After the hundreds of NYC recommendations I have made to customers and tourists in the store over the years, it's time to finally make a list for you of my New York City.

I discovered my first slimming mirror years ago during a stay at a very bougie hotel in Italy. It made my stay so much more pleasurable. And the voice in my head telling me it was not real was in Italian, so I couldn't understand it. Che cosa? Years later I bought a floor mirror for my bedroom that turned out to be very slimming. And once again I was transformed every morning to my 10lb slimmer self.

We just got back from a trip to Italy and in addition to my…. few purchases, I feel like I brought part of its essence home with me.

A few days ago I went into a neighborhood boutique and came across a great black sweatshirt with the word Freedom written on it in white letters. After trying it on I walked over to the cash register to purchase it and just as I was handing over my overtaxed credit card, I paused.

The succession of quiet evenings in the past months ( yes, New Yorker magazine, life and dating right now are like living in a [Jane Austen Novel][1] ) has made my mental chatter all the louder. So, after ordering yet something else that I absolutely didn’t know I needed online, I started to compile a list.

Ask a New Yorker for directions and they will stop whatever they are doing to give them to you. If on a train, multiple people will sometimes chime in to make sure that you get the best route.

It feels like every decade or so there comes a ‘where were you when ..’ moment. Now, historically those moments have often occurred from a tragedy but the most recent occurrence couldn’t be more different.

Our store gives me the opportunity to be in contact, albeit distanced, with such a variety of people. Not alone is that delightful and at times inspiring, recently it also given me insight into our collective conscience, especially that of New Yorkers.

I’m on vacation!! Although after months of having not worked during the quarantine, it doesn't feel as starkly different from my city life than when I would come here after months of 6-day work weeks.

The city entered Phase 2 last Monday. For OUTLETTE that meant that we were finally allowed to have customers in the store. I wanted to do a re-opening promotion where you would receive a certain percentage off your purchase for every pound that you put on during the quarantine.

A couple weeks ago my kids were leaving the apartment for the day. It was cool outside and as I had done a thousand times before I went through my checklist with them at the door. Sweatshirts, snacks, cash, Purell? But at that moment it struck me that this time was very different.

Now that there is real talk about reopening NYC in phases, beyond the uncertainties about safety, the economy and business my thoughts are going to another aspect of the picture.

Hi everyone!

Among the myriad of things that I miss from being in the store, chatting with our customers is the one that I miss the most. Now that the store is temporarily closed, I thought short (-er than this one) blog entries would be a great way for me to continue feeling connected to all of you and introduce new customers to the website. Yes, it would be a one sided chat, but according to Scott that’s my favorite kind.