Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Request: I need to get a fun and tasty birthday cake in NYC for my boyfriend’s sister for her 25^th. Any ideas that aren’t extremely expensive?

Recommendation: There are endless options, but some of my favorites are:

• Billy’s Bakery – They make cakes that you would make yourself if you had the time and knew your way around the kitchen. And their prices are very reasonable.
• Veniero’s – Italian style pastries that are too pretty to eat
• Sugar Sweet Sunshine – I think their name says it all
• Crumbs – They might be known for their cupcakes, but I love their giant cake sized cupcake
• Clinton Street Baking Company – If their cakes are half as good as their pancakes, then you are in for a treat
• Momofuku Milk bar – Everything there is amazing, and so are there cakes, but apparently the crack pie is the thing to get
• Desert Delivery – Yummy and pretty, can’t really go wrong
• Cupcake Café – Their cakes are works of art and you can pick up some childrens books from the bookstore that is attached

and don’t forget the candles!

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Request: I am starting my search for bridesmaid dresses and seem to keep seeing the same either plain or ugly dresses. Any suggestions of stores that sell anything a little more special or different?

Recommendation: Forcing your friends to wear a dress that you picked out can be tough, especially when you don’t like it yourself. But there are lots more options out there than there used to be:

Bella Bridesmaid – They offer a variety of newer designers and are extremely nice. The store is clean and the sample dresses are in good condition. If you are looking to have your bridesmaids in a variety of styles by the same designer, this would be a great place to look. They also have many stores across the country, so if you are bridesmaids are in different cities, they can easily try on the dresses at any location.

The Wedding Library – One stop shopping for bridesmaid dresses, accessories and wedding planning.

J.Crew – Their dresses definitely will be worn again and are just so cute, just like everything else in the store. The bridal selection, is also great for the unfussy bride. Newly opened, their bridal boutique on Madison Avenue is a great way to see all the dresses in person.

Anthropologie - Their amazing selection of dresses are definitely not for the average bridesmaid, but for a unique wedding, they have a great collection. Since there is no ordering process, your bridesmaids can actually try the dress on in her size and you can take more time to decide. A great option for those in a time crunch. I have also heard some rumors that they will be coming out with a specific bridesmaid line in the fall…

Keep in mind, any dress can be a bridesmaid dress, and they don’t all have to be the same color, or style. It is your wedding, go with what you love. But remember, you want to have these friends after the wedding, so keep them in mind too.

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Request: I have out of town friends coming with assorted age kids. They want to go to Chocolate by the Bald Man, but they don’t take reservations and we will have about 10 people including 3 toddlers. Any other kid friendly suggestions that take reservations?

Recommendation: That can be a tough one, but here are a few options

• Max Brenner Chocolate by the Bald Man is a great restaurant featuring not only amazing deserts, but excellent food. Many dishes have an unexpected chocolate twist, and the restaurant looks like a chocolate factory, making it an ideal place to take kids. While they do not take reservations, if you can get there before noon (which I am guessing isn’t too hard with little kids), you should have no problem getting a table even with a large group.
• Moomah is a “creative playscape and cozy cafe all in one.”  They serve delicious food that kids and adults will want to eat all while keep your kids occupied. What more could you ask for?
• John’s Pizza takes reservations, has great pizza and is located in an old church so it is a large restaurant with an amazing ceiling.
• Blue Smoke is a loud BBQ joint with great food, so they won’t mind when your kids aren’t that quiet. They have lots of big tables and take reservations.
• The Diner is, well, a diner, but they are great to kids and also take reservations. They give them crayons and bracelets and a plastic safari cup to take home. Plus the food is great.

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

These would dress up even the most basic cupcake.

Request: I am going to make cupcakes for my friends birthday party and want to make them extra special. Can you recommend a baking supply store in NYC?

Recommendation: What a good friend! My go to place for all my baking and candy-making needs is NY Cake. They have everything you need and lots of fun stuff that you don’t. It is the only store like it in Manhattan so it is really your only option. While there supply is vast, the help is not. Don’t expect to receive much assistance from the employees, but you will find what you are looking for.

