Roberta visits the High Line

OK, with our bogo sales through the roof, I had to get out and see what the Real housewives of New York City were doing over in the meat packing district. I had my copy of the New York Post showing they were nearly all out in the Hamptons, so I went to check out the area they were visiting a few episodes ago.
Perhaps a couple of our housewives remember the area when, well, it was a real meat-packing district and the only decent food was at Florent. Now, he's gone but replaced by dozens of super trendy restaurants, there are hotels, watering holes where the Bentleys are lined up down the block on a nice weekend like tonight.

After visiting one of our magazine editors we went for dinner at Bagatelle, a french bistro in the heart of the meat-packing district on west 13th St. I had a lobster and macaroni dish that was amazing, the wines were great and it was a really good meal. It was still light out, so we went for a walk on the High Line.

This former railroad line was elevated to carry freight trains from the area of Pennsylvania Station all the way downtown. Before that, workers walked in front of the trains telling people to get out of the way. Modern trucks and the relocation of most of the shipping piers to the other side of the Hudson made this line fall into disuse, and it became a park.

And what a park it is! Filled with trendy tourists, my favorite venue- when I want to see what the brazilian hipsters are wearing, well they are on the high line. What do french woman have on their ears that they bought in Paris- you can see those styles too. Not to mention the great variety of our New York women, the clothes, jewelry, shoes, etc. are styled for the moment!

I had my little camera, my sketch pad and my nikon to make sure I got the shots I need. I brought my ace stagers and people spotters Joe and Thomas. Unfortunately, dogs aren't allowed up there so we lost the opportunity to attract NY hipsters- chickie has that 'cutest dog in the world face' that gets people to stop and say hi. Our trip was a success, the views are superb, the light on a mid-summer evening brings out the best in the old buildings and the crazy new ones. When you're up close to the Standard Hotel, you want to look at the windows as there have been sightings of nudity and "more" being shown to tourists strolling along as an extra only-in-NY attraction. The management now tells the guests to keep the curtains closed, but we all look anyway! Here are my High Line pics for you to see!

Over towards the river, there's the IAC building, which frankly didn't look like much when you are on the street, but from the High Line it's superb! From this wonderful vantage point, tourists and New Yorkers have a great second and third-story view that really can't be beat. It's a wonderful addition to our city and I thank the housewives for hanging out in the area with Jill wearing my bangle bracelets!
They've sold out in a couple of colors, but there are plenty more, and with our buy one, get one free summer sale going on, I am sure you'll find some baubles to tickle your fancy. Enjoy Independence Day  on sunday and celebrate our American freedoms. Ciao!

it's beginning to look a lot like "christmas"

Yes, that's the word. I think there's entirely too much of this "happy holidays" and "season's greetings" stuff going on! Who cares if Santa goes and stands on the steps of City Hall, after all, we have separation of church and state and all that! To me, it's still christmastime, and 'old Saint Nick' really is not a religious fellow to me at all, it's just an excuse to have some fun!

I think, what the season is really about is gift-giving and parties! It's all sales, festivities and fun activities, to help us enjoy the time of year where it is dark in the morning, dark at 4:00 in the afternoon and the weather is cold. This year, preparations for christmas have started long before the traditional black friday beginning to the holiday season. Trees are up, stores are decorated, and the Rockefeller Center tree will be lit in a week. They are working like crazy to get it ready, here's a sneak peek!

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Businesses take this all very seriously, after all, retailers depend on the holiday season for a big portion of their business, us included! If you take a look at robertachiarella.com, you'll see all kinds of promotions and discounts to help people acquire some great jewelry at more affordable prices. In these tough times, who wants to cut back on jewelry?

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So, we went through our list, checked it twice, and rolled back prices on over 100 items, taking $10 off here, $20 off there, to give customers some great bargains for gift giving! We'll also gift wrap your jewelry, and a big shipment of boxes and ribbons has been delivered to the studio. We've got a holiday "2 for 1" special, so if you buy 2 items, we'll buy you a christmas present from our special section. The new 'mi prima' bangle is selling quickly, people loved it when I first made this piece years ago, the re-introduced bracelet is available in three colors and is makes a beautiful gift!

