The Unemployment Scene

Leave it to NYC to have unemployment scene.

While more and more New Yorkers are losing their jobs, a growing number of unemployed people are gathering during the day for networking, socializing, enjoyment and using WiFi at Starbucks.

But shouldn't these jobless folks be at home, slaving away on their laptops scanning the job boards and making phone calls, only to be told the company doesn't accept calls in regards to jobs? "Emails only, please."

Apparently not. New Yorkers are taking a more fresh and proactive approach to landing their next position. They are hunting in the concrete jungle.

Is it easier to find a job while you're out on the scene meeting potential connections and employers, rather than sitting solo in your apartment on CareerBuilder.com? According to this New York Magazine article, that's what most unemployed people are doing to find their next paycheck.

The unemployed are a quiet army taking over the city. We're everywhere. Making copies of resumes in Kinkos, at the movies at 3PM, running in central park on a week day, hanging out in book stores for hours. Many of my employed friends tell me their jealous of my life right now. They sit all day in an office while I make my own schedule and have unlimited vacation time. (I always reassure them that they are better off.)

When I'm out in the city during the day and see people not dressed for work, I wonder what their stories are. Laid off? Company closed? Quit? Fired? Student? Tourist?

If you listen closely, so many people around the city are talking about how they have lost their jobs. They are exchanging information, swapping contacts, giving each other tips. Everyone is their own PR person, their own head hunter, their own agent - pushing themselves on prospective networks back into the working world.

Are we the new hipsters? Traveling in packs and lounging in coffee houses instead of working. Or maybe the new socialites, partying every night and trying not to pay for anything.

Either way, I know I'm on the guest list.

Belle of the Ball

One of the things I envy most about the celebrity/socialite life is the fact that the women (and men) get to borrow phenomenal dresses and outfits for parties, TV appearances and other public events.

Oh sure, Mr. de la Renta, please send that dress over to my apartment by Thursday. Why yes, Mr. Lagerfeld, I would love to wear the frock tonight. And I can keep it? Oh, you're a darling!

HA! In my dreams.

So what is a recessionista to do when she has so many parties to attend, and she doesn't want to be a repeat offender?

She goes to Ilus. This Nolita store is your new Fairy Godmother. At Ilus, you can go into the boutique or shop online to "rent" a dress for whatever upcoming occasion you have - whether it be a ball or a bachelorette party. And you don't have to turn it back in by midnight - standard rental is for three days.

Rental fees vary depending on the frock, but it will cost less than actually purchasing that Herver Leger zip-up bondage number.

Ilus will even ship to Cinderellas who cannot make it into their store. And if you decide that you just cannot live without the dress, Ilus gives you the option to make it yours!

Bippidy, boppity, Badgley Mischka!

Moonwalking

There are TONS of Michael Jackson tribute parties going on in NYC. Put on a white sequin glove and attempt your best moonwalk. MJ would want us all to dance - don't matter if you're black or white.

NYC Sky Yesterday

Michael Jackson, Then and Now

Read this great story on Michael Jackson from a 1984 issue of TIME. At the time this was written, MJ was in the height of his career and it's amazing to read just how internationally huge he was and still is.

LoCo for CoCo

Have you noticed that the war of the frozen yogurt world is really benefiting consumers?

With the competition getting intense (Pinkberry, Red Mango, Mr. Berry, Berry Wild, Flurt, 16 Handles, MoJo, Yogurt Land.... need I keep going?), each yogurt house continues to create new flavors and creations to stay on top of the game.

Which translates to freebies for everyone!

Today, Pinkberry - quite possibly the original non-fat froyo chain - is giving away free small cups of their newest flavors: coconut and passion fruit!

Stop by any location from 5 - 9 PM to try out these tropical delights!

Secret Deals

If you wear MAC makeup and/or drink Starbucks coffee please continue reading.

I thought that most people knew about these "secrets," but the more I talk to people, the more I find out that not many know about these great deals.

I'll start with MAC. The cosmetics line has a program called Back 2 MAC, in which you bring in 6 MAC containers to either one of their stores or counters. If you bring your containers (empty or full) to a counter, you can receive any lipstick (except the Viva Glam line) or eye shadow for free. However, I prefer bringing my containers to a MAC store, because they will allow you choose from the above, plus any type of lipgloss, lipglass or slimshine lipstick, which is my new obsession. Think lipgloss meets lipstick = perfection.

I bet you can go in your cosmetics drawer and find 6 containers of MAC products that you don't wear. Get rid of that purple eyeshadow that you wore in 8th grade, and you're probably not going to wear brown lipstick ever again. (Please don't.)


Ok, now onto come coffee talk.

Starbucks continues to get more and more expensive - I swear it's starting to cost as much as my lunch. Which is why I save my cups and bring them back the next day for a coffee/tea refill. It costs only 55 cents!

You can't get any specialty drinks for this refill deal. So buy a latte one day, and the next switch it up for a plain coffee, which you can doctor up to your liking.

