greenlight district

Bagging it up: Gym Bag Beauty!

This post could also be titled, "hey, read the stuff that I write for Shecky's!" no shame in MY game, but for reals - here's a fun article on the essentials for your workout routine aka: fun versions of all of the crap that you lug to the gym with you. I'm really into all of this right now (although I've always been a big fan of miniature beauty products) because I spend a lot of time at my love's apartment since his living quarters now trump mine. Also, I'm a multi tasker to the billionth degree and have a big purse. This yellow American Apparel bag that you see here is actually in memory of one that I bought once long, long ago to use as a gym bag. Yet somehow it has become my roommate's personal mantote, accompanying him on many a drunken adventure - sometimes involving Chicken McNuggets buried in its sleek nylon design - not very, "greenlight district" of him. Anyways, enjoy Gym Bag Beauty! And, as always, look out for the select eco products I threw in the mix!

Below, a picture of roommate Joe with said stolen bag:

So You Think You Can DATE NEIL?

I'm dogsitting the lovable Austin-pants, which means that for the week I have a pup, a sweet pad in Soho and a subscription to Time Out and New York mag. This week's Time Out is obvi about Valentine's Day and has Judah Friedlander and a bunch of other single NYers on the cover with a dating guide inside. I scanned the little pics thinking I'd come across at least an ex or someone a friend had boned. But to my SHEER DELIGHT the only familiar face I spotted was the beautiful blonde Neil Haskell, a finalist on Season 3 of best-show-ever So You Think You Can Dance and someone I had an immense reality TV crush on! He is a great dancer and was very personable and funny on the show. My roommate sometimes sees him and other SYTYCDance hotties at Broadway Dance Center and I knew that Neil was in Alter Boyz off Broadway, but didn't know his relationship status (um, or really sexual orientation for that matter, he's looking for a lady. Go for it, Annie) until now. If I wasn't a happily married woman I'd be all about it, but since I can only look, mama needs someone to touch. Please date Neil (pictured right)! Check out his profile and email this pirouetting stud muffin. (And someone please check on Travis and Ivan while we're at it)

If you're still not sure whether or not you'd enjoy seeing Neil with his shirt off, here are some stalkery pictures that should quiet any doubts. And maybe watching this video of him and his limber levitating pelvic region will further seal the deal:

Betsey Johnson Saves the Day and My Wallet

Hi guys, DREAM coming true alert!!! Betsey Johnson is possibly planning a diffusion line to drop in the fall (according to NYMag, and a very fashionable grapevine). She's my ultimate favorite designer (and a Syracuse alum!) but since the cash flow is low here, putting me in a bit of a financial crunch, Betsey's bright and beautiful, cherry and sparkle-dotted fashions are farther out of reach so this couldn't come at a better time. Even if I do have to wait for back-to-school shopping to fill my closet with her line from...Target? H&M? Steve&Barry's? Old Navy?? Where!! Where!!

Please don't let me down, Betsey! I can only find so many pieces from your collections for super cheap at thrift stores...

Let's Get Some Gifts!

For those of you that didn't get all of your holiday presents out of the way on Black Friday (who are those weirdos anyway??) here are some NYC & Brooklyn crafty indie designer markets for all of your local artisan holiday shopping needs:

Bust Craftacular
When: now! Sunday, December 14th until 7:30PM
Where: 125 W. 18th St. (Metropolitan Pavilion)
What: Over 200 designers and Etsy-types are showing off their goodies and making all of your local shopping hopes and dreams come true. There will be food, probs drinks, and even a signing and showing from Amy Sedaris and Stella that "leathaaaah" lady from Project Runway. I am also so in love with Bust (the mag, not my own-although duh, that too) so I'm sure it will be fun as well! They can offer me a job any day now. That would be great. Annnd it's all only $2 at the door.

More to come later right now I'm off to the Bust Craftacular! See you (and Amy Sedaris) there - with your eco-fabulous tote bags, of course!

Etsy Gives Me Multiple Craft-related Orgasms This Week

Thanks to some combination of the brief wet snow we had this weekend, my roommate forcing me to watch Jim Carrey's Grinch (awful,) and last night's snuggly YouTube-ing of the Charlie Brown Christmas, I'm really getting in the Xmas/holiday spirit. I dabbled in starting my shopping this weekend and have decided that I'm going to do all (okay, most, my parents really want a couple months of Netflix, what can I do?) handmade/hipster/local gifting this year. I figure that I'm going to be dropping some cash regardless of my financial situation, so I might as well have it go to a good cause - oo charityish!!

Hey here's something that I love: CRAFT FAIRS. Or any fairs where you can purchase goods that you don't necessarily need. This prob stems from the Santa Shops we had in elementary school. Did everyone have that? Or is that some white trash Upstate, NY thing?? They would basically set up some tables with cheap crafty-type gifts in our gym and my mom would give me $20 and I would knock out all of my Christmas shopping in the hour allotted for purchasing these fine artisan crafts. This is why my mom/aunts/grammas have a collection of things like jewelry boxes made of yarn and shitty Santa pins, and plastic wreathes. 

This past weekend I went to the grown up (and socially conscious, duh!) version of my beloved Santa Shop, Etsy's Handmade Cavalcade. It was wonderful - but I treated the experience more like window shopping as there are a whole slew of similar handmade fairs that will feature NYC indie designers in the next couple weekends. (And the place was PACKED so I didn't feel bad about just perusing for the time being...) After the jump, here's a list of what caught my eye, (and just might catch my credit card)

Etsy Pick of the Week

I've been a big fan of Etsy ever since I was working at Sheckys. I got really sick of choosing from the same ol' sites all the time so I started digging deeper into the world of independent/smaller designers - which, even a year ago garnered a lot less on Google then it does today.

Etsy is a definite shopping staple for any indiva's, like a big fun craft fair filled with less Gramma-approved potholders and more eco chic-o, vintage-y finds and creations. I am in LOVE with gift guides (no really, I'm a huge sucker - if a magazine says "gift guide" on the cover I'll buy it. I think it's partially my love of lists) and of course they are hooking us up with an environmentally friendly gift guide.

I spotted this designer FoxAndClover and her gorgeous necklaces and (yay!) xmas decorations. My favorites are the Doily Necklace and, for ho-ho-ho sake, the Quail Christmas Ornament! The designs are hand-painted on 100% recycled glass - RECYCLED GLASS! The act of recycling anything to make something beautiful and fun makes me REAL excited on so many different levels.

So begin your shopping at Etsy for unique gifts for friends and fam! And if I'm on your shopping list, I REALLY like that doily necklace...