Samantha Sotto's Before Ever After

I don’t want to say that you shouldn’t be scared about trying out new things — because you should be.

Big life changes are, by their nature, terrifying. Being scared means that you’ve really thought about what you’re leaving and what you are planning to get into.

Fear isn’t a sign that you shouldn’t be pursuing something — it’s a test of whether you want it enough to risk failing at it. 

- Samantha Sotto, on her journey from hobby writer to published author

Last year, my friend Kris de Guzman introduced me to Sam Sotto-Yambao, "My Random House published friend!", Kris shared proudly. Sam had just signed a book deal with Random House, and her debut novel Before Ever After, was scheduled for release in 2011. Sam & I kept in touch since then, often times over email, and once over dimsum at Crystal Jade in Holland Village, when her family came over here to Singapore for vacation. Sam had excitedly and quite nervously talked about the launch of her book, but I knew in my heart it was going to be the talk of the literary community, if not amongst newbie writers who will read into her experience with a glimmer of hope.

Fast forward to now, and her book is now available in National Bookstore & Powerbooks (and selling out fast, as I type), and due for release in the US on August 2.

Sam's story is of the stuff that fairy tales are made of. And I am referring to her novel, as well as her personal journey to becoming a true novelist.

The unlikely tale of a young mom whiling her time by tapping away at a love story on her keyboard, while at Starbucks waiting for her son to get dismissed at Ateneo, to flying to New York to meet with her literary agent and editor at Random House Publishing in a matter of a year, is the sort of plot that aspiring novelists dream of. Heck, I think she is the first Filipino born & bred author to ever be published by Random House at that. UPDATE: I stand corrected, F. Sionil Jose is the first Filipino author to be published by Random House. Sam is the first Filipina =)

It is my pleasure to share with you Sam's amazing story, set in Europe, as well as Paranaque, Katipunan Avenue, Hong Kong & New York City.

Read about it HERE, it's in today's Philippine Star, and it's On the Radar!

Get glimpses of Samantha’s novel Before Ever After, at www.samanthasotto.com

Los Angeles 2011 Day 3: Rodarte: States of Matter at MOCA

While we were in LA, @jstwtg aka Martin told me to check out the Rodarte exhibit at MOCA Pacific Design Center.  Of course, I had to make time for that. I love going to museums, and add to that a fashion angle, I am so there. I love my Twitter friends!!! So many great tips!

After meeting my godparents at South Coast Plaza (I wish I took photos for y'all, but it was quality time with my godparents, whom I haven't seen in years), we went to MOCA to check the exhibit with  Belle, and Liza's sister Stephanie. That day too, Tia's older sister Eulla was off from school, so Berry finally got to meet her as well! Yay for new girl friends! =) Check out Berry's new Toms, and why do Uggs look so cute on little girls?

We met outside Pacific Design Center to see the Rodarte pieces up close - including the tutus worn by Natalie Portman in Black Swan. I was expecting a really huge exhibition hall akin to the ones at The Met, or the Valentino exhibit in Sentosa, but there were probably no more than 30 dresses and tutus on display.  Nevertheless, the Mulleavy siblings' work do create a sense of awe,  and wonder. Makes you think about their thought process and how they can put together a dress made from both mundane  (cheese cloth, gauze, twine) and magical materials (feathers! crystals!). They didn't allow photos, but thankfully, MOCA's PR sent me these photos for my article, taken by Autumn de Wilde:

If you would like to get a feel of the exhibit, I wrote about it last Sunday, it's On The Radar!

Watch this video to get into the minds of Laura and Kate. If you are not in LA, this is as close as you can get to being there:



Rodarte: States of Matter from MOCA on Vimeo.

Stanley Ruiz on The Radar

During the 80s and 90s, when I was growing up, it seemed like a flight of fancy to want to become a photographer, a writer or a designer. To middle class parents, it didn't make economic sense. The "arts" was for people who could afford to indulge in such "hobbies". I don't think it is a sweeping generalization to say that my generation was prodded to go into law, medicine or finance because these were seen as stable, "real" careers. During my time, if you wanted to be a make-up artist or a stylist, the adults would never take you seriously.

