Mmmm, Doggie Treats

Good luck resisting some of these while you're cruising The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park:

sweet cakes....

sweet cookies, even savory pizza...

Yum! You've found Annie's Dog Bakery and Boutique. Go ahead, dig in and do a little taste test for your puppy. That's what Annie does while baking, because all her treats are made fresh using wholesome ingredients. No preservative, additives, sugar or salt in these treats. And, of course, no chocolate, because Annie's is for the dogs.

But raiding the dog's closet is a little more challenging than raiding their kitchen. Still, these make me quite envious:

I need this hoodie!

Every girl needs a little chinoiserie in her closet:

Very H&M Comme des Garcons circa last week:

Urban gear, and booty shorts!

Ooo la la!

Words cannot express the adorableness:

Made from high quality fabrics, including all natural lambswool and cotton, Annie's even has a specialized line for your dedicated canine sports fan:

Annie, I"m going to need this in Jets colors with Chad Pennington's number, please!

Keep them warm and snug at the game, just don't get all matchy-matchy with your pup as that's a big faux-paw (boom, cha!). But I think, in an accessory pinch, you could borrow one of these from a girl's best friend:

Go spoil yourself and your dog and indulge a lot at Annie's Dog Bakery & Boutique.

Annie's Dog Bakery & Boutique, kiosk map coming soon!

En Fuego

Go to Fuego and get into the lampiance. Yes, Fuego's lighting is so cool they came up with their own word to describe it. You've got to visit the Fuego kiosk and experience the lampiance in person.





















But these photos give you some nice incentive. I'm hooked! Fuego's lampiance creates a soft, candlelight ambiance without the open flame, the melted wax on your tablecloth (sorry, mom!), or the possible lighting of one's furniture on fire thanks to clumsy ex-boyfriends (grrr).

Fuego's lamps are made of paraffin wax but they never melt and are toxin-free. Each lamp is a unique, handmade piece signed by the artist, Sharon Eyal. They can be used with votive candles, but are also equipped with a chandelier socket that uses low wattage bulbs. So the lampiance created by the illuminated wax is not merely a warm, atmospheric addition to your room. No, it's also energy efficient and will last a long, long time. Love the lampiance.

Fuego Wax Design, location in The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park TBA.

Terrible, Wonderful Dollhouse!

Another great new vendor, Terrible Dollhouse, is opening in The Holiday Shops this season. And I'm going to be a regular because I'm getting:

These for my moms because she's a teacher and every elementary school teacher should have a silly doll on her desk;

















These for my cats because, well, if I need to explain about cats and yarn you're just not a cat person;













These for my husband because his ex used to make fun of my big eyes;
















These for my nieces because they are terrible, silly rabbits;























This for me because it's the most adorable tote ever;














And because I have to leave you something to buy, get one of these, the quintessential Terrible Doll keychain;












I recommend visiting the wonderful Terrible Dollhouse early this year. See you Saturday for opening day!

Terrible Dollhouse, kiosk location to be posted tomorrow

Holiday Shops Coupon

It's Good to Be Back

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park last week:

Just stuff on the ground!













And this week:

Empty shops, getting ready to wow us this winter.













The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park open Saturday, November 22nd. Yes, it's good to be back and all prettied up, because this year all our vendors have jewel-box homes. We've been integrating these structures into the shops the past few seasons, and this year we're 100% tent free. We've also added new kiosks along the rink line at the southern end of the park, so check out the great new food & retail vendors down by 40th Street.

Other Holiday Shops news? New vendors! Let's start with one of many favorites, Nubian Heritage. I can tell you guys a lot about their certified and natural organic skin care products because I was fast on the draw in snatching up samples they sent to the office. Namely:

The Goat's Milk and Chai lotion, $12 for 13oz. This is fabulous lotion for winter, or if you have dry skin. EVERY time my husband uses this lotion he yells out, "hey, this lotion really absorbs into my skin!" or "this lotion is really great!" I am not making this up and trust me, the man does not normally talk beauty supplies with me.
However, if a normally reticent lotion user can't convince you, here are some other interesting Nubian Heritage facts:

• they purchase direct from women cooperatives and indigenous farmers in Africa;

  they pay above market prices to further enhance the livelihood of their suppliers;

  they work with several charitable organizations to build schools and help educate impoverished girls in Africa.

Ok, now don't you want to go and buy up the whole store? Or stores, I should say, because Nubian Heritage will have two separate kiosks**, one for the gals, one for the guys, and both full of natural and organic skincare. Talk about great stocking stuffers.


Nubian Heritage, D21 on the venue guide (along the north end of Bryant Park along 42nd Street)


*venue guide will be up by Friday the 21st, and I'll post pictures of the Nubian Heritage boutiques later this month.

**update: Nubian Heritage has one kiosk this year, not two! But plenty of great lotion love fills up their one shop, be sure to check out their lotions & soaps while you're in Bryant Park.

Till Next Time!

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park are being loaded out, just a few structures remain, and all the gifts have been opened, reviewed, and widely admired. But here at Bryant Park we're interested in what you think, so email us (scroll to "contact us" on the left) and let us know what shops you love, what you'd like to see, and how we can make the shops better. And vendors, we'd love your opinion, too. For those interested in becoming a vendor, please contact ID&A at 212-382-2953. Best to all and have a great new year.

Keep All Your Soaps in a Row

Soap is ducky, and it helps if your kids think so, too. So visit Children's Treasures/Just Bubbly in Bryant Park's holiday shops and stock up on soaps for your kids. They'll have tons of fun keeping clean with these adorable duck soaps, available in almost any kind of duck imaginable:

Hockey ducks! And the wedding couple is perfect for favors at the reception. These can be custom made with all the wedding info on the tags. And talk about good party favors, look at the frog princes next to the wedding couple. They're perfect for your attendants and wedding showers (no pun intended).

Another great way to make bath time more enjoyable for the kids? These fish-in-a-bag soaps, how clever. Best, these water-based, glycerin soaps are all hand-made through a vegan process, so they contain no animal products and are hypoallergenic.

Be sure to visit Children Treasure's website, as this hometown family business (they're based in Rockaway Beach) does a lot more than soaps. And if there's a special duck you've just got to have, let them know and they might make it special just for you.

Children's Treasures/Just Bubbly, A4 on the venue guide