There you have it, darlings! More diva deals to come tomorrow!

Lost Without LOST

I just completed my first marathon. It was rigorous and took hours of dedication. I had to push myself to keep going when at times I thought I couldn't continue. This marathon tested my strength and showed me that when I put my mind to something I can accomplish anything, no matter how great the task.

Someone get me a gold medal, because I finally finished Seasons 1 through 5 of LOST.

It all started back in April, when my friend Nate told me he wouldn't speak to me anymore if I didn't at least watch the first few episodes of the series. Feeling left out of all the convos about the show between my friends, I decided to see what this crazy island was all about.

So on a cold rainy day, after job searching of course, I went to abc.com to enter the world of Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Sun, Jin, Hurley and the Others. I was skeptical going into it. What could be so riveting about strangers stranded on a bizarre island, with a bunch of loony characters and some underground stations? Isn't that what we're doing in New York City?

However, I was quickly proven wrong about five minutes into the pilot. Suddenly, I was hooked. And the most dangerous part, I had nothing but time and all 103 episodes at the click of my fingertips. I didn't have to wait a week for the next episode, or a summer for the upcoming season; it was all right there for my viewing pleasure. Talk about temptation.

I think that first day I finished eight episodes, which is roughly 336 minutes on the island. Winter was still lingering in NYC (as it always does), and I needed a tropical escape - without having to buy a ticket to Maui. LOST became my vacation, my drug and my life.

I completed the first three seasons in exactly three weeks. I'll let you do the math on that one. I felt like the crazy French woman, Danielle, who was cooped up in her tree house for 16 years by herself. I was cooped up in my apartment, alone, waiting for a prisoner (aka: friend) that I could capture and make watch the show with me. I wondered what kind of boobie traps I could set at my door...

I started having dreams that I was on the island, running from smokezilla and trying to get in the hatch. One night I woke up in a panic about the numbers...4 8 15 16 23 42... too afraid to look at my clock because I feared I would see the cursed numbers. I'm dead serious.

I found myself yelling at my laptop during my LOST binges. If I could just finish, then I could get back to life on this crazy island. Back to real life of job searching. The truth is, I felt more productive finishing each season than I did looking for a job. Because finding a job is about as easy as finding the island itself.

When I got to Season 5 (the last leg!), something horrible happened. It was a huge leg cramp in my marathon. Abc.com only had the last 7 episodes of the season. I didn't want to buy them on iTunes, so I thought that I had to wait until they were up on ABC. But, when a person is pushed hard enough, they find a way around challenges and leg cramps. Thanks to Bianca, I learned about Surfthechannel.com and found those lost 11 episodes of Season 5. I had to endure Japaneses subtitles and the frequent freezing and skipping, but I made it through so that I could finish triumphantly.

Now that I'm caught up with the rest of the world, I have to wait until next year to see what happens post hydrogen bomb explosion. What am I going to do without Saywer's nicknames and the creepiness of John Locke? I've left the island for a bit, and until I return in 2010, it's time to put that dedication of finishing the series into landing a job.

If only I could time travel back to when the market was as booming as that hydrogen bomb.

Small Budget Billionaires

I just can't get into self-help books. It's not that I'm embarrassed or ashamed of walking down that forbidden aisle in Border's, with the crying man and the girl who was just dumped by her boyfriend. There's nothing wrong with reading these kind of books, I just didn't buy into the movement. And shoot me, because I never read "The Secret."

But there is one book on the market - part self-help, part finance, part genius - that I'm thinking I need to invest in.

"10,000 Ways To Live Large On A Small Budget," is the new Secret. Instead of the power of positive thinking, this book flat how tells you how to score free drinks, find cheap airfare, and other insider tips on how to save cash.

My friend Amanda should have written this book, she has so many tricks on how to get things for free or get back money. One of my personal favorites is her vodka-soda scam. She orders a soda water with lime. Then "accidentally" bumps into a guy, who then feels bad for spilling her "drink" and buys her an actual vodka-soda. Works like a charm, according to Amanda.

The actual authors write a personal finance blog called Wise Bread. I just checked it out, and I'm finding it to be pretty entertaining with some good cost-saving tips.

It takes a little more time and effort to score deals on things, but it's worth it when you think of the money you're saving. As consumers we spend too much on just about everything - I learned this when I worked in fashion and saw the mark-up prices on the clothes. It's rewarding when you find a way to pay less for something that everyone else is paying ticket cost. And it feels damn good to beat the system.

Order your new Bible now. You're wasting money for every day that you don't read and practice it's teachings.

Time Out New York

During this recession, we've had to cut costs on luxuries and expenses on things that we really just don't need. Which is no fun.

Instead of subscribing to my favorite magazines, or even buying them from the stands, I usually take my friends' old issues when they are done. Because how many times can one read the same issue of Cosmopolitan?

Time out! Here's an offer for a free 2-year subscription to Time Out New York!

There's no catch, no gimmicks, no scam. Sounds too good to be true, but alas, fill out your information and sit patiently for your first issue!

