthday teen even bought a pair of these beautifully made sandals.  The process began with the shoemaker choosing a sole that fit her foot, and then the birthday teen had to choose the color straps she wanted (there were about 25 colors to choose from), any gold, silver, or rhinestone ornaments she wanted (such as butterflies, starfish, hearts or stars) and the pattern she wanted the straps to follow.  After all of that was chosen (which took about 25 minutes), the ladies were told to come back in 30 minutes to pick up the shoes.   They still had a lot of shopping to do so the cobblers offered to hold the sandals for them to the end of day.

We continued one more block up Fifth Avenue and headed to the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship, which is ALWAYS a favorite of the teens.  We browsed for some dresses but didn’t have much luck so she decided to go the skirt route.  They had some really cute summer skirts and tees to match.  The only drawback of that store was that we had to spend more time in the check out line than we had spent shopping.  So I offered to wait in the line upstairs while they waited downstairs and that speeded things up a little at least.

After Abercrombie, we walked over to the subway and headed to Soho.  They were really hungry but we were running out of time to shop so I suggested they grab a slice of Two Boots Pizza, which is one of the best in the city.  Yum!

After a quick bite, the teen told me she wanted to look for shoes so I took them to several shoe stores.  She was hoping to find the Converse tennis shoes that lace up to the knee like boots so I took them to a store where they had over 200 styles of Converse.  Unfortunately we found out that they don’t carry those specific shoes anymore.  I also suggested they take a quick look at Joyce Leslie since they carry some shoes that are both stylish and inexpensive.  We stopped for a moment but since we were running out of time they marked it as a place to visit again the next day.  We didn’t have time to head to TopShop or to the Marc Jacobs Special Collection store in the West Village either, but I explained that the maps and addresses of these stores along with all the other stores we visited were in their ShopNYC Tours Printed Shopping Guides that they could refer to after the tour.

We headed back uptown and since I didn’t have time to serve the Teeny Cosmo on the tour, I gave her the glass and the drink in a separate container to use as a prop in her photo shoot.  The birthday teen found her photo shoot outfits while on the tour which is really all that mattered. She went straight to hair and make-up (the make-up artist met her at their hotel) and then hopped in a cab to Chelsea for the photo shoot that was going to be done on location. 

If you'd like to take a Teen Fashion and Fun Tour with your own Fashion Photo Shoot or if you'd like to give an extra special birthday gift to your teen, visit www.shop-nyctours.com for more information!

Chic Boutique Tour with Carolina Gal!

I absolutely LOVE North Carolina!  So when I found out I was giving a shopping tour for a woman from Greenville who currently lives in Raleigh, I was really looking forward to some "Carolina bonding."  Afterall, I went to college in Wilmington, and pretty much partied all over the state (in Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Chapel Hill and Greenville) during those days of youth..... ;-)  I have a lot of fond memories of NC.  

This woman was really sweet, early 30s and engaged (her fiance lives in New York.)  She works as an attorney and pretty much comes to New York every weekend to visit.  The shopping tour was a gift from him and since it was just a solo tour, he opted for the subway/walking tour which she actually preferred.  She said she felt like walking and taking the subway was more authentic to NYC.  She also commented how she could see tourists really benefitting from having a tour guide to teach them about the subway system.  

At any rate, the tour stops were all the same as usual.  In Greenwich Village, she particularly liked La Petit Coquette (as did her fiance) for their classy lingerie.  (In fact, I think she pointed out some neglige sets she liked to give him an idea of her taste.)  She also tried on quite a few outfits in Owl's Lab, which seemed to be one of her favorites.  She took a card and made a note that she wanted to go back there after the tour.  She wanted to have some time to think about her purchases before she bought them--smart girl!

She actually made a comment halfway through the tour that even though she lived in New York for almost five years and visits every weekend, she had never been to the stores I was introducing her to.  Like most New Yorkers, she was always too busy to explore the often "hidden gem" boutiques in the city.  