 

So of course, I love it when I hear, see or meet people from my generation who have made a name for themselves in the arts. They've thumbed their nose at convention and are so successful at it,  that they are recognized for doing so.

When my friend, jewelry artist Happy David told me about Brooklyn-based Pinoy Stanley Ruiz's feature in Surface Magazine's Avant Guardian issue for 2010, I knew she was on to something special. Here was this guy from the College of Fine Arts in UP Diliman, one of those "grungy, creative types" from the other side of the campus, featured in a New York magazine! Now, none of my doctor, lawyer or even US MBA educated friends have ever been in one, so this was like, "Darnit, told ya we're in the wrong industries!"

Stanley's Raw Clock, which was featured in Avant Guardian, incidentally, is sold exclusively online at Urban Outfitters, o diba!

Curious as to how a creative from UP Diliman found his way to Brooklyn (the place to be if you're an artist in New York), I interviewed Stanley about his work and his Brooklyn hot spots, for my first story for 2011 On the Radar.

(Photos in the article by Tammy David)

Enjoy and be inspired! Read HERE!

BOOKMARC This Page

Growing up, up until today, I get a retail high from book stores and stationery supply shops.

Whether I needed it or not, I'd often end up buying things, always with some excuse as to why I needed them at the time - notebooks (Jordi Labanda, how stylish, maybe it'll rub off on me), pad papers (for my to do list, never mind if I have a Filofax - a Filofax, how quaint!), folders (I have lots of reading material to organize, as if), markers and colored pencils (useful when I'm feeling creative, which happens every 10 years), another stapler (this one's perfect stapling a thick stack of pages), a tape dispenser (it's pink and it has sand inside) and yes, books and magazines (do we need an excuse for that? Uhm, no) !

Days before the big move, my editor Cecile asked me to check out Marc Jacobs's new pet project called Bookmarc, a book store, for The Radar.

I said "Yes! Of course!",  never mind if I had 20 million boxes of stuff to take inventory of. Thought that was the perfect excuse to step out for a breather, because hello, it was for "work" you know.

A few days before Bookmarc opened, we happened to pass by and I saw it was still boarded up. I thought nothing of it really, except for the fact that I found it sad that Biography Book Shop closed down after years of occupying that spot. (Well it's not that sad, Biography Book Shop re-opened as Book Book down the same street.) With Bookmarc now in its place, at least the essence of the place to browse for interesting reads wasn't entirely lost in translation. To my eye, they also pretty much kept the place intact, save for a paint job.

Here are a couple of items that caught my eye:

Take note, nothing from Marc Jacobs's Special Collection items are over $30. So true to form, I couldn't resist walking out the store with stuff I don't really need, hahaha! (Hint: I'm giving that leopard print key chain away, along with some other things I picked out myself, for my long delayed blog anniversary giveaway! Will get to that when I have the time, pfffft! But yeah, watch out for that!)

Read all about my Bookmarc finds and their prices, HERE!

Rafe Bartholomew, Author of Pacific Rims, On the Radar

Rafe Bartholomew has been getting a lot of press for his newly launched book, Pacific Rims. For my column On The Radar, we took it a step further and went beyond the book. I spoke to Rafe about living in Manila, what he's been doing in NYC, plus more, chismosa style!

(I thought the glass was broken by a wayward basketball, so  we had to ask for the inside story on this photo. Here's what Rafe said: This was taken on the corner outside the building I live in here in NYC. It's across the street from my place. Nothing particularly significant about it. My publishers were yelling at me to get some headshots, so I went out to the corner and that was that. I'm actually wearing basketball shorts with this outfit since I knew we weren't going to be taking any long shots. I've always thought it was funny that sometimes groups of guys shoot grassroots hip-hop videos on my corner because of the abandoned garage with the broken glass. I guess they think it looks tough...)

NEW YORK — Rafe Bartholomew, New Yorker and author of widely acclaimed book Pacific Rims: Beermen Ballin’ in Flip-Flops and the Philippines’ Unlikely Love Affair with Basketball, is Pinoy as Pinoy can be. In fact, he may even be more Pinoy than you or me. Here, in On the Radar, he dishes out on sisig and tokwa’t baboy, being back and working in NYC, and (brace yourselves for this one, girls) his love life.

