Happy Macaron Day! Enjoy Free Sweets!

Credits: Julien Haler

It seems as if the macaron has replaced the cupcake as the baked good dujour. This is true, it has. So why not celebrate its deliciousness. Today is Macaron Day and throughout New York City, you can get your macaron on for free. Sponsored by François Payard Bakery and benefiting Cityharvest, the following participating bakeries are giving out free, yes FREE, macarons while supplies last. This is just a few of the participating bakeries:
Bisous, Ciao. Macarons, 101 Stanton Street (212) 260-3463, and 235 Bleecker Street (212)-675-6366
Bosie Tea Parlor, 10 Morton Street (212) 352-9900
Bakery at Time Warner Center, Ten Columbus Circle, Third Floor, (212) 823-9366
Bouchon Bakery at Rockefeller Center, One Rockefeller Plaza, (212) 782-3890
Butterfield Market, 1114 Lexington Avenue (212) 288-7800
Épicerie Boulud, 1900 Broadway, (212) 595-0303
Francois Payard Bakery, 1775 Broadway/3 Columbus Circle, (212) 956-1775
FP Patisserie, 1 W 59th St, (212) 759-1600
Macaron Café, 161 West 36th Street (212) 566-8300, 44 E. 59th Street (212)995-0888, and 750 Third Avenue (212)995-0888
Macaron Parlour, 111 St. Marks Place (347) 979-6023
Mad-Mac “The Authentic French Macarons” at Bernardaud, 499 Park Avenue at 59th Street, (973) 225-0930
Mille Feuille Bakery and Café, 552 Laguardia Pl (646) 626-6472
Todd English Food Hall at The Plaza Hotel, 1 W 59th St, (212) 986-9260
For the full list click link. So cancel the rest of the day and put that unlimited Metro card to use and Macaron hop. Come back here and tell the readers which are the best in town.

Oh Yes Its Ladies Night

Yup tomorrow is the day. Hump day. Get through it and the rest of the week flies by. What if there was a way to cap off the day to make the rest of the week that much sweeter. If you are a girl, above 21 and in a 500 mile radius of New York City (ok that's pushing it, but if you are near the concrete jungle) head to Piola in the East Village just off Union Square. So every Wednesday night after 8 PM, all ladies drink unlimited wine with the purchase of an entree. This is not one of those places with a menu that fits on a 3x5 note card, Piola has a pizza pie to fit everyone's tastes. If pizza is not what you are craving, but want to throw back a few glasses, do not fret, there are other great Italian entrees to enjoy. The food is great and incredibly reasonable. I dined with 5 people and everyone's bill including tax was 20 bucks. Oh and it probably would have been cheaper had my friends not been so generous. We went for my Birthday. It was the perfect environment for a girls night out. Large dining room, festive decor; flags lined the wall, but that is probably for this little soccer thing happening, The World Cup. Piola has locations all over the country and world with various specials each night of the week. For me Hump Day Happiness as I like to call it is the best deal. But the food and experience was so good, I am sure you will see me having a pie there on an average day.

Image via Laura Skwarek

Cross It Off The List

That list of books you are dying to read keeps growing and the time keeps slipping away to make your way through them. Then there is the cost, buying that many books could put you in the poor house. For some reason you do not use your public library. If this is the case you may just want to check out BookCrossing, a website that has books floating around the world for eager readers to pick up and relish. So the original intention of this site was to follow books on the journey their original owners let them travel on. The original owner registers the book where the site generates a unique code. After the book is branded with this code it is set free to find readers thirsting for a great read. Your book may just end up all the way up on the top of the Empire state building or in the Tuileries of Paris. Then BookCrossing evolved. Taking it into their own hands the members have started a community where trading of great fictions and tall tales is happening all the time. How this now works is you have a book on your list, you then search to see if someone on BookCrossing has it listed in their personal library. If it is not traveling around the world, or part of ones permanent collection you can send them a personal message to see if they are willing to do a trade. If so they can take a glance at your library to see if you posses one of their books they have been meaning to get to. Via mail, you send yours our and they send theirs; in the mail you receive one of those books that you have been craving to sink your teeth in. The system is purely based on honesty, but I have never had a bad experience with the site. All it cost you is postage. Do not forget to send it out Media Mail, it will save you bundles.
Image via BookCrossing

Beauty Blitzkreig

You walk into Sephora with the intentions of buying a lipgloss, and some how end up with eyeliner, shampoo, nail polish and a face mask.  For some reason you do not even have that forsaken lipgloss you went there for.  What if you could try and get these goodies for free?  You would be in beauty heaven.  Then I have a daily task for you.  1) Head to over to Beauty Blitz, your new bible for all things beauty related.  2) Click the Free Style Tab for your chance to win products and goodies from fragrance to foundation. 3) Repeat.  You have a chance to score some great products.  This month you can score Arcona Cranberry Gommage which will keep your mug shot glowing through the holiday season.  I know what you are thinking, I am never going to win, but that is a lie.  I know for a fact that you can win, multiple times.  So when your friends ask why your wig looks fab, and your complexion looks like a cover girls, refer them to your new favorite website.  

