This guest post comes from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor and blogger at Flyaway Cafe.

Although you’ll find C.O. Bigelow products sold in other stores, there’s nothing like visiting the original store in Greenwich Village.

Founded in 1838, C.O.Bigelow’s is the oldest continually operating apothecary-pharmacy in the country.  That’s 170 years!

C.O. Bigelow’s is located at 414 Avenue of the Americas (between 8th & 9th Street) in Greenwich Village.  It’s is accessible by subway (West 4th or Christopher stop) and the PATH (9th Street).

The store still fills prescriptions at the back of the store, but as you work you way back there you’ll pass through goodies galore.  There’s a focus on homeopathic products and remedies, along with hard-to-find and specialty cosmetic lines.  You can find something for your body here, whether that’s inside or out, and they have a great assortment of products perfect to pack for your travels.

Here is a sampling of what you’ll find:  hair and body products, shaving creams and accessories, fragrances, specialized toothpastes, baby care, and all sorts of wonderful accessories and gifts.  Bigelow’s also has their own product line, many made from recipes that are generations old.  Their Rose Salve (pictured above) is one of the store’s best selling items, and it’s touted as a remedy for everything from chapped lips to diaper rash.

You can find a sampling of their specialized products available for purchase online, and while that’s nice – it’s nothing like spending quality time milling about the store.

Photo credit:  C.O. Bigelow

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Every Sunday, hundreds of vendors pack the Bishop Loughlin High School parking lot to sell their wares.  Everything from vintage clothing to new silk screened t-shirts, antique furniture to arts and crafts is for sale.  Come hungry and nosh at one of the food vendor’s stations.

The flea market was the creation of Brownstoner blogger Jonathan Butler.  Butler is also the brainchild behind Clinton Hill’s annual Salvage Fest.

Brush up on your haggling skills and bring a few bags to carry off those bargains!

Location:  Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, 176 Lafayette Avenue (map)

Subway:  G to Clinton-Washington Ave

Hours:  Every Sunday, 10am-5pm

photo credit: flickr, flickr

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Previously, those wanting to buy a six-pack wine of glasses for $2.99 and “assembly required” furniture had to hike out to the IKEA in Elizabeth, New Jersey or Long Island.  The Brooklyn store opened with much fanfare and included a “log-cutting” ceremony (perhaps a Swedish equivalent of a ribbon-cutting) as hundreds of eager shoppers waited to descend on the store.    

Ikea’s arrival hasn’t been without its share of controversy.  The once frighteningly isolated waterfront neighborhood fought the behemoth’s arrival, successfully delaying the project for years.  And current community activists still worry about the further reaching impact of losing the area’s working waterfront.  

Stop by IKEA-Brooklyn for the shopping and stay for the fine Swedish cuisine which can be enjoyed while checking out the sweeping views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.   

Location: 1 Beard Street, Brooklyn (map) 718-246-IKEA

Getting There: 

• Subway: F, D, M, or R to 4th Avenue-9th Street station or 2, 3, 4, 5, M, or R train to Court Street-Borough Hall.  From the subway stations, take the free IKEA shuttle that runs every 15 minutes.
• Water Taxi: A free water taxi leaves Manahttan’s Pier 11 (map) and goes directly to IKEA-Brooklyn.  Check the online schedules for more information.  

Hours: Daily 10am-10pm

Photo credit: flickr

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

One of my favorite reasons to visit Jersey Gardens:  No sales tax on clothing and shoes!

A visit to Jersey Gardens is perfect if you have a long layover at Newark International Airport.  Jersey Gardens offers shuttle transportation from AirTrain Station P4 every half hour starting at 10am Monday-Saturday and 11am Sunday.  Passengers pay a $5.00 fee for the return trip to the airport.  The trip takes about 10 minutes.

Location:  651 Kapkowski Road, Elizabeth, NJ 07201 (map)

Getting There:  New Jersey Transit bus #111 and #115 from Port Authority Bus Terminal.  Also transportation from Newark International Airport AirTrain station (see information above).

