Shop the Season: The Classic Himalyan Artwear

It's crunch time! With just days left to shop in Bryant Park, Tricia of Fashion Herald shares one of her favorite boutiques at The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park.

I had gorgeous product photos that sadly were eaten by my laptop. So now you just have to visit and check out their irresistible sweaters and flower scarves!

This is the fifth season of Himalayan Artwear (E02) in The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park, and it's still one of the best shops in the park with its beautiful hand-embroidered, hand-knit, and hand-felted clothing and accessories from craftspeople of the Himalayas. Stylish, well-cut, and unusual pieces abound in this holiday shop, so for those of you who love the look of handknit and colorful sweaters and jackets, but don't want to look too roughhewn, Himalayan Artwear is a must-visit.

Happy New Year's Eve, and happy final days of The Holiday Shops in Bryant Park!

Himalayan Artwear

Booth E02 in the NE corner of the park (map)

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011

Official hours*

Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays.

Shop the Season: Bright & Bold Seed Beads

It's crunch time! With only three days left to shop, guest blogger Nell shares one of her favorite jewelry boutiques at The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park.

Enchanted by the bright colors and bold designs, I stopped into the Mujus kiosk in the 42nd Street Allée to check out their offerings. Inside I found flowing necklaces, chunky bracelets, and flashy earrings.

The best part is: all the jewelry is made out of seeds! The Huayruro seeds are a symbol of good luck in the Andean culture and grow on high trees in the Amazon forests. The owners of Mujus work with Peruvian artists to hand-craft the Huayruros into the beautiful jewelry seen in this kiosk.

The artists believe that the designs made out of these seeds bring the wearer good luck and fortune. Sounds like the perfect addition to my wardrobe. The necklaces vary in shape, size, and color and average around $49 and the colors are perfect for that typical black New York wardrobe.

If you see something you like, but prefer a different color, just ask! They have additional options that they can bring in at your request.

Hurry to the Holiday Shops in Bryant Park before they’re gone and check out these designs for a lucky new year!

Mujus

Booth F07 in the NW corner of the park (map)

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011

Official hours*

Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays.

Shop the Season: Mushmina & Soapology

There are two vendors I can't resist visiting every time I'm in the park and they're both new additions to The Holiday Shops this year.

Mushmina is a boutique created by two sisters, Heather and Katie O'Neill, that grew roots during their Peace Corps experiences in Morocco. Working with nine different regional artisan groups, the sisters create unique and exotic handbags, clutches, jewelry, and clothing items.

The business helps create jobs for men and women in rural areas of Morocco and showcases their culture and talents to US customers. My favorite items include the etched brass and silver bracelets, signature Mushmina Hobo bags, and delicately hand-embroidered tunic-like tees:

I had the pleasure of chatting with Heather (pictured above) who resides in Morocco, but is calling NYC home for the duration of the Bryant Park market.


If you can pry yourself away from the gorgeous goods at Mushmina, head north past the fountain and you'll hit Soapology. The shop is a haven for heavenly scents. I already own three of their soy wax candles (yes, three, don't judge), which I love because when the wax melts it does double duty as a body oil.

I also have one of their oil diffusers, which keeps my apartment smelling lovely, but I can't wait to try a Room Perfume.

Can we start a tradition of giving New Year's gifts? Because I'd love to receive one of their body scrub gifts sets that come with a dainty gold spoon for scooping, a nice chunk of hand cut soap, Waterlily and Jasmine Buttercream lotion, and a vintage inspired cast iron soap dish.

Oh, and maybe another candle.

Mushmina
Booth C05 on the Fountain Terrace (map)

Soapology

Booth D09 on the Fountain Terrace (map)

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011

Official hours*

Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays.

Shop the Season: Jewelry from Coins & Photos for Your Walls

It's crunch time! With just one week left to shop, guest blogger Rebecca shares two of her favorite finds from The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park.

Made From Coins

Booth H06 on the 42nd Street side of the park (map)

I’ve asked for coin necklaces for the holidays since I was a little girl  (but never got one!). Something about coins on jewelry feels inherently meaningful, at least to me. So I was delighted to find the Made From Coins shop at the Bryant Park holiday market.  

This company, I learned, is different than many of the others that make similar pieces in their standards for quality. They use mainly U.S. coins from before 1965, which are 90% silver.

They have a few designs they do regularly – flowers, hearts, and geometric designs – but they also do custom orders. For example, I could bring the 20 coins I collected in Israel and they would make them into a custom, weighted bracelet. So cool!

Most of their necklace pendants are under $70, with some more extravagant pieces as well. They also make pieces for men and boys:  classy rings and cufflinks made from coins. 