A Whole New Swap Meet

You know what they say: one woman's 3-year-old Tory Burch tunic this another woman's this year's summer staple.

Oh, you haven't heard that? Well get used to it, honey. It's time you learn about "Swap Parties."

As I was watching Hoda and Kathie Lee this morning, they finally had a segment that interested me enough to look up from my usual morning (Internet) surf. Women in NYC are hosting parties to boost their wardrobe and ditch their unwanted items.

Think botox party or purse party, but instead of buying anything, you're trading in that DVF you never wear for an Alice + Olivia cocktail dress.

I've gone through the agony of selling my old clothes; the process is painful to watch and I hardly make enough profit to by myself a new outfit at H & M. But the Swap Party is idea is genius. Eye for an eye... or rather Choo for a Choo.

Here's how it works:

1. Gather around 10 items in your closet that you never wear/don't fit/etc.

2. Invite your most fashionable friends to come over and bring 10 unwanted items

3. Let the swapping begin!

It won't cost you a dime and you'll be filling up your closet with your "new" clothes! Recessionistas: ditch shopping for swapping.

Re-VITAL-ize

The stress of unemployment is growing among everyone. For us in the non-working world, we feel nervous and discouraged about how long it is taking to find a job. Even those still fortunate enough to have their jobs feel the pressure to work twice as hard just to earn half of what they should be making. Unemployment is the thousand-pound gorilla in the room that nobody wants to talk about. In Harry Potter speak, unemployment is "he who must not be named."

We just need to get away from it all. Go somewhere peaceful and restorative for our minds, bodies and souls. Unfortunately, taking a week-long paid vacation to Promises right now is not the best way to show your boss that you're serious about keeping your job. And taking a spa day at the Mandarin Oriental will cost you your life savings. So those options are out.

Thankfully for us whacked-out, high-strung, face-paced New Yorkers, VitalJuice has set up a three-day "Recessionista Wellness Retreat." Today through Saturday at the former Virgin store in Union Square, VitalJuice is offering fitness classes, spa treatments, health foods and more goodies. And did I mention everything is gratis? That's free if you didn't get it.

Click here for the work-out class schedule, all powered by Crunch fitness.

If you're still confused because this doesn't involve an excel sheet or a presentation, I've organized it for you in four easy steps:

Step 1- Burn some calories and release endorphins at Street Fighter or Hula Hoop pilates class

Step 2 - Get a relaxing massage

Step 3 - Sip on some herbal tea while you learn about nutrition

(Steps 1 - 3 can be repeated if necessary)

Step 4 - Walk out of the pop-up spa a rejuvenated person and try to forget the stresses of life for a day. Or at least a few hours.

Pizza Partay!

In New York, the land of pizza and bagels, almost every pizza joint claims to be "the best in the city."

I have many go-to places to grab a slice at 3AM or sit down for a thin-crust pie dinner. My favorite spot for a quick & cheap slice is Two Boots - any location.

Normally I find myself (with friends of course) at this pizza joint in the wee hours of the morning, after a night in the LES, to soak up the vodka sodas and beers we've consumed. But I promise these slices taste even better when you're sober.

And even more delicious when they're FREE.

To celebrate the opening of their midtown location (45th and 9th), Two Boots is giving away free pizza from 6 -8PM tonight.

Go on and see what eating pizza is like in the broad daylight without any booze in your system. You might actually enjoy it.

Tutti Frutti

I have always been sceptical of the fruit stands all over the city. I don't know, just something about buying fruit off a cart that's sitting next to piles of trash bags, bus stops, wandering crazy people, mailboxes - you get it. Just doesn't seem sanitary. But nonetheless, people are always lined up to pick out ripe strawberries and cherries.

Sarah always talks about her "fruit man" on 33rd and 2nd and how delish his fruit is. She's still alive and well, so I figured his peaches must check out OK.

I decided to stop by Sarah's fruit guy today since I was passing his cart on my way home. At first glance, everything looked good. No flies buzzing around, no rats gnawing on the oranges.

"2 for $1 apples!," fruit guy tell me.

That's a deal! I've been having a weird apple obsession lately, and spending all my money at the market on the forbidden fruit. Well no more. I am now a fruit cart customer!

Cheap and good. Can't beat that. Now if only I could find a decent coffee cart...

Free Kayaking in the Hudson

If Captain Sully can land an Airbus A320 (aka: huge plane) in the Hudson, the surely you can handle a kayak in the mellow river.

All summer long, free kayaking is offered at Pier 40, Pier 96 and 72nd Street at Henry Hudson Parkway. In case you never were a boyscout or went to summer camp, free lessons are offered at the Pier 96 location (@ W. 56th St.) from 5 - 7 PM. If you're doubting your kayaking skills, I suggest you take a free lesson - you seriously don't want to end up in that river.

Find all the deets here.

This could potentially be a great (inexpensive & original) date idea, as long as you can impress your lady with your rowing skills and keep the boat afloat. Just don't expect a badge, scout.

