DATES: June 1 to June 6 ,2008
SHOW: FFANY
LOCATION: New York, NY
BUYER: Amber R., Assistant Buyer, Comfort

June 1, 2008

2:20 AM - Waiting to fall asleep. First night in NY. Tomorrow I will get some work done with W Hotel wireless and shop the market.

June 2, 2008

8:00 AM - At the “make sure everyone is alive” breakfast we always have during the week of shows. Eating at the Blue Fin restaurant downstairs of the W Hotel. Here with Galen, Graham, Kathy, Nicole.

10:33 AM - I am in hotel room hooked up to wireless getting a few things done, before I head out this afternoon to "shop the market". I must admit it is pretty nice working from the 36th floor with a view of Manhattan.

1:54 PM - At Macy's in NY. This is overwhelming. I had never been in here before. It's huge, with many endless floors!

3:22 PM - Almost the whole store is on sale. Scary!

5:00 PM - Nicole just called and asked if I wanted to have dinner with her and one of Andrea C.'s friends who lives in NY and also works as an Apparel rep for Tripp Apparel. We will go out for Sushi at 6:30.

8:00 PM - Sushi was very good and the company was great as well. I am now back at the lounge in the lobby of the W. Hanging out with several Zappos folks from my team, monkey row and Fashion.

June 3, 2008

8:04 AM - I am eating breakfast with the team and Steve Gebhart, before we all head separate ways for our first day of appointments. I have 4 brands today, and they aren't too far from the W, so minimal walking today. Should be wrapped up by 5:00PM.

9:46 AM - Walking into Warwick Hotel for Aerosoles appt. Galen will be joining me.

11:04 AM - Met with Aerosoles earlier. Line looks good. Looks like huaraches are going to make a comeback next year! We discussed some possible marketing ideas for Aerosoles on 6PM.com.

11:45 PM - Just left Perlina meeting. Such nice people. Can't wait for the Fall styles to hit. Perlina is doing very well. My senior rep, Yves, hopes someday that Perlina will be the biggest brand on Zappos.

12:45 PM - White Mt. was able to see me 2 hour early and now I have a nice break in schedule to grab some lunch. Met lots of people from White Mt as I was the only account present at the time I was there. Nice group of people, and they all speak very highly of Zappos.

2:35 PM - Organizing folders for my appointments tomorrow and Thursday. I have one appt left today with Duck Head at 4:00.

4:10 PM - Finished up with Duck Head short and sweet. Women's Spring looks great.They are doing lots with color. I have been way ahead of schedule all day and gotten in and out of appointments early all day. Love when that happens! Tomorrow will be a bit harder to stay on schedule as I’m meeting with some big brands from my portfolio.

9:20 PM - Just finishing up dinner with Born at Mesa Grill. Large group of us including Tom McClaskie. Great food, wine, the best white peach margarita I've ever had! We are so blessed to "live the good life".

June 4, 2008

7:39 AM - Day off to a great start. I have the giggles this morning. I am in the cab with Jeanne and Galen on our way to meet with the Clarks family. Have a big day today. Born, Ugg, Merrell, and Ecco. I will probably skip Merrell and Ecco to go back to hotel and get some work done on laptop.

11:00 AM - Met with Clarks/Privo/Indigo first thing this morning. Clarks line looks great. They know who their customer is and update in their own ways, while keeping up with current trends.

11:24 AM - About to meet with Born.

1:00 PM - Met with Born and watched fashion show for Interim into Spring 09. Line looks great as usual, and they are trying a few things no one has thought of yet. Love my Born reps. They are awesome! The are using many shoes with a “Carrie Bradshaw” type flower on the top.

9:16 PM - Sushi Samba was some of the best food I've ever had! Having a great time in NY. Ate dinner with White Mt. crew. My White Mt rep took her first Sake Bomb, it was awesome and she was a natural champ. Go Marianne! After Sushi Samba, headed over to an Irish Pub style place and saw the Deer Stags rep Danny’s family perform in their band. Lots of fun, but it was ending right as we arrived. Headed back to W to check out the lounge. Late night!

June 5, 2008

7:42 AM - Last night was such a fun time at Sushi Samba with White Mt. Delicious food and great company. Then ended up running into Eric and his Steve Madden reps who we had a few drinks with. This afternoon, I am off to the Piers for my last appt of the show with Eastland. Clarks dinner tonight. Can't wait!

11:00 AM - Just finished up a revision of my Privo and Timberland Outdoor plan. Thank you Caron for giving us the last chance.