When we got to Soho, she really enjoyed New York Look and tried on a few things there as well.  Instead of sticking to the more commercial stores, after New York Look, I suggested we head to West Soho to visit some of the vintage boutiques.  She really enjoyed Chelsea Girl Couture and Laurel Canyon (where she tried on a pair of their awesome vintage cowboy boots.)  I also mentioned Flying A and she commented that she had been there before and had been meaning to go back.  I told her that this would be a good time, since they offer 15% off vintage items to my tours.  

While in transit to the last stop on the tour, we talked about some of the amazing vintage stores in North Carolina, including Buffalo Exchange (which I told her recently opened a store in NYC) and a lot of the cool vintage shops in Chapel Hill.  We also talked about downtown Raleigh and how it's such a beautiful, quaint town.  I told her I went to school in Wilmington and she told me she had been there within the last month and actually bought the sandals she was wearing while she was there.  (These sandals were adorable and she got SO many compliments on them throughout the tour!)  

Darling, in the West Village/Meatpacking area, was the last stop, which I knew she'd enjoy because by this time, I had a good feel for her personal taste and style.  I also think she was a little overwhelmed by this point since we had been shopping for 3 1/2 hours and she had seen a lot that she really liked and wanted to go back to see after the tour.  She had also been awake since the crack of dawn and had plans to go out with friends that evening so I walked her to the nearest subway and pointed her in the direction of her fiance's.  She was really grateful to me for the tour and said she had a wonderful time.  I had a great time too.  We hugged goodbye.  I'm telling you, it's something about those Carolina connections...... :-)

If you'd like to take one of our subway/walking shopping tours, visit www.zerve.com/ShopNYCTours for more information and to purchase tickets.  I hope to shop with you soon!

Chic Boutique Tour - Bachelorette Party!

Saturday's tour was the first Chic Boutique Tour that I've given in a while.  My Vintage Boutique and Teen Fashion and Fun Tours have been more popular, probably because of the state of the economy.  The Chic Boutique Tour definitely visits boutiques with higher overall price points than the other tours, but you can still find select items that don't cost a fortune, and window shopping is always welcome too.  

The group was a lot of fun.  There were two women from Reno, Nevada and then, of course, the bachelorette party, from Pittsburgh, PA.  Due to the size of the group, we took a limo, which always puts a smile on women's faces--especially when it's a surprise.  

First stop was in Greenwich Village at Make-up Forever.  The bride-to-be got some advice from the sales associates (who are all professional make-up artists) about how to do her makeup for the big day.  A couple other ladies in her party made some purchases too, while the ladies from Reno visited an art gallery across the street.  

Around the corner on University Place was Pia, where all of the ladies took a look at the beautiful handbags.  Bruce, the owner, was friendly, as always.  They all loved the store but the price range wasn't in their budget.  So I suggested, since it was a bachelorette party, that they head across the street to La Petit Coquette to take a look at the cute, feminine and funky lingerie selection.  The ladies from Reno showed a strong interest in gift shops and housewares stores so I pointed them in the direction of William Wayne & Company.  In the last 15 minutes of our stop in Greenwich Village, both groups ended up in Ibiza, which they all seemed to take a strong liking too.  They were all pretty amazed with their beautiful collection of jewelry, their cool hats and their funky handbags.

After Greenwich Village, it was back to the limo and off to Soho.  Since I had a good feel for the group by this point, I decided to take them to the west side of Soho rather than the east side, since the boutiques in that area are more unique than commercial but still reasonable in pricing.  They visited Laurel Canyon Vintage (one of the ladies in the bachelorette party wanted to see their cowboy boot collection after viewing the video), Chelsea Girl Couture (one of the ladies from Reno was interested in the Moon Bags after viewing the video), The Hat Shoppe, Lunessa and DKNY to name a few.  The ladies from Reno also visited Clio (a housewares store.)  This was a perfect area for the combination of groups since there is such a wide range of boutiques.  There was definitely something for everyone.  

After Soho, we got back in the limo and they each enjoyed a glass of champagne as we headed over to the West Village/Meatpacking District.  Next stop was Darling, which is one of my personal favorites.  Darling is awesome because they have a range of contemporary fashion, vintage fashion, vintage-inspired fashion and of course, a lovely dress collection on the lower level.  They also have some amazing accessories like broaches, earrings, necklaces, belts, and hats to name a few.  Darling carries some select handbags and shoes and some scented candles and oils for the home, which gives the entire store the most pleasant smell.  

