With knowledge of the city that only a New Yorker (14 years) can possess, Carrie's personal passion is to explore every neighborhood of the city and celebrate what makes it unique.
And she has worked in the city's most glamorous industries: eight years of experience as a Fashion Market Editor and fashion stylist for a glossy magazine, as well as wardrobe stylist for advertising print media. She has designed a signature line of handbags.
Traveling with her eliminates the time-consuming and tedious exercise of mapping out the city on your own. Simply name your desired destinations and particular interests. You will be free to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city, absolutely stress-free. Carrie will ensure you come away with the insight and knowledge of a hip local.
Carrie writes:
“I was born in Minnesota and lived in a rural area in the summer. My parents own a small resort with 7 cottages. I attended school in a working class suburb of Minneapolis. After graduation I moved to San Francisco and then on to NYC. I went to an art/design school and fell in love with the city.”
Equal parts shopping and vibrant neighborhood culture and architecture. No set itinerary here, because New York City offers something for everyone. Carrie wants that to be your experience to ensure you find just what you seek. She will bring you to the boutiques or guide you down the best streets to compliment or fit what you desire. Ensuring your time is not wasted being guided to shops just because those are on the itinerary.
Some suggestions follow. For more on individual neighborhoods, see Carrie's notes at the end.
Greenwich Village & Lower East Side
Carrie will meet you at a café in West Greenwich Village and start off walking down charming tree lined streets dotted with small boutiques and stopping in ones that pique your interests. Which will lead us to SoHo and then be guided down the streets that have the boutiques that match your style. From there we step into the quaint NoLita neighborhood and have a coffee. Which you will need so you can have the energy to check out all the “must see” boutiques here, for all interest. Then take a stroll to the Lower East Side for emerging designer boutiques and vintage stores or cab it to the Meatpacking District’s cobblestone streets for chic designer boutiques.
New York, the Green City
All things organic and environmentally friendly. This tour will bring you to stores specializing in products made from organic materials and or produced fair trade, from designer clothing boutiques to furniture stores. From bakeries to bars, visit a bar that is solar powered and the design elements are eco-friendly and recycled. Where you can blend your margarita on their bike blender, a stationary bike powers the blades. And a bakery designed of all recycled materials that will rival your attention of the organic goodies. You have the option to visit the City’s first Solar-Powered “Green Energy Arts Center and Park” or view some environmentally friendly architecture.
Sample Sales and the Savvy Shopper
Start the day with a Sample Sale or two. Dressing rooms may be scarce but cheap chic bargains abound at designer sample sales, which vary week to week at designer showrooms. Gather your energy and we will hop around town to complete your cheap chic needs. You can choose from designer consignment shops to vintage boutiques and great “knock-off” stores.
Brooklyn Bound
Just a bridge away. Don’t let a bridge stand in the way of you experiencing some of the most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods in NYC. Boutiques for all interests abound from interior design, clothing, and art which share the blocks with outdoor cafés, bars and restaurants. Carrie’s favorite Fort Greene neighborhood with its beautiful brownstone architecture and slate sidewalks to Williamsburg, the mecca for trendy young artists.
What's Your Fetish?
Shoes, bags, jeans, jewelry -Whatever you want to find we will hunt down the best shops for whatever is your fetish. We are on a mission, so you will be sure to see many neighborhoods.
Home Sweet Home
Your home needs a souvenir, too. Are your dollars earmarked for décor and art more than wardrobe? We will blanket the city to find you that just right pillow, vase or candle and then you will find that chair you didn’t know you needed. We can scout Brooklyn to Chelsea to find what you desire.
The Forgotten Man
No! Don’t think Carrie’s Style Guide forgot about you. Or ladies don’t you forget about him!
Fab shops abound for all men’s style and interests.
New York International
You could come home from your trip to New York and your friends will have thought you went from India to the Ivory Coast. Carrie can show you African artifacts being sold in make shift bazaars to upscale boutiques. Pick up vintage jewelry from India to handcrafted mirrors from Morocco.
Carrie’s Notes on New York City’s Hot ‘Hoods
NoLita
This vibrant neighborhood filled with upscale eclectic boutiques and cafes, is a feast for the senses and perfect for people watching.
Meatpacking District
Chic, high-end designers of every imaginable retail niche are represented among the distinctive boutiques that line the cobblestone streets that boast some of the city's most happening restaurants and clubs.
SoHo
Gaze up at the unique cast-iron architecture, as you stroll streets where merchants range from luxury-brand flagships to international designer boutiques (APC, Agnes b., to name a few). SoHo offers an array of many exclusive home furnishing showrooms.
Lower East Side
Emerging designer boutiques and vintage stores among turn-of-the-century tenement buildings. L.E.S has a young urban vibe.
Greenwich Village
Boutiques, run the gamut from independent and small luxury brands (Mulberry to Marc Jacobs), nestled here in between antique stores and charming nineteenth-century town houses. You can step into Magnolia Bakery for one of their famous cupcakes.
East Village
Intrepid destination shoppers in the 70s and 80s claimed this neighborhood as their own. The energy continues today via funky, small shops and second-hand stores.
Brooklyn
Just across the river, Williamsburg, Dumbo, Park Slope, Boerum Hill and Fort Greene beckon with diverse options for shopping, dining, and art appreciation. The individualistic personalities of these locales will capture your imagination.
Garment District
Dressing rooms are scarce but cheap-chic bargains abound at designer sample sales, which vary week to week at designers' showrooms.
Chelsea
Art Galleries of every variety share space with assorted boutiques and many elite nightclubs.
TriBeca
The cobblestone streets of this one-time industrial area now offer access to galleries, furniture showrooms, and boutiques.
Uptown
Visit the "Four B's"-Barney's, Bendel's, Bergdorf's and Bloomingdale's-then turn north for a trip up Madison Avenue and shops of the Upper East Side; or south down Fifth Avenue toward Saks.
Upper Westside
Independent boutiques are found in this easygoing residential neighborhood among brownstones and tree lined streets, close to Central Park and Lincoln Center.
Union Square/Flatiron District
Adored by food enthusiasts for its Farmer's Market; shoppers with a yen for home furnishings from around the world flock to ABC Home emporium. This area also has numerous interior design showrooms. It is Carrie's choice for the best neighborhood to shop chain retail stores, as the stores here lack the hysteria often found at their other locations.
Seasonal Events
Open-Air Markets. Vintage finds and local designer wares unique to particular neighborhoods go on display during seasonable weather.
Artists Open Studio Tours. Visitors traveling during spring or fall may sample neighborhood-based artist studio walks, and have the opportunity to purchase their art at a fraction of what it would cost in a gallery. Many studios offer refreshments.
