August Shopping Tours

August in NYC is a little tricky. It’s hot and muggy. We are wearing our whites and flip flops and yet the stores are dying to show off their new winter wools.

Retail: A FABULOUS time to get amazing sales on summer wear! Remember that there is always next summer to wear it too! The indie boutiques in particular are where you want to shop. See: www.shopgotham.com/daily-new-york-shopping-tours.php for what’s doing in Soho/Nolita

Wholesalers : Sample Sales are pretty much on hiatus in August. Which is why Shop Gotham’s Garment Center Insider tour is especially valuable at this time. We got the insider to wholesalers all year round. See: www.shopgotham.com/daily-new-york-shopping-tours.php

An NYC teen here to give you the insider report on what the city’s young and stylish are rocking this season…Cool summer nights in the city call for ditching the denim cut-offs and slipping on the latest hot trend: The Boyfriend Jean, spotted on celebs like Katie Holmes, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Bosworth. These slouchy pants are best distressed, worn in, and rolled up, and look fabulous paired with a blazer and chic evening tank. Here are hot pairs from J Brand (left) and Rich & Skinny:

Our Shop Gotham tours can bring you to stores with exclusive deals on this must-have trend!

Stay tuned to our ShopNYC blog for more NYC teen insider info!

2009 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Central Park SummerStage performing arts festival. A must-see experience for native New Yorkers and visitors alike, SummerStage offers great performances in music, dance, film, comedy and more. There’s everything from hip-hop to dance parties to ballet. Best of all, every show is free!! Check out upcoming events here: http://www.summerstage.org/index1.aspx?BD=20575

Shopping Tours for Specialty Groups

Happen to be Coming to NYC with a Student group in need of education and entertainment. Or a finicky Corporate Spouse group? Did you know that Shop Gotham hosts dozens of these type of programs each year, catering to the whims of young, discerning, and everything in-between. Let us give your peeps an insider shopping experience as only NYC can afford. Meet designers, shop like a VIP, enjoy discounts, special access and all kinds of other booty. For more info: http://www.shopgotham.com/custom-group-tours.php

3 More Reasons NYC Rocks

1) Almost All Shops are open on Sunday (exception: upper Madison avenue). We recommend taking our Soho & Nolita shopping tour at noon on Sunday. Wake up late. Take your tour. Follow it by a late leisurely lunch at a charming cafe in Soho or Nolita. Shop some more. Drag your bags home. Take a nap. A perfect sunday.

2)Cover bands at BBKings. Almost any musician you have ever loved is represented at BBkings by a “look-alike band”, who are often as good as the real deal. Typically $15. Civilized environment with food & bev.

3)Philharmonic in Central Park. True that about a zillion other people also show up to picnic under the stars. But there is always a patch of grass to snag and hey, its the NY Philarmonic for free!  July 17 2009.

This season offers a varied and unique array of things to do with your teen in the city. One of many: HBO has partnered with Bryant Park to offer the 2009 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival, showing outdoor screenings of such classics as Harold and Maude and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Your teen will love the atmosphere, spending an evening picnicking with snacks from nearby ‘wichcraft kiosk (owned by Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio) at the famous site of New York Fashion Week! Grab a towel from your hotel room, pick up your gourmet sandwiches, sit back and enjoy! View the movie schedule here: http://www.bryantpark.org/calendar/film-festival.php

Although the New York subway has come a long, long way in recent decades, it’s still full of busy New Yorkers in a rush to get where they need to be. For this reason, don’t stop or stall in the subway! Figure out your trip ahead of time, which is made easy by fantastic resources such as www.hopstop.com , which will give you step-by-step instructions for the trip between your starting point and final destination.

If  a family member passed through this important port, some 200 million did) then its a Must-see. But even if no-one you have ever known did (or your relatives were among the lucky few who went first class and thus came to a different port) this is an esssential lesson in the history of NYC and the United States. Learn of the: immigration patterns from year to year; conditions ensured by those who traveled by boat for weeks from a far-off land; the complex and rich story of this country. Use the vast and ever-growing resource center to track relatives. While you sip your latte, imagine in awe how all these people made it here.  

Book your tickets on the ferry in advance and go as early in the day as possible. We suggest skipping the Statue of Liberty. On the same ferry, you will pass right beneath her and even stop to let passengers off. Take photos, enjoy the wonder and continue on to Ellis Island. You will be glad you did.

Today we went to see the cast of Hair play softball against the cast of Billy Elliot at Heckscher ball fields in Central Park. What a fun thing to do, even for long-time New Yorkers. If you are coming to NYC this summer, love to shop and also want to do some of the truly “cool” NYC stuff, here is a suggestion for a great 5 hours. 

Start out with a Shop Gotham 3-hour Garment Center “Insider” Tour commencing at 10am, Wed’s & Fri’s. Wholesale showrooms and sample sales – only in NYC. www.shopgotham.com 

Follow this with a stroll to the Heckscher field in Central Park, at 63rd street, just off Central Park West

Grab a sandwhich or burger at the Ballpark Cafe adjacent to the field.

Watch the world-class broadway stars compete against each other in the Broadway Show League. Again, only in NYC!   http://www.broadwayshowleague.com.

One of the most popular activities Shop Gotham hosts, Sweet 16 shopping tours are fun, fast paced and frankly, captures the essence of what every girl wants. In lieu of parties, folks often celebrate Sweet 16’s with a special trip. If you are coming to NYC, you may want to consider this activity as the highlight of your occasion. Your teen will thank you. For details, see www.shopgotham.com or  send email to info@shopgotham.com.