Everyone enjoyed this store but since the bachelorette party was taking more time than the other women, I suggested they head over to the next block where they could visit Mxyplyzyk, which is one of the coolest gift shops in the city.  I also suggested that they visit Tea & Sympathy across the street where they could find some great gifts as well.  I would normally suggest The Bathroom too but it turns out that they're Greenwich Avenue store closed.  Times are definitely tough.

The West Village/Meatpacking was our last stop and after some successful purchases, the limo picked us up and dropped off each group at their requested location (another advantage of having a small group), which they really appreciated, considering it was raining like crazy all day.  

If you'd like to do something special in NYC for your bride-to-be, visit www.shop-nyctours.com and book one of our tours.  Both public and private groups tours are available.  Hope to shop with you soon!

Teen Fashion and Fun Tour - Teen and Two Adults Had an Equally Awesome Time!

Saturday’s Teen Fashion and Fun Tour was great, not only for the teen, but for the adults too!  There were 3 ladies—one being a young lady of about thirteen.  I can honestly say that all three of them enjoyed the tour immensely.  From Fifth Avenue’s Abercrombie and Bendel’s to Noho’s and Soho’s Joyce Leslie and TopShop, they shopped, shopped, shopped!  They enjoyed the fashion videos I showed them along the way and seemed to gain a lot of knowledge from them.  (They were making comments about info from the videos when they visited some of the stores.) 

It was a rainy day but fortunately, with the spot-to-spot transportation provided, it didn’t really make a difference.  They barely even needed their umbrellas.

As usual, in the West Village, I picked up their cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery while they browsed the Marc Jacobs Special Items Store.  The ladies told me that they had been to the Georgetown Bakery outside of DC and were anxious to compare the cupcakes to Magnolia’s. 

When they finished their shopping, we dropped them off at their final destination, which was Chelsea Piers.  (Sometimes I can drop people off at a place of their choice as long as it’s in Manhattan and time permits.)  On the way to the Piers, they ate their cupcakes and came to the conclusion that Magnolia’s icing was much better but that if they combined it with Georgetown’s cake, you would have the perfect cupcake! 

As the tour came to an end, the ladies said they had a wonderful time and that they would have never found the stores I took them to on their own.  In fact, they were in Soho the day before the tour and said they had no idea about TopShop (which was one of their favorites) and passed it up.  They also absolutely loved having their own transportation around the city.  The commented on how nice it was to not have to walk everywhere.  They also said they would tell all their friends about ShopNYC Tours and that I should consider starting tours in San Francisco (which is where they were from.)  I think I’ll have to stick to NYC for now, but it’s definitely a possibility in the future!

If you’d like to have a ShopNYC Tours experience, visit www.shop-nyctours.com to book a tour.  

Teen Fashion and Fun Tour (with Pictures!)

Last Saturday's Teen Fashion and Fun Tour was aweseome!  There were two teens from Charlotte, NC with their moms and one teen from Texas with her mom.  They were such a sweet group.  They (teens and moms) were really excited to find out that since another group cancelled last minute they were all going in a limo!  Their faces just lit up.

We started at the usual first stop--the Abercrombie & Fitch Flagship which they LOVED!  They all took pictures with the hot male model in the front of the store (including the moms) and they shopped for quite a while.  They all came out with purchases so it was definitely a successful stop.

Next up was Henri Bendel.  The moms loved this store.  They got some mini-makeovers in Bendel's AMAZING beauty department where they have brands such as NARS, MAC and Chanel just to name a few.  

Juicy Couture was up next and we took some cute pictures!  Take a look:

After Juicy, it was back into the limo and time for the "Teeny" Cosmos.  Before they guzzled them down, I had a chance to take a quick pic:

They all kept their glasses as a souvenir :-)

Next we headed downtown to Noho to Joyce Leslie, which the teens ALWAYS love.  The price is definitely right!  

After they made their purchases it was time for Topshop in Soho.  The ladies from Charlotte had been in Soho the day before but said that they walked right past Topshop, not knowing what it was.  I showed them videos about Topshop in the limo on the way downtown and it got them really excited to see it.  It is the FIRST Topshop in the US afterall.  People love the fact that Kate Moss has a line there.  They also love the fact that you can find trendy, good quality clothing, shoes and accessories that won't break your budget!

