post-call: wardrobe addition & new "it" cookie

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finished up my string of 1 in 3 calls and had time to go shopping.

latest wardrobe addition:

hayden-harnett helena wrap dress.

on a totally unrelated note, i'd like to introduce you to the new "it" cookie:

2 shortbread cookies sandwiching pistachio cream filling, dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with pistachio crumbs. i discovered the cookie during my sunday on-call, when the hospital cafeteria closed at an early 3pm and asked the cornell resident where i should go to get some food.

as far as cookies go, it's exceedingly de-licious.

saturday shopping

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there are quite a few stores i've been wanting to check out, but just have been too busy (or too lazy) to get to. here are the few i managed to get to today before i passed out from walking too much.

first stop: century 21 department store.

century 21 is the gargantuan of discount shopping department stores in the city. i've been wanting to see what it's all about...and was greatly disappointed. it has all the high-end label names...but the choice of merchandise is no better (if not worse) than loehmann's. also, the separate century 21 shoe store could not even match the breadth and volume of shoes at the DSW in union square. that being said, i did see some nice suiting at a reasonable price from rebecca taylor, but no sizes unfortunately. loehmann's vs century 21? i'll take loehmann's. (on a related note...the defunct virgin megastore space in union square is set to become my favourites of the discount stores--nordstrom's rack, spring 2010).


second stop: topshop.

the topshop in soho is the first store in the US. i've been to topshop before in europe, including UK, and everytime i go in, i wonder why i did. i just don't understand why it's so popular. the store in soho is huge, including a topman shop and a shoe salon. i was tempted to drop by because of the currently advertised sale of spring/summer merch. in terms of clothes, yeah sure, kate moss line...blah, blah, blah....but really, the clothing totally reminds me of overpriced forever 21. the shoe salon was meh. the only saving grace would be the costume jewelry (also overpriced), unless you choose something from the sale rack.

third stop: white house black market.

my sister-in-law introduced me to white house black market, which is popular in hawaii (and west coast). there's a single store in the city near union square. i have a few pieces from this reasonably-priced store. it has nice stuff for work in terms of dresses, skirts and sweaters. the store in the city is extremely small, and i didn't see anything that i liked from the spring/summer merch.

i also went to express (disappointing) and sephora (to pick up some needed philosophy products).

on the agenda tomorrow: more on-call.

on-call: continued.

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on-call tonight and coughing up a storm. it's fabulous. and it's not even 11pm.

planning on going to see harry potter finally tomorrow night. yip-pee.

and i just found out there is a theory sample sale starting on monday...a monday when i will be post-call and free in the afternoon to head down to the garment district. another yip-pee.

food shopping: trader joe's

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so tired with the prospect of call tomorrow and the "return of the cough" that i stayed in tonight.

earlier this week, i headed down to the only trader joe's in manhattan (union square), to buy groceries. why trader joe's, and not something closer? because trader joe's has good stuff (and is cheaper than the food emporium, which is just a block away from my apt).

some of the good stuff:

raspberry & vanilla cream bars. de-licious. (also bought mango & cream bars. those too are de-licious.)

mini stroopwafel, product of holland. not as good as the real deal (ie. eating fresh off the street in the hague...), but still pretty good.

pomegrante white tea. not bad.

of course, it all can't be good.

chorizo, egg & cheese crustless quiche. dis-gusting, peoples.
never, ever, buy this.

on-call request: ri-dic-ul-ous!

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3 am page:
"hi, can u take a look at a KUB film for me? i think this guy is constipated."

seriously??! 3 am, peoples, 3 am!

radiology: on-call

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just got back from a trip to TO to visit family, and BAM! on-call monday. needless to say i have been de-conditioned to on-call,...not having done call since November 16, 2008. it is a shock to my system. 2 am and just got home. not having a good night and now have the munchies. at least there is pre-call AND post-call at the hospital.

tomorrow night i have dinner to look forward to...restaurant week in the city (fixed prices), and plan to go out tomorrow (actually, now today) and wednesday night. summerlicious was also on this past week in TO. went to the Westin Harbour Castle restaurant -- "meh".