And rare coin collectors, don’t fret – they use common, run of the mill coins, and turn them into something precious rather than destroying something that already is!

www.madefromcoins.com 

Elementem Art & Design Co.

Booth H03 on the 42nd Street side of the park (map)

As a photographer, I am always drawn to great photographic displays. These images, by Lawrence Clingman and Jonathan Duek, are truly captivating.  

I love the broken up display – with images depicted on 2 or 3 separate canvasses. They are stunning pieces that are sure to be the centerpiece of any room. Take a look!

www.elementem.com

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011 
Official hours*
Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays.

Shop the Season: Encircling Warmth

If the winter leaves you feeling a little down in the dumps (maybe you catch the flu, have a constant sniffle from December til March, or just feel all around crummy) a solution is waiting for you at Encircling Warmth, a new addition to The Holiday Shops this year.

In the video below, the lovely Or Pondak explains the benefits of her shop's signature item, the Haramaki, which can be worn year round.

Haramakis are for both men and women, and the shop has already gained a following of new fans who swear by them. If you want proof, just check out the wall of photographs showing many of Or's smiling, satisfied customers.

Encircling Warmth

Booth H05 on the 42nd Street side of the park (map)

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011

Official hours*

Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm

Saturday: 10am – 9pm

Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays.

Shop the Season: Good Karma

Remember Suzanne Sanborn of Karma Krafting? She graciously let us film her setting up shop back in November, so we couldn't let the season go by without checking back in at the completed (and beautiful!) Karma Krafting at The Holiday Shops.

One of the most vivacious and friendly people around, Suzanne told us about her season and showed us some of her most popular pieces.

And while we're on the subject of karma...Tricia and I stumbled upon what has to be the cutest twist on traditional piggy banks over at Karma Kiss.

The shop has a colorful selection of adorable, animal themed gifts for kids (or kids-at-heart). In addition to the kitty banks, you'll find t-shirts, clocks, watches, ice packs, toothbrush holders, earphones, lip gloss, purses, backpacks...the list goes on! This is the place for picking up those last minute stocking stuffers.

Karma Krafting

Booth H01 on the 42nd Street side of the park (map)

Karma Kiss

Booth K11 on the Upper Terrace, near the tree (map)

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011

Official hours*

Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays. Some shops may be open on Christmas Day.

Shop the Season: White Llama

It's crunch time! With just two weeks left to shop, Bryant Park Corporation/34th Street Partnership archivist Anne, checks out the goods at White Llama at The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park. 

I’ve been drawn to this booth ever since the shops opened because of all the COLOR. This is what you see when you walk by:

White Llama is a nice bright spot in the southwest corner of the park, where you can find gifts for everybody you've ever met, of any age. They sell all types of handmade goods from Peru in sizes for children and adults, including hats, scarves, gloves, and sweaters, in addition to a wide selection of jewelry (including the macrame necklaces pictured below), blankets, and bags.

I was lured by the baskets of gloves and hats hanging from the doorway. I snatched up a few sets of these convertible mitten/gloves (graciously modeled in-office by Nell) as gifts.

White Llama
Booth B04 at the SW corner of the park, near 40th Street and Sixth Avenue (map)
 
The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011

Official hours*
Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays. Some shops may be open on Christmas Day.

Give Back This Season

Let's take a little break from the madness of last-minute shopping, and think about giving back this holiday season. There are several ways you can help make a difference in someone else's holiday, and a few can be found in or around Bryant Park.

The beautiful alice+olivia boutique is hosting a wonderful drive for Baby Buggy. Customers will receive 15% off all full-priced merchandise when they bring in a toy, package of diapers, or books to donate! Items will be collected through December 31, please click on the flyer for details:

alice+olivia is located at 80 West 40th Street, right across the street from the park.

If you plan on visiting Citi Pond^SM before the end of the year, give your closets a good clean-out before heading to the park. New York Cares is collecting gently used winter coats in two locations near the rink as part of their annual Coat Drive.

You'll find collection boxes, like those pictured on the right, outside the Pond Pavilion exit doors at the southwest corner of the blue deck, and at the southeast end of the deck, between the Show Management and Pond Security offices.

The collection boxes will be at the Pond through December 31. You can find New York Cares' full list of donation sites here.

Shop the Season: Sandra Baquero Designs

It's crunch time! With just weeks left to shop in Bryant Park, Tricia of Fashion Herald shares one of her favorite clothing boutiques at The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park.

I've had my eye on Sandra Baquero's gorgeous booth and clothes for a while, so Katie and I dropped by last week and shot a little show-and-tell video featuring one of her versatile, stunning wraps.

