We feel a bit remiss about not putting together some sort of New Year list. (Really, can you call yourself a publisher without one?) Today, we're making up for lost time and taking inventory of our neighborhood needs for 2013. The full list would normally run quite long but we're just jotting down some basic needs that shouldn't be too hard to fulfill. Let us know if you agree or if we missed any of the biggies.
1.
Zara (with Kids)Sure there's a Zara across from Bloomingdales but we can't figure out why the company hasn't stocked this location with a children's department. The Upper East Side is one of the most kid friendly neighborhoods in all of New York City. Even J. Crew opened a Crew Cuts in the northern part of Madison Avenue. Why not a Zara with a children's department ... and housewares while we are at it?
2.
Barry's BootcampSoal Cycle is so 2010. There's even an outpost in Scarsdale and you know what that means! All the hard bodies have migrated to Barry's Bootcamp, in Chelsea. It's unfortunate that this downtown health craze is so difficult to access. Up here, women are as serious about their workouts as they are about their private schools and you know what that means too. Come on Barry, can't you envision a line Escalades out front?
3.
HomegoodsHave you ever seen anyone throw $1000 into a trash can? We have! You don't need to linger at S. Feldman or Gracious Home to witness a time pressed house manager grabbing a garbage can that costs almost a grand. An Upper East Side Homegoods would be a welcome oasis for foodies, decorators and, yes, that black card holder.
4.
Michael White's, Ristorante MoriniFinding a good place to eat on a Saturday night on the Upper East Side is as difficult as getting your Co-Op board to sign off on renovation plans. We are keeping our fingers crossed about Michael White's Ristorante Morini, which planned to open in the space once occupied by Centolire, on Madison and 86th. Hopefully, the new restaurant is as good as Marea and getting the secret phone number to the inside reservationist won't be too hard.
5.
Iviva/ Lululemon for KidsLululemon may have taken the athletic category by storm but their kid's brand, Iviva, has been much more sheepish. We only found out about the Upper West Side "showroom" after our kids inquired about tot sizes while shopping at the parent store. Turns out that Iviva carries a great variety of merchandise specifically for dancers, gymnasts and ice skaters. They even co-braded with Disney's Shake it Up. (I know!) The East Side can definitely support this experimental concept store. Just one word of advice: Rebrand to look more like Lululemon. Kids, tweens and teens love the brand as much as their mom's and dad's and nobody can make sense of that Iviva logo.