Last stop for the Teen Tour was the West Village at Marc Jacobs Special Collections.  Again, both the teens and the moms loved the concept of Marc Jacobs for a fraction of the price.  Who wouldn't?  They also headed over to Olive & Bette's, which is a favorite of mine.  And they took a walk down to Magnolia Bakery to see the scrumptious cupcakes they would soon be eating!  

On the way back uptown the teens enjoyed their cupcakes while their moms enjoyed relaxing in the limo.  Anyone would enjoy it after all that power shopping!  

If you'd like to spend an afternoon shopping NYC with your teen (or your mom), visit www.shop-nyctours.com to book a tour.  I hope to shop with you soon!

Also, join ShopNYC Tours on June 25th for an amazing event to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure!  To buy tickets to the event or (if you're out of the NYC area) to make an online donation, visit: www.philanthropiceventssponsorspage.com/natasha

  

Vintage Boutique Tour for Browsers

Yesterday's tour was unique.  It consisted of 2 women: one from Vermont and one from California.  They were on a short weekend getaway.  I could tell from the beginning that they weren't going to be big shoppers, which was completely fine.  I think what some people don't realize is that my tours are meant for shopping, but even if you're not a shopper, you'll have a wonderful time just experiencing the neighborhoods and browsing the boutiques.  On my tours, you can have an AMAZING experience even if you don't buy on thing.  

We began, of course, in Soho--but on the west side of Soho.  I always explain to people that the east side of Soho is where they have the more commercial stores (Old Navy, H&M, Victoria's Secret) and high-end designer stores (Prada, Chanel.)  I focus on west Soho on my tours because it's a quaint, clean, quiet area of Soho where there are a lot of individually owned, smaller boutiques.  In fact, there's actually something called "S3" (which stands for Shop Small Stores) that smaller, locally-owned boutiques have created to promote shopping in their boutiques.  At any rate, the ladies really seemed to enjoy the neighborhood immensely.  They weren't spending a lot of time in any of the stores because they were just browsing--not shopping but it still allowed them to enjoy themselves.  One of the ladies commented on how it was fun just simply exploring.

After Soho, we headed to the East Village and they really enjoyed Buffalo Exchange on East 11th Street.  They spent quite some time browsing but didn't end up buying anything.  It was the same with O Mistress Mine.  They loved looking through Wanda's (the owner's) collection but they didn't make any purchases.  Again--they were just having a nice time strolling through the stores and exploring.

On our way to East 9th Street something very exciting happened!  We saw Leonardo DiCaprio!!!  Yes--even though I'm a local, I admit, I was very excited.  We weren't sure if it was him so one of the ladies said she wanted to go back to the cafe where he was sitting to get a drink.  She didn't really buy a drink, of course.  It was just to confirm that it was him.  And it definitely was!  I couldn't believe how grungy he looked.  You know, he's one of those Hollywood stars that dresses very chic and sophisticated for the most part.  He looks very polished on the red carpet whereas someone like Johnny Depp tends to look a little more grungy.  But to my surprise Leo looked like a regular East Villager.  I do think, however, that he had to TRY to look this way.  He was TRYING not to stand out which was cool, I guess.

Anyway, on East 9th Street, they explored Fabulous Fanny's and Cadillac's Castle for a bit.  They were also excited to see AuH2O so we headed to East 7th Street immediately after that.  One of the ladies bought a pair of Obama earrings for her mom and the other tried on a top but didn't make a purchase because it didn't fit.  They definitely had a really strong interest in Kate's boutique though.  

We had a little time left after East 7th Street so I decided to take them to St. Mark's Place.  I figured they might enjoy seeing an area that was still a little "off the beaten path" but also a little more touristy and with shops that have some lower prices and some souvenirs.  (I knew they had teenagers they might want to buy for.)  So we strolled along St. Mark's.  I told them that was one of the perks to it just being the two of them.  I was able to show them something that wasn't part of the usual itinerary.

