Sloan Kettering and Party City: Donate in May

Until May 23, Party City shoppers can donate at the register to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Party City's May charity partner. 

Sloan Kettering, the world's oldest and largest private cancer center, is committed to exceptional patient care, leading-edge research, and renowned educational programs. Please donate at the register when shopping Party City this month, and join Sloan Kettering in saying:

Party City

223 West 34th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues

West End Updates: Lane Bryant Open, Joe Fresh Temporarily Closed

Lane Bryant is back on 34th Street just west of Seventh Avenue, and she's looking lovely.

Pretty store, yes? There's even a mezzanine level. There have been a ton of changes on this block recently. Walk west from  Lane Bryant and you'll see the newly opened Cohen's Fashion Optical and the future home of a sports footwear store relocated Footaction, soon to open. Walk east and you've got Party City, Payless, a currently shuttered Joe Fresh, and DSW. Wait, what? Joe Fresh is closed?

Don't panic, it's reopening soon. Remember, Joe Fresh was one of the pioneers of the new west end of 34th Street with a pop-up back in late 2011. Now that the pop-up is permanent, it looks like Joe Fresh 34th Street is getting a makeover. Look for the store to reopen mid-June.

Lane Bryant

225 West 34th Street

Joe Fresh 

Temporarily closed for renovations at 215 West 34th Street

You Are Not Your Own Party City

The man who's been bossing me around at home lately? This guy:

My favorite part is at the end of the workout when he says, in serious military voice: "Workout complete. Good job." It's  at once ridiculous and gratifying. 

Why am I into this book and it's accompanying, awesome iPhone app? Because I have not been able to get to the gym since I've had Baby Herald. This means I've also had Baby Herald gut since I've had Baby Herald. I love me some Baby Herald, but the gut, not so much.

This app enables me to work out at home in under 40 minutes, four times a week, doing exercises that are challenging but not at all impossible. Best, I don't have to remind 18-year-old boys at the gym that they should let me work in on the machine, I don't have to worry about my obscenely tight yoga pants, and I can work out while watching Baby Herald draw on walls, pull utensils out of kitchen drawers, or torture Chad Pennington (the cat, not the ex-Jets QB). I'm OK with all of the former as long as Chad Pennington isn't howling.

Here is where I'd link to a bookstore where you can buy this book on 34th Street, but there are how many bookstores on 34th Street? Zero. This is where I'd lament the death of the bookstore but this post is rambling enough already. What can you now find on 34th Street? Party City. Yes, Party City is now open and they are not joking, it is seriously a city of party. You can be your own gym, but do not be your own Party City. Make your life easy and go to 34th and Seventh Avenue and get everything under the sun you could possibly need for your next party, including banners, because Party City has a BANNER STATION. It's not a bookstore, but a banner station is damn convenient.

The sign says it all, and yes, there is a candy room.

Party City
223 West 34th Street (just west of Seventh Avenue)

There's a New Payless on 34th Street

This picture is showing so much 34th Street Partnership, I want to do a "Find our streetscape" game.

Say adieu to the Payless on Eighth Avenue and 34th Street. But you won't be missing it as we've got a brand new shiny Payless down the street from the old locale. It's right next to Joe Fresh and the new DSW Shoe Warehouse. I'm henceforth calling this block of 34th Street between Seventh and Eighth the "West End."

Also there's 34th Street between Eighth and Tenth Avenue. I will call this the "New Frontier." Confusing, yes? Well, I'm no marketing major. Everyone's scared to move to the new frontier because it's far away, very "Westward, ho!" Most likely the retail migration is inevitable. Kudos to Swarovski, DSW, and Joe Fresh for starting the trend in the West End. The West End is getting hot...

...see, Party City! It's opening right next to Payless. Don't pretend like you're not excited, because there is a holiday coming up and where the heck else will you be getting bunny costumes for under $50?

Really scary, and really cute. I can't wait.



Payless 213 W. 34th Street
Party City coming soon next door