Hours:  Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm.  Sunday 11am-7pm.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Greenmarkets don’t just sell produce anymore; they are truly a marketplace where local merchants sell directly to consumers.  Last week, in a quick trip through one of the largest and most popular markets, Union Square Greenmarket, I was surprised that a shopper can pick up an array of fresh fruits and vegetables, organic grass-fed meat, Vermont maple syrup, honey, organic dairy products, potted herbs and plants, cut flowers, and fresh baked goods. 

For optimal quality, farmers only sell items that are in season.  Early to mid-May is the perfect time to purchase peak asparagus, herbs, leeks, lettuce, morel mushrooms, parsnips, rhubarb, scallions, spinach, and spring garlic.  Chickens may lay their eggs year-round, but ducks, pheasants, wild turkeys, and geese only lay eggs in the spring so you’ll find those as well.       

Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to improving New York’s environment through waste prevention and recycling as well as promoting farmers market programs.  Click here for CENCY’s PDF list and map of greenmarkets in the five boroughs. 

Photo credit: personal collection

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Leggings   All of the major fashion mags may have said that leggings are out but there are still quite a few girls rocking this look on the street.  Remember, these are not to be work in place of pants, so always wear this look with a long shirt (one that covers your posterior!) or dress.  (Bonus points to the girl wearing the leggings in the above photo for pairing them with patent flats!) 

Converse   High-top or low-top, for men or women, in any color Converse are back and they are back BIG!  This retro favorite is worn by hipsters, rockers, and preps alike. 

Flats   Tory Burch flats may be all the rage in L.A. (and in some Upper East Side circles) but they are almost nowhere to be seen in downtown New York.  Instead, opt for metallic flats which are hot for spring.  Word is that we can look for patent to come back later this season.  Flats can be paired with just about anything, from skinny jeans (which are still being worn) to dresses with leggings.  

BONUS:   A Whole Foods Reusable Shopping Bag  Yeah, I thought this was a little strange as well… but at least one in five people had one of the new Whole Foods bags slung over their shoulder.  Of course, I was on Bowery, just a few blocks from the Bowery Whole Foods.

Photo credits (left to right): leggings, personal collection; Converse, personal collection; ballet flats, Flickr 

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

A few weeks ago a co-worker wanted a recommendation for a shopping mall in Manhattan.  I paused for a moment before thinking “Does Manhattan even have any shopping malls?”  It is a well-known fact that New Jersey has a plethora of malls and even Elmhurst, Queens has the Queens Center.  Then I remembered Manhattan Mall.

Manhattan Mall was once a gleaming gem in Midtown.  With escalators snaking through ten floors of stores, it gave every city kid an insight into the world of the suburbs.  Nothing was more “Americana” than working your after-school job at Gap and having lunch with friends at Hot Dog on a Stick.  I went there… once.  It was back in the mid-90s and while I was young and impressionable, and yet I still preferred the energy and ambiance of shopping on Fifth Avenue to the sterilized, glorified sanctuary of the mall.

Just a few weeks ago I was walking through Midtown and wondered what had become of Manhattan Mall; I decided to duck in and take a look.  While I was half-expecting it to have been purchased by Donald Trump, painted gold, and fully converted to condos, the reality was much more bleak– Manhattan Mall is a skeleton of what it once was.

The mall’s stores reflect the “tween” demographic that shop at the mall:  Wet Seal, Steve & Barry, Strawberry, Foot Locker, and Aeropostale are all pre-teen favorites.  Even the food court, once popular with office workers, is slowly closing and only four restaurants are still operating:  Charley’s Steakery, Desert Moon, Nathan’s Famous, Sarku Japan.  The top floors have been leased as office space and the DMV has moved in.  But all is not lost at Manhattan Mall, JC Penny is slated to open a store (making this their first Manhattan location) and the Starbucks hasn’t jumped ship… yet.    

If you miss your hometown shopping malls and absolutely must have a mall experience while in New York, go to The Shops at Columbus Circle or Queens Center in Elmhurst, Queens, and leave Manhattan Mall off your list.   