Following St. Mark's, I asked if they'd like to visit the West Village since we still had an hour left with the car service, but they decided to head back to the hotel.  They said that they had a wonderful time already and they were anxious to change clothes and have dinner before their show.  One of the ladies was actually waiting for her lost luggage to arrive at their hotel so she also wanted to get back to check on it.

I think the tour started out a little rocky but as time went on, the ladies realized that there was no pressure to shop.  I was happy just showing them around and they were happy just exploring.  

If you'd like to browse with ShopNYC Tours, visit www.shop-nyctours.com for more information about us!  I hope to shop--or browse with you soon!

Vintage Boutique Tour - Erin Go Bragh!

Friday’s Vintage Boutique Tour was really a lot of fun.  I knew the tourists were going to be from Ireland but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  It ended up being three ladies on a girlfriend getaway for the weekend.  One of them currently lives in Seattle, Washington, so she met the other two, who still reside in Ireland, “halfway” in NYC.

When I arrived at the pick-up location I was happy to see three ladies.  I don’t mind having men on my tours (especially the Vintage Boutique Tour since there’s a pretty big selection for men in most of the boutiques) but I knew that if my customers were ladies, they were more likely to be there by choice. 

I knew this was going to be a good tour because when I started the tour videos of the Soho stores, they were super-excited about what they saw and they couldn’t wait to shop. 

First stop was Flying A and they started shopping immediately when they walked in the door.  They were picking up items to try on in the dressing rooms, trying on accessories, etc.  I was glad to have them stay at their first stop for 30 minutes because I knew that they had a true interest in what I was showing them.  Sometimes when people aren’t shopping, I wonder if they aren’t liking the tour, if they were expecting something different, etc.  I think the case lately for non-shoppers is simply that they enjoy browsing and they want a unique experience of the city.  Also-with the suffering economy, it’s definitely understandable when people don’t want to buy.  If the economy were booming, I would expect pretty much all of my customers to spend money on my tours.  But in this difficult time, I (along with the boutique owners, sales associates) completely understand and expect it.

So after Flying A, we headed over to Chelsea Girl Couture where they tried on some truly amazing vintage dresses.  This store never ceases to amaze me with their absolutely stunning collection.  David, the store manager, is also a gem when it comes to selling vintage.  He has an amazing knowledge of the business and really enhances my vintage tours both in the videos and in person. The ladies had a ball trying on several dresses each.  One of the ladies made a purchase and despite a slight misunderstanding about the discount, left the store very pleased.

So following Chelsea Girl we, of course, visited their other store, Laurel Canyon Vintage.  Laurel Canyon is geared toward more of a college customer, but still, they have some really great 60s and 70s apparel that can appeal to appeal to all ages.  After a quick stop, the ladies decided they were ready to head to the East Village. 

Once again, on the way, watching the store videos got them excited about what was coming up next (especially AuH20.)  First stop was East 11^th Street, as usual.  They took a strong liking to Tokyo Joe’s, which is really well known for their amazing collection of designer consignment such as YSL, Prada, Fendi, Ferragamo, and Louis Vuitton, to name a few.  When I saw that they were loving these consignment items, I knew that they would absolutely love Tokio 7.  So I let them know in advance about it so they didn’t spend all their money in one place.  Again, that’s one great thing about a small group.  I can actually cater to their preferences. 

We made a quick stop at O Mistress Mine since they loved the video of it and I spoke so highly of the owner, Wanda.  They didn’t make any purchases here but were still highly impressed with the collection.  I knew they had their heart set on the designer consignment so I suggested we head to Tokio 7 next and they strongly agreed. 

We stopped along the way on East 9^th Street at Mudd Coffee for a bathroom break and a pick-me-up.  Mudd Coffee is amazing at giving a late afternoon boost.  The Irish ladies even said so themselves. 

When we arrived at Tokio 7, I waited outside with their coffees (it was a beautiful day) while they browsed around consignment “heaven.”  Almost 45 minutes later, they walked out with items like a beautiful Chloe handbag and an elegant pair of Chloe dress pants among several other items.