Spin into Shape

So I do not have the coordination to try spinning. I shy away from the upbeat music that pumps out of the studio at my gym while I try to find my zen in the adjacent yoga class. However, this does not mean you should not hop on and spin like you are Lance Armstrong. Opening this Friday on New York City's Upper East Side, SoulCycle is celebrating by giving you the opportunity if trying this sport out for free. From the die hards, I know this class will give you the bang for your buck (ok I know your not paying, but you know what I mean). It melts calories off, up to 600, but that does not mean go get a big mac to supplement. You come out toned. Say hello to your Beyonce thighs. And last but not least, invigorated from all the endorphins your body releases from exercising. This amazing steal starts Friday. Call (212) 639-1300 and book a class for the following days Friday, Sept. 25 at 1PM & 6PM, Saturday Sept. 26 at 5PM, and Sunday, Sept. 27 at 5PM. Then when your done, make sure to wear your short skirt that evening. You have to show off what you worked so hard at.

Fashion's Night to Save

So I am sure you have heard about Fashion Night Out occurring this September 10th; the big push to save the fashion industry, by enticing us to spend our hard earned money. While the stores engourage you to come shop til you drop (or until the clock strikes 11) they are going to lure you in with some deals and steals. Thanks to New York Magazine, they have sorted through all the events to see where you can get the most bang for your buck. Well maybe you can keep your wallet in your new purse because a ton of places will be throwing things at you for free. Take a look at their extensive list to see what hot spots you want to hit. Head over the Barney's grab a drink and meet the cutting edge designers from Isabel Toledo to Alexander Wang. Hungry? Head to Unis in Lolita for a delicious Thai dinner as you browse their latest collection. After all that eating and drinking head over to C.O. Bigelow for a free tube of Mentha Lip Shine to soothe your pucker. These are just some of the goodies you can get as you peruse the special offers being thrown around for FNO.

Freebies

So for those who have not gotten to enjoy the custard from Shake Shack since you live on the left coast, head over to Old School Frozen Custard in Seattle tomorrow for a free cone from 10 AM to 3 PM. This is a perfect way to cool off from a late, warm spring day. Like it so much, don a wig and head back for seconds. I won't tell.


1316 E. Pike St.
Seattle, WA 98122
(near the intersection of E. Pike St. and E. Madison St.)

Sunday - Thursday: 12pm - 10:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 12pm - 11:00pm

206-324-2586

I Ride My Free Bicycle

You may not be as daring to run with NYC traffic, Kelly Bensimon style, but you have always wanted to try biking the city streets, like a fabulous European. Well if you live in a true New York City apartment, you barely have enough room for your shoes, let alone a bike. However, starting May 13, you can rent a bike in the Fidi (Financial District for you out-of-towners) free of charge. For two and a half hours you can bike around Battery City Park, race from river to river, or pretend your back in your youth enjoying your free summer. Starting May 12 you can reserve your bike on the Downtown Alliance website. Skip the cab, and get on a bike. See the city from a new perspective. The environment and your lungs will thank you.

Practice What You Preach

This past weekend, I truly lived my life on a budget. I hit up a sample sale and tried to get some free frozen yogurt. So Saturday started out with me hitting up the Matt Bernson sample sale in Tribeca. I have been to countless sample sales, but never made an actual purchase. But yesterday I ripped that band aid off and got a killer pair of gladiators, for an incredible deal. So I picked up the Nour III for only $40; they retail in stores for $169. Talk about a deal. I even contemplated buying the Steve Madden knock offs. Best decision was not to. I got these bad boys for less than what the copies retail for. Did I mention they are incredibly comfortable? Well they are. On a fashion high, I pranced around the city for the rest of the day. So I know you are totally jealous of my fabulous fashion find, but the Shoe Box, are offering a deal. Its not as great as mine, but its 15% off when you enter code "Spring09." Shipping is also free.
So as I pranced around, I headed up to Union Square from Tribeca to refresh my pallet with some free frozen yogurt at Red Mango. Remember, I told you about it earlier this week with a post. So I get to the Union Square location at 3:15 and get on line to fill up on some free yummies. Then an employee comes out and cuts the line off. WHAT?! His explanation is that the line takes about 45 minutes to get through and that by the time the people in front will get up to the front it will be 4, the time when the promotion ends. What I specifically choose Union Square to continue prancing because Red Mango was located there. Then I get on line and I can't even enjoy my free yogurt. I have never been to Red Mango, and may never get to try it. This was my perfect opportunity to see if Red Mango was going to replace my The Lite Choice obsession. They should have cut the line off at 4, not when the person on line reaches the front at 4. I was mad, then I cooled off. Did a little aspirational shopping, hit up the farmers market. All in all I had a fabulous, budget friendly day yesterday.