Being a bargain hunter, with a taste for the finer things in life, is no less than a full time job; and most New Yorkers just can’t find the time in their already hectic lives. So what’s a thrifty shopper to do? Rely on the Guerilla Shopper – that’s what! The Guerilla Shopper has been “beating retail at its own game since the 80s” and with a repertoire like that, the Guerilla Shopper is sure to keep you abreast of the latest bargains and shopping trends! Check in with this blog once you’ve inevitably reached your wits end with your usual shopping haunts!

10012: Soho’s Hair Hideaway

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Your hair is not a place to cut corners! (no pun intended) You may have to spend more money than you want to, or than your husband/significant other wants you to. Tough. Do it. It will make you look better, feel better and give you something to look forward to every 6 weeks or so…8 weeks at the longest. This is where you can spend the money that you’ve saved after utilizing effective Guerilla Shopping technique! So where should you go? Try Mario Diab salon (stylist Helik Torres is my favorite). Set in something of a mini-co-operative business space in Soho at 62 Crosby St., the salon is tucked in the basement. Completely outfit in black and white, this calm environment allowed me to get my hair done efficiently and effectively in front of a huge floor-to-ceiling mirror while drinking green tea. I was in, I was out and on my way. With my hair bouncing happily atop my head.

What is your favorite “Hair Hideaway”?

Post A Comment And Let Us Know!

Want to look like a million bucks without spending anywhere near that? Who doesn’t? The Guerilla Shopper has mastered the fine art of finding a great deal. Her Code Word column will decode where to shop, eat, and spend your hard earned dough – while keeping you out of debt. This Guerilla Shopper is in the trenches of New York City, now you can join her!

Is it a Sin? John Varvatos Store: 10003

OK, I am only going to say this once and MUCH to my chagrin: the new John Varvatos store in the old CBGBs space is like the ultimate goth rock bachelor pad. It kicks so much ass. It truly does. I really wanted to hate it and spit in its general direction, but whomever they hired to design and architect it should win an award.

It appears that they have kept the old walls and some of the old details. It is painted entirely black and features an altar of burning candles in red glass holders as well as a giant black chandelier that is actually a bunch of regular-sized chandeliers that are grouped together on the ceiling to take on the vibe of a giant alien-like lighting phenomenon. There is a section of old school high-end stereo equipment and on the other wall a bunch of old rock vinyl. There are giant stained glass windows hanging high on the wall where the middle of the bar used to dwell. There are pictures and posters of all the regular suspect rockers on the walls.

Oh! And the men’s clothes and shoes are exceptional as well. However they are rather expensive (a $900 cotton sport coat?), so I’m not sure who will actually shop here. Young up-and-comers can’t afford it. Real rock stars will get it for free. So I guess the merch at Varvatos will be worn by those who are a fortunate combination of the two.

For more of Guerilla Shopper’s fashion faves click here.

Like this entry? Check out more from our Code Words contributors here

What are your “guilty” New York pleasures?
Post A Comment And Let Us Know!

Want to look like a million bucks without spending anywhere near that? Who doesn’t? The Guerilla Shopper has mastered the fine art of finding a great deal. Her Code Word column will decode where to shop, eat, and spend your hard earned dough – while keeping you out of debt. This Guerilla Shopper is in the trenches of New York City, now you can join her!

Best Shopping in Grey Box

You know those maps posted inside New York City cabs – on the back of the front seats? Have you ever noticed that amidst the colorful neighborhood coding for such favorites as the Upper West Side, Chelsea, and the East Village lies a grey box situated in the middle of the east-20s/30s? Well, this is where I live, and have lived since 1997. I belovedly call it “Grey Box.” If you’re from out-of-town and look at this map, you’ll probably figure that it’s some industrial wasteland. However, there are some shopping and eating spots that are more than notable. And definitely not grey. Here are some of the best:

Les Nanas de Gramercy – This small Parisian boutique caters to the ladies of Gramercy Park, but offers clothing, jewelry and accessories for all ages, shapes and sizes. All personally selected by the owner, Natalie, shoppers are guaranteed a wide selection of intriguing items. She visits Paris several times a year and literally shops for her customers and then ensures her staff is thoroughly familiar with the goods so that they can act as personal stylists. I have picked up some of the most stellar knitwear and skirts here. Things that are literally not sold anywhere else in town. They also now have a permanent 50-percent-(or more) off sale in the downstairs section.

www.lesnanas.com

Housing Works – This is one high-end thrift store that auctions the most interesting and valuable items in the city via magnificently styled windows including antique and designer furniture, apparel, shoes and art. Housing Works strives to ensure that homeless and low-income people living with HIV/AIDS and their families have adequate housing, food, social support, drug treatment, health care, and employment. They’ve raised millions for that cause through their thrift stores, of which there are several in NYC.

www.housingworksauctions.com

Ricky’s – This beauty extravaganza recently moved from the low 20s into the old Jennifer Convertible store. Anything you need in make-up and hair – they have it. Except they don’t have as good a candy selection as they did in their former space. WHERE IS THE PEZ!?

www.rickysnyc.com

Rodeo Bar & Grill - Frozen Margaritas. I would end my tale there, because these are the best and most lethal on all of the island formerly known as New Amsterdam, however they also dish out really good Tex-Mex food and free music until 2 a.m. And there’s a daily happy hour with $5 margaritas and $3 draft beer (Monday — Saturday 4p.m. – 8 p.m.; Sundays 6p.m. – 9 p.m.)
So it’s the perfect storm for a neighborhood haunt, a mere one block from my house. And yes, I am a snob too and it does kind of look like a Bennigan’s. But trust me, it is not. Go.

www.rodeobar.com

Curry in a Hurry - In a hurry? Fancy a curry? Well here you go. Get enough food for two for less than $10, including a bit of salad and various sauces. I love this place so much they even gave me a free mug one Christmas. Drawback: You Will Get Fat.

For more of Guerilla Shopper’s fashion faves click here.

Like this entry? Check out more from our Code Words contributors here.

Where do you go for the best bargains in New York?

Post a comment below and tell us!

Want to look like a million bucks without spending anywhere near that? Who doesn’t? The Guerilla Shopper has mastered the fine art of finding a great deal. Her Code Word column will decode where to shop, eat, and spend your hard earned dough – while keeping you out of debt. This Guerilla Shopper is in the trenches of New York City, now you can join her!

The Devil Should Wear Kifka and Heller

Reminiscent of any high-end Soho boutique, but right in the midst of Hell’s Kitchen, dwells Kifka + Heller, where the Devil really is in the details.

Reopened this past April, K+H provide wearable, chic fashions for the men and women in and around 10019. The current collection is designed using rich but versatile materials such as silk jersey, leather, linen and denim with the idea that fashion-forward couples can build wardrobes that are complementary and also linked via meticulously designed and styled travel bags.

So what more can be said about New York City clothing boutiques that we all haven’t already heard? Well, in this case, K+H caters to an individual’s tastes and desires. Want that dress in a different color? Ask. Need help figuring out how to wear those jeans and top? They’ll style you from head to toe (and will lend you shoes to ensure that you can visualize the full package that is you). Feel like you need some jewelry to go with those new separates? They have a relationship with the jewelry designer next door. In the “industry” and need wardrobe? They do industry rentals. Hell, need a one-of-a-kind chair for your living or bedroom? Well they make those too.

So what does the (near) future hold? For the forthcoming Summer 2009 collection, K+H are planning new designs using green fabrics comprised of bamboo/hemp and blends. Just don’t roll them up and smoke ‘em.

Going to K+H is more like visiting your personal stylist and having your whims catered to from the minute you walk in the door, but without price points that will send you running back to TJ Maxx (their prices generally run from $185-$950). And I can almost guarantee that if you go there now, you will one day be able to say, “Oh I used to go to Kifka+Heller back in the 2000s when they only had that small space on west 49th St!”

See you in Hell!(’s Kitchen).

445 W. 49th Street
btn 9th & 10th Ave
New York, NY 10019
kifkaandheller.com

For more of Guerilla Shopper’s fashion faves click here.