Last stop was AuH20.  After seeing the video of it, they were very excited to visit Kate’s unique boutique.  They tried on quite a few vintage and recycled items and made several purchases.  Kate, being her sweet self, was very happy to have them.  And it was great seeing her new space (she moved to the boutique next door from where she was originally.)  I also had the pleasure of meeting the owner of the new boutique next door who carries some amazing handbags that are made in New York.  I may end up working with her too! 

After the East Village, they asked if I could drop them off on 46^th Street at Bourbon Street, where their other friends were having drinks.  I was happy to do it since it was just the three of them.

I think they had a lovely time.  They gave me a lot of compliments and they were very curious as to how I started my business, when I came to NY, where in the city I lived, etc.  So it was another success, I hope.  As usual, I’ll patiently await the reviews! 

For more info about my shopping tours and my upcoming web series, visit www.shop-nyctours.com.  Hopefully I’ll be shopping with you soon!

 

 

Private Shopping Tour for "New to the City" Local

Saturday's tour was definitely a nice surprise.  I'm so accustomed to giving tours for people from other parts of the country and especially other parts of the world that when I asked my customers where they were from (a cute, 20-something couple), I expected to hear the same.  But I didn't.  I was shocked when the girlfriend said she lived on the Upper East Side.  I always thought my tours would be great for locals, but it was cool to have a local finally attend one of  my shopping tours.  It made much more sense, however, when she told me that she had just moved to NYC and didn't know where to go for shopping, dinner and nightlife.  So "New to the City" is a customer base that I've now experienced.  It was definitely different, but also relatively easy and fun.

Even though the girlfriend lives in NYC, and her boyfriend visits her from Philly every weekend and they explore together, the couple needed some guidance about where to shop, go to dinner, go out, etc.  They knew about some of the obvious places, of course, but seemed really impressed with my extensive knowledge about the more "local" side of the city.  They asked how it was that I knew so much and I explained that having lived in the city for five years and having given tours for four of those five years, definitely helped.   

We started the tour in Greenwich Village on University Place.  Some of the girlfriend's favorites included Pia and La Petite Coquette.  Well, at least that's where she made her purchases.  Her boyfriend seemed to enjoy La Petite Coquette too, of course.  I mean, what guy doesn't enjoy shopping for lingerie for his lovely lady?  They were looking for some coffee along the way and I told them about one of my favorites - Grey Dogs: great coffee, great sandwiches and a great chill, downtown atmosphere.  

Next up was Soho, and what was great about the tour being private for just the two of them, was that I could cater to their taste and their needs.  Rather than taking them to the more commercial stores in Soho that I usually take customers to on the Chic Boutique Tour like BCBG, Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui, I decided that they'd like something a little more unique.  So I added some vintage and consignment shops that my Vintage Boutique Tour visits in West Soho.  They really liked INA (well, at least the girlfriend did) and the boyfriend seemed to enjoy the selections in Flying A.  I thought they would have a little more interest in Laurel Canyon Vintage but it wasn't one of their favorites.  

After shopping, I pointed out 60 Thompson as a great spot for happy hour and/or dinner.  I raved about their rooftop bar which I've never been to personally, but have heard amazing things about.

I insisted after the Soho stop that we visit Darling in the West Village/Meatpacking area.  I had gotten a sense of the girlfriend's style and knew she would absolutely love it.  So they enjoyed their champagne en route in the comfortable towncar and I took a cute photo of them.  I also showed the video of Darling, but I'm not sure if they really got the point of it--or the point of any of the tour videos for that matter.  We'll see what they have to say in their review, I guess.

When we arrived at Darling, the girlfriend tried on about 10 different items.  Her boyfriend sneaked one to the register to surprise her for the next day, which I thought was sweet.  The boyfriend, who was from Naples, said they wanted wood-fired brick oven pizza, so I dropped them off at Napoli on Carmine Street at the end of the tour so that they could have an amazing pizza dinner.  

I'm anxious to hear what this couple thought of the tour.  They were trendy, young and hip so they could end up being a very difficult customer to please.  I'm hoping they decide to write a  review so I can post it.  I'd love to get their feedback.  In my experience, locals can be tough.  But I guess I'll just wait and see.....  Thanks for reading.  Don't forget to visit my website http://www.shop-nyctours.com and stay tuned for the new ShopNYC Web Series coming soon!