2010

Happy New Year!

We spent the last few days in L.A. and will be back shortly to report on some of our findings (including tidbits about their version of Magnolia's Cupcakes, Sprinkles)

But in our absence, we want to wish all of you a wonderful and prosperous new year, and we truly hope 2010 brings you all the joy in the world.

Drink your sorrows away with more eggnog, editors?

Merry Belated Christmas!  This holiday, fashion editors all across the city and country opened up the New York Times Style Section to read about how fashion bloggers have taken over this year and have commanded a supremely large amount  of power when it comes to determining trends, street style and even front row seats at fashion shows in our city, Milan, London and Paris.

The Times gives us a pretty ominous piece this weekend about how fashion bloggers have 'horned in on Elle and Vogue' this year in the world of style and high fashion.  You're getting booted out of the sexy spotlight, editors.

And we have to admit, we personally would rather read Fashionista, look at Lookbook.nu, and of course admire The Sartorialist and Garance Dore than flip through Glamour or W at work or at home.  After all, we can see something new and fresh on a day-to-day basis, we can post our opinions and we can easily share trends or iconic images that catch our eyes easily with friends and colleagues.

While it's apparent that the world of print media has been altered and blogging has irrevocably changed the entire landscape, it is a shift that should not have taken the world by surprise this year- after all, many prominent fashion bloggers have been steadily and constantly researching and writing for the past two to three years, but  due to our lovely economy, fall of advertising budgets at various fashion housesand thinner magazines, cuts in editorial departments have ensued and fashion bloggers have risen in stature and influence.

As a sidenote, Gawker's Foster Kramer points out that this entire trend of writing ABOUT fashion bloggers and their rising influence has gotten "a tad bit stale." Because ultimately, he relays, "a majority of fashion writing is predicated on selling the products they're writing about, supported by advertisers selling the same products. Bloggers help get the word out about these products, thereby, more publicity for advertisers, with less hassle, because they're not dealing with major publication divas. So really, fashion bloggers are here to stay, whether anybody likes it or not. "


Well, we like fashion bloggers and we're happy they are here to stay, but duly noted, Gawker. 

December doldrums

This week, Taylor Swift dined at our beloved Otto, we discovered the deliciousness that is Yerba Buena (and U2 drummer Larry Mullen was aware of this apparently), Facebook got a whole lot creepier but CEO Mark Zuckerberg didn't take his own advice.

We also almost died laughing reading NYMag's Gossip Girl recap, almost cried reading about the sadness that is the state of print media, especially our love, the NYTimes, officially approve the weekly BlackBook Mag "All the Week's Parties" article and visibly cringed at the new Sex and the City poster.

Stay tuned for more, and until then... "Carrie on" (yes, feel free to kill us now.)

Gobble Gobble

Happy Turkey Day!

So on this blessed day, it seems like it would be appropriate to make a trite list of 'things we are thankful for' this year.  (Although, we secretly love making lists so we've been looking forward to this for a while.)

Things We Are Thankful For:

- Taylor Lautner, aka Jacob the Werewolf from Twilight.  Ya know.  For his acting.  Duh.

- watching the First Lady look absolutely beautiful in a champagne-hued, silk chiffon Naeem Khan creation at the First State Dinner for the P.M. of India.

- Pumpkin Pie French Toast.  Yes, it really is as good as it sounds (and looks!)

- Watching backstage snippets from the 2009 Victoria's Secret Show (set to air 12/1), hearing about the girls' eating habits and exercise regiments (leafy vegetables and 2-4 hour daily workouts), and reaching for another piece of french toast.

- The Chrystie at the Eldridge.  Oh, and the ginger mint lemonade at GoldBar.

- Blog eye-candy: Fujifiles.  We are in love, love, love with this blog.


- Our readers, aka you!

Thanks for being so patient while we've been pulling disappearing acts, thanks for reading and commenting, and thanks for supporting us.

We'll be back tomorrow!  Go eat some pie!