Saddle Up for Free Food

Rodeo Bar is raising the bar for bar food.

Say that five times fast. Ok, you're done.

Instead of the measly nuts and pretzel mixes found on some bars, this Murray Hill country-western drinking establishment is offering free nachos and wings during happy hour every night from 4 - 8PM (6-9PM on Sundays). All you have to do is order a drink, then load up on cheesy chips and messy wings. I hope napkins are free and unlimited.

Strap on your boots and spurs, put on that cowboy hat and boogie on down to Rodeo Bar, partner.

Pink Slip Party

A party for the unemployed tonight!!

http://www.freenyc.net/archives/2009/06/pink_slip_party.php

Isn't every night a party for the unemployed?

Ladies from the 80s

1985: The last thing I remember was Doc Brown putting us in DeLorean, and we were racing at a gnarly speed of 88 MPH, while Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was blasting on the radio.

"COWABUNGAAAAAA!!," my bodacious friend Sarah yelled as we sped into the future.

When we got out it was a rad new world. Where were we? We thought the future would have flying cars, but they were still planted on the ground.

We asked some studmuffins what year it was and they told us it was 2009 and that we were in line for a concert at the Canal Room.

"Wicked! A concert!! I wonder if it's Tiffany!!??" I asked.

"Take a chill pill, Annalise. This is 2009, we won't know the band."

Sarah had a point. We were dressed in head-to-toe neon, and completely stood out in the crowd of white button-down shirts.

We were scurrying for money, and worried that we wouldn't have enough. But luckily this concert cost only $8! Like, majorly cheap!

Once we got inside, it was like we were back in '85. The band on stage was dressed like us, and they were rocking to White Snake. We felt at home, and the entire night we danced front row just like we did when we were Journey's groupies.

Some other fresh homeboys must have time-traveled too, because Ice-Man and Maverick where there! Hotties!

Then the most bad (and by bad, I mean rad) thing happened. The totally hot bass player invited us to dance on stage with him! It was like, bitchin!

This awesome 80s band is called Rubix Kube and they play every Saturday night at Canal Room. Dudes and dudettes, if you ever wish to travel back in time to the 80s, this is for you. All you need is some neon, your dancing shoes and eight bucks. DeLorean optional. Psyche!

2009 is totally tubular!

FUNemployment

When I look back on the last six months of my "retirement," I sometimes feel guilty for all of the fun that I've been having. Trips to Miami and Los Angeles, theme parties, BBQs, visitors, and just basically whatever I feel like doing; life is good. Or is it?

It's not that I haven't been trying to find a job. I have. I do. I checked online this morning.

I constantly send my resume to several companies and apply for jobs that I may not even qualify for, in hopes that they will see how insanely talented I am, and hire me anyways. I scan all the job Web sites, contact friends, look through all of my collected business cards to see if someone can help me find work. I really am trying, opposed to what some outsiders may think.

The only thing that keeps me sane is this blog. I seriously feel like it's my job. I even made business cards for God's sake! Someday it will be my money-maker, but for now it's my full-time, non-paying position that I love. I'm my own boss. I make my own hours. I take lunch when I feel like it and my office even has a bed and a kitchen. Sometimes it's hard living in your office - forget the finance guys who stay at work until midnight; they have it easy. I never leave my office. Ever.

So in the meantime of unsuccessful job-searching and constant blogging, excuse me if I want to enjoy my free time and have a little fun. Being a single, twenty-something-year-old girl in NYC during the summer may just be the best thing in the world.

I'm not the only one excessively enjoying funemployment. People all over the country (and world for that matter) are using this time as a way to reflect on what they really want, and of course as a time to play. Just read this article from the LA Times.

However, unemployment is not a matter to be taken lightly - the U.S. is currently at a 9.4% - some families are facing harsh situations and losing their homes and everything they have worked hard for. I am lucky to be young and only taking care of myself. While I'm laying out in Central Park on a Monday afternoon, I cannot help but think of the families in dire need of an income. It's heart-wrenching.

Believe me, I would really like to have a job right now. Telling people I'm a self-employed blog author is just not going to cut it. I've only made about 30 cents from Google AdSense, which maybe could have bought me a Hershey's bar in 1955. Since I don't have a time machine, I'll be dropping those 3 dimes in my piggy bank for now.

I'm not going to get discouraged, because I know that I will find a new position. Things are going to get better for me and for everyone else in the non-working world.

Until then, excuse me for enjoying funemployment a little too much.

The Roots are on Fire

Craving a concert but strapped for cash? No worries my music-loving friends, there are solutions that don't involve waiting at Rockefeller Center at 6AM for the Today Show series or standing in enormous lines in hot Central Park for a summer concert.

It will cost you $10, but well worth it for not having to wake up at the crack of dawn or stand in line with hundreds of pushy tourists in the heat all day.

Highline Ballroom offers plenty of concerts that are incredibly cheap and, get this, indoors!

