Admit it, girl – sometimes, you get a teensy bit tired of the ubiquitous “mixed greens” for lunch. Don’t you secretly just crave . . . a burger?

Well, when you’re ready to admit it, head down to Paul’s in the East Village for a no-frills, affordable burger with all the traditional trimmings. Paul’s is the kind of place you remember from back home – a bit like a roadside diner, filled with Americana, and serving up burgers, cheesesteak, fries, beer, and milkshakes for a great price (the burgers start at $4.20). Feeling guilty about your diet? You can order a small burger. Out with your guy? There’s a deluxe for him.

And while you’re there, enjoy it. There will always be more salads.

Paul’s
131 2nd Ave between 7th Ave and St. Mark’s
R to 8th Street, 6 to Astor Place
Cash only

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I had a hard time locating a good haircut I could afford when I moved to New York; everyone was either off-the-charts expensive, or wouldn’t let me choose exactly what haircut I wanted, or just plain scared me. Like you, I’m pretty picky about who cuts my hair and how they cut it. I want it done right. And I don’t want to have to forfeit two weeks’ worth of groceries for it.

Enter the Aveda Institute. The Institute trains hairdresser, colorists, and aestheticians, and to help them learn, they provide low-cost haircuts, facials, and other spa treatments to clients under the watchful eye of an instructor. Unlike some training programs for hairdressers, Aveda allow clients to choose exactly what haircut they’d like. I brought pictures and was thoroughly pleased with the results.

And best of all, treatments use Aveda products, which are manufactured using natural ingredients from sustainable and organic sources and “green” power (100% wind power). So you can look pretty and feel good about what you’re contributing to society and the environment.

Expect the haircuts and treatments to take longer than most – one to two hours for a haircut – and book the appointment weeks in advance.

Aveda Institute New York
233 Spring Street at Sixth Avenue
A/C/E to Spring Street
212.807.1492
Call for appointment

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I know I should love thrifting, but after a childhood spent pawing through smelly or weirdly-colored clothes at various Salvation Army stores in the suburbs, the very idea of thrift stores sends a little shiver up my spine. Happily, there’s Beacon’s Closet.

Well-known to Brooklynites, Beacon’s Closet has outposts in the two Brooklyn neighborhoods of Park Slope and Williamsburg. This isn’t your grandmother’s thrift store. Beacon’s Closet caters to the hipster crowd, carrying only clothes that are vintage enough to be “cool” or are new enough to be in style. I have picked up shirts and dresses that I saw last season on the racks at Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters – for about fifteen dollars.

And if you’re interested in getting rid of old duds to make room for new ones, Beacon’s Closet can help, too. Bring your old clothes, neatly folded and in bags or boxes, and leave them with the staff. They will sort through to see what they can use and buy it from you. You can receive a percentage of the selling price of the clothes, either in cash or store credit. But be forewarned – they’re picky.

Beacon’s Closet carries both men’s and women’s clothes, accessories, shoes, outerwear, jewelry, and even some music. And they’re a store with a conscience; they donate a portion of their profits to shelters and relief organizations, as well as giving old clothing to groups who distribute the garments to the needy. So, you can be stylish for less, and you can make a difference.

Beacon’s Closet
Weedays, 12:00 – 9:00 pm
Weekends, 11:00 am – 8:00 pm

88 N. 11th Street, Williamsburg (between Berry & Wythe)
718.486.0816
L to Bedford Ave

220 Fifth Ave, Park Slope (between President & Union)
718.230.1630
M/R to Union Street

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I stumbled on to Pala by sheer accident. It was a late Saturday night and Allen was buzzing with outdoor conversations, bottles of wine being uncorked and cabs screeching to a collective halt. My girlfriend and I were famished and headed into the open-air restaurant to grab a slice on the run.

We certainly didn’t expect to fall madly in love. Although Pala was packed the gills, one never felt claustrophobic as the structure is much like a garage, with fresh air, open space and tables flowing out to the sidewalk. Each table is adorned with sprigs of fresh oregano (for pizza topping) and the menu is bountiful (40 Italian wines, over a dozen unique pizzas). We started off with the spinach salad – which was to die for – a plate filled with organic greens, fresh blue cheese and browned walnuts. Next up was the zucca pizza (pumpkin and top-notch pancetta) for me and the spicy cherry tomatoes and chunks of fresh mozzarella for my friend. The menu was filled with delish antipasti, salads and pizzas – so decision making was trying.

Be prepared the pizzas are HUGE! For $8, you get a foot-long, thin crust pizza that can easily feed two. With attentive service, remarkable and green conscious food (organic dough and ingredients), Pala boasts a chic, comfortable vibe and good with great flavor.

Tip: Akin to Rome, pizza is served by the foot (a steal at $8) and easily feeds two. If you’re in a hurry, you can order up pre-made slices at the counter. Also, CASH ONLY.

Pala
198 Allen St
New York, NY 10002
(212) 614-7252
Between Houston Street and Stanton Street
Subway: F, V at 2 Ave

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Hankering for walnut brownies, overstuffed ciabatta sandwiches, homemade granola, piping-hot peanut butter cookies without all the yuppified Park Slope attitude? My home base for long conversations and tasty fare has been Naidre’s, a sweet cafe that escapes the stroller-mom madness of bustling Park Slope.