First, we’re curious. How do you pronounce “Rafe”?

My parents named me Raphael with the intention of calling me Rafe, pronounced like “safe” but with an “R.”

I’m named after my great grandfather Raphael Egan, and he pronounced his name the same way. Of course, when I moved to Manila 2005, I found that people didn’t always like the way my name sounded, so I got used to being called Raf or Rafi, or Paeng, or, when I spent time with Alaska in 2007, Tiyo Paeng (although the players meant it the other way). At this point, I’m comfortable being called about a dozen different names. Even “Joe” doesn’t bother me that much.

So you’ve been back in NYC since 2008. Have you gone back to Manila since and any plans to return?

I left Manila in October 2008 and actually returned in June 2009. My plan was to write the rest of Pacific Rims there, but I had to leave early to begin my job at Harper’s magazine and only ended up staying for one month. So the last time I was in Manila was June 30, 2009.

My last meal was ginataang alimango and inihaw na lapu-lapu at Dampa Cubao, then I drank too much Red Horse at a Parokya ni Edgar concert and almost missed my flight the next morning.

That might have been a subconscious attempt not to leave, but I made it back to New York and I’ve been missing the Philippines ever since.

The good news is that I’ve already bought a ticket, and I’ll be back for a visit during the last two weeks of August. I’m also hopeful that I’ll be able to find another project or work to do that would allow me to return to the Philippines for a much longer period of time.

What do you miss about Manila?

Can I answer everything? If you force me to think about it, I’m sure I can come up with some things I don’t miss about Manila: MRT crowds, I guess, but I kind of enjoyed the giant horde of humanity in the Ayala station at rush hour. Every day was like a test of my commuting skills. For a guy with a basketball mindset, I could always get the competitive juices flowing there.

Of course, I miss my friends more than anything else, but the aspects of life in Manila that I miss are the ability to see, feel, experience and play basketball at almost any time and any place (which I could do in places all over the Philippines, as well). And, without a doubt, I miss the food.

It’s pretty easy to get the staples of Philippine cuisine here in New York — adobo, dinuguan, pinakbet, liempo. But the guiltiest pleasures — isaw, tenga, kwek-kwek, dirty ice cream, banana cue and maruya — are very hard to find here. I have my itinerary for August planned already, and nothing will stop me from getting all the food I’ve been craving.

Have you had cravings for Pinoy food? Where do you eat Pinoy food here in Manhattan? And what do you eat?

Whoops! Guess I got carried away on that last one! Well, you know what I crave, but as far as Pinoy food in Manhattan, there aren’t many options. Since I’ve been back, two well-known places — Bayan Cafe and Elvie’s Turo-Turo — both closed down. It hurt to see Elvie’s go. The food was cheap and delicious and their servings were the right size, plus I had been going there for my ginisang monggo fix for years.

Thankfully, a new restaurant and bar opened about five months ago. It’s called Krystal’s Cafe 81, and it’s in the East Village. The food is good, but the place is probably more of a lounge, so when I’m there I usually eat pulutan like sisig and tokwa’t baboy. Thankfully, they actually use maskara in their sisig; a lot of Philippine restaurants in New York don’t, but it’s just not the same without the crackle.

For a meal, I usually go to Queens, where I’m proud to say we now have Jollibee and Red Ribbon, although when I go, I stick to the old-fashioned places like Fiesta Grill, which is as close to perfect as a NYC turo-turo is going to get, and Engeline’s, a true sit-down restaurant with nilagang baka so rich you’ll think it’s bulalo.

You speak Tagalog so well, like a local! How long did it take you to learn it? And have you always been good with languages?

Thank you! It really means a lot to me, since I have tried hard to improve my Tagalog over the years. At the same time, I’m wary about bragging that I speak so well or that I really speak like a local. I know that I have a lot more room for improvement and I have a long way to go before I speak like a native speaker, and I’m going to continue studying the language and trying to get better.