This week my friends and I went to The Roots show at Highline and had a blast! Good news for Roots fans: they play all the time at Highline. Their next show is June 16, which means you need to purchase your tickets ASAP - they will most likely be sold out by Saturday.

The band usually comes on around midnight, but the crowds gather early. We arrived around 11PM and the line was already down the block. Luckily for our fedora-wearing crew, Nate had a press pass so he and Colin got in early and held a nice space front and center. The lesson: if you don't have a friend in the media, get there early to secure a good spot - it's standing room only.

They put on a great show that the very mixed crowd could all jam to. Mos Def made an appearance along with a sultry women who sang a very slow and blues-y rendition of Flo Rida's "Right Round."

I just found this video of the concert - you can see our group on the bottom-left corner, rocking out, fedoras bouncing and bracelet-covered wrists waving in the air!

The Roots are on fire, but your wallet won't be burning up!

Crocs In Hot Demand!!

I'm not the only one in awe of the Hermès phenomenon. After reading my blog post about the crowded NYC store, my friend Casey sent me a link to this article about the current high demand of Crocodile Birkins. The French luxury brand is breeding it's own crocodiles in Australia to meet the needs of wanting customers.

So my investigation of the recession-proof Hermès store reaches farther than the Upper East Side.

Are people still investing in luxury goods, because in the long-run these items will still hold their value?

Maybe the shoppers all put their names on the infamous waiting list three years ago when the market was booming, and now will not wait any longer to own the coveted it-bag.

On a side note, my inside sources confirmed that the waiting list is bogus, even if you're not a celebrity or editor. In fact, one of my girlfriends recently purchased her very own Birkin (with her own hard earned money). Last I heard, she hasn't started carrying the bag because it seems too flashy during a recession. I applaud her for her compassion and humility. You earned that bag AC - don't be ashamed!

For those of us not in line at Hermès, read "Bringing Home the Birkin" by Michael Tonello. A perfect beach read, and the closest I'll be getting to a Birkin in the near (and probably far) future.

The DABA Girls

Last night I had the privilege of meeting some of Sarah's and my idols: the DABA Girls. In case you are one of the five people on this island who doesn't know who the DABA Girls are, I suggest you stop what you're doing and Google them.

Ok, now that we are all on the same page.

After months of religiously reading their hilarious blog and emailing back and forth, I met the DABA girls at the Soho Grand to chat about our blogs, and other important topics such as: dry shampoo, Spencer and Heidi, Minetta Tavern and a concept for a new reality show starring ourselves.

Of course the topic of dating and men came up. The first thing Megan asked me when we sat down: "You don't have a boyfriend, right?"

Me: "No!"

Megan: "Ok thank God!"

I liked her immediately.

We also established that the NYC version of the head cheerleader and the quarterback is the PR girl and the finance guy. I never did date the QB, but by Manhattan standards, I guess I'm the queen of the pom-poms, a few times over... as are many girls in NYC.

The DABA Girls (aka: Megan and Laney) are beautiful, smart, outgoing and outrageously funny. It was so refreshing to meet such talented and nice girls who are also down to earth.

Megan and Laney started their blog last fall when the market tanked, and their love lives followed suit. Since then they - along with other DABAs and DABITs - write about experiences with their finance boyfriends (FBFs). In January, The New York Times wrote an article about the DABA Girls and their blog exploded into international popularity.

They give dating advice, share stories, feature other DABA Girls and give week warning levels for picking up an FBF. (This week is Green!)

Their most recent tip for a Southern Belle dumped by her FBF:

"Lose five lbs, get your nails did and your hair did too. Buy yourself something that will make you feel like the hottest thang since Adriana Lima on the Victoria Secret runway."

Personally, I'd follow that advice, whether single, attached or somewhere in the shady grey area between. A quick makeover never hurt any DABA Girl.

Some women in NYC worship the fictitious Gossip Girls. I hate to break it to you honey, but you're never going to own as many headbands as Blair and there is no Chuck Bass in your life to fly to Paris and bring you macaroons. I think I'd rather take a clue from the real-life DABA Girls.

XOXO,
DABIT Girl

What Recession?

Although I still haven't found a job, it seems that some of NYC is over this whole recession thing, and getting back into the days of conspicuous consumption.

Yesterday I had to run an errand for my Mom at Hermès. Don't get any ideas, one of her bangles needed repairing; I wasn't going in for Birkin. However, that's not to say that one of the other 20 women at the counter weren't.

I couldn't get over how crowded the store was at 4PM on a Wednesday! It's not like people were just admiring Croc bags and printed scarfs - they were actually buying things. I had to wait 15 minutes before being helped because the counter was as busy as Essex on a Sunday.

That was my first clue that maybe things are picking up. But then I realized, that was the Upper East Side, which is probably the most recession-proof neighborhood in Manhattan. So I thought nothing of it. The women were probably buying leather instead of Croc, one scarf instead of seven.

I thought my evening was ending around midnight when I had washed my face, put on my pajamas and crawled in the sanctuary that is my bed. I was wrong.