3:55 PM - So I am at the Piers. Finished up with Eastland. Women's Spring looks great and I can't wait for the styles to hit the site. Men's was interesting as they are taking more of an urban approach. The shoes looked good. Very nice distressed leathers. I’m outside Dansko booth, waiting for Jeanne, Dave, and Galen to finish up, so we can share a cab back to W.

5:17 PM -
Back at hotel, getting a head start on packing for return flight tomorrow afternoon. Heading to Porterhouse for dinner with Clarks at 7:00.

7:16 PM -
At Porterhouse restaurant in Time Warner building. Dave and I took an interesting picture with a statue. I have to give it to Graham for the blog! Also, very humid outside right now. I am not into the humidity!



10:00 PM - Dinner with Clarks tonight was amazing, but the coldest restaurant I have ever been in!

11:53 PM -
All packed up and ready to go bag home tomorrow. Having a hard time falling asleep. Don't know why, considering I haven't had much sleep at all throughout the week. All in all, the trip was a great success and I look forward to receiving many new styles from my brands when they hit the site late fall and Spring 09!

June 6, 2008

10:18 AM - On my way to JFK for return flight to Vegas. Sharing a cab with Eileen and Graham. Glad the show is over, because it is a bit chilly today and starting to drizzle. All in all, the weather held up great all week. Certainly very muggy though! Makes me appreciate the dry heat we are about to enter for a hot Vegas summer. Busy week next week, from catching up on work after FFANY. Good bye New York, see you in December!

DATES: June 1 to June 6 ,2008

SHOW: FFANY

*LOCATION: New
York, NY*

BUYER: Jennifer M., Assistant Buyer, Salon

Sunday, June 1, 2008

8:00am - Waking up to finish packing for 11:20am flight to NY, realizing that I can only check ONE bag foran entire week of work, knowing NY is never predictable weather.

10:45am - Arrived at airport, tons of people all hung over going home from a long weekend in
Vegas…love it!

12:30pm - Signing Jonathan’s fashion book, racking my brain for about an hour as to what where and who aboutmy opinions of fashion, fun

7:30pm - We land at JFK and as we wait for our bags... Leemarie’s still isn’t showing it’s face…she starts to panic, can you imagine an entire week of work appointments without any of your clothes, hair products, contact solution!

8:00pm - Looking at the cab line, no way! It’s like a 2 hour wait so we decide to take up this guy on a car service as he promises 15-20 minutes.

9:00pm - finally getting into the car! Haha, 15-20 minutes translated is 45 to 60!

10:00pm - Just pulling up to W Hotel, STARVING! Check in, grab handbag, start searching for food.

10:45pm - Find South African place called XaiXai randomly on 9th and 51st. Very quaint, wine, tapas... a great way to say hello to NY before a crazy week!

12:00am - noticing a man with a stroller passing the restaurant on the opposite side of the street going right with black bag in stroller, left without, right with…weird…

1:00am - Time for bed, long day of trend shopping and appointments tomorrow.

Monday, June 2, 2008
8:00am - Wake up, shower, grab banana and hit the streets for some shopping before my appointments in the afternoon!

9:15am - Grabbing a bagel from café next door…ahh NY bagels, can’t beat them!

10:30am - 5th Avenue trend shopping! Saks, Fendi, Gucci, Bergdorf, then off to Barneys! All the while wondering if I’ll ever be lucky enough to live in this crazy vibrant city…comfortably!

1:30pm - Meet Jessica at hotel to grab a cab to Lacoste belts appointment on 35th.

2:00pm - View the holiday and review the fall line with my rep. It looks great! The croc definitely sells!

3:00pm - Finish early so head back to hotel to freshen up and grab next appointment’s business reviews.

3:30pm -Next to Beverly Feldman! We’re going to pick the Zappos Life shoe for holiday drop! Already setting dates for WSA in July…drinks of course!

6:30pm - On our way to Trump tower, we end up at the wrong one! I had no idea how many towers this man owns! Finally get there meeting an old friend at Trump tower on 57th for our
traditional glass of champagne as we overlook central park…I’ve never seen NY in June, amazing! We were so lucky to get a great weather day!!

8:00pm - East village for some awesome French food, had steak tartar and wine - great conversation.

9:30pm - Heading back to the hotel to check emails from today.

2:00am - Finally getting to sleep after finishing emails and reviewing business for appointments starting at 9am.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008
8:35am - Walking to Hilton Hotel for first part of the day. After getting our badges we head to the room which Bivel and One of 2 are showing…door closed, tons of workers in hallways still cleaning rooms. Hmmm….ok?

