Congrats To Our Favorite UWS Website!!!

A big hug and huge helping of neighborhood pride to Avi and the WestSideRag for being nominated for a Best Neighborhood Blog  by the Village Voice  for its 2nd annual Web Awards. While the Rag didn’t win (Bowery Boogie took home the prize), it’s still an amazing honor for such a young website and I’m proud to be a part of it.

A Festive Weekend, Thanks to SantaCon

SantaCon revelers getting an early start

This Saturday was the first time I’ve actually felt really festive and ready for the holidays. I took the afternoon to go shopping on my own, and the city was hopping and happy.

While stopping for my post-workout coffee at the Starbucks on 93rd and Broadway, I ran into the festive trio at left, and that pretty much set the tone for my day. After making a comment about how that beard looked itchy, I learned that it was SantaCon yesterday, which is basically just a huge bar crawl requiring people to dress up like Santa. (During the course of the day I also saw several slutty Mrs. Claus’, elves, and even an abominable snowman. I’m totally doing SantaCon next year.)

Faux Ice Skate Boots Are a Thing

While running out for some Hale & Hearty on Friday afternoon (I frequently crave their tomato cheddar soup), I spotted a striking woman in front of me near 86th and Broadway wearing some sort of long, ruffled white wrap and the shoes pictured above. I was walking behind her and ran to get a close-up view of these marvels. After momentarily being distracted by her red fishnets and red ruffled ankle socks, I could properly focus on her footwear. I actually stopped her and she graciously let me snap a pic, though I don’t thing she understood a word I was saying. Thank you, mystery lady.

Here Are Some ‘Cleavage Cupcakes’

I was shopping in Boc on Broadway last weekend and started giggling upon seeing the product featured at left. (Boobs are funny, right?) Cleavage Cupcakes are silicone gel inserts for giving the girls a bit of a lift. While the name–and concept, really–are silly, it’s a lot better name than “chicken cutlets,” which is what these gel inserts are sometimes called.  After all, cupcakes are super trendy right now. 

Commando, the company that makes these, also makes “Takeouts,” a larger version, as well as “Top Hats” and “Low Beams” two nipple-concealing products.

The Mystery of the Two-Toned Legs Is Solved

*Picture: My Upper West

Back in the beginning of the summer My Upper West published this picture of a woman who was walking around with two different colored legs. This blew my mind in all sorts of ways, and I’m happy to report that the mystery is solved.

Many thanks to commenter Scott, who enlightened me–they are American Apparel two-toned tights:

I Stumbled Upon Culture in Central Park on a Saturday Morning

This weekend my brother came for a visit from Chicago, bringing my 5-year-old niece with him. (And he wouldn’t let me take her for a manicure! “She’ll get hooked…” I have no idea what he’s talking about. I only go like every five or six days tops to get my nails done.  Maybe I can convince Six to go? He likes a bit of flashiness sometimes. Anyway.)

I love to be a tourist in NYC, so we headed to Central Park to the Bethesda Fountain. And we saw a ballerina, complete with tulle tutu, doing some sort of photo shoot. Very Sex and the City circa 2001. I was much more excited than my niece, who was fascinated by the unnaturally electric green water in the boat pond. Oh, this guy showed up, too:

I Went to the New Upper West Side Century 21, And I (Barely) Lived to Tell the Tale

I have a rather shocking confession to make: I have never set foot in a Century 21 in my life. Yes, I’ve lived in New York for 10 years and am a self-proclaimed shopping guru, yet have never visited the hallowed halls of a Century 21 store.  I hope that doesn’t detract from my already fairly dubious credibility as an arbiter of style.

Here’s the thing–I hate so-called discount stores. Loehmann’s, TJ Maxx, Filene’s? They annoy me. I feel like I have to dig through heaps of stuff that no one else wanted to find something remotely interesting, only to discover it’s not THAT much cheaper. (Or…I’m a shopping snob. I can totally admit it.)

But with Century 21 opening right in my backyard, I had to check it out, so made the ridiculous decision to go this past Sunday. Yes. In the middle of the day. Now, I’ve heard all the legends about fighting over the last pair of size 5  Manolo Blahniks so I thought I was prepared for the craziness. No.

A few observations:

New York Fashion Week at Lincoln Center: Read About My Adventures at West Side Rag

So here’s a bit of shameless self-promotion, and also a plea that you check out West Side Rag, a rather stellar hyper-local blog. I’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating.

I also happen to be a columnist there, and wrote about my recent experience at Zac Posen’s runway show at Lincoln Center. I even spoke to a celeb–Kelly Osbourne. (Come on, she is so a celeb.)

My Poor, Ignored Blog

Hi, Upper West Side. I’m embarrassed at how long it’s been since I’ve posted. It’s been a long summer of fun and work. Work is taking over a bit more now. I’ve accepted a bigger role at my current day job, so it’s sucking up the hours I have available to blog, tweet, read US Weekly, and um, make dinner for my children. Many thanks to the 14 of you who continue to check up on Upper West Side Style. I promise I will be better!

There’s been a lot going on in our hood. And of course–it’s fashion week!

Photo of the Day: Wild Upper West Side Nail Art

I’m a sucker for a gaudy, bedazzled, bright manicure. I even indulge in them myself once in a while. The Upper West Side tends to be, like everything else, fairly classic when it comes to manicures, so when I see one loaded with rhinestones, I have to stop to admire it.