At 11:45, I get a text from SGS: "You wanna go out? Free drinks all night."

Of course, I'm intrigued. But tonight was our night off, after the past three weeks of going out nearly every night.

I responded nonchalantly: "?"

SGS: "Chris and the banker boy toys have $1500 to drop."

Me: "Shut up. Ugh I just got in bed. I srsly cannot go out S. I'm supposed to be rehabbing it tonight."

SGS: "You're going to miss out on BBTs."

That I did. In further investigation this morning, I found out that the boys' had just finished their second year analyst program, so the bank gave them a very generous tab to celebrate. WHAT?! I thought banks were suffering, cutting unnecessary costs, saving money!

And SGS told me this morning: "We popped champers like it was New Year's!"

Well, obvi it wasn't New Year's. But maybe it is a new New York? And by new I mean the old New York.

Sell Your Ex-Jewelry

It turns out that Mr. Right Now just wasn't the one: you thought he could work but when you really looked closely, you saw that he's not your style.

Now you've burned every picture and memory of the two of you. De-friended him on Facebook. Erased him from your BlackBerry. Thrown out his old college t-shirt you slept in. He's out of your life, right?

Not quite, missy.

I know you're still holding on to that diamond bracelet he bought you for your one-year anniversary. Or how about those Tiffany earrings from last Christmas? Your jewelry box is still sparkling with memories of the ex.

In this recession, it's time to treat your ex-jewelry just like your ex-boyfriend. Get rid of it.

Now don't cry, darling. I know you think you're going to have a harder time parting with that Amethyst David Yurman ring that you did the man who gave it to you. But now is not the time to be sentimental. You have bills to pay, and Mr. Yurman won't be signing them.

Thankfully, you don't have to venture to a cheesy pawn shop to watch some pudgy gold-chain wearing, hairy-chested cigarette-smoking man named Alfonso handle your precious baubles.

OutOfYourLife.com is the chic way to sell your old and unwanted jewelry. It's safe and legitimate, and in no time you will have cold cash for your hot diamonds. Go to their Web site and request a free Break-Up Box, which is adorable and comes with everything you need to mail in (postage-paid) that Cartier watch.

Their parent company, Lippincott, automatically insures your items for 1/3 of it's appraised value or $500, whichever is less. Experienced evaluators will asses the value and promptly mail you a check. If you aren't satisfied with the amount, or maybe you two get back together and you need that ring back ASAP, you can request to have your items sent back free of charge. It's a win-win situation.

Like the ex, you got to try-out your bauble for a while. It was nice and perfect and first, then after time it lost it's luster and you realized you're just not an Emerald-cut kind of girl.

You're better-off without him. And better-off with the cash. So take your money and run, sister!

Museum Mile Fesitval

One of the best things about living in NYC is having access to all the amazing museums. And when you're unemployed with a lot of free time, visiting a one of these famous institutions is a productive way to pass time and culture yourself. However, the ticket costs can add up - especially when you add The Met to your list.

Don't fret museum lovers, because tonight is the Museum Mile Festival. From 6PM - 9PM, enjoy live music, entertainment, art, and most importantly: free access to all nine museums.

The no-car block party takes place on 5th Ave, between 82nd and 105th Streets. Museums include The Met, the Guggenheim, the Museum of the City of New York and the Smithsonian Institution National Design Museum.

I think it's time to take a break from the usual happy hour tonight and enrich your life with the beauty and inspiration that some world's finest museums have to offer. It's a much better deal.

The Cost of Journalism

As a self-employed journalist (and employed is to be taken lightly), I cannot ignore the sentencing of journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee in North Korea today.

Ling and Euna were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for crossing into North Korean territory.

The two journalists were arrested on March 17, as they were reporting on the trafficking of North Korean women.

My heart goes out to their families and I hope that the United States can bring them home soon.

Off to the Races!

Ladies and gentleman, put on your big hats, pearls, sundresses, seersucker suits, ties and suspenders. It's time for the Belmont Stakes.

Saturday was third Triple Crown race and my friends and myself did not miss an opportunity for theme dressing and going to an all-day outdoor party. It's kind of our thing.

A true recessionista, I used my mom's beach hat, which we adorned with a flower, feather and ribbon from the fabric store. It looked phenomenal. It was the Summer Bird of the Belmont Stakes.

We all met at my apartment that morning, and the entire day turned out to be one giant race of catching trains, keeping up with each other, back and forth to the betting stations, and making it back out that night for SGS's birthday. The Boozemont Stakes, maybe?

I set a timer at my apartment so that we wouldn't miss our desired train. And when the buzzer rang at 12:30PM, we were off! Let the races begin!

It was a scurry across 34th Street to Penn Station. We got separated from the guys, then couldn't find them inside the station. Hearts were racing, time was ticking, and we couldn't see a thing under our huge hats. Finally Nate called and said they were already at the tracks. Ok thanks guys, we almost missed the train waiting at the ticket booth.

