I will be going to NYC for the 1st time on 12/07 for combination business and shopping trip. My girlfriends and I will be staying in the financial district. Of course being aerobic shoppers we want to maximize our shopping time. I'm thinking of 1st taking the subway up to Barney's and going from there. Have to do Henri Bendel, Saks, Sephora etc. Don't care about Bloomies or Macy's. We have Sat, Sun, & Mon to to kill (meeting's on Tuesday). We're makeup and perfume junkies. Any makeup maven's out there with suggestion of small shops to go to?(Kind of like Browne's Apothacary in South Beach) Or fun purse & accessory shops? Got to go to Soho of course. Are all the shops there open on Sundays ? Would there be a suggested route or streets to stay on if we walk to Soho ? Should 3 women walk to Little Italy at night or would a cab be better ? Also, when we're done shopping for the day in midtown ( and laden with sacks/pkgs) should we take subway again or hail a cab ?
Any suggestions on restaurants or bistros that are fun, somewhat trendy but not too expensive and have a smoking section...where we could plop our shop-weary butts and have a drink and a smoke and maybe a bite to eat ? Thanks !

In NYC there is a law: no smoking in any restaurant. You can smoke in bars- or at an outside table if the place has sidewalk eating....but there is no such thing as "smoking or non smoking" here.

Soho kicks a** to shop. Go to Spring Street (off the 6 line) and walk over to Broadway. There are some chain (like H and M) and many small stores sprinkled around. If you want knock off Kate Spade and Gucci purses or wallets just walk south to Canal street and hit all the vendors in Chinatown. There are a ton of fun purse and accessory shops in both the east and west village. W 6th street has a many little shoe stores.
Little Italy is not big at all- you only have a few blocks to walk through. It depends on where you are coming from if you want to take a cab or not. Obviously you need to be aware of your surroundings no matter where you go.
YOu will probably be so beat after shopping all day that the cab idea may sound better. The financial district is pretty quiet and dark at night- expecially the weekends-- so I wouldn't be walking around too much! (plus there is absolutely nothing to do!)
Have fun!

Janis I know this may sound like a splurge but have you thought about hiring a driver? I did this once with a friend of mine and let me tell you it was worth it. That way you can zip in and out at your whim. Just my 2 cents...Have a great trip!

Janis,

I am sure you will enjoy the city and since you are staying in the Financial District, let me share a store with you, Century 21, LOADED with some good bargins, and discounted cosmetics and make-up, all the top brands.

Also midtown, there's Daffy's (actually there are several of them all over town), and discounts galore.

lol, real New Yorkers, rarely pay retail, well,....unless we really HAVE to have it, lol.

January will be all the after Christmas sales, so you are comming at a great time.

I'd get a Zaggat's to keep handy and as you wander around the city, you have a way of looking up the restaurants.

A fun place to me is America, it is huge and large portions and a neat bar area (smoking at the bar) on 18th St between 5th and Broadway, and close to a Daffy's on Fifth and 18th, also lots of shops in that area. ABC Carpet is right around the corner, on Broadway and a must see. They were doing a nice "tea" there a while ago, not sure if the restaurant is reopened.

WE have 10,000 restaurants in Manhattan so you won't have a problem finding something you like.

In the Financial District, you might try Frances Tavern, a good bar there too. There are also several good restaurants on the water by the World Financial (a block from ground zero"

The weather here in January will be cold and may be snowy, so I would not get a car, more problems than it's worth, and the buses and taxi's are pretty easy to get, and the subway is safe to travel, even with packages, just stay alert.

Dress for the cold and have a great time.

tweedy

Janis:
Just a correction, there are plenty of NYC restaurants with smoking sections. Very small restaurants with less that 35 seats (I think) are completely smoking. Lots of bars and pubs have tables in the bar areas again for smokers.
Mayor Bloomberg is now trying to outlaw smoking EVERYWHERE!!! Hasn't suceeded yet.
Enjoy your stay here. BTW, try to get to KATZ' Deli for the best pastrami sandwich on rye with mustard this side of heaven.

Janis check out a store called Otto Tootsie Plohound for shoes...they have a wonderful selection....

Otto Tootsie is on 57th St. between Madison and Park. Daffy's is a block away...57th St. between Park and Lex.

FYI, the huge Sephora store on Fifth Ave. (51st St.) opposite St. Patrick's has closed. E-toys is coming in. That's a funny place for a toy store. Might only be for the holiday season.

Plenty of other Sephora's all around th city.

Sephora is on Broadway off of Houston in Soho.

You guys are the greatest... thanks for great advice and tips I've received so far. Actually I'm going December 7th not January, so I won't get in on Christmas bargains, but hopefully it won't be so cold or snowy. Of course I'm used to that kind of weather being from the midwest. I may have to watch Anna Nicole tonight... she's going shopping in NYC. I'll probably will need a couple of drinks so I can stand it - lol !!!!