Boutiques Meet Bistros on the Square
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These articles were prepared for the December 8, 2004
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U.S.1 BestBets
Top Of PageDress Him Up and Take Him Out
If you’re dressing the man in your life (and let’s face it, they all
need dressing), Nick Hilton Studio offers a wide range of gift ideas
for every budget. “We have everything from leather to khaki,” says
owner Nick Hilton. And speaking of leather, let’s go straight to the
buttery-soft stuff. Hilton’s leather jackets come from Lone Pine, a
company in California that tans its own hides, makes the skins, and
sews the jackets. “The skins are incredible, luxurious, and
beautiful,” says Hilton, adding that the trim on the pockets, stitch
work, design, and fit are all exquisite. From pine-colored suede to
burled walnut brown, the colors are just as divine as the leather.
Prices range from $995 to $1,835.
Hilton also recommends the extremely luxurious lightweight knitwear.
Made in Italy, these sweaters come in polos, mock turtlenecks,
v-necks, and crewnecks. “It’s a unique blend of merino, cashmere, and
silk – very lightweight and soft,” says Hilton. “Merino can get hot
and is harsh to the touch; the cashmere and silk add a loftiness and
softness, so it’s more comfortable. These sweaters are a great
alternative to a collared shirt. You can wear the polo over a shirt or
t-shirt, or you can wear it as a shirt.” Prices range from $165 to
$195.
You can also find many items under $100. Shirts, $85 to $97, are
surprisingly inexpensive for the high quality they offer. “Made with
high count cotton,” says Hilton, “these shirts are spun better and
woven better than cotton shirts you’ll find in a department store.”
Another great deal is the khakis by Bill’s Khakis ($45 to $97.50).
“You can wear these for 10 years or you can wear Dockers for two
years,” says Hilton. “These khakis are a high count cotton, thick but
not stiff. They are made very well, with a good drape, a solid
waistband, and deep pockets. They last longer and look better when
you’re wearing them.”
But the real package deal at Nick Hilton is this: three custom-made
shirts and three suits for $1,400. “You do the math,” says Hilton.
“That’s an incredible deal.”
Nick Hilton Studio, 221 Witherspoon Street. 609-921-8160.Top Of PageSpa + Beer: Perfect TogetherAttention, men. Yes, you, men. I know you’re out there. And I know youhave, well, shall we say mixed feelings about shopping? OK, you hateshopping. Someone just came to your rescue.On Thursday, December 16, Spa Therapia and Triumph Brewing Companypresent their second annual “Men’s Night Out,” from 6 to 9 p.m. Atthis “stress free shopping” night, men are invited to stop in andenjoy some of the spa treatments Spa Therapia offers and sampledifferent brews from Triumph while knocking off a good portion of yourholiday list.Spa Therapia, a medically-supervised day spa, offers several lines ofskin care products and cosmetics as well as spa treatments likefacials, waxing, massage, salt scrubs, body wraps, microdermabrasion,pedicures, manicures, and more – you know, stuff girls crave. She’lllove you for it.A few years ago I got a $200 gift certificate to Spa Therapia (for,let’s just say, a round-number big girl birthday), and I was sothrilled that I made it last the whole year, with three differenttreatments over three visits.This gift-giving season Spa Therapia is recommending gift certificatesfor its Signature Massage: 50 minutes, $70; 70 minutes, $90; 90minutes, $120. This is a personalized massage experience incorporatingSwedish techniques and other modalities to focus on specific troubleareas. A Signature Massage is created by you and your therapist forthe ultimate experience and includes a warming back mask for extrastress relief.Another option is the Ultimate Customized Facial, 65 minutes for $95.It begins with an expert skin analysis, followed by intense cleansing,toning, exfoliating with papaya and pineapple enzymes, extractions,massage, masking, and treatment creme chosen specifically for yourskin type. The Ultimate also includes a scalp, hands, and footmassage.As a special holiday promotion, every gift certificate comes with aneight-ounce Avocado Lotion from the spa’s new line of private labelskin care products called Results by Spa Therapia.Combining the finest formulas, highest standards, and the latesttechniques for anti-aging, these products are designed to facilitatetotal wellness and beauty. The line includes O2 Rejuvenating Creme,Willow Herb Soothing Serum, Derma Pore Cleanser, Spot Fix, and VitaminC Serum.Both the spa and the Results product line are under the supervision ofThomas A. Leach, M.D, medical director of Princeton Center for PlasticSurgery.Spa