So the girls raced down to track 18, where the engine was revving-up, people were running, and there were the boys - hailing us down at the door of the train. It was a scene straight out of the 1930's.

The cabin was packed with other Belmont goers, dressed in suits, hats and depression-era clothing. It was train ride back in time.

Once we arrived it was another race to find a prime spot to watch the horses and have a place to sit for when we were busy eating hotdogs and pretzels, and gathering info for the upcoming race. All throughout the day were the pre-races which the boys continued to bet on. And they also continued to lose.

However, that did not damper the excitement of the day. It was race after race, each time getting more intense in anticipation for the big one. Nate put it quite eloquently, "We were at a drinking-fest, when a horse race broke out."

As far as our race, we were neck and neck, with some falling back to take a rest from time to time, some stayed steady, others sprinted then crashed, but there was still no clear winner. Only time would tell.

Finally around 6:30PM, it was time for THE race. The boys had their money on Kentucky Derby winner, Mine that Bird. I had my money on the hotdog I was snacking on. (I'm not much of a gambler - I like to get something tangible for my money.) So I rooted for the boys' choice - maybe they would be in a good mood from their win and buy us some post-race celebratory drinks.

Everyone was standing on the benches, screaming, waving their betting papers in the air. Over 52,000 people wagered more than 9 million dollars on the track. Calvin Borel, jockey of Mine that Bird, thought he had it in the bag.

But suddenly, Summer Bird rallied wide into the stretch and raced vigorously with Mine that Bird and Charitable Man, and came out first! It was a surprise to all - and a disappointment to the guys.

We made it back to the trains in the mad rush that followed the race. After a 30 minute nap, we were back in the city and only had a few hours before we were scheduled to rally again. Almost all of us made it back out - the other two racers just couldn't keep up with the big studs.

SGS's birthday celebration was a race around the island of Manhattan. First to the Upper West Side's Empire Hotel, and then down to Happy Ending in the Lower East Side. One of our racers made it back uptown for a early-morning swim in the Central Park fountain, and then to some secret brownstone at an undisclosed location. Let's just say he got a little off-track.

Sixteen hours from the start of our festivities, the racers called it quits and retreated back to their respectable stables. I would say our Belmont Stakes' day proved to be a marathon - and we were all winners.

Work for Your Friends

In attempt to earn some weekend cash, I decided to try that whole poor-starving-struggling-artist-thing and try my hand at waitressing/cocktailing.

Thanks to Wendi, I didn't' have to scan Craig's List to find a quick gig. Last night, her public affairs company hosted a fundraiser for a certain New York State Senator, so Sarah and I helped out. It was our job to make sure the political monkeys were having a good time, aka: have a full beverage and a snack to munch on as they chatted about important state issues, such as our budget.

While Sarah was busy pouring Pino, I walked around with trays of sliders, shrimp and chicken skewers. I must have looked like a deer in headlights, because most people just stated at me rather than take hors d'oeuvres from my tray. I felt like Dan Humphrey when he served the Sedar dinner on "Gossip Girl" - all I needed was a vest and skinny black tie.

After everyone had a few glasses of wine, the senator gave a speech on the current budget and spoke on how he looks after the common man. The entire time Wendi and I watched Sarah as she fumed in the corner, about to explode in disagreement with Senator "X" and his vote for the MTA fare hike. Luckily she was able to contain herself.

Most people preferred to serve themselves from the food buffet, which made my job easy. Either that or they just really didn't want to take the roast beef bruscetta from me. I guess I won't be applying for a waitressing job any time soon.

Wendi organized a great fundraiser - and she made sure to have plenty of wine and food so by the end of the night we had a free dinner and a bottle of wine to take home, on top of a check.

Once again, the AoH comes to the rescue!

The War of the Donuts

I've never met anyone who doesn't like donuts. Frosting, glaze, sprinkles, cream filling - all delicious components of our favorite hollow treats.

I never stop for donuts because one sweet fluffy treat never seems to be enough, and I end up eating a days' worth of calories in about 20 minutes. But maybe today will be different.

In honor of National Donut Day, Dunkin' Donuts is giving away a free donut with purchase of any beverage. So you can dunk in your coffee or your Diet Coke - whatever floats your boat.

But the donut giveaway doesn't stop there. Always one-upping DD, Krispy Kreme is giving away donuts - no purchase necessary.

The good thing about this deal is that it promotes portion control - you only get one. I guess I can handle that. Or maybe I'll ask for a donut hole instead.

DVF Sample Sale

In case you don't already own enough wrap dresses and bold-patterned frocks, you might want to see what you can find in the DVF sample sale going on right now.

I've been to the last two sample sales and never really found anything that great. While the prices are much better than normal, how many bright yellow and turquoise leopard wrap dresses can one person have? I find that Diane's sample sales looks like a rainbow threw up all over the place. Too many colors. Too many patterns. Too many fabrics. And too many girls dying to find a diamond in the rough.

