Early in the afternoon of our arrival in the Big Easy, when most people were in front of their computer screens, we were faced with a choice of swimming pools. The two heated outdoor pools at the Marriott New Orleans form a little oasis high above Canal Street at the edge of the French Quarter….
According to some studies, many people prefer receiving gift cards for the holidays. According to other studies, millions of gift cards remain unused, thereby filling the coffers of high-end retailers. Our thinking? Might as well toss money out the window. Our parents taught us to be thoughtful in giving – and particularly when giving something…
One of the more thoughtful gifts we ever gave was when we were sixteen. Our best girlfriend was turning sixteen that summer and her parents orchestrated a dinner party at a country club. Because she was the girl “Most Likely to Move to Manhattan” and also “Best Dressed,” and therefore, most fashionable, we knew almost intuitively…
You heard the news; you saw the footage: Black Friday was a riot of shoppers run amok. Let’s face it; the holiday shopping season can take a toll on one’s equilibrium. We heard about one Thanksgiving dinner where the son stomped on his mother’s basket of rolls. Things can get out of hand. Sometimes what…
Black Friday, Cyber Monday: it sounds like preparation for war rather than retail therapy and holiday giving. But let’s face it, the whole gift-giving ritual can be a stressful period as you obsess about what to give to whom. Which friends merit a spa day – and who in your family needs a swift kick…
ONE of my favorite scenes from “The Wizard of Oz” is when Dorothy and her friends finally make it into the Emerald City – and promptly receive a full-body makeover. The Scarecrow gets plumped with new straw and the Tin Man gets buffed and the Cowardly Lion gets his hair done and Dorothy gets new…
Every year in New York, more than fifty of the world’s top interior designers create dazzling rooms with donated designer merchandise for Housing Works’ “Design on a Dime” benefit. Designers include high-profile talents such as Nate Berkus and Andy Cohen, as well as Charlotte Moss, Robert Verdi, and recent winners of “Top Design.” One of…
While most New Yorkers know about Barney’s Warehouse Sale, true-blooded fashionistas wait each year for Fashion for Action, Housing Works’ four-day sale with more than 150 brands of designer merchandise at charitable prices. The annual benefit raises funds to help Housing Works’ fight to end homelessness and AIDS – and this year’s Fashion for Action…