By now you have probably seen at least one of the yellow floral bags that Macy’s has been handing out to its customers. They are all over Midtown and amidst a sea of black winter jackets, it’s like a beacon - you just can’t miss them. The truth is that Betty thought it was going to be like the Christmas windows during the holiday season: You stand in line and see some figure move up and down and around. Oos and Ahhs. Fun for about 5 seconds and then you just want your personal space back.

However, Betty was pleasantly surprised to discover that 34th Annual Macy’s Flower Show was truly a spectacle to be praised! It literally takes over the entire ground floor of the mega-store! Thousands of fresh cut flowers in gigantic arrangements flank the aisles and hover above you. If for nothing else, go for the abundant floral scents. It’s absolutely amazing! Betty has no clue as to how they pulled such a feat off, but it’s worth a visit; guaranteed!

The show is running now and lasts until March 30th so get over there ASAP!

http://www1.macys.com/campaign/flowershow/index.jsp

One sunny day last August, Betty found herself in Montreal, Canada. Minding her own business, she casually climbed the central mountain in the city, Mount Royal, to catch some good views of the metropolis when she began to see dozens of people wearing the same t-shirts, hurrying ahead of her. On her descent, she was able to read the words on the back of the shirts. In bold letters they read: The City Chase. Being her curious self, she investigated.This is what she found on their website and it looks like the experience of a lifetime:

“The City Chase is a unique urban adventure that requires participants to exhibit teamwork, resourcefulness, determination and the ability to make decisions on the fly as they search for ChasePoints scattered in unknown locations throughout the city. To conquer this urban event, two-person teams will run, walk and use public transit to navigate their way throughout the city, while calling family and friends for help, accessing the Internet and even employing assistance of total strangers. Each City Chase includes a variety of physical, intellectual and humorous challenges, designed to push comfort zones. The challenges are designed to test Mind, Body and Spirit.”

If you win, you could end up going to the National Championships in October and the World Championship in November!

The best part: The City Chase is coming to NYC June 28th! Check it out and sign up today.

http://www.citychaseusa.com/

It’s fun to get to know the city that you live in from a totally different perspective. The locations in the following books may be familiar, but these New York characters live far more complicated, interesting and glamorous lives than Betty…

Bergdorf Blondes - In this New York Times Bestseller, Vogue contributor Plum Sykes takes you into the world of a fictitious socialite Julie Bergdorf and her brunette best friend who goes only by “moi.” This romp is filled with lattes at Pastis, invitations to Chanel sample sales and emergency overnight stays at The Mercer.

Nanny Diaries - A peek into the crazy world of Upper East Side trophy wives, from the eyes of Nanny, a young “fish out of water” type who starts nannying for extra cash. This book is a reminder to choose waiting tables instead.

The Devil Wears Prada - This could not be left off the list for obvious reasons. The book depicts the wonders and horrors of Andrea’s existance at Vogue in far greater detail than Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep could ever create on screen.

Valley of the Dolls - A drug and sex filled classic far ahead of its time. Unlike today’s “chic-lit” this is tough and un-sugar coated. The pretty pink and black cover design will also look great on your bookshelf.

Lipstick Jungle - So the show might kind of suck, but the book is at the very least a Candace Bushnell original (unlike the basis of Cashmere Mafia - a complete fabrication of a script). Follow the three lead characters on their quest for cliche career domination, as magazine editor, movie exec and fashion designer.

ONE DAY LEFT! Through March 18th, every Betty can get 10% off of many items at Design Within Reach. Betty can’t wait to get her hands on a discounted Sapien Bookcase. This is one of Betty’s favorite bookcases for a small apartment and she’s been waiting forever for a good deal!

The short Sapien is now only $9 more than the tall Array Bookcase at CB2 and both are 60″ tall. For $9 extra dollars, you are guaranteed a higher quality product and Betty thinks it’s worth the splurge.

Sadly, the sale does not include Knoll or Herman Miller products (sorry Eames & Bertoia), but you can still get your hands on a discounted Spun Floor Lamp and Swan Chair, contemporary furniture staples.

www.dwr.com

As you familiarize yourself with the city, you need not only one bar or one restaurant to be directed to try, but a plan for what you’re doing and where you’re going. In this edition of Day Out, Betty recommends the perfect itinerary for your Saturday afternoon of shopping.

12 PM: Balthazar - Meet a friend for brunch, and split a pot of tea and “le panier,” a selection of fresh breads and pastries. Try the hostess on the right because the wait for tables on the bar side is 1/4 the wait for the regular area of the restaurant. 80 Spring St.