I think I started to really be able to speak and understand in real-life situations after about two years, and I still call my wonderful tutor Rebecca Dizon on Skype to practice speaking with her. I never studied a language as hard as I did Tagalog, so I’m not sure if I’d be able to learn another language easily. I’m actually hoping to start studying another Philippine language — Bisaya, Ilonggo or Ilocano — depending probably on who’s willing to teach me for the cheapest! So we’ll see if I can learn faster this time.

About your book — you came to the Philippines to try and understand the country’s unlikely passion for basketball. You wrote it as “a sort of love letter to the country.” While Filipinos love it, how’s the feedback from American or international readers?

The fact that Filipino readers have enjoyed my book is the ultimate compliment. They are the people who know the country and the Philippine style of basketball better than I do, and the ones who taught me most of what I learned. So if they read the book and think I did a good job, then I must have done something right.

That said, the response from Americans and Canadians and other foreigners who’ve read the book has been really positive, too. Their experience is different from most Filipinos, because foreign readers tend to be really surprised at the simple fact that Pinoys love hoops, while Filipino readers certainly aren’t going to be surprised by the notion.

There have been really positive reviews on American sports websites like AOL Fanhouse, Sporting News’s blog “The Baseline,” and SLAM Online. Many foreigners — even those that don’t care about hoops — have the response I hoped they would, which is they find Philippine culture and basketball fun and fascinating and worth reading about, even though it’s not their own.

Would you consider moving back to the Philippines? Maybe for a second book? If so, what would it be about?

I would consider moving back to the Philippines for a lot less than a second book! How about any gainful employment? I joked with a friend a couple weeks ago about becoming his driver. Imagine what kind of big shot he’d be with an American driver. But seriously, I feel extremely happy and at home in the Philippines, and it would be a dream to move back for a long while.

If I had an opportunity to write another book, that would be perfect.

There are some more things I’d like to explore in the basketball world, but also other aspects of Philippine life that intrigued me. I’d like to spend a more extended period of time in the provinces.

I visited a lot of places, but never for more than a few days, and never enough to really get a feel for the pace of life. Seriously, every day I lived in the country I felt like I noticed something that could be a story.

You’re now with Harper’s magazine. What do you write about these days?

This is going to sound sad, but I don’t write about much at all. I’m an assistant editor at the magazine, and my job is more to work with the stories that freelance writers produce for us than to write my own articles. My main job is to fact-check them — to go through the stories word-by-word and make sure that everything the writer says is not false. I also am one of two editors who work on “Harper’s Index,” a page in the front of the magazine that tells a story about the world with 40 strange, funny and revealing statistics.

Once in a while, I get to write a regular online feature on Harper’s website called “The Weekly Review.” It’s a three-paragraph look at the previous week, from the most important stories to the most bizarre ones, always presented in a deadpan, ironic voice. It’s a great job at one of the best magazines in the United States, but I do miss writing my own stories.

By now, you probably know how intrusive Pinoys can be. You say your heart remains in the Philippines. For the sake of our female readers, do you have a girlfriend?

Tsismosa ka pala! For my own sake, so my girlfriend doesn’t beat me up, I do have a girlfriend. She’s a Pinay from Los Angeles and was a Fulbright scholar in the batch that came after mine, and we got together in Manila in 2007. She lives in New York now, and we see each other regularly.

* * *

Watch out for Rafe Bartholemew’s book signing events this August at National Bookstore and Powerbooks. Follow @rafeboogs on Twitter for updates.

Jeffrey Campbell On the Radar

Did you catch my interview with Ty McBride of Jeffrey Campbell NYC last Sunday?

I learned a lot from this interview, take for instance: Jeffrey Campbell learned shoemaking in Marikina! Among many other interesting tidbits!

Read the full interview --> here!

PS - Thanks to SM Fashion Forum for scanning the article!

On The Radar: Danny Roberts of Igor+André

 Nope, this isn't Marky Mark (aka Mark Wahlberg), it's Danny Roberts of Igor+André!

When you get your Sunday issue of The Philippine Star, flip to the Sunday Lifestyle section's On The Radar and read my interview with the talented artist, Danny Roberts of Igor+André!

He shares a couple of his favorite illustrations...

