CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK: BROWN COAT, BROWN SHOES, BROWN BAG

December 23, 2015 In Street Style

The L.I.S.A. Project NYC - mural in Nolita

The L.I.S.A. Project NYC – one of the MANY super cool murals in my fave NYC nabe, Nolita

Nolita – headed to brunch and enjoying the relatively quiet streets of lower Manhattan since the holidays have driven most people out of town!

Checking out the street art on Mott whilst waiting for a table for brunch across the street at Two Hands NYC (and clearly a little hangry)

Channeling my inner zen as I battle a serious bout of hanger 😀

Waiting for our table at Two Hands and staring in awe of the cool new bleeding hearts love wall (more like hideout!) by @GilfNYC

Waiting for our table at Two Hands and staring in awe of the cool new bleeding hearts love wall (more like hideout!) by J.Goldcrown

Off to do a little holiday shopping in Soho on a full and happy stomach!

Brown bag special: thanks Bloomie’s for the special insider deal on a sweet treat for the hubs!

Love this spot on Mott!

Quick chillout at the Nolitan Hotel to warm up my frozen bones in-between shopping and treats!

Quick pop-in at the Nolitan Hotel to chill out in their super cool lobby after some heavy-duty shopping and warm up my frozen bones!

Followed by a much-needed second cappuccino of the day from Gimme Coffee and a much deserved 😉 sweet treat from the Little Cupcake Bakeshop!

A little too happy about my cupcake and resting my tired feet 🙂

And that’s a wrap! Wrapping myself up in this blanket scarf and calling it a successful Sunday spending [on others] spree 🙂

I’m not a huge holiday celebrating-type, but the one thing I love about this festive season is the giving spirit! Especially after over-indulging in Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending sprees on myself, I love shedding some of the shopping shame and having an excuse to give back to family, friends and neighbors! After treating some of my favorite friends to the perfect Sunday brunch at Two Hands NYC, I battled some of the last-minute holiday shoppers in Soho to find that special someone the perfect seasonal surprise.

Let’s start with the hubs – the poor guy has only one coat and he’s from Australia where the weather’s always pleasant and the coffee is always on point! So he’s had a bit of a rough time adjusting to the East Coast chill (ahem – freeeeeeze!) and refuses to treat himself to much-needed winter wear… Here’s where I get to combine two of my favorite things: giving gifts and pranking people 🙂 I told him we had to spend Sunday in Soho shopping after brunch so I could get myself another coat (mind you, I had just purchased this gorgeous camel coat from Zara a few days earlier)! I told him to meet me on the lower level of Bloomie’s because I had to use the restroom, but when he came down, I surprised him with this super cool, military-style trench coat by one of his favorite brands, The Kooples! He couldn’t believe it and I joked that we could now officially match our winter outfits with these camel colored coats 🙂 Also, a very special shoutout to the lovely ladies at The Kooples counter who spread the holiday spirit and hooked me up with an insider discount!! <3

Before ending the day, I had to treat myself to a couple of my Nolita faves – Gimme Coffee and a trip to the Little Cupcake Bakeshop (which also happens to feature one of my favorite pieces of street art by Gilf NYC)! Next on my last-minute holiday to-do list? Clean out my closets and take some warm coats and sweaters to my local neighborhood church down the street for donation… Another great idea a friend of mine recently told me about that I’d love to try if I have enough time this week: fill old handbags you no longer want or use with feminine hygiene products (e.g. maxi pads, deodorant, cleansing wipes) and snacks – next time you see a homeless woman, give it to her.

Quick note on this Sunday’s NY Street Style for those lazy weekends where you want to look chic without putting in any effort… You can’t go wrong with my favorite uniform, which usually includes: a pair of Topshop washed black, ankle-length moto jeans (a favorite of the chicest Parisian style icon Emmanuelle Alt), a tee-shirt (either grey, white or striped), and a nice structured blazer pulled together with a dark brown or black leather belt with a hint of gold detail!

xoxo –pari–