i would say that the area where you were- Uptown- is like Ginza...
so that is why you are finding all of those high end shops...
that is where they are all concentrated...
frankly- i have no idea who shops there...
not anyone I know... I suspect that they do a lot of business with tourists and people who are visiting nyc...
i have been to Ippudo NY- it is good, yes- but about twice the price as it is in tokyo- right?! it is one of the few places in NYC where people will actually wait for about an hour for a table...mostly ny-er's are too impatient and there are too many other places to go, so we wouldn't wait more than 15 min for a table anywhere...
this is a real exception and it is not full of tourists- it's all locals...
but they don't have all of those fun things on the table to add to your ramen and they don't give you a bib!
i loved that so much...~!!!
*if you know that area, then you know my general neighborhood...
Smith and Wollensky is a good spot---been there for years and years...
very classic american kind of place...it's big with the business crowd...
new yorkers pride themselves on knowing what the latest spots are and love to share their knowledge...
it's almost like a badge of honour to be able to direct someone to some place that is not on the usual tourist map...
the other day i was on the subway and this random guy - about 50 yr old, very casual guy- was telling these three ladies from -i don't know where- that they should go to bryant park, by the public library...
the library building itself is very nice- there are two large lion statues guarding the front steps...
when i was little you could climb up on them and my brother and i used to love that...
you aren't allowed to do that anymore, but it's still an impressive building...
then there is ice skating in bryant park during the winter and they show outdoor movies in the summer...
he also told them to go to Eataly on 23rd St by the Flat Iron building...
it is like a food hall full of loads of Italian food products and there are places to sit and eat, etc...
he sat there and basically planned out their whole day...
they were so impressed and thanked him so much...
but i have to think that everyone else who was on the train was listening and ready to chime in if he hadn't done it just right...
if i see people walking around with a map and looking lost, i will often ask if i can help them find what they are looking for...
ny-er's will also talk to strangers...
if we overhear something, we will happily join in and offer an opinion...
i think most ny-er's are basically very proud of their city and we want everyone else to love it as much as we do...
and we are all full of opinions...
...
B)
i think that jcrew is doing really well just now, but i think that it is because of their expansion overseas...
right about the time of their update and new, more fashion focus, everyone i know basically stopped shopping there...
i used to rely on them for basics and now it's anything but basic...
again- i think they are doing a big business with visitors to the city...
though it may be different in other parts of the country...
i have always liked their menswear better though...
i like that preppy look on a guy... it suits most men, imo...
i assume all the american brands will be less expensive here in nyc- which i why i recommended so many of them...
if you're in soho- maybe head to nolita and check some of the places i mentioned...
if you like jcrew, you'll like them too, imo...
the smaller shops just appeal to me so much more...that is what downtown is all about...
you still find chanel and vuitton in soho- but, again, only the tourists go there...
...
walking the entire Madison Avenue from Lexington ave where I stayed to 79th street and I am still seeing rows and rows of branded shops, New Yorkers are very rich indeed..