Illustration of 5 girls wearing Chanel glasses, popularly known as The Girls In Glasses. The same artwork adapted for a collaboration shirt with London based company Borders & Frontier

Painting from Chanel's Spring 2010 Collection for Sundance Channel's Full Frontal Fashion coverage of Paris Fashion Week

Model Masha Kirsanova at Chris Benz from a March 30, 2010 post

...as well as his musings on his art, collaborations and inspirations!

You can also read my interview with Danny online. Click ---> here.

As with fellow star bloggers Tommy Ton of Jak & Jil and Jane of Sea of Shoes, Danny's success is evidence of what passion, talent, and blogging can do for you! And how enchanting visual images can draw visitors into one's world, minute after minute.

Enjoy and be inspired!

What A Decade!

I was thinking of doing this but was keeping it in the backburner until I had time. And when I saw Celine do hers, I thought why wait, it looks so much fun to look back at the decade that was and see how things turned out in ten years. Here's mine:

2000 - Started a new job in Starbucks Philippines. Worked as the COO's project assistant and bonded immediately with the other project assistant Gretchen, and Nina, the store development assistant, over our love for Mango, fashion, and all things silly! My gossip girls, lunch time shopping buddies, who are up to now - two of my bestest friends! The group was completed by Bic-bic and Jenny!

2001 - Career-wise, I got promoted as merchandising manager. Folks, if you collected Starbucks merchandise from 2001 to 2003 - yes, it's me to love/blame for choosing what goes into those Starbucks merchandise etageres! I still remember when Starbucks water bottles first made it to the merchandise list, I knew they were going to sell like hotcakes because everyone was into working out at the gym. And well, it discouraged the use of those nasty plastic mineral water bottles. My boss was like, "Water bottles?" and I was like "Yes! Every one would want to bring one with them when they work out!" True enough, it became such a huge hit when they first hit the stores! Soon enough so many water bottles found their way into the Philippine market - Nalgene, Sigg, and a host of others. Didn't water bottles become popular corporate giveaways years down the road too? Oh, news wise, this was the year EDSA II happened. I remember my dad calling me at work to tell me the military was withdrawing support. I should have bought stocks right away. Soon after, the AFP Chief was on his way to the EDSA Shrine to join the throngs of citizens happy to see Erap leave. (Thing is though, he is running again for President this 2010. Jeez.)

2002 - I met the love-of-my life who is now well known as, you guessed it, Dear Hubby! Started the process of applying to graduate schools. The year was a flurry of KAPLAN reviews, TOEFL, GMAT and AIMAT exams and writing essays. Wanted to study in NYU and live in New York, but love-of-my-life asked me to stay and study in Manila. It was a matter of choosing love or career. I took a leap of faith and chose love! Yihee! Traveling was limited to Singapore and Malaysia.

2003 - started MBA school in AIM. The year was spent reading case studies, writing business plans, WACS, doing financial statements, analyzing financial ratios, preparing powerpoint presentations with CAN group mates. Best thing about my dorm stay - my girl friends Jaraiza, Conci and Alisa! 

Current events wise, highlight of the year was the Oakwood mutiny. I was at home in Camp Aguinaldo and the camp was on red alert. My best friend Nina, who was (and still is) reporting for ABS-CBN was there waiting for news to break. When my dad confirmed that there was movement and Nina was doing a live report by phone, I was texting people to stay away from Makati CBD. The excitement was short lived. We soon found ourselves praying non-stop for a peaceful end to the mutiny because my dad, who headed Task Force Libra, was right smack in Makati leading the government forces. Latter part of the year, we moved to Fort Bonifacio when my dad became CG. Exciting things for Dear Hubby too! He graduated valedictorian from law school in Ateneo and was #2 in the bar exams.

2004 - Second year of grad school churning out papers, reports and presentations. Worked on the MRR with Conci. My dad became CSAFP. Moved to the White House in Camp Aguinaldo. School trips to Shanghai and Hong Kong. Stayed behind for a couple more days to explore Hong Kong with Jaraiza and Isabelle. Started writing "My Money" for Lifestyle Asia magazine (thanks to Celine!). Such a high to see my name on print! My grandpa passed away =( 

2005 - Started the year with a school trip to Vietnam and Thailand. Graduated and got my MBA. Became a management associate in Citi along with grad school classmates Aset and Mike, we hit it off with fellow MAs Jong and Jacob. Such a fun bunch!

