white blanket

[click on pictures to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

We're still at Bloomingdale's with this window illustrating White blanket, another children's creation. It is has been estimated that some of New York City department stores' holiday window draw more than 6,000 viewers per hour at the peak of the season. How super duper cool to have your story displayed in one of them, don't you think?

White blanket:
One autumn day there was a big snowstorm when seven feet, eleven inches of solid snow fell. Joe, the smallest boy in town, was the most surprised. One day he was jumping in a pile of leaves, and the next he was building a snowman. Snow covered the hills, mountains, houses, and trees - everything in sight. The whole landscape was white.
- Lane Darby, age 8 - Julia Timka, age 8 - Mekhia Whitfield, age 10 - Imani Whitfield, age 9 - Jennifer Kawel, teaching artist - Lisa Careccia, assistant teaching artist - Children's Museum of Manhattan

the candy robot with a human heart

[click on pictures to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

We're still at Bloomies which celebrates the creativity and imagination of children in its holiday windows. This past summer, Bloomingdale's invited the Children's Museum of Manhattan and the Children's Museum of the Arts to participate in the 2007 holiday windows. Each of its 12 windows depicts a 3D version of a specific holiday dream or story based on drawings, collages or animated films provided by kids. The result is beautiful, imaginative, creative and fun with characters like this candy robot with human heart (above).

The candy robot with a human heart
Once there was a young boy who lived in a village by a huge candy factory. One day, with a few powerful magic words, the witch who ran the factory turned the boy into a candy-covered robot. Though he was trapped inside a robot's body, his young heart eventually taught the old witch about kindness and love. The witch grew to cherish the boy, eventually making candy-covered robots to send to lonely children all around the world.
- Taylor Collins, age 12 - Jeffrey Cruz, age 11 - Asia Kaul, age 12 - Maya Kaul, age 9 - Jamie Kim, teaching artist - Aaren McKen, assistant teaching artist - Children Museum of Manhattan

bloomie's little white coat

[click on pictures to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

From Fifth Avenue, let's walk a little bit east to Lexington Avenue where Bloomingdale's stands in it's shiny elegant self. As soon as winter gets closer, Bloomie's (yes, it has a nickname!) wears its winter lights coat with a series of flags, the perfect accessories.
And to think that it all started back in the 1872, a time when the hoop skirt was all the rage. It was the first item that Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale carried in their Ladies' Notions Shop in the Lower East Side, together with a wide variety of European fashions.

green is for earth

[click on pictures to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

We're still at Bergdorf Goodman, staring at their lush green jungle that celebrates "earth".

Bergdorft Goodman was founded in 1899 when Herman Bergdorf, an immigrant from Alsace, opened a tailor shop just above Union Square. In 1906, one of his employee, Edwin Goodman, purchased the store and moved to the present location on Fifth Avenue. It was the first couturier to introduce ready-to-wear, making Bergdorf Goodman a destination for American and French fashion. Ah, the things we learn... thank you Wikipedia! :)

red is for water

[click on pictures to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

At Bergdorf Goodman, this year windows celebrate the elements: earth, air, fire, light and water, illustrated here. The windows are inspired by Tony Duquette, the late style influencer probably most famous for his over-the-top decorating style that his Hollywood clients were fond of.

What makes a good holiday window presentation? The three-second rule! "The window has to grab somebody's attention and hold it for three seconds," says David Hoey, Bergdorf's window director. People should be able to understand what the window is about in that brief amount of time. "But it should also be good for those standing there for 15 minutes."

it's the season to neon in greens, blues, purples

[click on pictures to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

To contrast with Brooks Brothers impeccable classics, what about something clean, crisp, hip and cool? Let's head to Nokia's flagship store on W57th Street near Fifth Avenue? Ah... a sleek, modern windows with neon colors, walls of LCD screens and LEDs that switch colors makes us feel just as if it was 2008! Pretty damn sexy.

tree with ties

[click on pictures to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

Let's start with this window display from Brooks Brothers' new store, opened a few weeks ago in the Upper West Side.
As you can see, this is the place to find that perfect tie, fine men's clothing and business-appropriate wool skirts, oxford blouses, and suits. Nothing hip and cool here. It is the place for the impeccable classics.

A few things I found out (from Wikipedia):
• founded in 1818, it is the oldest surviving men's clothier in the United States ;
• the guiding principle of his founder, Henry Sands Brooks was "To make and deal only in merchandise of the finest body, to sell it at a fair profit and to deal with people who seek and appreciate such merchandise." ;
• believe it or not, it is known for having introduced many clothing novelties to the market such as seersucker suits in 1830 ;
• Ralph Lauren, when his name was still Ralph Lifschitz, started out as a salesman at Brooks' Madison Avenue store ;
• the symbol of the Golden Fleece is Brooks Brothers's trademark. It consists of a sheep suspended in a ribbon, which was the symbol of Flemish wool merchants in the 15th century and later traditionally had been a symbol of British wool merchants.