I think I'll sit this one out. But if you want to fight the crowds and get lost in a sea of technicolor, please let me know how it is.

The sale is located at the famous sample sale spot on 260 5th Ave. Today until 7PM; Friday 9AM - 5:30PM, Saturday 9AM - 3PM.

Maybe you'll see Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo working the dressing room. Or better yet, maybe you'll get picked to be the newest DVF PR girl and member of "The City."

Finagles

About a month ago, SGS and I were out in Murray Hill and looking for a place to grab a quick dinner. However, while walking down 3rd Ave, we noticed that everyone was out on the terraces drinking wine. We only made it 5 blocks before deciding that dinner wasn't necessary, so we went to The Hill and joined everyone else on the patio.

White wine, champagne and hummus makes for a very tasty and nutritious dinner, I promise.

Along with the bill, the waitress brought out survey cards. Normally, I never think twice about completing a survey. I'm either too full or too tired, and I just want to leave. However, this time was different. I think it was our liquid dinners that made us fill out the cards.

We must have given the place a 5-star rating, because two weeks ago we both received emails stating that we can each pick a night to have a free hour of drinks at The Hill. The name might be a little cheesy, and it's actually what I wanted to name the reality show that documents Wendi's and my life in NYC. But now it belongs to a Murray Hill bar/restaurant. You snooze, you lose.

Last night was "Sarah's Party," at The Hill, in which a bunch of us drank and no cost. We had to wear neon blue wrist bands to separate us from the commoners, which made me feel like I was at a college theme party. However, I could suck it up and wear the band when the theme of the night is one hour of free cocktails.

You can imagine how quickly everyone was sucking down their Melon-tinis and Bud Light. Nate and his friend from LA, Burg, thought our pink martinis were so pretty that they had try them. The dilemma: how do straight guys drink Cosmos while still holding on to their manliness? They chug them in 2 gulps. Good one, guys.

I guess you could say it was our version of a power-hour. So the moral of story? Fill out survey cards. You never know what reward you'll receive for giving a spot good ratings.

OneKid OneWorld & OneFabNight

After a three-week hiatus from NYC, I arrived late on Sunday night to the city, and didn't waste any time before getting back onto the scene. Sarah and I have officially declared June the "Birthday Bender Month," because of her upcoming 24th and all of the summer festivities happening in the city/the Hampton's. Obviously, we had to kick-off the first of the month in a true Birthday Bender fashion.

We headed to Soho House for the OneKid OneWorld fundraising event. This is a great organization that gives children in impoverished communities an education and a better quality of life. Since 2005, OneKid OneWorld has directly helped over 1,000 children, built 6 new classrooms, paid for hundreds of kids to go to school, and bought textbooks, bunk-beds, school supplies and fresh water for students in need.

We were able to see pictures and videos of some of the children that OneKid OneWorld has helped, and it was touching to hear their stories.

After the video was played Sherri Shepherd, hilarious talk show host of The View, walked past us and I couldn't help but tell her that I'm a fan. Sherri was so nice to us, and even took the time to ask our names and chat for a little bit. She was incredibly down to earth and so cool when we asked to get pictures with her. We had a good laugh about Kim Kardashian's booty-boosting moves on the show, and I gave Sherri one of my blog business cards in hopes that she reads the Red Carpet. Sherri, if you're reading this - you look fabulous!

After refilling our Prosecco, we spotted Mariska Hagirtay, best known for her role on Law and Order: SVU. Sarah was determined to meet Mariska, since Sarah once was an extra on the show. When she introduced herself to Mariska and told her they were on set together, the actress had a little glimmer of familiarity on her face - but maybe she was just being nice. Either way, props to Sarah.

With our new friend Andrew, with whom we share "common interests" we made our way to the silent auction table to see if we could give a little to get a little. Unfortunately, my budget doesn't allow me to purchase a Chanel planner, an African safari or a private cooking lesson with Bobby Flay.

But we did score the next best thing: dating advice from Mr. Flay himself.

We walked up to Bobby and Sarah started the throwdown. "Mr. Flay, I got dumped because I can't cook."

"No way, I don't believe you." Then Bobby turned to me for reassurance of Sarah's claim.

"Yes, Mr. Flay, it's the truth."

"That's ****ed up."

Bobby continued to tell us that we need to have five dishes that we can cook: two breakfasts, one brunch and two dinners. He recommended that Sarah buy The Joy of Cooking and that she also get a new boyfriend, or five for each of her meals. Done and done, Mr. Flay.

The party was wrapping up and we were starving, having been too busy chatting to eat the sliders and other yummy mini treats served at the party. Andrew took Sarah and I to Spice Market for a delicious seafood smorgasbord that would make The Little Mermaid cringe in her fins. Salmon tartare, crab dumplings, blackened shrimp and lobster were swimming in our bellies by the time we were walking back up 9th Avenue.

It's only the second day of June and the month has already proved epic, thanks to some hot topics discussed with Sherri Shepherd and to our very own throwdown with Bobby Flay.