thursday i'm on-call again. and also sunday. not shaping up to be a good week at all.

more laters...

current obsessions: current/elliott & hayden-harnett

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current/elliott the legging jean.

hayden-harnett helena wrap dress in painterly.

food shopping: rice to riches

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a store that sells just rice pudding, really? can it be delicious?

the answer is yes, my friends. very delicious in fact. with flavours like 'coast to coast cheesecake' and 'coconut coma', rice to riches did not disappoint. great toppings can also be purchased for your rice pudding such as caramel vanilla sauce and chilled espresso with a touch of cocoa. perfectly packaged in a reusuable, pod-like container.

where to find it?

37 spring st
between mott and mulberry st
new york, ny
212.274.0008

thank me laters.

an end to the life of leisure

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peoples, my new york state medical license finally got issued...and tragically ends my life of leisure. it was fabulous while it lasted.

yesterday i did manage to head down to the garment district to check out the milly and tocca sample sale. not a great selection of milly clothing, but i did manage to find a great sage, floral chiffon dress from tocca. at $65, not bad. pics later.

upcoming sample sales:

stella mccartney july 14 &15, 125 w 18th st.

not sure if i can make this one...hours are so conflicting with work...

shopping: city gyms

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still haven't joined a gym yet in the city. have been meaning to since i got here, but just too lazy i guess. here are the contenders:

contender 1 -- equinox gym.

named "best gym in america" by fitness magazine. the equinox gym has a club at 54th & 2nd which is close, 6 blocks away (5 minute walk) and has an excellent class schedule. the hospital also has a corporate rate with equinox, monthly fee of $118 w/ no initiation fee.

contender 2 -- the sports club/la.

sports club/la has a club at 61st & 2nd, which is literally a 30 second walk from my apt. also has a good class schedule. the definite minus? no corporate rate, monthly fee ~$170. seriously.

there are other options in the city which are much cheaper (crunch, nysc, etc)...but not as close and not as nice.

the basic question is this:

is it worth it pay an extra $50/month to be able to roll out of bed and into the gym?

favourites: bcbg

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so my medical license from new york state still hasn't been issued yet, so i haven't been to "work" yet. today i took a vacation day, and i'm dearly hoping that my license will be issued tomorrow so that i won't have to take another vacation day (or alternatively extend my fellowship).

today, i had to head downtown to the time warner cable office to transfer cable and internet services from the previous fellow to myself. since i was down in the area, i walked to the chelsea loehmann's to browse for awhile. i ended up walking away with a white w/ blue embroidery summer dress from bcbg (discounted, of course). for canadians not familiar with loehmann's, think winners, but more high-end labels. decided to walk back uptown via 5th avenue and passed by the bcbg flagship store @ 40th st, which of course i had to enter. i just couldn't pass on the high waisted mina tulip skirt in geranium:

bcbg mini tulip skirt. (was $138) now 30% off at $96.60

sorry, no pics of the bcbg dress...lack of camera at the moment.

tomorrow clothingline's tocca and milly sample sale starts (july 7-9, 261 w 36th st). if i'm still not allowed to "work", then i might as well go check it out, no?

not a fan, but also this week, alexander wang spring collection sample sale july 9-11, 83 wooster st.

Arrival, including first purchase

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have been in the city for a week now and after being a vagabond for the first few days, i am finally settled in my apt.

as it is difficult to shop with a canadian credit card for fear of the exchange rate, shopping has been limited thus far until i start earning american dollars. however...

i have been looking for a strappy shoulder/crossbody wallet-type bag for awhile. truly, the ultimate strappy/wallet-type bag that i want is this:

chanel 2.55 reissue wallet on chain. $1,495

but since the pricetag is more than my rent, it's definitely not on the affordable list. alternatively, i recently perused the current hayden-harnett secret online sale (happening until july 8th). i have been eyeing the staci crossbody bag at h-h for awhile...and was quick to notice that it was now on sale for 50% off.

hayden-harnett staci crossbody, platinum tejus lizard purse. (was $258) now $128

will be awaiting its arrival this week.