Photos pulled from fujifiles.blogspot.com, closetcooking.blogspot.com, chuvachienes.com, usatoday.com

Can you keep a secret?

The speakeasy trend may be trite and unoriginal at this point, but we can't help but love hearing about new spots popping up in the most random of places- attics, underground cellars, storage closets...

Anyway, a tipster has told Eater NY (formerly DBTH) editor Scott Solish that a new subterranean lounge is set to soft open in approximately two weeks, underneath 149 Mulberry.

"It will be run by the owner of Cafe Palermo, the mildly well known, yet still dime a dozen looking cannoli joint across the street."

Top this off with an entranceway through those I'm-scared- I'm-going-to-fall-in black basement grates and a two-way mirror so that "they" can see you coming, and you've got "My Little Secret," the working name for the lounge.

Also:


Last week, GrubStreet at NYMag brought to our attention a new, hidden joint in the Lower East Side that boasts a jukebox, easygoing crowd, and $4 and $5 wine.

Sounds great and all, but GrubStreet decided to keep the place a secret and won't discuss the actual details.

" We had to agree not to reveal the exact location- we can share a few clues to the determined, however: It's below a Dominican restaurant and is farther east than weekend revelers usually go."

Hmm..looks like we may be running into random broom closets and confused-looking kitchen staff at various Domincan restaurants on the LES in search of this hidden haven.

Photo pulled from EaterNY.com

Mirror Mirror on the wall......

Does NYC really think it's the fairest of them all?

Apparently so, as the Big Apple has been named the vainest city in the U.S. by TotalBeauty.com.

TotalBeauty says that NYC outspends every other city in nearly every 'beauty' category- more than $21 million on hair coloring, $32.5 million on skin care and $5.5 million on makeup.

This shouldn't come as a shock, really. We New Yorkers like to think about ourselves. A lot. And we definitely love to take care of ourselves. You know you've seen men preening themselves in front of the reflective subway doors and women staring at themselves on every shop window. And this is just during the daytime- let's not even get started when the sun goes down and the ladies (and some guys) get dolled up and decked out. The number of salons, spas and beauty boutiques in this city also beats the number in every other city as well, says Total Beauty. We believe it. Even the so-called 'non-chic' Financial District is swarming with nail, hair and eyebrow threading/waxing places boasting $22 combos and deals.

Normally, being vain isn't exactly a compliment- but we're going to let it slide this time, because hey, we have a lot of eye candy strutting the streets of this city, and if you've got it...flaunt it, right?

Photo pulled from pyzam.com

Our current 'State of Mind'

Everyone seems to be talking about the exact same things these days:

1. Kanye West/Taylor Swift at the VMAs

2. Patrick Swayze's demise

3. NY Fashion Week

4. That creepy Yale grad student murder where her body was found stuffed in a wall

5. The US Open: Serena going berzerk and Federer's unrealistically amazing shot

So- since you are probably overloaded with images and stories of those subjects, we at NYCtidbits will not be covering any of those topics. We're not ignoring them or anything, but we feel that you can find great sources for any of those subjects, and we are not going to try to wow you with our detective skills in uncovering the Yale murder case or try to dazzle you with our tennis prowess.

Instead, we are simply going to leave you with a few tidbits we are currently loving:

1. Jay Z and Alicia Key's Empire State of Mind- what a great homage to our city..

2. The Standard Hotel's new Boom Boom Room, already touted as this generation's Studio 54

3. DBGB, Daniel Boulud's trendy new restaurant down on Houston and Bowery

4. Hearing about risque, topless parties hosted by a Goldman Sachs partner at the Hamptons. Giggity giggity.

5. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's book, Influence- surprisingly insightful interviews from industry greats like Missoni, DVF, Lauren Hutton and John Galliano.

Aside from #4, we are all for indulging in each of the above- as questionable as they

may seem (You must be thinking, "A place called Boom Boom Room?? The Olsens' book?")

Just trust us, though.

Now, if you could excuse us- We'll be back in a New York minute.