LES

[WWD] Calypso founder Christian Celle is back on the retail scene with Clic Bookstore & Gallery. Never having the time to spend on her love of photography & art books, with the purchase of a large majority of stock in Calpyso by Solera Capital LLC, Celle is now able to focus on her passion. [WWD]

Court Boutique

178 Mulberry St.
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 925-1022

Great For:  Everything trendy in one boutique for every budget; women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, bags and shoes.

Brands Like: Grey Ant, Kerrigan, Judi Rosen, BiJules, Bliss Lau, Tashkent, Alice McCall, Society for Rational Dress, Anzevino & Florence, Mellisa Joy, Kova &T, Off Bowery, Dunderdon and Pointer, Mink Pink and LIPS Jeans.

New York Shopping

America sure looks good for being 232 years old- think she’s had some work done?

If you waited for the last possible second (like moi) to plan how you’ll be celebrating the home of the brave this year, fear not. Here are some fool-proof ways to get your fourth on.

Food. . .

. . .Because the Nathan’s hot dog champ can’t be the only one indulging. Celebrate the U.S. and the N.Y. with a good old fashioned chow down. The Great July Fourth Festival is a down-home American birthday party with a global twist. The street fair showcases 600 international food vendors, as well as arts, crafts and merchandise exhibitors like Indonesian Jewelry and Chinese Pottery. The fun ends at 8, just in time watch. . .

Fireworks!

Because what would today be without a little pie in the sky? There are breathtaking views of the Macy’s Fireworks Extravaganza*, which start at 9pm, from all points of the vogue city. The very best are:

Manhattan: Southbound lanes of the FDR drive from 14th to 42nd Street will be open for the public from 7:30pm to 10:00pm.The FDR Drive will actually be closed to vehicular traffic between Houston St. and 63rd St. from 7:00pm until 1:00am. Dancin’ in the street!

Brooklyn/Queens: Great views from Hunter’s Point, Queens, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and anywhere with an unobstructed view of the East River between 23rd & 42nd Sts.

***Be sure to tune in to 1010 WINS AM to hear the muscial accompaniment

Happy Independance Day New York!!!

 A very dear friend of mine is leaving the city this weekend. The hustle and bustle is not for everyone I guess, and I truly respect her desicion- as long as she is happy I’m happy for her. So we decided to drown our sorrows and have our last New York City dinner tonight with some fantastic sangria and tapas at Pipa.

We’re not quite organized enough to reserve a table so we had to wait about an hour at the bar. (NOTE:Learn from my faults please, calling ahead is ALWAYS a great idea). The bar was crowded and some weirdo old guy kept reaching over my chair and knocking my purse down, so I didn’t have much opportunity to take the whole scene in yet.

When we finally got our table and sat down, I noticed that the entire ceiling was dripping in diamonds. There may very well have been a hundred chandeliers hanging from every square inch of the ceiling, dimmly lighting the large room and casting a moody, enchanting shadow. These very unique chandeliers also had price tags dangling between the glimmering crystals. All of these fixtures, as well as the tables we sat at, were for sale. Those clever cats over at ABC Carpet & Home, stocked the casa de yum with glammed out goods all available for purchase. Although they were a bit out of my budget, what fit perfectly into my budget was the delectable tapas we washed down with lots of sangria. We opted for the melt-in-your-mouth scallops, tangy and hot calamari, and fabulous garlic shrimp.

 Parting is such sweet sorrow, but getting full (and a little drunk) at Pipa is definitely a joyous occasion.

Pipa, 38 E. 19th St, 212-677-2233