Therapia, 932 State Road (Route 206 South),609-921-8854, www.spatherapia.com.Top Of PageBoutiques Meet Bistros on the SquareIf there’s someone on your list who loves to shop or someone who lovesto stroll through downtown Princeton on a weekend afternoon, justdrinking in the ambiance, you can package that experience up in a boxthis year – with a Palmer Square gift certificate. With over 40 stores– a mix of top national chains like J. Crew, Ann Taylor, Chico’s,Coach, and Ralph Lauren, to independent stores with an entrepreneurialspirit like Zoe and Zoe Shoes, which just expanded into bigger digs,and Honey West, which showcases small boutique designers from New Yorkand Los Angeles – Palmer Square offers downtown charm but with thesophistication of the city. From women’s and men’s apparel to homefurnishings and accessories, from health and beauty to specialty foodsand specialty gifts, Palmer Square offers gift solutions in everycategory.Here are just some of the things you can find on Palmer Square,whether you are shopping for others or thinking about what someonemight be able to get with a gift certificate. A pound of handmadechocolates from Thomas Sweet or a box of truffles from LindtChocolates. Acqua di Parma cologne and NARS cosmetics from BlueMercury or ginger souffle whipped body cream from Origins. SwedishChristmas ornaments from Bowhe and Peare. Paintings of the Princetoncampus and Princeton at Cranbury Station Gallery. “Winter” holidaycandles at Banana Republic. Provencal table linens at April Cornell.Estate jewelry at The Silver Shop, the oldest shop in the Square(established in 1937). Shoes from Nine West and Aerosoles. Clothes forchildren at Talbots Kids and the three ICI’s – ICI Bebe, ICI Fashion,and ICI Monde. Toys and children’s books at Jazams.Palmer Square is all dressed up for the holidays. Every weekend inDecember there are strolling musicians, a strolling Santa, and horseand carriage rides.For holiday dining and desserts, there’s Bucks County Coffee, HaloPub, Medittera, Teresa Caffe, the Bent Spoon, Winberies, and theYankee Doodle Tap Room.Palmer Square gift certificates in any denomination are available atThe Papery, 43 Hulfish Street. For each $25 gift certificate purchasedthrough December 31, you get a $10 free parking value pass card.Top Of PageCase in Point: Leather LuxuryIt’s arguably the most distinctive business accessory – for a man or awoman. A top-of-the-line briefcase makes a defining statement thatsets the tone the moment you walk into a meeting, client appointment,or business dinner. The possibilities are endless, but above all, abriefcase should reflect the very best attributes of the person whocarries it – intellect, creativity, innovation, and executive savvy.Luttman’s in Princeton carries a selection of briefcases for virtuallyany taste – urbane and contemporary, staid and conservative, edgy andsophisticated, in a price range from $250 to $1,000. There’s theRawlings line, crafted from one of the most durable natural materialsavailable – Rawlings baseball glove leather. Jack Georges cases arestrong yet lightweight, made from leathers like top grain soft tumblemilled leather, soft milled full grain steer hide, Italian and Germanleather, and vegetable-dyed, hand-stained suede – accented withdetails like satin nickel finished solid brass hardware, ballisticlining, blue steel metal reinforcements, and quilted leather.The British line Tusting, which dates back five generations, featuresspecially-prepared water- and stain-resistant leather prepared byhighly-skilled artisans not to cover the natural scars of the hidesbut simply to enhance the texture and feel. Some styles have a soft”bookbag” structure, others a popular semi-rigid structure, featuringquick release “tucktight” closure.Daines & Hathaway offers exquisitely elegant, classic styles like theHarvard, Oxford, and Banker’s cases, crafted from English bridle hide,using designs and traditional manufacturing techniques dating back tothe 19th century. The Ghurka line features cases made fromsignaturevintage leather that is pure vegetable tanned, entirely free ofchemicals, utilizing tanning extracts from mimosa and quebracho treebark.Luttmann’s Luggage is a venerable Princeton shop that opened 101 yearsago as a saddlery shop. Over the years it began to carry leather goodsand continued to be run by the Luttmann family until its currentowner, Frank Riccato, took over ownership of the store. In addition totraditional and contemporary briefcases Luttmann’s offers women’shandbags, wallets, portfolios, gift items including leather pictureframes, accessories, and day planners including Filofax and Scully.Luttmann’s Luggage, 20 Witherspoon Street. 