If you have time and don’t need to see before you buy, there are some great online vendors:

• Confectionery House
• CakeArt Party Store

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Charms by Lisa Jordan Designs

Request: I’m expecting our first child in early August and my husband keeps asking me what I want for a “Push Gift”.  I know that some people get extravagant pieces of jewelry (diamond tennis bracelets, right hand rings) and I’ve known other people that have gotten designer bags, but I wanted to try to find something that relates to the baby – for example, something with his/her initial on it. I am leaning towards a necklace. Any ideas of fun things you’ve seen people do in NYC?

Recommendation: Congratulations on your upcoming arrival. It sounds like you have a very thoughtful husband. I love the idea of a necklace that somehow relates to the baby. Here are a few ideas:

Lisa Jordan Designs offers charms that come on interchangeable colored cords, but can be worn in many unique ways. The charms, circles with girls or boys cut out of the center, are finished in enamel and/or diamonds.

Lockets are a perfect way to commemorate this wonderful event. Depending on how many frames the locket has you can put a picture of your baby, your husband or any other loved one. The front could also be inscribed with all of your initials too.

Birthstone jewelery with your child’s birthstone or both of yours can also be a wonderful way to show your love for your child. These charms by Posh Mommy are called Due Tags, which feature the birthstone of the month your child is due.

Colleen Berg lets your child’s (or anyone’s) fingerprint be the design element in her Thumbprint Collection of jewelery. She sends you an impression kit which she than incorporates into your custom piece. What a cool way to cherish a loved one.

Best of luck to you and your growing family!

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

might as well clean in style

Request: I am hosting a party at my new apartment in a few weeks and want it look spotless. Any suggestions of a service I could hire since I don’t have a regular cleaning person?

Recommendation: Some things are just better left to the professionals, like a big pre-party clean. But if you don’t use a cleaning person on a regular basis it might be hard for them to fit you into their schedule. A cleaning service is a great solution, since they keep many people on staff with lots of availability. I have used NY Brite on many occasions with very good results. You can hire them for regular intervals, but it is a great option if you only want someone every once in a while.  They will even bring their own cleaning supplies for a little extra money.

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Breezy Dot Suit by J.Crew

Request: With the approach of summer, any suggestions of where to find the perfect bathing suit?

Recommendation: There isn’t a bigger buzzkill for summer than the search for the perfect bathing suit. But there are some amazing options out there:

• Figleaves – Offers a huge selection of bathing suits, especially two-piece separates and bra-sized tops
• Victoria’s Secret – While I am not a huge fan of their bras, there swim selection is huge and has a large price range. Many stores now carry them so you can try them on in person.
• Old Navy – I love their selection of fun separates. And that about $15 per piece, you can pick up a few extra cute bottoms to go if you want to splurge on a more expensive top somewhere else.
• Malia Mills – Though definitely on the pricey side, the fit is supposedly amazing.
• Linda The Bra Lady – The store and online shop offers a vast selection of not only bras, but swimwear as well. If you plan on visiting the store, an appointment is highly recommended. While an appointment to find a bathing suit might seem ridiculous, the personalized service from saleswomen who know what styles will work for you will be well worth your time.
• Athleta – For suits that will spend more time in the water than lounging, this is a great site.
• JCrew – And for suits that will spend more time lounging than getting wet, this is a great site.

A few things to know about bathing suit shopping:

• The best time to go is actually in January when the stores have the largest selection.
• Stores from the UK tend to have lots of non-cheesy separates. A great thing for those of you who need different size tops than bottoms. Why do the US designers insist on making all the separates so cheesy looking?
• Experiment! What looks terrible on the rack might actually look great on.
• If it fits, don’t hesitate to buy the same suit in another color. Why struggle once you have found the perfect suit? The same suit could look completely different in another color.

There are lots of accessories that go great with swimsuits, a hat, a sarong, but not a sunburn! So don’t forget your suntan lotion!

