Such a Deal: Books, Tours and Web Sites for
Shoppers
By Elissa Leibowitz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday,
April 11, 2004; Page P03
Just as you wouldn't go to a Macy's sale without your credit cards, you
shouldn't leap onto the New York shopping gridiron without any schooling. Spend
some time cramming or consulting these sources before heading out. Any worthy guide to New York will include sections on shopping. But a few
guides are dedicated to it. In its typical quotation mark-laden form, Zagat's "New York City
Shopping" ($14.95) lists establishments recommended by its survey takers.
Included are lots of useful lists -- stores with comfortable loos, celebrity
clientele, no-returns policies, insider secrets and more. If you're focusing on
neighborhoods, it's hard to muddle through the alphabetical guide to find a gem;
it is most helpful for looking up a specific store. "Insight Shopping in New York" (Insight Guides, $9.95) describes the
shopping personality of each neighborhood, then takes you to the best shops in
them, with suggestions on where to unwind when weary. Updated edition scheduled
for release in May. Published two years ago, Suzy Gershman's "Born to Shop New York"
(Frommer, $15.99) still provides good neighborhood overviews and tips on
bargains and places to avoid. The book offers some refreshing suggestions, such
as the best place to buy postcards and the best sale in the city. Updated
edition scheduled for June. The Web site Fashion-411.com publishes the "Shopping Guide to New York"
(770-987-8504, http://www.fashion-411.com,/ $9.95),
focusing on wearable wares. The thin guide has tips on average prices and
clothing sizes at recommended shops. Each fall, New York Magazine publishes an all-shopping issue with
encyclopedic lists, descriptions of stores and maps. Back issues are available
for $7; for ordering instructions, call 212-508-0755. The magazine's Web site,
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/, has
deals of the week and "best of" lists that tell you, among other things, where
to buy a custom T-shirt for your dog and how to get a Fendi bag for 50 percent
off. Time Out New York ($2.99 at newsstands) focuses more on dining and
entertainment, but you can check out the winners of its shopping awards at http://www.timeoutny.com/, especially if
you want to find the best Salvation Army store that hasn't already been
scavenged by hipster wannabes. Users of the Web site Citysearch (newyork.citysearch.com) have voted on
their top 10 shops in 16 categories. Look for old faves, like Zabar's for
gourmet goodies, along with some surprises, like A Detacher, which looks more
like a tidy apartment than a store. The Web site DailyCandy (http://www.dailycandy.com)/ and its free
e-mail newsletter have tips on sample sales, new shops and urban trends. Register on the free site NYSale (http://www.nysale.com)/ for e-mails listing
weekly sales at top designers' shops; another site, Manhattan User's
Guide.com (http://www.manhattanusersguide.com)/,
lists a batch of different sales. Send a query through the Web site Ask a New Yorker.com (http://www.askanewyorker.com/) for
insider shopping secrets. An Irish tourist seeking men's fashions was recently
advised that the store Century 21 is a "madhouse" but worth focusing
on. If you want to shop by neighborhood, several groups, Web sites and books can
guide you. Diamond District: More than 2,600 businesses on 47th Street are
devoted to jewelry-making. Find recommended shops at http://www.diamonddistrict.org/. Chinatown: The Web site http://www.chinatownweb.com/ lists
stores sorted by type. Downtown: Order a free retail directory from Downtown Alliance
(212-566-6700, http://www.downtownny.com/), or look at
its online guide that specifies, among other things, which shops are open
weekends. Garment District: Though geared to industry types, the Fashion
Center Business Improvement District (212-764-9600, http://www.fashioncenter.com/) has a
color-coded map, fashion calendar and a Q&A on its Web site. Greenwich Village: The Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of
Commerce (212-255-5811, http://www.gvcc.com/) maintains an updated list
of shops and restaurants. Lower East Side: The Lower East Side Business Improvement
District (866-224-0206, http://www.lowereastsideny.com/)
offers a free "Neighborhood Guide and Shopping Directory." SoHo/NoLita: The SoHo/NoLita Pratique (917-575-8658, http://www.pratiqueguide.com/, $15) is
a snazzy orange portfolio with a pull-out, color-coded map of shops and eateries
in the two hip 'hoods, a booklet of businesses and a wallet-size map of Lower
Manhattan. TriBeCa: The TriBeCa Organization (866-698-7423, http://www.tribeca.org/) publishes "Places in
TriBeCa," a color-coded shopping map, and a booklet devoted to art and antiques.
Call for a free copy, or consult pared-down lists of shops on its Web site. Upper West Side: An interactive map of the Upper West Side at NY
Site -- The Upper West Side (http://www.nysite.com/) lets you click on a
specific block and see what shops are there. Shop Gotham (866-795-4200, http://www.shop/gotham.com) leads shoppers through the fragrant
markets of the Flower District and along chichi Fifth Avenue, among other
locales. Two- to five-hour tours are $25 to $80 a person. If handbags and bangles are your fetish, Elegant Tightwad
(800-808-4614, http://www.theeleganttightwad.com/)
has two-hour tours of high-end accessory showrooms. Cost of $35 includes a copy
of the book "Dress Like a Million Bucks . . . While Only Spending Pennies" by
tour organizer Pamela Parisi. Tours of Garment District clothing showrooms ($90)
and Uptown ($55) also available. The Enthusiastic Gourmet (646-209-4724, http://www.enthusiasticgourmet.com/)
leads three-hour tours by foot through neighborhoods known for their food, like
Chinatown, Hell's Kitchen and the Lower East Side. $65 per person includes
lunch. SheFinds.com (http://www.shefinds.com/), a virtual
personal shopper, assembles one- to four-day self-guided shopping itineraries
for visitors to New York, including beauty and fashion stores that cater to your
likes and budget, restaurants, spas and more. $55 per person. Girlshop (888-450-7467, Ext. 305, http://www.girlshop.com/), the hip clothing
Web site, offers tours by appointment (minimum two people) starting at $80 per
person for four hours. Trips can be customized to include areas such as NoLita
or SoHo. Tours include a discount gift card to the Web site and a copy of the
punchy "Girlshop Guide to NYC Shopping" (also sold on its Web site for $14). For tours, or to arrange a trip in the areas you want to shop: Guides
Association of New York City, 212-969-0666, http://www.ganyc.org/. Special correspondent Jennifer Barger contributed to this story.