609-924-0004.Top Of PageGet Warm and FuzzyWe look for classic traditional high quality items and beat the pricedown and up the selection,” says Robert Landau, owner of Landau’s.”This is our 49th Christmas in Princeton. There’s no benefit tolongevity other than we think we really know our customers. When wefind something that’s good, we really overdo it.”Landau recommends three items for holiday gift giving. The first isthe pashmina shawl, which became extremely fashionable just in thelast three years. Through a contract Landau’s has made with acooperative in India, the store offers a pashmina shawl that used tosell for $265 but is now priced at just $59. And it comes in over 50colors. “If you have 40 women on your list, you can get each one adifferent color,” says Landau, adding that the shawl’s 70% pashminacashmere/30% silk blend “drapes spectacularly. You can wear it onChristmas Day and to a restaurant in the middle of July. People flywith it and use it instead of an airplane blanket; others use it as abed jacket. These shawls work all year round. And one size fits all soyou don’t have to worry.”Another example of the Landau’s strategy to evolve woolen items intomore affordable apparel is the very popular acrylic zip-front cardigansweater for women. Landau says the sweater was copied from atraditional Austrian boiled wool jacket that sells for $475. Done verynicely in acrylic, the cardigan sells for $29. “It looks veryexpensive,” says Landau. “And it’s washable.” And in true Landau’stradition of great selection, it is available in eight colors.For the men on your list, Landau recommends the Viyella shirt fromEngland. Viyella was origianlly a 60% wool/40% cotton blend that overtime has evolved into an 80% cotton/20% wool blend. Landau says thismakes the shirt, which is styled like an outdoor shirt or a lumberjackshirt, a little bit warmer than a standard cotton shirt. And talkabout patterns – the Viyella shirt comes in about 60 differentpatterns. Elsewhere these shirts sell for $115 but Landau’s gets themdirect from a mill in Pennsylvania (the fabric is made in England) tobe able to offer a retail price of $65. “We’ll end up selling 600 thisseason,” says Landau.Landau’s, 102 Nassau Street, Princeton. 609-924-3494.Top Of PagePampering Little ToesI went through a phase a number of years ago where I bought everyoneshoes for presents. Now that, pardon the pun, was thinking outside thebox. I was the smash hit of Christmas morning.Buy really comfortable shoes, and you’ve hit pay dirt. Ask anyone whowears Birkenstock shoes and they are likely to tell you they are themost comfortable shoes they own. The 200-year-old company has reshapedits image with the addition of enclosed shoes and boots. “A lot ofpeople are curious about Birkenstock,” says Steppin’ Birkenstock ownerJimmy Jimenez. “People have a perception of Birkenstock as a clunkyclog or the Arizona sandal but they’re that and a whole lot more.We’ve had lots of three-generation families as customers, even fourgenerations.”For kids, Jiminez recommends putting them in the most comfortable andsupportive footwear from day one with Birkenstock’s kids fun clogs.Growing feet, legs, and spines need correct footwear introduced earlyon. This helps bodies develop correctly into adulthood.By starting your child on the Birkenstock road of life from thebeginning, you insure fewer bumps in the road later on in life. Unlikemany other major comfort-ware manufacturers Birkenstock isn’t justsatisfied with making a knockoff of the adult clog. You know theshoes, all show and no go! These clogs are fully functioningBirkenstock footwear. They feature the same great orthopedic support,comfort, and durability as the adult versions do, including fournatural arch supports and heel cup, along with the toe bar found inthe adult version.Plus these clogs are downright adorable and dare I say, FUN! There arethree separate clogs in this group, each with a distinctive charactermotif and color. There is a pig in a blue base color, a sheep in a redbase color, and a cow in a green base color. The design is unique withthe head and neck on the right clog and the rest of the animal on theleft clog. Your kids will love these clogs, and so will you. So muchfun that you’ll wish they made them in adult sizes too.Jiminez also recommends other Birkenstock styles as a gift – or givea gift certificate. In addition to shoes, sandals, and boots, thestore also carries insoles, arch supports, and cashmere socks.Steppin’ Birkenstock, 12 Chambers Street, Princeton,609-921-8411; 530 Union Square Drive, New Hope, Pennsylvania,215-862-9800.Top Of PageBlow Them Away, Italian StyleThanks to Carson (if you don’t watch “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”you won’t get this) the word “product” has gone mainstream Still don’tget it? Product means great stuff for styling your