Took pattern making classes in Lasalle College in Makati. Highlight of the year - Got engaged to Dear Hubby, who was accepted into Harvard's LLM program! News Trivia - Remember the Hello Garci days? One time, as Dear Hubby and I were preparing to go out on a date, we went to the ground floor of the White House to get something from the communications room. I saw two kids running around there. As we stepped out of the house, the driveway was filled with cars and a news van. Soon after, Sgt. Doble claimed his family was held hostage in the basement of our (then) home! Turns out those two kids were his. Hostage? What basement? Where? What a liar! If walls could talk!

2006 - Joined cards marketing in the bank. Got promoted.



Went on a family trip to Palawan.

Visited the future in-laws in Vancouver. Dear Hubby started school in Cambridge, MA. Took sewing classes at FIP in Ortigas. Started this blog as an outlet to document my fashion/style obsessions and observations! Soon after, got featured in Inquirer and asked by Jill of Kikay Exchange to contribute blog posts.

2007 - Got married in the Supreme Court. Was interviewed on TV when my friend Pam asked me to be the spokesperson for her site, Steal That Look (don't we all miss that site!). Visited Dear Hubby in Harvard, their family friend Uni in CT, and my friend Me-an in NJ. 

Before graduation, Dear Hubby got a job offer from a law firm in Manhattan. He accepted. 3 months later, I joined him in the US and became a housewife (God's way of saying, "See, isn't this a better way of getting you to New York?" He answered my prayer plus I was married to Dear Hubby! God really works in mysterious ways!). Spent my days exploring the city while Dear Hubby worked. Spent weekends hanging out with our friends Me-an & Eric.

Became a regular window shopper and occasional shoe customer at Barneys and Bergdorfs. Hahaha!

Started blogging in Sanriotown (to be revived again very soon)! Re-connected with my high school friend Tet who moved to New York from Frankfurt with her husband and daughter. Became good friends with online buddies Ruby and Ingrid and neighbor Paz!

2008 - Greeted the New Year with Dear Hubby's Harvard friends atop their apartment building in New York's west side. Church wedding in Manila.

Reunion with my bestest friends from high school.


Met Cecile and Grace in Pepper Lunch and found myself in Manila Style.

Got to dress models backstage for New York Fashion Week. Got to watch a couple of runway shows too. Started my column for The Radar in the Philippine Star. Again, amazing and super exhilarating to see my work in the paper I've read since I was 9. It never gets old. Re-connected with college friend, Sarj, who turned out to be a real housewife of New York City. Met-up with friends in Orlando, FL during the fall and spent Christmas in Vancouver. Best news of all, we became pregnant with Berry.

2009 - Visited my friend Xsa in PA. Went to the Bryant Park tents to watch a show with Sarj during NY Fashion Week and got photographed too. This blog got featured in a Preview supplement thanks to Joanna F. Pierra L. asked me to share my Boston travel tips in Lifestyle Asia Travel. Berry was born in June and 6 months later, became googoo&gaga's Kooky Kid of 2009! 

Went through ge lai. I can imagine getting pregnant again, but I am not ready for ge lai any time soon. In fairness, ge lai helped me recover from the birthing process super fast. I strongly suggest all new moms to practice this. I got my cousin-in-law and her friends who are all chic, sophisticated New York moms convinced, they said I should write a book about it. I think I will! If any of you have ge lai tips, recipes and anecdotes to share, email me at manilafashionobserver@gmail.com. You will definitely be credited for it of course! Finding a literary agent here in New York should be on my 2010 to do list.

In a nutshell, in ten surprisingly short years (it seems like the decade went by in a flash - although graduate school seemed like forever) I earned my MBA, made a career shift from retail to banking (then banking to housewifing!), found myself on the front row seat of Philippine historical events, got engaged and married to the most wonderful guy in the wholed universe, started my blogs (MFO and MFO for Sanriotown), moved to the US and became a homemaker, fulfilled my dream of going into the Bryant Park tents for New York Fashion Week, had our beautiful baby Berry, became a columnist for the Radar in the Philippine Star, met lovely and sincere people who became treasured friends, traveled considerably (but not as much as I wanted to) and moved at least 6 times in the past decade. Whew! What a decade! Each year just keeps on getting better and better! And with God's grace, I just know there are still much more beauty and blessings to unfold for each one of us! Can't wait!

