Topshop is Coming!

It was Boots at Target, then SpaceNK in the City- later in Scarsdale- now it's Topshop! Can we say we're loving the British?

It's brilliant! With over 300 stores in the UK, and a third of that across the world, Topshop is finally coming to the US in October with a flagship store on Broadway & Broome in SoHo. And, it was about time!!!

The fashion trampoline- helped launched the careers of Alexander McQueen, Preen, Jonathan Saunders, Matthew Williamson, Giles Deacon, Christopher Kane and Marios Schwab- carries collections from Kate Moss, Celia Birtwell and Parisian lingerie designer Fifi Chachnil. Most recently, the London Fashion Week was an opportunity for Topshop to show its high-style pieces.

I casually visit their website to see what's up and coming in Europe, and I am happy to report that they have customized their website for the US. Now you can order online (they have the cutest oversized beaded clutch!), check out their McCarren Pool Parties series, download their Daily Fix widget and get style advice.

So, this City girl at heart will be catching the 6 train from GCT this Fall to head over to the new flagship. Then again, I have a feeling that Topshop will make its way to the 'burbs, and what's a better place to have a store than Westchester county? Mark my words...

Boogie Down in the 'Burbs

When the Westchester Magazine came out with its Nightlife issue in March '08, I couldn't help but be cynical and think that nightlife in Westchester was an oxymoron.

It's not that hubby and I don't go out a couple days a week, or that we don't appreciate the nearby venues where we have a good time, it's just that the suburbs have always been synonymous with quaint neighborhood eateries, quiet streets and a 10 PM curfew. Or, so I had thought...

On Saturday night, we ended up at Lucy's Lounge in Pleasantville- not by coincidence. When hubby and I were sitting by the waterfront in Yonkers a few weekends ago, we had browsed through a copy of the "More Sugar" paper and noticed that one of the U2 tribute bands, 2U, we had previously seen (the other one is the Unforgettable Fire) would be playing on Aug. 16th, same day as the Jets pre-season game where we would watch Favre for the first time. We decided that we'd go to the game and then head over to Lucy's afterward.

I was happy that Lucy's was easy to find, right off Bedford Road, conveniently accessible from the Saw Mill & the Taconic. Parking was accessible as well- not in the bar's designated parking lot but at the municipal parking spot across the street. From the outside, it looked like a cool cousin of one of the bars in White Plains- girls and guys catching a few smokes, the door-boy making small talk, and music pouring outside the door.

Walking inside, I was pleasantly surprised to find the bar packed with not only 20-somethings, but also with some slightly more mature (at least in their looks!) crowd. There were women decked out in tent dresses and big jewelry, men in casual slacks and button-downs, adding to the polished atmosphere. (I thanked my wisdom in taking off my Jets jersey and putting on something more appropriate prior to going in!) There were also more individualistic styles- I attributed it to the wide range of crowd that the band must've drawn in to the bar that evening- I actually love that!

The band played on, Michael Phelps won his 8th gold medal, we sipped our beers, and enjoyed the cool breeze coming in through the doors and windows. Our evening at Lucy's in Pleasantville, overall, was quite pleasant (cannot help myself!!!); I'd love to go back and sample one (or two?) of their martinis.

Maybe, after all, there's a nightlife in Westchester for those of us in their 30s & 40s aside from our neighborhood comfort zones- we just need to stretch our thinking...

It's All About Taming the Hair: The Marilyn Brush

So you get the best coffee from your favorite shop of joe, you get the best school for your kid, you live in the best town for the recreation, you go to the best bar for killer mojitos, seek the best boots for the fall, and the list goes on... So, what do you do, when you have the best haircut ever (see my post on Lindsay hair), to highlight its features in the best way possible? I am talking about the gorgeous layers, the volume, and the shine.

Well, very simple: You get the best hairbrush possible!

Enter: The Marilyn Brush. Bristles made from 100% boar, these brushes come in many shapes and sizes, and you pick them depending on your need. The company offers ceramic brushes, made of a combination of plastic and ceramic, which allows the brush to heat for up to 10 minutes, thereby reducing time on-task with your blow-dryer and keeping your ends just spiffy without any heat damage! Now, that's not only a smart way to reduce your morning routine time but also a great way to go green at home. Now, here's a company that takes your hair seriously!

Recommended by my glamorous-haired friend (you're the best!), I purchased the one with the hour-glass barrel, size 3.5, to get more oomph and nip-tuck for my hair. (Ummm... Confession: I cannot wait until Nip Tuck's new season starts! Such a guilty pleasure, it's even on my mobile...)

I ordered mine online through the company's website- total instant gratification- you can also get it at Zitomer's Pharmacy; the closest one to GCT is at 40 W 57th St, between 5th & 6th Ave's.

Brush away those potential bad hair days!