Great cut and beautiful quality, that wool wrap is now number one on my holiday wish list, what a fabulous item for a girl's wardrobe! Sandra's wraps (available in a lightweight or a heavy wool) and other clothing, including dresses, range in price from $80 to a little under $200, but please drop by her booth for more details, and to check out her lovely belts and adorable hair ties that make for great stocking stuffers under $6.

Sandra Baquero Designs

Booth K06 in the Upper Terrace of the park (map)

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011

Official hours*

Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays. Some shops may be open on Christmas Day.

Shop the Season: Farache Fashion

It's crunch time! With just two weeks left to shop, guest blogger Catherine explores one of her favorite boutiques at The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park.

I'm pretty much a 6 year-old trapped in a 26 year-old body, so I was ecstatic when I saw this huge basket of finger puppets at Farache Fashion.

Yes, folks, you read that sign right. These little hand-made cuties are super affordable. You'll find animals, people, and even famous characters from your childhood. In his stocking this year, my nephew will find a certain dessert-gobbling blue monster and his furry red friend. Some of my animal favorites include this bee and creative camel:

They also have knitted goods for the rest of your body. These hand-knit sweaters for kids had lovely detailing:  

While you're in there, browse the sweaters, scarves, hats and gloves for us older folks. I believe that the cute little llama on the left signifies that these are made with real alpaca wool. Sounds warm!

Farache Fashion

Booths A03-A04 in the SW corner of the park (map)

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Open through January 2, 2011

Official hours*

Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays. Some shops may be open on Christmas Day.

It's T-Shirt Time

You chose them, and now you can buy them!

In August we asked you to vote for your favorite Bryant Park T-Shirt designs from nine prototypes created by our own Graphic Designer, Jamie Song. Over the past few months, the top three designs have been developed and are finally available for pre-order from the Bryant Park Shop. 

 The Pair of Chairs T-Shirt. Visit the Bryant Park Shop to see all three designs

Our full inventory will be ready to ship on Thursday, December 23, but we wanted our dear blog readers to be the first to know that you can pre-order the t-shirts. They are made of super soft cotton from American Apparel and come in Men's/Unisex and Women's small, medium, large, and extra large sizes.

We have a limited supply of these first edition Bryant Park T-Shirts, so pre-order now to make sure you get the style and size you want!

Don't forget, all income from the Bryant Park Shop is put right back into the maintenance of the park. Special thanks to our t-shirt models, Matt (BPC Capital Projects) and Nell (BPC Events).

From the Archives: Saved Dimes Turn into Prime Real Estate

In this post, BPC's archivist, Anne Kumer, shares some history that crosses the boundaries of two BIDs, the 34th Street District, and Bryant Park. This post also appears on NYC, Circa, a history blog about New York City and its public spaces.


In 1859, a group of thirty four business men founded and chartered a mutual savings bank. They named it Union Dime Savings Institute to show solidarity with the Federal Union as well as remind people that “dimes saved increased to dollars.”  They were also the first banking institution to use the word "Dime" in its title, though others soon followed. The bank first opened a modest office at Canal and Varick Streets. In 1867, they moved their headquarters to Canal and Laight Streets, and in 1876, to 32nd and Broadway:



Photo, NYPL Digital Collection



This six-story white marble building was built in 1874, and in October of that year, Union Dime Savings Institute bought the title of the property from Rudolph A. Witthaus, for $275,000, nearly $70 per square foot. This was considered a fair amount of money for a neighborhood that hadn't quite achieved its desired reputation.

Greeley Square, c. 1908, with the elevated 6th Avenue train station on the right.

The front façade faced Greeley Square Park and 32nd Street, and the building housed the Union Dime offices as well as apartments on its upper floors.  The bank remained there for the next 34 years before moving uptown eight blocks to the corner of 40^th Street and 6^th Avenue. The old building at 32^nd sold for a record high price of $1,000,000, or, about $250 a square foot. Aside from making news for its price tag, the deal aroused interest because the purchasers, City Investing Company, didn’t own any adjacent property, or have any plans for the space or building, suggesting to many, an intention to flip the property for a higher price.  

At around the turn of the century, the 34^th Street district was going through a massive transition. Improvements in mass transit led to the arrival of retail giants Macy’s, whose flagship store was built in 1901-1902, and Gimbels (1910).  The 6^th Avenue elevated train had been operating since 1878, but the early 1900s also saw the addition of the “Hudson Tubes” (New Jersey PATH train), and the completion of Pennsylvania Station in 1910. Additionally, the Hotel Martinique on 32^nd Street and Broadway finished its third phase of completion in 1910-1911, rounding out the district as a new hub for retail, transportation, and hospitality.

