Fashion's Night Out - We Want In!

Have you heard of FNO? It started off as an after-hours shopping event to kick off New York's Fashion Week. Now, just three years after its inception, 250 American cities participate along with cities around the globe from Manhattan to Milan...Atlanta to Australia.

Guess who wants to bring it to Cherry Creek North next year? 
(Hint: Look to your right.)

This year, it's on September 8th and our very own Marketing divas Janelle and Lindsey are headed to the Big Apple with some of our Cherry Creek North neighbors to check it out and so we can partake with our own fabulous event for FNO in 2012.

Gives me goosebumps.

Also? I'm kinda jealous I'm not going with them. So, I've asked them to blog from FNO while they're there so we can all go along. Look for their full report next Thursday the 8th.

Can't wait!

xoxo,
Cindy

PS - Are you a "Gleek?" Check out this video about Fashion's Night Out by some of the Glee cast members! So fun.

NYC - the last hurrah...

I gotta be honest. I am pooped. But I had an amazing week here in the Big Apple with Jeanie and Jocelyn! We saw sooo many great things that I cannot wait to bring you guys in the Spring! Beautiful, sexy, luxurious perfect things.


And we also saw...

Cute girls in flirty skirts drinking beer. Just like home.

Maxi skirt with lace tank and gladiator sandals. Love.

Adorable, no? I love her little parasol. We girls try so hard.

And then, there's the guys. Who no matter what age, just throw on a golf shirt,
chinos and a baseball cap!

Unless, of course, they can't find their golf shirt.
Which, in this instance, is totally forgivable.

Jeanie and Jocelyn have returned home to their sweet families, but instead of jetting off to see mine, I've asked them to come meet me here! Team Johnson is taking the city by storm...and I must say Mr. Johnson is looking quite Soho. He's apparently been reading some Sartorialist himself, because in just 24 hours here, he's purchased mustard colored jeans, black leather Chuckie T's, and  even...wait for it...rolled his skinny jeans. Not bad for a boy from Boulder.

I gotta admit, Bella, Todd and I look pretty hip. We're celebrating by heading out to Harlem for some incredible jazz at Birdland.

Thanks to everyone for joining me on this trip! See you back home soon!

xoxo,

Cindy

New York City and Natori. Fabulous combination!

Today we found our way to the Natori showroom - which is always a fantastic meeting for us. The folks there are gracious hosts for the six or more hours it takes for us to see and feel all the new collections. We are extremely lucky to have the lovely Danielle Zamudio as our rep. She guides us through the lines and makes our decisions easy and fun. I really cannot wait for spring of 2012 so you can see them all, too!
As the four of us spoke with Mrs. Natori, I realized that I need to call out to all you SOL girls in Denver. You may think that only famous, globe-trotting actresses with many children and Brad Pitt for a husband should wear things like the glamorous couture caftan by Natori, but you're wrong, ladies! 


You deserve to feel just as glam as those Hollywood types! Stop wearing those cut off sweats to bed. Put your guy's boxers back in his drawer. Throw that old t-shirt in the garage and use it to wash your car.

Vow to yourself that you're going to sleep in something slinky, sumptuous and sexy. Even if you wake up with bed-head, you're going to have a great day after sleeping in Natori. You really will be surprised what a change it will make in your lifestyle. Do it for yourself.

I do!

xo,
Cindy

We love our job. Seriously. LOVE it.

Not only do we spend our days helping all of you look bee-yu-tiful, we get to go on trips like this one and see all our colleagues and associates in the industry. And really? They're more like friends. Buying trips like we're on now are filled with great food, fashion and parties, and they're really like reunions of all the amazing people we've met over the years.

Thanks to Chantelle for hosting a lovely reception in their gorgeous, newly remodeled showroom, just for Specialty Stores. Hsin-Yi always takes great care of us. It was a super fun time, meeting new people and reconnecting with dear friends.

One of our favorites, since we met my very first time in Paris eight years ago, is Danny Koch. Danny owns the Town Shoppe, a New York institution that has been open since 1888. We got to sit down and chat with him and his uber-fabulous wife Nicole. We shared business ideas and family photos...swapping phones back and forth to see their gorgeous twin daughters, and showing off our sweet Bella and Elliot to them. Perfect way to spend an evening. We also connected with two amazing Canadian stores that are sassy and savvy. Liliana from Toronto and Diane from Vancouver are new friends destined to become old friends.

Next we were off to meet Jocelyn at the event hosted by the Council of Fashion Designers and Natori. It was all-out NYC - a rooftop party with a spectacular view of the Hudson. Salsa music, champagne, good friends and fashion...our personal HEAVEN!

The night was topped off by a dinner at Macelleria with Danielle, our hardworking Natori rep. The restaurant was cool and welcoming. The company? Divine.