Location:  Manhattan Mall, Sixth Avenue & 33rd Street (map) 212-465-0600

Getting There:  N, Q, R, V, W to 34th Street-Herald Square; 1, 2, 3 to 34th Street-Penn Square; PATH to 33rd Street;

Hours: Sunday 11am-7pm; Monday through Friday 9am-9pm

Photo credit:  flickr, flickr

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

Pearl River Mart was founded by Chinese immigrants over thirty years ago and was branded the first Chinese-American department store.  It was popularized as a second-floor store on Canal Street in the heart of Chinatown.  My first trip to the original Pearl River Mart was very memorable.  There were plates and bowls stacked from the floor to the ceiling, boxes of shoes and clothing, and bolts of beautiful Chinese silk, in the corner, leaning against the wall.  Despite the store location and merchandising missteps, Pearl River was became a very popular shopping spot for New York City residents and visitors alike. 

A few years ago, Pearl River Mart decided to go “upscale” and moved to its new “Armani-Ex-esque” location in Soho.  The new location in Soho is everything the old one wasn’t:  trendy and organized.  During my first visit there a few years ago, I found it difficult to believe that it was the same merchandise!  I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself now that I didn’t have to dig through stacks of kimonos.  I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed; it didn’t feel like it was that good of a bargain anymore.  But time has softened me and I once again stop by Pearl River anytime I am in Soho with a few minutes to spare and always end up leaving with something. 

You don’t have to trek to Soho to visit the first Chinese-American department store.  Pearl River has a great website that sells everything from window shades to Chinese New Year decorations.    

Location:  477 Broadway, map, 212-431-4770

Subway:  R, W to Prince Street; 6 to Spring Street

Hours:  Daily from 10am-7:20pm (including weekends and holidays)

Bonus:  Pearl River Mart has a great collection of affordable New York City guidebooks and maps.

Photo credits from top to bottom:  Me shoe “shopping” outside of the original Pearl River Mart, personal collection; The new Pearl River Mart, personal collection.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

The fashionable Japanese clothing retailer opened its first store in the famous Harajuku district of Tokyo in 1998.  The retailer’s sales quickly took off and it now has over 700 stores in Japan as well as stores in South Korea, China, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, and the flagship store in Soho, New York. 

The Soho Uniqlo, which opened in late 2006, is a three-floor mecca for mens, womens, and childrens clothing.  Shoppers rejoice at the sight of tops and sweaters in every color of the rainbow, a huge wall of designer graphic tees, a reasonably priced cashmere collection, and high-quality denim in every cut to look good on every body type. 

The spring collection has arrived bringing with it an array of pastels as well as a nautical navy-and-white theme.  But, to make way for the new season’s collection, they have slashed prices on many items– I just picked up a charcoal pencil skirt for under $30!  

Next time you’re in Soho, drop by Uniqlo for stylish yet classic basics to add to your wardrobe at surprisingly affordable prices!   

Location:  Uniqlo, 546 Broadway, (map) 917-237-8811

Subway: R, W to Price; 6 to Spring; B, D, F, V to Broadway-Lafayette

Hours:  Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 11am-8pm

Know Before You Go:  Being a Japanese store, Uniqlo’s clothing carries Japanese sizing; larger sizes are limited. 

Photo credit: personal collection

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Post from: The New York City Traveler

In conjunction with the new “Want It!” campaign, beginning March 13, Saks will be celebrating spring with an all-out party at the flagship store.  Designers will be in-store, there will be trunk shows, as well as food and drink sampling.  Click here for a full list of Want It! in-store events. 

Saks Fifth Avenue will also offer a free double-decker bus shuttle from the Fifth Avenue store to several Upper East Side museums where the shopaholic tourists will receive free admission.  

Location:  Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Avenue, (map)                 212-753-4000

Subway:  E, V to Fifth Avenue-53rd Street; B, D, F, V to 47th-50th Street-Rockefeller Center

Dates:  Want It! in-store events March 13.  The free shuttle will run from March 13-15.

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Post from: The New York City Traveler