It's a Happy Holiday EXPRESS Giveaway

Happy Holiday Giveaway! This is being brought to you by Express, the store I've fallen in love with again this past year, and am looking forward to further perusing in 2012. Particularly I'll be looking forward to trying on their 2012 shoes, more of their skinny jeans, leggings, and all things that are really sparkly and worn on the lower half of the body.

I've got six sets of the above, sans the adorable baby tree. So six lucky winners* get a $25 Express gift card and a full-sized, Love Express charmed duo, which is a fragrance on one end, lip gloss on the other, and a little charm as the cherry on top. Click here for more description.

How to win? Leave a comment here on the blog and tell me what you love best about Express. For me, yes, it's got to be the sparkly leggings. For extra entries, tweet "I've just entered @FashionHerald @ExpressLife #LoveExpressFH giveaway." Or whatever you want to say in 140 characters using all of the above handles and hashtag. Only one tweet per Twitter account will be accepted, and you must include your Twitter handle in your blog comment if you are tweeting an entry.

Contest Details: Deadline to enter is next Friday, December 16th, at noon. The winner will be selected by drawing that day in the afternoon and will be notified via email. Please leave your email if your contact information is not linked to your comment profile, or if you aren't easily available on Twitter. Continental U.S. entries only, please.

Good luck, happy holidays, and don't forget, we have two Express stores in our 34th Street district for your shopping pleasure: one at 7 West 34th Street just west of Fifth Avenue, and one in Manhattan Mall on the first level.

*Six winners will be chosen, and if they do not respond within 48 hours of being contacted, their prize is forfeited and a runner-up will be chosen. You can only win one Love Express set, even if your name is drawn twice.

Socialista's Open Sky Fun

"He who gets the credits gets the blame." "Give assistance, not advice, in a crisis."

Put a fortune cookie on my drink and I'm all yours. Kibo's  Socialista cocktail.

Last night I traveled south to the Gramercy hood and dropped by delicious new Japanese eatery Kibo for the Socialista "New York Style Sessions" Open Sky event. We all ate, drank, and accessorized before choosing a classic New York city background for our Socialista photo. This all successfully inspired me to finally sign up for Open Sky. It also inspired me to pose in a ferocious crouch.

Here I am, just hanging out, daintily clutching a clutch.

Actually, to be honest, it was the photographer who inspired me. When I stood in front of the green backdrop, he shook his head and said "you're going to have to crouch down or something because you're not going to fit in the shot." I blame it on my Gap platform boots.

I chose the Brooklyn background because I lived there for almost 8 years. And there was no Queens background. I tried explaining to Midtown Girl about Queens being cool, and heavy eye rolling ensued.

More clutching of the clutch. I'm also wearing my H&M's Divided black Sqin jeans (spotted in Herald Square Divided department a few weeks ago), my Joe Fresh wool v-neck, and many accessories as styled by Amy of Midtown Girl, hostess and ruler of Socialista. She said (loosely quoted) "I'm going to accessorize the heck out of you." Perhaps she's tiring of my lazy minimalist aesthetic?

And, not seen here and am kicking self for not getting a full-on outfit shot, is my new Uniqlo +J cropped down coat that got several compliments (GO GET THAT +J BEFORE IT'S GONE, KIDS). So I was, as usual, almost full-on 34th Street last night. There should be some kind of monetary bonus in this for me, yes?!

This is my new coat. I want her eyebrows.

Giambattista Valli at Macy's: On Sale & in the Dressing Room

Yes, the Giambattista Valli for Impulse on 2 in Macy's Herald Square is now 25 % off. I dropped by to try some of it on, and it was all about the dresses.

I call these fantasy dresses, meaning when you try them on you are suddenly living your alternative glamorous life. For example: instead of sitting on the subway wondering how many more pukings Bunny can take before he falls apart in the washer, you are lounging poolside wondering how quickly you can get the waiter fired because he isn't bringing you drinks fast enough.

OK, the fabulous red and black on the left is a skirt and blouse, but the rest are dresses. So many great  party options for the holidays, I can't believe any of it is left on the floor. Hurry so you get your size and can treat yourself to some Giambattista Valli fantasy for incredible prices.


Macy's Herald Square 151 W. 34th Street between Broadway & Seventh Avenue

From the Archives: Cornices to Curtain Walls on 32nd Street

In this post, 34SP's archivist Anne Kumer shares some 34th Street history. This post also appears on NYC Circa, Anne's history blog about New York City and its public spaces and buildings.

When I first started working for the 34th Street Partnership, I was going though photos and found this one showing the corner of West 32nd Street and Sixth Avenue, or, 885 Sixth Ave., taken in March 1992.

Photo: 34SP Archive, March 1992, Norman Mintz

I recognized it as being an early 1900s building, but with a TON of signage hanging off of it and something weird happening with the cornice along the top, almost as if it had been removed? Yep, 'cause here's what it looked like shortly after being built in 1910 -- less signage and intact cornice.

Photo: MCNY

Fast forward to the 1990s. The ground floor was occupied by Leo's Famous, a hot dog emporium and coffee shop that was at this location since 1941, and closed in 1997.

Photo: 34SP Archive, March 1992, Norman Mintz

After finding these photos, I thought I'd walk down to look at the building in person. Too late. I started working for the BID in 2008, found the photo in 2009, and by then, the building was torn down to make room for The Continental, a large residential complex, with coincidentally, the same name as a Christopher Walken SNL character. He's done so many good ones.



Curbed documented the construction of  The Continental (also known as Tower 111) quite thoroughly, including a sneak peak at its insides last January. It's central location to transportation hubs, restaurants, and shopping, put residents in the . . Thick. Of. It. with almost everything the City has to offer in a short walk or subway ride away.

+J Uniqlo Sale: Ends Sunday

I can't stop thinking about the +J from Uniqlo 34th Street, and I'm going to have to decide very soon because this +J sale ends tomorrow, December 4th. I don't think I'm willing to play sale roulette and wait to see if anything is further discounted around Super Saturday or post-Christmas, because the floor was buzzing last Thursday with women trying on coats. Also, the dresses are gorgeous:

Uniqlo 31 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

34th Street Weekend Sale Picks: Before the Next Holiday Edition

#1.  Brookstone
Because they've got lots of items in the store on sale, and it's Brookstone. You're going to find something you never knew you had to have, like a remote-control pillow or a digital photo key chain (below, 2 for $25, AWESOME).  142 W. 34th Street

#2.  Levi's
Because you can get select jackets, pants, and other items for 30% off, and the already reduced items are another 50% off. Nice holiday pickings in here for your guy.   45 W. 34th Street

#3.  Swarovski
Because if you buy some of these beautiful, crystal ornaments, or the gorgeous martini set, you can get a set of crystallized photo clip ornaments for free (with any $150 purchase). Make it a really sparkly Christmas.   One Penn Plaza (7th Avenue at 34th Street)

Update: More great sales - Express has a huge BOGO 1/2 off sale, Daffy's is having a huge kids sale, and Steve Madden is having a Friends & Family sale, 25% off reg. priced merchandise. See all stores for details.

Spotted Today: Versace for H&M

I'm not sure what you may find at other H&Ms around the city, but this is what they've got at the Penn Station store on 34th Street and Seventh Avenue, second floor. A lot of shoes, a lot of pink bags (and one black) and dresses. I didn't see any leggings, and no black dresses. But there are skirts!


H&M Penn Station 34th Street and Seventh Avenue