To find out more:
• Brook's Brothers website
• review from New York Magazine
• review from the always useful yelp

let's window shop!

[click on picture to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

Everyone knows that the Christmas and holiday season is a great time to visit New York City. Which explains all the crowds.
One of the best things about New York City's department stores are their annual holiday displays. Each store puts together beautifully designed windows to celebrate the season. As well as entice you into their store. A lot of resources are put into this, months in advance. The new windows are usually revealed around Thanksgiving.
A few weeks ago, I showed you the windows in progress at Bloomingdale's. This here, is Macy's teaser window. Ironically, I did not take a picture of Macy's "after" windows - I found this one for you on Flickr. But I have a few others that I have compiled and plan to show you in the coming days.
So put your walking shoes on and come along! Let's window shop!!!

NB: I will be travelling to Belgium this Wednesday for a two weeks vacation. If all goes well, this blog will continue to be updated on a daily basis. You may have to live without my comments for a while though. But you'll survive. 'Cause you guys are though cookies. ;)

at the museum

[click on picture to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

Yes!!! The new galleries for Oceanic Art and Native North American Art are now open at the Met, after a three-year renovation. I dropped by this w.e. and fell in love with the new wing. It is simply gorgeous.
Those two have the right idea. Take a break from the holiday shopping mania and enjoy those mesmerizing pieces with Central Park as backdrop. Pure bliss.
There, just because you are my favorite readers, a little bonus: a slide show from the New York Times and a special feature on the Met's website.

nine west (and 8 1/2)

[click on picture to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

Meet the Solow Building (9 W57th), one of my favorite New York skyscrapers. The kind that grows on you. Here's a much better picture of the entire building.
And if, like me, its curvy slopy façade and white frame remind you of the Grace Building on Bryant Park, you're not that far off! I learned that both buildings were designed in 1974 by Gordon Bunshaft. He used the first, rejected plans for that building in his design for the Grace Building.
The chubby red digit standing on its front plaza was initially meant to distract from the unappealing reflections of the neighboring buildings. And did you know it was the namesake of the Nine West shoe stores? Ah, the things you learn blogging...
His prestigious neighbors are the Bergdorf Goodman department store and the Plaza. It's a good address for foodies too: try Brasserie 8 1/2 in its lower lobby. I recall a "risotto de mini-pâtissons" (pattypan risotto?) that was quite delectable. Try it for lunch during restaurant week, the best way to try out some of New York finest restaurants for an affordable tab.

the trees are up!

[click to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

Last year, it was 3 little Christmas trees with assorted pumpkins and squashes. This year, 6 little Christmas trees with a few mini tomatoes.





So, tell me... is your tree up already?

paper, paper everywhere

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Recycling day on Lexington Avenue in the Upper East Side (70ish). I could not resist to snap this one, especially when I saw the big box where once sat a Philippe Starck's Ghost Chair. Groovy.

happy hanukkah!

[click to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

From 04Dec to 11Dec2007, the Empire State Building is wearing its blue-white-blue lights to celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.

NB: can you see the bridges in the distance? Need a little help with that? Click on the picture to read my notes. Or see where this is located. It's all there, on Flickr.

let it snow... let it snow...

[click on picture to enlarge - taken via iPhone]

As snow is currently falling on Manhattan, it seems appropriate to post this picture taken Sunday, our first day of snow. It was taken on Riverside Drive in the Upper West Side. Monday morning, the snow was history.

NB: If you want to see where a picture was taken, click on it. It will bring you to my Flickr page where you can enlarge it, see notes I may have added, or see its location. Under "Additional information" ("informations supplémentaires"), the first link mentions where the picture was taken. Click on "map" ("carte"), and the map will pop up.

eco-friendly buildings

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Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum - 1070 Fifth Avenue - Manhattan

Appolo Theater (1913-1914) - St. Patrick's Cathedral (1858-1878)
253 West 125th Street - Fifth Avenue & 50th Street
Manhattan

Browstone, ca. 1881
West 54th Street
Manhattan

All of these pictures were taken this weekend at the Holiday Train Show, which will be open until January 13, 2008. If you want to learn more about it, visit the website of the New York Botanical Garden: http://www.nybg.org. Or explore the links I have added below the Yankee Stadium picture.

Yankee Stadium, 1923
Bronx

Other pictures (just click on link):
• New York Stock Exchange
• City Hall
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Ellis Island
• Grand Central Station (detail)
• complete list of buildings on view here
• replica descriptions and fun facts here