The Lo Down: 3/19/25

The new Red Room everyone is going to be talking about...

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Fashion

The Printemps store officially opens this Friday, and I stopped by for a first look during their soft opening over the weekend. To be honest, I walked in with some skepticism. Flashbacks of the failed 10 Corso Como in Seaport immediately came to mind, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that a department store downtown just didn’t make sense—history hasn’t been kind to concepts like Saks at Brookfield Place, Neiman Marcus at Hudson Yards, or Forty Five Ten. Even a recent visit to Luisaviaroma on Bond St left me uninspired, with a quiet sales floor and associates who didn’t seem particularly engaged or knowledgeable.

That being said, my perspective shifted after visiting. Unlike traditional department stores where each brand operates as a distinct, often disconnected, shop-in-shop, Printemps feels more curated and seamless. This approach aligns better with how modern consumers actually shop—less about rigid segmentation, more about a holistic experience.

The space itself is stunning, designed with meticulous attention to detail by French interior designer Laura Gonzalez. Every furniture piece and fixture is shoppable, reinforcing the concept that retail can be more than just racks of clothes. The "Red Room," a breathtaking former banking hall and an example of Art Deco opulence (one of a handful of landmarked interiors in the city!), serves as the shoe salon, adorned with intricate mosaics and a grandeur that’s rare in NYC retail spaces.

While the product selection is undoubtedly niche, Printemps doesn’t seem to be positioning itself purely as a shopping destination. The five food and beverage concepts—ranging from a raw bar to a champagne bar to fine dining—are curated by the team behind Crown Shy and Saga. A quarter of the merchandise will come from French brands not available elsewhere in NYC, which adds an element of exclusivity. They’re also introducing a vintage section, which I’m eager to see. But again, this store isn’t just about buying—it’s about the full experience (though I did end up buying this unique trench from LE17SEPTEMBRE — promise it looks way cooler irl than styled here).

One of the most intriguing elements? The in-house spa, offering head massages, facials, blowouts, manicures & more. They even demonstrated how they can remove the dividers between the three salon rooms for private group bookings, which has me already dreaming of a girls’ spa day.

Will Printemps break the department store curse that has plagued downtown NYC? It remains to be seen. But with its unique mix of hospitality, exclusivity, and thoughtful design, it has a better shot than most.

For more of what’s in my closet, what I’m currently obsessing over, shopping guides & more, check out my ShopMy. Looking for some personal style advice? Whether it’s for curating a flawless vacation wardrobe, hunting down the perfect shoes, or finding the best basics for your closet, I’m here to help—just reach out!

Food

Here’s a list of the best bites from everywhere I ate last week:

4 Charles: Never skip: Little Gem Salad (add crab cake); Prime Rib French Dip; Honey Peppered Ora King Salmon; Creamed Spinach.

Wu’s Wonton King: You absolutely must go with a group, and you absolutely must order the king crab. And if I offended you with my crab video over the weekend…sorry, I’m not sorry.

Massara: They have an edited menu for brunch, which is unfortunate because what I was really there for was their Candele pasta, which is only on the dinner menu :( Still a fantastic meal, and I like the atmosphere better than at their sister restaurant Rezdora. Don’t skip on their cutie little pizzas.

Delivery go to lately: Crispy Rice Bowl from Ruby’s, no egg & radish, add kale & spinach.

Stopped by People’s for an early drink last week — the jury is still out, I need to go at a more vibey time before I can submit a proper review…

Current Obsession

I finally bought a Dyson Airwrap and, while I still need to learn how to use it and all 6+ attachments properly, it really is the game changer that everyone said it is. I am truly incompetent when it comes to doing my hair - I usually can’t be bothered to do anything other than let it air dry and pray that it looks good. My regular hair dryer always leaves my hair poofy, but this makes it so easy to have a professional looking smooth blowout with zero effort. Doing anything to my hair is usually such a chore, but this actually gets me excited for hair wash days.

TV

I don’t really want to wade into The White Lotus discourse (and yet, here I am). Mike White feels like an HBO-ified Ryan Murphy (not a compliment)—pushing boundaries just to push them, without actually saying anything (brothers kissing? Errrmmm… okay?). Anyway. TV is in a dry spell. Severance nearly bored me to tears in Season 1, and I’m trying with Season 2, but the commitment feels like a stretch. So, I’m back to rewatching 30 Rock because at least it’s actually fun.

On My Radar

The Picture of Dorian Gray, with all 26 characters being played by Sarah Snook (side note: I just found out she’s Australian?! She played an all American bitch so well)

Eager to check out the new San Vicente members club that finally opened last weekend in the former Jane Hotel space.

Pitt’s, the Southern restaurant in Red Hook serving a Pancake Soufflé (not to be confused with a soufflé pancake) that I can’t get off of my mind until I try it for myself

Le Petit Village, I generally don’t trust an establishment that has fake flowers on the exterior, so I’m not certain this would be on my radar if it weren’t two feet from my apartment…but I do want to give this new French Brasserie a try.

The cereal-infused Monthly Menu specials at Salt & Straw for March (need to grab a scoop of the Peanut Butter Brownie Cereal Puffs ice cream ASAP)

Until next week -

xo

Lo