We could go home right now perfectly pleased and happy - but there's still more to do! We're headed to the show to bring you some sneak peeks of Spring and Summer 2012. Stay tuned, my loves!

xoxo,
Cindy & Jeanie


PS - We've been inspired by all the street fashion since we got here and are channeling one of our favorite blogs, The Sartorialist.(sar·to·ri·al: of or pertaining to clothing or style or manner of dress: sartorial splendor.  We'll be uploading pics over the next few days.  I can't wait for you to see them!

Italian and Coffee and Sushi. Oh MY. The Food Post!

Have we told you lately how much we love this town? This trip to NYC is as wonderful as we'd hoped! We've been busy hitting all our old favorite eateries - and finding lots of new ones that I'm sure we'll see again and again, too.  We are always getting asked what are our favorite restaurants in NY so we opted to dedicate this entire post just to that!

First up - Pastis! One of our favorite little French Bistros in the meatpacking district. And check out the Abercrombie billboard in the background. Wowza.

Our next must go-to is Ninth Street Espresso. If you're looking for a barista with just the right amount of sass and the perfect cappucino, this is your place! We may or may not have been here more than once this trip...they have an outrageous selection of sandwiches, nibbles, and fresh yummy treats too.

You can't be in a meatpacking district without having a steak - and Macelleria is our pick for best Italian style steakhouse. It's owned by a father and daughter...and you know how we love family-owned businesses! It's got the feel of an old time butcher shop...and the flavors are divine.

Malatesta Trattoria is another fave...unpretentious and authentic Italian in a seriously cozy atmosphere. It's like having dinner at your mom's. If your mom was an amazing Italian chef!

And a new addition we just found... Niko in Soho. Sushi and miso soup like we've never tasted before. Dashi made in-house with a tiny bit of lemon zest, mushrooms of every shape, size and flavor...Fresh and sashimi that was simply unreal, and scallops we'll dream about until we return again. Which will be soon - we've already made plans to have dinner there this week! For the curious, Niko means smile in Japanese. And that's exactly what we did there. A lot.

Stay tuned - the work has started and we have lots of lingerie parties and meetings to tell you about (enough for TWO posts tomorrow!) ... Natori, Chantelle, the Council of Fashion Designers...

Love,

Cindy and Jeanie

We're here!

We made it! I'm in my second favorite city* in the world with my favorite traveling companion...New York with my sister and business partner, the lovely JP. 

Oh how I love New York! I get butterflies every time I see it from the air! 

Welcome to La Guardia! Don't fall off the runway unless you wanna get wet. 

Lovely sister and me in a cab. We waited for-everrrrr. Where is everyone going?

Our first stop - the flower market. It's our tradition to fill our hotel room with gorgeous flowers! Check out these azaleas! Most people would be surprised to know that NY is one of the best places in the world to get cut flowers...and garden tomatoes! My husband Todd loves fresh NY tomatoes. (Hi Todd!)

After we drop off our luggage and flowers...BRUNCH! This is AUGUST, our favorite spot in our little neighborhood. Today we're craving Alasatian Eggs, bacon, creme fraiche and onions - cooked in a wood fired oven. Divine.

Appointments and meetings tomorrow...but right now we're soaking up the sights and smells of this wonderful city...from the rooftop pool at the Gansevoort.  As you may imagine, it is the favorite part of our hotel!

More tomorrow!
Love, Cindy 

*Anyone care to guess my first favorite city? It's the Panty Capitol of the World, of course! Paris!

Off we go...

We’ve caught our breath after another exhilarating and crazy Sidewalk Sale and we're headed for our next adventure.

Jeanie, Jocelyn and I are packing our bags with fabulous shoes and cool summer dresses and taking off New York City! If you've not been to the Big Apple in August, I can assure you it is two things. Hot. And. Humid. 

But...it is also inspiring! There is nothing like getting out of your own backyard to renew yourself.

We’re attending CURVE NY at the Javits Center and will be checking out all the new trends and collections for next spring - I can't wait!

For me, though, buying trips are more than just seeing the next season’s collections.  Whether we're in NYC or Paris, just walking the streets of these cities offers no end of visual inspiration. I can actually feel the creative energy that comes from the sights on practically on every corner.  It could be an outfit I see someone wearing, a window display, a pair of shoes, a billboard, a fabulous meal…I never know when I’m going to have my socks knocked off by something super cool. 

And this trip, I'm going to capture these creative moments and share them with you,  because everyone can use a little inspiration!  

Keep an eye on the blog and our Facebook page.  I’ll be snapping pics to post of whatever beautiful, creative, or unique, person, place or thing we come across strikes my fancy. 

Now to get Bella to sit on this suitcase so it will close...

Love,

Cindy