Places to Be
Shopping & the City
Warning: this article may feature nudity, designer shoes & broccoli pizza. Luckily, not all at once.
Earlier this year, a very lucky Member (Jessika) + her pal jetted off to Fashion Week in the Big Apple as Virgin Mobile's official Twitterati, tasked with keeping us in the loop 24/7 as they proceeded to shop, party and, um, shop their way across NYC & beyond. Here's just a sample of their adventures.
Landing in NYC, the girls spot iPhone vending machines! Definitely not in Oz anymore. After a traditional 'fail' taxi experience they nearly get blown off the Empire State Building but manage to avoid big hair. Phew. Following a good night's sleep to the sounds of horns, sirens, and garbage trucks, our underdressed (brrr) explorers spend 9 hours of shopping in one store - yes that's right 9 hours ladies - the amazing Century 21, where everything (including Marc Jacobs & Manolo Blahniks) is always on sale. Later, they vow never to shop in Australia again over 'surprisingly delicious' broccoli pizza and cocktails 'the size of their heads'. Hic. Next morning they took a super-early bus to upstate Woodbury Common where they smash their shopping record, clocking 12 hours (!) swimming through treasures by Fendi, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, Coach, Ferragamo, Miss Sixty, Ralph Lauren and BCBG. Epic. The next day they explore Brooklyn and the Upper East Side, managing to celeb-spot Kim Kardashian on 5th Avenue, as you do. Checking into the boutique 5-star Lombardy Hotel, it's time to party at the Narciso Rodriguez AW show and after party. Whilst dressing for the night, Jessika discovers that, 'just like on Friends', people in nearby building can totally see you - oops! At the show, it's fashionista centrale with Anna Wintour and her rivals all over it, plus a Gossip Girl celebrity-spotting or two. The after party on top of the Standard Hotel is a dream, with beautiful views of the city to the left, Narciso Rodriguez himself to the right, and in the middle, cosmopolitans. Girls in pretty white dresses float around serving drinks, and everyone is fabulous. Ahh. Nursing one mild and one hospital-grade hangover between them, the next morning they survive the subway, sample Crumbs 'best cupcakes eva!' and can't get over the ugg-boot obsession of New Yorkers. Dinner time and it's a date at the famous Harry Cipriani's, where the Bellini cocktails were divine; the service, not so much. Day 9 starts with candy for breakfast (yes, seriously) at Dylan's Candy Store, owned by Ralph Lauren's daughter. Then it's on to preppy heaven at Abercrombie & Fitch, and later that night, at the Tommy Hilfiger show for more Gossip Girl spottings and Ashley Olsen wearing fur the size of a bear. Finally it's time to say goodbye, but not before some cheeky last minute shopping and hot dogs: a classic combination. Another forced LA stopever gives them time for - you guessed it! - a little more shopping. Back in Oz with eye masks still on their heads, our style queens are happy to be home but determined to return to NYC as soon as they possibly can.
Good times, glad you loved it girls and thanks so much for sharing it with us.
