CITYist

I’ve always thought that if I could start off the week with a fresh manicure, a new outfit and a great blow out, Mondays would be a lot better. Sadly, because hairstylists work straight through the weekend, most of them are closed after the weekend rush. So you can imagine my excitement when I learned that Ted Gibson salon would not only be opening its doors on Mondays beginning March 26—but that it would be junior stylists trying their hands at coloring, cuts and styling for a discounted rate of $75.

You’ve heard of chocolate on your pillow, but marshmallow’s are much more fun. Now, at the Duane Street Hotel a brushed-steel serving cart brimming with delectable homemade marshmallows stops at individual guestrooms every Thursday through Sunday as part of the Duane Street Hotel’s newly enhanced turndown service.

If this isn’t something that all ladies will love, then I don’t know what is. A beautiful and alluring fragrance with a bottle shaped like a stiletto! And it comes in a shoebox, no less. The creator is Nicole Amy Rabbat, a 20-something entrepreneur who first got the idea for her scent and its shoe bottle in an entrepreneur class she was taking.

Talk about a high-class event! It seemed like all of New York City’s elite celebrated the launch of Douglas Hannant’s new fragrance Douglas Hannant de Robert Piguet at The Payne Whitney Mansion last Thursday. And I’m happy to say that the new scent is just as lovely as the party was.

Though flowers and chocolates will usually do the trick, sometimes you get a little extra lovin’ when you think outside the Valentine’s Day gift box. Ecoya candles are just the right amount of sexy and classy to make for the perfect V-Day gift. The Pink Champagne scented Love Candle is eco-natural, sensual, aromatic—and no one can resist the power of fragrance and the dim and romantic light it casts.

Here’s a fun and sexy cocktail if you’re thinking of treating your special someone to a few tasty flavors before continuing your Valentine’s evening. Or, of you’re single, take a shot of this flavored liqueur before heading out to hopefully get shot by Cupid’s arrow.

While new hotels like The Standard, The Trump Soho and The Andaz always attract a young and modern crowd, sometimes it’s good to step outside of the trendy zone and check into some of New York’s gems. To get a feel of the foundation of what New York is made of, I’m staying at some of these iconic boutique properties operated by HK hotels, at various locations around the city to see what they offer, and how hotel customer service existed when gentlemen were polite, and it was always, Ladies First.

After a year and a half of building his mobile gourmet cupcake shop business from scratch, Lev Ekster has opened his first brick and mortar location in New York. CupcakeStop’s flagship store on 70 Greenwich Ave (off of 7th Avenue) serves up all those tasty treats in a location that you can get to without having to solve the mystery of where the truck is that day.

It’s NFL playoff season, so no better time to discover a new sports bar where you’ll be comfortable watching all the action. And catching a glimpse of a few A-list celebs wouldn’t be a bad bonus either.

Omega has relaunched its Ladymatic watch series for the first time since it was introduced in 1955. This self-winding watch brings the Swiss-made mechanical movements of men’s watches to the wrist of women who care as much about the function of their watch as the look of it.

Today, Genetic Denim launched its first collection in a series of collaborations with a diverse group of style arbiters titled “Genetic Visionaries.” The inaugural collection is a limited edition capsule for Pre-Spring 2011 in partnership with Nevena Borissova, stylist and owner of cult bicoastal boutique, Curve. Borissova worked with Creative Director of Genetic Denim Ali Fatourechi to create a selection of Genetic Denim with a 1970s inspiration based on pale washes and lighter weights.

It’s about to get a whole lot easier to get your hands on a pair of coveted Fiorentini + Baker boots. You know the rustic, yet sexy boots that you see celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Biel and Alessandra Ambrosio spending their days in? It’s these pairs by designer Deborah Baker

Once Pantone announces its color of the year, the fashion and beauty companies jump right on it. Coming up in 2011, Honeysuckle will be everywhere, a bright popping pink hue tinged with red and orange tones.

Welcome to a new, original model for purchasing and collecting contemporary art. If auction houses aren’t quite your thing, our art columnist and Half Gallery owner Bill Powers, along with designer Cynthia Rowley and co-founders Laura Martin and Gabby Munoz have created EXHIBITION A, which sell editions of iconic work by prominent contemporary artists including Terence Koh, David
LaChapelle, Richard Phillips, Rene Ricard, Josephine Meckseper, Hanna Liden, Aleksandra Mir, Brad Kahlhamer, Jon Kessler, Olivier Zahm, Geoff McFetridge, Ry Fyan and Duncan Hannah.

Last night, Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron hosted her annual Africa Outreach Project Benefit at The Darby restaurant in New York. Theron was joined by friends and supporters including Liv Tyler, Johnny Knoxville, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Westfeldt, Michelle Trachtenberg, Petra Nemcova and Russell Simmons.

The bold patters that usually light up the runway can now light up your bedroom. Peter Som has partnered with SFERRA, a leader in luxury linens, and this March the two combine to create a stylish bedding collection.

One of the more fun and affordable collaborations out there right now is 6×6, the collaboration between Urban Outfitters and Morgan Yakus and Karin Bereson’s No. 6.

Most of us will never produce an album in a recording studio, but Studio XXI might just give you the fix you need on the behind the scenes of the music industry. The new club is modeled after a classic recording space and unifies distinctive elements—sound proof auralex on the walls and ceiling, a DJ booth with performance and recording capabilities, and the flashy, sexy scene that will make you feel like a rockstar, even if your singing talents fall short.

Oh La La. Once again La Prairie combines luxury and science in its new Cellular Power Infusion. We all know that it’s great to have a pretty looking, pretty smelling beauty product—but unless there is hard evidence that it’s technically making me more beautiful, I don’t want it anywhere near my skin. In perhaps La Prairie’s most high tech launch, Cellular Power Infusion promises that you will “never look your age again” which we all know is a great thing.

Thanks to the sparkling and beautiful people at Swarovski, I got to check out the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show earlier this month and see the bras, babes and baubles on the runway before the show airs Tuesday, Nov. 30 on CBS at 10 p.m.

People who love independent films will absolutely love this gift. Based in New York City, Film Movement is a full service distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films. Its film-of-the-month-club makes it easier for independent and international movie lovers to see some of the world’s award-winning cinema, and today there is a 15 percent discount on everything on its website. Use coupon code BLACKFRIDAY2010 to get a 12-month gift subscription, which is now only $114.74 with free shipping.

Hermès has opened its doors on the Rive Gauche! The company is proud to announce the new space which is certainly a sight to see. Denis Montel has outdone himself decorating the space with colossal wood sculptures within 2,500 square meters of a building constructed in 1935.

You won’t find me in a mall or at Macy’s on Black Friday. The crowds, the hassle, and the mayhem is not what shopping is all about for me. I almost always stick to boutiques and smaller shops in Soho, so I just might be tempted to check out the new Converse store at 560 Broadway at its grand opening on Friday, Nov. 26.

Last Tuesday, I had the absolute pleasure of going to Madrid for the MANGO Spring/Summer 2011 runway presentation. The Spanish really have a true sense of pride surrounding their brand that makes trendy looks and classic pieces that are affordable for all.