9:15am- Head to next appointment, will come back to closed door…get to Pura Lopez, looks
amazing! Such a gorgeous collection!

10:00am - Headed back to first room, see reps in hallway, they tell me that they were there at 8am! Lesson of the day, knock on the door!

11:30am - Time to eat something. Grabbed a flat bread at a little café on 57th between 5th and 6th called Mangia, killing time checking Blackberry emails before 12:30pm appointment - so loud here with sirens going off every moment!

12:30pm - Icon collection, met new rep.

1:30pm - New line that will launch spring, looks amazing! Also got a chance to catch up with an old friend!

3:00pm - Walking to catch last cab of the day to Hunter Boots appointment and we run into a guy in a pin-striped, short-sleeved silk number with head phones a thick neck and sunglasses
(although it was overcast)! Laugh of the day.

4:00pm - Hunter appointment, which goes great! Met a ton of new people on their end, I love meeting new people!

7:00pm - Drink with Terra and Leemarie at bar in W - the Livingroom!

7:30pm - Had a few with a rep.

11:30pm - Came home, called for 2 wake up calls starting at 5:30am (what was I thinking?!?) And breakfast at 6am.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008
5:30am - Wakeup call.

8:30am- Meet everyone for Lacoste Footwear appointment at 9am.

9:30am- Tell Lacoste about a project we’re doing this fall, definitely interested! Oh, and the product looked fantastic! Great colors, right on trend!

11:30am- Camuto group, starting with BCBGMAXAZRIA on to Jessica Simpson, Vince Camuto and then BCBGirls…what a day!!!

3:30pm - Off to Soho! The best part of Manhattan to me, so much character! View the
Coclico line, finally grab lunch at this great French cafe, Gitane, head to Jeffery’s then back to hotel before last minute dinner.

5:45pm - Freshening up and checking emails before grabbing a bite to eat at Rosa Mexicano, this is where my picture was taken! I was dared half way through dinner to take an entire mini spoonful of jalapenos! So of course I did it!

10:30pm - Dancing at Hudson Hotel! Great scene! 4 rooms, each with a different vibe.

1:30am- Home for last minute review of Thursday’s appointments.

Thursday, June, 2008
8:30am - Got a chance to sleep in a bit!

10:00am - First appointment with Cynthia Vincent Footwear, LOVE.

11:30am - Jaime Mascaro, new showroom, looks awesome! Another great view, rep even ordered pizza, first time all week with some NY style pizza, HUGE pieces, so delish!

1:30pm - Off to the Hilton, going to see KorkEase and talk about resort and fall.

2:30pm - Killing time, ran into Sabon, awesome soap place, great bath scrubs! Check it out!

3:30pm - New brand view, then to Bliss to check out some more product.

4:00pm - On way home, stop in Henri Bendel and a couple other shops, tons of people out today, lots of group tours. Decked out in the headphones and all!

5:30pm- On way home called Dad to check in, ended up talking my ear off! Walked right down diamond lane (as I call it!) with people yelling at you to buy some black market jewelry!

7:00pm - Met colleague and his rep for a drink and dinner. We ended up going to a Chinese place because we were starving before we could get in at Freeman (amazing place)!!!

9:00pm - I ordered trout and received the whole fish cooked…eyeball and everything! So tasty!

10:30pm- Rivington Hotel for a new scene.great music!12:00am- Forbidden City in East Village.

2:00am - Grabbed a cab back to hotel, thinking of checking out Whisky Bar/club below the W.

2:45am - Decided to hit the hay! Have to get up early and pack before flight tomorrow!

Friday, June 6, 2008
9:30am - Did not want to get up…started packing.

12:30pm - Caught cab to airport, you never know what the traffic is going to be like! Especially on Friday!

1:20pm - Arrive at Jet Blue terminal, printed boarding pass, headed through security and towards a sports bar.

2:00pm - Had at least 20 minutes before we boarded, ordered, then as food gets here they announce LAST CALL TO BOARD FLIGHT 257 to LAS VEGAS!

5:35pm PST- Ahhh I’m home, and slept almost the whole flight, minus some crazy people all excited to get to Vegas, and some scary meatheads on the plane who decided they were too cool to take off their sunglasses…oh wait, the plane was pretty bright, it could be validated!

6:15pm - Robin, a gem, picks us up from the airport and the end is finally here…time to sleep and catch up from the week away.