Bostonista spent last weekend living the high life atop the rooftop garden at the 230 Fifth hotel in NYC. Twenty stories up, we partied like glitterati under the stars, and in the shadows of the Empire State Building. While soaking up the sky-scraping views and open air vibe (they even had red, Hef-inspired robes on hand, in case you got cold!), we wished for more places like this at home.

And there are some places in town that measure up (at least in terms of elevation). So on one of the last few summer weekends remaining, don’t waste your last chance to take your party to the highest level. (more…)

As wedding season draws to a close, we find ourselves battling a severe case of bridal envy. Before you cringe at our Scary Sadshaw-ish overshare, relax: This isn’t one of those posts. The gowns all look the same to us; we’d prefer a down payment to a diamond; and (luckily) we’re not head-over-heels with any of the grooms. But the brides’ toned arms? An entirely different story…

Longing for that buff-yet-graceful look, we touched base with Dave Pardue, a personal trainer at One2One BodyScapes. He focuses on improving posture to help brides look more statuesque as they walk down the aisle…but we think his tips will help lots of desk-slumpers, too.

Here’s what Pardue recommends:

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So here we are, the last unofficial week of summer. Fortunately for us, September in 2008 is like July in 1998—sultry temperatures and sunny days. Which means we can squeeze every last wear out of our warm-weather wardrobe. But what, dear readers, to do about our white pants?

Most of us grew up listening to our mothers’ staunch Memorial Day through Labor Day edict; most of us also rolled our eyes and tried to rebel against the fashion statute. But yet, every fall we pack up our whites, eschewing all things light until snow ushers in acceptable “winter whites.”

This Bostonista loves her whites. She also loves and respects her very stylish co-workers. So late last week, she conducted an informal office poll: White after Labor Day—brilliant idea or fashion tragedy?

The votes are in…

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A recent weekend jaunt to Block Island, a 33-minute fast ferry trip from Point Judith, Rhode Island, began with a boat ride beyond bumpy. We’re talking toss your entire Bloody Mary, and very nearly your cookies, all over yourself bumpy. (Want to know what removes tomato juice from a white summer sundress? That’s right: Nothing.)

Needless to say, once ashore we were due for some serious pampering. Visible from the Old Harbor ferry dock, the year-old Koru eco spa came to the rescue. (more…)

One of our fellow Bostonistas cuts her hair approximately every third day. (She claims it’s every six weeks.) We’ve become so inured to the sight of her rolling into the office with significantly changed hair that sometimes we forget to comment…or, um, notice.

But the last time she came from a cut, all of our heads swiveled. Her always-cute short hair had become…way cuter. It was a little edgier, a little more noticeable, and a lot more her.

The man behind the amazing handiwork, it turns out, is Dean Mellen. Though a newbie to the Newbury salon scene, he has 20 years of experience coiffing the likes of Claudia Schiffer and Christina Aguilera. (more…)

Hypothetically speaking, if we were obsessed with Mandy Moore, the single entitled “Crush” from her self-titled 2001 album in which she coos, “Ooh, I wish I could tell somebody / But there’s no one to talk to, nobody knows / I’ve got a crush on you / A crush on you, I got a crush” would sum up exactly how we feel about the popstar.

And if that was the case, we would gloat just a little bit because we share hair colorist extrordinaire Jeffrey Lyle with the A Walk to Remember star, who frequents Boston because she’s from Nashua, New Hampshire. (more…)

Today’s travelers have more options than ever when booking trips online. Some are decidedly time-saving; others, not so much. Indeed, Al Gore’s little invention has spawned an entirely new way of thinking about travel, not to mention swapping tips and slamming unworthy destinations.

And just when you thought the virtual travel market was saturated, along comes another upstart, this time from former Bostonian Alex Trieb.

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Bostonista seeks: Workout that can produce Jessica Alba pre-baby (or, hell, post-baby) abs with minimal sweat output. And: By the weekend. Thanks.

We’re not lazy. We’re just busy. We’ve logged plenty of hours of back-breaking, pre-dawn, gym-based masochism. But it’s just so easy, especially in the summer, to give our workout the brush off in favor of more compelling uses of our time. Like, say, bargain hunting. Or drinking our co-workers under the table.

But at long last our excuses have met their match. Jamaica Plain-based Boston Pilates has teamed up with diet.com and YouTube to launch the kind of workout series even we can’t argue with—that is, the quick kind. Note: This is, unfortunately, not the same thing as the painless kind. (more…)

Even though Bostonista’s not exactly back-to-school shopping anymore (it’s been, um, a year or two…), every August we still feel that natural (read: tax-averse) instinct to replenish our closet with new goods. So what if said goods now include sundresses and spaghetti straps from summer markdowns? You’ll see us supporting the habit at Habit and plenty of other purveyors this weekend. For the likeliest Bostonista sightings, head to:

Barneys Denim Promotion
Barneys New York, Copley Place
Aug. 11-25
From Aug. 11 to 25, bring in a pair of your previously loved denim jeans, and Barneys will recycle them and give you 20 percent off your next pair.

dresscode
2 Elm Sq., Andover
Through August 31
All summer merchandise is 20 to 50 percent off, including jewelry, shoes, bags, and clothing by Rebecca Taylor, BCBG, Diane von Furstenberg, Seven for All Mankind, Ella Moss, and more.

Envi
164 Newbury St.
Aug. 15-17
Spring and Summer apparel is up to 60 percent off at Envi, a store that offers one of the biggest selections of eco-fashion in the country with brands like C&C California, Edun, Loomstate, Terra Plana, and more.

First Date
28 Chestnut St., Andover
Aug. 15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Aug. 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The entire collection of summer tops, dresses, skirts, and pants are marked 40 percent off and jeans and all accessories, including jewelry and bags, are marked 20 percent off. They’ll also have special “Double Date” areas where it’s buy one, get one free.

Habit
703 E. Broadway, South Boston
Through August 31
Habit’s holding a birthday party to celebrate its second year in business—and you’re invited! Included with the invitation: 15 percent off every non-sale item in the store, including new fall merchandise and jeans. Items that were already on sale are now marked down 20 to 80 percent.

It may be the rainy season here…but in PR Land, it’s holiday gift idea time. So we stopped by the Eliot Hotel yesterday to check out new offerings from La Mer and Jo Malone.

Some thoughts: We’re used to over-the-top gift ideas. We really like Jo Malone. And we’re clearly not opposed to conspicuous consumption.

But…whoa. The visit raised a couple questions…

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