Regardless of the rise of the 34th Street district, in 1908, Union Dime purchased the corner lot on 40^th Street and 6^th Avenue, across from Bryant Park, for $1,000,000. (Many also know the block between 5th and 6th Avenue on 40th Street as the longtime home of the Tesla Society, named after the inventor of wireless communication and alternating current electricity, Nikola Tesla.) Five row houses were 
demolished to make room for what The Independent referred to as “one of the most imposing banking edifices in the city” (vol. 68, p. 664). The Italian Renaissance building was designed by architect Alfred Taylor, and featured a 96 x 85 foot main banking room with 48 foot tall ceilings.

View from Bryant Park (known then as Reservoir Square) looking towards 6th Ave. 40th Street is along the left. Photo, NYPL

View of the South side of the Union Dime building on 40th Street, looking east toward the park and the NYPL building.    Photo, NYPL



I'm not sure when this building was torn down, but it was still there in the 1930s (upper left, just behind the 6th Avenue elevated train line in the photo below):

And, in the 1950s, when this subway map was published and distributed by Union Dime:

It was probably torn down sometime in the mid-1950s, to make way for a 34-story office building designed by Kahn and Jacobs, and Sydney Goldstone. The building was completed in 1957, and is still there, looking much the same as it did in 1959, when a photo of it was published on the cover of Union Dime's 100th Anniversary booklet.

**Special thanks to Mr. Boyd Lewis at Union Dime, Inc. for his insight and interest, and a copy of the Union Dime 1959 yearbook.

Shop the Season: A Vegetarian Oasis, Indeed

If a solid, meat-free meal is what you're looking for, Vegetarian Oasis at The Holiday Shops has you covered: the food is fresh, healthy, and tasty. It's common to see a small crowd around the kiosk, as customers wait for made-to-order wraps and burritos.

       

To me, the best thing about Vegetarian Oasis is that the actual food doesn't stray from the descriptions on the menu. I had the Samosa Burrito for lunch, and as advertised, it was filled with potato, spinach, chickpeas and cauliflower that were cooked together in an Indian sauce, tomato, and garlic.

All the ingredients worked well together, but each one tasted equally fresh and flavorful. Since the grill plates are front and center in this kiosk, you can see exactly what goes into your meal.

$7 for burritos and wraps puts Vegetarian Oasis slightly lower than typical midtown-lunch prices, and it has quickly become a favorite for some of my BPC colleagues. Martin loves the Jah-Makin Curry (coconut milk, butternut squash, sweet potato, cabbage, and kale over brown rice) and Black Bean Burritos (black beans, cheddar cheese or avocado, corn, baby spinach, brown rice, and garlic in a whole wheat tortilla). He also recommends sampling the impressive selection of hot sauces (pictured below).

Next time I'm trying the Falafarrito.

Vegetarian Oasis
Booth H09 on the 42nd Street side of the park (map)
 
The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 

Official hours*
Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm

*Look for special extended hours during the holidays. Some shops may be open on Christmas Day.

Rinkside Dining: Lunch at Celsius

To do a post on the park's winter restaurant, Celsius, it seemed appropriate to take the other three members of BPC's social media team along for lunch.

The restaurant doesn't take reservations, and although it was crowded, we were seated right away at the last empty table upstairs. Floor to ceiling windows and a transparent roof make the space feel large, airy, and bright.

Other seating options include an indoor bar/lounge area downstairs, and an outdoor deck with tables and couches covered by heat lamps.

The menus:

  

Click for larger images. We're already planning a post-work visit to conduct important research on the extensive list of heart warmers and cocktails.

What we ate, shared appetizers:

 Potato and Cheese Pierogies, Toasted Margherita Flat Bread

 Crispy Calamari

What we ate, entrees:

 Chili

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad (on the menu as an appetizer, but filling enough to be an entree)

Jumbo Sliders (Mac and Cheese was also eaten, but not pictured)

The standouts:  Calamari, Chili, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
The runners-up: Margherita Flat Bread and Sliders
Honorable mention:  The fries that came with the Sliders were perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside (also available as a side order)


Our observations:

- Celsius clientele looked like an even mix of New Yorkers, business lunchers, and tourists (the downstairs bar is a magnet for the after-work crowd)
- Space and food are very kid friendly
- Service was speedy and attentive
- Higher prices than your typical lunch on the go, but similar to other sit down restaurants in the area
- You can't beat the view/instant entertainment-while-you-eat from the ice rink!

   

Outdoor seating

 

Downstairs bar/lounge

Celsius is open through February 27, 2011

Extended Holiday Hours
December 16 – December 30: Noon – Midnight

Regular Hours
Sunday – Wednesday: Noon – 10pm
Thursday – Saturday: Noon – Midnight

Celsius can get very busy on weekends and during the holidays, so plan your visit accordingly. Some areas of the restaurant may be closed occasionally for private parties.