hair. Product willmake anyone over the age of 14 on your list happy. It’s even good forpeople who think they don’t want it. Trust me. They want it.Look for European packaging with at least four languages. Women goweak for anything European. We recommend Phyto products, also known asPhytologie, which are produced in France. Phyto products, made withall natural botanical ingredients, have received the Hollywood GoodHousekeeping Seal of Approval – InStyle magazine named Phyto thenumber one haircare product line.Elaine Staats, owner of E.Y. Staats, recommends several Phyto productsfor gifts. Phytodefrisant ($22), a botanical hair relaxing balm, ismade with ferula and sage and received Allure magazine’s Reader’sChoice Award in 2004. Phytobrush ($20) uses acacia honey and thermalprotective agents for heat styling and enhances the action of thePhytodefrisant. Phytolisse is an ultra shine smoothing serum ($24).Phytovolume Actif ($22) is a volumizer spray root lift.Staats also recommends a five-inch round boar bristle styling brush($30) and the Elchim blow dryer ($95). Made in Italy, the Elchim hasthe best air velocity of any dryer, says Staats, allowing for a quickdry, even with thick hair – it’s the only dryer the stylists at thesalon use.E.Y. Staats in Princeton is a charming salon that offers modernstyling in an 18th century home – there’s even a fireplace in thereception area. “Everyone who works here has been with me since thebeginning,” says Staats, adding that the stylists have extensiveexperience in cutting, coloring (including dimensional coloring),styling, and bridal services. The staff stays on the cutting edge byattending seminars such as a recent one on styling and presentationgiven by the uber-chic Minardi + Minardi team from New York at theCanyon Ranch Spa in Lenox, Massachusetts.E.Y. Staats, 10 Moore Street, Princeton. 609-924-6696.Top Of PageMassage, Even for MenIf someone offered you a 60-minute full body massage or a sweater fora gift and told you they both cost the same, which would you choose?Easy. Wouldn’t you go for the massage? Who wouldn’t? “Our purpose forbeing is to provide quality caring and massage and bodywork foreveryone,” says Darby Line, owner of Full Circle Family Massage andHealing Center. “But our work goes much deeper than the muscles.”Sometimes the gift of relaxation and rejuvenation is far moresignificant – and enjoyable – than the stuff that comes in a box. Agift certificate for a massage or a facial – 30 to 60 minutes awayfrom the stress and pressure of everyday life – would thrill anyone.Even men. “A lot of men need massage, a break from their stressed-outlives,” says Line. “Forty percent of our clients are men. We even givefacials to a lot of men. Men don’t want to walk through a salon pastwomen getting their hair done in order to get a massage. We’re notslick. We’re housed in a small Cape Cod and each private treatmentroom is a little bit different experience. Men don’t feel embarrassed.People often comment that it’s very much like ‘coming home.’”Full Circle treats clients as young as four and as old as in their90s, everyone from professional athletes to people with terminalillnesses. “The body work we do is tailored to everyone who walks inour door,” says Line. “We have 15 highly-experienced therapists who doeverything from total relaxation to injury rehabilitation massage. Wealways spend time with a client before their appointment. If they havea one-hour appointment we’ll talk for five to ten minutes before todetermine the right approach.”Line says a very popular gift certificate is for a one-hourintegrative massage ($70), which is based on Swedish massage but alsoincludes shiatsu, reflexology, reiki, or other techniques, dependingon the individual’s needs. For those who don’t want to spend thatmuch, Line suggests the half-hour massage ($45). A facial is $55 and aradiance facial, which includes a special eye treatment to minimizethe little lines around the eyes and an exfoliating mask, is $90.Line also recommends, especially at this time of year, the 50-minutefull body Swedish massage for $60. “It helps get the circulationgoing, and warms and detoxes the muscles. It’s a great break foranyone.” She adds that a gift certificate for a massage is a greatgift for an older parent, “someone who has everything or someone whohas never had a massage.”Full Circle Family Massage and Healing Center, 329Princeton-Hightstown Road, 609-371-0888, www.fullcirclemasage.com.Gift certificates, which can be mailed to the recipient or the buyer,are available over the phone. $1 service charge per gift certificatefor mailing.Top Of PageDinner Out, No CheckA couple of weeks ago, I took my nine-year-old son to have dinner atTeresa Caffe on Palmer Square before going to see Savion Glover