Inside resembles your breakfast nook replete with cookie jars, coffee pots, handwritten signs and the latest issues of Seed, Business Week, Entrepreneur, O and Time Out New York, spread out amongst the tables. Service is quick and incredibly friendly and you can tell a little bit of love goes into everything they make. From fresh tuna melts on multi-grain bread to the cinnamon raisin organic home-made oatmeal that sells out in a flash, to a bevy of healthy and decadent sandwiches, the options are bountiful and the vibe decidedly laid-back.

If the sumptuous selection of baked goods (some vegan, sugar and gluten-free but all are divine) don’t lure you back, check out their no cell phone policy – imagine a quiet lunch without someone barking into their phone. There is no table turn policy here and I’ve spent afternoon hours munching on energy cookies (think granola, cranberries and all the healthy bits rolled into a fortifying treat) and sipping on raspberry ice-teas. The coffee is always strong and fresh, and tea selections delightful (black current, mango, english breakfast, and a variety of green teas).

So head in with the breakfast crowd for fresh food on the go or kick back in the later hours at this Park Slope down-home cafe.

Two Locations:
Park Slope
384 7th Avenue
(Between 11th & 12th Streets)
Brooklyn 11215
TEL 718-965-7585
EMAIL naidre@naidres.com
Subway: F to Seventh Avenue

Carroll Gardens
502 Henry Street
(corner of Sackett)
Brooklyn, NY 11231
TEL 718-596-3400
EMAIL naidre@naidres.com

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A favorite among Cooper Union and NYU students, Chickpea, a new falafel joint in the epicenter of the East Village, is perfect for the budget-minded gal who has a hankering for savory shawarma (roasted marinated lamb, chicken or turkey fillets). Although the food is served in a rapid-flash style, there is nothing “fast food” about the chewy homemade pita, the outrageous falafel, the deliciously seasoned red onion and the shawarma – juicy and roasting on a revolving spit.

For $3.50, score a sandwich overstuffed with fresh food that’s high on flavor. And the scene is certainly not greasy or low-budget – copper counters, Moroccan starlight fixtures, even a lounge! – Chickpea is the perfect moniker for this tasty wallet-conscious spot.

Chickpea
23 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10003
212.254.9500
Subway: 6 to Astor Place

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Owner and baker, Jerome Audureau, a man who believes baking isn’t baking until you shape the dough with your hands, adds Parisian flare to this simple, sweet space that is warm in decor (wicker and iron chairs), with walls that are painted in serene hues. Amidst soothing jazz, you’ll hear a constant buzz from patrons clicking on laptop keys or the family of tourists seeking refuge from the maddening galleries and street artists that flank West Broadway. Akin to the sidewalk cafes and bistros in Paris, you’re not gently prodded to the door as soon as you’ve polished off your goat cheese and portobello sandwich. Table-turn is an evil word at Once Upon a Tart and on a chilly Saturday afternoon, I met an old friend for hot tea, delicious treats and good conversation. During the three hours we spent in the cafe, I sampled the pumpkin cranberry biscotti AND scone, the roasted turkey and cranberry mango chutney and frisee sandwich, and a selection of their British teas, and couldn’t have been more satisfied. Wonderfully seasoned with a care for presentation, my late lunch was not only savory but sweet and flavorful. The freshest ingredients are used here and the proof is definitely in the tasty fare. The baked goods were heavenly – biscotti, light, crispy and the scone unbelievably light and flaky.

Whether you’re jetting in for a quick pumpkin cranberry biscotti or spending a lazy afternoon sipping green tea and indulging in fluffy, decadent scones or being very, very good with a savory sandwich and tossed salad, Once Upon a Tart brings a little bit of whimsy into downtown bohemia.

Once Upon a Tart
135 Sullivan Street (Btwn Prince/Houston)
New York, NY 10012
212.387.8869
Subways: C/E to Spring Street or N/R to Prince Street

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When it comes to hunting for world’s most coveted bags, the Kelly and the Birkin (in snakeskin and burgundy leather, if you please), Fisch for the Hip is the real deal. Recently, Hermes announced a three-year plus backlog for these prestigious, and outrageously costly handbags and they’re not quite sure when this season’s production will commence. Before the tears are shed and the clicking to Ebay ensues, check out this small, yet smart consignment shop in Chelsea, where they offer the most classic designer pieces for the savvy, fashionista (or gals like us who just want to look like one). Housing an extensive collection of Hermes accessories, you can also snag great Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Prada, and Dior bags and shoes, in mint condition, for upwards of 60% off retail. Their merchandise hails from celebrities, fashion editors and hard-core fashion addicts. And with the precise and careful selection, the proprietors are picky, which reflects on the high quality, chic merchandise offered.

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Face it, you covet that Marni jacket, distressed Prada hobo and the fall Manolo boots, but you’re sensible, you have looming credit card debt, and quite simply, that Marc Jacobs handbag could break your proverbial bank. You want Sienna Miller or Gwenyth Paltrow’s style without all the cost. Trust me, there is an answer, and it’s INA: the very stylish, the uber fashion-forward consignment shop and before you think that this is your local thrift store with shoddy castoffs, think again, for INA stocks the serious goods straight off the runaway and out of the fashionistas and celebrities’ Hermes-ridden closets. Conde Nast editors routinely drop off bags of bounty (think Tuleh, Comme de Garcon) at this trendy resale shop, which is a downtown fixture and my secret obsession for the past four years.

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