The Funky Apple | A New York City Blog

This Friday is an evening all NYC fashionistas look forward to – Fashion’s Night Out.  It is an international celebration of the start of NYC Fashion Week, so naturally, the vast majority of 950+ parties worldwide are in the Big Apple.  Stores all over the city will be staying open late, plying shoppers with champagne, food, and goodies.  There will be DJs, bands, celebrities, and designer appearances.  Many store are offering giveaways, and the people watching at FNO is always fantastic.

But with so many options, how do you decide where to go?  The Funky Apple has scoured the exhaustive official list and listened to the buzz, and we present you our first TFA Fashion’s Night Out Guide, complete with parties for every mood, and tips to make the most of the biggest fashion party of the year.

Read the rest of this entry »

A favorite of NYC bargain hunters and label hungry tourists alike, the Marc “Stuff” store in West Village has closed down.  No more one stop shopping for $10 totes and adorable $3 lipstick pens.

The store is reopening today as a Marc Jacobs Collection Accessories store, and this merchandise will have a slightly higher price point – around $1000 higher, actually.  But never fear – as Racked reports that the same type of Marc by MJ deals have been spotted scattered around other Marc stores around town.

Friend-of-the-site and all around great person Lisa Hermes has done more than her fair share to fight cancer (last year she raised over $1,000 for cancer research in the NYC Half-Marathon) and this year she’s back at it again. In addition to running in the NYC Marathon in November, Lisa will be drinking for a cure as well, and we’d all like it if you’d join her.

On September 16th, Lisa will be at Dempsey’s pub (61 2nd Ave- Google Map), where there will be all sorts of insane drink specials, including buy one-get-one deals on house cocktails, Harp, Yuengling, Coors Lite, and Dempsey’s Irish Ale, $12 pitchers, and $4 shots.

Proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society, so for once, we feel absolutely no shame in telling you to drink up; it’s for a good cause.

New month, new drunken LOLcat for your open bar guide

Friday:

Pulse Karaoke (135 W. 41st Street)

Free well drinks and beer, 6-7pm. No cover.

TFA Tip: This open bar is much more fun if you get the karaoke going – its only $1 a song in the main room!

Public House (140 E. 41st Street)

Free beer, house wine, and house mixed drinks from 10-11.  No cover.

TFA Tip: We’ve been to Public House’s open bars before, and they tend to offer a huge selection of free drinks, and sometimes will give you fancy top shelf flavored stuff if you ask nicely and tip well!

Read the rest of this entry »

Luxury skin treatments often seem rather extravagant and chock-full of fancy ingredients, but today’s facial treatment puts the rest to shame: Cosme Proud is offering a mini-facial today, using their line of products made with 24 karat gold!

Rubbing gold on your face may seem a bit silly at first blush, but the delightful Mitsuko, Cosme Proud’s rep at Limelight Marketplace (6th Avenue at 20th Street), will take you step by step, explaining the science behind the luxe ingredients, and choosing the best formulations for your skin type.

The mini-facial includes exfoliation with 24 gold flakes, which dissolve into your skin.  Of all the products, I think this one (pictured above) has to be my favorite – it doesn’t feel at all rough (like every other exfoliant I’ve encountered), but it really works.  A minute after massaging it in, dead skin seems to magically remove itself.  There was a noticeable improvement in the tone and texture of my skin afterwards. You really have to try it for yourself!

And today you can have a free mini facial with a $28 minimum purchase at Cosme Proud (located on the second floor of Limelight Marketplace). Appointments are preferable (212-559-3361), so head over and tell Mitsuko The Funky Apple sent you!

Tomorrow, Levi’s is promoting their new Curve ID jeans – with custom cuts for different body types – with their “Wear What Fits” event in Bryant Park (6th Avenue at West 41st St).  Starting at 10am, Levi’s will be exchanging your old pair of jeans (or other article of clothing) for a new pair of Curve ID jeans.  They will be donating all the exchanged clothing to Goodwill, so bring something in good, wearable quality.

If free, well-fitting jeans are not enough, there will also be a performance by the fashion-forward Janelle Monae, and the Today Show’s celebrity stylist Bobbie Thomas will be there dishing out tips.

The event starts at 10am, but these type of events often fill up quickly, and the free jeans are first come, first serve, so we recommend you get there early.  If you are just interested in the performance, Janelle Monae should be going on around 12:30 pm.

Tonight is your last chance to catch Bottlerocket’s “August Thursdays,” which have free wine tastings and cocktails, along with chocolate and – according to their website – celebrities.  The tasting runs from 6-8pm, and is located at 5 W. 19th Street.  No reservations required!