DDi - November/December 2010 - (Page 8)

8 | From the Editor These streets will make you feel brand new… D o you remember the first time New York City inspired you? I certainly do. I was 18 years old, a college freshman off for my first spring break—not to Daytona, Panama City or one of the other Floridian locales most of my coed friends were partying off to, but to Manhattan. My best friend had recently transferred to New York University, and my wide eyes couldn’t pass up the chance to explore a city I had only seen in the movies and always wanted to experience first hand. In a SINGLE DAY, the first day I set foot in the city, I managed to: sit in the front row of a matinee showing of “Rent,” get into a boxing match with a toy soldier at FAO Schwarz, ride the Staten Island Ferry there and back (best cheap view of the Statue of Liberty there is!), take a picture with The Naked Cowboy under the lights of Times Square and slow dance on the top of the Empire State Building under the stars. It was, to put it simply, the perfect day. As an 18-year-old, I fell hard and fast for the city, lured by the lights and excitement and satiated by the nonstop frenetic energy of the people, the stores, the sounds. As my travels to New York continued over the years (and grew significantly since signing on with this magazine), a new love has emerged: December in New York. There’s nothing better than walking the sidewalks of Fifth Avenue (or Madison or 34th) during the holiday season and peeking into the stores, exploring the new visual presentations and magical shopping experiences the city has to offer. And to top it off, the Association for Retail Environments treats us even further, hosting the Retail Design Collective Dec. 8-10 (see page 10 of this issue). Now we not only have the opportunity to visit the stores that delight us (visit page 16 for a list of new retail to see in the city), but also the visual, décor and mannequin showrooms that will inspire us throughout the year. It’s a wonderful week of meeting with old and new colleagues, seeing fresh products and resources on offer and feeding your creative spirit with a bit of pizzazz, energy and inspiration. Speaking of resources, as you may have noticed, we have also made this November/December issue into our annual Buyers’ Guide this year, giving you a full-fledged directory resource to help you jumpstart your planning cycles for the coming year. This list of vendors, manufacturers, distributors and service providers can serve as a tool for you as you set out to take on new projects in 2011. (You can also access an online version at www.ddionline. com/buyersguide.) But I digress. Now back to New York. As you head to New York this holiday season (or if you live there already), take the time to really breathe in all that the city has to offer this time of year. My friends and family who know me well know that I am not one to typically quote a Jay-Z lyric (although Journey and Bon Jovi are certainly in my wheelhouse). But there’s nothing better than having Jay-Z’s smash hit “Empire State of Mind” with Alicia Keys playing on your iPod, as you take a cab into the city from LaGuardia to get your creative juices flowing: Now you’re in New York! These streets will make you feel brand new, The lights will inspire you, Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York…. Enjoy the city so nice they named it twice! Alison Embrey Medina Executive Editor alison.medina@ddionline.com www.ddionline.com | November/December 2010 http://www.ddionline.com/buyersguide http://www.ddionline.com/buyersguide http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - November/December 2010

DDi - November/December 2010
Table of Contents
From the Editor
Retail Design Collective
Showroom Map
Products
New York Retail Map
DDi Buyers' Guide 2010
Company Listing
Product Category Index
Product Listing
Classifieds
Advertisers
Calendar

DDi - November/December 2010