Grab Your New Adidas Shoes

Posted on by harryhopbot

Now is definitely the time to run to the Adidas Originals Soho store, as they are concluding their 10th anniversary with an amazing celebration. They’ve already had amazing appearances there by Jeremy Scott and A$AP Rocky and now they are about to have a limited edition set up kicks that will rock the fashion world.

Originals will be releasing 150 of each of six colorway shoes. The silhouette is a classic Rivalry Lo one and each colorway will include snakeskin stripes and snakeskin on the heel and the toe box. The NY Rivarly will, therefore, only offer a total of 900 shoes, with each pair sold for $130.00. Certainly, the Originals Soho store will also have other apparel for the mobs that don’t quite get the first 900 pair of shoes!

They’ll be coming to the adidas Originals SoHo store on 136 Wooster Street on September 21. Get ready!

Alicia Keys Presents New Children’s App

Posted on by harryhopbot

If you were lucky enough to be hanging out at the Apple Soho store this week, you just might have caught a glimpse of Alicia Keys. She was there to unveil her new children’s App for iOS called “The Journal of Mama Mae and LeeLee.” Created together with AK Worldwide and Bento Box Interactive, this immersive storytelling app focuses on the touching story of Key’s relationship with her Nana.

First debuted on October 25th, the app can be downloaded for iPad, iPhone and iTouch users at the Apple App Store. As described on the website for the app, “the app encourages exploration through music, journaling, rewards and more. Underscored by Alicia Keys’ original music and inspired by Keys’ own relationship with her Nana, the app tells the story of a relationship between a young girl (LeeLee) in New York City and her wise grandmother (Mama Mae).”

Saying Goodbye To An Area Icon Thanks to Sandy

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Boom, located at 152 Spring Street, is going out of business. And with it will be a little piece of Soho history. Unfortunately, Boom isn’t alone in the Sandy aftermath that has left us all reeling with water, debt and debris; but they have certainly been one of the hardest hit in the area.

Boom had a flooded basement kitchen as a result of Hurricane Sandy, and over $100,000 worth of damage. They are closing for other, perhaps more disturbing, reasons which include their inability to keep up with the $150,000 a month rent. Certainly, Boom symbolized the changes in Soho when it started twenty years ago, moving from an industrial district to a hype place to eat, enjoy and be seen.

As former Boom partner Rocco Ancarola told the Post, “The rents are just ridiculous. It has become really hard for smaller restaurants and shops to survive when big luxury brands want flagships in Soho, the Chanels and Louis Vuittons of the world, even though there are never people in those stores. It’s just too costly to fix things up from the hurricane and fight the high rents.”

Goodbye Boom. We certainly hope it’s not goodbye to the boom in economy we’ve seen in the Soho area as well.

Utica Presents Local Artists’ Works Including Those with Cerebral Palsy

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On display in downtown Utica, New York recently were the works of several artists from the Upstate Cerebral Palsy Artistic Realization Technologies Program. These artists’ works joined in with paintings from the Downtown Utica Development Association’s Project U Art in Windows. This special project showcases the work of local artist which is then displayed in the windows of shops in Utica’s downtown locale hoping to promote both the downtown area and the area’s artists.

More specifically, the Upstate Cerebral Palsy Artistic Realization Technologies Program supports artists who create their works using the latest in laser technology.

“There are so many ways that they’re benefiting from it,” said Melinda Karastury, studio assistant with the program. “They get to express themselves creatively. Also, there’s an evolution of process. They start with just exploring paint colors, then paint brushes and textures. Over time, they get to incorporate it all into their paintings.”

One couple from New Hartford, Dyte and Steven Giuffrida were also present at the gathering of the artists on the corner of Genesee and Devereux streets. Along with them was their daughter and artist Stephanie, who, according to her parents, has benefited greatly from this program.

“She absolutely loves it,” Dyte said. “She really feels like she can do something on her own. I think it’s very good for her self-esteem, which in turn, makes us very happy.”

SoHo’s Boutiques

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Sarah Easley and Beth Buccini have been best friends since the day they met in the University of Virginia’s freshman dorms. They are also fabulous at choosing designer accessories and clothing for their store located in Soho.  Kirna Zabete – as it is called – originates from the pair’s college nicknames: Kirna for Easley and Zabete for Buccini.  Kirna Zabete offers apparel and more from famous brands such as Givenchy, Stella McCartney, Jason Wu and more.  Thus, fittingly emblazoned on their window is the phrase, “So many designers, so little time.” What is important to Easley is taking what she terms as “fashion risks.” She would rather see her models wear too many bracelets, or mix styles that might quite not match rather than go down the dull route.  As she said, “bad taste is better than no taste.”

But now – as part of The Shops at Target program – a limited edition of Kirna Zabete will be available in local Target stores. It brings a few affordable collections co-created by high end boutiques and Target to its stores.  Other boutiques participating in the program include: Odin, The Curiosity Shoppe and Patch NYC. Kirna Zabete is thus offering close to 100 pieces in its fun, flirty collection, replete with cool mixes of styles, patterns and more offering at local Target stores. As well the collection comprises signature colors of pink, red and teal, and boldly-colored graphic dresses and coats.  The line’s seal is a puckered-lipped kiss.

And that is how the general style of the boutique is, as it seeks to reflect clients’ different moods vis-à-vis how they want to dress each day. It seeks to mix a variety of prints, patterns and colors, “throwing all fashion rules out the window.”

