New York Survival Guide

To celebrate winter melting into Spring, we booked our social calendars tight with early weddings and event galas, and now we need something to wear. If you are in the market for a fifteen hundred dollar cocktail dress for around three seventy five (and who isn’t?), this is your week. Our two choice sales offer the best (and recent) cocktail and ready-to-wear for deeply discounted prices. World renown luxe designer Issey Miyake, the grandfather of Pleats, is over seventy years old now, but his designs are as fresh today as they were in the 30’s. The Issey Miyake Sample Sale, March 16th, showcases his classic Pleats Please collection, casual but detailed ready-to-wear Cauliflower collection as well as Miyake’s menswear. Prices for this sale are up to 80% off retail value with a $1,500 silk blend dress marked down to $315 (pictured). Bring your boyfriend because a Fall 2009 menswear is also deeply discounted from about $1,500 to just around $300.

Milanese designer, Orlandi Luca’s then five-year-old brand, Luca Luca, took New York Fashion Week by storm in ’97 with an eye for feminine detail and the forever coveted cocktail dress. Rampant on the New York social scene and a Barney’s favorite, Luca Luca now includes suits and impeccably tailored sportswear along with their signature dresses.

For Thursday’s one-day sample sale, Luca Luca steeply discounted some of Fall 2009’s favorites. Yes, favorites. While many designer sample sales discount slow-selling merchandise for their sample sales, pawning off random sizes and/or damaged goods, Luca Luca offers best-selling cocktail dresses, awesome suits and timeless pieces with ubiquitous sizes and impeccable quality. How? Some of their merchandise came in late in the season past prime selling point. Lucky for us because we love Luca Luca’s rich colors and solid staying power. Buy a dress now and you can still wear it in ten years. Sample prices for this sale include a beaded black cocktail dress (bottom right), which sold last fall for about $2,200 for $550. The single shoulder cranberry cocktail dress (bottom left) was $1,350, now $350.

Emma Dinzebach

WHAT: Issey Miyake Warehouse Sale 

WHY: Up to 80% off retail from this past Autumn/Winter 09 collection. Men’s, Women’s and Pleats Please. 

HEN: 3/16, Tuesday (8-7) 

WHERE: The Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 West 18 Street, 4th Floor 

WHAT: Luca Luca Sample Sale 

WHY: Up to 90% off retail this past Autumn/Winter 09 collection. 

HEN: 3/18, Thursday (10-6) 

WHERE: 19^th West 36^th Street 4^th Floor 

German-born luxury women’s apparel retailer, Escada, was bought Megha Mittel after filing for bankruptcy in August 2009. Megha Mittal, daughter-in-law of he Lakshimi Mattal (CEO of the world’s largest steel company and 8th richest person in the world), plans to turn the brand from red-carpet only to everyday ready-to-wear.

Maybe that explains the deeply discounted pieces at the Escada Sample Sale, at the Metropolitan Pavilion on West 19th Street. Luxury clothing and some accessories up to 90% off retail values. Yesterday, the apparel section offered a large variety with timeless classics and wardrobe backbones as well as the marked Escada evening dresses. There are many pieces for work, interview or a day of shopping. Our Editor scored a pristine English riding-style jacket for $95 marked down from $950. The accessory selection was slimmer. Shoes were marked down, most of them 90% off retail price.

The sale drew a more conservative crowd of middle-aged, well-dressed professionals, which may explain how the organization remained in tact. Sizes are plentiful and staff are friendly and there to answer questions about sizes, prices and damages. Be prepared to check your belongings at the door. All sales are final.
       

WHEN: 3/7 – 3/10 Sun-Tues. (10-7), Wed. (10-5)

WHERE: 110 W. 19th St. between 6th & 7th Ave

Emma Dinzebach
 

If you just got really excited, maybe even said “Yes!” or “Sweet!” aloud at your desk. If there was a fist pump involved with your reaction to this week’s food find, then we half love you and half advise you watch a little less television. But regardless of your visible reaction, here at the Daily Vogue, we suggest you think Tasting Table New York and Thrillist for bringing you – Martini Week.

Martini Week extends March 1-14th (it was actually two weeks!).We would’ve written this sooner, but we were busy sampling the $10 martinis at several participating venues. Many Martini Week spots (see also: New Yorks classiest establishments) offer vodka and gin classics, while others list a combination of classics and some of their new school special martinis. 10 Downing’s delicious Elder Fizz (Grey Goose Vodka, St-Germain and maraschino liqueur) was on the list as was Tabla’s “Tablatini” (Grey Goose Vodka, pineapple “soup” containing sweetened pineapples and lemongrass, and a squeeze of lemon) and at Public last night we sampled a “Liquid Gold Martini” (Grey Goose Le Citron flavored vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and kumquat honey syrup containing star anise and clove).

For a super classic experience head up to Peacock Alley at the Waldorf, Delmonico’s or the Oak Room. Not interested in life above 14th Street? You might try Madam Geneva on Bleeker and Bowery or Rayuela on Allen. Whatever floats your spirit-loving boat. It’s March, and that’s reason enough to sip something strong and feel fancy shmancy glass.

Emma Dinzebach

Last week on a random midday date at Chelsea Market, I visit Jake Dickson’s creative and subtenant ode to pasture-raised locally grown animals – Dickson’s Farmstand Meats. See also: vegans unwelcome…or at least uncomfortable. Even I, a registered carnivore, felt a bit overwhelmed by the amount of raw meat. My date aimed to cash in on his “punch card” – a novel gift idea where the purchaser provides the recipient with a business-card sized gift that can be redeemed at Dickson’s for different cuts of pork or beef. Sure you can purchase the whole shebang, but most opt for several visits to cash in on different cuts.

On said sunny afternoon, we were in the market for sirloin, which my date later made into the most delicious kebabs I’ve had since… maybe ever. But you know I’m a sucker for instant gratification, and when the shock faded, I wanted to try something already. Lucky for me us Dickson’s recently opened a sandwich shop of sorts, converting the butcher’s block into an ordering station five days a week. From noon until about 3 p.m., if you visit Dickson’s Chelsea Market, you can order a meat-lovers sandwich like ham and cheese, pulled pork, beef brisket, and more. The sandwiches change daily. I flirted with said butcher for a smoked pulled pork and when my date pushed me aside, he ordered traditional meat loaf on white.

Amy’s Bread provides the foundation for the mouth-watering meat although chips and fountain soda accompaniment could help. The patrons are a bit Paul Bunyan (for I was the sole female), that is, if Paul Bunyan donned a skinny pair of Levi’s 511s.

Dickson’s Farmstand Meats  Chelsea Market 75 9th Ave between 15th and 16th  212.242.2630

Emma Dinzebach