Morning: Head downtown and grab some breakfast at some of Soho’s best–but affordable!–spots. Try the lovely Spring Street Natural Restaurant (62 Spring St., corner of Lafayette) for fresh, delicious options or grab some charming homemade goodies and coffee at Once Upon a Tart (135 Sullivan St.)

Late Morning: Your Soho/Nolita Shop Gotham tour kicks off nearby. For two hours you will have exclusive guided access to the area’s hottest shops–and you get to use your Shop Gotham insider discounts all day! Book here.

Afternoon/Evening: While Soho is renowned for its fabulous shopping finds, that certainly isn’t the only activity available in this NYC neighborhood! Head over to Lucky Strike (59 Grand, btwn Wooster & W. B’way), the city’s hottest bowling alley, frequented by celebs and locals seeking a good time alike–no reservations required. Great for groups, this spot also serves up yummy food throughout the day along with DJed music and a bar.

You can also check out “HERE,” a unique, cutting-edge art space producing comedies, dance shows, music pieces, and much, much more. If you’re interested in an unforgettable, authentically NY experience, view the event calendar here.

After all this exploration you’ll have certainly worked up an appetite. Here are a few great downtown suggestions:

• For casual Asian “comfort food” try Soho gem Mooncake Foods (28 Watts St., nr Thompson St.). This friendly spot offers super-affordable salads, sandwiches, and great snacks like wontons and chicken wings.
• For delicious Thai food in a stylish and unique setting, try Peep (177 Prince St.).  A very trendy dinner spot, Peep (pictured below) also offers amazing multi-course lunch deals for under $10!

• For fresh, reliable Mediterranean options, try Snack (105 Thompson St., nr Prince St.). This popular lunch spot has great sandwiches and salads, and if it’s hot out don’t miss their killer mint lemonade!

Be sure to book your Shop Gotham tour in advance and your tour guide will be happy to point you in the right direction toward any of these amazing NYC hotspots! Enjoy!

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!

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