1PM : Madewell - Check out the new permanent location, an upgrade from the pop-up store we covered last December. 486 Broadway at Broome St.

2PM: Forever 21 - The SoHo outpost of this popular chain is the best in the city, with a monster selection of practically disposable jewelry, tops and dresses. While you shouldn’t expect the clothes to last, you also won’t care when some random girl dumps her cranberry vodka down your shirt twelve hours later. 568 Broadway

3PM: Bloomingdales Beauty Department ( + Convenient Bathroom Stop) 504 Broadway

4PM: For the retail faint of heart, return home to rest up for a night out. For the seriously devoted, there’s still two H&M’s, Anthropologie, Banana Republic, Uniqlo, J.Crew, Levis, Sephora and Scoop to cover before heading home.

“To play music you’ll love - and nothing else.” Pandora’s mission statement is music to Betty’s ears. Sick of constantly skipping through music libraries littered with AI alums and their feeble attempts at creating a one hit wonder, Betty discovered Pandora.com.

Pandora has analyzed the magical sound of almost a century of recordings. Nearly 400 attributes, including melody, harmony, rhythm, and vocals have been analyzed to connect you with music you’ll love: new and old, well known and completely obscure. Simply type in a song or artist and Pandora will introduce you to songs with similar attributes. Visit Pandora.com and let them take care of the match-making.

http://pandora.com/

Beauty Buzz: The Best Hydrator

Dry weather, central heating, and too many bottles of wine had left Betty’s skin parched . She needed a quick fix - her rough elbows and dry shoulders had merely weeks ‘til their debut!

On a trip to Rescue Beauty Lounge, the popular mani/pedi oasis, Betty sampled their decadent Spiced Floral Body Cream. Thicker than the lotion version, this product left Betty’s skin velvety smooth and moisturized all day. She loved the calming floral scent but Rescue Beauty Lounge also makes the cream in Citrus Vert and Rosemary Pamplemouse.

Available at www.rescuebeautylounge.com

While most can admit that Ikea packs a great bang for a buck, some of us Betties are ready to make the old Folgers Switch into big girl furniture. Everyone is getting older and the crappy furniture that donned our college apartment has seen better days. Well, if you have been itching for a new slipper chair, headboard, side table, wallcoverings, textiles, trims, or anything else to spruce up your current digs, then you must check out the Donghia Warehouse Sale in Connecticut.

The sale runs from Friday March 14^th through March 16^th and is open to the public on the 15^th and 16^th. If you are a designer or have a friend who can get you in, then go on Friday for the best selections. However, fear not; the warehouse is huge and there will be fabulous finds through Sunday.

Donghia is also providing a shuttle bus to and from the Milford, CT train station. You can get there from the Metro North station that leaves from Grand Central. The shuttle will run on Friday, March 14th and Saturday March 15th.

Donghia Warehouse, 500 BIC Drive, Gate 4, Building 4, Milford, Connecticut, 1.800.DONGHIA, http://www.donghia.com/dwh/

Betty is proud to announce the grand opening of a new lingerie store, Ripplu, near Madison Square Park. Formerly located in Midtown, Ripplu has relocated and just opened up its new store further downtown. In celebration of the happy occasion, they are giving 10% off all of their regularly priced merchandise through March 8th. Go check out the new digs, save some cash on Eberjey (among many other well known brands such as Spanx, Nu Bra, and Bradelis), and receive a small gift with your purchase.

In addition to the grand opening celebration, they are using fabric shopping bags that they want reused on your return visits. If you bring the bag back to shop on your 2nd, 3rd, and so-on visits, they will give you $1 off your purchase. In this city, every $1 counts, too.

66 Madison Avenue, between 27th & 28th St., 212.599.2223, www.ripplu.com

The American Museum of Natural History has officially reopened its Butterfly Exhibit. With winter temps still dipping extremely low, spend a couple hours in the warm confines of this enchanting exhibit.

The exhibit, located in the museum’s Rose Center, features more than 500 live, free-flying butterflies. Open now thru May 26th, 10:00am - 5:45pm daily (last timed entry to the exhibit is 5:00pm). Other noteworthy exhibits include the Fossil Halls (Dinosaurs!) and Ocean Life (boasting a 94 foot long blue whale replica). Suggested admission is $22, advance tickets are available online for a $4 surcharge.

http://www.amnh.org/