andBobby McFerrin at McCarter Theater. There was a wait for a table so wegrabbed two stools at the polished wood bar in front of the pizzaoven. Before we knew it, my son was drinking Sprite out of a champagneglass and chatting with the lady next to us about his tap class, andwe decided to stay put and eat at the bar. My son could watch hispizza margherita being made, and the attentive bartender refilled hisglass before he even had to ask. It was cozy and bustling and and wecould watch everyone coming and going. I had a salad and a glass ofmerlot – we were happy campers.Maybe there’s someone on your list who really needs a “date night”with his or her spouse. Maybe there’s someone who loves topeople-watch at a cafe or sip an exotic drink at the bar and listen tolive music. Or someone who could use the treat of dining out at anItalian bistro on a weeknight. A Terra Momo gift certificate takescare of all of them.Terra Momo restaurant group is named after owners Carlo and RaoulMomo’s parents, Teresa Azario Momo and Raul Momo Marmonti. Terra Momoincludes Mediterra, offering a Mediterranean menu and intimate musicalgroups on Wednesday and Thursday nights, 29 Hulfish Street, Princeton,609-252-9680; Nova Terra, with a Nuevo Latino menu, featuring rodizioevery Wednesday night (a kind of Brazilian barbeque) and live Latinmusic Thursday through Saturday nights, 78 Albany Street, NewBrunswick, 732-296-1600; Teresa Caffe, serving authentic Italiancuisine, 23 Palmer Square East, Princeton, 609-921-1974; Eccoqui, alsoserving authentic Italian cuisine, 107 Route 202, Bernardsville,908-221-0040; and Witherspoon Bread Company, featuring artisan andorganic breads, 74 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-688-0188.While the flavors and themes of each location differ they all sharethe Terra Momo vision with special “ingredients” – from locally-grownproduce and wines from small producers around the world todistinctive interior design like the circular bar at Nova Terra.Terra Momo gift certificates. Available from any Terra Momo restaurantor online at www.terramomo.com. Gift certificates are the size of acredit card and come in a wonderful gift package and envelope.Top Of PageFlying the Friendly SkiesWe get everyone – truck drivers, surgeons, reporters, artists. I had awoman who was about 60 years old come in today and buy one for hergood friend, then say, ‘I’m going to get one for my son anddaughter-in-law,’” says Naomi Nierenberg at Raritan Flying School atPrinceton Airport. “It” is an introductory flying lesson.”It’s a mini first lesson with hands-on experience,” says Nierenberg.You are accompanied by an FAA certified flight instructor, who startsthe lesson with a pre-flight check on either a Cessna 152 or 172single engine high wing airplane. You check the oil and gas and makesure the plane is in airworthy condition, then you sit in the leftseat and the instructor sits on the right. Both you and the instructorhave hands and feet on the controls and you taxi down the runway. Thencomes the big moment. The instructor talks you through take-off.”The view is just magnificent,” says Nierenberg. “And so is the senseof freedom. As congested as New Jersey is, there is a lot of openspace. You don’t have to follow roads. Sometimes people fly over theirhome or go over the Delaware or near Spruce Run and Round Valleyreservoirs.” The instructor talks you through basic maneuvers likemedium bank turns, bank climbing, and descending, so you experiencethe three “directions” of flight: up/ down; left/right; and forward.A lesson that’s a little under 20 minutes costs just $49. A full houris $109, which Nierenberg says counts towards loggable time for alicense (which requires 40 to 80 hours) if you continue with lessons.There is no minimum age but there is a minimum height – five feet. “Weget a lot of people who buy flying lessons as gifts because they saythey are ‘tired of giving sweaters,’” says Nierenberg. “It’s somethingthey will always remember.”The pilot shop, called Plane Toys for Children Big and Small, is onsite at the airport as well as online and offers thousands ofaviation-oriented gifts. “I think it’s the most unique gift shop eastof the Mississippi,” says Nierenberg. Items include infant suits,robes, and bibs with airplanes on them; bomber jackets for childrenand adults; wind chimes with a biplane; a weathervane with airplanes;scarves with airplanes; white pilot scarves; mugs; tie tacs; asweatshirt with the Princeton Airport shown on a current aeronauticalchart; “Spirit of St. Louis” CD players and radiophones designed invintage Lindbergh style, and more.Raritan Valley Flying School, Princeton Airport, Route206 . 609-921-3100, www.princetonairport.com.Previous StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
