Tired of digging in discount bins at Resurrection and What Comes Around Goes Around for that must-have wrap dress from the ’50s? Vintage collectors and fashionistas alike, take note: a super-hot fashion event is coming up this week! On Thursday, October 25th be sure to stop by City Opera Thrift Shop’s Annual Fall Vintage Event, taking place from 5-8pm, for some truly delectable finds to add to your already over-brimming collection.

What can you snap up at this deliciously delightful sale, which happens only twice a year? Look for pieces from the 1950s to 1980s at pretty astonishing prices – $25-$150 for dresses, $50-$250 for coats and suits, $50-$500 for furs, $25-$75 for shoes and $15-$100 for jewelry. And the designers, oh, the designers! Chanel, Gucci, Balenciaga, Norma Kamali and Missoni are just a smattering of the more than 20 in number you can find here.

And if you’re lucky enough to have items to donate, you can do so during shop hours or by calling the number below (reserved for large quantities).

So what’s the catch? There really isn’t one. Just show up at the City Opera Thrift Shop (212-684-5344), fork over the $10 suggested donation and shop to your heart’s content. If you really need a reason, then be content in the fact that all proceeds benefit the creation and design of costumes for new productions at the New York City Opera. But who wouldn’t want to snag an Emilio Pucci vintage dress for under $500? In the words of a wise mother, don’t be a do-do bird.

What: City Opera Thrift Shop’s Annual Fall Vintage Event
When: Thursday, October 25th, 5-8pm
Where: 222 East 23rd Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues)

Does the day after Halloween leave you feeling totally full and unhappy? Are you frustrated because you stuffed your face with every type of candy imaginable the day before? This year, hold off on the sweet binge and the resulting toothache by trading in your goodies for a much healthier option. Halloween hangovers are so passé, anyway!

Don’t let this be you after gorging on Halloween candy!
Source: mjp.org

From 1- 6pm on November 1, Bear Naked Granola, in association with Whole Foods, will be hosting TRADE UP! – a candy exchange event – on the south end of Union Square. By tossing your sweets for the granola, you’ll receive a plethora of goodies without feeling any of the guilt, weight gain or other byproducts of over indulgence.

Bear Naked Granola is one of the nation’s leading granola brands, and as a company, is firmly grounded in its organic roots and general concern for well-being. Each bag is full of all-natural ingredients including whole grains and real fruits and nuts. Also, the trail mixes and granolas are devoid of anything artificial, including hydrogenated oils, corn syrups, and trans fats. As a fan, I can honestly say their Blueberry Granola is FANTASTIC and way more satisfying than milk chocolate.

For each pound of candy you provide, you will receive a coupon for a free bag of Bear Naked Granola and 1.35 oz snack samples. If that’s not enough of an incentive, the first 200 people to arrive will additionally receive a free messenger bag and t-shirt. Look for the staff in black and orange shirts.

WHAT: Bear Naked Granola Exchange
WHEN: November 1, 1pm – 6pm
WHERE: Union Square and Whole Foods Market Union Square

To learn more about Bear Naked products and the event, visit www.bearnaked.com, where you can also purchase the Halloween Variety Pack ($18.99) for a limited time.

Step off the train and book a spa destination vacation? Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Well, wake up and smell the lavender. The Spa Experience 2007, staged by SpaFinder, will take place in the Vanderbilt Hall of Grand Central Terminal between October 31st and November 3rd.

Fifty of the leading spa destinations and treatment centers – including Avon Wellness, Clarins Skin Spa, Red Door Spa at The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa and Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park – will share information with commuters and visitors. The event is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct 31st and Nov 2nd and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov 1st and 3rd.

Thanks to the central location, busy schedules can no longer be an excuse for not planning a getaway. Stop by and learn the difference between a “destination spa” and a “resort spa” and book your next wellness vacation. By the way, did I mention you could take advantage of free beauty treatments and sample spa products while you’re there? You can also enter a three-night spa escape sweepstakes for a getaway to Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa, complete with round-trip airfare to Burlington, Vermont provided by JetBlue Airways. During The Spa Experience event, commuting gets a whole new meaning. For more information visit www.spafinder.com/select/thespaexperience/.

WHAT: The Spa Experience 2007
WHEN: 11am to 7pm, October 31st to November 2nd and 11am to 5pm on November 1st and 3rd
WHERE: Grand Central Station

Forget about reclaiming that “kid again” feeling this Halloween, after all, those torturous teen years have kept you penciled in and warming the couch of NYC’s top psychologist long enough. This pumpkin day, tap into one of those psych session personalities and become booty shaking Beyonce, disheveled Ms. Spears (minus the MTV performance…no one can stomach that again) or a sexy Victoria Secret vixen. Then, strut down to the hottest Halloween parties and drink, dance and masquerade all night long.

If you decide to go as B, then find your Jay-Z during the 6th Annual Halloween Masquerade Ball at Capitale (You may actually find the real Jay because this party is known for celebrity sightings). Spend some time at the open vodka bar from 9pm -10pm (suggestion: don’t spend an hour at the bar…tipsy is o.k., hammered is not pretty at all), show off that costume and dance to the DJ’s mix of Hip-Hop, Rock, Top 40, Dance and 80′s music on the main floor. If you’re a Diva that can’t mingle with non-VIP’s, then head upstairs to the Esquire Lounge in the VIP Room presented by Esquire Magazine. Here you will find the same music selection with a crowd more your status.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a month when you pin on a pink ribbon or stick a pink ribbon bumper sticker on your luxury SUV (come on, don’t worry about the paint job…it’s for the cause) to support millions of women around the globe and their families that have been affected by breast cancer. The “pink” shows that you and I have made a charitable contribution towards eradicating this disease, but it’s time we do more to help our sistas.