New York Hotspots

Hi, just wanted to ask for tips coz we are going to New York this April 22 and we'll be staying at Soho. Restaurants that must be tried, bars, shopping (H&M and Topshop budget) and sights to see. We are in New York for 12 days so please help us with our itenerary, we are watching Wicked by the way:) Thanks!

xoxo
First timers in NY

Oh no! Super delayed reply! I am so sorry about this! I am pretty sure though that since you stayed in SoHo, you have already discovered how strategic your location is dining and shopping wise! But just in case you are heading back to Manhattan any time soon, or for those who are planning a trip to NYC, here's something that will come in handy whether or not you care about the exploits of The City's cast. Please feel free to print this article that Sarj and I wrote for The Radar last Sunday!

NEW YORK — First there was Sex. Then there was Gossip. Now there’s The City. It’s the trifecta of Manhattan shows — the triple threat of Gotham TV. Each program extravaganza is different in style and attitude. But their one common denominator is that they never fail to showcase the allure, the landscape and sights of this lovely megalopolis we’re lucky to call home.

Much like the characters in Sex and the City and Gossip, The City’s Whitney, Olivia, Jay and their ilk mosey along from one snazzy spot to another.

Though it’s touted to be a reality show, we don’t mind that it’s all staged. New York, as always, looks great, and that’s all that matters.

On The Radar gives you a definitive guide to the show’s stomping grounds, according to area.

Meatpacking District (Mepa)









Once home to slaughterhouses and packing plants, in recent years, it has undergone considerable gentrification and is now deemed a swanky area for sosyals to live, shop, dine and hang out. Diane von Furstenberg’s DvF headquarters are situated smack dab in the middle of the locale.

Shop @ DvF (where else?)
Dine @ Nero, Fig & Olive, The Diner, Los Dados
Drink @ Tenjune, Plunge at Hotel Gansevoort, Brass Monkey

Chelsea

Home to New York’s visual arts community and much of the town’s gay population. Streets are lined with galleries, boutiques and beautiful architecture. This district has its fair share of dining destinations, too.

Whitney, Erin, Sammy and Allie seem to favor Cafeteria for brunch, where they meet up to to dish the dirt on Adam.

Dine @ Il Bastardo, Brother Jimmy’s BBQ
Dance @ Pink Elephant
Buy art @ Mike Weiss Gallery
Check out @ Yves Chelsea – 166 West 18th Street, Olivia’s apartment exterior

West Village, Greenwich Village (The Village)

Best known for its bohemian flair and beatnik residents, this neighborhood boasts tiny shops and restaurants with star power.

In the show, we are led to believe that Erin lives in Gramercy, while her building’s exterior is actually shot in this area — it’s the Urban Glass House on 330 Spring Street.

Dine @ Extra Virgin, Cornelia Street Café, Amy’s Bread, 10 Downing Street

Soho + Noho (South + North Of Houston)





When one utters the word “SoHo” only one thing comes to mind — shopping. This trendy district is what others stereotype as “downtown.” Partially true, this locale not only houses mega brands, it also has a smattering of decent restos and bars, as well. Kelly Cutrone’s People’s Revolution holds court at 62 Grand Street. While Erin’s office at One Management is a couple of blocks away at 42 Bond Street.

Shop @ Dean & Deluca, Opening Ceremony
Dine @ Once Upon A Tart, Delicatessen, Café Noir, Felix Restaurant
Drink @ MercBar, Antique Garage, Thom Bar, Double Crown
Watch an indie flick @ Angelika

Lower East Side (Les), Tribeca (Triangle Below Canal)

Once a haven for drug dealers and with blocks full of warehouses, respectively, both districts were renewed years ago when real estate boomed and propped up the economy of both neighborhoods.