Like this entry? Check out more from our Code Words contributors here.

Where do you go for the best bargains in New York? Post a comment below and tell us!

John Korduba is the poet for people who are bored by poetry. “Each poem is a soft tipped arrow aimed to brush past your funny bone and then bounce off your verse averse heart,” he says. As one of our Code Word contributors, the author of Everybody Gets Lost in Brooklyn will share his unique musings on life in NYC. Prepare to be tickled, New York.

Distraction

The branch brushes against the window

making me look

but is it the branch that seeks my attention

or the wind

using the branch as its agent?

To play it safe

I assume that they’re

both

trying to bug me.

Park With Swans

This morning before work

I stopped by a

park with swans

shook off their morning dew and

picked up their briefcases and

marched to the office

leaving me behind to

glide smoothly on the lake

all day

all day

all day long

Where in New York inspires you the most?

Post a comment below and let us know!

CiNYC’s very own “Fashion Goddess” is getting personal. Stay tuned as Sasha, our shopping guru and expert on all things fabulous, takes you along on her designer sojourns, treks down Fifth Avenue, and her indefatigable quests for her ultimate passion…shoes! This Code Words contributor will help you find your inner fashionista…and give her some fashion tips.

Favorite NY Moments

After a day of looking thru racks and racks of overly trendy clothing and mu-fuggly accessories on 5th Avenue, I do something that acts as a cleansing. I walk over to YSL on 57th Street. You arrive and the chic hits you like a stack of bricks. The scent? Rich. The bags? Salivating. The shoes? Overwhelming! The cosmetics and fragrance-spritz here and there and maybe I will take the walk up the dark steps-hope I don’t trip on the way up-to look at magnificent clothes that I can’t afford.
The favorite shoe of the moment (of every moment) is the Tribute sandal. There is something marvelous about shoes so high that only a hooker can work them. I got use to this look over a year ago when the first Maryjane style hit the floor. After that I was smitten. 5-6 inches at least. I’m such a midget-I need the height and the length. With the shoes, I’m tall and fierce.

The good news is that taller, more fearful women may also indulge in this must-have lunacy because it comes shorter. The platform is still there but you don’t have to be a pole dancer to wear them. Love love love them. They come in many dazzling colors but the new cracked gold leather is BE-YOND! Plus Heidi Klum, Kate Moss, Ashley Olsen and Ashlee Simpson all have them-so what’s NOT to love. I’m so easily influenced!

Steep? $760. Yes. But they’re a slice of heaven. You cannot go wrong making an investment purchase at YSL. Everything that is in fashion/style right now- all has roots in YSL. The old grand master Yves Saint Laurent himself NEVER got it wrong and Stefano Pilati, the current creative director-is moving it forward but always maintaining the chic and making it right. Stop whining and go buy inexpensive clothing at H&M or recycle the summer stuff that you wore two years ago-that’s back in fashion. No one will notice. But they will notice old shoes. Indulge! It’s one of my favorite Calgon-ish moments! YSL..take me away!

Yves Saint Laurent
3 E 57th Street , 10022

www.ysl.com

What’s your favorite shoe of the moment?

Post a comment below and let us know!

Check out more of Sasha’s Dress Code moments here.

John Korduba is the poet for people who are bored by poetry. “Each poem is a soft tipped arrow aimed to brush past your funny bone and then bounce off your verse averse heart,” he says. As one of our Code Word contributors, the author of Everybody Gets Lost in Brooklyn will share his unique musings on life in NYC. Prepare to be tickled, New York.

Downpour

The rain bounces

onto glossy pavements

umbrellas

pop open

like blooming flowers

couples clutch

under awnings

heaven pours down

and

if you look up

your face gets blessed.

I Work Nights

I work nights near a marina

on my break

I go sit on the dock

where

a big yacht is moored

some nights its decks are filled

with dancing couples

I think

a yacht party must be the perfect spot

to propose to someone

“Listen, I’m on a break so I have to make this quick.”

what’s the perfect spot to propose in New york?

Post a comment below and let us know!

Coming next week to code words: NYC food guy!