Ridding the world of this disease begins with education. This is why Pangea Organics, the eco-friendly beauty company committed to creating organic, handcrafted, and cruelty free body and skincare products, has launched its first annual campaign, Beyond the Pink Ribbon. The campaign will inform women of the environmental risks of breast cancer and educate them about healthy alternatives that may help lower risks. Pangea skincare products are rich in plant antioxidants, which new studies indicate may lower the risk of breast cancer.

To support the campaign, Pangea will host a fundraiser at ABC Carpet and Home. Speakers at the event include holistic oncologist Mitchell L. Gaynor, M.D., Joshua Scott Onysko, Founder & CEO of Pangea Organics and Paulette Cole, CEO and Creative Director of ABC Carpet and Home. One hundred percent of all ticket sales will go to the Breast Cancer Fund’s Climb Against The Odds ’08. Now that’s what I call a generous donation.

What: Beyond the Pink Ribbon: Knowledge is the Key to Prevention presented by Pangea Organics and ABC Carpet & Home

When: Thursday, October 18, 2007 6:30-10:00pm

Where: ABC Carpet & Home, 888 Broadway at East 19th Street

Why: Educate yourself about prevention and spread the word!

To learn more about Pangea Organics go to www.pangeaorganics.com.

Anthropologie has teamed up with designer Wenlan Chia to debut some of her new designs and launch her new book, Twinkle’s Big City Knits. The book is filled with totally fashionable knitwear that would be cute and cozy additions to your winter wardrobe. The best part is that any knitter can make these beautiful creations thanks to the step-by-step directions in the back pages.

To celebrate the collabo, the Anthropologie in Rockefeller Center hosted a fabulous knitting party, starring Wenlan herself, to not only show off her fabulous designs, but to help recreate them. Space was limited for this exclusive affair, but don’t worry, there’s one more*.

Honestly, I was not quite sure what to expect when it came to the whole learning experience. I had never knitted and have the patience of a five-year-old waiting for Christmas morn, but was graciously reassured via email that we would be split up into groups based on our experience, mine being absolutely none. Upon arrival we were each handed an adorable handbag filled with luxurious yarn and knitting needles (to take home!) and were informed that the beginners group was to make the Garter Knit Scarf. Instructors were at our disposable to help on a whim. I began to panic when the other girls confidently picked up their needles and starting knitting away while I sat flustered, counting down the minutes until it was time for the light hors d’ourves, beverages (hopefully “adult”) and shopping hour. Alas, when this time arrived, I happily sipped spiked cider and enjoyed petite sandwiches and oversized desserts (a concept that should be adopted more often). Anthropologie generously offered us “knitters” a 15% discount that evening so rather than knit my own masterpiece I bought one of Whelan’s gorgeous frocks. Instant gratification!

Before you go counting to double check that party is seven digits, or try to figure out how to dial an exclamation point, read on. Ladies, we are way too classy to continue to serve up Everclear-laced jungle juice in plastic garbage cans this holiday season. It’s time to take your party drinks beyond a smattering of mismatched alcohol, a bottle of no-name soda, flat tonic water and a five pound bag of ice that’s re-melted into a solid block, not an ice sculpture.

Autumn Pear-a-dise

Not sure how to make it happen like a true party cap’n? Well, ahoy, look yonder to 1-877-4COCKTAILS or 4COCKTAILS.com. They’re there for you 24/7. That’s more than you can say for that guy who won’t text you back after begging you for another chance! 4COCKTAILS won’t leave you hanging. They’ll probably leave you begging for more, and isn’t that what you always wanted?

It’s back! The bi-annual Spa Week is around the corner and taking place in over 130 spas throughout New York. October 15th-21st marks the date when participating NY Day Spas will be discounting 2-3 spa services to $50! Don’t wait too long to book appointments – slots fill up super fast. Log on to www.spaweek.org to view the participants and make appointments.

According to Cheryl Reid, founder of Spa Week, the ultimate goal of Spa Week is to make ‘wellness’ more than just a word and to improve our nation’s overall health. In an effort to make regular trips to the spa an integral part of a daily healthy lifestyle, Spa Week offers discounted treatments as a means of introduction to what literally is a life-saving industry. Of course, if you’re reading this, you’re probably well aware of just how beneficial going to the spa is to your overall well-being. Participating spas include Oasis Day Spa, Elizabeth Arden Red Door, Sothy’s, Lather Spa, Edamame the Maternity Spa, and Essential Therapy.

Going to the spa isn’t just about looking beautiful and relaxing for an hour. It’s about relieving muscle tension, improving circulation, decreasing stress and/or high blood pressure, boosting the immune system, increasing energy and in general, saving us an unnecessary trip to the doctor’s office. And at $50 a treatment all next week, the only excuse not to embark on that road to wellness is if all the appointments have been booked already!

Finally, a health club that doesn’t blast loud music under bright lights making me want to crawl into a hole. See Smart Workout, and the name says it all. When I first entered this intimate setting, I felt as though I was in someone’s apartment. The blond hardwood floors, red and chrome furniture scream modern décor. Ahh, but on the right, there is the Hydraulic Resistance Circuit – a series of weight machines that automatically adjust resistance to the individual effort applied and guides you through the entire circuit with a recorded CD. In the center of the room, there’s a silver pole. Hmmm, I thought, this is some kind of workout place.

The hallmark of Smart Workout is the personal touch. Owner Lois Cooper says that she likes to get to know all the members personally. The cozy setting is conducive to a relaxing workout and the classes are so small – none are larger than six people – that you feel like you’re working out with a personal trainer.