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Request: Any suggestions of locations for an engagement photo-shoot? My fiance and I are open to anywhere in NYC.

Recommendation: An engagement photo-shoot is a great way for you and your photographer to get to know each other and for you to become more comfortable in front of the camera. The results can be used for a photo guest book or photo display at your wedding. Many photographers include the cost of the shoot with the rest of the package, so if that is something you are interested in, make sure to negotiate for it when you sign your contract. If you are getting married out of town, it is a great way to incorporate your home city into the wedding.

Any of the below sights would also work for the day of the wedding or for a trash the dress shoot:

• Brooklyn Bridge/ Brooklyn Bridge Park
• Coney Island
• Grand Central Station
• The HighLine
• Site of your first date
• Your apartment
• Your neighborhood
• Where you got engaged
• A friends rooftop
• Fort Tryon Park / The Cloisters
• Central Park
• Prospect Park
• 6BC Botanical Garden or other community gardens
• Bronx Botanical Gardens
• Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
• Top of the Rock
• Staten Island Ferry
• Governor’s Island

A permit is required in NYC if you will be using a tripod. It is not required otherwise, but it is highly recommended to ensure you will not be asked to end the shoot. However, some locations require specific permits, so make sure to check before hand.

• General Permit for NYC
• NYC Parks
• Grand Central Station

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Request: My friends and I want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at an outside bar since the weather is supposed to be so great. Can you make any suggestions?

Recommendation: An outside bar would be great tonight! Some of my favorites are:

• Astoria Beer Garden – Bohemian beer garden in Astoria, Queens – Get there early to score a table, bring board games, cards and lots of friends.
• Studio Square – Beer garden in Astoria with a more modern feel
• Bia Beer Garden – Vietnamese beer garden on the Lower East Side
• Water Taxi Beach – Any of the three locations offer sun, sand, food and a great view. The Long Island City and Governor’s Island location are both easily accesible by Water Taxi. And the South Street Seaport location offers not only spectacular views, but allows you to stay on solid ground.
• Boat Basin Cafe – Get here early to nab a table, or hang out in the large open space along the water. Located at 79th and the West Side
• The Frying Pan – With two boats attached to this giant barge turned bar, there is plenty of space to relax, enjoy the view and explore. 26th Street and the Hudson river
• Pier I – Located on the Hudson at 70th, this is nothing more than a bar on a pier, but I think that is what makes it so great. Plus their burgers are amazing.
• Me Bar – This bar has an amazing view as well, but not of the water. Located on the roof of a La Quinta Inn, you can’t get much closer to the Empire State Building. There is no food, but with such an incredible view, try to grab a table and send a member of your group down to one of the many great Korean restaurants to bring up dinner. You are in for a great night.
• Ashton’s – This newly relocated Mid-Town bar (from across the street) has huge doors that open to the large sidewalk area. Outdoor space, and good food – sounds good to me.
• Rare View – With multiple locations, these rooftops offer great outdoor space with great views.
• Bookmarks Lounge at the Library Hotel – The view only matches the beautiful interior of this Mid-Town hotel bar.

What are your favorites? Let me know so I can add it to the list.

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Request: I am looking for a gift for an avid reader who also loves to cook. I am looking to spend about $50.

Recommendation: If your friend likes to print out recipes from online, why not get a binder so she can organize all of them? This one from Bon Appetit has dividers so she can easily find what she is looking for and pockets to stash all her recipes. And they have included some of their great recipes as well. Along those same lines, what about a gift certificate from Tastebook.com. I wrote about them last week and I think any cook would love to have all of their recipes printed in their own cookbook!

There are lots of novels centered around eating, and all of those would make a great gift. Check out this list from the Wall Street Journal. You could purchase one of these books and get a specialty ingrediant featured in the book that the birthday girl might not normally purchase for herself. The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa would make a great gift paired with some Italian delicacies.

A cooking class is always a nice treat. Check out the large selection of one time classes at Whole Foods.

If your friend frequents the library, what about a great tote bag to carry all her books easily? The artist series totes from the Strand Bookstore are great! I love this one.