]]> http://www.coolinyourcode.com/2008/05/27/code-words-john-korduba/feed/ 8 http://www.coolinyourcode.com/2008/04/28/se-real-estate/ http://www.coolinyourcode.com/2008/04/28/se-real-estate/#comments Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:22:04 +0000 Cool in Your Code http://www.coolinyourcode.com/se-real-estate/

If you think you have to be part of a couple to get the most out of life, think again. Our Code Word contributor, Sherri Langburt, is full of expert advice on life beyond dating. Whether it’s travel ideas, beauty tips, financial guidance, or recipes for entertaining, the founder of lifestyle blog Single Edition has something to say. Log on to find new ways to enjoy your freedom and get the most out of single life!

Tired of Paying Rent, but Cannot Qualify to Purchase?
Singles Tackle Home Ownership in Pairs

Tired of paying rent but don’t have enough cash or are too frightened to purchase your own place? Rather than let your single-income status keep you from buying the house of your dreams, consider the option of purchasing a permanent place with a friend. These days an increasing amount of unattached singles are pooling assets so that they can qualify for down payment and financing requirements when they can not afford do it on their own.

This new breed of home owner, referred to as “mingles” in some circles, consists of the widowed, the separated, the divorced and the never married. And they are catching the interest of real estate mavens nationwide. Banks and financial institutions are also paying notice to the trend and agreeing to provide a mortgage to two or more friends who have agreed to purchase a property together.

No doubt, housing between friends has benefits, but it is not the sort of commitment that can be taken casually. Before entering this sort of platonic partnership, here are some helpful tips for you to consider, courtesy of Toni Haber, Executive Vice President at Prudential Douglas Elliman:

1. Evaluate the Alliance: Can a neat freak put up with a sloppy Joe? Does the energizer bunny want to shack up with the coach potato? When it comes to day-to-day living, we all have our own quirks, priorities and skill-sets. While this can be positive in some cases, like a divvying up of household chores, it can also lead to irreconcilable differences among housemates. So before you make a joint investment, be sure to seriously weigh the pros and cons of living with your friend.

2. Carefully Communicate Commitments: When it comes to property investments, “going dutch” may not be an option. To avoid surprises and conflicts down the road, Haber stresses that it is important for both parties to have an open discussion about where they stand financially. House options, mortgage rates and contract terms will be contingent on each individual’s credit history, financial health and both short-term and long term obligations, so it is better to get this out in the open from the get-go.

3. Find A Reliable Realtor: A good real estate agent will do more than turn you on to the best places to purchases. “Look around” says Haber, “for someone who has experience dealing with joint tenancy arrangements. Their insights will likely save you legwork time as well as hefty legal fees.”

4. Enlist the Services of an Attorney: Before you can consider signing a contract, there are key items that must be settled in writing. The advice of a lawyer can be helpful in choosing the form of ownership and in drafting a legal document to meet specific requirements. According to Haber, a good lawyer will make sure to document the proportionate amount of each person’s financial interest in the property; division of maintenance costs; who pays the bills and when; methods of dealing with a partner who fails to pay at the required time; how the household will operate and detailed procedures for the equitable dissolution of the partnership.

5. Prepare a Property Agreement: A contract between the parties is vital, says Haber, as is listing each person’s name on the deed and the mortgage papers. The percentage of ownership must be clearly stated in the contract, including details of each person’s share of the down payment and the way in which mortgage payments will be divided. This sets the stage for deciding each one’s share upon sale.

6. Agree to Cohabitation Terms: In the event of dissolution, each individual must be protected. The cohabitation agreement will cover how both parties will part ways to ensure an orderly separation. Haber says one of they key provisions here is to provide each partner with a first option on the other person’s interest in the property. It is also a good idea to include a three month notice period in the event someone has to leave. Procedures may also be outlined for independent appraisal so that both people have an equitable way to establish their interest when the arrangement ends.

7. Invest in Term Life Insurance: Buy a term life insurance policy and name the other partner as beneficiary. This way, the entire mortgage will be paid off by the insurance policy in the event of an unexpected death.

Single in the City?

Post a comment below and tell us what you love about flying solo.