Smart-looking bistros and stylish boutiques have popped up and peppered the streets since then. Drop by and possibly attend a gallery opening organized by Adam at Collective Hardware on 169 Bowery.

Dine @ Rayuela, Café Falai, Bacaro, Joe’s Ginger, Macao Trading Co.
Drink @ Stanton Social
Check out @ 88 Leonard, Olivia’s apartment interior

Gramercy, Flatiron District, Union Square

These three contiguous zones are quite posh (Narciso Rodriguez has his studio on Irving Place). It also has a cluster of celebrity-chef run restaurants and a good range of places to shop at — from mass-market to high-end.

Whitney lives here.

Dine @ Lyric Diner, Petite Abeille, The Smith
Drink @ The Cutting Room
Check out @ The Elektra on 290 Third Avenue, Whitney’s apartment interior
Also @ 325 Fifth Avenue, Whitney’s apartment exterior
And then @ Gramercy by Starck on 340 East 23rd Street, Erin’s apartment interior

Upper East Side
Think Sex and the City. Think Gossip Girl. Think feckless Olivia and her leech of a cousin, Nevan. Enough said.

Shop @ Bergdorf Goodman, and while you’re at it, grab a quick bite there
Dine @ La Goulue, Philippe (natch)

Ok, personally, my favorite Manhattan haunts are in SoHo, Chinatown, Midtown and The Upper East Side. This is where I go:
SoHo

Shop @
- H&M on Broadway - cheap, trendy, what's not to like? There are 2 locations on Broadway, one near Dean & Deluca, the other near Old Navy
- Uniqlo on Broadway - the Japanese Gap
- MUJI on Broadway - lots of knick knacks to buy, with great clothes too
- Topshop on Broadway - it's a love affair!
- A.P.C. on Mercer St. - classic French basics
- Curve on Mercer St. - Isabel Marant, hello!

Dine @
- Thai Angel on Grand St. - Best Pad Thai, hands down
- Sunrise Mart on Broome St. - Japanese deli with the best french fries this side of town!
- Cafe Cafe on Broome St. - Paninis and freshly squeezed lemonade. Sigh!
- Bar 89 on Mercer St. - a plateful of nachos and hot sandwiches to share, a great pit stop to refuel in between shopping

Load up on supplies @
- Gourmet Garage on Broome St.
- Dean & Deluca on Broadway

Chinatown

Dine @
- Pings Seafood on Mott St. - Best dimsum place IMO
- Peking Duck House on Mott St. - for Peking Duck of course!
- Hop Kee on Mott St. - never tried but Sarj swears by it, will check it out soon!
- Pho Pasteur on Baxter St. - Vietnamese BBQ pork! The first thing I craved for as soon as my first trimester blues died down
- Chinatown Ice Cream Factory on Bayard St. - Red Mongo and Black Sesame ice cream anyone?

Load up on supplies @
- Mei Li Wah on Bayard St. - Freshly steamed/baked siopao, buy by the dozen! Freeze and enjoy when you feel like it!
- Some hole in the wall joint on Mott St., beside the chopsticks store - Taho!


Midtown

Shop @
- Bergdorf Goodman on 5th Ave. - the shoe section is divine!
- Saks Fifth Avenue - they have amazing sales! This is where I stock up on skin care supplies
- Sephora on 5th Ave. - a haven for beauty supplies!
- Zara on 5th Ave. - cheap, fast fashion, when they go on sale, they go on sale!
- H&M on 5th Ave. - cheaper, faster fashion! This is where all the tourists go though.

Dine @
- Five Guys Burgers on W 55th St. - Dear Hubby and I raved about this for the longest time, until I tried
- Burger Joint at Parker Meridien on W 57th St. - this one takes the cake!

Wherever you end up, you'll only spend no more than $12 for a burger, fries, and a drink!

Upper East Side

Shop @
- Barneys - Love love love Barneys! This is where I go for shoes and denims! I can spend hours here! Wait for the Purple Card sales if you want to save!

Kill time @
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th Ave at 82nd Street - You can spend a day here and still not cover all the galleries! Oh, and don't let that $20 suggested fee turn you away. While it is recommended that you donate that much, you are free to give any amount below $20 =) The Museum Shop has a great selection of books too!