More Color to Come

But Kirna Zabete isn’t the only color array to come to SoHo.  Piperlime – Gap’s online-only fashion boutique – is set to open its first actual store next week in the area too. Measuring 4,000 sq. ft, the store aims to create the same feeling of actually walking into its Piperlime.com virtual counterpart.  The store’s “Color Clashing” trend seems to be right in line with what Kirna Zabete is trying to accomplish.  There will be clothing and accessories, with 800+ items ranging in price from $49 to $600.

The reason for this move is that Gap saw that Piperlime is its fastest-growing online property. While it doesn’t have its own label, it has been seen that a 3D version is vital to ensure a real relationship is created.  Customers will also be given an opportunity to discover new names in a boutique-style environment as opposed to through the computer. A variety of jeans come in colors ranging from classic indigo to snakeskin, floral tapestry and everything in between, spanning 15 brands. And of course, it’s much easier to try stuff on in the store’s four large fitting rooms complete with three-way mirrors than on line!

So for those who love color, fashion and are avid-fans of breaking rules, SoHo seems to be the place to be.

5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche at the SoHo Playhouse

Posted on by harryhopbot

photo by Dixie Sheridan
photo by Dixie Sheridan
If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet – it’s high time that you do! The new Colony’s award-winning 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche began previews at the SoHo Playhouse on October 13th and will then officially open tomorrow night! The play played an extended run at the New York International Fringe Festive Encore Series.

Written by Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood, with contributions from Mary Hollis Inboden, Megan Johns, Thea Lux, Beth Stelling and Maari Suorsa, the show was directed by Sara Gitenstein.

As the SoHo Playhouse, Inc. artistic director Darren Lee Cole said, “We are extremely excited to announce the addition of 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche which will make our fall season complete! New York’s theatrical elite hoped this show would never see the light of day but after the amazing response it received at the Fringe they had no luck trying to stick their finger in the dyke.”

The cast includes Caitlin Chuckta, Rachel Farmer, Megan Johns, Thea Lux and Maari Suorsa. And, according to press notes, it “takes us to 1956 where the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein are having their annual quiche breakfast. Will they be able to keep their cool when Communists threaten their idyllic town?”

The show will run until early November on Saturday nights at 10 pm and on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:30 pm.

Chobani Yogurt Store Coming to SoHo

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Swing by the corner of Prince and West Broadway when you get a chance to check out the new non-frozen-yogurt shop from Chobani. The idea behind this shop is to enjoy Greek yogurt with customized toppings.

They plan to fly in authentic Greek yogurt and to offer customers toppings like coconut, pineapple, Turkish pistachios, dark chocolate chunks and more. Each of the dishes will be served cold, but not frozen.

According to TheRealDeal.com, “The Wall Street Journal reported that Chobani has signed a lease to pay $375,000 per year for a 525-square-foot space at 150 Prince Street, where it plans a fast-food style yogurt bar with Mediterranean-inspired mix-ins…Soho boosters questioned whether the yogurt brand belongs among the upscale fashion brands that have proliferated in the neighborhood, the Journal said. But between the growth of frozen yogurt shops and Dannon’s recent opening of a store in the city, it appears fitting that the trend infiltrates one of the city’s trendiest shopping strips.”

It certainly sounds new…different…interesting. We’re not sure it will take off with the New York crowd, but it’s worth checking it out at least once!

Christie Brinkley Honored by SOFO Goes SOHO

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The 23rd annual summer benefit, SOFO Goes SOHO took place last weekend to raise money for the support of the East End’s museum. This year, the event honored Christie Brinkley for her activities with the environment.

The evening included cocktails and hors d’oevures, a great DJ set by Nick Cohen and Alexandra Richards (daughter of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards), and mingling with friends.

The South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center were chartered by the New York State Department of Education in 1989. It is the only state-of-the-art natural history museum on the Southern Fork of Long Island and is a privately funded nonprofit that relies on the support of donors and fundraising events.

SoHo Apple Store Concert

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Since June is Black Music Month, Apple’s stores have decided to celebrate with a series of live performances across the country. The Apple Store SoHo location was privy to its performance last night.  At 7 pm Apollo The Great, Freeway and Sean Price played. For those who didn’t catch the performance, there will be two more in the month at the SoHo location.

On June 18th, Ryan Shaw will be playing there and on June 19th, Beanie Sigel will be the entertainment. Other store locations have awesome entertainment as well, with Ziggy Marley appearing at the Upper West Side store on June 18th, and Big K.R.I.T. at the West 14th Street location soon as well.

Learn more about these Apple events and celebrate Black Music Month the right way.

Piperlime Turns to Brick and Mortar Location

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For the first time, the e-commerce site owned by San Francisco-based Gap Inc. will be opening an actual brick and mortar location. Piperlime, which until now has only been online, will soon be available at 121 Wooster Street this coming fall. Selling over 500 brands from Citizens of Humanity and Frye to Milly, Piperlime now plans to make its first real shop in SoHo.

As Jennifer Gosselin, senior vice president and general manager of Piperlime, said, “The neighborhood has great foot-traffic and is a shopping destination for our target customer. The character of [SoHo] is also a great fit for our boutique approach.”

While many would assume that Piperlime would have ended up on the Broadway strip, alongside other Bap brands Old Navy and Banana Republic, they chose Wooster Street for its individuality. As Chris Owles, the Sinvin Real Estate broker who helped with the deal said, “The location allows them to differentiate this product from all their others, which are more mainstream. It’s a tight market down here, and this was probably one of the few that really gave them the proper location and the image they require.”

Piperlime joins other online-only retailers who are surfing for brick and mortar space. Amazon is apparently also looking around for space, and eBay and Warby Parker have been toying with the idea as well.