If you're in town, make sure to check out the store windows, we walked past Saks the other day and the windows were covered over while the elves prepare another beautiful display, I think it'll be unveiled next week. So, even though I haven't even gotten ready for thanksgiving, the whole city is preparing for christmas! It's a good thing we're all going over to cousin Diane's house to enjoy the day with the whole family. By the time I get back, Santa will have taken up his seat on the sleigh and the christmas season will be in full force! Ciao.

Hug a Veteran today!

Awww, go ahead! On Veteran's day, there are parades, celebrations and memorial services, to honor and give thanks to the men and women who have served our country. I know a few veterans, and sincerely and honestly thank them for volunteering to be part of our military forces.

It's not an easy decision to join the army or navy, the commitment is intense, there is always the danger of going to war. But, some people find it in themselves to make the sacrifice and volunteer, and we are all thankful.

And of course, to celebrate veterans, New York City has a parade! It's one of our grandest parades, marching north on 5th Avenue past all the shops and St. Patricks cathedral. There are over 20,000 marchers, countless floats and bands, and it's a work day for many, so the city will be crowded. If you are in town, come on over, try to stand just north of St. Patricks, on the west side.

This will put you in the vicinity of Henri Bendel, so you can come in and check out the jewelry! We've got some cool new pieces, including Mi Prima bangle bracelet. This one is a faithful re-creation of one of my very first pieces and is brought back in some great colors. The originals were "bakelite" an early plastic, these are a newer, lighter plastic with a rich color and shine. The crystals are beautiful, and gigantic! If you've got a veteran who wears jewelry in your family, they would sure make a nice present. Ciao!

who's that lady?

It's a dreary day in New York City today, so I spent some time putting together press kits with samples of our hottest fall earrings to send to some magazines. Right now, I can't say which ones, but you will see for yourself in the upcoming weeks. Fashion editors who are familiar with my collection sometimes call or just come over, but we like to send out some gifts and samples once in a while. You never know when they need a particular style or color for a photo shoot or story, and I like to be prepared. Of course, there are some celebrities who have seen my jewelry and actually just bought it, and then, when they were photographed wearing it, sales went through the roof.

Sometimes, the stylist for a particular celebrity has an earring or bracelet in mind when they are working with their clients, so we'll get a call asking for a particular piece, and we are more than happy to send it over. Rachel Ray showed up in People this week, wearing my Goddess earrings along with a great outfit to show off her new "2 jeans sizes smaller" figure. InTouch has shown some of my rings, I love the caption that says "J. Lo hates to leave it home" shown with my Iceberg ring, which is on sale at robertachiarella.com for $58. I have some doubts it's my ring that she is wearing in the picture, she certainly could afford a diamond that size.

There are some real, honest-to-goodness famous people who shop for my jewelry and wear it in public. Wendy Williams has been on TV wearing some of my pieces, and Janice Huff, meteorologist at WNBC-TV here in New York can often be seen wearing some of my jewelry. We get both excited and exhausted when the request comes in for Deal or No Deal, as they need enough of the same item for all the models holding the cases. Luckily, we usually have enough in stock, or have enough time to frantically call the factory, in Rhode Island, to make some right away!

A great photo shoot came out in Vogue Patterns, people who sew were thrilled to see them re-issue some vintage patterns for dresses that Lucille Ball or Rita Hayworth might have worn back in the day. I love the way they presented this jewelry, the way they used my earrings on these women, it just looks so cool and well, vintage! This magazine really knows how to use photography and accessories to show you an elegant, expensive look.

We've got our own vintage thing going on right now, with the re-issue of Mi Prima bangle, which was one of the first items I ever made. Back in 1991 I found a Bakelite bracelet in an artesan gallery in Manhattan. While chatting with the owner, I learned there was a man who had some stock of bakelite from the 1940's, and I was able to buy it and make it into bracelets. If you need to know, Bakelite is the first plastic ever produced, having been invented by a chemist named Baekeland in 1909! Anyway, the original bangles were noticed by Womens Wear Daily in 1992 when they put my first collection in their magazine, and the rest, as they say, is history! Ciao.